by Garrett O’Brien, originally published 11-July-2015
Please note – links to Britannica.com may require a free account to see the full article. just click the Login link at the top right then the subscribe button on the popup menu to get started. We don’t use Wikipedia as they have proven itself to be unreliable.
What We Need to Regain
True quality leaders understand one simple principle…
Humility
begets Respect
which begets Honor
People are ready to give respect as soon as they recognize humility — and as time proves the truth of that humility, that respect becomes honor.
This is a principle that cannot be denied anywhere…
The magnitude of respect and then honor
will always be determined by the
truth in humility.
This explains what happens to the many that go down the path of entitlement and demand respect with little or even no humility.
They are usually the last to discover and are usually totally surprised to sense that their people don’t trust them, that their people are not very loyal…
Their focus after all was on themselves, not on humility, not on the people around them…
Of which I can only say any one of the following…
The seed you plant is the harvest you reap
and
The end cannot justify the means,
for the simple and obvious reason that
the means employed
determine the nature of the ends produced.
One you should recognize as from the Bible, and the other is by Aldous Huxley.
Both are focused on the same thing – the end result…
Both are the roots of principles, you know those things that never change no matter what you believe and/or do.
My thought is this…
Why fight something that’s going to win anyway,
even if you don’t believe in it (principles, that is)?
If you are NOT getting the results you want from people unless God is running interference, you are planting the wrong seeds —
End…
Of…
Story…
Most people want to make others happy, which means when any of us (me included!) is not connecting with someone, we are shorting out our connection somehow…
People are people and we can be the finickiest of things yet…
A few are always the exception and will always be.
After all, they have that right, and as long as safety and lives are not affected, should we really be interfering with their will?
If they previously bought into your dream and vision but are delinquent in their tasks, efforts, and deliverables — they need to be let go if they don’t move on themselves…
Their focus has changed and you are not responsible for that, let go and move on.
They have provided whatever value you can gain and focus on that…
As true and quality leaders, our focus needs to be on…
- those that want to help
- those that believe in and share your vision, your dream…
The size of the vision and/or dreams does not matter…
If they are lying to you. then you are better off trusting their enemies that are telling the truth and keep the value of their word.
At least you know where they are coming from and where they stand — that is a mutual trust if even a cautious trust…
Where are you focused?
Who can count on your word? or your actions?
What actions do you need to correct to connect with those who want to help you? who believes in your vision? who shares the same dreams?
To get started, focus on 3 things to improve your own character, the value of your word, and the results of your actions…
- whose voice are you listening to? Those voices will form your beliefs even if you don’t believe them at first — learn to discern and verify what you hear…
- who do you consider a hero? Heroes are our alter-ego and tell others a LOT about you, perhaps more than you would care them to know… question WHY the person(s) are your heroes… And don’t be disappointed in letting any one of them or even ALL of them go — they were part of your growth, recognize them for their contributions, not their failures (as if YOU never failed???)
- whose counsel do you pursue? These are mentors, advice, legal counsel, and anything where you need advice — metaphorically speaking, ask yourself if you are asking a golfer to give you advice on football… Find someone who has been through what you are going through and succeeded in overcoming with strength… they will save you weeks, months even years of frustration…
In other words, learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Learn to step outside of your comfort zone but not outside of your principles — one is meant to be built and grown, the other is meant to be your foundation…
What Our Founding Fathers Understood
The one thing all our Found Fathers knew is this…
PRAYER is the most important weapon during times of peace as well as war…
Anyone denying or minimizing the religious as well as faith (there is a difference!) of our founding fathers has either not studied their history very well or they were provided textbooks that avoided this topic altogether.
America’s first step toward independence began in Philadelphia, but the First Continental Congress would not meet at the Pennsylvania State House (today known as Independence Hall) as there were too many loyal to the King in the Pennsylvania legislature.
In an act of generosity as well as recognizing a need the local carpenter’s guild offered their newly constructed building to the 1st Continental Congress — appropriately named Carpenter’s Hall.
Given there were more than 13 different churches represented by the members of the First Continental Congress, the agreed first act of the Congress turned out to be a bit of a pickle — today we might call it… tolerance.
Episcopalians, Quakers, Anabaptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists…
They would not join in the same act of worship — which meant the prayer had to be unifying of the spirit and not identifying of any church.
Samuel Adams spoke up and promoted his confidence and faith in one Reverend Jacob Duché, an Episcopal clergyman, a local minister from nearby Christ Church.
Many of the Founding Fathers worshipped there (7 signers of the Declaration of Independence were buried in Christ’s Church cemetery).
Reverend Jacob Duché (1737-98) was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of Huguenots who immigrated to America with William Penn.
Given all this and Samuel Adams’s influence with Congress, they agreed and the motion was seconded.
But this was not any ordinary prayer session — Reverend Duché opened the 2nd session the following day (September 7th, 1774) by reading the 35th Psalm, and then broke into extemporaneous prayer.
It seemed as if God and his angels ordained that Psalm to be read that morning as the Boston Massacre would happen the following day…
What Our Current Congress Does Not Understand (Or Wants to Ignore)
… is precisely what our Founding Fathers understood.
Liberals and RINOs have so distanced themselves from our history they have no choice but to challenge this.
Our job, our responsibility is to keep ourselves educated, which also means to be open to correction — no one can know it all, even then, even today.
With the internet doubling its information every 2-1/2 days, there WILL be errors — verify what you are learning from original source documents 
(aka primary source documents) as often as possible.
Great places to start?
- Library of Congress
- Records of Congress, personal notes, and letters through our National Archives
- The Congressional Records
- as well as nearly anything else that can be found in our National Archives
This is by no means an exhaustive list — build your library as you spend time verifying what you have been told.
Personal libraries were very popular until the last century when public libraries (usually government-funded) became popular.
And we know what happens when the government funds anything…
Be sure to test those sharing the wrong information – if they are friendly, be nice… if not, have at them with dignity!
Returning to what we need to regain…
Our First Congressional Congress Set A Precedence
The First Continental Congress met from September 5 to October 26, 1774 – and after 2 days of establishing how they were to operate by establishing debating rules, the First act they wanted on September 7th?
Divine service is noted here in the notes of the First Continental Congress (page 26 and page 27 , of which page 27 is displayed below).
Refer to the comments on the bottom of the page of the above Continental Record — does this even come close to sounding like our Founding Fathers were Deists never mind kept the Bible out of our government?
The prayer Reverend Duché provided …
O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle!
Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.
Amen.
Reverend Jacob Duché
Rector of Christ Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 7, 1774, 9 o’clock a.m.
Talk about humility…
Now add to this the reading of at this time of Psalm 35 (KJV, of course)…
- Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.
- Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
- Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
- Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt.
- Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them.
- Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
- For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life.
- Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net that he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.
- And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation.
- All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”
- Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know.
- They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul.
- But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart.
- I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.
- But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it; they tore at me and did not cease;
- With ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth.
- Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.
- I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
- Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
- For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against the quiet ones in the land.
- They also opened their mouth wide against me, and said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”
- This You have seen, O Lord; do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.
- Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
- Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
- Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
- Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me.
- Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
- And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.
From our perspective, only a burnt spirit cannot see the humility our First Congress had with God as well as knowing full well their vulnerability (this was 1774, the Declaration of Independence was still in the making).
The Effect Of A Powerful Prayer
John Adams was so profoundly impacted by this poignant morning that his letter to his wife even 9 days later was still full of amazement and urgency in getting the word out on what happened…
Having a Leisure Moment, while the Congress is assembling, I gladly embrace it to write you a Line.
When the Congress first met, Mr. Cushing made a Motion, that it should be opened with Prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay of N. York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina, because we were so divided in religious Sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Aanabaptists, some Presbyterians and some Congregationalists, so that We could not join in the same Act of Worship.—Mr. S. Adams arose and said he was no Bigot, and could hear a Prayer from a Gentleman of Piety and Virtue, who was at the same Time a Friend to his Country. He was a Stranger in Phyladelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duchè (Dushay they pronounce it) deserved that Character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duchè, an episcopal Clergyman, might be desired, to read Prayers to the Congress, tomorrow Morning. The Motion was seconded and passed in the Affirmative. Mr. Randolph our President, waited on Mr. Duchè, and received for Answer that if his Health would permit, he certainly would. Accordingly next Morning he appeared with his Clerk and in his Pontificallibus, and read several Prayers, in the established Form; and then read the Collect for the seventh day of September, which was the Thirty fifth Psalm.1—You must remember this was the next Morning after we heard the horrible Rumour, of the Cannonade of Boston.—I never saw a greater Effect upon an Audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that Morning.
After this Mr. Duche, unexpected to every Body struck out into an extemporary Prayer, which filled the Bosom of every Man present. I must confess I never heard a better Prayer or one, so well pronounced. Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper2 himself never prayed with such fervour, such Ardor, such Earnestness and Pathos, and in Language so elegant and sublime—for America, for the Congress, for The Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially the Town of Boston. It has had an excellent Effect upon every Body here.
I must beg you to read that Psalm. If there was any Faith in the sortes Virgilianae, or sortes Homericae, or especially the Sortes biblicae, it would be thought providential.
It will amuse your Friends to read this Letter and the 35th. Psalm to them. Read it to your Father and Mr. Wibirt.—I wonder what our Braintree Churchmen would think of this? — Mr. Duchè is one of the most ingenious Men, and best Characters, and greatest orators in the Episcopal order, upon this Continent—Yet a Zealous Friend of Liberty and his Country.3
I long to see my dear Family. God bless, preserve and prosper it. Adieu.
The prayer had a profound effect on the delegates, as recounted by John Adams to his wife.
Dr. Duché followed the psalm with ten minutes of spontaneous prayer asking God to support the American cause.
Adams stated…
[Rev] Duche, unexpectedly to everybody, struck out into extemporaneous prayer-filled which filled the bosom of every man present.
I must confess I never heard a better prayer. . . .with such fervor, such ardor, earnestness and pathos, and in a language so elegant and sublime for America [and] for the Congress.. .
It has had an excellent effect upon everybody here.
He went on to say,
I never saw a greater effect upon an audience.
It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on the morning. . . .
I must beg you to read that Psalm. . .
[Read] the 35th Psalm to [your friends].
Read it to your father.
One other delegate said he was“worth riding 100 miles to hear.”
On July 4, 1776, Jacob Duché met with his Vestry to make a momentous decision.
Just 2 days after the Continental Congress voted to “dissolve the connection” with Great Britain in what became known as the Declaration of Independence, the decision at hand was whether or not to pray for the royal family in the upcoming Sunday service.
In the politically charged world of Philadelphia, the act of excluding prayers for King George was fraught with partisan labeling: are you a loyalist Tory or a rebel?
The vestry decided “for the peace and well-being of the churches, to omit the said petitions.”
To this day, you can visit Christ Church and see the 1776 Prayer Book where the prayer has an ink line literally crossing out those prayers for the King.[4]
The following year, however, Reverend Duché defected to the British…
Sources
[1] Ferling, John. (2003). A Leap in the Dark. Oxford University Press. p. 112
[2] Office of the Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives
[3] John Adams, Letters of John Adams, Addressed to His Wife, letter of September 16, 1774; Charles Francis Adams, Editor, Charles C. Little & James Brown 1841
[4] Why Remembering Matters sermon, The Rev. Walter Smedley, IV, The Church of the Holy Cross, Dunn Loring, Virginia, Sunday, July 2, 2006
Our Challenge – Your Challenge
We, as a nation, are not even CLOSE to where our Founding Fathers were when it comes to humility towards God as well as knowing our current and very vulnerable situation.
Nor are we close to the level of intellect and good character they possessed.
Based upon the results seen around us today the ONLY thing we have proved is more knowledge can corrupt the soul, the character, the spirituality of any man – if he permits it, if YOU permit it.
As great as many leaders are today, we are still eating the dust of our Founding Fathers – and we shouldn’t be…
We have a long ways to go to be their equals, but it is not impossible.
I believe I know what we need to do, however, what is important is that YOU believe you know what we need to do, and need to do NOW…
Is our urgency, even direr than theirs, as we could possibly lose the freedoms and liberty we once gained?
Or are you just going to continue venting through Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media without doing anything but being a mouthpiece for political rants?
Journalistic intentions – sitting by the sidelines and yelling at the players instead of playing in the game yourself – by the populace are exactly is how any tyrant gained power.
At the original time of this post being published, the GOP has been in office for nearly 2 years now, and just WHAT do they have to show for it? (UPDATE: no surprise, in 2022, 7 years later, not much has changed save what Trump has been able to lead and direct).
What are we going to do about all this?
Prayer is great but without any equal action behind it, we are but a mouthpiece full of desperate rants…
Read your Bible, every prayer that God answered required ACTION… what are YOU doing to get your prayers answered?
Too busy?
Then That is where your priority is and stop praying for other things…
Perhaps this is why Trump has shot to the top of the list of early Presidential candidates in the popularity polls?
He. Took. Action. Period.
There are some GOPers that are rattling the GOP party – GOOD!
George Washington warned us in his First Inaugural address that
both the preservation sacred fire of liberty and
the destiny of the republican model of Government
need to be protected by the hands of the American people…
Not by the government, not by those elected to office, but by us, We the People…
“By the article establishing the Executive Department, it is made the duty of the President “to recommend to your consideration, such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” The circumstances under which I now meet you will acquit me from entering into that subject, farther than to refer to the Great Constitutional Charter under which you are assembled; and which, in defining your powers, designates the objects to which your attention is to be given. It will be more consistent with those circumstances, and far more congenial with the feelings which actuate me, to substitute, in place of a recommendation of particular measures, the tribute that is due to the talents, the rectitude, and the patriotism which adorn the characters selected to devise and adopt them. In these honorable qualifications, I behold the surest pledges, that as on one side, no local prejudices, or attachments; no separate views, nor party animosities, will misdirect the comprehensive and equal eye which ought to watch over this great assemblage of communities and interests: so, on another, that the foundations of our National policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality; and the pre-eminence of a free Government, be exemplified by all the attributes which can win the affections of its Citizens, and command the respect of the world.
“I dwell on this prospect with every satisfaction which an ardent love for my Country can inspire: since there is no truth more thoroughly established, than that there exists in the economy and course of nature, an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness, between duty and advantage, between the genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy, and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity:
“Since we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained:
“And since the preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”
Also…
“While we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion. To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.”
– George Washington (1778)
500+ books in my personal library and Peter Lillback’s “George Washington’s Sacred Fire” is the second most read, researched, and referenced book…
The above quote is the one quote that encompasses the essence of who Washington was…
It would do all of us well to be sure we adhere to this essence as well as pass it on to every soul wanting to save our country.
Here’s how you can get involved in reclaiming your community without getting bloody – unless a Liberal decides to do something stupid, of course…
How to Make Local Actions Have A National Impact
A great way to restore our Republic is by transforming our Party from currently at less than half-strength at the precinct level into a full-strength Get Out The Vote powerhouse — as it should be.
Words of President Trump of the Precinct Strategy – find out more by clicking the image below…
More Posts In This Series
What You Probably Did Not Know About the 56 Signers of Our Declaration of Independence
The Founding Fathers Were STRONGLY Against Forming a Democracy
What Our Founding Fathers Understood Is What We Need To Regain
From Whence The Came: Who Encouraged, Educated, Mentored our Founding Fathers?
COMMENTS
Currently, comments are closed. We have just returned online and are rebuilding many facets of our site. Comments on our site are temporarily disabled until we have the programming for the management of comments tested and placed into production. Feel free to visit our social media accounts found here to share your thoughs or provide more information. Be sure to let everyone know which post your referring to by providing the post link.
About Garrett O’Brien
Garrett is the owner of DecisiveLiberty.News. Formerly a Liberal then a Republican, Garrett has seen political parties by default look out for themselves and not the people. Garrett now focuses specifically on our Constitution as it is written. He uses Decisive Liberty as a platform to provide a voice to those that believe neither political party are protecting our Constitution nor our Rights to their fullest as our Founding Fathers wrote them in the First 10 Amendments. For the moment, Garrett resides in Brazil with his wife.
Recent Posts by Garrett O'BrienView more...
Churchill: Prudence Statesmanship Understanding (3/18/2023) - When you hear of a college that ditches textbooks in favor of original source documents, you know everything their students learn has not been filtered and probably can count on what they learn as not being biased as well. Hillsdale College is such a college and offer free online courses, which are good for a certificate after passing their final quiz. They offer a variety of courses which can be seen here, with their latest focusing on Winston Churchill. Why Study Churchill? There are 3 principal reasons to study the life and writings of Winston Churchill… The 1st is that the study of Churchill teaches lessons about prudence, the virtue...
UPDATED: What LaVoy May Not Have Known and You Should About UraniumOne (3/18/2023) - What is probably the Genesis of the decades-old land grab by the White House means this effort goes higher up than the FBI and may even start at the U.S. Attorney General's office (archive https://archive.ph/ZsBMk)
Don’t Look At the Elections For the Change You Are Seeking (3/13/2023) - We all want change, but are we looking in the right places to make the change we want effective?
Verses They Live By (3/11/2023) - Unlike nearly all of the Old Testament verses of violence, most verses of violence in the Quran are open-ended, meaning that they are not necessarily restrained by the historical context contained in the surrounding text. There are 164 such verses in the Quran that everyone needs to know about... (archive https://archive.Nv1Wh)
You Believe There is No or Minimal Voter Fraud? (3/10/2023) - Shortly after Catherine Engelbrecht founded and lead True to Vote and King Street Patriots, she was visited by law enforcement agencies and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). Since then, Catherine Engelbrecht has been the tip of the spear on voting integrity since 2008. (archive https://archive.ph/KPhpm)
The Story and History of Ivermectin UNCENSORED (3/8/2023) - If Ivermectin were as bad as the MSM narrative says it is, then why is the demand for Ivermectin consistently and persistently increasing? Why have countries now adopted Ivermectin as the drug of choice to combat COVID-19? Why did WHO endorse it in 2019? Why did the FDA and CDC list as the safest drug for human consumption for infections? (archive https://archive.ph/HdDxF)
DLEM LATEST NEWSView more...
Died Suddenly - Conspiracy No More
Please view the Trailer for this video first. The graphic imagery is intentional as it is the only way you will know what is happening; Big Pharma is counting on you NOT knowing what is really happening.
The trailer can be viewed by clicking here (opens in our rumble account).
The audio and the video is NOT suitable for children - please view when they are not present (use earphones or headset to keep young ears from listening in).
From the Directors of 'These Little Ones' and 'Watch the Water'
Embalmers and funeral homes see the results of what has been happening for the past 2 years - something is WAY different, it isn't good, and they aren't happy...
Life insurance companies are fully aware of the results the embalmers and funeral directors are seeing and reporting.
Sudden Adult Death Syyndrome (SADS) is NOT a syndrome - it is a result of foreign substances that are in the vaccines, one of them being Graphene Oxide, that are create inorganic strings in the blood system that eventually stops the blood, dead.
All rights belong to SPN - Stew Peters Network
Reflections from Decisive Liberty
The following stance is stated in the final paragraph of the oration given for the unveiling of our Statue of Liberty on the 28th of October, 1886....
... there is room in America and brotherhood for all who will support our institutions and aid in our development; but those who come to disturb our peace and dethrone our laws are aliens and enemies forever.
You can view the full oration by clicking here.
We at Decisive Liberty are committed to this stance and welcome all - if you have not already - to join us in learning to live by this stance.
We are but 1 of 2 nations that have placed God within their Constitution: one was created by God for the people He loves, the other created by the people who love Him.
PROMOTION: Check out our Substack site - just click this image to visit our substack!
Click the image above to visit our Substack content.
Be sure to enroll for our Substack newsletter!
All Substack content is free and arrives once or twice a day! On a hot news day, you may see it arrive 3 or 4 times.
You can easily unsubscribe from any newsletter.
Comments are closed.