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Anyone looking over the entire country will notice two opposite developments among people. The first one is a feeling of indifference and gloom, and the second is one of hope and action. The first is the result of the present state of the economy, and many political, religious and cultural evils that have brought the general population into a state of servitude with no future hope for better days. The second is a lively expectation that truth and justice will triumph and bring liberty to the captives sickened by this plague of despair.
As a student of American history, and as a publisher ( http://TruthInHeart.com ) of classic American Revival literature in particular, I have long thought about the events leading up to the first Great Awakening. The years leading up to that period were dark and gloomy just as they are today. The mood was indifferent, and the morals and intelligence among the people had sunk low. Then suddenly a spirit of hope burst forth that could not be ignored or avoided. A revival of truth and virtue spread like wildfire. The masses were soon swallowed up with something surely divine.
Today this is the need of the hour. Countless religious persons and groups have for years prayed for a similar revival, and have held numerous meetings with the intent to stir up the same. But things have only appeared to get worse. The real question is why? Why have the prayers not been answered? The same people who believe the bible is true will find that it tells them that their prayers must be absolutely honest and without selfish motivation for the requests to be answered (James 4). But the vast majority do not even expect to be totally honest or without selfish motivation in this life while they make any particular request (2 Cor. 7:1, Titus 2: 11-14). So the question is, why pray for something you do not expect to get? Why bother?
The philosophy behind such reasoning seems to not just be confined to the masses of professing religious people, but in a similar way it also seems to hold the masses of population in regards to modern politics. People vote for someone who promises change and improvement while knowing full well that most politicians are liars, and controlled by self-interest, and will never do what they promise to do. Again, why do people entertain such a philosophy, and why do they settle for hypocrisy? Why have the masses adopted such a pessimistic and selfish attitude? What is the reason for it? And what is the solution for that disease? Where is the doctor that can cure America's indifference today?
Time forbids me to cover further the topic of the reason for this crippling attitude, so we will move onto the solution. This nation is sick. It knows it is sick. A short while ago it did not realize it. Just a few years ago when the housing bubble was at its all-time high I warned friends and relatives that it soon would burst and lead to what we are beginning to see happen. Few people cared to ponder the signs and warnings. We were sick, but did not know we were. But now people are awakening on a bed of sweat, with a deep sense of worry, and a mad rush to pay their bills or loose everything. Private and national debt is at an all-time high and naturally nature will take its course in due time. This results in desperation--the kind that can lead to numerous evils in society. Or it can lead people in another direction entirely. The time is ripe for another Great Awakening. It is time for American people to go back to their roots and let history repeat itself. It is time to rebuild America and bring it back to the place it once was known for.
The masses are largely ignorant of history and thus just go along with the flow. But if people would just look upon history carefully enough they may be rescued from present slump of hopeless modernity. They may find the keys to faith in a new day ahead. The cure of hopelessness is to get outside of oneself and to place your anchor in the hands of the Truth, the Just, and the Infinite. And when this happens it can become very attractive to the masses who long for such fulfillment. This has happened many times in history. Could it be happening right now?
As a Canadian citizen and landed immigrant who is married to an American with American children, I have lived and worked here in the USA for over seven years. I have not desired to become a citizen because I did not see the advantage when I really had no one to vote for (with a hope of winning) and I was not proud of the American foreign and domestic policy. Because of the publishing and other work I am doing I have been in constant contact with thousands of religious and non-religious people from every State across this great land over the same period of time. Over the last year I even traveled across the whole country to give out free books to students at the leading universities. I spoke to thousands of students about religious, philosophical, and political subjects so I believe I have a good grasp of times and mood today.
As the country plummets deeper and deeper into debt and trouble there is only two possible roads ahead. One is a great crash and the other is a reversal of ways. While trouble is multiplying by the hour, and actual jobs are dwindling, and foreclosures and scandals multiplying, yet there is an old spirit of hope in the air again. A spirit that is moving people to give from the depths of poverty. It is mocked as hype that will soon pass, but it is unshakably powerful. We have not seen the likes of this for some time. It is affecting every kind of people across this diverse land.
For the last month or so I have been burdened with a deep sense of prayer for this country that I have never had before. It is not the kind where it is empty and mindless without any expectation. But rather something that is not originating from my own efforts or focus. The other week I preached two long sermons about prevailing prayer. I spoke about being moved to pray in such a way that you are not only expectant but that you are triumphant--Romans chapter 8 kind of victory. I had my graphics designer drop what he was doing and draw me up a picture of the ancient Israelites marching around the soon-to-fall walls of Jericho. They had to be expectant and triumphant as they waited for the moment. This is the same with prevailing prayer. It really moves mountains when it is hope against hope. It is unrealistic to the unbelieving. It is mocked by those moved by popular opinion. But I know this burden from experience. It is the kind of burden you cannot dispel or disbelieve. So what does it mean?
For the last 7 years I have made it my duty to follow American politics. I have found the most outstanding politician today to be Dr. Ron Paul, a Republican Congressman from Texas, who is in his tenth term. He is called the most consistent conservative around today; and his critics find the greatest fault in him in being a modern Thomas Jefferson. But even though I was well aware of his consistent loyalty to the constitution as well as the interest many have in him when he started to run for president early this year, I did not really expect the kind of activity we are seeing right now. But over the last month we have seen an amazing thing take place. All you have to do is visit a local Ron Paul meetup group of the over 1000 that exist across the land to see the great diversity of people attending for just as many different reasons to support Dr. Paul. And they are there not merely for the man, but for the cause. The cause is a humble moving of Americans in the classic sense of independence and liberty. The average American knows the country is sick and has lost its liberty, virtue, and reputation, and has been sold out to the highest bidder. The average American feels that these are desperate times and that there is need for fundamental change. What Dr. Paul has done is to remind us of history--remind us of our great heritage. As an experienced doctor he has very simply and carefully diagnosed our disease and has prescribed a perfect cure. He humbly admits to not inventing the cure, but simply points to the very foundation of our country--the principles this country was founded upon and still gives lip service to. All the other candidates look with amazement when he appeals to the constitution and urges the people to vote for freedom, peace, justice, and to get the US out of debt. This is not modern politics.
The other day I was visiting a pastor friend on the other side of the country and he said this to me. Ron Paul is just a plain and ordinary guy and is doing just exactly what you or I would be doing if we were in his shoes. He is not a politician in the modern sense of the term, but rather your average citizen who consistently upholds the highest laws of the land. There is hardly a politician around who could compare in this way. There is no question in anyone's mind what he will do as president, as his work for many years is without deviation from the constitution. This is a question of trust. There is no longer trust for politicians. But everyone trusts Ron Paul to follow the constitution.
The real question is at this very late hour, do we as Americans really want to remove entirely the constitution from our law books? It is presently just given lip service. It will soon be made entirely arbitrary unless something fundamentally changes.
I would venture to say that 70% of Americans who take the time to think about these things would wish for the constitution to be given more than lip service by our leaders today. 70% would vote for a fundamental change. The first obstacle is this disbelief that our efforts will be able to change things. The indifference is so powerfully blinding that it is very hard to get people to focus in on anything political when politics is synonymous with deception these days.
What is so interesting with Ron Paul is that people of so many different philosophies are becoming interested in him. This is because of the nature of his message. It is because the constitution encourages liberty for a diverse people. People want to brand him a libertarian. But they do not even understand what that word means, and what Dr. Paul means by that word. It is very hard to stereotype Dr. Paul and his followers. The best would be to just call him an good old American in the tradition of the founding fathers. But those involved in giving hope to America are from all walks of life. These are not merely students, but middle-aged like me, and older people. They are Republicans, and Democrats, Constitutionalists, Libertarians, and Independents. They all see the need to abandon the faulty system, and the need to return to the old paths. It is time to make politicians accountable for what they swear to uphold. It is time to remove the untouchableness of this hypocrisy. The people are demanding again that government rightly represent the people. Millions have not voted because there was no hope. Now there is a revival of this hope. Now Americans are waking up to do their duty. This causes them to be self-denying. It causes them to be attractive to the indifferent and hopeless. Those with lots of money are mocking the average American in this attempt get back to the foundations and bypass all the big money. In a few days Americans will vote with their money. On November 5th 2007 you will find the average American who is aware of this movement to give what they can to vote for a return to the constitution. There are well over 20,000 people who will give $100 or more on that day to Ron Paul's campaign. This will be the biggest event of its nature in US history. You must remember that this idea just originated the other week and Ron Paul only started to get really noticed in the last month. Therefore this primary American idea is very rapidly growing. Even the big media is having to do a major turnaround about Dr. Paul.
I never had any intention of becoming a citizen until now. Now I have hope that as a citizen I could do something significant! This is up to Americans now.
These facts are easy to see for anyone traveling around the country, or watching the debates, or talking to people. But what lies ahead? Politically the republicans are realizing that there is no other candidate that will defeat the Democrats. While the Democrats are loosing many of their number to Ron Paul. The Constitutionalists, Libertarians, and Independents have great interest in Dr. Paul as well.
But what lies ahead spiritually for this country in light of these happenings? Let all who believe in prayer take this opportunity to pray for righteousness in our day. The masses are being cured of indifference. Many different peoples who have never voted are not only going to vote, but are becoming active. This is not merely a political subject. When people get the kind of hope they are having across this land then this very easily leads to faith in God and a great increase in virtue and corresponding halting of vice. I call upon all believers in God no matter who you vote for, to not ignore this crisis moment in American history. Many of the Christian Right will not vote for Paul because he wants to bring our troops home right away. Do not let that distract you from praying now. Just look at all the people getting serious right now. Just look at what is happening around you. We may very well have a third Great Awakening in our day. Not because of any righteous thing anyone has done. But this very well may be God's timing. Can you march with expectant and triumphant faith around the impossible walls? Either we will let the wall fall on us or we can let God take down the walls.
I am not calling upon anyone to vote here; I have only shared testimony about people becoming uniquely excited about voting to bring back the constitution. All I am doing here is trying to inspire hope to the hopeless. All is gloom and doom with so many religious people today. I was rebuked for that philosophy some years ago. Where is that faith the prophets of old had? What will you do now? Do you believe the promises of God for you? If not then they are being called a lie. There is no place for indifference anymore. The spirit of hope is in the air, and it is very attractive.
http://www.RonPaul2008.com/
You Tube Video: Ron Paul: A New Hope
Examples of American Reformation: Learning from some of the leading 19th century Reformers. See what happened when Finney prevailed in prayer.
How to Pray to God. By Charles G. Finney.
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