THE NEXT GREAT AWAKENING Reclaiming our Heritage, Reviving the Church, Reforming Government and Restoring the Family

A PURPOSE STATEMENT

The next “Great Awakening” will begin only when we; RECLAIM OUR HERITAGE

It is our inheritance REVIVE THE CHURCH

It will begin with God’s people REFORM OUR GOVERNMENT

Its more than political reform RESTORE THE FAMILY

God’s foundational institution

The Goal

To help you ask the right questions To help you find the right answers

To understand the importance of “original source.”

To give you the resources you need to come to your own conclusions

Resources: The Bible NoahWebster’s 1828 American English

Dictionary

So what is an “Awakening?”

Past Great Awakenings in America 1st Great Awakening prior to Revolutionary War

Impacted an estimated 1/6th of the population 2nd Great Awakening prior to the Civil War

The end of slavery in America Do we need another Great Awakening?

What is the most basic necessary condition the people must be in before there can be any awakening?

The Road to the next Awakening

“Where there is no vision, no redemptive revelation from God, the people perish; but he who keeps the law, blessed is he.” Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified Bible)

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Prov.14:12

We need a “road map” to guide our way.

A Vision of the Road to Righteousness …

Without God, there is no Truth Without Truth, there is no Law Without the Law, there is no Conviction

of Sin Without Conviction of Sin, there is no

Repentance Without Repentance, there is no Hope of

Salvation God – Truth –Law- Repentance -

Salvation

We must begin with “Absolute Truth.”

Does Absolute Truth exist? Can we prove it? The real question is what is the source of

Truth? The mind of man or the mind of God? How do we know the Truth?

God is, and He has revealed Himself General Revelation and Special Revelation

“Sanctify them by the truth, your Word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Resources: Answers in Genesis, The Genesis Record and The Truth Project

Freedom v. TruthA Battle for the Ages

God created man with a “free will,” but with the purpose to use that freedom to choose to be true. Freedom is the means, and Truth is the end. Freedom is the gift, but Truth is the Giver.

Do we want “absolute freedom” or “liberty?” What is liberty?

In pursuit of absolute freedom, we have lost the Truth upon which that freedom is built. John 8:32 “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set

you free.” This battle is the common thread in almost all, if not

all, of the issues that we face today. Examples: Abortion, Same Sex Marriage, 10

Commandments in public places, …

Who is God?

Who gets to define God? What happens if we redefine Him? Does God hear

us and bless us anyway? How has God defined Himself? “I Am who I Am” “This is eternal life …..” John 17:3 Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Let not the wise man boast …..”

What is God’s nature? The “absolutes” of God’s Nature.

Omnipotent, Omniscient, Absolutely Righteous, Absolutely Just, and Unchanging

Do our interpretations of God’s Word align with His nature?

The Law

What is a law, if not sourced in Truth? What is God’s purpose for the Law?

Hebrew word “Torah” means “The instruction of the sages of Israel, who were charged with the education of the youth, was intended to cultivate in the young a fear of the Lord so that they might live in accordance with God’s expectations.”

God communicated the Law that Israel might observe it and live. Deuteronomy 4:1-14 What a blessing it is to have the Law!

History (His Story) tells us, “To Lose the Law is a Fatal Flaw” King Asa II Chronicle 15:2-4 King Josiah II Kings 23-24 Rediscovering the Book of the

Law leads to an awakening.

Repentance: The Narrow Gate

“If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins, and I will heal their land.” (II Chronicle 7:14)

“Ever since the days of your ancestors you scorned my laws, and failed to obey them. Now, return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord God, Almighty.” (Malachi 3:7)

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

Repentance is turning from disobedience from God’s Law, to obedience to God’s Law.

The Hope of Salvation:

Are we saved from the Law, God’s direction to man, or are we saved to the Law? Are we saved from the punishment of our sins, or

from our sins? Have we “drifted away” from “this great salvation

that was announced by the Lord Jesus, himself?” Also, consider the warning in Jude, who for the

last time before the book of Revelation, urged the believers to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. (Jude verses 3-7)

Do American Christians need to hear this warning today?

Reclaiming our Heritage

“A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we have come from, or what we have been about.” ~President Woodrow Wilson

Resource: The American Heritage Series

Has America lost “The Law?”

Consider the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Mr. President: The small progress we have made after four

or five weeks close attendance and continual reasonings with each other – our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom since we have been running about in search of it… In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights, to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered…”

“…All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind of Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend: Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that “except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this: and I also believe that without HIs concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.”

Benjamin Franklin

Thomas Jefferson

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

The Founding Fathers View of the Law

“Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine… Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other.”

~ James Wilson, Signer of the Constitution, and US Supreme Court Justice

More of the Founder’s Beliefs

“Laws will not have permanence or power without the sanction of religious sentiment – without a firm belief that there is a Power above us that will reward our virtues and punish our vices.”

~ House Judiciary Committee, 1854Resource: “Original Intent” by

David Barton

More Founders’ Statements

“The law… dictated by God Himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any other… It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times. No human laws are of an validity if contrary to this.”

~ Alexander Hamilton, Signer of the Constitution

And More…

“The … law established by the Creator… extends over the whole globe, is everywhere and at all times binding upon mankind… This is the law of God by which he makes his way known to man and is paramount to all human control.”

~ Rufus King, Signer of the Constitution

WHAT IS THE RULE OF LAW?

Where did the Rule of Law come from?

Declaration of Independence

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Preamble to our U.S. Constitution

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Preamble to our MN Constitution

“We the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God, for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and to secure the same to ourselves and to our posterity, do hereby establish and ordain this constitution.”

What does the Rule of Law look like?

A Sovereign God

We the People

The State

Liberty or Tyranny

“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have lost the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?”

~Thomas Jefferson

If any branch of our civil government gets above the people, and rules over them, we move from liberty to tyranny.

The Constitution: An American Experiment

In 1988, after a 10 year project which included the study of over 15,000 writings from the founding fathers’ era, and after isolating over 3,154 individual quotes and their original sources, a political science article entitled “The Origins of American Constitutionalism” concluded that by far the most cited authority in the writing of the founding fathers was the Bible. Resource: David Barton’s Original Intent and also The American Heritage series, and Wallbuilders.com

Also consider “Christianity and the Constitution” by John Eidsmoe

John Adams

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”

Pillars of the Constitution: Religion and Morality

• It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.” President, John Adams

• “True religion affords to government its surest support. Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.” President George Washington

• “Religion must be considered as the foundation on which the whole structure rests… In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity; that, in its general principles, is the great conservative element on which we must rely for the purity and permanence of free institutions.” House Judiciary Committee, 1854

Republic vs. Democracy

In a pure democracy, the ultimate source of authority is the feelings of the majority of the people.

In a republic, the ultimate source of authority is the law.The people elect representatives to who then pass laws to govern the nation.

The Founders Thoughts

• “A simple democracy… is one of the greatest of evils.” Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

• “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” John Adams

A Critical Difference…

A democracy is run by politicians, who govern by looking at polls, a republic is run by statesmen, who govern by principles of law.

Self Government is the Key

“Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time, they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion whose morality is so sublime and pure … are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”

~ Charles Carroll, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

What did other nations think of us?

“Upon my arrival in the United States, the religious aspect

of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more did I perceive the great political consequences resulting from this state of things, to which I was unaccustomed. In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom pursuing courses diametrically opposed to each other; but in America I found that they were intimately united, and that they reigned in common over the same country.”

~Alexis de Tocqueville, The Republic of the State of America and Its Political Institutions, Reviewed and Examined

A second observation …

“There is no country in which the people are so religious as in the United States.” And “While a death-struggle is waging in Europe… it is curious to observe the tranquility which prevails in the United States.”

~Achille Murat, A Moral and Political Sketch of the United States

The Real Source of Our Strength

“Righteousness alone can exalt them (America) as a nation. Reader! Whoever thou art, remember this; and in thy sphere practice virtue thyself, and encourage it in others. The great pillars of all government and of social life: I mean virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible.”

~ Patrick Henry

“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Is this really a Christian nation?

United States Supreme Court directly answered this question in 1892, in the case of Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States. “These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declaration to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.”

Diversity or Unity, which is the goal? A Melting Pot?A Pluralistic Society? “One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty

and justice for all.” The Pledge of Allegiance

Why must there be revival in the Church?

Revival of the Church must precede a reformation of the Civil Government because the Church is responsible for teaching the people to be self governing. Unless we again become self governing people, we

do not deserve a limited, servant civil government!

Patriot Pastors led this Nation at the time of the Revolutionary War. Our hope is in Pastors not Politicians to save this Nation!

Resource: Role of Pastors in Civil Government by David Barton

How do we reform our Government?

To reduce the size of government, we must again become a self governing people. The Law must be written on our hearts. Psalm 119:11 and Proverbs 3:1-4

Only after restoring self government, can we then reform civil government.

“The philosophy of the classroom today, will become the philosophy of government tomorrow.”

~ President Abraham LincolnResource: ‘Limited Government” David Barton

Foundational Institutions of Culture

1.The Family: The principle unit of order and government, which is responsible for raising and preparing the next generation.

2.The Church: The Church is responsible to preserve the Faith, or Religious Government, which has been handed down through generations of believers.

3.The State: The Civil Authority, which is responsible for providing security to the people from foreign and domestic threats. The State holds the sword of punishment of those who violate the Law, maintaining an environment of liberty.

Sphere Sovereignty

The Family

The State

The Churc

h

If we lose the Family, we lose the Nation.

Does the State have the authority to redefine the Family?Is the definition of marriage as one man and one women really

unconstitutional?

“Certainly no legislation can be supposed more wholesome and necessary in the founding of a free, self-governing commonwealth… than that which seeks to establish it on the basis of the idea of the family, as consisting in and springing from the union for life of one man and one woman in the holy estate of matrimony: (the family is) the sure foundation of all that is stable and noble in our civilization; the best guarantee of that reverent morality which is the source of all beneficent progress in social and political improvement.”

US Supreme Court in Murphy v. Ramsey (1885)

A City on a Hill

The great Puritan leader, John Winthrop, once warned the people, “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.”

Resource: The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall

Is there hope for America?

Remember that Light always overcomes darkness!

Deuteronomy 28 Blessings or Curses We are still living in the “Days of Grace” as

defined by Noah Webster as “A time of probation in which an offer is made to sinners.”

The fear of the Lord is the point of beginning. “Blessed is he who fears the Lord and finds

delight in His commands.” Psalm 112:1

(SESSION THREE)THE FEAR OF THE LORD“Hear, Fear and Obey”

Purpose Statement: The key that will unlock the door to the Next

Great Awakening will be restoring the “fear of the Lord” back into the hearts of the people.

A Place to Begin … •I want to invite you to come to a place that has been forgotten by most American Christians. •Many Christians believe do not believe that this place even exists.•There will come a day when every man, women and child will come to this place …….. But it will be too late!

•Noah had to find this place before God could judge the world with the great flood…•Abraham had to find this place before God could make him the father of nations …•Moses found this place, and God used him to deliver the Law to His people…•The great kings, David and Solomon, found this place, and wrote about it in the Psalms and Proverbs…•The great Apostle Paul found this place, and wrote of it in the Epistles… •Even Jesus, the Messiah, found this place and he delighted in it!

• Does anyone know what this place is?

A place called“The Fear of the

Lord.”I hope in this session to persuade you to DESIRE to go to this place, because if you are afraid to “fear the Lord” you will reject the Next Great Awakening!

To fear the Lord, for it is the key to unlock the door to the Next Great Awakening.“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6

A closer look at the importance of the fear of the Lord…

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” King Solomon in Proverbs 1:7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. Blessed is he, who fears the Lord, and finds delight in His commands.” King David in Psalm 111:10- 112:1

The fear of the Lord leads to physical health…

“Fear the Lord, and shun evil, this will bring health to your bodies and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7

Security, Prosperity and Life, and Salvation….

“He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:26-27

“Surely His salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.” Proverbs 85:9

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them… Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.” Proverbs 34:7, 9

The Greatest Men of God, feared God ...

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Hebrews 11:7

And Abraham, as he was lifting the knife to slay his son, Isaac, heard the angel of the Lord say, “Do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Genesis 22:12

The great wisdom of King Solomon …

After considering all of his great power, possessions, and pleasure concludes…

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13

Not just and Old Testament concept…

The great Apostle Paul urged the Church to “Submit yourselves to one another in the fear of the Lord.” Ephesians 5:21

And “Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12

In the words of a women …

Mary, the mother of Jesus, sang these words, “And His mercy is upon them that fear Him from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50

Even Jesus feared the Lord!

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and of power, and the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:1-3

But what really is “The Fear of the Lord?”

Today, we focus very little on the fear of the Lord.

We often reason the fear of the Lord away by saying… to fear God is to revere God, which is to respect God, which is to honor God, which is really to love God….

But if we do not fear God, then we cannot love God, because we do not know God! To know the true God, will always lead us to

fear God, and only then can we really love God.

But what exactly is it that we fear?

Do we fear God’s wrath? What makes God angry?

Do we fear separation from God? What separates us from God?

What we fear is being punished for our sin, for our disobedience to God’s commands, to His Law. Consider Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is

to hate evil…” But do we really hate sin?

Do American Christian’s today still fear God?

Many Christians today will say: Why should I fear God, when Jesus has saved

me from His wrath? Why should I fear a God who loves me

unconditionally? I don’t believe in the Old Testament God of

Wrath, I believe in the New Testament God of love!

God doesn’t really want us to come to Him out of fear, He wants us to come to Him out of love!

When and how did we lose the fear of the Lord?

1. We have “drifted away” from the Truth that we have heard, and we have become “indifferent to this great salvation.”

2. We have again lost the “Book of the Law” which defines the standard of righteousness which we must live in order to avoid God’s wrath, and to be reconciled to a Holy God.

What is this “Great Salvation” plan of God?

The problem of man is, was and always will be grounded in sin, disobedience to God’s Law, God’s standard of righteousness.

God’s plan to redeem, or to save mankind, could be one of only two choices: 1. Lower the standard of righteousness, or 2. Raise men up to the standard of righteousness.

Which of these choices is the better one? Which of these choices is consistent with a

righteous and just God? Have we become “indifferent” to this truth?

But could God really lower the standard of righteousness?

To lower the standard of righteousness necessary for man to be reconciled to God, would require God to tolerate some sin. Can God tolerate any sin?

“Righteousness” would become a “relative term.” How much sin should God allow in man? If God could lower the standard a little, why

not a little more, and a little more, and a little more ….

Only one salvation plan fits God …

The standard of righteousness, the Law, must remain unchanged, and man must be raised to this standard of righteousness, which is absolute obedience to the Law, in order to be reconciled to God!

Anything less than Everything is Nothing to God! This “truth” in itself will bring fear and

trembling to the people! Do we dare to believe that God could really

make this plan possible? Is God that great?

The Power to Raise us up to the Standard of Righteousness…

Hear, Fear and Obey, there is no other way!

The same standard of righteousness, the Law, which causes us to Fear God, is the very same source of power we need to obey the Law! “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man

this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (The Rich Young Ruler Story)

The Next Great Awakening will happen when we rediscover the power of the “Fear of the Lord.”

The fear of the Lord is the grace (the power) of God, to overcome sin!

History tells us that it has been “the fear of God” not “the love of God” which ushers in a great awakening.

To love God, with all of our hearts, soul and strength is the greatest commandment, but to fear God is the power to keep this commandment.

AMAZING GRACE

But what about grace? Have we changed the grace of God into a

license to disobey the Law of God? Consider again the Book of Jude

Which grace would be more amazing? The power to “overcome” our sin, or The power to “overlook” our sin? Consider Revelation Chapters 2 and 3

The Days of Grace …

The great God fearing founding father, Noah Webster, in his 1828 American English Dictionary, defines the “Days of Grace” like this; “A period of probation, in which an invitation is made to sinners.”

This invitation is not deserved. The invitation is not merited by anything we have done. You do not even need to fear God to be invited.

“Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Consider the Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22: 1-14 Why did the King deal so harshly with the man

without the wedding clothes? Great Awakenings begin when the people’s

eyes are opened to the meaning of this parable!

Great Awakenings are about how to respond to this gracious invitation that we have received!

The only way to accept the invitation is… to REPENT!

Great Awakenings happen when the people rediscover the true meaning of “repentance.”

Great Awakenings take place when the people understand that “conviction” is good and necessary, but it is not “repentance.”

Great Awakenings take place when the people again see that “confession” is good and necessary, but it is not “repentance.”

Great Awakenings are about the return of righteousness!

True Repentance …

Great Awakenings take place when the people realize that “repentance” requires a complete turning back to God.

The only way we can turn back to God, is to go from disobedience to obedience to God’s commands, God’s direction, God’s Law! Consider the words of Jesus in John 14:15, 21

Repentance is turning from sin to obedience, from wickedness to righteousness.

True Repentance is to Hear, Fear and Obey

The Next Great Awakening will take place when we again write God’s commands in our hearts, which creates the “fear of the Lord” within us. This is the power unto righteousness.

This again was the wise counsel of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Fear God, and Obey His Commands…”

To Lose the Law is a Fatal Flaw

The Law establishes the standard of righteousness that God requires of us, and this is a fearful thing, but a necessary condition!

Consider Jeremiah 32:39-40 “I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them; I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.”

The Law and Prayer

If it seems that God is not hearing our prayers, consider this powerful truth from Proverbs 28:9

“If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.” What does it mean to “turn a deaf ear to the

law?”

“The fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 So how much do the fervent prayers of a wicked

man avail?

The fear of the Lord happens to people who seek God …

God requires us to fear Him, but He commands us to seek Him, because when we find God, and we see Him for who He truly is, we will be like the Prophet Isaiah, who cried out… “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of

unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5

To see God, is to fear God!

So how do we “seek” and “see” God?

Remember the Word of the Lord spoken to King Asa, prior to a Great Awakening, “The Lord will be with you, if you are with Him. If you seek Him you will find Him. But if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long time, Israel, was without the true God, without a teaching Priest, and without the Law. But in their distress, they sought the Lord, God of Israel, and He was found by them.” II Chronicles 15:2-4

If we find the Law, and teach the Law, we will find God!

God reveals Himself in two ways:General and Special Revelation …

The people seek God, but then God must reveal Himself to us!

God’s two ways of revelation are clearly stated by King David in Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after Day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. … Psalm 19:1-4 (This is General Revelation)

The Law is Special Revelation…

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise

the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the

heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the

eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether

righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned: in keeping them there

is great reward.” Psalm 19:7-11

Without the Lawwe cannot fear God …

God has established his unchanging standard of righteousness through His Law.

When we hear the Law, and see this standard, the only thing we can do is “Fear God!”

This is why discovering the Book of the Law resulted in the past Great Awakenings in God’s people.

Have we lost “The Law” today?

The Law has two necessary components: 1) precept, and 2) punishment.

There are two ways we can “Lose the Law”: We can fail to teach God’s commands, or We can fail to teach the consequences of

disobedience of God’s commands. Either of these will result in the loss of the Law!

And we today have done both! The Church has removed the “punishment.” Our Courts are now removing the “precept.”

Remember how God delivered the Law the first time …

Exodus 19:1-25 and 20:1-21; and Deuteronomy 4:1-9, 5:22-33, and 6:13-25 Considerations:

God was about to “reveal” Himself to the people through both His physical manifestation of power, and through His Law. But why not just deliver the Law through Moses? God was telling the people that He desires to abide

in their presence and to bless them, but this would be conditioned upon their “absolute obedience” to the Law, which is “our righteousness.”

Without this fear of the Lord, obedience would not be possible.

A Deeper Revelation of this Great Event …

What did the people learn? That it is possible for a man to hear God and

live! Deuteronomy 5:24-27 To teach the Commands to their children!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Do not add to or subtract from these

Commands. Deuteronomy 4:2 What other nation is so great to have such

righteous laws? Deuteronomy 4:6-8

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are the foundation of our Nation. As we have seen our Constitution is founded upon the Moral Law of God. Consider: “The Institutes of Biblical Law” by

R.J. Rushdoony Yet, how many people in this Nation can

even recite these commands today? Tomorrow? Consider Judge Roy Moore’s story

If we do not even know the commands of God, how can we obey them?

The Ten Suggestions…

Even those who know the commandments by heart, can still “lose the Law.”

If we are in error of our teaching of the Gospel, the Good News of Salvation, the result will be as bad as if we do not teach the Law at all!

We now have a generation, or generations, of Christians who have been taught that they are free from the Law of God. That there is a new law, the law of love, and mercy and grace.

The Ten Commandments have become the Ten Suggestions for better living.

Have we drifted so far from the Truth …

The Next Great Awakening, like all past Great Awakenings, will begin with the preaching of “This Great Salvation.” Consider again, Hebrews 2:1-4

When the message from the pulpits across this Nation again are rightly aligned with “This Great Salvation” message that was first announce by the angel of the Lord to Mary, the Next Awakening will have begun.

In the next session we will hear the messages spoken by three great revivalists, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, and the Prophet, Ezekiel.

How will God restore His Law this time?

History tells us the answer…. The Law will be restored to us the way it

has always been restored to God’s people….

With fear and trembling! Are we ready for “The Next Great Awakening?”

Prepare yourself for the final session …

The Next Great Awakening, as all Great Awakenings in history, will not be easy!

But remember, in every Great Awakening there is a collision between Tradition and Truth! Hold on to the foundation, which is the Word

of God!

Session IV: “This Great Salvation”

“So we must listen very carefully then, to the truth that we have heard, or we may drift away from it. The message God delivered through angels has always proven true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law, and every act of disobedience. What makes us think that we can escape, if we are indifferent to this great salvation, that was announced by the Lord Jesus, himself. It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak, and God verified the message through signs, wonders, various miracles, and by giving gifts of the holy spirit whenever he chose to do so.” Hebrews 2:1-4

Jonathan Edwards

brothermel.podbean.com

Charles Finney

en.wikipedia.org