| (Copyright 10-02-2024) by Curtis Dahlgren (Stephenson, Michigan) |
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| A LOOK BACK AT MY FIRST COLUMN OF 2024 (based on my last column of 2022): The theme of Psalm 22 is an awakening (genuine wokeness). The theme of Psalm 23 is the fruits of such a turn-around. “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not lack. He leadeth me beside the still waters and the greener pastures.” America has had two Great Awakenings, in the 1700s and 1800s; could the third time be the charm? Could it spread from here around the world? We can’t force it to happen, but with the Lord, missions impossible are just a snap of the finger. His holy Word predicts the turning of the hearts of the children to their forefathers, the turning of the hearts of the people to the hearts of the children (not excluding the beating hearts of the unborn). There will be a great short work, a “strange work,” a Work people wouldn’t believe even if it were told them, that was promised for a time of uncertainty. Why not NOW? That’s my theory, short and sweet: 2022 could be a time of attitude adjustments, and 2023 could be the “best of times” (“The Lord preparest a Feast for us in the presence of our enemies”). A little over five weeks after that column was published, there was a revival in Kentucky, the region that saw the Second Great Awakening: It began on February eighth as a normal church service. University leaders and students say after the gospel choir sang at the end of the service; some students just stayed in the chapel. Word about the marathon service quickly spread when worshipers shared videos on TikTok and Instagram. Spurred by the posts, tens of thousands of people from around the country came to attend what many of the participants are calling a revival. #asburyuniversity #revival #scrippsnews Kentucky university’s church service turns into days-long prayer revival There has also been an under-the-radar revival going on all year on social media. For example, my Facebook page has 5,000 friends and 415 followers. Even people who don’t listen to talk radio are waking up to the economic realities of their daily lives. The real question is, is it too late, barring an absolute miracle? By the way, Facebook just now shut down my account for “violating community standards.” My post was about one made by a friend. I’ll have to paraphrase it. He says it’s “time to check the plumb line” in America, because the situation is urgent, not normal. Crime. Protesters blocking roads. One party trying to take their opponent off the ballot. Trying to put him in prison, Castro-style. Higher education is a joke. More student loans forgiven. The border is a sieve. A humanitarian crisis, thanks to the same party and Uncle Joe. Someone said that whoever is controlling him is the worst President in American history. And history isn’t being taught anymore in public schools. It has been replaced by Diversity, Inclusion, Equity (DIE). In other words, victimology, which leads to more hatred, not better “outcomes.” P.S The friend whose post I mentioned says it IS too late! Not to cry wolf, but the Bible warns that when the Lord’s patience is exhausted, He won’t even listen to your prayers anymore, or at least the prayers of the general population. We may be right on the bubble. The scale is precariously balanced. The American experiment could go in the septic tank of history like so many other great nations have gone, unless a few more people wake up. PPS: It is when “good” people do nothing that evil triumphs. ———————————————————————————————————- See Curtis Dahlgren’s other articles at: Dahlgren, Curtis – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: Renew America http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/dahlgren/220131 ———————————————————————————————————- |
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