Is the world falling apart or are things falling into place for something much bigger and special in the plan of our Almighty Creator and designer of the universe.  I really think it is the latter that we are witnessing today in our troubled world and, yes, it does seem like our world is falling apart.  However, to appreciate what is going on you must have eyes that can see.  Jesus addressed the issues of eyes that could not see and eyes that could see spiritual truth:  Mark 8:18: [Jesus said] “Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? and do you not remember?”   Luke 10:23: And he [Jesus] turned unto his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see.” 

I have covered the history of the First Great Awakening that started in England and then spread across to America about 1750.  Then a century later, America was growing rapidly with a booming economy but a lagging Christian religious church.  It seems in a nation where the church has done well and becomes prosperous, the church slides into a lukewarm religion and a need grows for an Awakening.  

The German Philospher Friedrich Hegel wrote: “The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.”  If we could learn the lessons of history, we would make corrections where needed and get ourselves on the high road instead of travelling the low road. The prophet Isaiah made reference to this higher road that he tried to get the people to get on but, unfortunately, they chose to travel the low road of sin, self, and pleasure, with no time for God and the higher way. Isaiah calls this higher way The Highway of Holiness. In Isaiah 40:3 he makes reference to John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord, as a voice crying in the wilderness.  The Bible often uses the word wilderness to periods of time when God’s people are living in sin.  They are lost and in the wilderness of sin. 

There was a Great Awakening in the 18^th Century and the second Great Awakening in the 19^th Century and it affected the early years of the 20^th Century.   It is the opinion of the writer that WWI brought an end the 2^nd Great Awakening.  We are now in the 21 Century and there has never been a world in bigger need of another great awakening than there is in our generation. The masses of population stumble along in deception and religious confusion.  Wikipedia states that “Great Awakenings” were characterized by widespread revivals led by protestant ministers, and a sharp increase in religious interest, a profound sense of conviction and redemption on the part of those affected.  It produced a large increase in evangelical church membership and the formation of new religious movements and denominations”.  

In the days of John Wesley in England were days of corruption in the churches and corruption in the government spheres.  King Charles II was against biblical Christianity and endorsed religions that condoned the agenda of the crown which all encompassed an agenda of evil.  He had several bills passed that were evil in their intent such as the Corporation Act, the Act of Uniformity, The Conventile Act, The Five Mile Act all of these bills stabbed at the very heart of Puritan Christianity.  It was during this time that many Christians were fleeing England for the new land of America.  It is interesting to note that it was during this dark evil time that God was preparing God fearing people to start a new nation under God and thus the United States of America was birthed with people who cherished Christian faith and freedom to worship God.  The United States of America and Canada are really countries born out of religious persecution in Europe. However, during this time God was also preparing England for better days and he was going to use a few dedicated Christian Holy Spirit filled men to bring the change. It was during this same dark time in England because of the laws passed in English parliament the pulpits across England were silenced from preaching anything with biblical substance and the preachers who filled the pulpits were basically “Yes” men meaning they only said what was acceptable to the edicts of the day so they could get their pay check.   They did not want to ruffle the feathers of the status quo.  It needs to be noted that when ever preachers go along with the status quo trends of the day and do not hold fast to biblical principles the church declines in spiritual life that also affects the life of the community and of the nation.  The only thing that deters this moral slide is true biblical Christianity proclaimed from Holy Ghost filled men.