Introduction:

November is dominated with the holiday, Thanksgiving. This is normally a time when a nation joins its founding fathers in grateful appreciation for God's protection and provision. It is a time when families get together and share a meal and enjoy the camaraderie of each other and perhaps share with guests the bountifulness of a land kept free because of the vision of others and the merciful hand of the Almighty.

This Thanksgiving is dampened, however, by the ingrates of the false media seeking to rewrite history and discredit the early settlers, who came to this country with dreams of liberty and religious freedom. (One of the great tenets of communism is to remove the foundational values of a populous and reduce history to a rubric of man's valueless systems.)

Somehow, the ranks of the obstructionists seem to propagate more rapidly than in the past, as they feed on the tainted soil of stupidity. One hardly thinks that the kneeling NFL players are using those knees for prayerful thanksgiving. One hardly can imagine the spoutings of Democrat hopefuls, seeking to erode the moral standards of several hundred years, by affirming abortion, limitless immigration, gender lessness and socialist-communist ideologies as coming before the Lord in prayerful thanksgiving for a nation such as ours.

Somehow, the blank stare of illegals from fifty-two countries at the mention of Thanksgiving is sufficient to acknowledge their nonparticipation. The holiday means nothing to them and its origin is unknown to their ranks. The Norman Rockwell picture of father, mother and siblings around the turkey-graced table with heads bowed and hands folded in prayer is incomprehensible to them and to Islamics whose god is not the God of the Bible.

A congress whose leaders compromise by swearing their allegiance to this nation on a Koran, while removing "so help me God" from the formula of truth, stand haughtily before the judge of the earth in defiance rather than humble contrition.

Shouting, moblike angry crowds denouncing the monuments of great men and women of the past, pulling down statues, painting over murals and defacing graves do not possess the capability to observe Thanksgiving. Their reprobate minds are given over to darkness!

Those who declare their resistance to Capitalism are oblivious to its root in Protestantism. So, a generation has risen with no comprehension of the values possessed by the early settlers of this country. They cannot appreciate the frontier folk who suffered and gave their lives to guarantee their children would not be tyrannized by some King or Prelate. No, they cannot relate to my family as we celebrate Thanksgiving and appreciate our ancestors of faith.

The heritage flowing down through our veins is deep and abiding. From my mother's side came the Beckwith-Floyd's who came to Jamestown in 1608. They raised a fortress wall, and before they built their homes, they built a church. Some of them are buried there.

No, the sick society of sycophants cannot imagine my father's family of Culpepers who left England with a land grant from King Charles II, giving them 5 million acres in the region known as Virginia, West Virginia and East Kentucky. (I doubt seriously, if King Charles II thought he was encroaching on Mr. Tucker's property as the NY Times would declare.)

No, those who enter this season with no knowledge of the spiritual underlying aspects of this great nation cannot celebrate this holiday. The connection between the founding of this nation and the sons of Joseph is fundamental. The plan of God to create a nation like no other in history is paramount.

Religious freedom and the worship of Jesus Christ permeated the settlers' camps. The early settlers found themselves confronted with a continual flow of spiritual awakenings (preachers standing for truth and calling for moral integrity). America must again have such a move. Revival is not enough; evangelistic crusades are not enough. Something deeper than man's efforts must come down from heaven - a God-consciousness must come to the forefront. Irresistible and confrontational, it must pervade the society to the degree that the only response is tears of repentance and a turning away from one's "darling sins and Ashtoreth." It must be so pervasive that everyone is touched by a sense of holiness and the awesomeness of God - then Thanksgiving can be celebrated as it should be.

The Old Testament is rife with many examples of remorse followed by resolve. A brief study of the following passages will reveal something of the nature of Biblical awakenings.

From this list, I have chosen Ezra as this month's study, for there are elements of all the others in the Ezra awakening.

History concurs that after the Babylon captivity, God gave favor for the people of the Lord to return to Jerusalem. The King granted documents of passage and assistance for Ezra and others with him.

Focus then on Ezra and note his attitude in the following passages.

In every awakening, there is someone who prepares their heart and desires that others do the same. The element of heart preparation is crucial to any move of God.

A mid-century example is found in the Awakening which took place on the Ile of Lewis in 1949.

This kind of awakening must come to North America!

Ezra humbled himself and prayed, which is the necessary ingredient for a move of God.

Hardly had Ezra stationed himself in Jerusalem than the sins of the people began to surface. One of the transgressions was the intermingling of blood lines through intermarriage with the locals. Upon hearing this litany, Ezra's response was immediate.

Notice, those who trembled assembled. Let me go on record, when this is the demeanor of the congregation-when it is comprised of the trembling assemblers---something will happen.

(I recently received an email from someone in Calgary, Canada, that caused me to sit in astonishment. They related how they had prayer walked the city, met with others of like mind and continually pray for an out pouring of the Spirit. I had been praying about our upcoming meeting in Calgary. The email, clearly out of the blue, spoke to my heart--there must be an awakening in that city.)

When God brings together a body of folk who are "trembling assemblers," spiritual matters are at the forefront. Observe Ezra's reaction: he prayed and confessed the sins of his people. Garner the unfolding nature of his confession.

Ezra's prayer does not skirt sin and its consequences. He clearly states the sins and acknowledges them as the cause of captivity of the nation, their kings and their priests. The persons hearing this prayer are alongside him in affirmation of his words and show contrition in their hearts. Not one of them stood to deny or ameliorate the circumstances. Ezra (shown by the dark underlining) offers no excuses, but details their iniquity and the shame it has caused. No pretense here! Equally, he acknowledges the graciousness of God (shown in the red letters)

Is there a need for the likes of Ezra for our nation? What would be the sins poured out in contrition for us? Dare we have Thanksgiving without red lettering our own claim to His mercy and grace? Our national shame is too great a portent not to consider. Should we not say what Ezra said,

Then it happened!

While he was confessing (in coordination with the assembled tremblers), a massive repentance took place. When people get serious with God, sin-consciousness causes conviction and drastic actions are the result.

No one was exempt from this mandate, but oh, in every household there was weeping, as families were broken up and children were separated from their fathers and wives were separated from their husbands.

Jehiel, in verse four, laid heavy emphasis on individual responsibility, something lacking in modern society. It would seem everyone today wants to blame someone or something else for their plight. But when true repentance takes place, being right with God is the cardinal consideration..

Ezra did two things in response to Jehiel's appeal. He committed to writing an oath of allegiance and after it was signed, he secluded himself and mourned for the people. Preachers today would do well to confess the sins of the people, lead them in correction and forgiveness and retire to a place of intimate prayer for their parishioners.

Naturally there are those who oppose this move of God. They did not prevail, as you will see, in the passage below.

Any awakening has long standing effects. Whereas revival may cause a rejuvenation of zeal, an awakening creates a "God-Consciousness" that continues to affect society. Awakenings reach into all aspects of life, business and industry. In the Barvas awakening, taverns closed, houses of prostitution were shuttered and corruption was exposed and dealt with. Crime rates fell and there was a general return to the house of God.

In a small treatise on the Hebrides Revival this report came after citing Isaiah 64:1-3.

Quoting Rev. Duncan Campbell:

This is what must come down from heaven in every city, town or country hamlet in North America. It must come! And it can through the bold prayers of the trembling assembly.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Dr. Cosby R. Oliver, PhD.