9-11-01 brought America to its knees in the good sense that it brought many Americans to their knees in prayer.

Churches were filled, Congress sang “God Bless America” on the Capitol steps, special church services in Washington were broadcast nationally.

America turned to God—because we had to.

People asked God questions about tragedy.

God got our attention (and we needed that).

BUT, FOR HOW LONG?

Every observer agrees that the 9 – 11 Revival did not last.

So, what is a real revival, and what does it take to make it last?

There are two ways it could happen, with one common ingredient.

We could have another national tragedy—a sustained disaster this time—where God gets our attention again, and keeps our attention.  That means real, continued prayer and permanent changes in people’s lives.

Or, we could have that real, continued prayer and changes in people’s lives without the tragedy, simply by a move of the Spirit of God.

It happened before the Revolutionary War.  It happened before the Civil War.  It happened before the World Wars.  It was called Great Awakening.

Can we make it happen now?  I don’t know.  All I know is that you, and I, can choose to get totally serious before God.

TRUTH ?

What is it?

Where is it?

Who’s got it?

At the big university in Austin, Texas, there is a library with an infamous tower (used for a mass murder decades ago).  At the base of this tower, engraved in concrete in very large letters, is a very bold statement about truth.

“AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.”

That has been there for a very long time.  I sometimes wonder in today’s culture, if some may reconsider it’s appropriateness.  Many say you can’t “know the truth,” and that truth is kind of up for grabs.  And the university isn’t exactly known for old-fashioned conservatism.

I wonder if that murderer who shot people from the top of that library tower ever read the partial quote outside.  One thing is sure—he never knew the rest of the quote—and especially, he never knew the author.

You see, I am closing with the complete quotation, and am pleased to tell you that I know the author.

“THEN JESUS SAID TO THOSE JEWS WHO BELIEVED IN HIM, ‘IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORDS, THEN YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES INDEED, AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.’ ”          —–His Book