Evidences of True Revival

An article by Allen Nelson IV:

Currently, I’m working through the book Revival! A People Saturated With God by Brian H. Edwards as part of my writing with Accelerate Books. With 2020 being a brand new decade, I’ve thought a lot about revival lately. And while I would eschew “revivalism”*, I think it is a sincere desire of the Christian heart to long for more of God’s presence.

Brian Edwards defines revival as: “a remarkable increase in the spiritual life of a large number of God’s people, accompanied by an awesome awareness of the presence of God, intensity of prayer and praise, a deep conviction of sin with a passionate longing for holiness and unusual effectiveness in evangelism, leading to the salvation of many unbelievers” (p. 28-29).

With that definition in mind, I’d like to offer a few evidences of Revival that Edwards points out and which I agree are backed by Biblically and in Church history...keep reading

No Henotheistic Deity: Jesus Christ, Lord of Heaven, Earth, and Sea

Great little presentation....

A Story of Eschatological Readiness

From the Cripplegate:

Christians look forward to the return of Jesus Christ and his restoration of all things. The consummation of history is the reason for the great hope that we have who trust in the Person and work of Christ. Writing near his death, the apostle Paul said, “[I]n the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Christians love the future appearing of their Lord. The Jesus of the Bible will bring an end to sin, suffering, death, and disappointment one day. This is reality for all who have surrendered in faith to Christ.

I am always encouraged by people whose lives tangibly reflect the future we have in Christ. It nudges me to put my chin up and hold current troubles in perspective. I want to tell you a story of an acquaintance who held that future hope of Christ in a, perhaps, comical-convicting reality. The following story is real...keep reading

Michael Reeves: Trinity, Family, the Global State of Christianity

Always appreciate what this man has to say.

No Two-State Solution

Speaking of Israel, Stephen Sizer recently did some hand-wringing re the Middle East scenario. I'm not going to bother parsing what he wrote but he wants certain folk to "leave well alone." Sadly he's done his share of fomenting, though he wouldn't see it that way. You can read him HERE.

Anyhow, a hat tip to Dexter Van Zile for pointing to this article: There is no Two-State Solution

Sizer writes: "A fear and deep-seated hatred of Islam also pervades their [Christian Zionist] apocalyptic theology."

Here's some food for thought - while Islam isn't the only oppressor of Christianity, it is a significant one. Read Anti-Christian Oppression Around the World. I'm sure Mr. Sizer will have issues with that as well.

Fake Israel, Fake Jews, Anti-Zionism etc

Over the years I've interacted with Christians who I'd classify as strongly anti-Semitic and/or anti-Zionist. While I don't want to pigeon-hole anyone, I've come to suspect that too often there's a link between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. Most of these extreme examples have come from people who hold to Amil-Postmil-Preterist positions. Hence they also subscribe to Replacement Theology.

Note: I am not saying that RT is the cause of anti-Semitism or that all proponents are anti-Semitic.

But there have also been samplings from Futuristic Premillennialists who don't necessarily hold to RT. These FP examples have tended not to be as virulent as the former, though in some cases they are. However, I have detected an animus against modern Israel within some who identify as dispensational posttribulational and non-disp posttrib, even while not being overtly anti-Semitic. I have no idea why this should be so.

More recently one of these folk raised the Khazar Myth. I've come to the conclusion that no evidence will satisfy certain people. They want to believe what they want to believe. They can explain it all to the Lord one day. In response, watch Chris White's excellent rebuttal of that myth HERE.

Links addressing associated topics:

Blessing & Cursing Israel

Fake Modern Israel

An Unholy Tribulation Temple?

God’s Devil

Dualism, that philosophical idea that says good and evil are two equal and eternal forces, is shown to be false in the Word of God in its very first verse. When the Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), the words the heavens and the earth are a synonym for “all things.” In the beginning, God created all things; this includes the Devil. Although he is very powerful, Satan is ultimately a finite creature who is by no means a match for our Lord...keep reading

Excerpt:

That Satan is a creature means he is subject to the Lord, who uses him to fulfill His good purposes (Rom. 8:28). In the final analysis, the Devil is God’s Devil (to summarize Martin Luther) and never operates outside the Lord’s decree.

Ask Ligonier with Sinclair Ferguson

CMI on Hugh Ross

Bereavement: Comfort in Grief

Below are links to two videos produced by Media Gratiae. The subject matter is bereavement and Andrew Bonar (Diary & Life). For a number of reasons it was happy providence that I came across Bonar's little biography by Banner of Truth.

I find this man's thoughts and life, very comforting and instructive. His book lives on my bedside table. If you've ever lost a spouse, loved one, or good friend, Bonar will comfort you.

Bereavement I: Comfort in Grief

Bereavement II: Lessons on Grief

See this as well.

Is Seventh-Day Adventism a Cult?

By far the greatest hits I get on this blog is an article I wrote about Adventist Steve Wohlberg. In my experience as an admin on several prophecy related forums, young Adventists have had a significant presence. Seventh-day Adventism is still very popular.

Grace to You's Phil Johnson is an ex Adventist. He was recently interviewed re SDA HERE. And here's another link.

Spurgeon & Imminence

It's nice that Alan Kurschner occasionally reads this blog - not too many do. However, I want to make a few things clear. I don't consider myself to be a typical pretrib blogger. For example, I don't believe the rapture was always imminent, and I don't think any rapture position is iron clad, including pretribulationism.

But regarding Charles Spurgeon's position and my article(s) - please do note the title, Spurgeon – The Need for Living with an Imminent Mindset. Spurgeon was no pretribber.

It's obvious Spurgeon was a posttribulationist and an historicist. And for the record, while I think Renald Showers made some good points about imminence, I don't subscribe to all of them.

The reason for citing Spurgeon was that he (and many others) saw the value in living as if Christ could come at any moment. That was the point. I attend a church which is neither premil or pretrib, yet it stresses the value of living with an imminent mindset.

The exercise was a response to Kurschner's proposition that because of human nature imminency does not generate urgency. Well, according to Spurgeon (and many others) it should.

Revelation and God's Justice

I've argued in previous articles that the seals in Revelation contain God's wrath and justice. Some of our Reformed Covenant Theology friends understand this very well, albeit in a different context to futuristic premillennialism.

Futuristic non-pretribulationists typically argue that the second half (or part) of Daniel's 70th Week is Satan's wrath expressed through the Antichrist and False Prophet. I've pointed out that a strong Calvinistic view of God's sovereignty, and various biblical examples, demonstrate that God uses instruments to administer judgement. These instruments include the nations and Satan.

It's a false dichotomy to say that Satan's wrath occurs in some section of the 70th Week, therefore God's wrath must come later. In Revelation and God's Justice I cover familiar territory and focus on the 4th seal. Click HERE.

Do You Feel Abandoned by God?

From TableTalk Magazine...

Have you ever felt abandoned by God? For the Christian, there is perhaps no worse experience. Like a four-year-old girl suddenly lost from her parents in the hustle and bustle of a crowded mall, you feel separated, alone, forgotten. In some of the Psalms, not only does the psalmist feel lost in the crowd, but he fears God hasn’t even begun to look for him (Ps. 13:1–4)...keep reading

Petrus Van Mastricht

This is why I love the Reformers and Puritans. You can read Kevin Zuber's review of Van Mastricht's Theoretical-Practical Theology, Vol. 1: Prolegomena HERE. Zuber has also been reading Vol 2: Faith in the Triune God. I can't wait for that review. Here are two of his tweets: