Shoulder To Shoulder #1329 -- 2/13/23 ---- "Is Another Revival Possible -- Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? -- (Part 1 -- Defining What We Mean)"
"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1329 -- 2/13/23
Title: "Is Another Revival Possible -- Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? -- (Part 1 -- Defining What We Mean)"
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
Greetings from a sunny but unseasonably chilly Yuma, AZ. Still running about ten degrees cooler than normal overall, last night's low was a brisk 36 degrees (as compared to the normal upper 40's and low 50's). We are drawing closer to the winter season's end at Chapel de Oro, and in just over two months will make our annual drive 400 miles across the state to the White Mountains and Greer, AZ to begin our eighth Summer season with Greer Chapel. I might add that Greer had another 4" to 6" snowfall on top of what they have already received this year. Yesterday the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) announced that one of the local highways to the Sunrise Ski Resort was closed because two of its snow plow trucks had become stuck in the snow and it took another truck to pull them out. Obviously, that is not the place to be yet.
In the meantime, we continue wonderful times of fellowship and worship with the folks here at Chapel de Oro. Up until this past Sunday we had broken the high attendance record of the previous week for eight consecutive weeks, and we have had first-time visitors for fifteen consecutive Sundays. After more than two post-COVID years, we are finally nearing our pre-COVID attendances. We are now running about 80% of what we did before, and many of our Canadian members have been able to return. Our permanent membership losses due to age, sickness, or death, are being offset by so many new folks. I would guess that probably 25% to 30% of our attendance is made up of people who have started coming the past two seasons.
By now I'm sure you've probably heard about what has been happening at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. The school's typical Wednesday morning chapel service more than a week ago has extended far beyond a typical one-hour service now into more than 225 consecutive hours, 24 hours a day. As I write, today is the ninth day with students, staffers, professors, local residents, and thousands of others from across the U.S. and even from other countries have been gathering for times of God's blessing as the Holy Spirit hovers and deeply ministers to them.
Because Jo Ann and I have experienced such seasons of refreshing in years past, and we see great similarities, it has certainly caught our attention and caused us to rejoice over the prospects of another season of revival and spiritual awakening in our nation. It has already spread to many other campuses and churches from one coast to the other. Even the secular world has taken notice as media outlets have begun to report the event. Today (Thursday) I've been told that Glen Beck called it "one of the best news stories I have heard in a long time". (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLfEvHOIcp8). After watching this clip, it is obvious that he believes this is truly a God thing that could develop into something that could change our nation.
I don't know of a period in my lifetime when there was a greater need from a divine invasion from God than today. So, for an indefinite period of time, I want to address in today's and future letters the topic of revival and spiritual awakening -- and how such times impact churches, the Gospel, individual lives, the culture, and societal issues.
I'd like to begin by taking a quick look at this particular phenomenon in comparison to past times, and also get some clear definitions to what we're examining. I'll try to begin that right after you take a look at . . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ Putin's War Against Ukraine: Obviously Jo Ann and I, having lived and ministered in Ukraine for six years, remain deeply saddened over what has been happening there for almost a year (one week from now will be a year), we grieve with and pray for our many friends, and our ministry continues sending financial aid to ministries and individuals we know, as people give funds to us for that purpose. As of today, Russian forces have suffered nearly 150,000 deaths as their military leaders continue their "meat grinder" tactics of warfare. It is almost impossible for us to keep up with what is happening. However, we have found the following news sources to be particularly helpful, so pass them on to you in the event that you want to stay current on developments there.
https://www.kyivpost.com/topic/war-in-ukraine
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato (click on "Eng" in upper right corner if necessary)
https://euromaidanpress.com/ (Click on the appropriate day desired)
https://www.understandingwar.org/ukraine-crisis-coverage
Most U.S. news media outlets don't mention the war at all. Two who do at times are Fox News and NewsMax. There are numerous other outlets, particularly the U.K., who also give good coverage.
+ City of the Patriarchs Archaeological Site: Recent discoveries at the biblical home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have increased interest in the region. You might like to check it out at https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/tel-beer-sheva-city-of-the-patriarchs//
+ Pool of Siloam Excavations To Open: Under King Hezekiah, the Pool of Siloam became part of Jerusalem's water system providing good drinking water for Jerusalem. Discovered through archaeological digs over 150 years ago, today it has been further developed and is scheduled to be open to the public. For details, visit https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/standing-with-israel/91496-ancient-pool-of-siloam-to-be-excavated-and-opened-to-public
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> "Revival is the manifest presence of God entering the human realm, revealing His convicting power, His overwhelming love, His boundless mercy, and his abundant grace." -- Unknown
"Revival can be defined in many ways and with many theological terms. Simply put, revival is nothing more, nor nothing less, than God filling an empty vessel needing to be filled, flooding a parched land needing to be refreshed, rejuvenating a soul in need of being made alive again. Revival is God touching a wounded, encrusted, dead soul and breathing new invigorating life in a transformative way. It is nothing short of God's Spirit reclaiming and reanimating what belongs to Him." -- T. Allen Robburts
> " LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy." -- Habbakuk (Hab 3:2)
> "[Revival] is God revealing Himself to man in awful holiness and in irresistible power. It is such a manifest working of God that human personalities are overshadowed, and human programs abandoned. It is man entering into the background because God has taken the field." -- Arthur Wallis (In The Day of Thy Power)
> "Revival is the people of God living in the power of an ungrieved, unquenched Spirit. Revival is the child of God desperately in love with his glorious Savior and Lord. Revival is torrents of living water flowing out of the individual believer. Revival is the beauty of holiness adorning the saints. Revival is the people of God constrained, gripped, overmastered, and overwhelmed by the love of Christ, so that they are feverishly restless to win souls for Christ." -- James S. Stewart (Scottish Preacher, chaplain to Queen of Scotland)
> "My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word." -- The Psalmist (Ps 119:25)
> "[Revival] is reviving humanity...to the sense of God;...to reanimate the life of the believer. . . . It is God manifesting Himself through human life, His redeeming power bursting forth in fruits of righteousness and holiness..." -- G Campbell Morgan
> "Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD, And grant us Your salvation." -- Sons of Korah (Ps 85:5-7)
> ""It is on the heels of a sweeping revival in America that we can see reformation and change come. We can go from revival to awakening." -- Dr. Michael Brown (author, radio host, Apologist, Messianic Jew)
> “We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from Heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again.” -- G. Campbell Morgan
REVIVAL DEFINED:
In a recent article in Charisma Magazine, James Lasher, writing about the phenomenon taking place at this time at Asbury University, said, . . .
"America is hungry for revival, and the recent outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Asbury University, already spreading to other college campuses, is proof of hungry hearts yearning for God's refining fire."
I remember many years ago hearing an audio tape of the famed Scottish preacher, James S. Stewart, describe an experience he had with someone's erroneous understanding of the word revival. A minister of the Church of Scotland, Stewart taught New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh. At one point he was once Chaplain to the Queen of Scotland. He delivered the Warrick Lectures on Preaching at Edinburgh and the Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale University. It has been my joy to own and read a number of his books, all of which I gave away when we moved to Yuma a little over a year ago.
In his story, Stewart describes an event in which he happened to drive by a small country church one afternoon with a big banner suspended between two trees in front of the building. He slammed on his brakes, turned around, drove back into the church's parking lot, jumped out of his car and ran to the door, intending to rush in and participate with people being touched by the presence of God.
Grabbing the door handle, he discovered the door was locked. After shaking the door several times with no response, he went around the side of the building and peered through the window only to find the lights out and the building empty. Noticing a house next door, he presumed it would probably be the parsonage. Rushing to the front door, he calmed himself and knocked. After a few seconds a man came to the door with a curious look on his face.
Assuming him to be the church's pastor, Stewart exclaimed that he had seen the sign, "Revival", and was so excited to join in as the people worshiped, prayed, and basked in the Holy Spirit's work. The pastor's response was exceptionally revealing: . . . .
"Oh, I'm sorry. You have misunderstood. It really doesn't mean anything; we're just having our annual preaching meeting trying to motivate the church and perhaps see a few sinners saved."
Clearly there was some misunderstanding, to say the least. However, it was the pastor who misunderstood. He misunderstood what "revival" really is. Stewart died in 1990 at age 94 following decades of pristine ministry. You can access more biographical information as well as audio tapes and manuscripts of some of his many sermons at https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/e4b9ba4b-e7bb-3b60-ae36-713d71f910c6.
Before actually defining revival, then, let's understand clearly what revival is Not:
+ What Revival is NOT:
1. First, revival is Not evangelism, although evangelism is often a product or an outcrop of revival. The Scottish pastor, revivalist, and theologian who was greatly influenced by the Keswick Movement, Joseph Kemp, differentiated the difference between revival and evangelism in his book, The Soul-Winner and Soul-Winning, writing, . . .
"Evangelism in our usage of the word, as well as in its derivative sense, refers primarily to the proclamation of the Gospel to the unsaved. To make evangelism a synonym of revivalism is untrue to the teachings of the New Testament. The Church is responsible for evangelism and not for revival. We are summoned to evangelism; for revival we are cast upon the sovereign grace of God."
Evangelism is that outward act of obeying Christ's command to proclaim the good news of salvation to the unbeliever who, incidentally CANNOT be "revived" in the first place, for he has not yet even been "vived". You cannot bring back to life something that has never been born into life in the first place.
The great Canadian pastor, Stephen Olford, has been one of my favorite expositors and authors since I first heard him in 1972 and read his book, Heartcry For Revival, in which he differentiated between revival and evangelism. He stated, . . .
"Revival is that strange and sovereign work of God in which He visits His people, restoring, reanimating, and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing. Such a divine intervention will issue in evangelism, though, in the first instance it is the work of God in the Church and amongst individual believers."
Joseph Kemp went on to say in his classic, . . .
"Revival . . . [is] the reanimating of that which is already living but in a state of declension. It has to do principally with the Church as a whole, and Christians as individuals."
In summary, then, revival is the work of the Holy Spirit in and to the believer; evangelism is the work of the believer to the lost, who are yet without Christ. The first is the work intended FOR and TO every believer, and the second is the work expected OF every believer.
2. Next, revival is Not having meetings. It's not an event on a calendar. The misunderstanding the pastor had in James Stewart's experience is far too common. You cannot put revival on your church's calendar at your annual planning meeting. Just because you plan a "fall revival" or "Spring revival" hardly guarantees that revival will come. It seldom does, simply because scheduling a revival is man's doing, and seldom God's. He is the God of sovereignty and surprises, and will release revival on His time schedule, not your church's calendar.
Have you ever wondered why such meetings yield so little results or are so poorly attended? It's because it was man's plans, but not God's. Often, as in the case of the Hebrides Revivals, the Welsh Revival, and others throughout history, revivals usually result in meetings and campaigns, you have have such things and never experience true revival.
3. Then, finally, revival is Not the same as spiritual awakenings. However, they often result in such awakenings. Revival is what happens in the life of a believer -- or, as in the case of the current Asbury Revival now in its tenth day, in a corporate manner -- awakenings that grab the attention of unbelievers can come from revival. Again, revival is what happens to followers of Christ as they seek refreshing and renewal in His presence, but spiritual awakening is what happens to the culture around the revived believer as unbelievers begin to take notice of the changes in the believer.
While I am certainly no authority on the topic, what I have learned from revivals and awakenings throughout history -- from Old Testament days to today's move of God that began at Asbury University over a week ago -- almost all spiritual awakenings in society emerged out of what society saw in the lives of Christians radically changed by Christ in their lives and reanimated in their witness and interaction with the culture around them.
As a matter of fact, it's my personal opinion that any revival experience that is not ultimately impressively expressed in culture, is not true revival that reached its intended conclusion. Whether it's an individual, a local congregation, or a region, the end result of any revival is that it has a serious impact on the culture that results in significant changes. This was evidenced in the biblical revivals under King Asa (II Chron 14-15), Elijah (I Kings 18), Jonah (Jonah 1-4), Jehoshaphat (II Chron 19 - 20), Hezekiah (II Chron 29 - 32, and Isa 36-39), and others. It was also evident in the Shantung Revival in China, the Welsh Revival, the Hebrides Revival, the First Great Awakening in America, and almost all others.
But, before such awakenings can happen in a society, revival must take place with the people of God.
So, if these things are NOT revivals, but often are the results OF revivals, then let's look at . . .
+ What Revival IS:
Interestingly, the word, "revive" appears only twenty times in the Bible, and none of them are in the New Testament. My dear friend, Jim Hylton, who died a few weeks ago, told me in a phone conversation about five years ago that he believed the reason for that was because in Christ we were to live in a perpetual relationship of being renewed, refreshed, and invigorated by His Spirit. In essence, if we live as we should as Christ's followers, we should always be in a state of vibrant spiritual life, never needing to be recharged or pumped back up. The reason the should have been no need is because we have the constant, permanent, consistent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives -- something that Old Testament believers did not have.
Sadly, very few Christians live at that level of vibrant perpetuity. As a result, tens of thousands of books have been written to help us faltering and stumbling believers get back on our feet spiritually again. (We'll have to leave a more detailed and scholarly discussion of that area to a later time. In the meantime, . . .
Revival Defined: The Hebrew word for "revive" is חָיָה and pronounced "chayah" in English. It appears a mere twenty times in the Old Testament (none in the New Testament, as I already mentioned). Only once is the word used apart from its direct connection to God; that is in Nehemiah where Sanballat, Nehemiah's tormenting Samaritan, ridiculed the Jewish remnant, insisting they could not possibly "revive" all the fallen stones -- not even the kiln-dried burned ones -- and rebuild the wall. Virtually all other times, the word is wonderfully used by weak and penitent believers asking God to "revive" them -- and revive them in particular ways or for particular reasons.
I know it will lengthen my letter, but I want you to see them all, for they speak volumes to our weak, weary, and wandering hearts:
Psalm 69:32 -- "You who seek God, let your heart revive."
Psalm 71:20 -- "You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth."
Psalm 80:18 -- "Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name."
Psalm 85:6 -- "Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"
Psalm 119:25 -- "My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word."
Psalm 119:37 -- "Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways."
Psalm 119:40 -- "Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness."
Psalm 119:88 -- "Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth."
Psalm 119:107 -- "I am exceedingly afflicted; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word."
Psalm119:149 -- "Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances."
Psalm 119:154 -- "Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word."
Psalm 119:156 -- "Great are Your mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to Your ordinances."
Psalm 119:159 -- "Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness."
Psalm 138:7 -- "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me."
Psalm 143:11 -- "For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble."
Isaiah 57:15 -- "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite'."
Hosea 6:2 -- "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him."
Habakkuk 3:2 -- "LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy."
Goodness, my heart throbs! Can you grasp the vast love of God for you in those statements? His grace? His patience? His mercy?
And, look at this! It is all about Him! NOT us! Revival is not about us, but it's about Him! Revival involves us, and it's for us, but it's not about us. It's all about Christ taking center stage, becoming the focus of our attention, and being the central object of our worship. Look at the bold faced words above -- Your word, Your righteousness, Your ways, Your lovingkindness, Your name, . . . ! It may come as a shock to you, but while we desperately need revival personally and corporately (in the Church), and while revival will certainly benefit and bless us, He doesn't revive us for Us, but rather for Himself and everything He represents.
Or as, Charles Finney said, revival is, ". . . nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God." Arthur Wallis in In The Day of Thy Power, stated, "It is God revealing Himself to man . . ."
The word, "revive", means, to "come alive", "be alive", "recover life", "stay alive", "preserve life", "keep alive", or "be brought back to life". Clearly it must be the heart-cry of the believer -- "Revive me! Bring me back to life, O God! To YOUR Life!"
When revival broke in our lives in West Plains, MO, in the Fall of 1966, I was an over-confident angry young husband and father of four with a mere two years of church staff experience following graduate studies. It didn't take many months into that three-year move of God to bring me to my knees and humiliation and broken humility. One of the books God used in that process was Roy Hession's little book, Calvary Road, in which Hession stated, . . .
"Revival is just the life of the Lord Jesus poured into human hearts. Jesus is always victorious. In heaven they are praising Him all the time for His victory. Whatever maybe our experience of failure and barrenness, He is never defeated. His power is boundless. And we, on our part, have only to get into a right relationship with Him, and we shall see His power being demonstrated in our hearts and lives and service, and His victorious life will fill us and overflow through us to others."
So, when we try to define revival, it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing us to the end of ourselves, shedding all human efforts of righteousness and service, and abandoning ourselves completely to worshiping and serving Christ. In a very real sense, it is the abandonment of Galatians 1:10 and embracing Galatians 2:20 --
"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (1:10). "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (2:20).
REVIVAL DEMONSTRATED:
True revival always reveals itself to others -- by both disposition and demonstration. True revival cannot be restrained. While I will share other stories of other revivals in upcoming letters, let me use the current one taking place at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY. It is now in its 10th day, and that one chapel service on Wednesday morning, February 8th didn't end as scheduled an hour later. It has now continued, non-stop for some 250 hours, and has spread across the street to Asbury Seminary, and to scores of other campuses and churches across the United States. In 1970 the chapel service lasted 180 hours and impacted around 30 campuses that we know of. What is happening today far exceeds the 1970 revival.
It all began with a simple sermon on Christ's love and how believers are to love one another. Shelby Bowen described it like this in an article for Charisma Magazine.
"Asbury University Reverend Zach Meerkreebs was preaching to the students about love. Now thousands from around the country have flocked to the sleepy town of Wilmore, Kentucky to partake in the miraculous move of God.
"'I know the heart of God is not one to keep guilt and shame on us,' Meerkreebs says in the sermon. Teaching about the sacrificial love of Jesus, he inquired of the students to determine how they love one another and what is the true source of that love.
"Meerkreebs spoke from Philippians 2:3-4 which says, 'Let nothing be done out of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.'
"He told the students, 'Pressures off. You can't love the way this verse speaks. Do you know that? You are loved by Jesus. Stop striving. Stop wearing this heavy burden of "I've gotta love because I'm a Christian." No, you've got to love because you've tasted and seen the goodness of God.'
"At the end of the sermon, he prayed that the students would be overwhelmed by the love of God. That they would experience the kind of love that God has for them because that's the love the world needs."
That's not a new idea for any Christian. We all know that; it is assumed. Nor was the sermon particularly persuasive in terms of rhetoric, intensity, or coersive stories. It was simple, to the point, and rather conversational. But -- it was just what God wanted at that point in time. It wasn't long before a young man came to the front and confessed his own struggles, asking for prayer. Almost immediately the front of the auditorium was flooded with students, joined by faculty, staff, and visitors.
It's not just that the "news" has spread about another Asbury Revival -- they've had at least eight since the first known one in February of 1905 (1905, 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1992, 2006) -- but the revival itself has spread to other campuses and to churches. Every time I try to identify them all, new ones crop up before I can even form a total. As I write today, news of the revival has spread to numerous other campuses -- some reporting as many as 40 college, university, and seminary campuses -- such as Asbury Theological Seminary, Cedarville University, Lee University, Virginia Theological Seminary, Samford University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Campbellsville University, and dozens of others I don't know about.
Even Wikipedia has a special post about this revival, reporting . . .
"The revival has been described as calm, and some commentators have noted the absence of many of the features of contemporary worship. The revival is additionally significant because of its spread on social media, particularly among Generation Z, the most irreligious generation in US history.[3][5] Responses to the revival have been reported at other university campuses and the revival notably has an ecumenical expression, with Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopal groups participating in its spread. It is further notable that the revival has remained leaderless and decentralized in comparison with other social movements led by Generation Z such as the George Floyd protests, School Strike for Climate and the MeToo movement and in contrast to previous awakenings and revivals within the Methodist movement that were led by central figures such as Francis Asbury, the institution's namesake.[7][8]"
Just today I received reports that more than 5,000 people have been on campus yesterday, waiting for hours just to get inside one of the three auditoriums where people have gathered to pray and seek God's face. At one point the line was nearly one-half mile long, and often people were waiting in rain for the opportunity to be in the meeting while others were simply standing outside the auditoriums. The scene is similar on other campuses across the country.
News of the Asbury Revival has spread far more quickly than any other revival or spiritual awakening in human history, primarily because of two things -- the "crisis mode" of our world today, and the availability of social media via the internet web. For example, if you go to Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, you will find hundreds of videos with the hashtag “Asbury Revival”. They have received millions of views. TikTok as of this past Wednesday had already been viewed 31.2 million times from all around the world.
News channels -- even secular channels like MSN, Fox, NBC, NewsMax, and others, along with newspapers like Washington Examiner, and social and television media personalities like Tucker Carlson, Glen Beck, Charlie Kirk, and many others are reporting and discussing the phenomenon. You would expect it from some of them, but others will probably surprise you. Not only are thousands of people streaming -- sometimes driving 18 hours or longer -- to the Asbury campus from across the U.S., but others have come from Canada, Mexico, and as far away as from Singapore.
There is much yet to tell about the current Asbury Revival, and I have wondered why the school has experienced so many times of revival in the past. When you contrast Asbury with other places of revival, there are probably fewer than a handful that have been so touched so often by God's Spirit. Such phenomenon is rare. The church were I served on staff in the mid 1960's we found several years ago had a long history of revival and was, in fact, actually founded as a result of revival.
As I studied the many videos and pictures of the auditorium at Asbury these past ten days, I think I may have discovered at least part of the reason for the school's repeated seasons of revival. Stationed in gold colors above the pipes of the great pipe organ is a motto --
"HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD"
FINALLY:
I cannot keep up with all the reports I am receiving from numerous sources. The Christianity.com website made this observation about what is happening:
"There is nothing unbiblical about this revival as it is a genuine revival. These individuals are rediscovering their love for Christ and their deep desire to know Him better. This is the beginning of not one but one of many great things that will happen in the future through revivals."
Do we really feel that we can solve the problems the world, and we in it, faces? Are we that vain to think that what we face today in both our personal lives, our communities, our nation, and the world overall, are problems for which mankind has a lasting solution? That is the height of arrogance and vanity. Either that, or blatant ignorance.
It is not accidental that God is pouring out His Spirit on this particular generation, -- the "Z" generation -- the most godless, unChristian and even anti-Christian generation in our nation's history. They are the children of the first post-Christian generation in our country, and have indulged in every kind of anti-God endeavors you can imagine. The chickens have laid their eggs and have "come home to roost". There has never been a more needy generation of rescue than the "Z" generation, and praise God, the rescue is beginning.
I will write more about what is happening at Asbury University and other places in coming letters; there is much we must understand -- and embrace. On our part in the meantime, however, it seems to me that the best thing you and I can do is first, pray for those in the stream of revival. As an old man, I understand that these thousands of men and women currently being touched by the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit will soon become our public school teachers, business professionals, church leaders, missionaries, entertainers, and governmental workers.
This morning I ran across a blog by someone named Jessica writing under the handle, "Simply Jecker". She insightfully wrote, . . .
The revival that is breaking out at Asbury College is just one of many that we are going to begin to see. I woke up this morning with this repeating in my spirit : -- “The Joshua generation is rising up.”
A generation that has not known God or experienced His works is about to be radically saved. For years these young people have been consumed by a flood of filth and perversion but God has need of this generation. There are Davids and Esthers who have been hidden away who are about to step into the throne room. There are Joshuas and Calebs who will not be afraid to conquer the land. Fierce servants of God, they will be ready to kill giants and claim what is theirs by right. A boldness is going to fall upon our sons and daughters that will empower them to tear down and cast out.
Elishas are dropping their plows and picking up their mantles. The saints of old are gone and God is looking to our campuses and our school houses in search of those who will take their place. A call to ministry is going to fall heavily upon this generation as these young people begin to open their hearts to God and see the condition of this world.
Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abednegos are going to refuse to bow to the spirit of this age. What was considered entertainment will now be repulsive and that which was accepted as truth will be discarded as dirty rags. Holiness will be the new standard as these young men and women begin to make a stand for righteousness.
A clashing of two kingdoms is taking place as darkness and light collide. The God who answers by fire is going to burn through this nation, consuming our sons and daughters. From the lunch room to the football field, from colleges to high schools, the Spirit of God is going to be poured out. Our churches are going to be overrun by young people seeking to be saved, delivered and filled with the Holy Ghost.
This move of God will not be organized by man, this outpouring is going to be led by and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The wind of the Spirit is beginning to blow. A generation of dry bones is starting to rattle.
I don't know how accurate this assessment will be, but it is surely possible. This puts a heavy burden on you and me for these young men and women. They need to be protected, covered by our prayers, and encouraged to remain faithful and true that all that God is doing in their lives. It is entirely possible that God is raising up that Joel Generation we have been anticipating to one day come:
"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." -- Joel 2:28-29
In the meantime, we also have an additional burden; you and I need to ask God to begin a fresh reviving of our own souls. The last thing we want is to miss God's movement and be "left in the dust". That will require that you and I submit fully to the same Holy Spirit to whom these students are surrendering.
There has never been a greater time.
Please note below some highly recommended books I would urge you to read as you prepare your heart.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
RECOMMENDED READING:
I tend to shy away from books about revival written in the 30 to 50 years and focus on older writings because the idea of true biblical revival has been too often watered down by custom, convenience, and compromise of biblical truth. This is not always the case, but whatever else you may read, I highly recommend these:
Revival, Richard Owen Roberts
One Divine Moment, Dr. Robert Coleman (the 1970 Asbury Revival)
The Shantung Revival, Dr. Charles Culpepper (in the 1930's in China)
Go Home and Tell, Bertha Smith (in the 1930's in China)
Heartcry For Revival, Stephen Olford
Absolute Surrender, Andrew Murray
Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill
Calvary Road, Roy Hession
The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee
Continuous Revival, Norman Grubb
Revival in the Hebrides, Duncan Campbell
Lessons on the Welsh Revival, G. Campbell Morgan (1904 revival)
In The Day of Thy Power, Arthur Wallis
Jonathan Edwards On Revival, Jonathan Edwards (beginning of First Great Awakening)
Lectures On Revivals of Religion, Charles Finney
Sounds from Heaven: The Revival on the Isle of Lewis, 1949-1952, Collin Peckham
The Kentucky Revival, Richard McNemar (The revival of 1799 and following)
The Revival We Need, Oswald Smith
When God Breaks Through, Vance Havner
The Coming Revival: Shaping History For A Heavenly Reality, Derek Prince
A Narrative of the Revival of Religion in New England : with Thoughts on that revival ..., Jonathan Edwards
Road To Revival, Vance Havner
The Great Welsh Revival, Darrel D King
The 1904 Revival in Wales, Jesse Penn-Lewis
Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Richard Lovelace
The Second Evangelical Awakening, J. Edwin Orr
Campus aflame; dynamic of student religious revolution, J. Edwin Orr
The Event of the Century: The 1857-1858 Awakening, J. Edwin Orr
If you take the time to do some searching, you'll find many of these books in digital form, either Kindle, PDF, or downloadable manuscript.
>>> To access past "Shoulders" letters, listed by date and number, go to https://welovegod.org/guide/forums/forum/shoulders/ <<<
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
lifeunlimited@pobox.com
Copyright February, 2023
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
If this letter has blessed you, feel free to forward it or copy from it, with proper credits, to any and all you wish.