The Best and the Brightest

This blog is from The Student Revival Movement:

“Has any such offering of living men and women been presented in this age–in this country–in any age, or any country, since the days of Pentecost?” – President McCosh, President of Princeton College (now University) in May 1887, referring to the Student Volunteer Movement

In 1886, 251 young men from nearly 90 colleges gathered together in Northfield, Massachusetts for a month-long Bible conference with famed revivalists D.L. Moody, A.T. Pierson, and others. The students would daily gather together with Moody for 6am prayer meetings, a morning Bible study on the subject of the Second Coming of Christ, and games and sports in the afternoon. Despite Moody’s lack of any formal education, he captivated the hearts and minds of some of the best and the brightest college students with a vision of a great awakening in the hearts of college students to the revelation and beauty of Jesus.

In the midst of this month-long conference, a young radical named Robert Wilder, a recent graduate of Princeton, began to envision his fellow students with a dream to evangelize the world in their generation. Though missions was not the purpose of the month-long conference, it became the dominant theme in the minds of the students as Wilder spread his passion for a collegiate missions movement among the other students. John R. Mott, the future leader of the Student Volunteer Movement, remembered, “You could hardly go anywhere without somebody crossing your path and presenting this great missionary message.”

Robert Wilder’s sister, Grace, had prophesied to her brother that 100 college students would be set apart for missionary work at the summer Bible conference. On one of the final nights of the conference, students gathered together who had consecrated themselves to the finishing of the task of world evangelization in their generation. One by one they explained their reasons for their commitment to this great undertaking. Many remembered the power and effect of this meeting for years to come.

Then, on the night before the conference would end, those who had committed themselves to the missionary cause gathered together for one final prayer meeting to present themselves to the Lord and consecrate their lives as foreign missionaries. There, 99 students gathered together, and as they began to kneel together before the Lord, one final student slipped through the back door and joined his fellow students. These initial 100 student volunteers would come to be known as “the Mt. Hermon 100.”

In a breathtaking moment, just as had been prophesied earlier by Grace Wilder, exactly 100 students who would come to be known as “the Mt. Hermon 100” launched the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions. Within one generation, these Student Volunteers would explode from 100 college students to over 20,000 young men and women who became foreign missionaries preaching the gospel in every nation of the earth.

Could it happen again?

The students that were volunteering as foreign missionaries had the best minds and the brightest futures of their generation. Upon graduation, if they desired it, they were all but assured of high-paying jobs in the highest echelons of society and promised lives of prestige and honor. Yet, these student volunteers were captured with a different vision than the so-called American Dream. These students had been swept up into the grand vision of “the evangelization of the world in this generation” and to these student volunteers, anything less than the accomplishment of this vision would have been failure.

In fact, in his later years, John R. Mott, the missionary statesman and primary leader of the Student Volunteer Movement, was asked by President Woodrow Wilson, an earnest and early supporter of the student volunteers, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to China, a post that promised wealth and prestige. John R. Mott responded by telling Wilson that though he was profoundly honored by the offer, he had to decline. Upon further persuasion with promises from the White House, as legend goes, Mott firmly responded that the problem in accepting was not that the job was too big, but that the job was too small for him as he was already an ambassador of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Wilson later told reporters that Mott was “one of the most nobly useful men in the world.” President Taft had earlier referred to Mott as “one of the great men of this generation.”

The Holy Spirit had directed these young men and women–the cream of the crop–like the daughter of Psalm 45 to “forget your own people…and your father’s house…So the King will greatly desire your beauty.” These student volunteers were consumed not by the things of this world, but by the vision of finishing the task of world evangelization and bringing back the King.

Are there young men and women like that today?

Honor

Luke 14:8-11 is a great parable from Jesus, showing us a dimension of how the kingdom works. It speaks of honor, which is a lost art in the church, but an art that will return to the church with a comeback like no other. This verse shows us the fruit that comes if we hold true to its teaching and the curse that comes if we neglect it.

Luke 14:8-11

8.When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not recline on the chief seat [in the place of honor], lest a more distinguished person than you has been invited by him 9. And he who invited both of you will come to you and say, Let this man have the place [you have taken]. Then, with humiliation and a guilty sense of impropriety, you will begin to take the lowest place. 10. But when you are invited go and recline in the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, Friend, go up higher! Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit [at the table] with you. 11. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (ranked below others who are honored or rewarded), and he who humbles himself (keeps a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly) will be exalted (elevated in rank).

Honor is truly an art that has been lost in the modern church of the west. This parable speaks of the upside-down kingdom. A kingdom worth trusting. Not because our intelligence says that it's wisdom to trust, but because our Christ has spoken that IT IS wisdom to trust. It is foolishness to the world, but it is the wisdom of God to his children. Many would say "You have to fight for your place in this life," but Jesus, proposes a different approach to gaining the seat of honor in this life. He tells us to humble ourselves rather than being humbled by others. The first is always more fruitful. This goes in any arena in life. If you are a son or daughter of God it is your inheritance to be exalted in this manner. We must always take the low road if we want the favor and blessing of God on our life. There is no other road that will offer such an inheritance as this road offers. God calls this road "the Highway of Holiness" (Isaiah 35).

One thing that has to happen in the church before Jesus returns is that the people of God have to be made pure and spotless. Jesus is coming to marry a harlot that has been washed in the blood of the Lamb. She must not have any blemish on her, for who is worthy to partner with this Man? She must be purified and sanctified. In Malachi 3:1-3 God speaks of the Day of the Lord (the same day He sends the Spirit of Elijah) that 'He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; and purge them (the church) as gold and silver.' He is speaking of his church being prepared for His coming.

Honor is one of the main issues, especially in the western church, that needs to be restored in order for the bride to be purified.

Ephesians 4:11-13

11. And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. (The 5 Fold Ministry)

12. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),

13. [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

I believe God is restoring honor to us so that when we hear a man of God speak the words of God, our hearts and minds would truly be edified and we would draw closer to Christ. The church was originally set up in a culture of honor. 1 Corinthians 12:28 Paul speaks of the Gods appointed order in the church. If we begin to honor Gods order we will be a healthy church.

We need to be an honorable people. Daniel honored Nebuchadnezzar not because Neb was worthy of the honor but because Daniel was an honorable man. We can be honorable people to unbelievers because we have an honorable inheritance. But like Daniel we should never compromise our faith in God for the sake of honoring an crooked man, for we have a Father who is much more honorable. It's a heart posture. Its a lifestyle. Its a culture. Its an art.

Honor will return to the church with a comeback like no other! You will hear more and more preaching and teaching on honor before Jesus comes back. Why, you ask? Because it is part of the culture of Gods Kingdom. If we want to live and dwell with him in the next age, we must begin to go after honoring our fathers, elders, brothers and sisters above ourselves. We must honor the way our Father in heaven ordained the church to function. God spoke of a day that would take place before the great and dreadful day of the Lord when the Spirit of Elijah would again "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers" (Malachi 4:5-6) The spirit of Elijah is the restoration of God's children. The the fullness of the Spirit of Elijah is not limited to honor being restored, but honor is its foundation, unto a church being made ready for a coming King.

The Spirit of Elijah looks like an honorable people, where the fathers honor the children and encourage them to run farther than they ever did. And where the children honor and respect the the fathers, and the grandfathers, and the elders, where they sit and listen to there words with attentive hearing ears. We must understand that we are not sitting at a round table, but we are sitting at a rectangular one. Don't put yourself in a position to be brought low. Posture your heart low to be brought high at the day of the resurrection.

Run To The Cry

Its good to write out the scripture. Hope this read benefits you.

Hebrews 2 (AMP). 1. Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away. 2. For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty, 3. How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak]. 4. [Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will. 5. For it was not to angels that God subjected the habitable world of the future, of which we are speaking. 6. It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him? 7. For some little time You have ranked him lower than and inferior to the angels; You have crowned him with glory and hour and set him over the works of Your hands, 8. For You have put everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to man, He left nothing outside of man's control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him [man]. 9. But we are able to see Jesus, Who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death, in order that by grace (unmerited favor) of God [to us sinners] He might experience death for every individual person. 10. For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering. 11. For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren; 12. For He says, I will declare Your [the Father's] name to My brethren; in the midst of the the [worshiping] congregation I will sing hymns of praise to You. 13. And again He says, My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed in Him. And yet again, Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me. 14. Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death -- that is, the devil -- 15. And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. 16. For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand]. 17. So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) an faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people's sins. 18. For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

You, Jesus, have defeated death, Hell, and the grave.

The Great Confusion Of the Times (Study on Eschatology)

The message found in the book of Revelation has recently been a serious topic on my heart to the point of catapulting me into figuring out why such chaos has spawned in the church over the subject of the last days, particularly the controversy arising over the book itself. I call this chaos, "The Great Confusion of the Times." Why has so much confusion come forth in the church? I believe that there is an answer to this question and a solution to it.

Through my studies I have found there to be four major schools of thought throughout the church, concerning the books interpretation and how to approach it. These different schools are the Preterists, Historicists, Futurists, and Idealists. Aside from these, which we will look into, I have found that a love for Jesus Christ should be the main catalyst into the books study. My hope in writing this paper is not to simply give my interpretation of the book as if I have arrived to the full understanding of it, which I have not, but to give the clearest possible breakdown of interpreting the book by using scripture references at face value and common sense. Before I go into detail of these different schools of thought found throughout Christian culture and the breakdown of interpretation, I would like to express where I come from and why this book is on my heart.

During the past few years I began getting involved at a place called the International House of Prayer of Jacksonville (IHOP Jax). Inside IHOP Jax is the Prayer Room (PR), a place I love to come to worship and pray to Jesus. In the PR, currently, I spend a volunteered 20 hours a week praying the Word and meditating on the Word as an Intercessory Missionary. I came to this place with pure motives to do the Psalms 27:4 verse, that God would really be the "One thing I have desired" and that I would "gaze upon the beauty of the Lord...all the days of my life." As I look back on these young years of my prayer life I find that the greatest ministry I have in this life is to be a minister to God. I would not ever change this ministry for a large church building or a great following. I know that my devotion to Christ is worth more than all the riches and fame that this world has to offer. I believe that He alone is my exceedingly great reward in this life and the age to come. Knowing that Jesus approves me to spend ridiculous amounts of time before Him in meditation and proclamation of who He is, my heart is stirred to do two things: To find out more about Him through intimacy with Him, and to be a voice of truth to a generation. From this journey of seeking the Lord, there has risen inside of me a desire to know the plans that Jesus has for the earth, as times seem to be growing darker and darker. What does Jesus say about the darkest days of history and how do those who believe prepare for the coming storm? How can believers be ready for these great and terrible events that are mentioned in the book of Revelation and various other places throughout scripture? Is this book even relevant to our generation, that we would need to read it and prepare for it? These are the questions that have been a propeller in my study of the last days and the book of Revelation. Although the main thrust that has caused me to do this study is the first five words mentioned in the book, which are, “The Revelation Of Jesus Christ.” He has found the preeminence in my heart and I desire to be as close to Him has possible. In John 15:15, Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you." I want to be God’s friend. That is the primary reason why I have chosen to seek out the revelation found in this book; the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Even so, many have done graphs and charts over the book and tried all the symbolism as if to somehow satisfy that curiosity deep inside. Yet, they have often been left confused and most likely build walls of resistance toward ever going back to the book. I'm not saying that the graphs and charts are not helpful in this study. I'm proposing that a desire to be a friend of Jesus should always be the centerpiece to the pursuit of understanding the message behind the book or else we will find our selves walking down a strange and cumbersome road of study. If we are friends with Him we will know His plans. In fact, if we are truly His friends we will desire to eat the scroll (read the bible), yes I mean all of it, and not simply for head knowledge, but for heart revelation.

Now that I have shared a little bit about what, I believe, is the best way to start studying the book, lets talk a bit about the book itself. I am not going to go into every last detail about it but rather, try to pave a launch pad for the reader to start this study with clarity and without confusion. In David Pawsons book, Unlocking the Bible, (pg.1253-1257), he gives his commentary on the book of Revelation’s interpretation from a very unique point of view, using the strengths of the four major schools I mentioned earlier and dismissing the weakness of each school. I like his commentary because he is open-minded towards every view found through out the church and uses common sense to take the strengths and to dismiss the weaknesses. For the sake of understanding, I will briefly talk about each school and how to apply them to the book Revelation.

The first on the list is the Preterists and this group believes that the book was written as a prophecy concerning the people the first century A.D. near the fall of the Roman Empire and has little relevance to us in our generation. They say that the main relevance it has to us is that we can learn how to live here and now from what has happened then and there. The strength of this view is that it pushes us to understand how people in that day would receive the writings. The main weakness of this view, while many can be found, is that there are almost no events, in that time period, that have obviously taken place with the accuracy of the events that Revelation reveals.

The next group is the Historicists and they believe that the events prophesied are talking about all of church history between the First and Second Comings of Jesus. Pawson explains in his book that this school is “past, present and future to us” (Pawson, pg.1254). Most Historicists agree that we can find ourselves somewhere in chapter 16 or 17. This view makes the book of Revelation relevant to every generation, which is an up side. A down side to this view is that when you line up the events from history to the events in the book, they don’t just fall into place. They are unconvincingly and unnaturally lined up. Another type of Historicist is the view that all the events of church history seem to repeat over and over through out time. Just like the linear version of the Historicist, the repeating version has the same problems and things just don’t line up.

Third on the agenda is the Futurist and this group believes that the book prophesies the last three and a half year of the world that will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus and His Millennial Reign. They believe that world will gradually get worse and worse until the greatest climax of evil and then Jesus comes to make wrong things right. There are different opinions in this view concerning when the rapture takes place, whether before the tribulation or after the tribulation. This view is interpreted more literally than the others. This makes the book relevant only to the last generation and it also causes people to use the book focusing more on the charts and graphs rather than being close to Jesus.

The forth view is the Idealist and this group believes that the book is more about an eternal and spiritual perspective of the on going battle between good and evil rather than actual events taking place. This group proclaims that “in the end love wins.” Most of the Bible is considered myth to this group and they have summed up that the book of Revelation is more about symbolism rather than a future reality. Its can be relevant to any generation because it is primarily about teaching spiritual truths. Dawson points out, “this has serious consequences for ‘eschatology’ (the study of ‘the last things’, from the Greek word eschatos = ‘end’ or ‘last’)” (Pawson, pg.1257) Through many studies done by scholars, Pawson included in his book When Jesus Returns, (pg.2), we find out the accuracy rate of the prophetic scripture. Not only does the scripture have over a quarter of prophetic words about the future that can easily be approved with its own detailed descriptions, but also over 80% of them have already happened. Up to this point in time the bible has a perfect prophetic declaration rating of 100%. The rest of the prophetic words are still future to us and are expected by most Christians to happen in the end times. Besides my own faith in believing the bible literally, this would be an important reason to interpret the bible with a literal face-value point of view. I also believe that taking the spiritual truths is necessary as well as the Idealists do, but that we should not dismiss the reality of content mentioned in the text. My conclusion is that the content should be seriously considered as well the spiritual truth.

The approach I found to be most precise in interpreting the book of Revelation is to take only the strengths of each view and apply them to the sections where they are required in the book. For an example, lets take look at the book in sections and skip to chapters 4-18 since these chapters, relating to the judgments, are more controversial than the other parts. Preterists won’t work, since their speculations of how things play out all happened in the past and yet, the specifics of tribulation judgments never happened as the book describes them. A Historicist view doesn’t work either, since it is in the same boat of things not falling into sync. Futurist is helpful because they believe what Jesus said in Matthew 24:21 that “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This lines up with the growing intensity of the tribulations found in the book of Revelation as the time line moves towards those days. Idealists should not completely make this book out to be simply myths and symbolism since that would separate this book from other books in the bible that have clear prophetic words, which have come to pass, and are not merely spiritual jargon. It is smart, however, that the spiritual message of the book be for every generation in every time period. So from this we summarize that, to interpret chapters 4-18, the best option would be to use a Futurists point of view with a hint of the Idealists. The other sections of this book have different mixtures of approaches depending on the time frame to which they belong, but now we can see how to clearly break down this book using the strengths of different views mixed together.

I would like to say that, in my opinion, the best option in interpreting the bible is to always take it at face value unless the bible specifically tells us that it is a symbol for something else. The Bible has simplicity in explaining things by itself and doesn’t need mans highly sophisticated intellect to figure it out. The Bible was written so that ordinary people could simply understand it, and yet, the mystery behind the simplicity is the depth of revelation that can come out of it. Where many have strained their intellect to over analyze, and so forth, confuse many the bible, all along, was meant to mean what is says and say what it means. One of many examples in the book of Revelation that shows us where to specifically symbolize something is found in Revelation 1:20. “ The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstand: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” An example of something that was meant to be taken literally is the scene around the throne in Revelation 4. When it says that there are 24 elders, it means there are 24 elders. When it says there are 4 living creatures, it means there are 4 living creatures. Then you have the scripture that are obviously symbolic, like Revelation 1:10b where it says “…I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet” That is obvious symbolism for a voice speaking with urgency and volume. To say that something is symbolism without the scriptures own commentary is doing what Jesus talks about in Revelation 22:18-19. This scripture clearly states the importance of keeping the words of the prophecy where Jesus says “if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” That’s quite an intense statement for the Idealist who thinks that this book is purely myth. It would be greatly considered for him to think about the possibility of it having literal application lest he find out later.

Revelation is not only a book about the literal events that Jesus allows to take place in this dark, yet, glorious time coming upon history. It also has spiritual truths to be considered. The seven letters to the Churches in chapters 2-3 are perfect examples of truths we should apply in our lives. We should strongly consider taking the spiritual truths offered in it vs. taking it strictly literal, ending up in sense like Radical Islam or the crusaders of the Middle Ages, seeking selfish desires of dominion like animals do. One of my favorite verses concerning Jesus coming again is Ezekiel 43:5-7 where Jesus comes into the temple with all of His glory and Jesus, in verse 7, says, “…Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever.” How can we get away from this reality to come? I don’t see much of a chance. If you didn’t catch it, I will reiterate that He will dwell with His children. If we are His children or his friends we will need to apply the spiritual truths as well as the reality of things to come. I believe they go hand in hand.

This subject for me is not something that I can use to hold up over anyone’s head as if to say I have it all figure out. It is, however, that I simply want to know Him more closely. Also, as I stated previously, it is for me to be a voice of truth to generation for the sake of a generation and for the sake of Jesus receiving them as the reward that He suffered for. I want those who are coming up after me to have clear picture of the last days events so that they would be prepared as his children and be the overcoming church. This is the theme of the book of Revelation. It’s about a people overcoming by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony (Rev 12:11) unto Jesus receiving all the glory. The question that sparks the naysayers is why God allows such pain and chaos to take place? Isn’t He loving and merciful? He should not hurt people. I believe Jesus is loving and merciful, in fact he is so merciful that he allowed us to choose Him in love under His blood for 2000 years. Along with His love and mercy is His justice and the fact that many men and women do not desire to change their heart to follow Him. Jesus gives us the desires of our hearts. He is a jealous bridegroom, king, and judge and His ways are justice and righteousness. He wants a people who will volunteer to be His lovers even in the midst of the greatest persecution and even in the midst of the greatest shakings on the earth that will take place. The book of revelation is Jesus allowing the greatest shakings in history to shake the hearts of men to turn from evil and to loving Him. Some will hate Him for it and some will love Him and give Him their whole lives. It will be the clearest line we will ever see drawn when He shakes the earth and there will be very few who have not made a decision. To love him or to hate him, that is the choice. To make no decision is to make the wrong decision.

He wants His people to not only have head knowledge as if to satisfy the curiosity inside of them but to be prepared through intimacy and love for the storm coming in the distance. We think the Antichrist is extreme but I propose that he is exactly what is needed to make right what is in wrong in our hearts of man. Just as the Lord orchestrated Saul to chastise David, so, He will raise up the Antichrist to chastise the earth and the believers. It is His divine leadership, and it is completely different from how men would orchestrate it, but the good news is that it works. Just as Jesus went to the cross, will we be prepared to pick up our crosses and follow Him if all these things come down like the book of Revelation says they will? In the end it is a question plain old faith. It is to believe the scripture or not. As times get darker “some will depart because of deceiving spirits” (1 Tim 4:1). Who will actually have faith when He returns (Lk 18:8)? There are dozens of verses that flesh out what the days will look like and how we can know that the time is near. More importantly there are much more scriptures concerning how to get as close as possible to Jesus in this life. “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth” (Lk 18:8)?

Bibliography

Pawson, David. Unlocking The Bible Omnibus. Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St Ives, plc.

Pawson, David. When Jesus Returns. 1995, David Pawson, Hodder & Stoughton Religious

Others references came from the New King James Version of the Bible.