A MOVE OF GOD

God purposely waited for now to give me this article. It has been wrestling around in my spirit for some time, but now I feel God has given me the green light. Now please do not misunderstand my article. I am not talking against the Ashbury revival, it was good, wholesome, and of God, but He wanted more. He always wants more from us, but I know He wanted to wait and see what happened. The atmosphere in Hughes auditorium was electric as Asbury students, many in tears, streamed to the altar to pray, while worshippers sang hymns, mixed with Bible readings, testimonies and public prayers of repentance. Administrators cancelled classes, grasping that this ordinary chapel service was the start of something bigger, a 144-hour wave of worship that drew thousands to Wilmore, Kentucky. The year was 1970. Then again, revivals rocked Asbury College, now a liberal-arts Methodist University: in 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958 and on other occasions. Historians will now add 2023. One of the administrators said, "The wildness of these events is that they're actually un-wild. The atmosphere is serene, deep and at times rather quiet." He said, “It's like a veil is pulled back and students see Jesus for the first time, Jesus manifested in a new and powerful way." But sadly, Asbury leaders announced that services would be moved off campus, with students moving toward a regular academic and chapel schedule. Follow the money. This seems to be what happens when God decides to manifest His Spirit in a sudden, glorious, and unusual way. Man gets involved and shuts it down. Man, just needs to let God be God and do as He pleases. But, from 8 to 24 February God had His way, wonderful things (we will never know) were happening lives being changed people coming to Christ, but the longer God went on the more man wanted to get back to the usual. And yes, man closed down campus locations and pawned it out to other places in town, a big mistake, but this is to be expected and more. Sadly, this is what usually happens. There is a spiritual principle in play here the more man handles the things of God the less of God is going to be moving. Flesh seems to override Spirit in the end. At the end of the Toronto Blessing people were being led into the service with a collar and leash on their hands and knees like dogs, because one of the stated manifestations of the Spirit was barking, even though barking is not recorded as a Spiritual manifestation anywhere in the Bible. The Brownsville Revival ended when they started making music CD and merchandising this move of God. Even in a genuine move of God there will be 90% God and 10% man, but in time these numbers change some faster than others like in Brownsville. Something else to be expected is the sudden migration of Believers and Christians to warm themselves at another’s fires. In the 17 days of campus services, they estimated over 20, 000 people ran to Ashbury to see what was going on. Apparently, these people could not build a fire at their home or they just want to be where the action is so they run here or over there to find God well, all they had to do is open up their heart. One of the biggest wants in Christiandom is to find God, but Jeremiah plainly tells us how to find God. Jeremiah writes, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11:13) No need to run here, or over there, or go to Ashbury to find God, just open up your heart. Peter learned that lesson the hard way when he stood in the outer court waiting on Jesus, “And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.” (John 18:18) Someone built this fire for Peter to warm himself at as someone built a fire at Ashbury and 10s of 1,000s of people did as Peter did, warmed themselves at fires they did not build. I think this more than the administrators closing down God is more of an offense to God. Another administrator said, “True revivals, throughout history, have led to evangelism, missions and efforts for social justice at the national and global levels.” Social Justice? Here their liberalism is showing. Here they are getting off track. Did you know the word “revival” is not in the KJV of the Bible. It is another word that we made up to define something God is doing. Like Spiritual Warfare, Mount of Transfiguration, Prodigal Son. All things that are true, real, and in the Bible, but NOT named as such. Now naming of things in the Bible often changes meaning and precepts of where we get our concepts. Remember, we can only defend the Bible ONLY as far as we can read it. And more important the truth of the Word of God is found in the words as the Holy Spirit give us the revelation. Now on the other hand, the word “revive’ is found eight times and only in the Old Testament. A “revival” (or maybe an “Awakening” when we leave God alone) is a supernatural service as with Ashbury or the words churches put up on their marquee that announces their special seasonal services, which is in reality just a few more services in the week out from a church tradition started years ago, and just kept it up not knowing any better with this dead work. My friend if your church is having a “real” revival there will be no need to advertise people will be coming for miles and miles around to be involved. But, as good as a revival like Ashbury was that is NOT repeat NOT God’s best for His people. God does not want a revival for His people, which only carries us so far in God, but He wants us to daily be revived by His Spirit, renewed, and strengthened with His might in our inward man. We are to die daily so we can experience His resurrection life found only being in Christ and bringing us back to life, His life, again and daily. The administrator went on, "It's also clear that this Asbury revival is about Gen Z and its hunger for genuine worship," referring to younger Americans born in the internet age. Researchers note that record numbers of Gen Z young people are religiously unaffiliated and/or have doubts about God. Also, signs of anxiety and depression are rising, with a recent Centers for Disease Control report noting 42% of high-school students "experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness" and almost 20% "seriously considered attempting suicide." But, I think it is more much more. God never goes after one generation He desires for none to be lost no not one. Peter tells, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) And yes, the Gen Zs are included. An Asbury Seminary student Madison Pierce said it's interesting that "God would mark this outpouring with: A tangible sense of peace for a generation with unprecedented anxiety. A restorative sense of belonging for a generation amidst an epidemic of loneliness. An authentic hope for a generation marked by depression. Emphasizing protective humility for a generation deeply hurt by the abuse of religious power. A focus on participatory adoration for an age of digital distraction." In THE service that ignited days of 24/7 worship, the Rev. Zach Meerkreebs, a Christian and Missionary Alliance Campus Minister, delivered a sermon that touched on guilt, shame, anxiety, abuse and the struggle to sincerely love others. Rev. Meerkreebs said, "Some of you guys have experienced radically poor love. Like evil love, selfish love and I would say, today, we should not even give it the honor of calling it 'love'," he said. "Some of you guys have experienced that love in the church. Maybe it's not violent, maybe it's not molestation, but it feels like someone has pulled a fast one on you. This is not love. Do not leave here before you learn about the love of God, experience the love of God, so that you can pour it out. Asbury, the world needs this kind of love." In closing Karen and I go food shopping usually every Saturday at the commissary on the Air Station. One of the joys we look forward to then is talking with a 98 year old lady name Gwynn who still drives her car to the commissary and selects her own groceries. Now, Gwynn is a hardened Methodist from the John Wesley era I think, a true Believer, but she was so sad that the United Methodist Church (UMC) she has attended most, if not all of her life, was talking about splitting. She would keep us up to date with what was going on at her church and the vote, to secede from the UMC and all of their ungodly homosexual and LBGTQ+ perverse doctrine or go with the Global Methodist. Gwynn was concerned because the number of people attending service each Sunday had been dwindling. I told her oh no this is a good thing. I told her if her church leaves the UMC attendance will skyrocket from all of the good Methodists staying at home, holding their noses to the stench in the UMC, and can then come back with honor. Well, Gwynn’s church was brave and voted to secede and guess what happened, yes that’s right, all of those good Methodist folks are now back in church. Last week we saw Gwynn and I asked her if she has heard of the Ashbury Revival and she said yes, her Sunday School Teacher went to a service or two at Ashbury. And I asked her what she thought about the Ashbury Revival and she said it just was a special move of God. I told her she was right, but I thought there was more moving here than just a special move of God. Now this is my belief why the Ashbury Revival. I told Gwynn I believed the Ashbury Revival is God’s approval on the split of the Methodist Church. God wishes none to perish, but we know sadly some will. You should have seen Gwynn’s face, like an Angel, it lit up and she said I think you are right. I cannot wait to get to Sunday School tomorrow and tell my teacher. My friend we do not need a mighty move of God or another revival all we need to do is go to God and open up our heart and he will revive us day by day. Written by David Stahl