Comments on: From Doubting To Disciple Making

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:57:46 +0000

Brethren: I read Edwards' Humble Attempt and found those promises were the ones pleaded for the beginnings of the Great Century of Missions and the Second Great Awakening. They were the promises that William Carey found so helpful, and they are the promises that we can plead not only for a local revival but for a worl wide awakening. God said in Isa.11:9 & Hab.2:14 that he would fill the eath with his knowledge and glory (as the hymn puts it) as the waters cover the sea. Writers of the Bible have prayed, "Lord, do as you have said." Etc. The wisest man I ever met asked me once, "Have you ever thought about the fact that at any one time every last soul on the face of the earth could be the elect of God?" My answer was no, because me eschatology did not allow for such a thing. 7 yrs or so later, I was looking at Jonah's "Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." Forty days later that literal statement was no fulfilled, and the prophet wanted it fulfilled. And yet he did not expect it to be fulfilled. An unconditional prophecy statement did not come to pass exactly as prophesied. As I thought about it, I realized that it was not the statement per se but the purpose for which it was made. That gave me another way of looking at prophetic statements. It also demolished all of my approaches to prophecy, and opened the door to other perspectives. addition, my research into I Cors.13 for two yrs gave me insights into the character of God as revealed in the words, person, and works of our Lord Jesus Christ. I insist that we can, should, must pray for another awakening - even one that will encompass the whole earth, and we should pray for a generation to be converted and even a thousand generations. After all, the number of Abraham's seed by faith is suggestive of a reality like that. I think it moved me most to find Spurgeon praying for the whole earth and every soul on it - that has helped me to see other possibilities. Also see Edwards' work on the church and the future (I can't recall the title). Dr. James Willinghams last blog post..The Climax of the Reformation

By: Jeff M

Jeff M — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:01:13 +0000

Dr. Foltz, Revival is something we all need; in our own lives and hearts. Barry, Honesty is something we all need to be better at when it comes to doubting. I think we could make a lot bigger impact on the world today if they could see honesty in our pursuit of God. Jeff Ms last blog post..A Few Random Thoughts

By: Barry Wallace

Barry Wallace — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:26:44 +0000

Every thinking Christian experiences doubt at one point or another, but most of us find it difficult to talk about our doubts. I've always appreciated the honesty of C.S. Lewis: “Now Faith…is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience. Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable. This rebellion of your moods against your real self is going to come anyway. That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue: unless you teach your moods where they get off, you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion.” (Mere Christianity) Barry Wallaces last blog post..What difference does a church covenant make?

By: Dr. Paul Foltz

Dr. Paul Foltz — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:12:39 +0000

Jeff Musgrave;
Although God may not send an awakening, Revival of His people and of local
churches is still possible, and still occurs. Tabernacle Baptist in Geenville,
South Carolina had revival that lasted 38 years under its founding pastor, the
late Harold B. Sightler. I witnessed part of it first hand. God loves His people,
and will send Revival, when they meet His requirements.

By: Jeff Musgrave

Jeff Musgrave — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:22:46 +0000

Joe, Those are good points as well. God takes the little that we have and makes much of it. Dr. Willingham, I will definitely see if I can find the Time article you mentioned. I also want to say that even though we all desire to see God move and bring revival, there is no guarantee in Scripture that we will see one. In fact, if we do live in the last days, we may see just the opposite around us as many choose not to listen to sound doctrine. Jeff Musgraves last blog post..A Few Random Thoughts

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:09:47 +0000

I need to add that there is an article in the March 23, 2009 issue of Time Magazine, “10 Ideas that are changing the world new.” Number three in the list in order presented in the magazine is, “The New Calvinism.” Suggest you read it. Also see the book just published by Reformation Trust, John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology. Our son loaned me his copy a week ago, and I have been reading, and it has given me some new perspectives on John Calvin. While I can never approve of Calvin and the Servetus’ affair, I can at least put it in the perspective that Richard Furman made the foolish statement that Southern Baptists would fight in defense of slavery (this was about 1823-24 I think). In 1861 a cannon ball from Ft. Sumter smashed into his grave like an exclamation point. the cost to North & South was 650,000 + dead soldiers, a sum that all the other wars equaled only when Vietnam surpassed 58,000. That means the Civil War’s casualties equaled all of those of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the War with Mexico, The Indian Wars, the War with Spain, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, when the total reaches 58,000. Many of our Southern Baptist ministers and lay people defended slavery, though Boyce and Broadus had a disagreement. Boyce said would have the war and lose it due to the way we had treated the slave families (just read the descriptions of children being sold from their mothers’ bosoms), while Broadus defended the war. Most Southerners thought they were defending their homes as they did not accept the idea that the real problem was slavery. So we all have failures in our closets. God have mercy upon us. We need to humbly beg his forgiveness and blessings in another visitation.

By: Dr. James Willingham

Dr. James Willingham — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:54:29 +0000

Dear Jeff: I heard today from a friend that heard from one of his friends that the greatest disappointment in Dr. D.M. Lloyd-Jones’ lif was that God never gave him a great awakening at Westminster Chapel though he had prayed for it more yrs than I have. Another friend I know has prayed for an awakening since the mid-fifties. Well, it doesn’t matter how long it takes, God has promised to hear the cries of His children. There are a multitude of promises in the Bible. Dr. Foltz has cited one that has often been pleaded by many for yrs. I would recommend that you read Jonathan Edwards, Humble Attempt, Works, II, (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, ?), p.283ff. There you will find perhaps a 100, many of which William Carey pleaded through out his life. You and your generation must continue to plead these promises whether the awakening comes now or in the future. But come it must as God keeps His word.

By: Joe Chavez

Joe Chavez — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:33:00 +0000

Jeff, Wonderful post. I intend on rereading that passage as a result. It also made me think of why Jesus used the symbol of the mustard seed as a basis for faith as well as the lamp as a symbol for our light. Both are feeble elements by themselves, but with the power of God, they can effect much! God knows us as He created us. And what are we made of? The dust of the ground. What can you expect of dirt? Nothing much, really. God knows that. But with His power--and just as fertile dirt can grow much fruit and crops--we can do much for the Kingdom. But it's not us ("apart from me you can do nothing") it's Him! Joe Chavezs last blog post..Prayer Request: Ike & Carol

By: Dr. Paul Foltz

Dr. Paul Foltz — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:07:57 +0000

Without Revival given to the Church, and an Spiritual Awakening given to the
lost, our beloved Country will not survive, as we have known it.

But, we have an prayer-answering God. Though II Chronicles 7;14 was given to earthly Israel, we can apply it spiritually to our land today.

So this is a clarion call to fervent prayer and fasting. Who out there will join me/

By: Jeff Musgrave

Jeff Musgrave — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:53:23 +0000

Dr. Willingham, I don't wish to make you feel old by saying this, but you have been praying for this earnestly for slightly longer than I have been alive. Perhaps I can turn that to encouragement by saying that God has given many people of my generation a desire to see exactly what you are talking about, a new Great Awakening. It is my fervent prayer that God would raise up men and women who desire Him above all else so that we can once again take the world by storm and turn it upside down. It is only through God's power and might that this can happen. So we pray and cry out to Him. Jeff Musgraves last blog post..A Few Random Thoughts