Well now, we do seem to be experiencing some dichotomy these days. On the one hand, we have such crises as the SVB bank failure and the potential domino effect. (As I pointed out recently and now smugly remind you.) On the other hand we have another potential domino effect of the Asbury revival. What’s going on here? Could God Almighty possibly have a hand in both?
Of course he can. In fact God is surely working in both arenas. So what gives? Since he’s not overtly answering my calls as of yet, I’ll do the best I can with what I have, all the while praying for more insight as I write.
Since Asbury came first, let’s look at that first. I have not a smidgen of
doubt God worked at Asbury University and is still working to fan those spiritual flames of revival. One could say the current banking crisis and anything else that can be thrown at us is the work of the devil. Ostensibly as a firewall to stop the spread of the Spirit of God. Well, that’s not gonna work. I’m not saying this revival will spread anyway, it could very well peter out all by itself. For all I know it already has – I have not seen much news on it lately. It could also be that those of us in Christian circles, myself included, made too much, expected too much of, hoped too much, for that spark to turn into a wildfire. I’m still hoping.
Nipping on the heals of the gospel of peace is the news of financial woes – starting with a single bank and spreading, well, like wildfire. Now the banks have not been dropping like dominoes… yet, but the smoke is in the air. (Yes, I know I’m mixing a cocktail of metaphors. Deal with it.) Surely this is the work of the evil one… or is it? Now I’m not specialist in financial forensics but I have no doubt if one were to dig into the books at SVB and other banks, they would find greed at the heart of their troubles.
Here’s one such headline: Silicon Valley Bank Sued by Shareholders For Securities Fraud
Another story blamed too many dollars invested in treasury notes. As interest rates have risen, the face value of these notes decline. This is a basic fact of bond trading. Thus the asset value stored in these notes would also decline. Look at it this way, supposing you had $100 note that paid 1% interest. When the interest rates to 2% – that $100 note is worth less. Even worse, that $100 you paid for the note is not only devalued but you don’t have that $100 to invest at the new 2% interest rate. You lose twice.
Of course there is always the banking specter of bad loans. This was the problem at the heart of the 2008 banking fiasco. I happened to watch some of the Senate testimony given at the time, documenting thousands of bad loans given to bad risks and worse, outright fraudulent borrowers. I don’t remember any banking officials indicted, much less convicted of such frauds. Do you?
Once again, greed is the common denominator. For anyone needing reminding…
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
I put the word “love” in bold as it seems most folks would rather forget that part. Whether this is subconscious or intentional or just pure laziness, I don’t know, but money is an inanimate object whereas love is something we humans are accountable for. You decide.
With all that, can we really call the financial failings God’s “judgment”? Sure we can. Whether this would be accurate or not is another thing. Just like the crumbling of our nation is a direct result of our own, human, failures and our turning from a holy God. These are but two examples. The big picture is far more complex. Open your eyes and look around and you’ll witness both victories and utter failures.
In today’s headlines, Kari Lake will finally have her day in court – a small victory for sure, but it could lead to the larger win she so deserves. Yesterday I saw a headline where she was asking for prayer about this. You go girl. Also, a tweet from KY Congressman Thomas Massey offered solid evidence in the form of a bank statement indicating potential wrongdoing by Joe Biden. More and more light is shone on the rat holes in and around Washington and elsewhere. Also, it appears Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg may just be held accountable for his actions against Trump. A few days ago, I read about on witness saying the jury appeared as though they didn’t want the truth. Yesterday, a friend who is following this closely told me the jury seems fed up with Bragg. Huh.
And today I saw this “The Mother of Peaceful J6 Prisoner “QAnon Shaman” Jake Chansley Says He Will Be Released From Prison “Really Soon!”
This could mark the beginning of the end of the persecution of the J6 political prisoners. Hallelujah! Praise YHWH!
Everywhere, from Asbury, to state capitals, to the halls of Congress, to the courts we are seeing the hand of God. He IS moving. Could the momentum be turning our way? Absolutely. But before you get giddy and start dancing in the streets, do keep in mind our adversary, the devil, is not going to just give up and lie down.
Rather than spending too much time and energy celebrating, we need to double down while turning up the heat. That means we need to continue to turn to God, become even more fervent in prayer, speak the word more boldly than ever. Our worst enemy right now is complacency. Many of those imprisoned by the radical left are beginning to see the light of day. They need the truth of God’s word. We need to show them the One True God who is loving and compassionate. Many will only see him through us.
Jesus said “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father”
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father.
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Now let me ask you… if Jesus said “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” and is Christ in us, cannot we say the same thing about ourselves? Take a look at John 14:9 in context.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Jesus said in verse 12 “he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do”
We have Christ in us! If we put on the new man and let that Christ in us shine through, others will see Christ and therefore will also see our Heavenly Father.
What does all this have to do with revival and restoration? Asbury wasn’t the result of the Spirit of God moving in a vacuum. It happened at a church service. One believer was moved in the spirit to speak out and in doing so, opened up the floodgates for a spiritual outpouring that spread across the world. What if we allowed God’s spirit to act through us?
About restoration, by this I mean restoring our nation as a Constitutional Republic centered on Christian values. Can it happen? Yes. It can. Will it happen? Only God knows. It should not matter to us. Not one bit. What should matter is our own submission unto God’s Will. Surely my own hope is first for the return of Christ and should he tarry, then our nation to be restored so it can again shine as a beacon of truth and freedom. If neither of these happen, my own desire is to serve my Lord Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father as best I can for whatever time I have remaining on this earth.
What about you?
