Why Asbury was the Real Deal

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Michael Brown, delighted to be with you. Here's the number to call 866-34-TRUTH, 866-348-7884. With any questions on the subject we'll be talking about today as we focus on Asbury and the revival. Was it real or not? Is it real or not? But I'll take questions on other subjects as well a little later in the broadcast.

866-34-TRUTH. Okay, suddenly the nation, the church, even the secular world, talking about revival, revival, and thousands, I believe it was over 20,000, maybe as high as 25,000 people converged in the small town of Wilmore, Kentucky, where Asbury is located and flooded all the buildings on campus, the main buildings where things were being held, and long lines of people, lines of cars, more people than bathroom facilities, overwhelming Wilmore. And the university announcing that the public services on campus are ending this week and then services will be held at other neutral locations, at other places, I don't know the details on that. Was this real? Was this real outpouring? I have no question whatsoever that it was real. I don't doubt for a split second that it was real. And I want to give you five reasons why I am convinced that the outpouring that has taken place there is absolutely real and from the Lord. Number one reason is this. It's right on time.

It is perfectly right on time and has drawn the nation to the subject of revival and has quickened the church to be thinking about revival. Look, even Fox News covering Tucker Carlson, they're ready to go there. And Asbury said, please don't don't come. This is not a place for cameras. This is not political.

This is don't come. And Tucker Carlson and the crew respected that. And that's also the integrity of the Asbury leadership there. I have no question that this is divine timing. Look, if you've been listening to the broadcast, you know, we've been talking about revival, not just in an abstract way. You know that we said specifically the end of January right here on this broadcast that the first waves of this next revival movement have already hit America. You know that I wrote last November and been saying it for a long time before that, that I see thousands of holy fires all over the country, that God's going to be moving many, many, many, many different places.

It won't just be one place people flock to. And immediately, isn't it interesting that the flocking is going to have to turn because it's not just about going to one place all over the country. I'm getting reports of outpouring, pastors staggered by what God's doing in their midst.

I mean, I've been sharing some, but only brief parts of all that I've been hearing, even reports from other parts of the world. Something fresh and powerful and real and wonderful is happening because of that. I don't doubt for a second that this is right on time and suddenly gets our attention and gets us focused on these revival issues.

I wrote Revival or We Died in October 2021. And I've been saying since late 2019 that I see a shift coming. And then all through 2020, 2021, so much junk coming up from the church, our divisions, our political divisions, our bad attitudes one towards another, scandals, false prophecies, charismatic issues. Just so much coming to the surface. It was clear the refiner's fire skimming, purifying, bringing us to repentance and then out of our humiliation and our earnest seeking.

And some of this earnest seeking has gone on for decades. God is pouring out his spirit and the timing that Asbury had previously scheduled an intercollegiate day of prayer for February 23rd at Asbury, praying for outpouring on college campuses. And that one of the themes is, Lord, would you do it again? You poured out your spirit at Asbury in 1950. In 1970, you poured out your spirit. Both of these were part of larger moves of God.

Would you do it again? And the Jesus revolution movie coming out now, which is talking about what God did the late 60s, early 70s, when so many of us hippies, radicals, rebels got dramatically saved. It's all time. This is a Kairos moment.

This is a divine season. That's the first thing. The second thing is it has the key earmarks of revival. It happens suddenly. It happens without expectation. It happens without some major buildup that we're going to do this to schedule it and this to plan it. And this special music and this special speaker. No, just boom.

It happens. Leonard Ravenhill always used to say to me, you don't have to advertise a fire. Revival advertises itself. People come flocking and the Brownsville revival.

We did no advertising. And over three million people total cumulative came through the doors in a five year period. Over 300,000 different people responded to altar calls.

Lines would form every day for several years when the services were running at six in the morning for the service to start at seven in the evening to go to around midnight every night. We didn't have to advertise it. Other places where God has moved.

You don't have to advertise. People come flocking. There's a quote attributed to John Wesley when he was asked how he drew the crowds. He said, I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn. Whether he said it or not, it's been attributed to him.

The principle is absolutely true. Revival fire will draw people. And it's just it's sudden. It's out of the blue. It's unexpected. The beginnings are almost always, you know, inauspicious and often in these unlikely places, hard to get to places or places that aren't ready for crowds. It often happens like that. And there's even greater hunger and thirst displayed as people go to be there.

That's the second thing. It has those earmarks of revival. Look, there are special conferences taking place all the time. There are special worship concerts.

There are special speakers. We know how to hype it. We know how to make it bigger and better in America. And yet you can't draw crowds like this with all the hype in the world because nothing is happening. It's just a lot of hype. And you go there.

It's like that was nothing. And that's it. You can have an advertising campaign that you've got the best steak restaurant just opening up in your city. If you don't deliver the goods, that thing will close in a month because you'll spend all the money on advertising. People go there.

It's not the real deal. They leave when people go there and then more people go and more people go. It's because something's happening. That's the second thing has all the earmarks of revival. Third, as it began with confession of sin, it began with the chapel service, just like thousands of other chapel services that have been there. And a message, it's a seer message, but just like thousands of others, it wasn't one of those where the speaker said, boy, this is something unusual happening.

I've never experienced this. And people were glued and people were, no, it's just another chapel service and another message by a Jewish believer. And then most everybody just walks out. It's over.

A few stay behind. One student confessing sin. The next thing, others standing and praying and confessing. And then word gets out from the president, something's happening. You should go back to chapel.

And the next thing it bursts and goes on day in, day out, 24 seven for over two weeks. But it started with confession of sin. And it was marked in an ongoing way by confession of sin.

And we'll come to some of the criticism in a moment. But it was marked in an ongoing way by confession of sin, by holiness, by repentance, by people seeking God, turning to God. That's the third thing. The fourth thing is it was immediately bearing fruit that would be in in harmony with true revival.

That's the fourth thing. It was bearing fruit that would be in harmony with true revival. So not just the sudden beginning where God draws a crowd, just like a Pentecost in Acts two. God draws a crowd at the right time, at the right moment. Suddenly the message goes from those Jewish people here to around the world, to the Jewish communities around the world.

Boom. In a moment of time, God knows how to do this. Here's a school with a history of revival marked with it, with leaders ready for this. Some had been in previous revivals there, ready to give guidance and wisdom. So God pours out his spirit there.

Boom. Suddenly having the earmarks of revival, starting with confession, drawing the crowds. But then I'm hearing from colleagues of mine, rock solid believers, men and women of God with decades of life and ministry experience. And they're saying we're encountering a heavy presence of God there. And it's marked by a sense of holiness and people are repenting of sins at the altar. You say, isn't that happening mainly to Christians?

That's where it always starts. Revive, revive the sleeping church. Revive the church that has gone cold and become backslidden. Sorry that you have a reputation of being alive, yet you're dead.

It is a bringing back to life that which was once alive and has gone dry or backslidden or cold or become spiritually dead in many ways. So revival always starts with the church. Then it goes to backsliders and it goes to the lost. That's always the way it happens. That is the norm.

That is to be expected. So believers are getting right with God. Believers are turning to first love. Believers are getting set free from sin. Satan doesn't do that and he can't do it.

The flesh doesn't do it and can't do it. And I believe you'll hear years down the line of lasting fruit because people were genuinely touched. The fifth sign to me that it is a genuine move of God, a genuine outpouring, is that destructive critics have come out of the woodwork that left and right they are attacking this. This can't be God because it's just a bunch of singing. This can't be God because it's not a clear presentation of the gospel. This can't be God because women are preaching. This can't be God because it's mainly for Christians and it's in the Bible Belt.

It can't be God because there are unrepentant homosexuals leading worship and things. We'll come back to that false accusation in a moment. But whenever true revival comes, one of the signs is that criticism will come flying from everywhere.

Listen, when criticism is justified, constructive criticism, that's a good thing. That's a helpful thing. That's a life-giving thing. That's a necessary thing. And in the Brownsville days when respected senior leaders would come from other parts of the world, John Kilpatrick, the pastor, Steve Hill, the evangelist, would sit them down.

Is there anything you see, any concern that you have? One reason God called me in was to help give strong theological foundations to what was happening and to address points of criticism. And we would have meetings together and self-analyze. So constructive criticism is wonderful and good and healthy and life-giving and necessary. But that's not the hyper-criticism that we see. That's not the destructive criticism that we see.

Spreading rumors and misinformation and judging superficially and judging from a distance. And Duncan Campbell seconded this word from Arthur Wallace. Duncan Campbell was the leader in the Hebrides revival in 1949 and 1952. And Arthur Wallace wrote the great book, In the Day of Thy Power. And Arthur Wallace said, if something claims to be a revival and it's not spoken against, check again to see whether it's really a revival. You see, this is part of the refiner's fire.

This is what happens. The fire comes and it brings to the surface all the junk, not just repenting of our sins. Maybe I was self-justifying and now God deals with me and I'm repentant. Maybe I'm a pastor.

I've been living a double life and left my first love. Now I'm repentant. That also brings up all the hyper-criticism, the destructive criticism, the negative criticism. It's another sure sign that the work is real. That's why I feel absolutely 100% sure that there has been a real outpouring at Asbury University and that we will see the fruit of it for many years to come. We come back. I'm going to talk about some of the nature of the criticism. I'm going to take your calls as well. If you have a question, if you want more information, if you differ with me, if you think criticism has been valid, give me a call at 866-348-7884.

We'll be right back. It's the Line of Fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown. Get on the Line of Fire by calling 866-344-TRUTH.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks, friends, for joining us on the Line of Fire, 866-344-TRUTH, the number to call. By the way, I'm smiling listening to that amazing testimony about Triveda from one of my colleagues, one of our lead intercessors, a real spiritual armor bearer, and that was just a voice text he left me when I asked, hey, how are the supplements doing for you?

So we just wanted to play that for you. And remember, 100 percent of your first order to Triveda is donated. Not after expense, 100 percent of your first order is donated to help us expand the Line of Fire broadcast across the nation. And more than a tithe of all subsequent orders are.

So take advantage of that at Triveda.com. Our friends, our sponsors, our coworkers. Before I get to your calls, let me address some of the criticisms coming against Asbury. These are things I've read with my own eyes. Some of the people I know raising the criticism, some I don't. One is there's so much emotion. There's so much emotion. Well, emotional ism is getting worked up over nothing.

Emotional ism is not based on truth or response to what God is doing. That's just getting everybody to work out. And you get everybody to work out. It's working up a crowd, right?

It is. It's not a response to truth, a response to God, a result of your encounter with God. But when there is a real encounter with God, there should be emotion. In fact, as as one of my colleagues, great Jonathan Edwards scholar said when he was on the air with us a few months ago, that according to Jonathan Edwards, lack of emotion makes the experience suspect that here. When when you come under deep conviction of sin, there's going to be emotion when you're grieving and repenting and realize you've offended God and others. There's going to be emotion.

Lack of emotion would be a surprise. Here's a husband been away from his wife for three months, away from his kids for three months, committed serial adultery. And now under deep conviction and repent and pleads with his wife, can I can I come talk to you? I'm so broken. And he comes home and he says, honey, I'm I'm I'm upset about what happened. I know it was wrong and it won't happen again. That's not what she wants to hear. She wants to hear this guy broken and in agony. I can't believe what I did. Destroyed our marriage. I'm sitting against God. I'm standing against the kids.

That's natural. If you've been bound by a sin for decades and you're set free or like the layman in the temple in Acts three, you're you're you've been laying from birth and now you're healed. What does it say? He went to the temple walking and leaping. You don't leap in the temple.

Well, he was he's been he's been crippled his whole life, healed in the name of Jesus, walking, leaping, praising God. The Psalms, the whole Bible calls us to joyful celebration and for weeping, repentance and cry out to God. So the fact there's a lot of emotion, I would expect to see it. Well, it's just emotional. How do you know? How do you know that? Well, I discern. Well, I discern your discernment is wrong. That can be a battle. Well, I discern that your discernment of my discernment is wrong.

That's just baby stuff. All right. We got to do better than I sense. It's not right. Well, ten thousand people sense it is right.

We got it. We got to check biblically. We got to look at it biblically. And God hates God hates those who spread misinformation, who spew lies. God is dead set against it. Read Proverbs six, 16 to 19.

In fact, the same word toy bar that's used to describe homosexual practice in Leviticus 18, 22 and 2013 is something detestable or abominable abomination in God's sight. That practice is the same thing that he says about shedding innocent blood in Proverbs six. The same thing he says about those who spread dissension among brothers.

The same thing about those who who spread lies. This is serious stuff. Well, I saw a video. Oh, OK. Do you know the people involved?

Have you talked to the people? How how do you know that it was emotional ism rather than a genuine response to God? Well, the song they were singing didn't have much to it.

And God is unable to deal with someone outside of the words of one song. And maybe that person has been in the meeting for four hours and God's been dealing with them. Well, I went there. I was there for like 45 minutes.

Didn't feel anything. How about spending several days and nights in the environment? How about taking in the overall of what's happening?

How about listening to hundreds, thousands now of testimonies of lives change and people of countering God, turning away from sin? How about how about that? You know, people post lies and misinformation about me online, maybe even in the YouTube chat at this moment. Happens all the time. I'm a public figure. It happens all the time, sometimes by the minute online.

No surprise. And by the way, if you're posting something right, it gets held up. Maybe you have a link on it. Sometimes on YouTube, I'll notice comments held up and it's something bashing me, but it's within our guidelines. I go ahead to prove it. It's here. Somebody bashed me.

And I happen to see YouTube held up the quote because there was a link in because that doesn't get posted automatically. I've approved endless things differing with me telling why I'm wrong. Go ahead. So much.

It was just based on misperception, misinformation. How would you like it if I got on national radio and shared my opinion about you based on second or third hand information about your church, about your marriage, about your life, about your ministry, about your personal dealings? How ugly would that be?

How despicable would that be? I remember one of my colleagues years ago for the first time was lied about online. He says, we got to fix it.

Mike, we got to fix that. I said, bro, this happens all the time. It's internet. You get slandered.

You just know that a little bit more. It's terrible. It's ugly in God's sight. But well, I didn't hear a clear presentation of the gospel. Well, how long were you there?

How many meetings were you in? And how do you know that these people, many of the people there have not heard the gospel day and night for years, and yet their hearts were hardened. And now in the presence of God, they're being changed. Yeah, but there were women preaching. Yeah.

And? There's a problem with that? Well, some people say so. No, I don't believe there's any problem with women preaching. As long as things are done under proper authority, let them preach, let them be used by God.

Well, you're missing the whole point. There were unrepentant homosexuals leading worship, and that's despicable. OK, if you mean unrepentant homosexual, as in someone who is in a same sex relationship, and romantic and or sexual relationship with someone of the same sex, saying it is right and fine, and God said, or they're going to do what they want to do. If that was the case, they would be kicked out of the school. If the school knew about it, just like here's a guy sleeping with his girlfriend out of wedlock and unrepentant, that person would be put out of school. Here's a man living in adultery. He'd be put out of school.

Here's a man sleeping with another man, a woman sleeping with another woman. They're there. They're unrepentant. They're put out of the school. Asbury has very clear guidelines, both the university and the seminary. Yeah, well, I heard there were professors there and some of them were soft on this and said, God accepted same sex marriage. Those professors are out.

Asbury cleaned house. In fact, one of my colleagues, a professor at the seminary, said, isn't it interesting that not long after Asbury cleaned house, an outpouring came? Yeah, there were some people with compromised positions. They may have been doing it sincerely thinking it's right and pleasing in God's sight.

But the fact is, those were compromised, sinful positions. They did not belong at that school teaching that, and they were put out of school. But I heard there's a petition among students to bring them back. Some students want to bring them back, and the answer is no. And that's another reason.

Isn't that why you welcome the Holy Spirit to come, to bring deeper repentance and deeper conviction? I say, but no, no. I saw on Twitter that somebody posted that there were queers participating. Oh, so you're going to believe what somebody posted on Twitter, and that's your authority. When I talked to leadership within the school and friends of leaders within the school, and they investigate these things for me and tell me, not true. You're going to scorn that because somebody said it, well, then I saw somebody repeat it, and that person repeating it as a respected leader.

Did they go and verify? Is that is that what you once said about yourself or your kids or your spouse? Is that what you like?

That someone saw something about you online and then repeated it? And that's that's being godly. That's being holy. That's being a tale bearer.

That's being a gossip. That's doing one of the things that God hates. The only thing that I'm aware of, the only thing that I'm aware of could be that there are people who participated in worship, who are same sex attracted, who say it's wrong in God's sight to engage in same sex behavior, who say that that the will of God is for them to live a holy life and to be celibate and to never marry. And and they identify as gay Christians. I wouldn't use that identification, but they recognize it's sinful to engage in this. And they know they have to live a holy celibate life. Should they be able to participate in worship? Sure. I would change their terminology.

But if they're living holy, godly lives, saying no to the flesh. Sure. Why not participate? We'll be right back. Thanks, friends, for joining us on the line of fire. Eight, six, six, three, four truth.

Couple more comments, then I want to go to your calls. I want to clarify something again. There are, to my knowledge and the knowledge of the Asbury leadership that I've spoken with directly and inquired of those who are in direct contact. There are, to our knowledge, no, quote, unrepentant homosexuals playing any role in the revival, in the outpouring and Asbury playing any role other than repenting themselves. If if they are, that's what they would be doing.

They were they would be playing no role. You say, OK, what about someone who says, I know homosexual practice is sinful. I know same sex, quote, marriage is not marriage in God's sight. I don't believe that God is going to change me. I believe this is just the way I've been born. So this is the cross that I bear. I say no to it. I say no to the flesh and yes to God and identify as a gay Christian that helps me reach others and helps me be vulnerable.

How do I respond to that? I appreciate the heart for God. I mean, think of it. Let's just say you're 18 years old, heterosexual, and you get saved and you realize I could never have a romantic relationship with a woman. I could never have a sexual outlet that God will bless. I have to be celibate holy the rest of my life. That's a pretty intense cross to bear.

Right. So this is what's happening with someone's same sex attracted. And of course, I believe God can change them.

And I know many cases where God does that and sometimes gradually, sometimes dramatically. Sometimes there's a lessening of same sex attraction to the point that they're attracted to the opposite sex. I know of some that that saw the same sex attraction diminish and die and they were attracted to one person of the opposite sex and they married and they're happily married. So they're all different ways.

And I know others that have not seen a change in same sex attraction, but they say no to it. They know it doesn't define them. It's not who they are. They're living holy, godly lives. And they're saying, hey, Jesus is more than enough for everyone. And Jesus calls all of us to leave everything and follow him. So this is just my expression of devotion to God.

Nothing special about it. He's the Lord. I serve him.

I thoroughly honor that and commend that. And if someone says, yeah, well, I just rather say I'm a gay Christian because in today's environment helps to reach more people. It makes me vulnerable. I don't believe it's the right thing to say. It's not part of your identity. It's not part of who you are. It shouldn't define you.

It shouldn't be put in front of Christian. What if I struggled with gambling? Well, I'm a gambling Christian. What if I struggled with with pride? I'm a prideful Christian.

What if I struggle with lust? I'm a lustful Christian. So none of those things should define us.

No, I'm an angry Christian. None of those things should define us. It's so same sex attraction shouldn't define anyone.

I'm a trans Christian because I struggle. No, it's misleading because people think you mean that you're practicing it or affirming it. And it defines you unnecessarily. So I absolutely strongly encourage people not to identify as, quote, gay Christians or queer Christians. You just think it's helping them reach people.

It's misleading. It sends a mixed message and it doesn't help you as an individual believer. And many of my friends, ex-gay friends and those in ministry to the LGBTQ community feel exactly as I do. But in particular, those who are ex-gay, ex-trans, et cetera.

However, if someone identified in that way and was living a godly life devoted to the Lord and was involved in different aspects of church service and ministry, I rather they don't use that identification, but they're not disqualifying themselves from being used by God. They're living godly lives. They're separated to the Lord. They're saying no to sin, no to the flesh.

They're saying for the rest of my life, I want to serve him and honor him with my body, my heart, my mind. So if someone like that was involved and then someone else misrepresented, well, you got queers involved. That's just them trying to push their agenda.

And the other people spreading it is just utterly irresponsible. This even drew a strong response from Professor Craig Keener, who is spending, God knows, probably 50, 60 hours a week working on his massive commentary on Mark. I believe will be the most comprehensive commentary on Mark in human history.

This is his commentary and acts as the most comprehensive in human history, even taking time away from that to be in the meetings. But then wrote me and said, hey, I'm grieved by what some critics are saying and I need to respond. So he sent me the response. I sent him a couple of thoughts.

He sent it to someone else and he posted it. So this is grievous. It is serious and it is grievous when we just spread something that we heard, especially when it's that defaming and especially when Asbury did clean house, did fire professors that did not hold to their standards and has a very clear standard on biblical sexuality and morality, one that should be applauded.

Of course, the seminary does as well. So be careful. Be careful not to spread hearsay, gossip, misinformation. I want to just read this to you from Proverbs six. Remarkably, when I posted this the other day and how God feels about this, I had people say, oh, you just don't want to confront things.

You just, oh, hang, hang on. I spent most of the last 50 plus years confronting issues and confronting people in private and in public. And many of my books are books confronting issues. And many of my broadcasts are broadcast confronting issues. And many times I confront people privately and sometimes when it's appropriate, confront them publicly. And I have lost friends.

I have lost all kinds of things for doing it. So please don't talk to me about you don't want to confront. No, I don't want to spread lies. I want to spread misinformation.

I don't want to be a co-worker of the devil. Open rebuke is better than secret love. I have delivered open rebuke in public conferences that have brought me in.

And I've said, here's why you're wrong. And I've said it publicly. I've said it with tears. I've done that in some very risky, difficult settings because open rebuke is better than secret love. And the kisses of an enemy are profuse, but faithful to the wounds of a friend.

Proverbs twenty seven, five and six. So I'll call things out, hopefully with love and grace and obviously with truth. I'll call them out.

Absolutely. And now I'm calling out destructive criticism. I'm calling out when we are co-workers of the devil by spreading misinformation or hearsay or opinion, destructive opinion.

So look at what's written in Proverbs chapter six, Proverbs chapter six, beginning in verse fifteen, sixteen. Excuse me. And remarkably, after posting this, I decided to follow the thread myself on my personal Facebook page in the S. Dr. Brown page, and I had to remove all kinds of comments.

It's like, are you kidding me? Here's what it says. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him. So the same word, abominable, hateful, haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that said innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict among brothers, conflict among brothers and sisters, conflict in the community. God hates that. So we need to be careful. Valid criticism, constructive criticism is a gift.

It's a blessing, is life giving, is life saving. We should all welcome it. We should be teachable. We should be correctable.

We should have listening ears. We should always be willing to have constructive words spoken into our lives. Destructive criticism is deadly.

Destructive criticism is harmful. And it reminds me of the spirit of the Pharisees that Jesus rebuked in Matthew twenty three. He said you tithe on mint and dill and cumin so that the smallest of spices and produce that you get, you tithe on that. Even a little to tithe on that. But you've neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and faithfulness. He said these you should have done without neglecting the others. So by all means, keep tithing.

By all means, keep tithing, but don't neglect the major things. So I'll see people in the name of being spokesman for God or watchman. Well, I question, well, this is God and this can't be God because I know a person that went there. Oh, wait a second. Brown, you forgot. You left it out.

What about all the NAR people that were going there and NAR take trying to take over? Nonsense. Complete total myth. Complete total myth. One person announced that they were going and some people thought that person was going to minister there. I thought there's no way.

Asmer is not going to have them. They actually escort them off the campus because they didn't want him associated with what was happening there. From what I know, he said, I'm just going to soak things in. But they didn't want the the association or the notoriety. I have friends that went there to to see what God was doing, to bear witness to it, to to experience God's presence themselves.

I do not know a single person out of all the leaders I know that had the slightest notion. We're going to go there and take this over. We're going to go there and own this. It's just a myth. It is a total myth.

I know where it started and I know it's one hundred percent false. Oh, that'll spread for years. Yeah. NAR was involved in that. You see, friends, that is not just immature.

That's not just fleshly. That is of the devil. When we spread that kind of junk, it is of the devil. In fact, I've got to read this one more passage and then we will go to the phones from Jacob James Chapter three.

And I did something really neat and exciting just a few minutes before the broadcast that I want to share with you. Look at what's written. James Jacob, Chapter three. When we put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal or take ships as an example.

Although they are so large and driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.

It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. So be careful, friends, be careful to spoil. I heard someone. Is it true? Are you sure it's true?

Is it accurate? Is it helpful to share this and speak it? Friends, one of the things revival does is bring the junk up to the surface. And it's not just pornography and no fault divorce and same sex sins and and a hidden abortions. It's also destructive criticism. So let's repent if the shoe fits, wear it, humble yourself and allow the Lord to refresh you.

It's six, six, three, four truth. Let's talk to Pastor Renzo in Massachusetts. Welcome to the line of fire. Well, it's a privilege and an honor to be on. I am so excited about the Asbury revival. I communicated with Facebook friends, Dr. Jim Garlow, Dr. Craig Keener. And I met Dr. Jim Garlow at the National Prayer Breakfast a couple of weeks ago.

And we we have been praying for revival for years. I mean, I mean, when you go to a. I'm a New England Patriots fan. You know, we have people that go to to they go to games, it's ten below zero, have no shirt on. They got the war paint and they're very emotional. It's normal because they're in love with with the new. And that's and that's OK. Just stay there.

That's OK. Go crazy at the ball game. But when Jesus really touches you. Well, praise the Lord. That was a theologically profound moment.

No, it's more than that. We'll be right back. It's the line of fire with your host, Dr. Michael Brown. Get on the line of fire by calling eight six six three four truth.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Yeah, I am. I'm in regular contact with Professor Craig Kane and one of the world's foremost New Testament scholars. He's been there in person. In fact, he was helping usher there at the meetings, took a week off from his mark commentary work just to be there in the meetings and to see what God was doing. I'm in regular contact with Jim Garlow, nationally, internationally respected leader, meets with world leaders on a regular basis. Was there at Asbury in the 70s as a student knows the leaders there and he's vouching for the reality of what God is doing. So. So, Pastor, you were saying that all these years we pray for revival outpouring.

I've been saying it's happening all around the country in different places. God draws everyone's attention to Asbury and then people like that can't be revival. Why do we do that? Well, I think they have forgotten their first love. When you're in love with Jesus and you and you want to win souls and you see people repenting. I mean, that that is going back to your first love. Yeah, it absolutely is. And remember this.

We all do. The Church of Ephesus, Revelation two, hardworking, orthodox in doctrine, tested those to claim to apostles, be apostles and we're not. But God says to them, I have this against you.

You've forgotten your first love. That's what Jesus says. And because of that, they were going to cease being a church. It's very serious, very serious. Hey, thank you, sir, for the call and the good word. OK, so what did I get to do right before service? I signed our first one hundred fifty seven preorders. There'll be more to come. But sign these will be sent out immediately. So you can still preorder a signed numbered copy. The book releases to the public in what?

Oh, about two weeks, a little over two weeks. But we've signed. So this is the first edition. We only do this with first printing, signed, numbered, preordered with a scripture verse for you. So you can get get hold of that or a Web site.

Start your brown dot org. Why so many Christians have left the face of the books are on the way. I was looking at some of the names. Yes. So glad to send it out to you. So thanks for your preorder.

It's also a way to help sponsor the broadcast. So go to start your brown dot org. Just click on store or call eight hundred five three eight five. Ask. That's eight hundred five three eight five two seven five and preorder as many copies as you like.

Why so many Christians have left the faith. All right. We go to Michael in San Diego, California. Welcome to the line of fire. Hi, this Michael. Yes, I can go ahead.

Hi. My question is, in Isaiah six, Isaiah sees that he sees a vision of the Lord seated on his throne and the robe of his temple, his robe filled the temple. So that means that God is inside his temple. Now, I assume that this temple is in the heavenly Jerusalem. But in Revelation 21, John sees the heavenly Jerusalem. There's a new heaven and new earth and the heavenly Jerusalem descends to the earth. But he says there's no temple in the new Jerusalem. So did God just erase the temple or what happened to the temple? And furthermore, he says not only is there no temple, but the reason there's no temple is because the Lamb himself is the temple. But in Ezekiel, I think 43 or 44, it says that the millennial temple will be the eternal dwelling place of God. Right.

I can help you sort this out. Yep. So number one, Isaiah six, I assume, was the earthly temple in Jerusalem. And Isaiah went in there and saw a vision of God in the temple. So God appeared to him in the temple, which made it all the more shocking if it was a vision of the heavenly temple. Well, there is a temple in heaven now that God dwells in. Book of Revelation describes it in different ways, but there won't be a temple in the new Jerusalem. So there is a heavenly temple now and God dwells in his heavenly temple. The earthly temple was a model of that, a top need in Hebrew build according to this pattern. And then in my view, Isaiah went into the temple in Jerusalem and to his utter shock.

The Lord appears to me, sees him there, but it could have well been a vision of the heavenly temple, which exists now in the future. New Jerusalem. There won't be a temple. The millennial temple is just that.

Anything saying everlasting just means for ages and ages and ages. So during the thousand years of God's reign on earth, there will be an earthly temple in Jerusalem where God himself will dwell. But in the eternal age, the new Jerusalem, there won't be a temple. The Lord himself will be the temple.

The the whole place will be his dwelling place and will be with him directly. Hey, thank you for the questions. I appreciate them. Let's go to Paul in Florida.

Welcome to the line of fire. Hi, can you hear me? Yeah, I can. Great. So I've known you for a while off and on. You would probably not remember me, but we've met Christ for the Nations in Long Island years back.

Also in Jerusalem, pre-Covid, at the encounter conference where you spoke. Anyway, I gave you a book there. I've written another book since then called Inappropriate, which I'd love for you to read. But this is something that may seem off-topic, and the only reason I am even bringing it up is because I highly value you, your faithfulness to your calling, the depth of sincerity and knowledge and experience. And so I just prefaced that, so you know I'm not a newcomer.

But by the way, I recommend what I do Israeli advocacy tours. Just tell you what, just because the clock is ticking, I'm sorry. I know you wanted to say something positive and about one of my books, but just dive in. I fully appreciate the spirit of what you're speaking. I just don't want us to run out of time, okay?

Okay, awesome. Okay, so the intro music to your program is what troubles me. And you know, I don't want to be the critic, but I really feel it's not in keeping with your message and everything else that I could say and more regarding the level of excellence.

I think it's a distraction. I can't understand the words. I've asked others if they could tell me what they're saying. I know I've had conversations with your staff. They've sent me the lyrics. I wouldn't have known them if I didn't read them.

And you know, the guys that do it and all that, they're high-level believers and whatnot. That's not the issue. It's what's been produced, to me, is totally out of course with what you represent.

Got it. Hey, listen, first, I really appreciate the spirit in which you spoke and the honoring spirit. And you are 100% entitled to feel that way. And I'll take it lightly.

I only say this. Number one, we have overwhelming positive feedback on it. In fact, when we first launched it, people were flooding us with, we love Skillet, thank you for playing this. So for every one negative comment we get, which is here and there.

And I don't mean you're being critical or anything wrong in your attitude or approach at all. But we passed this out to numbers of people from different generations to get feedback before we launched. And then we got overwhelmingly positive feedback.

So again, that doesn't mean everything, but just so you know in general, overwhelmingly positive. That's one thing. The second thing is the Lord's really connected John Cooper and me and Skillet and me. And they are really on the front lines, getting to a lot of people in the world that we'd never get to and bringing in every concert a clear gospel message without compromise. And this song was one that I said, this is our message. This is how we rise up. This is this is our resistance against what's wrong and sinful and evil. And even for what it's worth, Paul.

OK, because you still have your opinion, but for what it's worth and you're entitled to it. But for what it's worth, I was praying. Our team said we need new music after all these years. I was praying and I heard that song jump in my heart out of the blue. And then I just felt start here, stop here. And when we wrote out the intro, it timed perfectly. We all looked at each other stunned with our team like this was a perfect fit.

And then to get the rights to use it should have been virtually impossible. And we did. So we've seen God's favor and overwhelming positive response. If just chew on that, if you still feel the way you do hate, that's great praise that will have discerned to know God's best and don't let it distract you from from listening.

So it's not that I'm deaf to your criticism. It's just we we did everything we could to filter things out. I really felt the Lord gave it to us.

We had a lot of favor in receiving it. And it is in harmony. This is how we rise up.

You know, this is our resistance to the evil in the world. So take it for what it is. If we have a difference here, we do it as mature brothers in the Lord. All right.

I can do that. All right. And you said your new book is called Inappropriate.

Yes, it is. All right. Well, I wrote it during. I think you would find it very interesting. All right.

I wrote it during Covid. OK. Well, thank you. Thank you for calling. Thank you for your spirit. I hope we meet again. OK.

I look forward to it. All right. God bless.

Thank you for taking this. You bet. You bet. Absolutely.

And let's see. Time for another call. Quick. Hey, Brad in West Virginia. Dive right in.

Welcome to the line of fire. All right. Nice to meet you again. I met you in March 28, 29, 1997 at the Brownsville Revival. All right.

Thank you. It changed my life. It changed my life forever. You spoke to me there. I know you don't remember that, of course, but I took 30 people down from Minnesota to the revival. Some old lady named Margaret Catherman opened up her home to allow a lot of people to change their lives.

Their lives are still changed today. Praise God. My question is, why? Yeah. Why are all these critics, especially these high up pastors that call themselves, that call other people NAR, you know, the NAR, whatever you call those guys. And they include you. And Gilpatrick, I mean, you guys are my favorites, but they gouged it with water and they never go there themselves to check it out. You know, Brad, I actually had the same way with the revival. Yeah. I had a critic who was writing a whole major article attacking Brownsville and he'd never been through a service.

There had never been once. And I said, well, coming is it's expensive. I said, tell you what, we'll cover your expenses and put you up because we'll blend that. I'd be I'd be beholden to you.

And he became an expert on it and never went to a single meeting. Yeah, look, there are people who are sincere and they mean well and they're just mistaken in their criticism. There are others that have a bad spirit and it's wrong. Either way, may the blessing of the Lord overtake them. May they encounter God afresh. May they love him in a way they've never loved him before. May the truth, the scripture dominate their lives and may they be filled overwhelmingly with the spirit. Another program powered by the Truth Network.