Wednesday, April 19, 2023

The Latter Rain Revival Movement

 



The Latter Rain Revival Movement - Lori Lightfoot Executed at GITMO - New Dawn For The Petroyuan - Israel Turns To China - Derek Johnson Military Intel - Marines Foil FBI Plot – Africa Squeezed to the Bones - Lisa Shaw Died Suddenly and more.

Researched & Comments by Pastor Gary Boyd

April 19th 2023

 

 REAL RAW NEWS: Lori Lightfoot Executed at GITMO - By Michael Baxter -April 17, 2023 - The soldier standing beside Lightfoot pushed a button on the gallows, and the pivoting door beneath Lightfoot’s feet swung open, causing him to drop. Lightfoot’s neck snapped, his mouth agape. A Navy physician marked the time of death: 10:45 a.m., Friday, April 14, 2023. https://realrawnews.com/2023/04/lori-lightfoot-executed-at-gitmo/

REAL RAW NEWS: Marines Foil Fed Plot to Explode U.S. Military Base - By Michael Baxter -April 18, 2023 - On Sunday, United States Marines at USMC Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, apprehended two FBI agents who had entered the base undetected and were skulking near an ordnance building that held bombs for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s AV-8B Harrier and F-35 Lightning II jets, a source in General Eric M. Smith’s office told Real Raw News. https://realrawnews.com/2023/04/marines-foil-fed-plot-to-explode-u-s-military-base/

ACTIVIST POST: Arkansas Passes Legal Tender Act, Removes Taxes on Gold and Silver - TOPICS: ArkansasGoldInvestingSilverTax - APRIL 18, 2023 - Arkansas Governor Signs Senate Bill 1718, Reaffirming Gold and Silver as Legal Tender and Removing All Tax Liability from the Monetary Metals - Sound money advocates are rejoicing as House Bill 1718, the Arkansas Legal Tender Act has become the law in the Natural State. https://www.activistpost.com/2023/04/arkansas-passes-legal-tender-act-removes-taxes-on-gold-and-silver.html

Oil Price - Gold & A New Crude Benchmark: A New Dawn For The Petroyuan? - By ZeroHedge - Apr 18, 2023, 2:00 PM CDT - China's extensive gold buying spree has been due to a strategic preparation for a shift in global monetary power. -The Shanghai International Energy Exchange launched yuan oil futures. This will shift the balance of power in the oil market away from the US and increase the use of yuan in global trade. https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Gold-And-A-New-Crude-Benchmark-A-New-Dawn-For-The-Petroyuan.html

Yet Another Ally, Israel, Turns To China - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 6:49 - Biden’s foreign policy is just working wonders, eh? - Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen asked China to “influence” Iran to cease developing its illegal nuclear weapons program, inviting Beijing to play a bigger role in the Middle East as relations with the United States under leftist President Joe Biden have deteriorated. https://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2023/04/yet-another-ally-israel-turns-to-china-3660596.html

Derek Johnson: Military Intel and Situation Update - It's Here! Be Ready for 10 Days of NO Communications & EBT (Video) - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 8:01 - Derek is back with Military Intel and updates we all need to know.. We are in a war and the bad guys plan to take out our communications and banking system in one fell swoop. Make sure to stock up on food, water, CASH, and anything else that may be affected by this attack.. https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2023/04/derek-johnson-military-intel-and-situation-update-its-here-be-ready-for-10-days-of-no-communications-ebt-video-3791660.html

Bo Polny: It's Time, Folks! Life Changing Event Very Soon! (Video) - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 8:22 - Bo is sharing Intel about how close we are to everything changing! https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2023/04/bo-polny-its-time-folks-life-changing-event-very-soon-video-3791662.html

SG Anon: Situation Update & Intel - Nothing Can Stop This! (Video) - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 7:26 - What is to come cannot be stopped.. It must happen, so we can be a free people once more.. The talk of the 10 Days of Darkness is a big deal and if it happens, it will CHANGE everything! SG has Intel about that and about the EBT- it is all coming to a head and nothing can stop it! - https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2023/04/sg-anon-situation-update-intel-nothing-can-stop-this-video-3791652.html

Africa, Now Squeezed to the Bones - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 9:33 - Human Wrongs Watch By Baher Kamal - MADRID, Apr 19 2023 (IPS)* –– As many as 45 African countries –out of the Continent’s 54 nations–, all of them grouped in what is known as Sub-Saharan Africa, have now been further squeezed to their bones, as funding shrinks to lowest ever levels, and as a portion of the so-called aid goes back to the pockets of rich donor countries…. https://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2023/04/africa-now-squeezed-to-the-bones-3791666.html

NTEB: In England, Radio Newcastle Announcer Lisa Shaw Died Suddenly After Receiving An AstraZeneca COVID Vaccination As Did Scores Of Other People - Wednesday, April 19, 2023 9:33 - There is a conspiracy happening right now that is so insidious, so horrific, that it will boggle your imagination. People have died, are dying, and have been grievously wounded after receiving the COVID vaccine from drug makers like Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, the media is aware of it, and with one voice have agreed to remain silent about it. https://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2023/04/in-england-radio-newcastle-announcer-lisa-shaw-died-suddenly-after-receiving-an-astrazeneca-covid-vaccination-as-did-scores-of-other-people-2537712.html

WORLD NET DAILY: Did Jesus of Nazareth really intend to start a brand new religion called "Christianity"? Or, did He come to fulfill that which all of the Hebrew prophets had foretold since the fall of man—something the Holy Scriptures mysteriously and wonderfully call "the restitution of all things." In his acclaimed book, The Restitution of All Things: Israel, Christians, and the End of the Age, veteran journalist and bestselling author Joseph Farah seeks to shed light on what few sermons today teach about, few authors expound upon, and few Bible studies explore: the coming kingdom of God. The Restitution of All Things is a primer on the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith that will forever give you a new appreciation of the work Jesus did on the cross, and will answer these provocative questions: What does the Bible clearly teach about the ultimate solution to the Middle East conflict? Is the story of the New Testament really grace vs law? Or has grace always been around and is the law forever? What is the ultimate destination of redeemed mankind – heaven or earth?

Why is there so much focus in the prophecy world on events leading up to the return of Jesus and so little about what follows? What is the central conflict Jesus has in the gospels and what was the great error of the Pharisees? Is it possible today’s believers in Jesus could be making the same error as the Pharisees of His time? Have Christians replaced Israel as the people of promise? Using Scriptures almost exclusively as a resource, Farah will shock and amaze most Christians with a clear picture of what the coming kingdom of God will be like. Such prophetic Scriptures and many others, closely matching the conditions of today's world, make a compelling case that we may be nearing this very special and long-prophesied time—a time of great hope, but also of great deception. With so much attention by prophecy teachers on events to occur before the return of Jesus, The Restitution of All Things looks beyond that to His one-thousand year reign of earth. It exposes the spiritual traditions of men that often overshadow the commandments of God. It lays bare the pernicious lie that has become known today as "replacement theology." It is a wake-up call to the world regarding the ever-present truth of the Bible, and of the reality of Jesus-Yeshua, the Messiah, the King, the High Priest, the Redeemer, and Son of God. Founder of the world's largest Christian content website, publisher of numerous bestselling Christian books and films, and devoted follower of Jesus-Yeshua and seeker of truth, Joseph Farah tackles the hard questions and explores the roots of the Christian faith based on Acts 3: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." (Act 3:19-21). Farah's book is an original, fresh and deeply thought-provoking look at that which every Christian believer looks forward to with hope—and with awe. https://superstore.wnd.com/the-restitution-of-all-things-e-book/

WORLD NET DAILY: Stunner! Bidens' 'astronomical' income from 'prostitution rings'? 'It's wild the number of family members involved and the amount of money we're talking about' - By Bob Unruh - Published April 18, 2023 at 3:52pm

-  “Just left the Treasury to review over 100 suspicious activity reports on the Biden family and I can tell you there are more Bidens involved than we knew previously. And every time you…look under a stone, there’s so much more you have to investigate because – it’s wild the number of family members involved and the amount of money we’re talking about in these suspicious activity reports is astronomical. …the shell companies, prostitution rings, etc…it’s insanity to me that it’s not been investigated in the way that it should be.” https://www.wnd.com/2023/04/stunner-bidens-astronomical-income-prostitution-rings/?ats_es=7ed3ab1f1a7bbeb2c843e9aa8d4bd787

WORLD NWT DAILY: 'Toxic': Greatest betrayal in nation deceptively unleashed on millions - 'How it's ultimately going to turn out is unknown' - By WND Staff - Published April 18, 2023 at 7:37pm - Throughout America, parents by the millions send their precious children off to their local public schools, imagining their kids’ days will be filled with reading, writing and arithmetic, along with science, history, sports, music and group recreation, just like when they attended school decades ago. However, they’re not only in for a shock – but for total betrayal. Today, what are still euphemistically called “public schools” (remember, “public” means “government”) have been transmogrified into far-left ideological, political and religious indoctrination centers aimed at reprogramming and transforming America’s children. (Comment: By pushing a gay agenda for the schools the Obiden communist regime has awakened the parents of school age children. Protests are everywhere. The end to this is coming as gay school board members & gay city council are voted out and thrown on the scrapheap. Pushing the gay agenda on the masses was a big mistake.) https://www.wnd.com/2023/04/toxic-greatest-betrayal-nation-deceptively-unleashed-millions/?ats_es=7ed3ab1f1a7bbeb2c843e9aa8d4bd787

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON: Missouri Becomes First State To Crack Down on Sex-Change Treatments for Adults – By Anna Allen - April 14, 2023 - Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey (R.) on Thursday issued an emergency rule that establishes extensive safeguards on providing transgender medical interventions to both adults and children. https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffreebeacon.com%2Flatest-news%2Fmissouri-becomes-first-state-to-crack-down-on-sex-change-treatments-for-adults%2F

FBI sought to develop sources in Catholic churches to combat domestic terrorism, docs show - FBI hit with subpoena for records by House Judiciary Committee - By Thomas Catenacci | Fox News - The FBI recently sought to develop sources inside Christian churches and Catholic dioceses as part of an effort to combat domestic terrorism, according to internal documents released by House Judiciary Committee on Monday. The internal documents — obtained last month by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., who are also members of the so-called Weaponization Subcommittee — showed the FBI planned to use churches as "new avenues for tripwire and source development." The federal law enforcement agency also aimed to specifically target "mainline Catholic parishes" as part of its efforts. - Published April 10, 2023 2:02pm - https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-sought-develop-sources-catholic-churches-internal-documents-show

 

 


 The Latter Rain Revival Movement

 by Thomas Ice

Published on: December 10, 2015

Researched by Pastor Gary Boyd

April 19th 2023

One of the most significant influences within Evangelicalism the last twenty-five years has been the reemergence of ” latter rain” theology. Yet, many are not even aware that such an influence exists within modern Christianity. Latter rain theology is sweeping the charismatic movement and revivalist evangelicals who believe that a global revival will take place before Christ will be allowed to return at the second advent. Popular movements such as the Vineyard Churches, Promise Keepers, and likely a majority of charismatic churches and organizations imbibe deeply from the fountain of latter rain theology. In this series of articles I want to trace the rise and development of the restoration and latter rain teachings that have been around for at least the last two hundred years. Then, I want to explain why these views are unscriptural and are having a negative impact upon the literal interpretation of Bible prophecy.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Restoration

 

Restorationists simply believe that God is restoring first-century or apostolic Christianity through their particular movement or group. Restoration is also used by a smaller number of teachers to teach that there will be a restoration of all things as they were before the fall; a perfect state. Virtually all Christians have thought that their approach to Christianity is the right one, but Restorationists believe that the true form or emphasis has been lost for a long time and they are being used by God to restore the original.

 

The last two-hundred years have seen a number of Restorationist movements attempting to restore primitive Christianity. A number of these groups are either fringe groups or cults. Joseph Smith (1805-44), the founder of Mormonism, believed that he was restoring the faith of early Christianity. This included a restoration of apostles and prophets, revelation, and speaking in tongues. When completed this restoration would usher in the millennium. Many today are familiar with the Churches of Christ, theologically descended from Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), who believed that he was restoring the apostolic doctrine of the early church. The Irvingites in Britain (more later), Jehovah’ s Witnesses, and the Armstrong Worldwide Church of God are others which have arisen with the intention of restoring true Christianity. However, as we shall see later, the largest restoration movement began in 1901 when Pentecostalism was born.

 

The particular type of restoration teachings I am interested in dealing with in this article are those gaining popularity within the charismatic movement today. In addition to arguing that restoration was a major theme in the Old Testament, their central New Testament passage most often cited is Acts 3:21, ” whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things . . .” This is why Restorationist teachers like Dick Iverson and Earl Paulk teach that Christ cannot return at any-moment via the rapture. They teach that Christ is held in the heavens until the church has been restored and perfected, only then will He be free to return. I will show in a future article that Acts 3:21 and other passages cited by Restorationists refer to Israel and not the Church.

 

Restorationist David Blomgren, in his booklet A Biblical View Of Restorationdefines restoration as follows:

 

The Biblical concept of restoration, therefore, comprises the work of God to restore the corporate church to the truth and power of God and to restore the individual believer to the image of God. (p. 2)

 

Blomgren’ s definition includes two major restoration aspects, the first applies to the corporate church and the second to the individual believer.

 

In the area of the corporate church Blomgren says, ” All that the early church lost will be restored to the latter day church.” (p. 6) Restoration will take place in five areas: truth, ministries, spiritual life of believers, worship, and paths to dwell in. (pp. 6-7) In addition, the power of God will be restored in the last days of the church. Blomgren cites nine areas in which restoration of the last days power of the church will occur. Restoration will include the House of the Lord, the Tabernacle of David, Spirit outpouring, the voice of the bride and Bridegroom, the glory of God, counselors and judges, teachers, the family, and health and healing. (pp. 12, 14)

 

Last days restoration of the individual believer will include restoration to the image of God, spiritual dominion, relationship with God, fruitfulness, paradise, and perfection. (pp. 14, 15)

 

” These are days of restoration,” declares Blomgren. ” It is exciting to know that the true church will indeed be triumphant, restored by God to strength in this last day.” (p. 16) Charismatic Restorationists believe that we are living in the era that will witness these things. Many Restorationists believe that these events will be facilitated by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit often called the ” latter rain” revival. The chart in this article is taken from Blomgren’ s booklet (p. 9) and depicts their understanding of the history of the decline and restoration of the church. I would take strong exception to most, if not all, of his points.

 

Latter Rain

 

The phrase ” latter rain” is taken from Joel 2:23 & 28 and sometimes James 5:7 as a label describing an end-time revival and evangelistic harvest expected by many charismatics and some Pentecostals. Some time in the future, they believe the Holy Spirit will be poured out like never before. The latter rain teaching is developed from the agricultural model that a farmer needs rain at two crucial points in the growing cycle in order to produce a bountiful harvest. First, right after the seed is planted the ” early rain” is needed to cause the seed to germinate in order to produce a healthy crop. Second, the crop needs rain right before the harvest, called the ” latter rain,” so the grain will produce a high yield at harvest time, which shortly follows. Latter rain advocates teach that the Acts 2 outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the ” early rain” but the ” latter rain” outpouring of the Holy Spirit will occur at the end-times. Many have taught that the Spirit will be poured out upon the church by a.d. 2000 in order to prepare her for the great evangelistic harvest to follow.

 

Often this great event is described in terms of Old Testament imagery of the army of locus in Joel 2. In fact, ” prophet,” Paul Cain, is said to have had a vision in which he saw a sign on a billboard from the Lord describing the current status of the church today as ” Joel’ s Army: Now In Training.” Many today have been influenced by this type of thinking and are adopting a more militant vocabulary for describing Christian activity, prayer, and worship because they believe they are now in training as God’ s end-time army and are being made ready for coming events. Just as an army trains for war by learning to use their weapons and adopt to the harsh environment of the battlefield so the ” new breed,” ” the Omega army,” or ” the forceful men” are preparing for spiritual warfare by sharpening their end-time skills.

 

A few years ago, when Dr. Jack Deere was an assistant pastor at John Wimber’ s Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California, he gave a two-part message entitled ” Joel’ s Army.” His explanation of what the church is going to be like in just a few years is illuminating:

 

Heretofore in history we have only had one Moses on the scene. Only one Elijah. Only one Elisha at a time. Now among the Apostles we only have one Paul, then John, and Peter, a few of those that are really outstanding.

 

Heretofore we have only had one or two mighty servants of God on the face of the earth at a time. It is not true any longer. When this army comes, he says, it is large and it is mighty. It is so mighty that there has never been anything like it before. Not even Moses. Not even David. Not even Paul. What’ s going to happen now will transcend what Paul did. What David did for me. What Moses did. Even though Moses parted the Red Sea. Something greater is coming in this army. And there won’ t be just one Moses. They’ ll be a numerous company. See, Revelation hints at this when it talks about the 144,000 that follow the Lamb where ever He goes (emphasis added). And no one can harm that 144,000. See, that’ s a multiple of twelve. What’ s twelve? Twelve is the number of the apostles. Twelve is apostolic government. And when you take an important number in the Bible and multiply it, that means you intensify it. So 12,000 times 12,000 equals 144,000. That is the ultimate in apostolic government. Revelation talks about that. Well, here Joel is talking about it now in different words. A powerful and mighty army with many Pauls, and many Moses, many Davids. (Tape 1)

 

Dr. Deere is saying that the latter rain revival will be carried out by those who are in Joel’ s army, which he also equates with the 144,000 witnesses from Revelation 7. Dr. Deere has undergone amazing changes in his theology since the time when he was one of my Hebrew professors at Dallas Theological Seminary in the late 1970s.

 

HISTORY

 

Restoration and latter rain teachings did not just spring up out of thin air in this century, nor do I believe they are the result of a new prophetic revelation being given by the Lord as part of the current ” new move” of God. Various aspects of the current doctrine can be found as far back as the early 1800s.

 

Mormonism

 

Joseph Smith built Mormonism in the 1820s on the foundation of alleged angelic visits and communications, with a claim that God was restoring prophetic gifts and authority from apostolic times in preparation for these latter days. Mormonism instituted twelve apostles and taught that ” God’ s direct intervention in human affairs had not ceased with the apostolic age; revelation was continuing to be expressed through Smith as God’ s prophet.”[1] In fact, early Mormons were the first in modern times to advocate and practice ” speaking in tongues” as a sign of the restoration of apostolic times. (The parallels between Mormonism and some aspects of the third wave should cause great alarm to most evangelicals.)

 

Irvingites

 

Edward Irving (1792-1834), a defrocked Presbyterian minister, founded the Catholic Apostolic Church toward the end of his short but engaging life. Irving linked the restoration of apostolic Christianity with the nearness of the second coming, not the rapture. Irving believed that God was restoring apostles, prophets, healing, and the gift of tongues during the 1830s in the British Isles to prepare the true church for the return of Christ which he said would occur in 1868. Irving is credited with being the first to make the modern Pentecostal connection between speaking in tongues as the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Irving appears to have also been the first to teach the need for the restoration of the fivefold offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers before the church could properly be made ready for the coming Bridegroom.[2] This ” fivefold ministry” teaching is increasingly popular today within restoration and latter rain circles, which teach that in order for the church to be truly perfected to meet her soon coming Lord, all five of these ministries, including apostles and prophets, must be restored and functioning today.

 

Holiness Movement

 

As the 1800s progressed, there arose within Methodism a call to return to the holiness teachings of John Wesley who saw that ” moral growth, or sanctification, is both progressive and instantaneous.” [3] Phoebe Palmer, wife of a New York physician, was the most influential advocate of the holiness message about 150 years ago. ” Palmer, like many others, also departed from Wesley by identifying the second moment of grace- or the second blessing, as it had come to be called- with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” [4] By the 1880s, this movement had spawned many independent churches and a few denominations like the Nazarene and Wesleyan holiness churches. Others, like Charles Finney and A. B. Simpson, made contributions to the development of this movement which became the fertile soil out of which the Pentecostal movement grew in the following century.

 

The latter rain teaching was also found within holiness teachings. An example is seen in Phoebe Palmer’ s 1859 book- The Promise of the Father- where she uses ” the latter rain argument to defend the ministry of women.”[5] Charles Parham, the founder of Pentecostalism, was ” impressed with the emphasis throughout the Holiness movement on a ‘ latter rain’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” [6] So we can see that the idea of a latter rain restoration and revival was anticipated by many holiness leaders who would later give birth to what they would come to believe was the start of this anticipated end-time revival- Pentecostalism.

 

Pentecostalism

 

Many Christians are aware that the Pentecostal movement began on January 1, 1901 in Topeka, Kansas when Agnes Ozman (1870-1937) spoke in tongues under the tutelage of Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929). Yet, how many realize that in the ” early years Pentecostalism often took the name ‘ Latter Rain Movement’ ” ?[7] This is because Parham titled his report of the new movement as ” The Latter Rain: The Story of the Origin of the Original Apostolic or Pentecostal Movements.” [8] Many are also aware that William J. Seymour (1870-1922) came under the influence of Parham in Houston, Texas in 1905 and then took the Pentecostal message to Azusa Street in Los Angeles in 1906, from where it was disseminated to the four-corners of the world. But, how many are also aware that he too spoke of these things in terms of a latter rain framework?

 

There is no doubt that the latter rain teaching was one of the major components in the foundation of Pentecostalism. ” Modern Pentecostalism is the ‘ latter rain,’ the special outpouring of the Spirit that restores the gifts in the last days as part of the preparation for the ‘ harvest,’ the return of Christ in glory,” says Dayton.[9] David Wesley Myland (1858-1943) was one of the early Pentecostal leaders. He wrote the first distinctly Pentecostal hymn entitled, ” The Latter Rain” in 1906. The ” first definitive Pentecostal theology that was widely distributed, the Latter Rain Covenant” appeared in 1910.[10]Myland argued in his book that ” now we are in the Gentile Pentecost, the first Pentecost started the church, the body of Christ, and this, the second Pentecost, unites and perfects the church into the coming of the Lord.” [11]

 

Dayton concludes that the ” broader Latter Rain doctrine provided a key . . . premise in the logic of Pentecostalism.” [12] In spite of having such a key place in the thinking of early Pentecostalism, ” the latter rain doctrine did tend to drop out of Pentecostalism” in the 1920s ” only to reappear, however, in the radical Latter Rain revitalization movement of the 1940s.” [13]

 

(to be continued)


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