Glimpses of Grace Summer 2016
GRACE FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL
REVIVAL NOW!
ignorant of the dynamics of revival in which they participated! They only knew that their lives, and that of others, were transformed! With the majority today, this is the scenario pictured in the minds of most when revival is mentioned. We can, and should, continue to pray that revival will blanket our land, which many are doing. However, while we are waiting on the Holy Spirit to move, He is awaiting us to receive! We can continue to bemoan the ‘end times’ and excuse ourselves, or we can avail ourselves of the Spirit’s ministry today! But we must adjust our sights to line up on us as individuals with the knowledge that our willing participation in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus must become actual —not just factual (Rom. 6:6-11). We can plead ignorance of the dynamics of revival and, thereby, excuse ourselves; or we can ‘take the bull by the horns’ and be obedient to scriptural truth. Over the past half century, we have witnessed those from the illiterate to the Ph.D./Th.D. find such renewal or exchange of lives, here and around the world, as God is faithful to honor His calling in 1967 (Isa. 58:10,11). Therefore, we dedicate this issue of Glimpses of Grace to be a candle in our country, which grows darker day by day, and trust that the Holy Spirit will illuminate Scripture to the transformation ( revival ) of those who are ready to lose their lives in order to save them (Matt. 16:25).
“THERE’S GOOD NEWS TONIGHT!” Such was the opening greeting of commentator Gabriel Heatter at the most depressing times during World War II. He always found something encouraging to lift the spirits of his radio audience when all else was bleak! The good news is that the Cross is good news! Today, our situation as a country is, if anything, even more grim since the moral fiber of our country is rapidly coming unraveled from top to bottom, with God all but left out of the equation on the national scene! In spite of this, or because of it, I want to cheerfully announce, “THERE’S GOOD NEWS TODAY!”. Revival is the topic of conversation, but, usually, in pessimistic terms. With a voice of experience, I would like to counter that premise with “ Revival can be had today!” We could define revival as ‘re-living’ since it is typified by new life. Having asserted that, we cannot live two lives at once (though some have tried!). Revival is an exchange of life source—ours for that of Christ; however, if He is to do the living, we must do the dying (Gal. 2:20) to make the exchange! Having experienced and witnessed this for 50 years, I can tell you that revival is yours for the asking since it means to be in the Christ-life basking! This has been taking place individually and en masse since the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and continues today. Down through the centuries, the Holy Spirit has brought times of refreshing when believers were benighted, but most were
There’s no doubt we need revival That only the Spirit brings, But there’s far from broad agreement About the Fount from which it springs!
While we know the Spirit does it, Mystery seems to surround His working; But it is losing our lives to save them (Matt. 16:25) That we, as believers, are shirking!
GRACE FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL 3914 Nellie Street | P. O. Box 368 | Pigeon Forge, TN 37868 | (865) 429-0450 www.GraceFellowshipInternational.com
SUMMER, 2016
REVIVAL (Continued) Since there is broad concensus regarding the need for revival in this country and, indeed, the world, we are devoting this issue to that topic. Much is written and preached about the phenomenon, but little is written about the mechanics within a believer so revived. Some of the preconditions are emphasized, such as prayer, confession, and repentance, all of which are vital considerations. Then, our minds swiftly jump to the great awakenings of past years and centuries, such as the Welsh Revival of 1900. Not only were lives transformed, but also the country was affected in a positive way for a short period of time! However, the key understanding of the internal dynamics was lacking, which resulted in cessation of the revival . After its close, Jesse Penn-Lewis was used of God to write about the mechanics or dynamics of the work of the Holy Spirit when lives were so transformed. Her writing was a blessing to Andrew Murray and WatchmanNee, tomentiononly two. After I had experienced revival in 1965, I profited by perusing her writing of such books as The Centrality of the Cross . About the same time, Hannah Whitall Smith was also writing in this vein. Though they seldom, if ever, used the term, revival , the transformation they described fits that appellative. As a direct result of ignorance of the dynamics initiated and accomplished by the Holy Spirit, those who had experienced revival had no knowledge of how to maintain it, to the dismay of leadership. In lesser revivals or awakenings since that time, the same question is often posed, and writing is done on ‘how do we maintain revival ?’ as well as ‘why does revival tarry?’. Since we have seen revival consistently over the past fifty years, in thousands of lives, I believe we have knowledge and experience to share with seeking believers. TRANSFERABILITY I remember a lady with an 8th grade education writing about her experience; she read Handbook to Happiness and the Spirit did a major work in her life. Immediately, she turned around and shared the diagrams with a friend who also had a life transformation—no training except by the Spirit! Another lady, Jewel Campbell, heard me present it in a Saturday seminar and began to share with ladies. She was a retired computer programmer that God used in a major way in southern California. Though she has been with the Lord several years, ‘Jewel’s Girls’ are still being used of the Lord! This has also happened at various points and languages in the world, with the most recent being in Pakistan and Mindanao, with revival having begun! In Pakistan, they are calling it ‘ Wheel & Line ’ ministry, with Handbook to Happiness having been translated in Urdu and 3500 copies published. In Mindanao, it is primarily a ministry to Muslims with the Wheel & Line tract being the method of evangelism. In Mindanao, a Muslim man, 72, was saved and donated a
Since we have taught revival on an individual basis, in the trenches with desperate people, we did not have the luxury of dealing in generalities but were compelled to know and minister the dynamics—especially to those with suicidal ideation. Generalizing, praying, and hoping could easily have resulted in their taking their own lives. Too, those who were less desperate, but just as needy, were candidates to be guided to and through the dynamics of revival —now, not presently! In doing so, the Holy Spirit witnessed to the truth of Galatians 2:20 and lives were transformed in short order— to use this parlance, revival had just been experienced! The same dynamics that resulted in victory could be reapplied so that victory ( revival ) could continue on a daily basis (Luke 9:23,24)! Obviously, the dynamics of revival had to be mastered and applied in the Spirit for revival or transformed lives to be realized with regularity and glory to God. It could be termed counseling, discipleship, or soul care (cure) but God gave me the term, Spirituotherapy ® , since the Holy Spirit was the Agent of change. And, revived individuals could have their on-board Therapist 24/7 or continuous revival ! In this writing, we deviate from generalization and group dynamics but specialize in transformed lives by the Holy Spirit which could merit the term, revival . But, in other articles, I use terms such as victory, transformed lives, filling of the Spirit, all of which are synonymous with Holy Spirit revival , renewal, or awakening. My purpose is to testify of the readiness—not capriciousness—of the Holy Spirit to touch prepared hearts. Having received such ministry, the Spirit-filled believer can learn, in short order, to minister the truth of revival to those about them, so revival continues! parcel of land in the center of Davao for a structure which he insisted was to be called Wheel & Line Church. Neither of the principals, both 36, have had any training except for my books and related materials. Both are seeing lives transformed in their languages. Thus, revival has begun in Pakistan, a Muslim country! The Pakistani brother will be coming for training in August. Bill Bright talked of ‘transferable concepts’; and this is certainly that, with a proven track record! The teaching of GFI, coupled with the many spin-off ministries, has been blessed with thousands of transformed lives, with developing nations leading the way! The languages are different; but the need is the same the world around. But needy nations, like needy people, are more open to the Cross message. Handbook to Happiness is in ten languages with the Wheel & Line tract in 49.
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THE WHEEL & LINE
When God called me while in the aerospace industry in 1967 to teach the Cross (Gal. 2:20), I had no idea that He would give me a tool with the vitality (and copyability!) and power that is latent in these diagrams! When the Holy Spirit gave me the wheel, it required less than 30 minutes; and it has not been changed in the ensuing 48 years! The Line diagram came more in stages before my beginning full time ministry in 1970; and it, also, has not been changed. Many spinoff ministries have been founded since that time, and most have some variation of my Line diagram.
As a side note, many ministries have begun to use diagrams, after havingobserved thedegree towhich the Holy Spirit anoints the diagrams He gave! Therefore, it is inescapable, since we are in Him eternally, that,
once we are baptized into His life, we were equally in Him in death (Rom. 6:3), and resurrection; and, to put it another way, we have a new past as well as a new future! A number of believers have been transformed (revived) on the spot as this truth was illuminated by the Holy Spirit in such a presentation! But we must expand our vision To take the message to the Church; Otherwise, the onrush of humanism Will leave us in the lurch! We know our Lord is faithful And not restricted to the few; Let’s share the message with the many And see what He will do! The message, blessed for decades, Will in the Church be blessed; But, it will have full meaning To a Church that is distressed. That time is now upon us; Let us be faithful to the task. Churches, too, will be transformed, If in His Name we ask!
WHEEL & LINE MINISTRY
Our Lord has continued faithful To honor His ministry call; (Isa. 58:10,11) He continues to transform lives As He becomes our all in all. (Col. 3:11) As He ministers to one at a time, The change is never boring; But expanded outreach is necessary, And our God we are imploring. The Church, God’s chosen vessel, Must again preach the cross; (1 Cor. 1:18) When it stops with justification, It will continue to suffer loss. We must continue one on one And rejoice at lives transformed; (Rom. 12:1,2) Our God gets all of the glory As to His image they’re conformed. (Rom. 8:29)
November 2, 2015
WHEEL & LINE VIDEO A Wheel & Line video has just been completed to share with the Church (and world) that the secret of revival might be exposed! For too long, it has been assumed that prevailing prayer and repentance could, more or less, force God’s hand that the Spirit might ‘fall’ as though He were withholding revival ! All the while, revival was there for the taking by those who are willing to lay down all that they are to live out of all that He is! It is our prayer that this video, and those which will be built upon it, will unlock God’s reservoir of cleansing and filling to the max, by the Holy Spirit, that such revival might be ‘gossiped’ from one to another and that sharing revival might be evangelized! If churches catch the vision to preach the Cross (1 Cor. 1:18), it will become an open secret that revival may be had
‘for the dying’, since resurrection life is its guaranteed sequel! Then, lives of believers (and, as a result, non-believers) will be transformed on a regular basis. Once this becomes common knowledge, it can also be part and parcel of evangelism, so that subsequent remedial teaching is rendered unnecessary as the ‘other half’ of the gospel is taught at the ‘git go’! Dr. Steve Phinney has been engaged for the next year to spearhead our media ministry, with a view toward revival by promoting our exchanged life ministry. In order to accomplish this, we have partnered with IOM America and their International Fellowship of Exchanged Life Network. Together we have been designing and producing media resources that will better inform the Church of the need to return to, or promote, the power of the Cross.
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THE SOCIETAL MILIEU
Since the founding of our nation, the Church has had the support and respect of society and enjoyed a privileged position. In the last decade, this has turned to persecution as not being ‘politically correct’. The Church has been riding the crest of the wave which is about to crash on the rocks of disdain! From privileged status to persecution is a long drop, and the crash is impendingwith someone needed to pick up the pieces—from privilege to desperation! Our original message was to be for ‘afflicted souls’ (Isa. 58), with the Church soon to qualify! Our proven materials are in readiness as the door creaks open?! Our message is unchanged and unchanging, but now we see our clientele becoming largely the Church as it continues to undergo persecution and society rapidly deteriorates. As serving privilege becomes antiquated, the ‘tools of the trade’ must be traded for revival tools, which is foreign territory for the bulk of the body, but a mere extrapolation for our ministry which will require expansion tomeet massive demand. Pastoral resignations are increasing, depression and anxiety are rampant in the general population, with suicide on the upswing, as a well ordered society becomes more and more chaotic! Psychological soul care must give way to spiritual soul cure or revival, to fit our theme. As we head for a major round up, we need your help as never before to assist the Church in plowing new ground— PRAY AND COME ALONG! The societal shifts which have (and are!) taken place will shift increasing responsibility to the Church which is woefully unprepared to handle it. Long term discipleship will be out of vogue with ‘short term’ revival teaching practiced by few! In consonance with the foregoing articles, the need to address such issues will require easily understood materials, such as the following:
Since suicide is on the increase, and is likely to become exponential, Suicide, An Illicit Lover, by my friend, John Stevens, can be valuable. Also, Conquering PTSD, subtitled Finding Victory Over the Aftermath of War—The Battle Within.
Depression, anxiety, bullying, and the increase in sexual crimes would be well served by The Ins and Out of Rejection and The Rejection Syndrome .
Church involvementwill requiremuchpreparation, with Handbook for Christ-Centered Counseling and Handbook for Soldiers of the Cross being paramount in the process. Also, Handbook to Happiness & You can provide an overview. The importance of man’s makeup can be underscored byDr. Woodward’s Man as Spirit, Soul, and Body.
A summary or ‘catch-all’ book is Revival Now— Dying to Live! with a more comprehensive statement being Handbook to Happiness.
GRACE FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL 3914 Nellie Street | P. O. Box 368 | Pigeon Forge, TN 37868 | (865) 429-0450 www.GraceFellowshipInternational.com
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GFI offers materials for individual or group study. For Me to Live is Christ is an 8 lesson study based on Handbook to Happiness. The New Life by Reginald Wallis has been revised to include study questions at the end of each chapter. In addition to the workbooks, we offer DVD albums that include a 25 minute video lesson for each chapter. DISCIPLESHIP MATERIALS
GFI also sells Dr. Lee Turner’s 12 lesson workbooks The Grace Discipleship Course and The Advanced Grace Discipleship Course.
We offer our Exchanged Life Conference on audio CDs, DVDs, and online webinar, with a notebook available in either PDF format or a spiral bound version.
How to Exchange Your Life for a New One by Pastor Phil Jones is an excellent booklet, perfect for one-to- one discipleship or a new members class The introduction takes them through the tests in 1 John to ensure they are born again Christians; the remaining four chapters share the exchanged life—from a New Creation to a Life of Victory!
For more information on all our materials, please visit our website’s bookstore at: www.GraceFellowshipInternational.com
PRAYER ALERT! While it is true that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16), it is also true that the united prayer of more than 3,000 readers of this letter will avail much more! Please join us in praying that the Church will once again preach the Cross, the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).
REVIVAL UNMASKED May 31, 2016
Revival is a much needed ministry, Though it is greatly misunderstood; Many would exchange their lives for it, If they only knew they could! An open secret in the Word (Gal. 2:20) Is losing our lives to save them; (Matt. 16:25) But absent its proclamation, Hopes for revival are dim! Many have prayed in the dark That the Holy Spirit would ‘fall’, But He stands ready to manifest If we give to Him our all! (Rom. 12:1,2)
Preaching the Cross, the power of God, (1 Cor. 1:18) Is the secret of revival ; Continued absence of its teaching Is but to settle for bare survival! Exchanging our lives for His Is the watchword plainly given ; (Rom. 6:6-11) By confession, repentance, and prayer, For revival we have striven. By losing our lives to save them, We are trusting the Spirit to manifest; It is by ceasing from our own works That we enter the promised rest. (Heb. 4:10,11)
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From the of Dr. Solomon: REVIVAL!
SUE SOLOMON My beloved and precious wife, Sue, went to be with our Lord; she died of congestive heart failure on Monday, March 14, 2016. She is sorely missed, but we have the great hope of being reunited for all eternity! A more fitting tribute to Sue’s life and ministry will be in our next Glimpses of Grace . Thank you all for your love and prayers!
UPCOMING EVENTS Exchanged Life Conference
August 5,6, 2016 Pigeon Forge, TN November 4,5, 2016 Pigeon Forge, TN March 3,4, 2017 Pigeon Forge, TN August 8-11, 2016 Pigeon Forge, TN November 7-10, 2016 Pigeon Forge, TN March 6-9, 2017 Pigeon Forge, TN
Spirituotherapy ® Workshop
MY CALLING; HENCE, MY BURDEN (Isaiah 58:10,11) In 1967, God called me to “ draw out thy [my] soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul ”. That has been accomplished by GFI and the many spin-off ministries on all six continents. However, the Church, with few exceptions, has been singularly unresponsive. The present conditions in this country will require an ‘about face’ toward the Cross, if she is to be a major factor in these chaotic times!
evangelism and discipleship ( revival ) ministry. It also constitutes a very simple and proven way for pastors to “ preach the cross ” (1 Cor. 1:18). Since innumerable lives havebeenchanged (exchanged!) over the last five decades, I am appealing to you to assist our media team in fulfilling the remainder of God’s calling which will enjoy His anointing, without doubt! You can begin by simply making the Wheel & Line video available to your leadership and forwarding it, plus supplementary materials depicted in this communication. Since I am now 86, and just lost my wife in March, my role will be to pray and encourage the team, and you that assist, in their direct efforts. Please ask our Lord how you might be used in this vital outreach to the Church. Of course, prayer is a must; but putting feet to your prayer, along with utilizing your ability/experience, and opening your purse as God leads, will make it a concerted effort! I will be cheering from the sidelines as our Lord fields His team!
Therefore, we must concentrate our efforts to equip the Church for an explicit discipleship ( revival ) ministry. With such a mammoth task, the media must be harnessed, if much is to be done in a short time. Accordingly, our board has contracted with Dr. Steve Phinney, for the next year, to head up our media team of Dr. John Woodward and Cathy Solomon to launch such an initiative. Three videos, leading up to the fourth, the Wheel & Line , have already been made, soon to be transmitted by e-mail; if we do not have your e-mail address, please supply it to us. The Wheel and Line has proven effective for both
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