Good Seed: Fifty Years from the Jesus Movement–Where Are They Now? Hear from One (Guest Feature, A Bible Prophecy Q/A with Pastor Jack Hibbs)

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Was It A Real Jesus Movement/Revolution/Revival?

Having come to Christ as a result of the late 60s-early 70s so-called “Jesus Movement” (renamed Jesus Revolution for the current film), people wondered for the first years if it was real, even as many wonder the same about the recent Asbury (University) so-called “revival”.

My reply is: as with any such movement, big or small, global or local, in a collective or by oneself, when God “moves” us in some way to put faith in Him for salvation (and He will draw us to Jesus, His Son, see John 3:16), we can only wait to see what “fruit” is produced in the lives of participants over time, and/or see what spiritual growth we have realized in ourselves, because “The Lord will [a]perfect that which concerns (each of us),” Psalm 138:8).

In short, any such movement, revolution, or revival, can be real–and lasting–if it is…

  • sourced in God’s Word,
  • brings people into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ*, and
  • they (we) commit to maturing as a believer, that is, to allowing the Lord to do that perfecting within us by His Holy Spirit as we submit to His leading, direction, and guidance–or yield again when there may be temporary setbacks. This is called “good fruit”.

On The Good Fruit

Jesus offered the metaphor of a sower and his seeds to explain this phenomenon to His followers–then and now:

“Behold, a sower went out to sow.And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 

He went on to explain:

“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

(Matthew 13: 1-9, 19-23, New King James Version)

On the Good Fruit Today

The purpose of this post is to feature an interview, below, by Pastor Garid Beeler of VISION Calvary Chapel, with Pastor Jack Hibbs (an original participant in the Jesus Movement) regarding what is taking place in many arenas of the world today in the light of Bible prophecy in particular. Some history of Hibbs’ involvement in the Jesus Movement is also included.

I believe Pastor Hibbs’ ministry is just one example of some of the “good fruit” produced as a result of that historic move of God’s Holy Spirit that included, most notably, the Costa Mesa, CA, Calvary Chapel pastored by  Chuck Smith (featured prominently in the movie).

Fast-forwarding to this year, only time will reveal what spiritual seed will have been sown at Asbury University and whether or not it was real, counterfeit, or just a passing fad at a place known for hosting revivals in its long history.

But, as always, it will depend upon each individual’s choice for Christ, with or without mass movements, for we do not arrive at the proverbial pearly gates as a group.

And here is the best news: we don’t have to wait, anyway! (See related commentary: On Personal Spiritual Revival: How, Here, Now!)

And I wouldn’t wait.

For, as explained in the interview, we could well be at the door of the next prophetic event called the “Rapture” (a translation from the original, Latin, term), and that will change everything. This is just one of the topics featured.

GUEST FEATURE

~~~~~

*Here is basic summary regarding why and how to enter the family of believers in Jesus Christ: ABCs of Salvation 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Commentaries, end times news, end times spiritual survival, GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, most recent posts | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Features: Celeste Solum and a Deep Dive into a “Legion of RNA Nanobots” (bonus features: the power of intention behind words and notes on the Majesty of the God we serve…)

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Celeste Solum is perhaps one of the most brilliant and up-to-date researchers (for many years) of the injection of nano-sized technology into the human DNA, in my view.

Plus, she is expert at explaining information for non-scientific people (myself included).

If you like deep dives, enjoy.

Then follow up with a view of the first Bonus Feature: details on a study Solum cites (more information below)…

The second Bonus Feature is an inspirational musical feast that prompts one’s higher level thinker to consider the Creator of all things, all longings, all prompts…Who but the genesis of love, light, majesy, and beauty Himself. Continue reading

Posted in abuse, Commentaries, devotionals and commentaries featuring technology, free will, GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, most recent posts, spiritual transformation, technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

On Revivals, Part 3, and the Great Reset (Guest Feature by Keith Malcomson)

Part 1 https://pnissila.blog/2023/02/18/from-jesus-movement-to-asbury-revival-before-and-beyond/

Part 2 https://pnissila.blog/2023/02/25/more-on-the-jesus-movement-and-other-revivals-see-last-post-guest-feature-greg-laurie-interviews-chuck-smith-when-and-where-the-jm-began/

There are several preachers/teachers/pastors I check in on on a regular basis (besides my local pastor). One of them is Keith Malcomson of Limerick City Church, Limerick, Ireland.

As a listened to his presentation from 2020, in which he does a deep dive into the history of what the one-world government movement currently called “The Great Reset pertaining specifically to the financial element, Malcomson ends with expressing his hope for a last revival in this, what many prophecy teachers are calling “the end times,” that is to say, the “end of the Church Age” before the Rapture of the Church.

It struck me how relevant his  teaching from 2020 is just now, in 2023,  with the news of what took place recently at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY (see previous posts for more information and comments on that).

But whether or not this is that revival Malcomson mentions or it is some other, for many reasons it is another good reminder that anywhere, any time, any place, in public or private venues, every believer can come to the Lord God, or come back to Him, with a repentent heart and a spirit longing to be revived, refreshed, re-dedicated (or newly dedicated) to the “spiritual reset” aka becoming “born again” that God, in His love for each of us, longs for us all. Continue reading

Posted in GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, revival | Tagged , | Leave a comment

More on The Jesus Movement and Other Revivals (see last post) Guest Feature: Greg Laurie Interviews Chuck Smith (when and where the JM began)

The Jesus Movement of the 1960s-70s, aka the “Jesus Revolution,” like all such spiritual movements big and small, public and personal, arose/arises from the heart of God for each generation of hungry hearts for Him.

I pray that all of us who came to Christ or to a renewal in Christ back then will have “stayed the course,” a directive given to Pastor Chuck Smith, one of its leaders, from one of his mentors, just as I pray that all those in the first phase of the current “Asbury Revival” (also featured in the previous post) will stay the course today. 

And if we slide back for a season (temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil being as potent at they can be), I pray we come back home. Continue reading

Posted in Commentaries, GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, most recent posts, revival | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From Jesus Movement to Asbury Revival (before and beyond)

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

It seems that a Holy Spirit revival has broken out at the Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, that is to say, it has come to visible fruition from seeds planted by individual prayer warriors, and watered in small groups, prayer closets, and prayer meetings preparing the spiritual ground for many years.

I came to Christ at the tail end of the last noteworthy revival called the “Jesus Movement” back in the 1960s and 70s on the West Coast Continue reading

Posted in most recent posts | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

On The Trouble with Tay (the First AI Chatter Bot)

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Remember the original AI chatter bot? As in,

Tay

Bottay.ai

Tay was an artificial intelligence chatter bot that was originally released by Microsoft Corporation via Twitter on March 23, 2016; it caused subsequent controversy when the bot began to post inflammatory and offensive tweets through its Twitter account, causing Microsoft to shut down the service only 16 hours after its launch.

In my view, the story of Tay is more aptly described as “The Trouble with Tay,” and serves as a good metaphor for when the humans behind AI think they can, or will one day be able to, think and communicate like the God they wannabe–but can only hope to be–via their machines.

Continue reading

Posted in Commentaries, technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My Valentine to All from Here to Eternity

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

FROM THE POET TO THE WORLD

This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender Majesty

Her Message is committed
To Hands I cannot see—
For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen—
Judge tenderly—of Me

Emily Dickenson. This poem is in the public domain.

TO SINGLES Continue reading

Posted in encouragement in hard times, most recent posts, Valentine's Day themed | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Where Has All the Normal Gone? On “Grieving Fantasy Bonds…Fantasy Relationships”–Fantasy America? (Guest Feature)

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Where Has All the Normal Gone?

You hear a lot of people just now saying how much they miss “normal” America. Continue reading

Posted in GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, most recent posts, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation, survival tools | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

On the End of Both the Kraken and the Deep State

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Shared on a thread about the “deep state”:

The so-called Deep State brings to mind Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Kraken”: Continue reading

Posted in Bible/literary themes, elements, GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, most recent posts, spiritual survival | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Boston Dynamics’ Atlas shows off a new set of skills” yeah, but…

Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas shows off a new set of skills

Yeah but…

After reading a number of the responses from tekkies and real brains on various websites featuring this news on what Boston Dynamics has been up to since the dance competition, may I say how impressed I am, as always, by NI (Natural Intelligence) without which AI would never be able to, well, get off the ground.

And, of course, this only increases my awe of, and allegiance to, Continue reading

Posted in Commentaries, devotionals and commentaries featuring technology, GUEST and EMBEDDED FEATURES, humor, most recent posts, spiritual survival, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment