Reconsidering the 7 Mountain Mandate

So what we make of the so-called seven mountains mandates is a great biblical idea. Recent heretical stage for the line of fire with your host activist all the international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry getting to the line of fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH your Jim is Dr. Michael Brown. Well, it is a great joy today. Here's what I'm sure about. I'm sure it's today. I'm sure it's now I'm sure I'm doing the line of fire broadcast from the hundred percent sure about a lot of other things like what time of the date is what day of the week it is just getting back from Australia last night but it is a delight to be with you the phone numbers the same as always.

866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH 87884.

Anything you want to talk to me about all I might just end up talking about a whole variety of things. Especially if I get on a jetlagged tangent phone lines are open 866-34-TRUTH I do is speak briefly about the primaries yesterday was super Tuesday in the sensational and surprising showing by Sen. Joe Biden, former VP Joe Biden you want to talk about that want to talk briefly about coronavirus and then want to focus on the so-called seven mountains mandate what it really is with the proponents say this with the critics say it is with its biblical whether it's dangerous and and I want to put out a question for you right thinking call in on this as well.

I just posted this literally minutes ago on twitter immediately before we went live, so it's just got its first hundred something votes. In response, but I asked this question generally that the world will get better through the advance of the gospel before Jesus comes or will I get worse through apostasy or get better in some places worse than others. Soul will be kind of a combination of parallel extremes.

Great light here great darkness there God moving powerfully here Satan moving powerfully in a counterfeit way. Great events of the gospel great apostasy so those other choices and then I give four choices and the answer will get better with will get worse with will get better and worse and not sure glad to see that so far, only about 10% said not sure others willing to wait in their own viewpoint, 8664 truth quite so those of you that pray for laws away. Thank you, my profound appreciation to my colleague and friend Dr. Alex McFarlane for doing three whole days of guest host Alister Alex is terrific.

I'm sure you must buy the shows and then my coaster friend Scott Volk for doing her thoroughly Jewish Thursday show.

I'm sure you're blessed by that as well. But I miss being here with you live you will be pre-record special broadcast for you.

I miss being here live with you so so glad to be back what happened with my Australia trip is really while it ended up get this each direction from leaving my house to getting to the final destination going and basically from leaving to get to the front of the station coming back is about 100 hours round-trip about 50 hours in each direction so more than two days of travel in each direction to get Rob was going to get home.

I was there for about three days total. Not originally I was supposed be there, have a rest day when I arrived, and in six days of ministry and travel back and get back Monday night. First, there were flight cancellations that change things with the airline that we were using and because of that I ended up getting back Tuesday night instead of Monday nights a week was about 18 hours or so.

There and and then of the route each way is what was I flew from Charlotte North Carolina to JFK, New York City, write such short flight hour and 1/2. Some like that.

Then few hours layover there. Then about 15 1/2 hours from JFK to Hong Kong. This was the route for some reason then layover few hours there and a nine hour flight from Hong Kong to Sydney, then got in immediately went to sleep.

Spent the night there.

Got up first thing in the morning early in the morning literature. Brisbane arrived in Brisbane and it started ministering like an hour after I arrived there okay so that was about 52 hours from leaving my house to when I got there to minister then coming back. It was Brisbane to Sydney, spend a few hours there Brisbane to Hong Kong about sold out was what about 8/2 nine hours spend six hours in Hong Kong and I get to coronavirus in the moment. Consult euros in Hong Kong and then Hong Kong to Chicago is a 13 1/2 hours.

There and then catch a plane coming back my legs to make him fight and wait for the next flight for the lug. In any case, and then you got like I was 16 hour time differential so it's it was while but what happened was that my visa got held up in Australia there convinced that they held it up, evaluating whether to have me in because of might my social and cultural stance and things like that. The immigration attorney involved other said the thing was, got delayed and held up in any case because my visa got held up.

I couldn't get it. We couldn't file for the visa to the firefly things were not kept changing so we had to cancel first date, second or third day, I thought, I'm staying home. We recorded came into the studio recorded a two special messages to play in three different cities. This was different conference in the city. I thought all right, this is not going anywhere. I unpack my luggage preached a high-tech close out of the luggage at all and I thought okay when they downloaded a doubt Vincent just came through in time for Brisbane. These are the biggest meetings and three days of ministry there so all my friends that I've met. Now new friends in Australia so blessed by our time together.

Sorry I couldn't make it minister in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland New Zealand but I hope the messages we sent ahead were a blessing and thank you again.

Those that were there a beautiful special conference time together and in great time ministering at Rhema farm family church as well. So thanks for your hospitality and warmth. All right, all right, who saw this coming. Who saw not not simply Joe Biden winning the South Carolina primary on Saturday that was expected but who saw him winning the way that he won, and this is before member.

This is before Pete bridging and and or brigades. Sorry I'll get it right. One of these days before Mayor Pete dropped out before Amy Coburn char dropped out so that was before that right and and Mike Bloomberg just backed out now dropped out after super Tuesday, but who saw Biden winning South Carolina as trouncing only as he did, and then who saw him cleaning up the way he did on super Tuesday, and outnumbering centers is not out of it at all. It's it's a pitched battle from here on, but look, I am no political pundit when I comment on political things on social things.

It's it's from the viewpoint of being a believer, a cultural commentator from a biblical and spiritual point of view I I I am not a political expert okay I'm I'm not a political expert at all. So I am and in that regard. You know I'm I'm I'm looking at the primaries. Everything else the way you are non-salmon have insider information but even all the insider information people. No one saw it coming. The decisive victories by buying one after another. Don't remember for VP Biden has never won the primary had three political campaigns presents campaigns. He's never won a primary before and now what Erica and I meet he wins Texas. Bernie Sanders wins, other states in anyone's California but it is it it's some of the shifted dramatically. Was it was it one that the powers that be control things more than we realize. Within the political system. All right, so behind the scenes. There's a lot going on that's going to get votes out of Kurtzman out of the with those powers that be would be but I saw the op-ed piece in CNN that said it was the most dramatic sudden come from behind victory they've ever seen other words, no there there is time at the resurrection of Joe II thought Biden's lost coming week ago I thought is always landscaping looks like Bernie Sanders gonna make it. Maybe Bloomberg will come in knowing and be strong, but I thought no way and look like Bernie Sanders is rated it to take off running with this thing with that great grassroots support has a great enthusiasm from from individual donors and young people supporting him and he seems to have you was even older than Sen. Biden. He seems to have even more energy and the particulate on the campaign trail.

All this so okay there is the concern that the Democrats that we don't want to impress radical socialist every year you may have a few people getting house seats things like that. But the nation's ocular vote from. So there was patterns deafly all-out panic that Sanders could win and and there certainly is no way this can be trumped and obviously the whole goal for Democrats is to get Trump out right on the next historic thing to whoever's running the other side of the Republic and you got a Democrat, you will get there.

The Democrat outlets all the running for so the idea that Bernie Sanders could never be trumped. His views are too radical to come out the last debate did things suddenly change when he stood up for Fidel Castro in certain ways. You think shifted a little high. I just didn't see the shift that dramatic II expected to come in the weeks ahead and all-out anti-Bernie campaign. I expected to see that so so yes super Tuesday. The endorsements of those that dropped out at is standing with with Sen. Biden for VP Biden. Yes those definitely helped the question about but helped to the degree that it helped. It.

It's really interesting to see this note Sen. Warren still staying in there, but I the majesty of dropout you came third in her home state why stay unless you just want to get more debate time FaceTime things like that but who's gonna keep giving to the campaign funds do run out right so you soon that her dropping out will help us.

She was, not as radical as him, but certainly radical.

So is it is a can end up being Joe Biden against Donald Trump. Look who knows what tomorrow the world knows the way everything flip-flops who expected Donald Trump to get in on the eve of the elections and all the pulsing as I can happen in the shock remember watching that the complete shock as he can me. I know some of you were expecting to get in through your expecting to get in years earlier euro few years earlier. He said he's the man I understand, but the political pundits when I expected.

He got said and out Sanders will expect him to take off running away did. Probably not inspected by the Navy to be the front runner. Biden looks all but out now, boom. He's the front runner and and what let's say he gets in a brokered convention or something like that. Will the Sanders supporters rallied behind Joe Biden to take down Donald Trump will that the Biden supporters rallied behind Sanders if somehow he got it knows a big question marks.

There and who even knows me alive and breathing on on on that speculating a thesis you got nosed for any of us tomorrow what tomorrow holds. And you've got now three main front rotors are all men in their late 70s. So who the world knows what to expect all the more than should be pray for God's will pray for God's purpose to come to pass. Pray for the will of the father for America what is best for nation, Lord, bring it pass this wisdom to vote according to your plan, your will agree on a prayer like that. I never plan and it's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown Gagnon on be there or you want to treat this be the first time I think we ministered side-by-side so can't wait to be with him and then Dawsonville, Georgia, Sunday, Monday, I should be joining my good friend Eric with taxis in New York think on Wednesday. Come to live in the different shows ready for you so can't wait to be connect with you in different places in the days ahead.

866-34-TRUTH okay I do want to get to this question of will be will get better through the preaching of the gospel. What is the so-called seven mountains mandate is it good is it bad. I do want to get back to that in a moment a little bit more about the primaries and coronavirus and I'll take the caller to silk him. Or, you can be up next is to let you know not to go anywhere.

All right, so I understand that there could be a strong viewpoint that the only one that can possibly take down Donald Trump is from a Democrat siren in Tecumseh normally could possibly take him down the Joe Biden because he is not a radical socialist as is Bernie Sanders now for those of you who are conservative and to say well I just have problems with company level for Biden if abortion is a major issue. Just understand the Donald Trump in terms of stances is taken has been the most pro-life president in terms of activism, in our in our history.

And as far as Sen. Biden stands with all of the radical pro-abortion stances of the Democratic Party. Now Nancy and I were talking about this earlier today a similar gray Sanders Michaels with Warren they they are absolutely radical pro-abortion people there. There's no question about an and it's it's a deep conviction for them. My opinion Nancy feels assimilates is just opinion is that Sen. Biden's own views are not as radical but that he has espoused all of the radical views even moved away some of his views that were slightly less radical to spouse the most radical position of the Democratic Party.

Either way, you've got someone who say this is wrong. Understand when it comes to abortion. So if that's your pivotal issue for many of us as voters it is that's number one issue, then you still have a stark choice if it was Donald Trump versus Joe by Donald Trump versus those with Warren Donald Trump versus Mike Bloomberg Donald Trump versus Bernie Sanders, the choice would be just as radical and different one very strongly pro-life and the other whichever other. It was originally pro-abortion just to throw that out for you.

Let's continue to pray God your will dog you know what's best. And then we prayerfully vote according all right up one quick note about the coronavirus so when I got on the plane in JFK. It was Cathay Pacific so it's it's Chinese baster is a Hong Kong based but the announcements come on Chinese with things, captions things like that. Many many Asians on the plane. Men can use what I could tell. So get on the plane in JFK and all the flight attendants are wearing masks now it's customary. If you're in an airport in Seoul or in Tokyo or in Hong Kong. It's customary to see more people wearing facemasks then then you would see it in American airport or Western airport and it's it's not just to protect them from getting infected. But as I understand it, it's their way of protecting others was if I have a cold or flu or something like that or some contagious condition then I'll put the mask on public for the sake of others.

So you'll see more people with mass and you would've one of our airports, but of this was everybody on the flight crew and then probably 80+ percent of the people at the airport wearing masks and from what I can tell, most of the masks were not effective in terms of the type of mass that would keep the particles out which are basically invisible. Whatever it is, in fact, you and coronavirus being very very and for contagious. In any case you felt the weight of it being over there and went when you go through security they put something in a coaster for head and I asked him what was that for, and it was detected.

Check the temperature and see if you and fever. So there there checking rigorously and I got got a note from a pastor friend in in Milan, Italy, Milano they would sit and he said hey, pray for us.

We've not been able to use our church a building of we can use until December. March 15 it's been shut down psychic two week period because of concerns of public gatherings because of outbreak and in the long so you wonder how serious is this now. Every year tens of thousands of people die just from the flu and it's mainly those who are elderly or who have other physical issues, conditions going on at that time but I don't know what to make of it. Obviously I'm not a health expert and health experts differ is this going to be a pandemic. This can be something that runs rampant worldwide before there is an effective vaccine for is at the second happen or is being overplayed Sean Boltz a prophetic brother said that the Lord visited him and showed him that this is going to end quickly in answer to the prayers of God's people all I would an article things as were these in time. Difficult plagues that plaintiffs are being absently not but some would be taken seriously how seriously Outlook.

I am the type that is the eternal optimist so I'm always just expecting the best. Believing the best I take care of myself carefully among the Hong Kong airport put a mask on.

Just of a mystery. I'll do it. And even in Australia, a colleague copy the woman supposed to be that the type and 95 to something like that. That's the most effective to wear and I got disinfectant.

So every time I touch something you know is wash my hands and remember… To touch the handrailing on the escalators but not in the airport for hours and hours and hours on the plane for hours and hours and hours tens of hours to so I try to be conscientious, but I I'm just I'm not expecting some pandemic but that's also my mentality, so use wisdom and pray for mercy. That's the obvious right.

Let's go to the phones at Tim in Oklahoma. Thanks for holding welcome to the line of fire. Figure welcome. My question is I have written Brandon Road that are in don't believe that the order wonder basically live at the lifetime of the original 12 titles and authors of the Bible.

They don't believe that the note because of the gift of prophecy.

Words of knowledge for today and I also one or believes that the gift of tongues is only for the gospel to someone in a different language that you don't understand and I'm just like the perfect rebuttal.

My position you know I continue beside my own personal. Like something biblical yet, but we better number one your best rebuttal is the Bible. Plain and simple. Their position with respect to them as brothers in the Lord is 100% on biblical without an ounce without a letter of scriptural support has 100% zero scriptural support and it is a historical on top of it so here's right encourage you to start listening to the broadcast from Monday okay the store there. It's called solo script Torah and therefore charismatic is just very, very simple biblical arguments looking at things distorting their what the Bible actually says so solo script Torah and therefore charismatic. That was the show from Monday. We point out that Paul says eagerly desire prophecy don't don't forbid speaking in tongues you have mandates pray for the sick.

Things like that and I demonstrated nowhere in the Bible settle return so it's like I give you directions okay. Tim will which you need to do is this is a really long highway here was for hundreds of miles you go straight until I tell you something different.

Okay well that I tell you something different, you will start making turns the same thing.

The Bible tells us don't forbid tongues earnestly seek prophecy. Pray the prayer of faith for the sick prayer for the faith make this a personal etc. lays all that out and never says anything against infected says that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with prophecy and dreams and visions will be for the period of the last days, which is will ring now that's one thing go through that second thing is in that show. I also give historical examples where I show here's the second century there talk about miracles prophecies healings resurrections third century there talk about it for century on some of the major church leaders are talking about from Justin Martyr to Augustine talk about the miracles.

So we have historical proof that these things continued and then if you want to get into it in greater depth get my book authentic fire. Authentic fire. It's a response to John MacArthur strange fire.

Authentic fire's number one social tour show from yesterday from Monday rather all and then in that show. Also, I quote from various church leaders that the gifts continue.

The second thing third thing my book authentic fire right. I have a whole chapter so Scripture therefore charismatic I get into the sleeping greater greater depth. Okay. And then the fourth thing about tongues is read through first Corinthians 14 with them.

Paul says when you speak in a tongue, no one understands but your spirit speaks mysteries to God.

Your own mind is understand and that you need an interpreter present meaning someone who has that gift is the gift of interpretation. Only the gift of Richard natural language and then outside of asked to. There is no example anywhere of of of preaching the gospel through tongues is not the purpose of the next 10 that's not the purpose of it. Next 19 is a one time event and ask a sick child like Tim. I hope that helps. That information just what you need anything perfectly all respect sensations, brothers and sister exist… File the line of fire with your host Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. I live live in the where I am in our studio but we just completed the hundred hour round trip to Australia for so four days of travel for three days of ministry, there, and where was the last few days Brisbane. It's now 632 in the 633 in the morning, ceramics 333 Wednesday afternoon in Brisbane at 632 Thursday morning. That's why say I am somewhere sometime yet trying to catch up. Get on normal schedule, but delighted to be with you as you prayed lives and in Australia ministry. Thank you so much. It was a wonderful blessed time with some wonderful believers there and thanks again to Dr. McFarlane for hosting three whole days for me in the midst of his busy schedule and Scott full taken today. Thanks element so much. All right, the 7-Up mandate. What is it is a good is it bad is it biblical or is it heretical, silk, what exactly is the seven Mountain mandate. Let's go to one website that presents it in a positive way generals.or board and it speaks of the of the seven mountains of societal influence and according to the general international website. In 1975 Bill Bright, founder of campus Crusade Lauren Cunningham, founder of youth with a Mission developed a God-given world changing strategy there mandate to bring godly change to a nation by reaching its seven spheres or mountains of societal influence. They concluded that in order to truly transform any nation with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The seven facets of society must be reached.

Religion, family, education, government, media arts and entertainment business. No words Bill Bright and Lauren Cunningham to the most respected missions outreach leaders of of this generation. Last generation that they said if you're really going to make an impact on the country.

You can't just win individuals to the war, but you also have to seek to impact all of these other areas now the common sense love you say well yeah that that makes good sense. In other words, should should we have Christian influence in the schools or should we just give the schools over to the world. Should we have Christian influence in the media or should we just give the media over to the world you have Christian influence in the government or should we just give the government over to the wall that it absolutely makes sense. So yeah common sense you could say that sounds right now. Others were given to be some negative assessments in a moment I here's what Aust Hillman has to say. He recounts this as well and Aust.

Hillman is on his website is talking about this. Reclaiming the seven mountains of culture in the first part of the article he says in 1975, Bill Bright, founder of campus Crusade Lauren Cunningham under view through the mission had lunch together in Colorado seekers in further detail. God simultaneously gave each of them a message to give to the other about a month later, the Lord showed Francis Schaeffer the same thing.

So in other words, according to this report.

These were things that were dropped in their hearts from the Lord. Right and as Lauren Cunningham explains it. Pieces look we can be missionaries.

Let's go. Let's impact infiltrate the seven areas of society we can be missionaries with the word missionary means one sent in the one sent to Jesus. If your lawyer in a legal office.

Your sense of God. So you're in the Lords of missionaries there resent to be his mission or if you're in a Hollywood or you working as a dentist work is a doctor everything you do you can do for the glory of God. You may be in the area, food services, the Bible says in Zechariah 1420 that even the cooking pots will be called holy to the Lord. Obviously, millennial picture that's food services, but afterwards everything is transform or transportation everything from a bus driver to an airplane pilot or a car dealer, whatever it is that it says even the veils of horses will be called holy to the Lord so in other words, if the and goal. The end result of of the preaching of the gospel and the coming of the kingdom of God, however, that works out is that the whole world will be made holy to the Lord. Should we work towards that. In the here and now and and why just figure okay I'm in this world and I get to get as many people could save this possible, but the save will never have an impact when Army grieved over a lot of the direction in America. And don't we know that God's ways are better than if we can set a good example in marriage and family that if we can get godly professors, godly teachers. It will be for the betterment of society that if we can get godly police officers and godly lawyers and and godly newscasters and godly producers and directors and godly sports figures to be good examples that in all these different ways we can serve and make a positive impact should we do that and then want that in turn make it easier to spread the gospel to others.

In other words, if the world system around us is not so hostile.

Then want it be easier for us to share the gospel more readily and and to make disciples and then as disciples were salt and relight and therefore we live differently right, why not. So that's that's one view one perspective, not let me give you the negative assessment the God questions website is a wonderful place to go with tremendous information on many, many biblical questions that it's not good on charismatic issues. Okay, it's definitely anti-charismatic.

In my view, lacking there, but in many other ways. Terrific website go to website many ways than others. I have cautioned okay so God questions website. What is the seven Mountain mandate and is it biblical so here's the description they offer the seven Mountain mandate for the seven Mountain prophecy as an anti-biblical and damaging movement that is gained a following and some charismatic and Pentecostal churches. Those who follow the seven Mountain mandate believe that in order for Christ to return to earth. The church must take control of the seven major spheres of influence in society for the glory of Christ.

Once the world has been made subject to the kingdom of God. Jesus will return and rule the world's agenda seven mountains, or education, religion, family, business, government/military arts/entertainment and media, and according to Aust Hillman and others Bill Bright one. Cunningham got this at the same time to share with them another and then not long after Francis Schaeffer great philosopher and prophetic voice couple generations back that that he got the same burden and vision. Okay, so it is it is a takeover is at the church must take over these realms and Christianize them before Jesus can return the very different view and obviously one that you would call dangerous certainly set lit. Let's look at some of the websites that present this in a critical way that are hostile and that allege this is part of the so-called nor new apostolic Reformation.

A complete takeover of here's website.

Deception bites be why TES and it speaks of a strong delusion. New apostolic Reformation again. I've commented on this.

What's accurately reported about the so-called NAR and what's a myth, but according to this they want power, dominion, and total control. They truly believe that the world is what he fulfillment of a takeover by militant church shows only that will arise. Government dominate the word politically world politically and spiritually. This is a highly organized group of global tender is been well thought out will strategize and will be implemented with military precision. The grid is in place or futures plan okay. Number one. Whoever does hold today whoever is trying to do that. I categorically rejected as on biblical I 100% rejected believe that view is just represented their is very dangerous. We said again. I categorically rejected wholeheartedly. I rejected biblically and practically it is absolutely wrong and absently false. Absolutely misguided, affecting said I don't know a single leader that wants to do that they may be out there but I don't know a single one. If you say Brown you know them get what, then, they've never shared that with me it's never come up in a single conversational prayer meeting or or or conference setting or anything I've the only ones I've heard present like that are the critics. It was just like when the the left-wing radical left media presents are conservative Christian abuses. If our whole goal was to take over the whole world and forcibly in and that were going to do in all the trumpets are as our Savior.

Figure know that's their perception or the far right media, miss, miss perceiving a miss representing with someone on the left is doing. So if anyone holds to that. Yeah, I categorically rejected.

I just don't know anyone does here. Let's look at one more example of a negative assessment. This is of let's see which blog on pathos.com fraternities only set the name of I guess for infernal use on so sorry dominion is him in America. Part five. The seven mountains mandate a right so there's another example that this is part of the dominion asked movement Whitesell what we to make of this. Let's let's just step back and assess if you simply mean the goal is to be good witnesses in every area of society, but to do it consciously and consciously, conscientiously, so it's intentionally and with with planning right.

Here's how we can impact all the places where we work and live through the gospel. Of course we should want to do that which is considering to complain about what's wrong is a world of bear terrible without seeking a better there is so much hunger out that will let's try to help feed the hungry man is so much poverty will what can we do to help alleviate that manna schools are corrupt, okay, what can we do that while political systems mess okay. What can we do to help, but we do it primarily through preaching the gospel of the beast disciples would sink. We all embrace that even if the world gets worse.

Worst of the shine like light in the midst of it and do our part. So if it's about being missionaries in an intentional way and each for your society.

Great if you believe that through the preaching of the gospel the whole world will become Christian before Jesus returns. When I was the position of Jonathan Edwards. That was the position of Charles Finney and they believe that all the institutions of the world would ultimately become Christian. Not by a takeover by the advance of the gospel.

Let's call post-millennialism right so that view, although it's not my own view, the something heretical about right great Christian leader to the centuries have held to that you it's it's going down a popularity 20th century with the two world wars it's it's reviving a little bit now, but the idea that the world's getting better and better to the preaching of the gospel. Many afflicted.

That said, that's not the case. You look at the crises in the world surrounding us and we see that Scripture I don't see in Scripture either. But the idea that through the preaching of the gospel, the whole will become Christian.

After which Jesus will return his call post-millennialism. I don't hold to that the son heretical right.

The idea that the church will somehow take over that there will be an aggressive takeover and is part of some global Christian agenda. First, it's, it's not a global organized Christian agenda first thing.

But secondly, wherever it exists. If it does exist.

I categorically reject that view. We have a serve serving have an influence not forcibly take over the IM.org it's the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 66343 here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Thanks, friends or are Brown so glad to be back home a few days after a very intense the travel time back and forth to Australia. Thanks for praying and trust me, I miss be alive on the radio with you very, very much. It's one of my great joys if I could this be live hours every day talking to you I would do it so thank you for praying standing with us and can't wait to be digging in this week and next. With lots of special broadcasts in your calls and is there some special guests as well' to it. I will come to a financing in a moment is a think about the monies that are given to political candidates. A limit revisit that the moment but I'm in the midst of a pole in the midst of a pole and twitter and I posted right before radio started. So we've got less than an hour of responses to just the first few hundred votes in so far but I want to read this to you, give you the results, and then give you an interesting comment from my friend Dr. James White. I asked do you believe that the world will get better to the advance of the gospel before Jesus comes, will get worse through apostasy will get better in some places Morrison others so as of this moment first 318 votes. Only 9.4% so less than one intensive better, though, said not sure less than 10%. There 8.2, since even lower number there some most data and opinion.

Over 90% have an opinion but 39.9 so, roughly 4/10 said it's going to get worse. Just like it going to worse. However, 42.5% so slightly better than for intensive better and worse. That's my own people.

This phone person because it was amazingly continue move lazily around the world. This, on one hand the other hand, that this can be great Wallace's rebellion, apostasy so my views would be better and worse that there here's here's what's interesting. Dr. White posted this question here right and he said how would any of us have answered this question. July 10 1349 living almost anywhere in Europe right so when did John Huston live all right. One of the early great reformers. He was let's see, 1369 through 14, 15, James is question 1349.

Whitesell, who was born July 10 1349 what major event happened. James's point is how the world look that the world has in many ways become much much more Christian right. The world has has grown in terms of numbers of believers. Yes, a lot of evil wickedness and terrible suffering all over the planet.

Yes, we understand that and and the there's a shortage of evil players in the world today. There is no shortage of evil on the other hand, through the spread of the gospel. Large parts of the world that were entirely Muslim or animist or caught up another false religion have ever turned to the Lord for some of it needs to go deeper. Some of it superficial, but there is a lot of amazing stuff happening more Christian growth in the last 50 years than any time in church history before your last 50 years, and combined century after century after century after century seemed far more growth for more of the Bible getting out to the world. Whitesell it if you ask this question hundreds and hundreds of years ago there might've been the perception yeah it's just getting worse and so dark and then you think what's happened since then have the gospel spread yet, maybe many ways America has gotten much worse than it was in the past and anyways Europe is gotten much worse. But then there was a time before the gospel spread through your prefer the gospel was brought to America when things were even worse in those respects.

Note Europe today as it is in bad shape spiritually but it was even worse shape before the gospel can or you might say it's worse because this is post-Christian. We can debate that, but the point of the matter is Africa is in much better shape now spiritually that was 100 years ago Asia is in much better shape now that was 100 years ago, spiritually speaking. Same with Latin America and and in different parts of the Muslim world. Even though Islam is growing rapidly and is grown exponentially in the last hundred years of the fact is that the gospel is growing powerfully in the midst of Islam. So it's it's an interesting question in terms of why we expect the world to get better or worse. One view is the great commission will succeed and we will make disciples of the nations that the nations will be primarily Christian or entirely that there is a multitude that no one could number that spoken of as a safe, redeem the book of Revelation elsewhere.

Revelation speaks of an army of 200 million people suffering counted 200 million this multibillion could number, obviously, God knows exact number, but that's the following 200 million people is billions and billions and billions right and and then you could say well the little bit of Levin that that is put in in Joel and then it just everything that leverages it well that's a picture wickedness spreading throughout his love is always negative.

You can say it's normally negative here in the parable of Jesus with the before cakes in the mix with love and how they grow and grow and grow, that that's a picture of the spread of the gospel spread the kingdom. I so there's one view this is know that the gospel will succeed in going throughout the entire world and it will either get better and better until Jesus comes or will actually usher in a glorious rain through the gospel with the gospel fully succeeds in the whole world is filled with the knowledge of the glory the Lord as the waters cover the sea sets up my own view amount of post-millennialist, but there are Christians who felt sincere. Jonathan Edwards regret this. The Christian history Institute website, and I don't have this to put up on screen 40 for those watching but Jonathan Edwards the 1703 1758. Here's here's what he expected Edwards envision the millennium is the church's triumphant state account of Sabbath rest in peace. He expected to be a time of great advance knowledge with the divine. When neither divine or human learning shall be confined in prison within only two or three nations of Europe, it shall be diffused all of the world can look forward to a time of great holiness. When visible, wickedness shall be suppressed everywhere and true holiness shall become general, though not universal in time of great prosperity regarding Constantine serotype of the greater reality to come so we also expected the millennium to be atomic true religion would be held in great esteem and saints would rule on all fronts had expected to happen quote. This is work that will be accomplished by means of the preaching of the gospel in the use of the ordinary means of grace and show shall be gradually brought to pass in God's spirit shall be gloriously poured out for the wonderful revival and propagation of religion. Charles Finney 1792, 18, 50, 75, Charles Finney allegedly said at one point that the church will do her duty. The millennium may come in this country in three years and Essex explain this late in the years before the Civil War to unprecedented evangelical social and religious reform temperance antislavery piece women's rights education as well as dramatic expansion of home for initial because Finney and others had this vision that the church can transform society. They gave themselves to through the preaching of the gospel coupled with good works. So I am absolutely all for doing it through the preaching of the gospel coupled with good works to do the very best we can to bring about the maximum change here while were here, let's do good right while were here. Let's be a blessing while we here let's serve on the other hand, as I read Scripture. No, I don't see everything getting worse. I understand how you can read that read the book of love Revelation other slick verses that it's all going downhill and getting worse, you look around in our society today think that's the case with Europe and think that's the case so understand that viewpoint and many who hold to dispensational theology are all millennial views leave that everything is getting worse and darker. Not everyone in those Steps, but many do I understand where you're coming from scripturally as well.

But as I understand and and again we we see through a glass darkly in terms of the future and working all this out.

As I understand it, we can have parallel extremes on your great lie and have great darkness that have great outpouring in our great apostasy say how can that be will right now it's right in one part of the world and darken another right there words about a rise and shine your light is communal to Israel that that gross darkness will cover the earth but God's light will rust on Israel. So you can have situations like that. You're the all-out battle where the righteous are righteous and the wicked, wicked, and I see Jesus speak about the harvest is the end of the age. The harvest is the end of the age so you can have a great catch fish, some good some bad that the outpouring of the Spirit is prophesied until the end of the age and also the evil people will become more evil that the antichrist will rise up and deceive much of the world. So, my own view is better and worse, and that so far the majority's response on twitter, but I think it's a really good question to say okay let's go back in history and ask it in the late 1700s the early 1700s. What would our perception year 1000 our perception of it certainly does been massive gospel growth in the last thousand years, hundreds and hundreds of millions, billions actually come to know the Lord. That's great progress in other ways. Laura's wickedness being able to use the Internet to export the worst of our nature and stuff is got much worse. Here's what we do know what we know for sure is recalled to live holy lives before the war and to honor him and glorify him. Regardless of what happens in the world runs. We are called to do good. We know that for sure. We are called to shine like lights in dark places. We are called to pray for the coming of God's kingdom and we are called to preach the gospel when the lost and make disciples that much we know, this let the future take care of itself. As we live for God today effective offense