FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

of the evangelist’s ministry back into the Church and the results are historically known as the Great Awakening.

With the evangelist ministry again came accompanying supernatural signs and wonders. John Wesley wrote about some of these in his journal: “ No sooner had he [George Whitefield] begun … to invite all sinners to believe in Christ than four persons sunk down close to him, almost in the same moment. One of them lay without sense or motion. A second trembled exceedingly. The third had strong convulsions all over his body, but made no noise unless by groans. The fourth, equally convulsed, called upon God with strong cries and tears. ” from John Wesley’s journal July 7th, 1739. When George Whitefield was considering forbidding such expressions he was advised, “ Let them cry. It will do a great deal more good than your preaching .” Lady Huntington wrote to him. “ From this time on, I trust, we shall allow God to carry on His own work in the way that pleases Him .” John Wesley’s journal July 7th, 1739. During the revivals of the early nineteenth century, known as the Second Great Awakening, many supernatural signs followed the preaching of evangelists. Concerning Charles Finney, one of the most notable: “ The next day was spent in visiting from house to house and conversing with the people about their spiritual needs. A powerful revival followed, which was characterized to some extent by emotional outbursts similar to those witnessed under the preaching of Jonathan Edwards. A woman fell down speechless at the close of a service and was carried from the house in a sort of trance in which she remained sixteen hours, emerging at last with a song of deliverance upon her lips. On another occasion a man, who had taken an oath to kill Finney and had armed himself with a loaded pistol to accomplish his purpose, fell from his seat, crying out, ‘I am sinking into hell.’ After a sleepless night he too experienced joy and peace in believing. Men of the strongest nerves were so affected that they had to be carried home by their friends .” Historically we have seen an increase of the supernatural signs and wonders surrounding the evangelist ministry as it has continued to be restored to the Church. A dramatic increase came during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the time of the Azusa Avenue revival

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