In an interview with Fox Information Digital, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, talking by phone, mentioned it’s no accident that on the identical time that Asbury School in Kentucky performed host to a Christian revival amongst 1000’s of individuals (which has since spilled over to further places), so, too, has the runaway hit movie “Jesus Revolution” come out — serving to to encourage and lead hundreds of thousands extra individuals again to a spot of religion, perception and hope.

“In case you have been a skeptic,” mentioned Rodriguez, “you’d label this as a coincidence. However in case you’re an individual of religion — you see this as divine windfall. It could possibly’t be a coincidence.”

He added, “God is in cost. God is as much as one thing. And that is the good information.”

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Rodriguez, based mostly in Sacramento, California, is senior pastor at New Season Church. 

He mentioned he finds what is going on on proper now to “be unbelievably attention-grabbing,” he mentioned. 

“Throughout COVID,” he mentioned, “Gallup and Pew had surveys out concerning the ‘Z Technology’ and the way it’s essentially the most so-called ‘unChristian technology’ — some have even deemed it essentially the most anti-Christian technology in American historical past. Properly, how about that? Then God exhibits up — and we’ve got the Asbury revival, and we’ve got this emphasis on generational change and the way a multitude can change into a miracle.”

College students elevate their fingers throughout a chapel service at Asbury College in Kentucky, which noticed individuals attending from everywhere in the nation.  (Asbury College )

Once more, he added, “It could possibly’t be a coincidence. God is as much as one thing. That is why I really imagine that America’s mess is about to change into God’s miracle.”

There’s been “anarchy, chaos, crime and violence,” he mentioned. There’s been the COVID pandemic. There have been “so many issues,” he added — a lot craziness. 

Folks have even requested themselves “whether or not we’re residing in a film script, an alternate universe. And but God mentioned, within the midst of all that, ‘Let me present you who’s actually in cost.’”

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Rodriguez famous, “You will have younger individuals hungry for spirituality, for authenticity, for fact in a world filled with fluidity and relativism at this time. There is a technology hungry for fact and one thing that’s strong. So I like the truth that God, with a wink and a nod, says, ‘Yeah, positive, you guys assume you are in cost? And you actually assume I am now not concerned? Let me present you who’s really in cost and who’s on the throne.'”

Pastor Rodriguez mentioned this isn’t simply concerning the Asbury revival. 

“It is what occurring throughout the nation.”

Folks had mentioned, he emphasised, “that Christians and followers of Jesus wouldn’t come again to church after COVID, that church buildings would lose 30% of their attendance. And now, rapidly, we’re listening to of explosions in church attendance throughout the nation, even in California,” he mentioned.

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“I imply, go determine,” he mentioned. “So what’s it?”

There are individuals hungry, he mentioned, for religion, for spirituality. He mentioned to recall John 1:5 — as a result of “gentle shines into darkness, and darkness won’t ever overcome the sunshine.” 

“God exhibits up. And says, ‘I obtained this. All you need to do is name upon me.'”

And “that is why I really imagine that household messes will change into God’s miracles, generational messes will change into God’s miracles and private messes will change into God’s miracles.”

He mentioned this isn’t simply “a contented, completely satisfied message. We do not deny the truth that there are messes. We have a look at what’s occurring in America with the fentanyl disaster. There are over 100,000 individuals — primarily younger individuals — lifeless on account of the infiltration of this drug into our nation, coming in from the southern border.”

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, based mostly in California, is among the nation’s most distinguished Hispanic religion leaders. Fox Information Digital spoke with him as he traveled to the East Coast just lately.   (NHCLC.org)

He famous the crime drawback in Chicago, in Oakland, in New York Metropolis and so many different main cities throughout America. “We’re disarray, we’re households with no father determine in 78% of African American properties, we’re so many different points in America — together with political disarray and discord. And we ask, ‘Is there a solution?’”

And but, within the midst of this, “on this chasm — God exhibits up. And says, ‘I obtained this. All you need to do is name upon me. And I’ve obtained this.'”

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And that is the place “we, as a church,” he added, “must cease the whining and the moaning and the complaining — and we’ve got to get out of the fetal place. God shouldn’t be coming again for a defeated church, a damaged church, a whiny church. He is coming again for an excellent church, in response to the Apostle Paul.”

So “we actually must reveal the glory of Jesus to a damaged world,” mentioned Rodriguez.

That’s what “prompted me,” he mentioned, “to put in writing this new e book. Perceive who you’re. Let’s put off perpetual victimization mode — and let’s apply the truth that we’re conquerors in Christ. We are able to actually change issues with fact, love, hope and style.”

Kelsey Grammer stars as Pastor Chuck Smith within the new hit movie, “Jesus Revolution.” Stated Pastor Rodriguez concerning the movie in addition to the non secular revival occurring at school campuses and elsewhere proper now, “God is in cost. God is as much as one thing. And that is the good information.” (Dan Anderson/Lionsgate)

What about all those that really feel insufficient or imperfect or unable to achieve this understanding?

Rodriguez did not mince phrases. “You imply all of us? We’re all imperfect. We’ve all sinned and fallen quick. That is us. That is each one among us. And that is the great thing about the gospel.”

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He mentioned additional, “No matter the place the mess got here from, God has not simply the ability however the dedication to show our mess right into a miracle. All he says is, ‘Imagine in me. Give me not simply your desires, however your nightmares. I will deal with the remainder.”

“As soon as you start rising and maturing in your religion, you then start to glimpse the brand new life God has for you.”

The speaker, film producer, bestselling creator and president of the Nationwide Hispanic Christian Management Convention has a brand new e book out in April referred to as “Your Mess, God’s Miracle” (Baker Books, April 2023). 

Inside Hughes Auditorium at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. Stated Pastor Rodriguez to Fox Information Digital, “Nearly something that grows additionally wants gentle, together with your spirit as you stroll by religion in God’s gentle.” (Nikolas Lanum/Fox Information)

And in it, he says, amongst different issues, “How usually will we notice that our eager for extra of God in our lives is already current and out there? We miss out on seeing what we’ve got within the current as a result of we live conditionally sooner or later.”

But “God has already given us all we want and extra.”

Now, learn this unique excerpt from the brand new e book, ‘Your Mess, God’s Miracle’

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez: Nearly something that grows additionally wants gentle, together with your spirit as you stroll by religion in God’s gentle.

“For you have been as soon as darkness, however now you’re gentle within the Lord. Dwell as kids of sunshine” (Ephesians 5:8). 

As soon as you start rising and maturing in your religion, you then start to glimpse the brand new life God has for you. Your new life in Christ permits God to satisfy all He has created you to be. 

“It doesn’t matter what has occurred in your life, God can use that soil — even the rocky, thorny, shallow soil of your previous — to develop you past something you may think about.”

If you reside with out the ability of the Spirit, you diverge from God’s plan on your life.

If you reside within the energy of the Spirit, you expertise God’s greatest on your life. 

In God’s Phrase, He tells us, “Earlier than I shaped you within the womb I knew you, earlier than you have been born I set you aside” (Jeremiah 1:5). 

Equally, we see the psalmist acknowledge that “you made all the fragile, inside elements of my physique and knit me collectively in my mom’s womb” (Psalm 139:13 NLT). 

It doesn’t matter what has occurred in your life, God can use that soil — even the rocky, thorny, shallow soil of your previous — to develop you past something you may think about. 

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“‘For I do know the plans I’ve for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They’re plans for good and never for catastrophe, to present you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT). 

You’re no accident, my good friend. You’re the son or daughter of the King of kings.

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From “Your Mess, God’s Miracle” by Samuel Rodriguez, April 2023 (Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, bakerpublishinggroup.com). Copyright © 2023 by Samuel Rodriguez. Utilized by permission of the writer.