From "My Beloved Made A Whip"
Last night at the historic revival of the great revivalist Todd Bentley, a 5-foot-tall male angel named Hugh Mility appeared and then disappeared, all in a matter of seconds. Evidently, as soon as Hugh arrived near the back of the stadium, the angel Emma kicked him out, saying, “We’ll never advance the kingdom with you around. When you appear, people start getting content, obedient, lowly, meek, and all nice to each other, and today’s the day of spiritual aggression and fervor...
Read the rest of this story HERE
Monday, June 30, 2008
Angel Named “Hugh” Appears at Lakeland Revival
Sunday, June 29, 2008
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES: The BEST Christians by FAR!
I never thought that I would say what I am about to say. I never would have said this to anyone before, perhaps even if a gun was pointed at my head! I know that not many of my readers will believe this is coming from me, but I must say it. And the really unbelievable thing is that I actually MEAN it!
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE THE BEST CHRISTIANS IN THE UNITED STATES!
That's right! And I have come to believe it with all of my heart.
I recently posted an article based on a Pew Forum study which polled 35,000 Americans on matters of their faiths and religions.
In that article Jehovah's Witnesses are overwhelmingly shown to do more "Christian" activity and believe more "Christian" doctrine than ALL Protestant Christians in America combined!
PREPARE TO BE SHOCKED AND ASHAMED:...
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Friday, June 27, 2008
TODD BENTLEY: God said "Knee that cancer patient in the gut"
The video below is from a man named Stefan Driess... start the video at 4:03 to see Todd Bentley knee him in the stomach. Now, mind you, Mr. Driess idolizes Mr. Bentley as a "man of God" so Todd could have literally punched him in the nose and Mr. Driess would have taken it as a gift from God. (Notice Todd's Pro Wrestler move of slapping his knee first!)
Now I don't know who this next guy is, but I truly feel sorry for him. The guy is dying, looking to Todd for confirmation or a finalizing of his miracle healing of "stage IV metastatic colon cancer". He felt a "quiver" in his abdomen and believed God was doing something so he went on stage with Todd.
The video is painful to me, both from the poor guy's perspective AND from Todd's perspective. What/who's voice did Todd hear that told him to knee this guy in the gut? Todd believes he was being "obedient to the Lord"... but was it really the Lord who told him to get a running start and knee the guy?
God's word never gives example of anyone being healed by someone inflicting physical pain upon them. And when did any Biblical healer ever have to explain to the "healee" why he caused them physical pain? You never heard Peter say: "Master, why doth thou pile-drive the lame and the sick?" You never heard Jesus say: "Ye of little faith; Demons of lameness will not be loosed my much prayer and fasting alone!" I AM NOT JOKING HERE! Where are Todd Bentley's "voices" originating?
Why this poor guy kept smiling I really don't know. I guess he is sadly deceived, or maybe he was simply struggling to cover his true feelings, emotional and physical.
Note how he grunts and lets out a moan when Todd knees him.
Why not pray right now for this guy. Odds are he still has stage IV metastatic colon cancer... and maybe some new soreness to go along with it thanks to the "goodness of Todd".
Thursday, June 26, 2008
JESUS APPEARED TO ME... and He Was NO "Gentleman"!
Jesus is EVERYWHERE these days!
LOOK HERE! Todd Bentley saw Jesus! (or at least his human, bambi-eyed, ephod-and-sandal-wearing, ten-rainbow-projecting form)
LOOK THERE! She saw Jesus! (or at least His floating, crown-of-thorns-wearing bodyless head!)
LOOK EVERYWHERE! They saw Jesus embedded in their door! Jesus came to inhabit his dinner! There's Jesus is in this guy's LUNGS!
And when a few friends went out drinking, there Jesus was on a BEER BOTTLE! Jesus even halfway appeared in this guy's disgusting BATHROOM! (See Matthew 24:23)
And now, the most technologically advanced appearance of Jesus has caused another sensation... Jesus appears in a woman's WOMB! (with more video HERE)
That's right! According to Mom & Dad,...
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...Jesus appeared in Mom's uterus and cuddled up right beside their unborn baby!
...or not.
Why is it that people will look EVERYWHERE for Jesus except where He can be found!
We've been given the greatest gift possible. The Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt among us! And by God's provision, He still dwells among us in The Word!
The Bible contains EVERYTHING we will ever know about Him until we pass over death's threshold into Life with Him in His ACTUAL Glorious Presence...
The "glory" that Todd Bentley proclaims has "fallen" every night in Lakeland is a cheap, whoreish counterfeit of the REAL presence of God that I experience!
It's really easy to have a visitation from the Lord! It's simple to have a real life manifestation of His glorious presence! Just open your Bible to any verse. Perhaps Romans 8:31-34
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us"!
WOW! I just saw The WORD! He SPOKE to me!
Now listen, I've got some news for you. Jesus ISN'T really polite like everyone says He is. Jesus is not much of a "gentleman" at all! In fact He REALLY gets into your business! He digs through your drawers and searches through your bookshelves. He pulls out all of that stuff that you hide and keep secret and He demands that you do something about it! Jesus is really amazingly jealous ... and He always demands first place! Not many people like that about Him.
In fact, you know all that stuff that you hide in your drawers and hidey-holes? Well you do a pretty good job of taking care of it! You nurture it. You feed it. You coddle it.
I know, I know,... you SAY you hate it, but you sure do baby it! In fact, Jesus said that you really love it more than Him! (Matt 19:16-22)
You LOVE what you hide in your drawer or safe or hideaway and yet you also try to get all lovey-dovey with Jesus! Do you really think that He doesn't KNOW what you really love?
Yeah,... He's jealous. And I've gotta say, I think He's right!
We say we "love His presence" but when we're tired of church we sure look forward to getting back to our little hiding place later to brush and stroke our sin! After we've spent two entire hours "rockin' Jesus' name" at church, Jesus has surely had enough of our time!
The fact is, that we only REALLY want His presence on OUR time? When WE decide to give Him some "quality time" on Sunday morning we sure want Him to "show up"... in fact sometimes we "demand" it!
But on Tuesday night? Jesus' presence is "not-so-wanted" when it's time for our favorite show!
What if Jesus demanded the Manifest Presence of YOU? Would you be available...every day... every hour... or would you just get mad after awhile? How long would it take before Jesus started cutting into your "personal time"?
Why must you see some apparition in your bedroom to feel close to Jesus? What about Matthew 28:20? Has He not promised... "I am with you always, even to the end of the world."?
What else do you need? Why must a glowing figure appear in front of your bed for you to "feel close" to Him?
Think carefully about this for a minute! Do you REALLY want Jesus to suddenly appear in your kitchen or bedroom? Can you honestly say that you'd desire His hanging out in your house while you do (or watch) whatever you do (or watch) in your living room?
Do you really WANT your life to change as it would if you turned around and Jesus was physically standing behind you? If Jesus actually walked into your room, right NOW, wherever you are, would you really be in AWE, or would it just be utter EMBARASSMENT? Look around. Is that what you want to share with the physical Jesus that you so long to see "face-to-face"?
When Jesus actually physically APPEARED on any scene, things always changed dramatically! Has Mrs. Jesus-appeared-in-my-womb or Mr. Jesus-appeared-on-my-brewski really had a dramatic, LIFE-CHANGING experience? I doubt it. BECAUSE JESUS DID NOT APPEAR TO ANY OF THE ABOVE!
Take a look at Todd Bentley's "Florida Outpouring"... are things really changing?
Is the world really moving toward God because of the "spectacular miracles" that supposedly occur in Lakeland?
Have you really seen God's presence on Todd Bentley's stage? Have the 7000 people really experienced God? Or have a bunch of people just felt really great in exchange for a few hours of their selfish, sinful life that they have set aside for "Jesus".
I guess I really just have one question. Have YOU, reader, really had a dramatic, life-changing, eternally-lasting visitation from the Lord?...
Or did a cheap, fake Jesus just appear on your tortilla?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
POLL: 83% of Christians claim Jesus "Not the Only Way"
A recent Pew Research Poll of 35,000 Americans shows a startling lack of faith in the Evangelical category!
The poll found that:
Only 36% of Evangelicals and only 12% of "Mainline Church" Christians polled said "My religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life."
On the negative side, 57% of Evangelicals and 83% of "Mainline Church" Christians polled said - "Many religions can lead to eternal life." (6-8% - said "neither/both equally" or they didn't know or refused to answer.)
The poll found that:
Only 36% of Evangelicals and only 12% of "Mainline Church" Christians polled said "My religion is the one, true faith leading to eternal life."
On the negative side, 57% of Evangelicals and 83% of "Mainline Church" Christians polled said - "Many religions can lead to eternal life." (6-8% - said "neither/both equally" or they didn't know or refused to answer.)
So nearly 60% to 85% of Christians believe that "Many religions can lead to eternal life!... Those people obviously have a fundamental misunderstanding of the claims of Jesus Christ of being "The Way" through Which all (every person) must come to the Father as He Himself claimed in John 14:6.
Can a person be a "true convert" if they have a fundamental misunderstanding of the doctrine of "Sola Christus"?
Note that these numbers are not coming from Eastern religions but more and more from those with a "Christian" background...
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...we can partially thank Oprah Winfrey for continuing to convert more and more people into universalism.
In the same poll, more than half of the 35,000 Americans said religion is very important in their lives, and that they attend religious services regularly and pray daily... which is down from the nearly 80% shown in polls not too many years ago. This was a large poll and should give a fairly accurate representation of actual numbers so I think we can safely say that America is quickly moving toward a minority of Christians who will claim that Jesus Christ is The ONLY Way to eternal Life!
The Pew Research poll continued to show that "significant minorities across nearly all religious traditions see a conflict between being a devout person and living in a modern society" and that "Most Americans also have a non-dogmatic approach when it comes to interpreting the tenets of their own religion". The poll also states that one-in-four Americans - including about half of Jews and Hindus - see God as an impersonal force.
I would submit that so few people "see any conflict between being devout and living in the modern society" because it is impossible to be "devoted" to an unjust god who just "winks at sin" or who is simply an "impersonal force". If there is no wrathful, just, personal God then there is no big problem with personal sin... so why be dogmatic?
Those who question the exclusive "only Way to Heaven" claims of Jesus Christ maintain a completely unbiblical view of salvation and of Jesus Himself, and we can therefore question whether they are even saved at all!
This poll shows that "Most Americans" do NOT believe the Bible to be the inerrant authoritative Word of God! They evidently believe that the Bible is only God's Word if one happens to believe it is! But that view necessarily implies that they believe that the Koran, etc. could be just as "true" as the Bible, so where must one go for salvation?... or does it even matter?
For those who are not SURE in your faith, let me give you some reassurance on some certain points...
You ARE SURELY a sinner...
You ARE SURELY guilty of a crime punishable by eternity in Hell! Even if you just told one lie, you broke the law of a perfect, righteous judge!
You ARE SURELY going to die.
You ARE SURELY going to stand before Jesus Christ to see if He ever "knew" you...
You ARE SURELY going to "bear fruit" if you are in Christ... and that "fruit" will be souls. The fruit of the Spirit is NOT the fruit of a Christian... God didn't save you and command you to "peacefully love the world in goodness, kindness, patience, self control and joy"...
God saved you and Jesus commanded you to go around preaching the Gospel, "seeking and saving" those who are lost, and then teaching them to be disciples.
Believe me... true converts will bear the "fruit of the Spirit", but the fruit of the Spirit is WORTHLESS if it is not being used to reach the lost!
So I just want to ask you... Are you "in Christ"?
Have you been "born again"?
Are you SURE?...
________________________________
SOURCE POLLS ARE HERE:
Portrait and Demographics of United states Religious Affiliation -- Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life - Annotated
Pew Research Center: Religion in America: Non-Dogmatic, Diverse and Politically Relevant
Saturday, June 21, 2008
TODD BENTLEY: "Lifting Jesus High" or Confusion Tactics? PART 2
Todd Bentley recently posted a letter entitled "LIFTING JESUS HIGH - Bringing Biblical Light to Your Questions about the Lakeland Outpouring & Todd Bentley"
This is a sorry (actually sad) attempt to control spin and to do some "public relations" to make himself look more "evangelical" by bringing some of the issues plaguing the "outpouring" into the dim light of discussion. Unfortunately, instead of repenting and asking forgiveness, and fixing things, he shows off his unchanging "leopard spots" more clearly and tries to defend the biblically undefendable. And in the end, rather than "Lifting Jesus High", Jesus is still buried under a pile of Todd's garbage somewhere.
I am going to deal with this letter in several posts because it is way too much to deal with in one post. Right-click HERE and "Open link in new window/tab" to follow along.
Click Below for
PART ONE:
Introduction
PART TWO:
"On Visions"
(Todd's text is in BLUE...mine is in BLACK)
Todd starts off seemingly ok with:
While it's good and right and biblical to test the spirits to see if they are of God,...
Starting with this semi-biblical statement is a "confusion tactic". Here Todd is attempting to make you believe He values faith and assurance in the absolute-concrete-authority of God's Word, the Bible. But Todd is essentially saying that you AREN'T having "real" faith if you question whether his UNBIBLICAL teachings are true or not, since God can "do anything" and since with God "nothing is impossible".
THEN HE GOES ON:
...it's vital to realize that just because a type of vision or a sign is not listed in Scripture, that it's unscriptural, to be discounted, or false.
This shocked me at first, then made me laugh... Todd's grammar is incorrect here and what he actually writes is the truth, but the truth is not what he meant! He writes that we must realize that if it is not in scripture it is unsriptural, false and should be discounted!
Sadly, context shows that he means "We should not say something is unscriptural just because it is not listed in scripture. .......?.....? Isn't that the definition of "unscriptural"?
THIS is a "satanic deception tactic". Todd says "Look, guys... God did say 'test the spirits'... but His Word, the Bible is NOT really the final authority on what is true!"
This is the same tactic Satan used on Eve. (Gen. 3:1-6) Follow Todd's reasoning while you follow Satan's reasoning with Eve...
Todd implies "Sure the Bible is cool and important and all, but did God really say 'Everything should be tested by the Scriptures'?... what about YOUR OWN unscriptural dreams and visions?"
We say "Yes, Todd, God did say 'Everything should be tested by the Scriptures'!" (II Timothy 3:13-17) "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Todd then replies "No, no, no... God didn't really mean that, otherwise...
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...all of those dreams and visions that seem spiritual must be ignored! God surely did not mean what His Word says. He wants you to be LIKE HIM! Don't you want to be "like God"?...able to step into the "Third Heaven", able to see into the "Spirit Realm", able to speak and heal the sick and raise the dead,... I mean,... even Jesus said you'll do "greater things" (scroll to v.12) than Emmanuel Himself!... God surely did not MEAN what He said in II Timothy! God's Word is NOT the last Word. Listen to ME, I know about these things!"
BACK TO TODD'S LETTER:
For instance: If you dream of Jesus visiting you, and in your dream, Jesus, the Man, was the most handsome man you'd ever seen, would the fact that the Bible described Him as having no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him (Is. 53:2b), discount your dream as being scriptural or genuine, relative, and of God?
The answer is "YES"... if the dream does not line up with Scripture, it must be discounted and generally ignored! If it does line up exactly with Scripture good, go with it! But then what's the big deal of the dream when you have the Scripture?
Scripture must always be the measure, the standard, to weed through our untrustworthy dreams and visions. Otherwise, anything goes. I may have dreams that God is desiring a duck-billed, green haired, army of God to rise up and square-dance in the White House! By Todd's standards my dream is as valid as any of Todd's own dreams or visions because there are no "plumb lines" to test any dream by to make sure they are "straight"!
TODD CONTINUES:
Just as no two people are alike, no two experiences are alike. Guaranteed, the Bible doesn't list the details of each dream, each encounter, or everything that God has, does, and will eventually reveal to His people. It doesn't record every detail of every dream, or everything someone has seen in the spirit realm, or on earth for that matter. Nor does it record every possible miracle, but it does say that nothing is impossible with God (see Luke 1:37; Matt. 17:20).
That's right. God COULD cause us to grow duck bills and He MIGHT turn our hair green... nothing is impossible with God!
BUT if I started preaching that God desires that we all grew duck bills and that he really was going to visit us and turn our hair green, even Todd Bentley would call me goofy. Why? Because it has NO BASIS IN SCRIPTURE!
Yet Todd's dreams and visions that twist scripture and lead people to focus on "the angel" or on "the supernatural" rather than Jesus, or that allow him to visit and interact in "spiritual realms" that God hid from us PURPOSEFULLY, are to be taken as truthful revelations of God!
God's only plan for us is that we (a) trust Jesus Christ, the Messiah, alone, apart from our works, for all of our righteousness and salvation,... and (b) that we go out and preach Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected, teaching and making disciples who will start the process again, over and over and over again.
God does NOT have any Biblical guide for us to get any "closer" to him in spirituality, or in position, or in geographical location. We either are "in Christ" (which is as close as two can get) with all that is included with that relationship and heirship, or we are "rebels" who are storing up wrath for God to pour back out on us in the day of Judgment.
The fact is that everything (regardless of what amazing things God CAN DO) must be testable and only by the Scrptures. What I feel or experience as "real" makes no difference if it is unbiblical... and Jesus coming to visit someone is UNBIBLICAL! (Paul was visited before the "Revelation" was completed by John in AD 96, when the Word was closed by God -Rev 22:19)
The children of Israel were given guidelines to measure a false prophet by (The revealed Word of God)... Todd has already failed even those Old Testament tests many time over...
The New Testament Body of Christ has ALSO been given guidelines to measure a false prophet by (The revealed Word of God)... Todd Bentley has also failed to fall within Biblical measurements and guidelines and MUST therefore be ignored!
BACK TO TODD'S LETTER:
We have no account of miracles like amputated limbs growing back, but the absence of this is Scripture doesn't mean that such a miracle unbiblical.
Todd Bentley doesn't have this miracle under his belt either, so what's he worried about?!
If a person is of the mind-set that everything spiritual that happens or manifests in our lives has to be found in Scripture to be divine and of God, then that standard or belief would have to be applied to every area of one's life.
NO, Todd... again you are trying a "confusion tactic"... Scripture need only be applied to spiritual and moral areas of our lives, which are the places that God has BIBLICALLY commanded that we repent and obey. ( Act 15:24-29) God does not care if I dream that I'd like a purple motorcycle and then go buy one... unless I venture into immoral or spiritually unscriptural ways of making my dream come true, like stealing it, or consulting a psychic to help me find it.
PLEASE CONTINUE TODD:
God responds to each one of us in different ways so the specific way He speaks to any of His children should not become a doctrine of correctness.
FALSE: The specific way he has spoken to US is through the written, revealed Scriptures, the Word of God! In times past God spoke through the prophets. In the present He gave His Son, Jesus who sat down... No more Word will be revealed. He dwelt among us... Now he LIVES as the Final Word of God! (Hebrews 1, Revelation 22, John 1)
Someone once said that limiting revelation is like trying to fit an ocean into a cup. God is continually restoring truth and light to His Church.
What scripture is this, Todd? The Truth and the Light (Jesus) came into the world 2000 years ago...When was He "removed" from the true "Church" so that He must be restored??
The reason the Bible says God's "Word" is Jesus Himself is because Jesus is the Completion of the Revelation of the Father...
Every "Word" God gave to the Prophets was the "type & shadow" message of Jesus! The Bible says God's Word(Jesus) is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105)... In the beginning was the Word, (Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light (Jesus, God's Word) of men. And the light (Thy Word, my Lamp) shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.(John 1:1-5)
I will always stumble and fall when I don't allow The Word to light my path everywhere I go. Revelation 22:18-19 says: For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
When we add to the "Revealed Word" any "extra-biblical" word and say it is from God we say, in effect, "Jesus and His work are NOT COMPLETE, NOT ENOUGH, and NOT FINISHED... I must add something to The Word, Jesus or His Work.
When we take away from the "Revealed Word" anything that was given or revealed in former days by the Biblical Prophets and Apostles, we say, in effect, "What God has said through His Word, Jesus, is just garbage and since I don't like it, I will be like Jonah, and not proclaim it!" In taking away from the Word we effectively bind and gag God."
YET, TODD CONTINUES:
Therefore, we should place no limit on further revelation.(This statement comes from Todd Bentley's own " Statement of Faith... and HERE is a good article dealing with Todd's SOF... scroll halfway down the page.)
WHAT?!? Todd is saying here that we can never say that God's Word is enough!
Psalm 119:118 says: You (God) reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood.
When we stray from God's Word we are both rejecting God, and we are rejected BY God, because His Word, Jesus Christ is our ONLY, and FINISHED, Salvation.
"We should place no limit on further revelation" means God's Word is NOT PERFECT, SUFFICIENT or COMPLETE and it can't make us COMPLETE, thoroughly equipped for every good work as II Timothy says it will! Todd Bentley is in direct opposition to the Bible!
TODD GOES ON:
To have a view that everything that happens in someone's life because of God's loving response to us as His children should be listed in the Bible or else it's wrong or evil, is like saying that Jesus, who is the Word represents a list of do's and don'ts.
Wow! Todd Bentley even acknowledges "Jesus IS the Word", yet he keeps arguing that "Jesus is NOT ENOUGH!" by saying we should not limit any "new revelation". And whether the Word "represents a list of do's and dont's" or not, Todd shows that he evidently does not like commands.
Also, in context, Todd is basically implying that "God's loving response to us as His children" is that we will have "further revelation"... but in contrast, the Bible says that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) God doesn't want us to have "further revealation". He wants us to be satisfied with His Word, Jesus.
GO ON, TODD:
Jesus is a Person who, through intimacy and relationship, we perceive and understand by the Holy Spirit what is good and what is evil.
WRONG, The Bible never says this. We perceive and understand Jesus by the Biblical accounts of His incarnation, His sinless life, His sacrificial death burial and resurrection, and His revelation of Himself as the Christ, the Savior of the World. The WORD (Jesus) clearly lines out for us what is "good and evil"... If someone points others AWAY from the WORD, Jesus, that person is EVIL and in a heap of trouble. (Luke 17:2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.)
HERE'S TODD AGAIN...
If Jesus listed for us everything that we needed to know, then knowing Him would have become an option.
No Todd,... He has provided us "EVERYTHING that we needed to know" so that we could personally know Him, but we despised Him and refused to hear and heed His WORD.
Mankind rebels against God. We hate Him. We killed Him even though He healed us, gave us sight, and raised us from the dead! He did, in fact, "give us EVERYTHING we needed to know", but we have tried our best to kill the Word over and over, ripping Him out of courtrooms, and schools, and entire nations... and now church tents in Lakeland!
So, Todd, "knowing Him" IS an option for all... the question is, are we going to repent and believe His Word ALONE and come to the knowledge of the Word?
It's in knowing Him, who is The Word that we enter into what He has prepared for us.
Wow, a TRUE statement! We "KNOW Him" by the concrete evidence He has given ALL of us EQUALLY... The Bible.
2Pe 1:2-4 says: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the KNOWLEDGE of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power HAS GIVEN (PASTE TENSE) to us ALL THINGS (The "Word" was given...) that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which HAVE BEEN GIVEN (again, PAST TENSE) to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (Promises of God, given in the past) you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
We don't NEED any "new revelation" for anything! We are complete in Him (Col.2:10) and we are complete and "thoroughly equipped" in the Word (II Tim 3:15-16)... We don't even have to "just add water"! As long as we have the "Word" we have Jesus!
TODD MESSES IT UP AGAIN:
To apply doctrine to the response of God in our lives is wrong.
WHOA! What about II Tim 3:16, Todd? "Doctrine" IS the Word of God! (The six points below are from HERE)!
1.Doctrine is the entire Bible...everything in it. Doctrine = teaching.
2.God cannot say anything irrelevant or unworthy. So all scripture is good. Because all scripture is doctrine, no part of it can be of less value.
3.'Love' is an aspect of doctrine. So, love cannot be greater than doctrine.
4.Jesus made the keeping of His commandments (commandments = teachings = doctrine) a test of love for Him. In saying that, He made a doctrinal statement!
5.There are not ‘many doctrines’ - there is only one, unified doctrine of God. The various teachings of the Bible are merely aspects of that one doctrine.
6.Doctrine can and should, at times, separate brethren from brethren, when some distort the truth to an intolerable degree. Doctrine certainly and infinitely separates brethren from unbelievers. We cannot accept what God hates.
WHAT ELSE, TODD?:
For someone to assume that something that happens to us isn't of God because it's not in his or her doctrine or knowledge of Jesus is, in my opinion, to grieve the precious Holy Spirit.
OK,... Todd is saying that whatever YOUR "reality" is, (even if it is square-dancing, green-haired, duck-billed people) trumps what the Bible says. Does that even sound like the Truth?
TODD ALSO SAYS:
I believe each experience is unique and tailored to the individual's background, experiences, circumstances, capacity to receive, and personal relationship with Jesus. The experience is usually one that a person can relate to.
((Yeah, because it comes from their own weak little human pea-brains and not from God!))
The Lord meets us where we're at and often shows us things in a way that gets our attention, in a way that we, as individuals, uniquely understand and relate to.
WRONG, God DEMANDS that we repent and turn to Him... He will NOT "meet us where we are at" in our rebellion and sin! Just ask the children of Israel, Jonah, Sodom & Gommorah, Ananias & Saphira, etc., etc.,!
TODD AGAIN:
Some are questioning the soundness of my visitation from Jesus while I was in Redding, California.
Todd, should I really take your story seriously?
The Bible says: Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him (Matthew 24:23).
And: So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them (Matthew 24:26).
And: So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
TODD CONTINUES:
I stated in an interview that it was as though He came into this realm and I saw Him as I would imagine Jesus would be with the disciples on the Earth, as the Son of man, a humble servant as He walked the earth, not in His resurrection glory.
OK, wait... Does Todd mean Jesus Himself literally visited Him, or was it a vision or a dream "as though" Jesus came into this realm?
Well, TODD"S EXACT QUOTE was "Just recently, I was in Redding, California, and I had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. It was real. And I was sitting in this green room in a chair. I was in a chair just like this, and I could feel the presence of the Lord all-around me..."
"My eyes were open and I saw heaven open, and I saw the Lord step out of heaven--literally step out of heaven. And from the Lord, Himself, He appeared to me, and, and it was as if He came to me into this realm. He appeared to me."
Todd really means Jesus Himself literally, physically visited Him. He repeated the statement that Jesus had physically visited Him HERE (at the 2:04 mark).
MORE FROM TODD:
The purpose of this experience was for God to impart to me His supernatural peace in my life.
Wrong again. Supernatural peace is the automatic fruit of believers who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22, Philippians 4:7)
TODD:
God chooses, in His infinite wisdom, to reveal Himself in different ways,...
(FALSE, God has IN TIMES PAST only partially revealed Himself through creation, through visions, signs and wonders, through the prophets and apostles, etc...
But with Christ's ascension and John's Revelation God has rested in His "revealing" because He revealed His Word, Jesus to humanity and now His earthly revelation of Himself is complete... The only "new revelation" we will get is that we have when we step over death into eternal life!
On earth we must decide whether to bow our knee in repentance and faith to the Revealed Word...
or we can choose to rebel by looking for "more" than the Revealed Word, Jesus Christ.
Todd Bentley says regularly that he wants "more".
Todd Bentley is in rebellion against God's Word!
HE CONTINUES:
God chooses to reveal Himself...in various aspects so that people can understand, relate, and even receive Him.
(FALSE, Todd. God won't accept our "faithfulness" to what we can understand, or relate to. Things seen require no faith! If we do not "receive Him" by faith alone, we have no relationship with Him, since we refuse to accept the Word, Jesus, Whom we cannot see!)
Finally, Todd writes:
Why do some think it so bad if God wills to come in His grace and reveal Himself to us in whatever manner He chooses?
Because, Todd, according to God's Word, who is seated at the Father's right hand, He will NOT reveal Himself again until he comes to destroy the works of the Antichrist!
And: So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
Jesus said: Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him (Matthew 24:23).
So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them (Matthew 24:26).
People, Todd Bentley is a FALSE PROPHET who refuses to test his own stuff by the revealed Word of God! Ignore Him.
Part 3 - "Focus on The Revelation" coming shortly....
Friday, June 20, 2008
ATHEISM: The Problem of Evil... and Good.
This post is text from 3 different posts at "Love Your God With All Your Blog"
Go visit, he has some good stuff over there!
The Problem of Evil ... and Good.
If it weren't for logic, atheism would make a viable worldview.
Quick example: Christopher Hitchens in his book, 'God is not Great' summarizes a classic argument against God's existence known as 'the problem of evil' on pg 268:
"Is he [God] willing to prevent evil but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?"
Then, 30 pages later, when discussing moral relitivism, Hitchens makes this statement:
"There is no such thing as evil, and those who argue with me on this point are wicked, stupid, or both."
Now, I'm no rocket surgeon, but if there is no such thing as evil...
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...how can you use the 'problem of evil' to argue against theism? Moreover... with no evil, there's no such thing as good; with no good, there's no such thing as great; with no great, how am I even supposed to understand the title of his book?
"The flames of Hell will excite the reverential praise of Heaven."
-Charles Bridges
Not surprisingly, this statement was made by a man not on the current best-seller list. It speaks of God's sovereign goodness despite, or rather because of, our moral evil. Did God ordain evil? Of course He did. He has ordained whatever happens. But more than this, somehow our wholly-good God is better glorified because evil exists through His creatures. So it is not only not wrong for God to have ordained evil, it is positively immoral for Him not to, as it would diminish the glory He will ultimately receive.
In a world with no dragons, every princess would be safer - but then there never would've been a knight in shining armor.
If God had ordained a world with no evil - no one ever would have known about His mercy, His patience, or His justice and wrath. The evil for which I and we are responsible, is the means by which God makes these glories known. The fact that He is able to ordain my evil, and then make it into something good, causes me to revel in His wonder all the more now - and I can only imagine what it will do when I see these things come together on the last day. This is as much of an answer as the Bible affords, and it is sufficient.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
THE GOSPEL TRUTH QUIZ: How much do you know?
One of my favorite ministers, my pal Miles McKee, of the "Gospel Truth" radio broadcast, has "THE GOSPEL TRUTH QUIZ" on his website to test how much you know about the Gospel.
He says "The questions are simple and could have been answered easily by Bible Believing Sunday School classes of 100 years ago. However, many believers today can not answer these questions correctly! Some men who travel to other countries to preach the Gospel have even failed this test in a most miserable manner.
So what about you? Do you know the Gospel? Wisdom would dictate that as a believer you ought to know the basis on which you are saved. Wisdom would also dictate that if you are involved in any form of ministry you ought to diligently avoid being the dispenser of error."
Go HERE to take the test and see how well you really understand the Biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ... then read the rest of Brother McKee's site and then write him a note asking him to ADD YOU to his "Wednesday Word" weekly teaching mailing list. It's meaty teaching so you'll be glad you subscribed!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
ASSEMBLIES of GOD: Dr. George Wood rebukes Todd Bentley?
Today, I had a commenter write a note supporting Dr. Wood's original statement to this blog concerning the Lakeland revival and Todd Bentley. Here's what "Anonymous" said with my comments in parentheses...
"Dr. Wood's response was exactly what someone who hasn't paid the situation or teachings sufficient attention should have responded. (I don't disagree... except that this international "revival" is in an Assembly of God church! To think someone wouldn't have brought it to his attention is beyond belief! And I would question what Dr. Wood's position is FOR if he wouldn't take time to check out Todd Bentley and his teachings the instant he DID hear about this globally televised revival.)
Until he studied up on Bentley and his false teachings he had to reserve his judgments. (I agree)
His answer couldn't have been more mature, wise or Biblical. (That's Biblically debatable -- I blieve he is handling the situation incorrectly in light of I Timothy 5 -- but that's not my argument, anyway! Dr. Wood's JOB is to be a LEADER, PASTOR/TEACHER, SHEPHERD, and EXAMPLE for his denomination. Concerning Lakeland, he has failed in that job, and he continues to fail to CLEARLY LEAD his flock to this date.)
With that said, he recently contacted Bentley with a letter of rebuke and asked various questions which to my knowledge he has not received a response to yet. (Now THIS is NEWS! Mr. Anonymous must be close to some notable Assemblies of God leadership to have this information! I have seen NOTHING about this "letter of rebuke" in my research. If it exists, I commend Dr. Wood. HOWEVER, if he has enough of a concern to rebuke Todd Bentley, he must see some severe problems with Mr. Bentley. And if Dr. Wood indeed sent a letter of rebuke to Mr. Bentley, it is concrete proof that Dr. Wood is UTTERLY FAILING to faithfully lead tens of thousands of AG members who have embraced the "Florida Outpouring" AWAY from Todd Bentley's deeds or teachings that prompted his rebuke. AND if Todd Bentley has DELAYED in responding to a rebuke from an international denominational leader, then HE shows disregard and disrespect for the rebuke and the Assemblies of God which gave him his platform for this so-called revival!)
I pray that Dr. Wood comes out and denounces it publicly now that he knows this movement is distracting from the cross and blood of Jesus Christ and leading an undiscerning group further from Christ and closer to hell. (I say "AMEN!")
TO ALL READERS: If you have/find any information concerning this alleged "letter of rebuke" from George O. Wood to Todd Bentley, PLEASE forward the information to: {news (@) thewaycf (dot) com}
Living in The Way will continue to keep you informed of details as they are received.
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PAUL WASHER: I am not ashamed of the scandal.
A Powerful sermon by Paul Washer of HeartCry Missionary Society.
It's 53 minutes long... time well spent!
Here's a little portion:
"We've skipped over the only thing that matters! We have turned the Gospel of Jesus Christ into nothing more than fodder - a little baby-step someone takes and then they jump over and get to the mature stuff. There is no greater thing than the Gospel!... How can you know you're saved? It's not because one time in your life you prayed a prayer and asked Jesus to come into your heart. It's not because with some "evangelist" you wrote your name in the back of your bible and put a date there. You know you're saved because the Spirit bears witness that you're born again. Because your life has changed and is changing and continues in a process of change. And when it stalls in that process of change that merciful, loving God comes and disciplines you. That's the difference. You see why there's no power in thing they call "the Gospel"? Because it's NOT the Gospel that they're preaching. It's not!"
Monday, June 16, 2008
God Is Under No Obligation
I was just talking to my husband the other day about how he is a descendant of Jonathan Edwards. I realized I didn't know much about him, and it made me want to find some of his teachings. So I searched out some of them and found this one and thought it would be good to post some excerpts from it. It is probably the most famous of all his sermons: Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
I read this sermon in school years ago. I had forgotten how intense it was. He gives us just a glance...
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...at eternity in hell and God's wrath. We cannot even fathom what it would truly be like, and what we have truly been saved from, but even that should give us even more of a resolve to tell those lost, of their true need for Christ.
Between the knowledge of the wrath of God, and salvation through Christ, what else will it take for us to do the work we were commanded to do.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
John 15:12-14 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. "You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 16:25-27 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began, but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
These are excerpts from:
Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God, by Jonathan Edwards
God has laid himself under no obligation by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen.
But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace that are not the children of the covenant, and that don’t believe in any of the promises of the covenant, and have no interest in the mediator of the covenant.
So that whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, ‘tis plain and manifest that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.
So that thus it is, that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold ‘em up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out; and they have no interest in any mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.
APPLICATION.
The use may be of awakening to unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of: there is nothing between you and hell but the air; ‘tis only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.
You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell,but don’t
see the hand of God in it, but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.
Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not that so is the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it;
The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given, and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. ‘Tis true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are continually rising and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God that holds the waters back that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward; if God should only withdraw his hand from the floodgate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.
The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.
Thus are all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life (however you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, and may be strict in it), you are thus in the hands of an angry God; ‘tis nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.
The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes as the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince: and yet ‘tis nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment: ‘tis to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep: and there is no other reason to be given why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up: there is no other reason to be given why you han’t gone to hell since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship: yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you don’t this very moment drop down into hell.
Ezek. 8:18, “Therefore will I also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy: but when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God as to any regard to your welfare; God will have no other use to put you to but only to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel but only to be filled full of wrath: God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that ‘tis said he will only laugh and mock, Prov. 1:25–32. How awful are those words, Is. 63:3, which are the words of the great God, “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” ‘Tis perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, viz. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favor, that instead of that he’ll only tread you under foot: and though he will know that you can’t bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he won’t regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he’ll crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt; no place shall be though fit for you, but under his feet, to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
‘Tis everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity: there will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery: when you look forward, you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all; you will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble faint representation of it; ‘tis inexpressible and inconceivable: for “who knows the power of God’s anger?” [Ps. 90:11].
How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in danger of this great wrath,and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation, that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old. There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have: it may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder if some that are now present, should not be in hell in a very short time, before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some person that now sits here in some seat of this meetinghouse in health, and quiet and secure, should be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest, will be there in a little time! your damnation don’t slumber; it will come swiftly, and in all probability very suddenly upon many of you.
You have reason to wonder, that you are not already in hell.‘Tis doubtless the case of some that heretofore you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you: their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living, and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned, hopeless souls give for one day’s such opportunity as you now enjoy!
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God; many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are in now an happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him that has loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day!
And let everyone that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now hearken to the loud calls of God’s Word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, that is a day of such great favor to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men’s hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls: and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart, and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the bigger part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on that great outpouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles’ days, the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God’s Spirit; and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist: the ax is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree that brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over great part of this congregation: let everyone fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed” [Gen. 19:17].
Spurgeon Quotes - Read Your Bible!
"You know more about your ledgers than your Bible;
You know more about your magazines and novels than what God has written; many of you will read a novel from the beginning to the end, and what have you got? A mouthful of foam when you are done.
But you cannot read the Bible; that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect; while anything that a man writes, a best seller of the day, is greedily devoured." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
"I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread."Job 23:12
CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY: Getting in Christ's Way.
Michael S. Horton, writing for "Modern Reformation" wrote a powerful and relevant article HERE in the May/June 2007 issue that if you missed then, you NEED to read now!
The article is lengthy, but really, REALLY worth your time. Here are a few clips from the article to give you a taste:
What would things look like if Satan actually took over a city? The first frames in our imaginative slide show probably depict mayhem on a massive scale: Widespread violence, deviant sexualities, pornography in every vending machine, churches closed down and worshipers dragged off to City Hall. Over a half-century ago, Donald Grey Barnhouse, pastor of Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church, gave his CBS radio audience a different picture of what it would look like if Satan took control of a town in America. He said that...
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...all of the bars and pool halls would be closed, pornography banished, pristine streets and sidewalks would be occupied by tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The kids would answer "Yes, sir," "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full on Sunday... where Christ is not preached.
Not to be alarmist, but it looks a lot like Satan is in charge right now. The enemy has a subtle way of using even the proper scenery and props to obscure the main character. The church, mission, cultural transformation, even the Spirit can become the focus instead of the means for "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2). As provocative as Barnhouse's illustration remains, it is simply an elaboration of a point that is made throughout the story of redemption. The story behind all the headlines of the Bible is the war between the serpent and the offspring of the woman (Gen. 3:15), an enmity that God promised would culminate in the serpent's destruction and the lifting of the curse.
The church exists in order to change the subject from us and our deeds to God and his deeds of salvation, from our various "missions" to save the world to Christ's mission that has already accomplished redemption. If the message that the church proclaims makes sense without conversion; if it does not offend even lifelong believers from time to time, so that they too need to die more to themselves and live more to Christ, then it is not the gospel. When Christ is talked about, a lot of things can happen, none of which necessarily has anything to do with his doing, dying, rising, reigning, and return. When Christ is proclaimed in his saving office, the church becomes a theater of death and resurrection, leading to genuine lives of witness, love, fellowship, community, and service-yet always requiring forgiveness and therefore always coming back to the good news concerning Christ.
No matter what we say we believe about Christ's person and work, if we aren't constantly bathed in it, the end result will lead to H. Richard Niebuhr's description of Protestant liberalism: "A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through a Christ without a cross."
Back to Barnhouse's illustration. Of course, Satan loves war, violence, injustice, poverty, disease, oppression, immorality, and other displays of human sinfulness. And of course he is displeased whenever a cup of cold water is offered to a thirsty man in Christ's name. However, what he spends most of his time plotting is the displacement of Christ from the focal awareness, ministry, and mission of the church. Keeping unbelievers blind and believers distracted is his main strategy. Genuine renewal only comes when we realize that the church is always drawn to distractions and must always be redirected to Christ, always one generation away from becoming something other than the place in the world-the only place, in fact-where the finger points away from us to Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). GO READ IT!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What is "REVIVAL"? Does Florida Measure Up? (Pt.1)
A reader asked me: "Don't you want revival?"
My question is: What do you call revival?
YES! without a doubt, I want revival! I pray for revival! I pray "God, WAKE US UP AGAIN! Shake us! Let us see where we are failing to be the "Lampstand"! Revive the passion in us to preach Jesus Christ, our crucified and resurrected Sacrifice for sin"
Unfortunately, neither Todd Bentley, nor anyone who has been on Todd Bentley's stage seem to know what revival is!
REVIVAL happens to the Body of Christ, not to sinners. It is US "bringing back to life" again our passion for the lost,... it is Jesus Christ shaking us who have ignored His COMMAND, and neglected our DUTY to preach the Gospel, telling us we had better get back to our "first love" our "first works", the ACTIVITY of preaching His Gospel!
When we are first truly saved we receive the FIRE of the TRUTH of the Gospel, which is the "Power of God"! He dwells within us and we...
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...CAN'T HELP but run around telling others the Message of Jesus! (Those in Acts 2 did not pour out into the streets PROCLAIMING the Holy Spirit or angels, but Jesus Christ!)
Then after awhile, some slowly start putting more emphasis on their Christian work (teaching, fighting error, exposing false teachers, etc),... and they often even get to where they may fail to stay in His Word... not being continually "FILLED" with or "LED" by the Holy Spirit... and LEAVE their "first love"!
The "first love" of the Church of Ephesus is NOT Jesus... it's the passion of sharing the Gospel of Jesus! Read it carefully!
So YES, we NEED revival. YES, We need to quit being lazy and/or disobedient, putting ALL of our time into THOSE works (which Jesus commends, by the way) which cause us to neglect our "first love"! We NEED to be woken up... revived and stirred up to pour back out into the streets to tell them about Jesus!
How will we know a true "revival"? The message will ONLY be "Sin, the Wrath of God toward Sinners, and Jesus Christ the Sin-Bearer- crucified and resurrected"!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be the only message of a true revival.
The Gospel moves sinners to repentence and moves the redeemed to evangelism. Healings and miracles may or may not be evident. But repentence WILL be the fruit of a true revival!
Oswald J. Smith (1889-1986) shows the fruit of a true revival:
“In the Irish Revival of 1859, people became so weak that they could not get back to their homes. Men and women would fall by the wayside and would be found hours later pleading with God to save their souls. They felt that they were slipping into hell and that nothing else in life mattered but to get right with God... To them eternity meant everything. Nothing else was of any consequence. They felt that if God did not have mercy on them and save them, they were doomed for all time to come.”
Revival is simply CHRISTIANS WAKING UP and DOING WHAT JESUS COMMANDED! Then, souls ARE saved, because the Gospel IS being preached!
Church’s Extreme “Room” Makeover transforms lives! (Oh,..Jesus is ok, too.)
I guess we can completely dump the biblical Gospel. Some Assembly of God churches have a different way to "make Christians". If we would only do more $25,000 home renovations for the needy then people would SURELY be loved into salvation! Praise the Lord!... and pass the nail gun.
(For those who disagree with me- I know we MUST be charitable. And there is nothing wrong with fixing up someone's house. But THE POINT of this article is that people were supposedly saved... yet there is NO MENTION of Jesus or the Gospel... only an "altar call". ----And it is NOT the "makeover" that "transforms lives! ALL glory to Jesus Christ ALONE!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
PATRICIA KING: Helping me feel ok about my sexual sin!
Patricia King (heretic pal of Todd Bentley) has posted an article on her website (HERE) by Richard Cohen, M.A, Director of the "International Healing Foundation" which causes me to assume that she agrees with its content.
In it, Mr. Cohen encourages all religions to offer "sincere words of apology (to those who experience SSA, or Same Sex Attraction). The time is now, the time has come for all men and women, of every faith, to apologize, listen, and embrace all men and women who experience SSA, whether they choose to change or not."
So, it looks like Mr. Cohen says we should encourage gays and lesbians and offer them a feeling of comfort in our churches while they continue to rebel against our God and Savior, by going ahead and living a lifestyle that He condemns, while trying desperately not to have any feelings of guilt or conviction get in their way!
After all, they should not have to...
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...sit in our Bible-believing church and hear "messages of hell, fire and damnation, how they were going to burn and die because of feelings they experienced" when obviously the sinful, lustful, sexually immoral feelings they have are "through no fault of their own"!
Yeah... and while we're on the subject, I should not have to hear the preacher gripe about my extra-marital affairs because I am a victim of OSL... Opposite Sex Lust. It's NOT MY FAULT!
I have always had a problem with lust and adultery, but I blame my father because he cheated on my mom... Therefore it MUST BE GENETIC! Again it's NOT MY FAULT!
Whew... everyone kept telling me I had sinned against a Holy God and needed a Savior! I'm so glad I now have loving, caring compassionate friends who stay out of my personal business and don't shove their "righteous judge" and "forgiveness in Jesus" garbage down my throat!
According to Patricia King's website, there are THREE STEPS to "winning the hearts" of these "precious souls"... and it is TOTALLY JESUS-FREE!
Step One: Apologize in a manner that is appropriate to your personal faith tradition.
Step Two: Listen to the song in their hearts.
Step Three: Embrace these precious souls.
MOST OF ALL... DO NOT PREACH THE GOSPEL!
"Speaking about the need for “change,” or what the Bible says about SSA, will only separate you from this sensitive soul"!
Thanks, Patricia King, for helping us help those bound in sin to finally be totally comfortable there!
TODD BENTLEY: "Lifting Jesus High" or Spin Doctoring? PART 1
Todd Bentley recently posted a letter entitled "LIFTING JESUS HIGH - Bringing Biblical Light to Your Questions about the Lakeland Outpouring & Todd Bentley"
This is a sorry (actually sad) attempt to control spin and to do some "public relations" to make himself look more "evangelical" by bringing some of the issues plaguing the "outpouring" into the dim light of discussion. Unfortunately, instead of repenting and asking forgiveness, and fixing things, he shows off his unchanging "leopard spots" more clearly and tries to defend the biblically undefendable. And in the end, rather than "Lifting Jesus High", Jesus is still buried under a pile of Todd's garbage somewhere.
I am going to deal with this letter in several posts because it is way too much to deal with in one post. Right-click HERE and "Open link in new window/tab" to follow along.
Click Below for
PART TWO:
On Visions:
PART ONE:
Let's start with the introduction part of Todd's letter. (We will deal with the "On Visions" section in Part 2.
Todd starts off by saying that some of the issues...
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...people have with his ministry (his false teachings, relationships with heretics, mystical practices, "messiness" of a move of God, etc.) seem "to be causing division and some confusion in the Body of Christ."
I would say that Todd IS causing division in the Body of Christ. But that is a good thing. Look at "divisions" in the bible. Men were divided when Jesus came around. Some would believe. Some wanted to kill Him. In Todd's revival, the division comes when those who are in Christ see that Todd is preaching a false "gospel" of lying signs & wonders LEAVE and start to make the error known publicly. This is NOT the division of I Corinthians 12:25, or the confusion of I Corinthians 14:33.
Todd IS dividing his audiences and the "Christian Community", but it is a division separating those to whom the Word has been revealed, who have seen the Light FROM those who are being deceived by Todd's false teaching, who do not understand the Word of God.
Todd Bentley said "God's ways of communicating with us hasn't changed from the beginning of time."
This is a false statement.
Hebrews 1:1-2
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us (including the writer of Hebrews) in His Son, (Jesus, The WORD) whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world (IN THE BEGINNING).
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The LIGHT shines in the darkness, (is revealed) and the darkness did not comprehend it.
I John 2:7-9
Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; (LOVE ONE ANOTHER I John3:11, II John 1:5) the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. The one who says he is in the Light (IN CHRIST) and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.
(All parenthetics are mine)
So it is true that God spoke through the Old Testament prophets in many ways...
But the Apostle's & New Testament Writer's WRITINGS about JESUS (the Word, the Light) are the FINAL REVELATION of God. The "Light" was finally "turned on"! We need no more LIGHT (revelation)! God is through talking!
In fact if you say He never talked (sent Jesus) or if you say He is still talking (New, extra-biblical words) you will be in some deep trouble! (Revelation 22:18-19)
Todd Bentley also quoted Malachi 3:6 to back up his argument... "I am the Lord, I change not"
The context was that God would still judge and was a consuming fire, however, as Gill comments, "such who were Israelites indeed, true believers in Christ; these were not consumed when the wicked Jews were, but were directed to leave the city before its destruction, and go to another place, as they did, whereby they were preserved; and so it was, that not one Christian perished in it; and so it is owing to the unchangeable love, grace, and power of Christ, that none OF HIS perish internally or eternally, but have everlasting life."
It is true that God does not change! Which is why Todd Bentley's argument is necessarily FALSE!
TODD says God HAS changed what He said in Hebrews 1, and I John 2 above, by giving us "New Light" and "Prophetic Utterances, and new revelations, etc"!
GOD says His Word HAS BEEN REVEALED ALREADY. TODD says His "word" is still being revealed!
Who will you believe?
Todd says "...the Bible is the mainstay of His (God's) communication to us in today's Church." yet Todd Bentley does NOT believe that!
If you were going to buy lumber to build a house what would you want to know about it?
You would want measurements; you would want to make sure it was square; and you would want to know what kind of wood it was. You would look it over to see if it was termite-eaten, water damaged, or broken.
You see, the definition of "mainstay" is A CENTRAL COHESIVE SOURCE OF SUPPORT & STABILITY. It is a PILLAR or an ANCHOR. But Todd says "Anything goes! Don't question my visions, angelic visitations, mystical revelations, false teachings, etc because I say it is of God since God can do anything!".
Our "mainstay", the Word of God, is WORTHLESS as a "source of support & stability" if we don't use it FOR EVERYTHING. Without consulting the Word of God, we are helpless to know what is of God and what is not! Todd Bentley is saying, in effect, "Build your house with my wood, but don't measure it! And don't make sure it is square! And don't worry about what kind of wood it is! That's not termite damage!... Just nail it up and trust ME!"
For example, Todd says "Some people desire Scripture for every manifestation of God - for every detail of every God-given, Holy Spirit inspired vision, dream, encounter, or demonstration of the supernatural realm of God manifested on the earth."
In other words, "Some goofy Christians want me to prove by measurement, and by square, that my wood is safe for building up their house!"
Yeah, Todd. That's what EXACTLY what we want. "Divine manifestations" are NOT proof of the Gospel!
The Gospel is the Power of God for salvation. The "greater things" were done by the Apostles to show that Jesus Christ was still alive and the ONLY means of testing spirits, teaching, reproving, correcting, and training in righteousness is SCRIPTURE!
II Timothy 3:17 says we are COMPLETE. We are THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for EVERY good work!
Todd, in this letter you had the perfect chance to "Lift Jesus High" and repent from the garbage that we preach against. You have failed. Jesus Christ was once again shut up in your letter because you wanted to defend your heresies rather than repent from them.
We have begged you to repent and to preach a true Gospel message but you prefer to stick with your heretic friends and message.
I don't need your garbage, Todd! It is not of God, it is heresy, and it is not biblical!
How do I know??...
I measured it and it doesn't line up. Go run off and sell it somewhere else... We'll keep preaching the Word until God shuts you down.
(Part 2 - "On Visions" - will be posted shortly)
Friday, June 13, 2008
My Interview on TruNews with Pastor Ken Silva & Pat Holliday...
I will be on the radio today. Listen HERE to the Friday, June 13th 2008 episode of TruNews with host Rick Wiles. Today, we are discussing Todd Bentley and the "Florida Outpouring" and whether or not it is Biblical and whether or not you should be involved. Joining me are Pastor Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries and Dr. Pat Holliday of Miracle Outreach Ministries
TruNews is available streaming or by download at the link above or on World Harvest Radio shortwave frequencies: 5850 & 5875 at 9pm eastern, 8pm central, 7pm mountain, 6pm pacific.
A PROPHETIC WORD: Send money to us or face God's wrath!
In this video, another false teacher named Duane Broom feels he must defend Todd Bentley's garbage "revival" as a true move of God. It the video clip, he says that "sometimes we need a word from God that we didn't get in scripture"...
This guy is seriously telling us that we need God to speak to us with some new "prophetic utterance" so that we will have a "sword to hold on to"!!???
(Just listen from 1:15 - 1:50 to get the point of this post)
(Heretical Extra?: Note the very end where he seems to degrade/demote Jesus Christ (Fully Man - Fully God) to simply "the Man of God")
Wow... I really believed that the Scriptures were all that I need to be "COMPLETE" and "thoroughly equipped"!
Let's do a little math.
IF "New prophetic utterance" = "Word from God"
and IF "Sword of the Spirit" = "Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17)
THEN, "Word of/from God" = "Sword of the Spirit"
You know, it is sure starting to look like God wasted his time in giving us the Bible!...
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...He gave us an INCOMPLETE book that really doesn't help at all because according to Todd Bentley, we can't use it to prove whether or not someone really heard from God! And they say we "LIMIT GOD" by restricting his nature to His Word.
Somebody help me out. Should I believe the message of Todd Bentley, John MacArthur, or Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda? They ALL claim to speak a "Word from God" yet they each say the other is a false teacher.
Todd Bentley & John MacArthur say Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is FALSE.
John MacArthur says Todd Bentley and Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda are FALSE.
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda says Todd Bentley and John MacArthur are FALSE.
I sure hope God gives me a "rightly-dividing prophetic utterance" to help me know who speaks the truth!
MY EXPERIENCE:
Today at lunch, The Lord spoke to me in a "prophetic utterance". He instructed me to "sacrifice a sheep, strip naked, cover myself in its blood, and dance on Todd Bentley's stage and I will be healed". That is my personal "Word of God" which is the "sword of the Spirit" and it will bring me victory!
I MUST OBEY that "word", because God said to do it.
And I MUST receive my healing because God said I would.
And you MUST not question it, because God still works in any way he wants.
And you MUST not say that it's "not of God", because in forsaking the Written Revealed Word of God as the FINAL AUTHORITY, you have nothing to measure my prophecy against, anyway.
I'm really GLAD God still gives "prophetic utterances"... maybe he'll soon tell me that he has changed his mind on those crazy commandments that make life so dull! Or maybe he will tell me that I should move to Hawaii and buy a pineapple plantation. That would be cool.
Wait!... I'm downloading!... Whoa! I just received a "prophetic utterance"! God just told me to tell you to send a love gift of $30,000 dollars... if you don't do it, he will smite you.
Now, all you believers in extra-biblical "words from God"... prove that He didn't say it... And if you can't prove it without the Bible, send me the money. Since God said send it, you better do it, otherwise you are sinning against God in disobedience.
Have a nice day. (AND READ A RELATED POEM HERE)
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
PUT DOWN YOUR BIBLES!
This is what I have been told lately...
Put down your bible, let me tell you what I feel
Just put that away and you could see something real
You should not try to read it, you will not all agree
It isn't all we have, that is what God told me
Put down your scriptures and we can all just get along
We need to agree, not say who's right or wrong
Put down your bible and take up my word
We no longer need to study, from God that's what I heard
The scriptures are wonderful, but not the only way
There is so much more, God told me just today
All you do is divide, and all we want is to be one
And we may not all agree on the nature of His Son
So just put it down and let's see what we can hear
I feel the voice of God whispering in my ear
I'm tired of theology it only hurts my head
I can tell you all about what the God of the universe said
He said it in my ear, audible was the sound
So please won't you listen and lay the scriptures down
If they do not agree with what my God has spoken
It must be them, and not me that is broken
If you would just let go of what you think they say
We can all be united in a single belief one day
You stand up and say that I just don't have it right
But have you ever seen an angel in the night
I'm tired of what the bible says throughout
I have one or two verses that I love to talk about
So if you will not place your bible on the shelf
You have no place here, go tell somebody else
He told me things, and I know what I heard
He said listen to me and put down His Word
There is a time to put down God's Word.
That is so we may stand firm on it, our sure, solid, foundation!
MIRACLE! Raised From the Dead!
I Corinthians 15:54-55
But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"
In the Spiritual... I have already been raised from the dead!
Ephesians 2:1,2,4,5
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved),...
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Colossians 2:12-14
...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
In the Physical...
Do not pray to wake me!
When I die do not wake me
For I am in His care
When I die do not wake me
All my sorrow's past
When I die do not wake me
All my tears have ceased
When I die do not wake me
I am home at last
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
II Corinthians 5:1-9
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight--we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
Romans 14:7-9
For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
I Thessalonians 4:13-14
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
Monday, June 9, 2008
JESUS LIED, His chariot broke down, or Wendy Alec is a false prophet.
Which do you think is most likely?
Thanks to Miriam at endtimespropheticwords
I recorded this "prophecy" Saturday night, and planned on writing a post but Miriam did a fine job. So I will use her text and replace the video with a transcript.
On Saturday, June 7the, Todd Bentley read out a prophecy from Wendy Alec, co-founder of GOD TV. It was done to hype the Sunday night show (8th June - tonight) for the "kingly anointing" to fall.
WENDY ALEC'S PROPHECY FOLLOWS:
The Lord just spoke to me and said "This IS what will happen tomorrow night!"
The King and the King's anonting falls tomorrow night. The 8th of June, the anointing of the King of Glory falls.
Jesus said, "I am coming in person." The King is coming in person.
I sense so strongly there will be a personal divine visitation of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ to the revival tomorrow night.
He will come in the clouds, in His chariot, surrounded by a great angelic hos,t because the great honoring of the Lamb of God, The King of Glory is coming to visit Lakeland, to visit the revival, to visit the outpouring.
The devil trembles with that knowledge. For tomorrow the King of Glory sets foot upon the stage in divine, personal, one-to-one visitation.
Todd reads this prophecy out, which could not be any clearer - he seems to be prophesying a Benny Hinn prophesied moment that has yet to occur for Benny Hinn - and then, as the camera records some concerned and gobsmacked faces (glad not all have hung up their brains completely), he suddenly explains about ‘the prophetic’ and justifies the prophecy. He says:
Now for all those watching, who just don't understand the nature of the prophetic,...
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...though I'm open to a... the Lord can appear... I mean I've seen the Lord. I am not suggesting there is going to be a physical, flesh, Jesus Christ on the platform.
I hope you understand, we're talking about in atmosphere, we're talking about in spiritual experience, we're talking about in impartation. Now, Roy, if tonight's and last night's worship is any indication that something is changing in the realm of the glory,... something about the King of Glory... oh God, we want to set a place up in the throne of our hearts more than anything else for you to come and visit... Come, on. Who want's to have the King come in His Glory?
He says ‘I am not suggesting there is going to be a physical, flesh, Jesus Christ on the platform... we're talking about in atmosphere, we're talking about in spiritual experience, we're talking about in impartation. ’.
Well that being the case, why (couldn't Jesus have been) clearer and more specific in the prophecy? (I am not convinced that Wendy Alec meant this anyway, I think she meant what she said, as she said it). And if all they are effectively saying is "the Holy Spirit will be there tonight", what has been the Spirit or Spirits there every other night that they have ministered by? Have they not been the Holy Spirit too? Has Jesus not been ‘with them’ every night by their reckoning because of the Bible’s promises?
But Todd Bentley is not really talking about that. NO, rather he is prophesying the second coming of Christ (as per Wendy Alec’s prophecy which refers to Second Coming events, albeit bastardised and corrupted) through the manifestation of the perfected sons of God. (See here Manifest Sons and here Bobby Conner prophecy and Jesus Get off your throne and Buford Dowell statement here.)
This is not the biblical Second Coming of Christ where every eye will see Jesus return literally in the clouds at the end of the age, but a ’spiritual’ Second Coming of Christ through the body of the new church who become perfect "God-men" walking through walls and are immortal (NB Todd isn’t immortal). This army - Joel’s Army - headed by the New Apostolic Reformation apostles and prophets are the very oracle of God as they are God who take dominion over the earth. This is another Jesus - an antichrist blasphemous one - sitting in God’s temple.
I have written before about what the Second Coming really means to Latter Rain adherents, and what the ‘glory’ really is. If you do yet realise how serious this, please do some research and forsake Todd Bentley and his antichrist impartation. Accepting Bentley’s kingly anointing means accepting an antichrist!
YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE
Sunday, June 8, 2008
AUDIO: Bob Jones: "Florida Outpouring is a Three-Ring Circus"
The professors at Cambridge University don't claim to be prophets, but they did a good job of lining right up with acclaimed "prophet" Bob Jones' statements a few weeks ago concerning the "Florida Outpouring"! 
The 1998 Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms by Cambridge University Press defines the idiom "a three-ring circus" as: a lot of noisy or confused activity. It then gives an EXAMPLE: It's a three-ring circus in that classroom - the kids can't possibly be learning anything.
The Cambridge example says it all!
This is Kansas City "prophet" Bob Jones with his buddy Todd Bentley discussing the "Florida Outpouring" and how it is a "three-ring circus"... and I couldn't agree more.
ADDED AUDIO BONUS: Notice where Bob Jones makes reference to the dead prophets of the 40's and 50's who have "gone home" making intercession for the revival.
Those who are in Christ "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" we don't need (and I don't want) any "intercession" from dead men in my "time of need".
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
MY WORD OF ADVICE: Stay away from the "three-ring circus" at Lakeland. All you will find is noise and confusion. Go someplace that teaches the Bible so you can learn something!
Full video and context HERE.(Starts at 3:20 mark)
AUDIO: God or Baal? "Fire, Fire! Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels"
Maybe I've been wrong.
Maybe it was wrong to imply that Todd Bentley said that he should put Jesus aside to preach angels and the supernatural?
Perhaps I should just relax and concern myself with other things even though Todd Bentley pukes out false prophecy, after false teaching, after blasphemy, after heresy, ad nauseum?
I suppose I don't need to worry so much for the tens of thousands of souls following this deception to the point of disregard for God's written revealed Word.
Maybe it's not so bad to chant over and over "ANGELS! ANGELS! ANGELS! ANGELS! etc. etc...."
I want you to notice something. In the above clip heretic Todd Bentley WORSHIPS ANGELS by...
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...attributing FIVE things to angels that they don't deserve or want!
1. Glory ("angels of glory...")
2. Help ("I need heaven's angel's help!)
3. Victory/Protection (I need warring angels)
4. Healing (I need angels of healing!)
5. Revelation (I need angels of revelation)
This is a demonic ploy to take our reliance for ALL things FROM JESUS and to rely on the "angelic hosts" to come be and do what we need!
We only receive healing and victory through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
We only receive help and revelation by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
And ALL "glory", belongs to Jesus Christ!
Kent Philpott writes: The apostle John said, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8) Jesus has defeated Satan and his legions. Also, as we resist the devil, he flees from us. (James 4:7) And, perhaps, of greatest importance, we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 2:6) What need is there for an angel, even a well-known one like Michael? No, Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, is enough.
ALSO, HERE IS A SECOND CLIP FROM THE SAME SERVICE...
Never mind the 7000 people who are emotionally led by the driving beat of the music to moan and chant repetitiously to their God (god?)calling on him to "send down fire!" According to many, this is OBVIOUSLY of God! What do you think?...
Now think back on Elijah and the "prophets" of Baal...
I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
I Kings 18:24 ...you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”
So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”
I Kings 18:26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
I Kings 18:27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
I Kings 18:28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
I Kings 18:29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
I Kings 18:30,32 Then Elijah ...built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
I Kings 18:33,35 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood (3 times).” So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
I Kings 18:36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, (WITHOUT CHANTING, SCREAMING, VIBRATING, GOING INTO A TRANCE, etc... just a simple prayer)“LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.
I Kings 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” (REPENTANCE)
I Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
I Kings 18:39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!” (REPENTANCE, FAITH)
QUESTION: Is Todd Bentley a prophet speaking the Words of the One, True God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? He sure calls down the "fire" alot... but where is it? Non-existent fire comes from an non-existent god.
Elijah's fire was real... it was sent by God, He received the sacrifice of the people and the fire of Elijah's God caused people to fall on their faces in repentance and faith.
Psalm 121:1-8 says
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.
Todd's god isn't answering his prayers for "fire", and "miracles" and "more" so he's requsting "angels" screaming at his god, hoping he'll wake up and do something. Is Todd's god asleep?
But the God of the Bible is "He who keeps Israel" and "will neither slumber nor sleep..."
Looks like it's Todd who needs to wake up... not God!
TEXT OF THE ABOVE AUDIO:
Call Down the Fire! Call Down the Fire!
Call Down the Fire! Call Down the Fire!
Pray for worldwide revival!
Come on- Give me two minutes! two minutes!
Pray for worldwide revival!
Come on- Pray for this anonting to go to the ends of the earth!
I want you to pray for more. I want you to pray fo... say "God pour it out!"
Pray with me! Stand with me! Stand with me!
In your homes... pray right before your televisions!
Kneel down. Kneel down in front of your computers.
I'm asking you to pray!
Give me two minutes and pray for the fire to fall!
Pray for worldwide outpouring!
Pray for the dead to be raised!
Pray for another level of miracles!
You hear them God?
You hear them God?
We want more!
You hear them God?
You hear them God?
We want miracles!
You hear them God?
You hear them God?
We want revival!
You hear them God?
You hear them God?
We want the dead raised!
Come on! Lift up your voice! Pray with me for worldwide revival!
Pray for signs and wonders! Pray for the dead to be raised!
I need you to pray! My God! Don't let it stop!
Don't let it stop! Let it go all over the world!
Let the fire fall! Let the glory fall!
Come on! Pray like you really want it! Pray like you really want it!
I'm commissioning the intercessors!
Lift up your voice! Come on, watchnmen!
Pray for the move of God in Lakeland!
Pray for Fresh Fire Ministries! Pray for GODtv!
Pray for Todd Bentley!
Pray for Heather Clark. Pray for Roy Fields!
Pray for my team! Pray for my staff!
Pray for the outpouring!
Come on, now's the time to be focused in, not leaving!
Now's the time to be focused in and praying for what you want!
Come on! Come on! Can you push through? Can you push through?
Or are you just here for a little "bless me"?
Maybe you're watching for a little "bless me"!
I want more than a "bless me"!
I want a habitatiiiiiiiiiooooooooon!
If you want a little "bless me", we're not lookin for a little bless me here!
We're lookin for a move of God here! We're lookin for a revival here!
We're lookin for the glory of God here!
Friday, June 6, 2008
My Interview on Crosstalk America...
I have never done a radio interview so when Ingrid Schlueter called me today to ask if I would mind joining the show on the topic of Todd Bentley, I was pretty nervous. As it worked out I was only on for the first 30 minutes... which was a good thing because of the short notice AND because her other guest Pastor Ken Silva of apprising.org is a much better radio personality and had plenty of great things to say.
I'll tell ya, I've been on stage in front of pretty huge crowds but a radio interview was a completely different experience. Sorry for all the "umm"'s!
Give it a listen at CROSSTALKAMERICA.COM
Assemblies of God say Lakeland "should be avoided"?
I'm not sure if it is in direct response to our open letter, but I just received a note (thanks Karen) notifying me that just a few hours ago, the Assemblies of God posted an "Official Statement on Revival" . The link leads to a video of Dr. George O. Wood making comments which deal with "revival" in general. The "statement" never mentions Florida, Lakeland, Ignited Church or Todd Bentley, nor does it mention specific matters in relation to the "Florida Outpouring".
I think this would be a good start if there is going to be some further direct statements concerning the "Florida Outpouring". But if there will be no further statements, I would only call this a positive step to a wishy-washy objective. This statement gives no firm warning to the "sheep" to stay away from Lakeland, and to stay away from Todd Bentley and his posse of heretics
For now, I will have to take what I can get. Dr. Wood's statement deals with...
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...the history of the Azusa Street Revival and he states: "the sure plumb line of truth was God's revealed and written Word. Elder Seymour and others were criticized sharply for their insistence on "checking everything out with the Word." But, they were unashamed."
Dr. George Wood also states "The Word of God stands over personal viewpoints. Any Biblical revival must "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). If so-called truth is being proclaimed that cannot be found in Scripture, then that proclamation violates the specific announcement of Scripture that the faith "was once for all entrusted" and such a proclamation also deviates from the apostles' fidelity to preach the Word, and from the early Church's devotion to the apostles' doctrine."
Dr. Wood continues; "Miraculous manifestations are never the test of a true revival - fidelity to God's Word is the test."
"In summary, the message must always be examined. If the message and the messenger line up with God's Word, then the revival is on safe Biblical ground and it should and must be embraced. If not, then even though miracles and manifestations occur, it should be avoided."
So according to Dr. Wood's own statements, this "outpouring" in Lakeland, Florida is NOT on safe Biblical ground because it most assuredly DOES NOT "line up with God's Word! Therefore, Dr. Wood implies that the "Florida Outpouring" and Todd Bentley "should be avoided."
I wonder how Dr. Wood and the Assemblies of God national leadership will get this message to their flock??
I hate to be so pessimistic but I have a feeling that if Dr. Wood can't bear to name names, then he must not want to turn his pastors and congregations against a "particular" outpouring.
I'm thankful that Dr. Wood has made some kind of statement (regardless of the generalities and vague non-specifics). I just pray that he does whatever it takes to make sure that the congregations hear the little bit of a leading that he expressed. (Dr. Wood... How about an article in the Pentecostal Evangel telling people to stay away from Lakeland?)
Be sure to comment about Dr. Wood's statement below.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
GOOD NEWS: Abortion Docs Fail... Baby Finley is fine!
Pray for these folks and for all who read their story. It is a confusing news story of lacking morals and reasoning to kill...
Ms. Jodie Percival has a son (Lewis) who was born with severe kidney problems and she had previously lost a son (Thane) to similar kidney problems just twenty-minutes after his birth. Jodie, who now has a copy of tragic baby Thane's footprint tattooed on her wrist, went on the Pill to keep this tragedy from occuring again.
But just three months later she missed a period and took a pregnancy test. When she found she was pregnant again, she reasoned that the tragedy of what happened to Thane might happen again, so she decided to abort instead of going through the "heartbreak" of another child's death.
She explains that when she went for the abortion...
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..."I couldn't talk, all kinds of things were running through my head. I felt guilt, I didn't want to do this but I knew I had to. I don't believe in abortion unless it's on medical grounds and I felt terrible.
"Although the procedure itself didn't hurt the whole experience was horrific. I was sobbing, looking at all the pipes and equipment and thinking, ‘Oh my ---, that's where my baby is going.'" Afterwards the doctor fitted the contraceptive coil, which is often enough in itself to abort an unborn child.
Jodie recalled: "I was in the room for about 20 minutes then they told me I could go. I felt horrible and full of regret straight away. I remember going to the waiting room to see Billy. He couldn't believe how quickly I'd got through it. It was like being on a conveyor belt.
"I kept trying to say to myself that I'd done the right thing for the baby. I felt evil for what I had done. It was the most horrific experience of my life. But I thought it was all over and I told myself I just had to get on with it. Nobody gave me any indication that there was anything wrong."
She and Billy, say they felt guilty and regretted their decision but after reasoning that killing their child was the way to go they are now "thankful" and feel "blessed" that their child survived their best efforts to kill it!
God often blesses against all odds and He surely has blessed a beautiful miracle child with the gift of life despite his parent's attempts to kill him via abortion (for "health reasons").
Jodie says of her premature delivery: "I'd lost Thane at about the same age. But this baby had survived an abortion and (a contraceptive) coil being fitted — I realised it was a fighter."
Finley was born three weeks premature at 6lb 3ozs with few of the health problems his parents were going to kill him for. Jodie said: "I remember feeling guilt again when I held him and looked at him, guilt about what I'd tried to do and I got upset. I knew if that operation hadn't failed he wouldn't have been there.
"It was all mixed-up emotions. I felt such a surge of love and bonding for him. I knew he was a miracle. I just couldn't believe that this child, who'd had a death sentence on his head, had got through it all and looked so perfect."
Now Jodie and Billy are taking no more risks. She has had a contraceptive injection and he is having a vasectomy. And on Valentine's Day their happiness was made complete when they set a date to wed in August.
Jodie said: "That'll make our family complete. We're very, very blessed."
As I said, pray for these people. I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead them toward repentance through the guilt they feel as they raise this "miracle" baby.
LINK TO ARTICLE 1
LINK TO ARTICLE 2
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
AUDIO: Does Todd Bentley even know what Todd Bentley believes?
I'd like to talk today about "the anointing". (Somebody slap your neighbor and say "what's going on here?").... Okay,...You may be seated.
Answer me this... What is the biblical "anointing" that the New Testament Church receives? Is it Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or some other "substance"? Poor Todd Bentley teaches about "it" but he evidently doesn't even know himself what this "Anointing" is. Thankfully, God knows. And He has given us the answer in the Bible.... Why didn't Todd Bentley find it? This is just another reason to stay away from the "Florida Outpouring".
Todd Bentley claims to feel it. He claims to have it. He claims to impart it. He claims to "operate" under it. He even teaches about it.
Unfortunately, Todd Bentley MUST NOT KNOW what the "anointing" is! In fact, he has double-talked himself into lying to an 11 year-old boy named Josh about what "it" is.
LISTEN TO IT HERE (You'll hear 3 sections - (1) What the Anointing IS NOT... {TONE} (2)What the Anointing IS... {TONE} (3)A mash-up of the confusion.
Three days ago Todd specifically said "The anointing IS NOT The Holy Spirit." "The anointing IS NOT the Father." and "The anointing IS NOT Jesus." He tells us that the "anointing" is a SUBSTANCE (?) doled out by the Holy Spirit. (Give us some scriptures, Todd!)
Then the next day, Todd specifically told an 11 year old boy that the anointing IS JESUS!
...and HERE Todd's teaching states "Actually the Anointed One, Jesus Christ, is the anointing!"
NOW... even without the doctrinal ramifications of this unbiblical teaching, Todd has messed up BIG TIME by contradicting and invalidating...
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...an entire portion of the "teaching" that he has done at his "Florida Outpouring".
You can't make the argument that he was just trying to make it "easy" for the kid to understand, because He specifically said that neither GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, or JESUS IS the "anointing"... rather the anointing is some sort of STUFF (SUBSTANCE) dumped out on us BY the Holy Spirit. Todd also states the same thing on the ad for his "HOW TO RECEIVE THE ANOINTING" audio teaching. And the crazy thing is that Mr. Bentley even quoted Acts 10:38 which CLEARLY states that the Holy Spirit IS Jesus' anointing! And He is OUR anointing, too! And He is our helper. And He is our comforter/power (Com Forte = with power). And He is our seal to inheritance, etc...
Will the REAL ANOINTING PLEASE STAND UP?
Well, Todd, let's look in the Bible for some valid definitions of Who the Anointing really is. First, the "Anointing" is not an it. "It" is actually a "He"... The TRUE ANOINTING is the Holy Spirit, Third Person of the Triune Godhead.
John 14:16 says "And I (Jesus) will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
I John 2:26,27 says "These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him."
II Corinthians 11:13-15 says "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
From HERE:
There is a FALSE ANOINTING, also. The "false anointing" is a Satanic counterfeit of the Holy Spirit. This counterfeit can be very clearly seen in the cultic and occult manifestations of pagan religions. Sadly, undiscerning Christian leaders and known false teachers are applying biblical terminology to this so-called 'anointing' and they say it is a work of Holy Spirit. In doing so, they designate the Person of the Holy Spirit as an impersonal force that can be manipulated at the will of man. Furthermore, the manifestations that occur are not holy, but are the EXACT SAME MANIFESTATIONS found in Hinduism and many pagan cults around the world.
Experience Festival, Exotic India, and a host of other occult webistes define very clearly what this counterfeit anointing is and they call it 'Enlightenment.
“An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? Jeremiah 5:30-31
They continue:
Jesus warned about those claiming to be Christ [Anointed], etc.
“And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ [Anointed]; and shall deceive many. ” Mark 13:5-6
And the Apostle John commanded,
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
Sadly, countless thousands of pastors across the globe have embraced a counterfeit anointing that is not from God. Unbiblical doctrine, unhodly and demonic manifestations, and godless willful rebellion against accountability are the fruit of it.
Warning! Warning! Warning! The occultisation of Christendom is a full blown phenomenon now as Christian clairvoyants, Christian Diviners, false prophets, false teachers and false apostles prostitute the undiscerning with spiritual harloty.
This clip not only proves Todd is a false teacher, it also shows that he himself doesn't even have a clear understanding of what (actually Who) the annointing is! It also shows he has no firm personal belief about this subject.
NOTE TO TODD: Learn your false-teachings yourself before you attempt to deceive us with them!
SOURCE:
JESUS IS NOT... (at 1:17 mark)
JESUS IS... (at 3:25 mark)
YOUR BIBLE... If it was your dog, it would be dead.
Do you claim to be a Christian but rarely read your Bible? Have you read it today?... this week? Do you EVER really read it? I know you must know where it is because it has been in the same place for months! The Bible is how God chose to speak to us. By not opening and reading it, you're effectively telling God "Shut up!"
Monday, June 2, 2008
EVANGELISM: What do you do to share your faith? (Free Download)
I recently found this picture at an antique shop and it got me to thinking about how much more I should be actively, purposefully, verbally preaching the Gospel to all creatures. These people evidently lived in their "Gospel Truck" traveling around, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (By the looks on their faces, these were evidently the days before the "God has a wonderful plan for your life" wishy-washiness!)
So, I thought I'd ask YOU... What is your favorite, creative way to get in a quick "one-two Gospel punch" to the faces of the people you meet each day?
For instance, for random "seed-chucking" (as opposed to one-on-one witnessing) I have been folding Ray Comfort's Million Dollar Bills in half...
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...and inserting them into the credit card or receipt slots of every gas pump I stop at. I just leave it hanging out a little bit. The gas pump then appears to be spitting money out! People can't miss it.
How about using "Toilet Humor" to preach Jesus? Sounds impossible but I found a tract HERE that I heavily modified to make it a little more engaging... Take a look. You can DOWNLOAD THIS... and THIS, and print them on LEGAL sized paper on BOTH SIDES. Then simply fold it and leave it in public restrooms everytime you go... (which is EVERYTIME I go into a Hastings Bookstore... Why is that??)
Anyway, What are some of the things YOU are doing to obey the commands of the Great Commission? Please comment and give me some fresh ideas in three areas:
1. Random Tract Drops
2: One-on-One conversations
3: Open Air/Audience Preaching
Sunday, June 1, 2008
U-JUDGE-IT: Is this a "true" miracle?
I recently saw a video of a miracle healing service. Since it is video, I would like to give you the play-by-play of the video and then afterward we will discuss it. Some of the video was in broken English and french so I will paraphrase where needed.
The narrator begins...
"As humans, we tend to believe only what we see. That limits the miraculous because there is a completely different realm of experience for us in the invisible world!"
The video continues...music plays... the people pray... and holy hands are laid on the sick. Many have been healed and now a certain woman is seeking to experience a healing as well.
She begins to weep. Something is happening. She looks toward heaven in prayer. The music continues to play and a singer lifts her voice in song. Has she received her miracle?
After the service, the young woman is interviewed. She speaks a foreign language (French) but her words are translated at the bottom of the screen.
She says: "The woman continued to sing and then something happened... I received a huge impact of emotion. I was destabilized but in a good way. I was not sad, no anguish, only a good thing as I received a ball of light... love,... a ton of love came over me! I thought it was just the (people praying for me). But... I felt (God's) hands on my heart. I received an intense diffusion of heat emitting from his hand and going all over... (she points all over her body) a diffusion... like the roots of a tree."
Sound familiar? It happens at many churches every Sunday during the worship service. It happens at many Christian youth camps and retreats. It also happens at Todd Bentley's "Florida Outpouring". Is God moving? You be the judge!
SEE THE VIDEO BELOW:
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HERE IS THE VIDEO OF THE SERVICE DESCRIBED ABOVE.
My question is this... What makes this pagan experience DIFFERENT from any similar church experience?
My answer is NOTHING except that no one mentioned Jesus!
Does that shock you? Does that make you mad?
How can I dare to compare a church worship service to a shaman ritual?
But I am not comparing shamanism to Christianity. I am stating and showing that we can not claim ANYTHING is of God based on a physical EXPERIENCE.
EVERYTHING must be backed by the written, revealed Word of God. Otherwise you have nothing to back you and therefore nothing to test.
2Ti 3:13-17 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I don't need ANYTHING except the Scriptures to test all things. It is my COMPLETE testing kit. If something falls outside the testability range we call it FALSE.
People can go anywhere to get lights, fire, electricity, and a deep feeling of emotion. But it is without relation to Jesus Christ.
As there is NOTHING to test in the above video that deals with spiritual things, I can (with authority) state that it is unbiblical, ungodly, false teaching and pagan.
But guess what? If YOUR experience/healing/miracle does not have a scriptural precedent, I can do no more with it than I can the above video. I MUST call it false and ignore it... and lead people AWAY from it!
Or do you really expect me to believe and follow YOUR WORD over GOD'S WORD?
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• 16% of Jehovah's Witnesses say "many religions can lead to eternal life"
--------- versus 66% of Protestant Christians
• 18% of Jehovah's Witnesses say "there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my faith"
--------- versus 64% of Protestant Christians
• 82% of Jehovah's Witnesses "believe that God is a person with whom people can have a relationship"
--------- 53% of Protestant Christians
• 89% of Jehovah's Witnesses "pray daily"
--------- versus 78% of Protestant Christians
• 82% of Jehovah's Witnesses "attend religious services at least once a week"
--------- versus 50% of Protestant Christians
• 93% of Jehovah's Witnesses "say the Bible is the Word of God"
--------- versus 77% of Protestant Christians
• 83% of Jehovah's Witnesses say they "read the Bible outside of religious services"
--------- versus 48% of Protestant Christians
• 82% of Jehovah's Witnesses say they "Participate in prayer groups, Scripture study groups or religious education programs."
--------- versus 33% of Protestant Christians
• 76% of Jehovah's Witnesses say they "Share their faith with non-believers at least weekly."
--------- versus 28% of Protestant Christians
• 36% of Jehovah's Witnesses say they "Receive a definite answer to a specific prayer request at least weekly."
--------- versus 24% of Protestant Christians
• 77% of Jehovah's Witnesses say "abortion should be illegal in most or all cases"
--------- versus 49% of Protestant Christians
• 76% of Jehovah's Witnesses say "Homosexuality is a way of life that should be discouraged by society"
--------- versus 51% of Protestant Christians
• 90% of Jehovah's Witnesses say they "DISAGREE that Evolution is the best explanation for the origins of human life on earth"
--------- versus 58% of Protestant Christians
I am sad to say that I know that these are true numbers. I know several Jehovah's Witnesses and I see them LIVING THEIR FAITH while my Protestant "Christian" friends regularly and consistently FAIL to do the "stuff" we would classify as "Christian Activity"! Now the Pew Forum poll backs up my observations!
The biblical proof that the vast majority of self-proclaimed "Christians" are not truly saved is that even though they call themselves "Christian", they have never "sold all and followed Jesus Christ"! They have never "picked up their cross". They have never been"crucified with Christ". They have never been "born again". They are not "known" by Jesus Christ.
Therefore the majority of people sitting on pews in American churches are NOT Christians...
the majority of those who call themselves "Christian" are NOT really saved!
What about YOU? How do you KNOW you are REALLY saved? You may call yourself a Christian, but are you really a Christian? The word "Christian" means "Christ-follower"... Yet most who call themselves "Christian" NEVER follow Jesus Christ!
Do you do what He has commanded us to do? Have you gone where He has commanded us to go?
Hey, Peter,... Do you love Him?, Do you LOVE Him?, DO YOU LOVE HIM?.... Do you "feed His Sheep"? Do you "preach the Gospel"? Do you "teach & make disciples"? Is He really Lord to you? (Your Master, Boss, King, and Ruler), or do you simply call Him "Lord, Lord..." when, in fact, He has never even known you and you have never loved Him?
Have you really repented (turned away) from your sin? Have you ever put to death your own will to submit to His authority? Or are you still on good terms with your sin and with the sinners?
To millions of self-proclaimed "Christians", it feels good to be able to say "I'm a Christian" without having to lay down their sin in repentance!
Statistics have shown that around 80 percent of the US would readily call themselves "Christian" yet only 20% of those 80% are regularly in church and only 2% are regularly, verbally sharing their faith.
It looks to me like "Christian" is what everyone wants to call themselves but not "be".
While it is perfectly Biblical and good to call believers "Christians", (Acts 11:26, I Peter 4:16) I personally have come to a place where I do not very often refer to myself (or those I believe to be true converts) as "Christian"!
I nearly exclusively refer to myself as being "in Christ" or "born again" as opposed to the term "Christian" because that's how I see the Bible describe us, and we "must be born again".
Why don't I call myself "Christian"?... Because the majority of the United States (including Jehovah's Witnesses) believes they are "CHRISTIANS" while it's plain to see that the overwhelming majority are not "in Christ" or "born again".
Quite frankly, in the eyes of the world, I want to be set FAR apart from the 80% of "Christians" in the United States who refuse to repent, believe, obey, fellowship or share their faith!
So yes, I truly believe the Jehovah's Witnesses really are better "Christians" than most of "us"!
But that is not the important issue! You must understand that the Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT "in Christ",... the Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT "born-again",... the Jehovah's Witnesses are serving a FALSE God and know of a FALSE Christ,... and even though they may call themselves "Christian", Jesus Christ will one day tell each of them "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity,... I NEVER KNEW YOU!"
What about you, Mr. Protestant? Are you one of the few "good Christians" in the poll? Do you consistently do the right stuff?
Do you look at the numbers above and thank God that you are "not like the publican" because you pray daily and share your faith and go to church every week like a good Christian should?
True converts who are "in Christ", WILL live in repentance, obedience and faith!
The question is, are you a "true convert", "in Christ", "born again"... or are you just a " good Christian" like all of the Jehovah's Witnesses?