Living in The Way

Todd Bentley Officially "In Ministry" Again! ...because Rick Joyner says so?

2009-11-23T15:06:00.002-06:00

Today, in Rick Joyner's "MoringStar eNewsletter", Rick included a link to the video of his announcement that Todd Bentley is now oficially restored to ministry!

It has been a long road (or 15 months) paved with a couple-dozen worthless videos giving no valid or good biblical reason that Todd should come anywhere close to a pulpit again. He is still living in an adulterous re-marriage. He has still not repented from his heretical and unbiblical teachings. He still hides the things he has said, and changes his words and details of stories he's told in the past. The only things that have changed about Todd Bentley are his address and his bed partner. In fact, Bud Press, over at Christian Research Service tried to get a few answers out of Todd and failed. I also was in line to try to get some answers from Todd during the Lakeland mess but he decided to commit adultery, imploding the "revival" before our interview was finalized. At this point, forget the interview... I'd rather hear Todd's answers to Bud's six questions below!

Six Simple Questions for Todd Bentley
by Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service
www.christianresearchservice.com

October 22, 2009

Maybe it was just a glitch in Todd Bentley's computer. Or, maybe Bentley accidentally hit delete instead of post. Or, maybe Bentley actually read the comments and chose to hit delete before his followers had a chance to read them.

Whatever the case may be, stuff disappears, including the following October 19 comments on "The Todd Bentley Blog" at http://www.freshfireusa.com/blog :

__________________________________________________________________________

Dear Todd:

On your blog in your "Welcome to the website" page, you state that "The purpose of my blog is to share with you my personal thoughts, feelings, status, revelations, and updates on the ministry and restoration" ("The Todd Bentley Blog" at http://www.freshfireusa.com/blog/?p=3 ).

I would appreciate your sharing your personal thoughts, feelings, status, revelations, and updates on the following six simple questions.

1. Over the years you have claimed multiple visitations from Jesus Christ. However, in Matthew 24:23 & 26, the Jesus of the Bible warned: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him" 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."

Question: In light of what Jesus said and 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, who do you think is right, you or Jesus?

2. On June 7, 2008, you read a "prophetic word" from Wendy Alec publicly to your viewing audience, and said that the "Lord" had spoken to Wendy and that "Jesus Christ" would visit the Lakeland revival "in person" on Sunday, June 8, 2008 ( http://www.christianresearchservice.com/WendyAlec1.htm ).

Question: Since the prophecy was a dismal failure, do you feel you should repent and apologize publicly?

3. On page 27 of your January 2008 book, Journey Into The Miraculous, you claim you encountered a giant, muscle-bound "Jesus" during a vision/trance (http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentley9.htm ).

Question: Does your vision/trance agree or disagree with Isaiah 53:2?

4. On page 67 of your October 2008 book, Kingdom Rising: Making the Kingdom Real in Your Life, you claim that during a mission trip you and your team encountered drug addicts and gangsters while preaching in the ghettos of South Africa ( http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentley13.htm ).

When the gangsters disagreed with you, you state that "I guarantee that if God doesn't touch you, that I will say that God isn't real."

Question: In light of Psalm 10:4, Psalm 14:1, and Psalm 53:1, what are your personal thoughts on your statement?

5. On page 67 of your book, Kingdom Rising: Making the Kingdom Real in Your Life, you state that "We can preach the Gospel all day long, but that won't win souls."

Question: In light of 1 Corinthians 9:19-24, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Romans 1:16-17, and Romans 10:14, do you still maintain that "We can preach the Gospel all day long, but that won't win souls"?

6. Finally, on page 162 of your book, Journey Into The Miraculous, you state that "I thank God for my friendship with Patricia [King], and for how God used her as an instrument to ordain me into the ministry--but I always will know that the call came from God. I've since been ordained in Canada by my local church, and through the Christian Minister's Association. In the U.S., I'm recognized as a minister of the Gospel through World Ministry Fellowship in Texas" (http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ToddBentley12.htm).

But according to a top official from the Christian Ministers Association (CMA), you were not ordained through the CMA, and have never been a member of that association. Also, as of April 7, 2009, your membership "papers" in the World Ministry Fellowship (WMF) were removed.

Question: Are there any current "revelations" or "updates" about your ordinations you care to share?

Thank you, Todd. I look forward to your reply at your earliest possible convenience.

Sincerely in Christ,

Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

www.christianresearchservice.com

<<>>

VIDEO: Paul Washer: El Verdadero Evangelio en español

2009-04-14T08:22:00.008-05:00

This is a wonderful presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Spanish. It is also translated into English text. We would like to thank Eindi Eiesiech for sharing.

I don't speak Spanish but Google Translate helped me out!

Esta es una maravillosa presentación del Evangelio de Jesucristo en español. Que se tradujo también en Inglés texto. Nos gustaría dar las gracias a Eindi Eiesiech para la presentación de la relación.

SOURCE.

How long has it been since a message knocked you off your chair? Here's a Spanish subtitled version of Paul Washer's "Shocking" youth conference message. If you haven't yet heard this message, please listen now.

VIDEO: Advice from Alfie and me... for Planned Parenthood

2009-04-08T13:58:00.006-05:00

Planned Parenthood does a great job. Their staff and equipment efficiently process millions of perfectly healthy babies reducing them to perfectly dead, less bothersome babies. They kill millions of babies a year with relatively few complications. They suck all of the blood and baby parts directly into garbage bags, out of the "patient's" view, in a clean, white sterile environment. They have perfected the art of murder... AND made it legal and socially acceptable, too! If they deserve credit for anything, they deserve credit for doing what they do with efficiency.

They have an article on their website entitled "Five Ways to Prevent Abortion..."

I can give them ONE way that would be guaranteed to be effective, if they are really interested.

If Planned Parenthood would just change the hidden aspect of their processing,... if they instead laid all those millions of dead babies out on tables to be viewed by the mothers before their "proceedures",... perhaps, just maybe, a few women would suddenly see their "freedom to choose" in the light of its consequences; a real, dead, human baby boy or girl!

Then again, Planned Parenthood isn't interested in ideas that might be bad for business.

Ray Comfort has produced a great little video to show how Hollywood has cleaned up some of its past "mistakes". I guess it's not acceptable anymore to call abortion murder. I wonder what changed between 1966 and 2004? (*cough*Roe v. Wade*cough*)

What must I do to be saved?!

2009-04-02T10:01:00.005-05:00

"In Acts 16:30 this question was asked by the jailer of a prison in which Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the gospel. God sent an earthquake so that all the doors of the prison were opened. The jailer, thinking his prisoners had escaped, was about to commit suicide when Paul called to him and said: "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here. At this, the man cried: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Back came the answer from the lips of Paul: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!"

Is this your question, my friend? Has God shown you that you are a lost and guilty sinner, helpless to save yourself by any efforts of your own? If so, thank God, for you are just the kind of person for whom the Son of God suffered, bled and died on the cross of Calvary. He knew your dire need and deadly danger and, in wonderful love, allowed Himself to be crucified in order that He might bear all your sins in His own body on the tree. As He hung there, despised and rejected of men, all God's righteous wrath against sin fell on Him, in unparalleled force, until every claim of God against sin had been satisfied by His substitutionary sacrifice on behalf of sinners. Mark the loud and triumphant cry of the Savior ere He bowed His head in death and dismissed His spirit: "It is finished!" What was finished? All the work necessary for the salvation of every sinner who will trust in His finished work of redemption and receive Him as Savior and Lord. ~ Alfred P. Gibbs - "Three Questions"

Dear reader, aside from Jesus there is no hope for you! Without the hope of a Savior we may all just as well commit suicide! But we who are resting in our Salvation hope you will hear our cries in the darkness before it is too late! "Do thyself no harm!" Just repent from your self-sufficiency and rest... Jesus has finished all the work that may be done! There is nothing left for you to do. Believe what He says and "thou shalt be saved"!

SICKNESS, PAIN & TRIALS: God's "Best Life Now" for you?

2009-03-15T01:09:00.008-05:00

FOR FANS OF TODD BENTLEY & JOEL OSTEEN and others who believe God only wants health, wealth, and good times for His people.

From Charles H. Spurgeon's writing entitled "On My Back":

"Sickness in the believer is intended for the glory of God, and in part this design is answered during the trial. It is to be feared that the Lord gets but a small revenue of glory from some of us; we defraud the royal exchequer of many dues: much conscience-money might we all send into court on account of our long and heavy arrears of thankfulness. Sickness takes out a warrant against ingratitude, and surcharges us for our defalcations, by bringing our negligences to remembrance.

God gets many a song from his caged birds which might never be heard if they had strength to wanton on the wing. Psalms and hymns, like music on the water, sound sweetly from the deeps of suffering... Until the oyster is sick it yields no pearls... We make most progress in our voyage heavenward when the wind is rough: calms are more pleasant than profitable; better for comfort than for commerce; fairer in the present than in the retrospect. Affliction cuts the facets of the Lord's diamonds, and so they shine with a greater lustre to his honour. What the church owes to the file and the hammer no tongue can tell.

Would the church triumphant have been so glorious as it now is, if its members had been spared the great tribulation out of which they passed to their crowns? Would half the grace which now beautifies the church militant have been discernible at all, if severe trials had not developed it? Would the Lord have had honour among us if the chastening rod had been laid aside? For the world to see how a Christian can endure hardness, is a great glory to God. The great hospital of saintly suffering is a grand exposition in which the choice works of the Holy Spirit are exhibited to all who have eyes to see.

Oh! how foolish are we to fear and dread bodily suffering, when it hath no killing hand, but two hands full of blessings. We fear our mercies and tremble at our soul-enrichments; we cry out against a friend as though he were an enemy, and chase away an angel as though he were a devil. If we could but see the words, "Not unto death,"(John 11:4)emblazoned upon the escutcheon of our afflictions, we should receive them with more willing mind.

DAVID WILKERSON: Sandwich "prophecy" story debunked as false.

2009-03-13T13:06:00.008-05:00

See the editor's note at the top of the article HERE.

WorldNet Daily contributor Janet Porter caused a tidal wave of activity on the "prophecy front" which has ended in disaster. At the end of her March 10th article calling believers to "Heed Wilkerson's Warning" she said "So, when the guy who made the 2,000 sandwiches on Sept. 10 warns us: "AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN," I think we would do well to heed it."

Well Janet,... are you still going to heed Wilkerson's words now that the story of the "true prophecy" has been debunked? If you try hard you can likely find SOMETHING Wilkerson has said that has come true.

Like John Piper said, "Stick with the Bible... and your credibility will never fail".

DAVID WILKERSON: Do Sandwiches make him a True Prophet?

2009-03-12T12:25:00.010-05:00

(NOTE: My title does not declare him to be a true OR false prophet. We must all consult the Biblical standards for a prophet to judge any person as a prophet.)

This is not prophecy, but before I even post this I know that you are likely here because you're trying to seek counsel on whether to heed David Wilkerson's prophecy of impending doom. Hundreds of people (like you, reader) are right now asking Google (rather than God's Word) if, since David Wilkerson made sandwiches before 9-11-01, he's a true prophet of God!~

Amazing.

Folks... Why are you being so lazy when something like a pending "Great Calamity" is at stake? Do you have a Bible? What do you use it for if you don't use it to answer questions like these?

In EVERY situation (that doesn't have to do with an online iPod purchase or finding a great tuna recipe) go to the Bible BEFORE you go to Google!

In fact, RIGHT NOW,...RUN!...before it is too late - to the Bible! I say this prophetically, as a "Word from God" with all sincerity! (See Romans 2:5; 2:16, II Corinthians 6:1-2... then keep reading from there.)

Are you about to have a heart attack?!! WHO KNOWS? Is the roof you are under going to cave in on you? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT! Will the very chair are sitting in today KILL YOU? If any of the above were to happen, 30 days of food wouldn't help you. If any of the above DON'T happen right now, you are still living in imminent danger if you are not in Christ. If you ARE in Christ, you don't have to fear any of the above, including David Wilkerson's "Urgent Warning"!

In the Bible, you may find that there's a bigger issue than any prophesied Judgment of God toward the USA: Namely the Judgment of God toward you personally. If you are not ABSOLUTELY SURE of your relationship with Him, please GO HERE or HERE If you still haven't run away to read His Word, read my prior commentary on this subject... but you HAVE to go to the Bible sometime.

Here's Jon Sharp's Boiled Down Version™ preview of what the Bible says about your TWO POSSIBLE ENDS...

OUT OF CHRIST = Sure judgment, wrath and eternal suffering.
IN CHRIST = Sure, eternal salvation with peace and provision THROUGH your promised earthly trials, tribulations, persecutions and death.

Now go get a sandwich and read your Bible.

JOHN PIPER to DAVID WILKERSON: "Stick with the Bible"

2009-03-12T10:59:00.005-05:00

SOME GOOD COUNSEL FROM JOHN PIPER:

From "Desiring God"
Testing David Wilkerson’s Prophecy
March 9, 2009 | By: John Piper

The Bible says, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

David Wilkerson will cause a good many hearts to pound faster with his pronouncement that “AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.” New Yorkers especially will swallow hard: “It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut.”

What shall we make of this? The part that depends on the Bible we should take with absolute seriousness. You don’t need to have special revelation to know that the rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord is the norm in America. Therefore, we stand under the judgment of God and it is only a matter of time till the present judgments (Romans 1:18-32) give way to spiritual awakening or punitive calamities (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8).

But the part of the prophecy that goes beyond what the Bible says, we measure by biblical standards. Two things give me pause in Wilkerson’s extra-biblical specifics.

First, it does not resonate with my spirit when he claims that God told him to “lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials” because when disaster comes “grocery stores are emptied in an hour.” God might have said this. But it doesn’t smell authentic to me. Too prudential. Too reminiscent of the embarrassing Y2K excesses.

Second, my confidence level drops when the Scriptures are not handled carefully. Wilkerson says, one way we can respond is: “As David says, ‘He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men’” (Psalm 11:4).

This does not have the feel of authority to me because what Psalm 11:4 really says is: “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.”

So my take on this prophetic word is that the scare will probably do good for a lot of people. The Bible is a scary book. And the future that is coming on unbelievers is scary beyond anything any preacher could conjure up.

But my own effort to be discerning says: Stick with the Bible, David. It is scary enough. And it is absolutely true. And your credibility will never fall.

TODD BENTLEY IS BACK: Re-Married, Begging for "full restoration"!

2009-03-10T09:35:00.013-05:00

We had a few months without Todd Bentley, but now he's trying to weasel himself back into your lives and living rooms by playing with his followers' (and his former followers') emotions. Looks like a case of "here we go again".

False prophet, Steve Schultz, in his Elijah List e-mail newsletter today said that false-prophet Rick Joyner is on the job, being a father-figure to Todd Bentley in a program of "restoration" that is evidently well on its way, since Mr. Schultz is also begging for you to donate your hard-earned cash to Todd's NEW AND DISPROVED ministry "Fresh Fire USA".

Steve continues:...

..."Pray for Todd Bentley and all family and friends who were affected up to this point—and who will be affected in the future. I'm sure that the Todd I know would take back any mistake possible..."

I was going to say it IS possible for Todd to take back the mistake of leaving his wife... but I must admit it is highly unlikely... I'm not sure even my godly wife would take me back If I had an affair, say with the church secretary.

Steve also said, "...in life we don't always have "do-overs". Instead, we must each continue to live in repentance.". But evidently, a "do-over" is exactly what Todd is trying to get! How is Todd "repenting"?? He LEFT tens of thousands of followers in the dark under the rubble of the Lakeland fiasco and has not returned to make restoration with his wife!

People, DO NOT FORGET THIS: Todd Bentley stood on that stage in Lakeland, night after night, and lied to your faces when he spoke about his close walk with God and when he praised his "beautiful wife Shonnah" and his kids. Then when he walked off the stage he walked into the arms of Jessa Hasbrook to commit adultery with her! Supposedly meeting with God in the third heaven realm while AT THE SAME MOMENT having an affair with a member of his ministry team! I guess God didn't give a second thought about Todd's lies and adultery as He entertained him in the spirit realm?

He has also LEFT HIS WIFE AND CHILDEN! Gone! And he MARRIED the one he committed adultery with! The Bible is clear... God does not recognize this marriage and Todd Bentley walks in UNREPENTANCE continually until he leaves her, and returns to God based on His clear instruction and biblical definitions of marriage, unfaithfulness, adultery and repentance. (See Ezra 10:10-12 to see Israel DIVORCING their PAGAN WIVES and repenting.)

Repentance is "doing a 180". Todd has not gone back to his wife. He has not renounced his Latter Rain heresies, OR his Manifest Sons of God false teachings, OR his false prophecies. He also STILL has not produced any of the documents from his claim of "tens of thousands" of "documented healings"

Folks, I've got news for you. This is THE SAME TODD!

No. I take that back. This is Todd 2.0. The SAME UNGODLY, UNBIBLICAL HERESY... only now, he wants you to ALSO accept his continuing adultery, (and his adultress wife) as ministers of some screwy, twisted, heretical version of the Gospel.

In the newsletter there is a personal word from Todd Bentley. It says in part:

"It has been a long while since I have spoken publicly and openly. I am sorry for the hurt and confusion that my decisions have caused the Body of Christ.

"As many of you now know, my previous marriage has endured years of unresolved conflicts. I apologize that it has ended in divorce, and I take full responsibility for my part for the ending of the marriage. I realize that my silence and decisions have caused many of you to feel hurt, confused, and offended. The reason for the silence was for my need of healing, creating a restoration process under a team of qualified leaders (Rick Joyner, Jack Deere, and Bill Johnson), much needed rest after the Lakeland Outpouring, repentance, and the divorce process.

Todd also said that he is "confident that the good men around me will help me be restored first as a man, as a husband, and ultimately to fulfill God's call on my life."

Todd, if you're reading... How can you be "restored a a man" if you don't first give up your sin? You're not desiring to be "restored as a husband"! It is clear because you haven't destroyed and left the idolotry of your adulterous relationship... instead you MARRIED IT!

Todd, months later I'm begging again. Dump the garbage that you are falsely calling "God's call" on your life. Your entire "ministry" is unbiblical at best and heretical at worst. Turn now in true repentance toward God. God IS calling you... but it is the same, old call of the Scriptures... to fall, hopeless on your face before your Judge... begging Him for mercy, grace and forgiveness, doing that "180", dumping your continuing adultery, which in turn lets your new wife be freed from her adultery. Become a disciple rather than the False Teacher and False Prophet you've set yourself up to play for years. What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?

To the rest of my readers, I'm afraid it's "here we go again"...

DAVID WILKERSON: Is this a true Word from God?

2009-03-08T14:08:00.010-05:00

David Wilkerson yesterday posted an "URGENT MESSAGE" to all on his mailing list, "and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world" You can read the entire message at David Wilkerson's Blog

He stated "AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US."

I risk making many people mad, but I must declare this "prophecy" to be unbiblical, failing to follow biblical New Testament prophecy examples. It therefore fails to pass the "testing" that we are commanded to perform. (Deut. 13, Galatians 1:89, Acts 17:10-12, I John 4:1)I do NOT say that it will not happen... only that I do not accept it as a word from God. Remember that false prophets can...

...have prophecies come to pass and do miracles, but this does not mean that the words they speak are from God.

Let's start with a couple of scriptures from Acts. Remember the first story of Agabus in Acts 11:28-30?

"Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul."

Notice: the NT prophet Agabus never gave guidance, suggestions or requirements for action... also notice the response of the disciples to the prophecy... their focus immediately turned to others. Bro. Wilkerson's "prophecy" is very self-focused ("Store up 30 days of food", "We are going to tremble" "We are under God's Wrath", etc.)

Also Remember Acts 21:10-14 - the second account about Agabus...
"As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Note: Again, the NT prophet gave no guidance, suggestions or requirements for action... otherwise it would be instructional... a Word from God that MUST BE OBEYED. Agabus gave no instruction and although others in the body begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem, he went anyway, ready to die for Jesus regardless of what the prophet foretold.

Bro Wilkerson wrote: "I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world." I ask... shouldn't he get on secular stations, billboards, magazines, etc. to proclaim this prophecy? Or is it the Christians who need to the urgent warning? Later he seems to speak of the hope we have in God, so I'm confused who this is prophecy is for!

He then wrote: "There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath."

IF BY "WE", HE MEANS THE CHURCH, THIS IS UNBIBLICAL, THE CHURCH WILL NEVER BE UNDER GOD'S WRATH - DEFINITELY PERSECUTION, DEFINITELY TRIBULATION, DEFINITELY TRIALS... BUT IF WE ARE IN CHRIST, NEVER GOD'S WRATH!

The prophecy continues... "In Psalm 11:3 it is written, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”."

NOTE: THIS VERSE DOES NOT SAY OR MEAN "IF GOD DESTROYS THE FOUNDATIONS" which is what brother Wilkerson implies later. In the Psalm, David was stating the fact the WE have no abilities, so we take refuge in God. Bro Wilkerson sounds confused... mixing a message of fear of secular doom with his hope of refuge. Either we are covered, protected, provided for and saved, or not. Shouldn't we be proclaiming "WHOM SHALL I FEAR"? as Psalm 27 teaches.

Brother Wilkerson then continues: God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.

NOTE: THIS IS A "STATEMENT OF FACT" THAT MAKES ME WORRY ABOUT BRO WILKERSON AGAIN - HE HAS FAILED TOO MANY "PROPHECIES" (IN FACT, ONE FAIL IS TOO MANY) AND YET HE KEEPS ON TRYING TO FORETELL. IF I FOLLOW DEUTERONOMY, THE BIBLE TELLS ME TO IGNORE HIM! I LOVE HIS MESSAGES OF SIN AND REPENTANCE BUT HIS MESSAGES EVENTUALLY GO TOWARD PROPHECY)

The prophecy goes on... "The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).

So it seems at this point, since he brought up this verse given to "wicked Israel", that he is trying to reach the apostate body of Christ? Why then is he trying to warn "friends", "bishops" and people on his mailing list?

The prophecy continues... "In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation."

Righteous Judgment when?... NOW OR IN THE COMING DAYS?
Righteous Judgment on whom?... ON "THEM" OR ON "US"?

IF "NOW" or "US", he is sadly mistaken and agaisnt the Bible.
IF "COMING" or "THEM", WE ALREADY HAVE THE BIBLE TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT and we don't need the so-called prophecy.

Brother Wilkerson then asks: "WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?
First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction."

DIRECTION FROM WHO?
IF FROM GOD, WHY WAS THIS FOR "HIS OWN DIRECTION" AND NOT FOR THE ENTIRE BODY?...
IF IT WAS NOT FROM GOD, WHO CARES ABOUT THIS PROPHECY AT ALL?

Brother Wilkerson's "direction" - or "guidance" - or "suggestion"
- or "requirement for action" is this: "If possible lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster." If this is a Word from God for Him alone then he must obey or he is sinning. Yet he gives it as a "word" so if we do not obey God's word, we sin, too!

THIS IS A CALL TO TRUST IN OURSELVES. CALL ME A FOOL IF YOU LIKE, BUT I WOULD RATHER RISK TRUSTING GOD FOR TODAY ONLY, NOT WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW, AS I'M INSTRUCTED BY JESUS IN MATTHEW 6:34.

He then offers only two options for dealing with this prophecy: "As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options."

I have two biblical options that are different from Brother Wilkerson's: IGNORE IT OR OBEY IT... IF IT IS A TRUE PROPHECY (WORD OF GOD), WE SIN IF WE IGNORE IT.

IN THE END, WILKERSON IS SIMPLY SAYING "STORE FOOD" AND "TRUST IN GOD". SO WHICH IS IT? Matthew 6:31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Now don't get me wrong. I sincerely believe America is in some MAJOR TROUBLE. But even so, the ONLY USE this prophecy should have for a Christian (IF TRUE) should be as encouragement to do what Jesus commanded us to do.
(1)TRUST HIM TO PROVIDE,
(2)OBEY IN HIS COMMAND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, TEACHING AND MAKING DISCIPLES.
(3)CARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HIS CHURCH.

That's exactly what happened in Acts following Agabus' similar prophecy. Yet, Agabus never tried to give guidance concerning his prophesies, otherwise Paul would have sinned in ignoring his, and the apostles would have sinned had they ignored theirs.

Like Paul, I'm ready to die for Christ's sake.

What use does this "prophecy" really fill but to warn FALSE CONVERTS the 10,000th time that God's wrath is coming. If they've ignored the Gospel of the Bible all their lives, they'll definitely ignore this confused "prophecy" from David Wilkerson. As we are instructed in Deuteronomy, IF ONE PART IS UNBIBLICAL, THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE TRASHED!

TIME'S UP! -Do you want Thief One or Thief Two?

2009-03-07T22:55:00.015-06:00

When the pastor of an old country church once again stopped a young man to inquire of his spiritual condition, that young man replied "Oh, I'll get right with God sometime; but what's the hurry. I've got too much life to live right now. Don't worry about me... remember the thief on the cross!"

"Which thief?" the pastor asked pointedly.

"Wha-..., Oh, yeah... I almost forgot there were two. I meant the one who was saved at the last minute!"

Remember, there were TWO thieves crucified with Jesus. One of the thieves...

...repented and believed in the Savior and Jesus graciously saved him. That thief is enjoying eternity with Jesus right now. The "other" thief had an equal opportunity to repent... yet he's in torment in hell right now.

Remember also that Jesus didn't save BOTH thieves from hell. How do you know you won't die suddenly and spend eternity in torment in hell, rather than suffocate slowly or die of a long term disease? What guarantee do you have that you will have time for that last minute reprieve? Sure you MIGHT have time to call out to Jesus, say, if you die of cancer, but a great many people now burn in hell due to a combination of procrastination and heart attack, head-on collision, or work-place accident.

Don't ever forget that there were TWO thieves. (Luke 23:39-43) Don't put your hope in that future "last-minute" salvation you've been planning. Forgetting that God is a God of wrath is a fatal mistake. The "other" thief didn't fear God even though he KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE THAT DAY! What makes you think you will suddenly begin to fear God (the beginning of wisdom) on the day you lay dying? The bible warns us that TODAY is the day of salvation. (II Corinthians 6:1-2)

How often have you heard the Gospel? How many times have you ignored that sermon?

HERE'S ONE MORE CHANCE. DON'T MISS OUT.

(1)You are NOT a good person, but a wicked, vile sinner... (Romans 3:10)
(2)Because you're guilty of breaking God's Law if you've even just lied ONCE... (James 2:10)
(3)God is a just and wrathful judge who sentences ALL LIARS to hell... (Rev. 21:8
(4)You can do NOTHING to meet His requirement of perfection, because you have already sinned and can never meet God's requirement of perfection. (Isaiah 64:6)
(5)But Jesus Christ, God made flesh, was born into this world... (Matt 1:23)
(6)SO THAT He would have sinless, perfect, human blood- running through a perfect, sinless human body- (Hebrews 9:11-12)
(7)SO THAT He could give His life, as replacement sacrifice for your life, allowing His body to be tortured and crucified, (Hebrews 9:15-16, 28)
(8)SO THAT He could pour out His blood as a final, once-for-all, sacrifice, (hebrews 7:27, 9:12)
(9)SO THAT YOUR fine could be paid, satisfying God's Judgment, (Romans 3:25, I John 4:10)
(10)SO THAT you could be declared "crucified with Christ", dead to sin, and alive forevermore, saved eternally from God's just wrath? (Galatians 2:20)

So there it is, one more time. The Gospel message. Jesus died to pay YOUR fine. You are guilty, He is innocent, yet he took your punishment in your place.

How often has that Gospel message been presented to you? How long do you suppose that God will stay patient with you as you ignore it over and over? In Acts 5:1-11, Ananias and Sapphira took God for granted, too. For just ONE LIE to the Holy Spirit God decided they both should be immediately destroyed. DOES GOD CHANGE? And in II Chronicles 36:15-16 the Bible says of a rebellious Jerusalem, "God... sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people... but they... despised His words,... until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Don't be like Jerusalem. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE! Heed God's warning while His only Remedy is still available.

Which thief will you be like? The thief who was saved didn't waste any time when he saw the Truth of Who Jesus was. There's an old story of a refined, elegant lady who indignantly asked the preacher; "You don't mean that I have to go to heaven begging like that crucified thief, do you?" The preacher replied, "No ma'am, you don't. You could continue to reject Jesus Christ, and be sent to hell with the other thief."

You have only two choices. You will be with one thief or the other for eternity... the question is, "Which thief?"

If you haven't noticed, you're on a collision course with eternity. Death is just around the corner no matter how young or old you are. I pray that you'll take advantage of what may be your last opportunity and cry out to the Savior to "remember you" in eternity.

Job 36:18 Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it.

(Based on an old article called "Which Thief?" by an unknown author)

Are You Satisfied? ... I hope not!

2009-02-21T23:38:00.005-06:00

Based on a writing by Horatius Bonar in his book "God's Way of Peace"

One might say; "I'm not satisfied with my faith". Of course you aren't! And you never will be... at least I hope not! The Bible doesn't say, "Therefore being satisfied with our faith we have peace with God;" it says, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God."

One might say; "I'm not satisfied with my repentance." That's wonderful! What would you do with your repentance if you were satisfied with it? Would you find peace in your repentance? Would you bring your repentance to God as the payment for your sin instead of the blood of His only acceptable sacrifice,... His Son, Jesus? Oh, what a prideful, self-righteousness person you are if you're satisfied with your repentance and faith! You can never find true peace in your own lousy attempts at repentance or faith. You're only lying to yourself and you're destined to fail if you put any trust in your own abilities to "repent and believe" to God's standards of perfection.

"I'm not satisfied with my ability to love." What do you expect? You can never expect to be satisfied with any grace found in yourself as long as you live! Ask yourself this question; Was it your love for Christ or His love for you that gave you peace when you were saved?

Now then, the only thing that satisfies Almighty God is the Person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ! And He satisfies all of God's demands and requirements entirely!! So it is only with Christ that we should be satisfied... never with ourselves or anything about us! Only when we cease from ALL our labors, and ALL our righteousness, and ENTER INTO HIS REST, will pardon and peace come... and it will come without delay!

A Fool's Experiments

2009-02-12T10:03:00.004-06:00

Today is Charles Darwin's Birthday.

Charles Darwin once said...
"I love fools’ experiments. I am always making them."

The Bible says "The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." (Psalm14:1)

Mr. Darwin also said...
"As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities."

A true statement... but one must also judge the wisdom of neglecting any possible
"vague probability" that he will stand guilty before the God who created him and who will judge every liar guilty. Revelation 21:8 puts your "smallest" little white lies in the same category as murder... "all liars will have their part in the lake of fire". It's a death sentence and you are guilty as charged.

Jesus said...

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

I'm begging you,... Ignore Mr. Darwin's promotion of using a fool's reasoning. There is NO scientific proof for the foolish therory of evolution. There is simple, insurmountable evidence AGAINST it, yet untold millions accept the theory as fact... a giant error that shakes a fist in God's face. In fact, claiming He is not the Creator is calling Him a liar!

The greatest "fool's experiment" is to ignore the claims of the Bible. It claims that God is the Creator, and that there are no "good" people. Do you consider yourself a "good person"? Have you ever told a lie? Then you are guilty of breaking the 4th Commandment of the Law of a loving, perfect, righteous, just God.

Turn to Him today before you have to face Him. Regardless of what your school books claim, He created you and He wants to give you a pardon... He will revoke your death sentence if you will only lay down you arrogant, prideful "reason" and turn around, in simple faith, bowing to His son Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation.

Charles Darwin's "fools experiments" were actually his rejection of God's promise of Eternal Life for law breakers who bow to Him... and God's promise of Eternal Suffering for law breakers who don't bow to Him. It's too late for Charles Darwin to take back all he said... but I guarantee you he wishes he could.

THE SIN GENE: So it's not your fault?

2008-09-02T16:29:00.010-05:00

IS SIN GENETIC?

Hey, sin is just human nature, right?

According to the Associated Press and Discovery.com, Swedish researchers have reportedly found that marital problems and even the to tendency to cheat on a spouse or girlfriend, can often be attributed to the male's inherited genes. According to the study, there is a specific male gene variant (called allele 334) that is present in up to 40% of Swedish men, many of whom have "relationship problems" such as adulterous affairs and "stormy relationships". The team of researchers at Stockholm's Karolinska Institute said that men with this "adultery gene" tend to "bond less to their wives or girlfriends" than those without it.

Hasse Walum, one of the researchers, said "Women married to men who carry one or two copies of allele 334 were, on average, less satisfied with their relationship than women married to men who didn't carry this allele...".

Martin Ingvar, a professor of neurophysiology at Karolinska Institute, said the results were "very exciting." "These are original findings which shed light on the fact that all of our behaviors are influenced by both nature and nurture." Ingvar said.

NATURE and NURTURE

I guess even scientists like Mr. Ingvar understand that it is "nature and nurture" that causes us to sin! He states that it is a FACT that ALL of our behaviors are influenced by our nature! And that's just what the Bible has been saying for thousands of years! It says our "nature" is one of pure sin! It says in Psalm 51:5 "I was born a sinner- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me." (NLT)

So SIN is our NATURE... When we're conceived we are sinners, and we are born as completely sinful babies! But don't try to say that your sin is not your fault since that's how you are born! YOU alone are to blame for your sin! You are definitely guilty. You see, we NURTURE our sin, just like a mother would nurture a baby! You will ALWAYS tend to choose wrong over right.

Part of growing up in society is learning to kill your lusts. Imagine a world where everyone did whatever they really WANTED to do based on their "nature". We would KILL that guy who tailgated us to work. We would STEAL that money that our boss told us to deposit. We would RAPE that woman who grabbed our attention. We would make sure that we had everything we want, regardless of who got hurt. Sin does a great job of fulfilling our basest desires. When your flesh desires something... it's SIN that satisfies your lust!

Sin causes us to manipulate our thoughts about a situation until the sinful action we want to take seems right. Sin makes US feel good even when it hurts us. Sin feels good to US but hurts those we sin aginst! But in the end, like any other terminal disease, sin always rots our flesh until it kills us. Some people will seem to be "healthy" for decades but others will succomb in a short time. (Think Hugh Heffner and Kurt Cobain)

In fact, we LOVE our sin, don't we? Just think of the ways we hide it away and keep it well protected! We are always careful not to disturb it in any way and we always find a way to pamper it, coddle it and make sure that no one bothers it! We will even FIGHT like an upset mother to keep our sin strong and healthy! We fight our consciences. We fight our convictions. We even fight those who would "judge us" for our sin!

Many who call themselves "Christian" and claim to have the power of the Holy Spirit within them will FIGHT tooth and nail for their sin... all the while calling themselves the "Body of Christ", the Bride of Christ, etc.

Well, I have some news for you. Your sin is a cancer and it has to be removed. It is adultery and it must be "put out". Christ's true body is not diseased and His bride is not adulterous!

STRUGGLING WITH SIN? OVERCOME BY SIN?

You may be thinking, "Everyone sins like that!... even Christians! We try not to sin but we just can't keep from it!" But for those who are "in Christ", the Bible is clear: "...you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)" (Romans 8:9 NLT)

On another website I read a letter from someone who "struggles with sin"... yet, because they LIKE IT, they are constantly "OVERCOME BY IT". They wrote:

"How does one stop doing something that is wrong when, if we are honest with ourselves, we like it. I like to use the analogy of pizza because I love pizza. If pizza became a sin tomorrow I would have trouble because I like it…a lot. So then, it seems to me that until I stop liking something I wont stop doing it. If so, then how do you stop liking something that you truly like…"

The problem is that the person above hasn't seen his sin for what it is! He still thinks sin is something that is an indulgence that may be bad for your health or maybe a "guilty pleasure"... like pizza. Many claim to have "tried" to lose weight, give up unhealthy foods, quit smoking, drinking, etc. but for some reason they ALWAYS FAIL!

Why do they fail? Because "trying" is not good enough. You can't "try" to quit smoking. If and when you REALLY WANT TO QUIT, YOU WILL! When you go to the 7-11 to buy cigarettes did cut off your hands or legs? Did you run your car into a brick wall to keep yourself from the store? NO! You felt the gentle "urge" of what controls you, you purposefully walked to the car, drove to the store, selected the brand, counted out the money, opened the package, lit one up and inhaled! You didn't TRY at all to quit smoking! In fact you TRIED VERY HARD TO SMOKE! You tried to keep from trying!

If you are still "trying" not to sin, you are still being controlled by your sinful nature! You have a fundamental misunderstanding about how the sinner is unable to QUIT sinning and how those saints who "have the Spirit of Christ" living in them are unable to KEEP sinning, because they are controlled by the Holy Spirit! If you are still controlled by your genetic "sin nature" from birth, you may as well STOP TRYING to quit sinning! Don't even struggle with your sin anymore, because it already has you beat!

In Luke 13:23-27 Someone asked Jesus, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will TRY to enter and WILL NOT BE ABLE TO. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' "Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'

The "tryers" are the "evildoers"! With God there is NO SUCH THING AS "TRYING" to be righteous, or holy, or saved! It is either "DID" or "DIDN'T"... "WAS" or "WASN'T"... "ARE" or ARE NOT"! II Peter 2:19 says that if you are overcome by sin that you are still a slave to sin! We true Christians may still SIN but a true convert will no longer be "struggling with sin" or "trying" not to sin!

Now, I can hear you thinking “How can you be so arrogant to say that? Even Paul said 'I do what I don't want to do!'(Romans 7). True... but continue reading the first part of Romans 8! I say that we will no longer "struggle" with sin because I have seen what sin is through God's eyes! That is how we come to understand the True Gospel!

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR SIN?

Have you ever offered a big slice of pizza to a person who is allergic to wheat or egg products? Or maybe to a person who has just had a massive heart attack and a triple bypass. They see pizza in a completely different light than the average person... it is DEATH to them. Pizza has become something that could end their life. In the same way, it's easy for a person with a severe peanut allergy to "utterly hate" peanuts while other people enjoy them by the handful. They hate peanuts because to them PEANUTS = DEATH!

Sin is NOT just "displeasing" to God, like the unpleasant taste of a fiber laxative! No, God UTTERLY HATES sin and God UTTERLY DESTROYS sinners. God has killed millions of people just because they sinned in rebellion against Him! God is Perfect and Holy... He is Life!
Sin can ONLY bring death because it i completely opposite of God, Who is Life! Your sin (unholiness - rebellion) is a polutant to the perfection He created and can ONLY bring death.

If God were to allow even one sinner to escape His Wrath (even if that person only sinned ONE TIME) then God's Righteousness would become unrighteousness, His Holiness would become unholy, His Perfection would become imperfect, and His Justice would become unjust!

The Bible speaks plainly to those who "have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity... full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. (Who) are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; (who) invent ways of doing evil; (who) disobey their parents; (and) are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32 NIV)

Are your "white lies", arrogance, disobedience, greed, pride, gossip, or "sticky fingers" any less of a sin than adultery, homosexuality, or murder? The Bible says in Revelation 21:8 that "the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and ALL LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What makes you think your pet sin is simply "displeasing" to God when the sin of Sodom & Gomorrah caused God to rain down fire in his anger and destroy two entire cities?! Regardless of what you may have been told, God destroyed many "good" people in those cities! Many of those people considered themselves "good", just like in our modern day USA, but according to the Bible, there were NONE found "righteous" in Sodom and Gomorrah! I often wonder how many of the millions and millions of the “good” people in the United States today are truly righteous in the sight of God!

Are you still a "good" person who "struggles" with sin? Do you "try not to sin" but are consistently failing? Or are you one who has been counted as "righteous" in Christ, who now shows the proof of salvation, putting to death you fleshly desires by the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells you? Have you understood the True Gospel? Have you seen your sin through God's eyes yet?

Romans 8:12-14 says "Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God."

Those who still "struggle with sin" are NOT being led by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit doesn't lead you into sin, He leads you AWAY from it! It will never be enough to struggle with your sin! You have to KILL your sin! Don't you think that "if the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you", that you would be able to tell it in your so-called Christian walk?

Have you been finding that you have consistently been KILLING sin? Or do you simply continue to struggle with it, wrestling YOUR CONSCIENCE until it shuts up so you can give in and get back to the sin that you REALLY DO LOVE.

If my description above about nurturing and coddling your sin reminded you of yourself, you should do a self-check-up to see if you are really a "Christian" in the faith... before it's too late! Jesus said MANY will call him "Lord, Lord" when they stand before him for judgment, but He will say "I never knew you"! Are you SURE you know Him. Are you SURE He knows you? II Corinthians 13:5 says "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. (NKJV)

Before you are saved, your real problem is NOT that you sin... your real problem is that YOU ARE A SINNER who will be judged guilty!

SIN IS THE SEED, BUT NOT THE ROOT, OF YOUR PROBLEM!

James 1:15 says SIN brings forth death. The root of your problem is that you are DEAD IN YOUR SIN through the lusts of your flesh! You have not been made alive in Christ! You will remain a rebel against God until you have "died with Christ". You will continue to live to fulfill your own lusts! As a rebel, you are eternally spiritually DEAD! There is no hope for a dead man.

Suppose you are under water and drowning, unconscious and stuck in a burning building, or dying from a terminal disease... You may yet be "alive" but you are as good as dead. What can you do to help yourself? When someone is in mortal danger they don't need to DO anything! Worse yet they CAN'T do ANYTHING! If they could help themselves, don't you think they would? If they could possibly figure out a way to save themselves they would not be in danger! But instead they are in a place of helplessness!

The person inhaling water into his lungs needs SOMEONE to SAVE HIS LIFE!

The unconscious person in her burning bed needs SOMEONE to SAVE HER LIFE!

Spiritual salvation is no different! Man's problem is not WHAT HE CAN or SHOULD DO. His problem is not whatever caused him to get into his predicament. His problem is that he is AS GOOD AS DEAD. His real problem is what he is UNABLE TO DO. You see, the sin nature you were born with is a "genetic" terminal disease, and there is nothing you can do to cure yourself! What you need is a NATURE TRANSPLANT!

Those who are still dead in rebellion and sin may have had no choice in the matter of their birth, but they are definitely to blame for their sins!

Thankfully, there is now a cure for death! It is called being “born again” and it is the only way that you can stop struggling with your sin and finally start being led by the Spirit. In fact, it's the ONLY way that you can be saved! Be crucified with Christ and you will be raised with Him in newness of LIFE! Repent, be born again, and by the power of the Holy Spirit who will come to dwell in you, walk in your new life! By the power of the Holy Spirit you now can (and will) consistently kill your fleshly lusts. You will be freed from the power of sin so you can stop being a slave to sin!

Victory in Jesus is not just a hymn... It is the Truth! Even when you were born you were completely sinful... you just couldn't help yourself because it was an inherited terminal disease. But in Jesus Christ you can be (or hopefully, have been) SAVED from death and to receive full healing of your sin nature. You can be right with God through Jesus Christ and live a life in VICTORY... not just over death, but over struggling with sin as well! Give yourself a check-up today and be sure that your sin nature has been taken out of the way so you can quit struggling with sin and finally win the battle through the victory that Jesus Christ won over sin and death and that He now gives to those who repent and trust in Him alone for their righteousness and salvation!

AUDIO: LiTW Podcast - The Emerging Church

2008-09-01T12:40:00.010-05:00

It's finally here... EPISODE 1 of "Living in The Way", our new teaching podcast!

In this commercial-free, 45 minute episode of Living in The Way Pastor Jon Sharp and Pastor Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries discuss the Emerging Church. Our goal in this show is to give some of the basics of what the "Emerging Church" is, who is involved, and why you should steer clear of this disorganized system, their meeting groups, and their leaders/teachers, who will lead you away from Jesus Christ and toward a religion that can't provide spiritual freedom because they refuse to teach the Truth of God's Word.

After you've listened, please leave us a comment to let us know what you liked or disliked about the show. Also, feel free to give us some constructive suggestions and criticisms so we can improve for the next episode.

Enjoy the show!
DOWNLOAD HERE (60 megabytes)

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To: STEPHEN STRADER Re: TODD BENTLEY

2008-08-16T14:28:00.003-05:00

This letter was posted at Charisma Magazine's forums.
I think it is worth posting here.

On Sat, 8/16/08, Jacob Prasch wrote:
From: Jacob Prasch
Subject: Revival Facts
To: stephenstrader@gmail.com
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008, 2:55 AM

Dear. Mr. Strader

These Are The Facts:

* Toronto and Pensacola brought no 'revival', so why should more of the same at Lakeland?

* If Todd Bentley became a Christian after being a criminally convicted homosexual pedophile who is now filing for marital separation, this is not true of his mentors Bob Jones & Paul Cane. Jones was a sexual predator and proven false prophet after being a supposed Christian, and Paul Cane has always been a drunken pervert homosexual alcoholic.

* The Fruit of The Spirit is 'ekreitei' Self Control (not the lack of it) and 'gentleness' (not a tattooed goon kicking old ladies in the stomach).

* There are no female angels in scripture and in The Olivet Discourse Jesus warned to avoid those claiming His physical presence prior to the parousia.

* By some accounts the DA / Prosecutor says that you - Steven Strader (Karl's other son), are as bad as your jail bird brother locked up as a professional gangster under RICO until 2036 for swindeling elderly Christians out of $3 million dollars.

* Bentley could not, as was nationally televised, produce medically documented proof of any healings or resurrections.

* Wm. Branham was a demonstrable heretic with beliefs contrary to biblical Pentecostalism.

* His ridiculous antics in Los Angeles with Che Anh was a money losing failure and a joke.

In other words, Bentley is finished and your freak show is over.

Now why don't you do the sensible thing and give everyone their money back and send them home and tell C. Peter Wagner and his discredited clowns to go find another dilapidated band wagon to jump on?

Sincerely,

Jacob Prasch/ Moriel

THE MESSAGE: Should have just been called "The Mess"!

2008-07-29T02:45:00.011-05:00

Have you ~~wasted your money~~ bought a copy of Eugene Peterson's "The Message" yet? If it's good enough for Rick Warren and his pal, Bono of U2, it's GOTTA be good, right? Not so fast...

An article about The Message wound up on a U2 fan site since the lead singer of U2, Bono, is a huge fan of Eugene Peterson and The Message. The article states:

The seed for The Message was planted during his pastoral work, (Eugene) Peterson says in a press release. He was trying to get across the fire and wild words of Paul's letter to the Galatians in a Bible study class, but his parishioners were paying more attention to the pot of coffee in the church basement. "It was just awful. They'd fill up their coffee cups and stir in sugar and cream and look at their cups and they weren't getting it. It was just really bad.

So did Peterson plan to write the Message at that point? No... Let's continue his story...

"I went home after the third week and said to my wife that I was going to teach them Greek. If they could read it in Greek they would get it, they'd understand what a revolutionary text it is and couldn't just keep living in their ruts. She agreed that would empty the class out fast."

Whoa! Does Mr. Peterson really intend to imply that he is a Greek Scholar who highly values and uses the original Greek for Biblical translative clarification? I sincerely hope that's not what he intends to imply because if so, ten years of his life re-writing the Bible were a complete failure since "The Message" repeatedly fails miserably in being in alignment with the original Greek texts!

Still, it SURELY can't be all bad, since the Irish rocker turned global activist, Bono himself, says that he thinks "The Message" is a "remarkable work"! In a video-taped message to Eugene Peterson, Bono said:

"Hi Mr. Peterson, Eugene. My name is Bono. I'm a singer with the group U2. I wanted to sort of video message you my thanks, and our thanks in the band, for this remarkable work you've done translating the Scriptures. Really, really a remarkable work... There have been some great translations, some very literary translations, but no translations that I've read that speaks to me in my own language. So I want to thank you for that."

Is Bono a Christian? Far from it. Contradicting Jesus' own words, Bono believes Jesus is NOT the only way to eternal life. Check out the following quotes by Bono from an article HERE:

"God's Spirit moves through us and the world at a pace that can never be constricted by any one religious paradigm."

"Be wary of people who think theirs is the only way. Unilateralism before God is dangerous."

"Unless tolerance comes with fervor, you'll see (war) in the U.S."

In a move toward bridging all faiths, U2'S 2005 Vertigo tour promoted Bono's New Age, All-Faith agenda. (Which coexists with Rick Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan) In fact, on the tour, the word "coexist" appeared on a giant screen - the "c" represented by the Islamic crescent, the "x" by the Star of David and the "t" by the Christian cross. Then the big screen displayed the favorite mantra/lie of the
Emergent/New Age Church, -"EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG". (Bono) led the audience in a chant ―"Jesus, Jew, Mohammed- All True!"

Is this the "message" of The Message? It certainly is NOT the message of "The Bible"! If he loves Mr. Peterson's work so much, Bono's doctrines and understanding of scripture either prove that (A) The Message is A-OK and Bono hasn't really read it, or (B) The Message is a highly flawed, lousy artistic interpretation of the Word of God. I submit that it is the latter.

From Kjos Ministries:

"But isn't most of The Message accurate?" ask some. Probably. So is the Jehovah's Witnesses' Bible. However, it only takes the distortion of a few key passages to reflect an entirely different message. When any part -- even "the smallest letter" -- of God's Word is changed, the integrity of the whole is lost.

If The Message is accepted as Biblical truth, three distortions of New Testament teachings could spread and permeate the Church, conforming "truth" to popular consensus and false unity:

1. Since God is love, He wouldn't be so cruel as to cause someone to suffer, perish or burn in hell. So don't mention Biblical consequences or punishment.

2. Since God forgives, don't be too concerned about specific sins such as homosexuality or adultery. Jesus wouldn't want you to offend someone.

3. Since God is tolerant, don't correct others. Be tolerant of all, except those who criticize something you like. (This politically correct attitude censors much-needed rational, objective criticism as a corrective force.)

Finally, the problem is made crystal clear by our pal "Ed" at THE GREAT APOSTASY:

"It’s like Eugene Peterson, the guy who paraphrased The Message, took scissors to the Bible and cut out references to holiness, living righteously, and serving the One True God.

That’s sort of scary."

RICHARD ABANES: Driven to an hypocritical purpose?

2008-07-28T23:35:00.013-05:00

I'm usually not one to speak about people I don't know anything about and I can honestly say that I don't know anything about Richard Abanes. But I'm going to make an exception in the present case based on the threat of legal action that a "brother" has made against one of my friends, Pastor Ken Silva.

I have recently been made aware of the fact that Mr. Abanes coerced Pastor Silva's website hosting company (ipowerweb.net) to shut down his web/blog site at Apprising.org.

Under the guise of "defamation/libel" and a "Terms of Service" violation, and simply because Pastor Silva disagrees Biblically with Mr. Abanes on numerous issues and because Pastor Silva wrote about such topics on his Apprising Ministries blog, Mr. Abanes threatened legal suit against ipowerweb.net unless they immediately "remove(d)this particular article from (their) servers, and notify Ken Silva to cease and desist the posting similar articles".

It seems that Pastor Silva's article entitled "A PASTOR’S ASSESSMENT OF RICHARD ABANES" was not viewed favorably by Mr. Abanes and instead of rolling up his sleeves and continuing the charge into the discussion and debate at hand, Mr. Abanes decided to take the easy and cowardly path...

...of attempting to forcefully shut down the discussion that offended him. In his e-mail to ipowerweb.net, Mr. Abanes called for the hosting company to forcibly have Pastor Silva clean up the offending information from the Apprising Ministries website, citing his "public reputation". He claimed that his reputation was at stake and he stated that he wanted the offending article removed since his reputation "is of paramount importance to (his) livelihood and career".

I can understand how Mr. Abanes feels, and I'm sure Pastor Silva would also agree. Preachers, teachers, and bloggers (like Ken Silva) and websites and blogs (like Apprising.com) which attempt to bring unbiblical teaching and teachers into the light of Biblical Truth are constantly and consistently attacked in the blogosphere... and "defamation" with comments that hurt (if not pointedly libelous and potentially damaging to book sales) is the daily course for those who choose to stand for Biblical Truth in a post-modern world "driven" by an unbiblical "purpose".

BUT what is our response? Should we seek legal means of shutting the mouths of those who do not agree with our views, doctrines, or beliefs? No. The debate only clarifies Truth! A stirring debate between two parties in disagreement is consistently the formula that brings Truth to the top of the pot of the truth-and-error goulash.

On the other hand, it actually seems that Richard Abanes is more concerned with his "livelihood and career" (book sales etc.?) than if his views (or those of his buddy, Rick Warren) are aligned with the Truth of the Word of God. Pastor Silva is lovingly bringing what he views as Pastor Warren's and Mr. Abanes' Biblical error into the light. A concerned Berean's response would have been to debate Pastor Silva utilizing the Bible while prayerfully seeking God's help in revealing to him where he may be incorrect doctrinally.

Kind of hypocritical since Mr. Abanes himself has written books dealing with the error of the DaVinci Code and Mormonism. So it seems that, at least in those arenas, he desires to clarify truth for his readers, but when it comes to his own affiliation with Rick Warren and his erronious and ecumenical Purpose Driven drivel, he refuses to concede to the Word of God. Has he been driven to this hypocritical purpose by a fear of "loss of revenue", or simply because he truly believes what and who he defends, regardless of what the scriptures say?

Jesus called the Pharisees a guilty "brood of vipers"! Were they vipers? YES! Otherwise Jesus was a liar!

In Matthew 23:31-33 Jesus said; "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?"

Would the Pharisee courts have considered Jesus' words libelous? Sure, because the courts did not agree with the Truth. Were Jesus' words truthful? Without a doubt!!

Jesus also called the Pharisees hypocrites. Was the Savior guilty of "defamation"? I guess so. He was defaming those who saw themselves as "perfect" keepers of the Law.

Matthew 23:1-5 says; "Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men."

Those hypocritical Pharisees who called themselves "Men of God" desperately wanted to shut Jesus up. But instead of just desiring to "shut down His website", the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. Their very reaction to the Truth of His words was anger, hate and vengence.

I'm not going to make a judgment call on whether or not Mr. Abanes is afraid of the Truth since I know nothing about him. I also won't go so far as to say that his response to "a Pastor's assesment" of him was angry, hateful, or vengeful. But I will say that I can plainly see by his actions that his attitude and response toward my friend Ken Silva's comments were the response of a Pharisee who claims to desire truth then does all he can to shut down those who seek to actively proclaim Truth.

The Word of God was the basis for Pastor Silva's so-called "attack" on Mr. Abanes' views, teachings and alignments with the Purpose Driven movement and the other-gospel-preaching Rick Warren.

Thankfully, men like Ken Silva who love the Truth will never back down, and will never be silenced by threat of legal action, violence or even death because they KNOW the Truth which has set them free. One can't un-know truth! So one who knows the Truth can NEVER back down from declaring Truth from God's Word!

Thankfully, there are always alternate ways, venues, and forums (as well as hosting providers) through which Pastor Silva and the rest of us will continue to proclaim the Truth until we are with Him.

TODD BENTLEY: Rested, Relaxed and READY TO REPENT!

2008-07-16T14:25:00.004-05:00

... NOT REALLY! But he is coming back to Lakeland. So here we go again. His absence was shorter than expected and GodTV is resuming broadcasting starting the 18th of July.

Here's the OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

After taking a short break to rest after nearly 100 days of back-to-back ministry, Todd Bentley has announced he will be back ministering at the Lakeland Outpouring from Friday this week.

Our coverage of the Lakeland Outpouring has continued every night, LIVE on our webstream (www.god.tv/stream), and we are now going to resume our LIVE on-air coverage of the Lakeland Outpouring from this Friday 18 July.

We will also broadcast a special one-off Healing Revival with Todd Bentley - LIVE from Louisville, Kentucky on 17 July (the day before our Outpouring broadcasts resume). This will also be available online at www.god.tv/stream.

I knew Todd's absence was too good to last. :(

Does your "faith" prove you're a deluded unbeliever?

2008-07-13T01:35:00.003-05:00

Excerpted from Martin Luther's German Bible of 1522 -- "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans,"

Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. “Faith is not enough,” they say, “You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.” They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, “I believe.” That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn’t come from this “faith,” either.

Instead, faith is God’s work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith.

Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words.

Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God’s grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith.

Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they’re smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.

Spurgeon Quotes- Thus Says The Lord

2008-07-11T22:24:00.003-05:00

From Spurgeon’s sermon, "Thus Says the Lord" Ezekiel 11:5

"Thus says the Lord" is the only authority in God’s Church.

The faintest whisper of Jehovah's voice should fill us with solemn awe, and command the deepest obedience of our souls.

Brethren, how careful should we be that we do not set up in God’s church
anything in opposition to his Word,...

...that we do not permit the teachings of a creature
to usurp the honor due to the Lord alone.

"Thus says antiquity.
""Thus says authority.
""Thus says learning.
""Thus says experience."
-these are but idol
-gods which defile the church of God!

Be it yours and mine as bold warriors to dash them in pieces without mercy,
seeing that they usurp the place of the Word of God.

"Thus says the Lord,"
-this is the motto of our standard;
the war-cry of our spiritual conflict;
the sword with which we hope yet to smite through the loins of the mighty whorise up against God’s truth.

"Thus says the Lord God."
This is the trowel, and this the hammer of God’s builders;
this the trumpet of his watchmen and the sword of his warriors.
Woe to the man who comes in any other name!

If we, or an angel from heaven, shall preach unto you anything but a "Thus says the Lord," no matter what our character or standing,give no heed to us, but cleave unto the truth as it is in Jesus.

To the law and to the testimony, if we speak not accordingto this word, it is because there is no light in us.

That test which we demand to be exercised upon others we cheerfully consent to be exercised upon ourselves, prayingthat we may have grace to forsake our errors as we wouldhave other men forsake theirs.

We will listen to the opinions of great men with the respectwhich they deserve as men, but having so done, we deny that we have anything to do with these men as authorities in theChurch of God, for there nothing has any authority, but "Thus says the Lord of hosts."

Yes, if you shall bring us the concurrent consent of all tradition
-if you shall quote precedents venerable with fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen centuries of antiquity, we burn the whole as so muchworthless lumber, unless you put your finger upon the passage of Holy Writ which warrants the matter to be of God.

To the true Church of God the only question is this, is there"Thus says the Lord" for it?

And if divine authority be not forthcoming, faithful men thrust forth the intruder as the cunning craftiness of men. Let us use much of Scripture, much of the pure silver of sacred revelation, and no human alloy. "What is the chaff to the wheat, says the Lord?" Many sorrows shall be to those who dare to dash themselves against the thick bosses of Jehovah's buckler by opposing his"Thus says the Lord."

Upon whomsoever this stone shall fall it shall grind him to powder, and whosoever shall fall upon it shall be broken to his own lasting damage. O! my brethren, I would that we trembled and stood more in awe of God’s Word.

I fear that many treat the things of God as though they were merely matters of opinion, but remember that opinion cannot govern in God’s house.

God’s Word, not man’s opinion, claims your allegiance.

O for a stern integrity that will hold the Word and will never depart from it, come what may.

PRAISE THE LORD!... A TRUE Lakeland Miracle??

2008-07-11T20:16:00.009-05:00

As some of my friends know, I have been working on getting an interview with Todd Bentley for about a month and a half now. It looked like things were just about to be set as I was making arrangements with Todd's media director Lynne Breidenbach.

I was going to interview Todd when he was in Dallas, but due to Todd's schedule he was not available. Then I was trying to schedule a trip to Lakeland and just yesterday got this message in an e-mail from Mrs. Breidenbach:

"Todd Bentley is taking a rest from the revival, and there will be no interviews scheduled for several weeks. Once he returns, I will again process your request."

I was actually dumbfounded. After several weeks of trying to get this set up, I didn't understand what she meant, whether she meant he was going to be GONE for several weeks, or simply not doing interviews for several weeks...

I immediately wrote back telling Mrs. Breidenbach that I was confused and asked her to clarify it for me. Here's what I wrote:

Ms. Breidenbach,

I just need some clarification of your e-mail. I'm confused. Since you wrote "Once he returns,"... am I correct in assuming that you mean Mr. Bentley is leaving the revival for several weeks,... or is he simply not doing interviews for several weeks? I have friends who were going to visit the revival between July 21st - July 26th specifically to see Todd Bentley. Will he be there (as his itinerary shows) on those dates?

Will you please contact me when you "re-process" my request?

I appreciate your help so far, and sincerely look forward to getting this interview scheduled at some point in the near future.

Pastor Jon Sharp
The Way Christian Fellowship
ChristianResearchNetwork.com

She then responded to that e-mail in a fairly testy way,... I guess it was because I have corresponded with her repeatedly trying to set up an interview with Todd Bentley. I'm quite sure Todd didn't want to be interviewed by us, but was unable to say so since he had regularly invited "all media" to come check out what was going on. Here's her rather testy e-mail:

Jon,
What about this is hard to understand? When he gets back after his break, we will consider your request. I can not attempt to accommodate your request, or anyone else, at this time.
Mrs. Breidenbach

So,... I knew about Todd's "vacation" yesterday but had to leave town and had no time to blog about this exciting development,... then TODAY I got the e-mail from GodTV (Yes,... I subscribed to their updates!) which said this:

Fresh Fire Ministries announced yesterday that Todd Bentley would be taking some time off to refresh and to rest from the Florida Outpouring after nearly one hundred days of ministry. The Lakeland meetings will continue and Todd will remain the leader of this move of God.

GOD TV as the exclusive broadcast partner in the outpouring knows our viewers have been incredibly blessed through our nightly broadcasts with many lives changed, bodies healed and souls refreshed - we have thousands of e-mails testifying to the work of God in your lives.

We will continue to stream the LIVE services from Lakeland every night on our website (www.god.tv/stream – the Florida Healing Stream) and also make available the most recent service via our on demand platform. However we will take the opportunity to rearrange our broadcast schedules and bring you some incredible primetime programming - including the 2008 Hillsong Australia Conference EXCLUSIVELY on GOD TV, Rodney Howard Browne's Summer Campmeetings LIVE and many more programmes - PLUS highlights of some of the best nights from the Lakeland Outpouring - this will also all form part of our Battle For Britain initiative in the UK.

We will make another announcement once Todd is fully refreshed and rested about the resumption of our LIVE broadcasts from Lakeland - but until then, you can continue to enjoy the nightly meetings LIVE at www.god.tv/stream and if you are watching on GOD TV then you have lots of great programmes to look forward to plus highlights from the outpouring.

Eli Miller, a senior leader of Fresh Fire Ministries and a long time associate of Todd Bentley announced today that Todd Bentley, leader of the Florida Outpouring, will be taking some time off. “We are grateful for our partnership with GOD TV that has allowed this revival to go around the world”, Miller said. While the revival will continue, the leaders of Fresh Fire believe it is important for Todd to take some time to re-fresh and to rest.

During this tim e, the revival broadcast will still be available LIVE on the GOD TV website and at Fresh Fire’s website www.freshfire.ca.

WHAT!?!! Do you realize what this means??? The "Florida Outpouring" is NOT going to be available LIVE on DirecTV for at least awhile! We should all praise the Lord for this true, verifiable, Lakeland Miracle!

However,... isn't it strange that Todd is starting his "time off" the very next night after his failed Nightline segment AND in the direct middle of the time (June 22 - July 22) that was prophesied to be the BIGGEST & BEST outpouring of God's presence since Acts 2, when "the Glory" would fall in its FULLEST, according to Todd Bentley and Bob Jones?

I believe this is a GOOD SIGN. I pray that without Todd Bentley in the limelight that many will quit watching and quit following the "fire" in Lakeland.

What I'm really only worried about is the possiblity of WHICH heretic or false prophet will be in the forefront in Lakeland during Todd's "rest time"!

Those of us who have internet access must make sure to keep an eye on the live feed at www.God.tv and www.freshfire.ca! Don't let this victory stop you from fighting until the war is over!

Jon

PS... I also agree with sheepyweepy over at Wolf Tracks... "Regardless of all that has been going on, I think the Lord would have His sheep pray for Todd Bentley." The guy is a human and a soul in need of the Good Shepherd's mercy and grace. I pray that Todd seeks Him.

JUST IN: AoG's Dr. George Wood DENIES a Bentley "Letter of Rebuke"

2008-07-09T10:59:00.009-05:00

Here's a story update concerning an alleged "Letter of Rebuke" that was said to have been sent to Todd Bentley by Assemblies of God General Superintendent Dr. George O Wood. An anonymous "Living in The Way" comment to our posting of Dr. Wood's statement to this blog claimed that a letter of rebuke was sent to Mr. Bentley.

Another anonymous comment to THIS POST stated that the letter was discussed at an Assemblies of God district meeting in New York.

I immediately wrote Dr. Wood to get details to assess whether these comments were true or not. My letter follows:

Dr. Wood,

I am Pastor Jon Sharp, who several weeks ago wrote an "open letter" to you which you responded to after returning from Korea. I am now writing again for the readers of my blog "Living in The Way" as well as the blog to which I contribute "Christian Research Net". I am writing in the hope of gaining more details to help me provide clear biblical information to friends and relatives of mine who are both Assemblies of God members and also who are being deceived by Todd Bentley's ungodly agenda.

First, I would like to say that I appreciated your "Statement of Revival". It was a Biblical guide that your churches needed and it dealt with many of the important issues of this time.
However, I would also like to state my disappointment that you did not "name names" and clearly show your disappointment and concern with Todd Bentley and the "Florida Outpouring".
I sincerely believe that if you do not specifically call out Mr. Bentley and his associates as false teachers, many AG pastors and members who are misled and deceived by this false spirituality will perpetuate the desire for this "strange fire" and continue to lead your churches into error.

Just tonight (6-19-08) at the "Florida Outpouring" one of Todd Bentley's students, Ryan Wyatt, (like Todd Bentley, a disciple of Bob Jones)...
...addressed the Florida crowd about rising up as the Manifest Sons of God, the "New Breed", Joel's Army of the Latter Rain Movement. He was preaching the EXACT MESSAGE of false prophet Bob Jones from the 1989 Vineyard Prophecy Conference where Bob Jones gave his message under the guise of "thus saith the Lord":

"I have called the best of every blood line in earth unto this generation…I have elected to bring them forth in this generation…the elect generation…even the bloodline of Paul…of David…of Peter, James and John…They will even be superior to them in heart, stature and love for me’…Your children will possess the spirit without measure…They will move into things of the supernatural that no one has ever moved in before…coming into the divine nature of Jesus Christ…a Church that has reached the full maturity of the GodMan! This generation…is going to see the beginning of this WORLD WIDE NEW ORDER." ("The New Order," Jewel van der Merwe, p.7)

{{Here is a forum post from a few months ago detailing much of what this movement is trying to "birth": http://www.christian-forum.net/index.php?showtopic=18933}}

Dr. Wood, I pray that you see my heart. I am not "going after" you or the Assemblies of God. I am doing whatever it takes to go after these false teachers, false prophets and heretics who are doing whatever it takes to "go after" YOUR Assemblies of God pastors and congregations! I think you can see that they are succeeding... while you, in being vague in your Statement on Revival, are effectively shielding your churches from receiving much needed Truth!

Right now I am trying to get the details on the "letter of rebuke" which you told the AG New York District you wrote to Todd Bentley. Since you spoke about this letter to a general audience, and since the knowledge that you wrote the letter is not confidential, I would like to know several things. I hope you will share them with me. I have MANY people landing on my blog by searching "Assemblies of God position on Todd Bentley" and related searches. I am trying to help get the truth about Todd Bentley out and I believe I have a fairly large group of AG (and relatives of AG) readers.

I pray that you see it as the right thing to do...please give me some details about your letter to Todd Bentley. I'd like any details you would give me, including, if possible:

(1) The general details of what the letter dealt with.
(2) For what specifically did you rebuke Todd Bentley?
(3) Did you specifically request that Todd Bentley reply to your letter?
(4) As of this date, has he replied to your letter?
(5) Does Stephen Strader have the "blessings" of the Assemblies of God to continue hosting Todd Bentley?
(6) What will be the action you will take if you do not receive a response from Mr. Bentley, or if he does not heed any instruction you might have given him.
(7) Are you going to give more clear guidance to your congregation's pastors and members than you did with your "Statement on Revival"?

I wrote on my blog:

If (the "letter of rebuke") 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 utter disregard and disrespect for the rebuke and the Assemblies of God which gave him his platform for this so-called revival!

Dr. Wood, now is the time to help free many from this deception and heresy. Even if the Assemblies of God lost some membership, pastors and/or churches, it is the Biblical thing to do to boldly stand FOR the Word of God and AGAINST the roaring lion who is even now devouring many of those we love.

In Christ, and looking forward to your response,

Pastor Jon Sharp

The Way Christian Fellowship
McCamey, Texas

This was sent on June 19th. As soon as I pressed the send button I received an automated response saying that Dr. Wood would be on vacation until July 7th.
Yesterday, Dr. Wood finally responded to my e-mail. His letter follows:

Pastor Sharp,

Thank you for your email.

I don’t know who gave you the information about a letter of rebuke, but that is not true. Todd Bentley is not a credentialed Assemblies of God minister and I never have talked with or corresponded with him.

My statement on revival speaks for itself. I have sufficient confidence in the overwhelming majority of our pastors and lay people that they can exercise discernment based on Biblical principles.

In my years of ministry I have found that sometimes a defensive posture only energizes those who are critiqued, and gives public relations ammunition to present themselves as martyrs.

At this point, with the counsel of many leaders, I have chosen to stay on principle rather than personality.

Blessings to you.

George O. Wood

Okay, so Dr. Wood DENIED sending a letter of rebuke. However, I was still concerned about the truthfulness of our "anonymous commenter" that spoke of Dr. Wood's statements at the Assemblies of God New York District meeting. So I wrote a note back to Dr. Wood which follows:

Dr. Wood,

Thank you so much for writing back to clarify this. I just have a couple more questions. But first, please note that I refer to what a commenter on our blog wrote concerning you. The comment follows:

"Dr. Wood recently visited the A/G New York District Office where he shared that he sent a letter to Todd Bentley to which he has not yet received a reply although he believes that Todd had replied in a roundabout way on one of the broadcasts.

I don't remember all that he said, but do remember that he mentioned that angels are good for two things: jail breaks and confirmations. He also mentioned that when Todd spoke of William Branham (and the angel on him) he immediately knew something was wrong as Branham was a well-known heretic.

As this was not one of the more important or interesting topics during the discussion I took no notes and am not remembering exactly what else was said, but he did mention the letter and he brought up some issues he had with this so-called revival."

Dr. Wood, would you please tell me how much of and/or which of the above statements are true?

I would like you to know that I sincerely appreciated your "Statement on Revival". It was biblical and dealt with the issue nicely... I only wish that you would further publicize it, noting that what you said in that statement should be applied to the "Florida Outpouring" (the principle)... even if you don't want to deal with Mr. Bentley (the personality) himself.

I agree that a statement by the Assemblies of God against the personality could cause him to present himself as a martyr furthering his foothold in the minds of many. But there are so many Assembly of God members and churches that are falling into this that I really think that it is vital that somebody in the AG organization deal with publicizing the views of your statement and applying them to the "Florida Outpouring".

Again, I must state that the local AG pastor is now planning his third trip to see Mr. Bentley and this time he will be taking a group of his church members. He is also currently showing videos of Todd Bentley, the Florida Outpouring services, and Patricia King/Joshua Mills in his church to entice his members to want "more" of what those ministries offer. This shows, that at least in our area, the discernment of the pastor is dysfunctional.

Also, the local members to whom I have spoken knew nothing about your statement on revival. And I have had AG members from around the nation contact me via my blog to ask questions about whether Todd Bentley's teachings are Biblical, so this is not isolated and it is not getting any better.

If you are going to rest your case concerning Florida on your statement, please do something to publicize it to every Assembly of God congregation and member.

Thanks again for your response.

Pastor Jon Sharp

The Way Christian Fellowship
McCamey, Texas

I very quickly received another note from Dr. Wood in response. In this note he VERIFIES the New York meeting and clarifies the details. And again he DENIES writing a letter to Todd Bentley. In his follow up note he wrote "betweeen the lines" of my e-mail to him to clarify what the anonymous commenter said. His note follows:

Pastor Jon,
See below for my comments.
George Wood

(from the previous letter:) Dr. Wood, ...please note that I refer to what a commenter on our blog wrote concerning you. The comment follows:

Commenter: "Dr. Wood recently visited the A/G New York District Office where he shared that he sent a letter to Todd Bentley to which he has not yet received a reply although he believes that Todd had replied in a roundabout way on one of the broadcasts.

George Wood Replied: I DID NOT SAY THIS.

Commenter: I don't remember all that he said, but do remember that he mentioned that angels are good for two things: jail breaks and confirmations.

George Wood Replied: I made an off handed comment that in the book of Acts angels did two things: jail breaks and confirmations (Acts 27:23). They did not bring doctrinal truth. Of course, in the nativity and passion, they are present for specific reasons.

Commenter: He also mentioned that when Todd spoke of William Branham (and the angel on him) he immediately knew something was wrong as Branham was a well-known heretic.

George Wood Replied: I’ve been at Branham’s grave in Jeffersonville, IN, a town I lived in as a teenager. Garish. Pyramid structure with eagle on top. He definitely was off-center theologically, heretical would be an appropriate word and I think I used it.
I am continuing to assess whether a further response (concerning the revival) is needed by me. Thanks for your input.

So there you go. Dr. George Wood admits that he believes Todd Bentley's hero, William Branham, was a heretic... and since Todd Bentley preaches the same things as Branham, what would that make Todd?

Also, Dr. Wood says in his statement (in effect) that the Florida Outpouring and Todd Bentley "should be avoided".

The "Letter of Rebuke" issue is cleared up, and I think Dr. Wood's stance is a little more clear, even though he still refuses to stand directly against Todd Bentley and directly call the Florida Outpouring false.

Please PRAY for Dr. George O. Wood during his "assesment of whether a further response is needed." There are so many who are being led astray.

LIES and MORE LIES: Todd Bentley & Stephen Strader

2008-07-08T23:38:00.012-05:00

On June 22nd, the Lakeland Florida "Ledger" Newspaper published an article written by Cary McMullen called "Florida Outpouring Revival Concerns Pentecostal Leaders" in which both Assemblies of God General Superintendent George O. Wood, and Lakeland's "Ignited Church" Assemblies of God Pastor, Stephen Strader were quoted, as was Todd Bentley.

We'll start with the following quote from Todd Bentley:

"We're preaching and teaching the gospel and praying and healing the sick," he said in an interview just before the recent service began.

First off, Todd Bentley is a liar. While there is some minimal evangelism training and witnessing going on in Lakeland, (at the 1:00 services) "preaching the gospel" is NOT coming from Todd Bentley's mouth. Period. I would nearly be willing to wager (not because I'm a gambler... but because this is NO GAMBLE!) that the percentage of Todd's spoken words that have anything to do with Jesus Christ would be in the low single digits... 1-5% maximum... and that's being generous.

Also, a great many of the healings are false, a great many are arguable and some are said to be authentic. But regardless of whether they are real or not, if healings are occuring "they" (Todd & Associates) are "stealing God's Glory" because it is not "they" who are "healing the sick"... Only God heals the sick. And God does not appreciate Todd stealing glory He is due if the healings are true. Isaiah 42:8 says "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another.

Todd continued...

"Jesus said a tree is known by its fruit. What's the fruit we've produced? Thousands are coming to praise God."

What??? Since when is "praising God" fruit of a true ministry? This is absurd misdirection and shows Todd Bentley sadly twisting and misapplying the Scriptural Words of Jesus.

Let's look at a few of the groups who have historically "Praised God".

Muslims, Mormons, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Branch Davidians, Members of People's Temple, Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God, Christian Scientists, etc, etc,...

Do/Did those groups bear TRUE FRUIT of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? No!...but they ALL "praise(d) God"!

The ONLY fruit of a true ministry is SOULS. All that we do, all that we say, should point people to JESUS CHRIST (Plow & furrow), lead people to Jesus Christ (seed & plant), and teach them (water & fertilize) until they become FRUIT of all that we say & do by repenting and putting their faith in Jesus, thus receiving their salvation! The only "fruit" a ministry bears is souls!

The Ledger's article continues:

(On June 6th, 2008), the Assemblies of God, the largest predominantly white Pentecostal fellowship in the country, claiming 2.8 million adherents, issued a statement about revivals that, while not targeting the Florida Outpouring specifically, seems to caution people about it.

For example, one guideline warns against Christians being "overly enamored with charismatic manifestations." The statement goes on: "Miraculous manifestations are never the test of a true revival - fidelity to God's Word is the test. Jesus Himself said there would be many who would do miracles in His name and even cast out demons, but He does not know them."

Reached by phone from Springfield, Mo., the Rev. George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, said the guidelines are intended to instruct church members about any revival but his office had received a number of queries about the Florida Outpouring. Wood, who said he had watched YouTube video clips of the revival, said one concern related to a claim Bentley has made in the past about encounters with angels named Emma and Wind of Change, from whom he received messages.

"I'm concerned anytime someone reports to have special revelations from angels or a deceased person like the apostle Paul. That sort of information is not in the Bible," he said. "We need to make sure there is adherence to Scripture in any spiritual movement."

The Rev. Stephen Strader, pastor of Ignited Church, who invited Bentley to Lakeland, is a minister in the Assemblies of God, and his church is part of the Peninsular Florida District of the Assemblies. He said he agreed with Wood and the statement from the Assemblies headquarters.

(But Pastor Strader LIES... or he would follow Dr. Wood's advice and "avoid" Todd Bentley)

"We have the exact same concerns. (LIES) We watch over everything. Everything that happens on the platform is scriptural," he said. (MORE LIES - just watch the revival any night) Strader and Bentley say there has been very little talk about angels at the Florida Outpouring. (EVEN MORE LIES)

"Emma has never been part of this outpouring.(LIES - Bob Jones discussed Emma -by name- ON STAGE, with Todd Bentley, saying she was vital to the revival.)

It was an experience Todd had seven years ago, and it's been totally blown out of proportion," Strader said.

(Yeah... like Ted Haggard's homosexuality and Jim Bakker's fraud and conspiracy were blown out of proportion! Sin and false teaching CAN'T be "blown out of proportion"- they are GIGANTIC in the eyes of God. What if I said Ananias & Saphira's "lying to the Holy Spirit" thing was blown out of proportion?... What's are the lies Todd is telling less serious?)

Pastor Strader continued:
"The nightly message has been totally 100 percent nothing but Jesus. (LIES, LIES, LIES!!!) People looking for a problem or a heresy, they're going to find it." (Whoops, this is TRUTH! We will find it because you can't cover false teaching up!)

The Ledger continues-
Bentley said he doesn't understand the controversy. (Really? Then it's because he is blind, deceived, biblically illiterate, and/or a liar)

"I'm not having weekly or daily experiences of angels. (LIE! This goes against things Todd has said many times) I believe they're present at every service. I have felt them, (OKAY?!- Here he contradicts his prior sentence. He "feels" them because they are at every service yet he says he's not having regular experiences! And then he also says...) "but this revival hasn't focused on angels at all,"...
LIES, LIES AND MORE LIES! What is THIS if it is not "focused on angels"??

The Ledger article continues:
Strader acknowledged there have been some missteps and that the leaders have made "a small amount of adjustments." They no longer say people have been healed, only that people are "claiming to be healed," he said.

Stephen Strader is a liar. Todd Bentley (even since this article was published) continues to not only "claim" healings, but to tell people they are healed or are being healed, as well as saying to his TV audience (while reaching out to and looking into the camera) "you are being healed!".

Finally, the ledger article quotes Assemblies of God Peninsular Florida District superintendent, Terry Raburn who said:

"In a spiritually charged atmosphere, there is the possibility of excesses - astral travel, out-of-body experiences, healings that can't be verified," he said.

Yep... all of that and more are regular experiences for Todd, the Lakeland revival bunch and Todd Bentley's friends and associates.

Mr. Raburn continued:
"Half the people calling our office want me to shut it down, which I would not be inclined to do even if I could. I have no authority over (Bentley).

No, he can not shut down Todd Bentley... but he CAN and SHOULD deal quickly and finally with Stephen Strader and Ignited Church Assembly of God... why do you suppose Mr. Raburn would not want to "shut down" a false teacher, false prophet, blasphemer who is drawing the members of his denomination and churches into error? That scares me for the Florida Assemblies of God under Mr. Raburn.

But fortunately, all is not lost... Thankfully, SOME pentecostal ministers in Lakeland seem to have some understanding of the Word of God.

Wayne Blackburn, an Assemblies of God district official and pastor of Victory Church in Lakeland said: "From what I understand, these services are different because at Brownsville, every night someone preached about the Lord Jesus Christ. It's amazing that this one is called a healing revival. That's the focus..."

Brother Blackburn understands that if a revival is not focused on Jesus that something is wrong... and something is DEFINITELY wrong at the "Florida Outpouring"!

TODD BENTLEY: Emma is Back! - Or is he her brother??

2008-07-07T13:32:00.017-05:00

Wow! Miriam at EndTimesProphetic posted new developments concerning Todd's "angel". You know,... the one he used to call "Emma" and described as a "mothering" she-angel... Well, it seems that now Emma has become a he-angel, which much more closely matches the description of Emma-O, the male demon "King of Hell". And since this demon has a twin sister, Todd's back-and-forth story now actually makes more sense... because Todd's angel is a demon(s?) from hell... not an angel from heaven! (See Pat Holliday's paper concerning "Emma-o"

(See our original post where Todd changed his story the first time HERE!)

Here’s the latest account of Todd’s encounter with Emma, now an unnamed male angel, taken from his recently published "Reality of the Supernatural World":

“A while ago, Bob Jones told me about an angel that helped birth the entire prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. The Lord had sent this angel to help nurture the prophetic ministry (and gift), at a time when it was being re-established in the modern-day church in North America.

“A few weeks after our conversation, I attended a church service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the meeting an angel glided in. As I stared wide-eyed at the angel, I heard the Lord tell me that this was the same angel that was involved with the prophetic movement in Kansas City. The angel floated a couple of inches off the floor emitting a brilliant light and colors. He appeared young–about 22 years old–but old at the same time. It was as though he carried the wisdom, virtue, and grace of Proverbs 31.

“He carried bags and pulled gold out of them...

...Then as he walked up and down the aisles, he put gold dust on people. “God, what is happening?” The Lord answered that the angel was releasing gold, which represents both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that He was bringing into that church. At the Lord’s direction, I announced that the same angel that appeared in Kansas City had showed up in the meeting as a sign that the Lord was endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church.”

***

This account seems suspiciously familiar with something else I read. This is virtually word for word the same as Todd’s original claims re Emma, angel of the prophetic as per here http://www.etpv.org/2003/angho.html.

Same prophet Bob Jones who tells Todd about this angel,

same job and identity for the angel as one who births the prophetic in Kansas City,

same place Beulah where Todd sees the angel,

same story and description,

same wording -

virtually everything is the same except the angel’s sex and name.

However, Todd Bentley or his editor is stupid enough to have left in the reference to Proverbs 31 which is about the wife of noble character - how on earth can this apply to a male angel?

(HERE IS TODD'S PREVIOUS DESCRIPTION OF EMMA)

“Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: “Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?” He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, “Bob, who is Emma?” He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, “Here’s Emma.” I’m not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and young-about 22 years old-but she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life.
She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people. “God, what is happening?” I asked. The Lord answered: “She is releasing the gold, which is both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that I am bringing into this church. I want you to prophecy that Emma showed up in this service-the same angel that appeared in Kansas city-as a sign that I am endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church.” See, when angels come, they always come for a reason; we need to actually ask God what the purpose is. Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands! Even though the entire community consisted of only three thousand people, weeks after I left the church the pastor testified that the church offerings had either doubled or tripled.

I believe Emma released a financial and prophetic anointing in that place. That was the first angel that I have ever seen in the form of a woman. Some angels I’ve seen seemed like they were neither male nor female. However, Emma appeared as a woman who was like a Deborah, like a mother in Zion. When she came, she began to mentor, nurture and opened up a prophetic well. The people in the church began having trances and visions and the pastor began getting words of knowledge and moving in healing. That congregation also saw more financial breakthrough than they had ever seen before.”

How on earth can any Todd Bentley fan defend this type of consistent and persistant lying? Really?

I have recorded literally dozens of brazen lies coming out of Todd Bentley’s mouth in the past few weeks (and I do not mean the scriptural lies which are numerous on top of this). How can this possibly be a man of God?

NOTE FROM "LIVING IN THE WAY": Come on, Todd! Get your story straight and tell us if you saw Emma or his sister!

Todd's problem is not that he has no power, miracles, signs or wonders to claim as backing for his ministry,... Todd's problem is that he has the Word of God knocking down nearly everything he tries to make stand as backing for the authenticity of his ministry!

And all you who defend Todd as being a "man of God"... FIRST tell us how you defend this constantly changing yarn of lies and deception Todd keeps spinning,... then maybe we'll listen to you try to defend Todd's false prophecies, unbiblical teachings, blasphemies, etc!