So, about that Florida Revival, which is about an hour or so from my town. Well…I watched it live on the Internet last night (5/13/08, from about 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm). It was a lot of talk of angels, no preaching, nothing more than a lot of hype. No healings that I saw, but to be fair, Todd Bentley did say this night was different, that prophetic words were being released, that we could “declare a thing and it be established”, “God is turning a page”, “it is going worldwide and will never die”, etc. Some of it was vague posturing, some of it was more specific, but with misuse of scripture over and over. However, this wasn’t the worst of it, because the rest of the night we were treated to old-fashioned word of faith heresy.
The rest of the evening had previously discredited “prophet” Bob Jones (of the notorious KC prophets) talking much about things that are not in the Bible, and prophecies he had made some years back, and talking to the crowd of how they were going to be some super generation of super apostles, etc. He had them reach into the air to “pull down” the anointing he was releasing. Really, actually, physically reaching upward and grasping at air. He said all it takes is faith to make this all happen. My question is that of all it takes is faith why isn’t Jones doing these things right now? By the way, Jones describes “faith” as not faith in God, no he absolutely denies that and says, not faith in God but the faith of God, as if faith is a force greater than God! Listen up, God has power, He doesn’t need faith.
To those that say the extra biblical pronouncements are not of God they tell us “don’t put God in a box”, but they do just that by saying you have to go to the revival physically to know if it is true or not, in other words, they are boxing God into a test of feelings. As a matter of fact, this “warning” also holds no water for the Florida phenomenon because Todd Bentley keeps talking about the anointing being transferable and for us watching by TV or Internet to touch the screen and get it. He says we don’t have to be there to catch the fire, so we certainly can discern without having to be there physically, even on his own terms.
I watched a second time for one hour (5/14/08 from about 10:00 pm – 11:00 pm). This time it was mostly healings, no preaching, perhaps there was some before this time, not sure, but now, mostly healings and Bentley cries of “bam” before he touched and/or kneed people who fell to the floor. So we saw “healings”, but they were tumors, cysts, arthritis, inward things and unverifiable things. Lupus and other things were mentioned, like growing a new womb, but no proof yet. No blind people seeing. No salvations reported either, not that I saw anyway, perhaps earlier. Lots of excitement, some “wheelchair bound” people made it to the stage and walked around, but no crippled people with new legs. Todd had one lady with him and had her stop with him behind the podium “because that is where the angel is”.
Anyway, we had Bob Jones doing his thing again, telling people to get ready for the fire to fall. There was a lot of talk of healing past wounds with the Indian people’s (called by Jones and Bentley, “First nation” people). In a way it seemed good, but a little on the pandering side. Jones talked about how they are spiritual people and if they get saved they will be dynamite because they already have experience with the spiritual realm. Wow! So it was all right for them to be held by demonic spirits? So the woman from Acts 16 whom Paul rebuked the spirit out of would be a more “powerful” Christian because she had been possessed by demons before?
Bad doctrine, no preaching, lots of hype, “new wine”, “latter rain”, “manifest sons of God”, church is changing, religious spirits are in trouble, false prophets and prophecies, flimsy healings, not much talk of sin, atonement, Bible, the gospel, sanctification, or salvation.
I don’t have to touch a fire to know it is hot.
I don’t have to go to the zoo to know there are animals there.
I don’t have to go to the top of a mountain to know that it’s above ground.
I don’t have to know the song to know someone is singing.
I don’t have to jump in the lake to know the water is wet.
I don’t have to go to a mosque to know Muslims aren’t worshiping Jesus.
I don’t have to know every person to know that some who say they know Jesus actually don’t.
I don’t have to go to heaven to know I will like it.
I don’t have to go to hell to know I don’t want to be there.
I don’t have to go to the revival to know it isn’t of God.
13 comments:
I am so Happy that this Guy Todd is stirring up this religious spirit that is awakening the real deal.
It's time to live the bible not just talk about it. Uh oh I didn't Spell bible with a Capital B.
Live the bible, yes, I agree...such as "preach the word"...you cannot live the bible so well if you don't know what it says...
The fruit of the Spirit is living out the Bible...
People being born again by the Spirit of God, living lives that give praise to God, that are growing in grace and the knowledge of God, these are living the bible...
The real deal are the people whom love the Lord Jesus, the real Jesus, those who defend the faith, who love doctrine, who cherish the scriptures as sufficient for faith and practice, and as God breathed revelation, as the tool God uses to give us faith...
Give us men such as John Piper, John MacArthur, RC Sproul, Mark Dever, and the many others like them, men who are biblically sound, vibrant in faith, and alive to God, they are by no means boring...
...awakening indeed...(Ephesians 5:14 / 2 Timothy 2:2-4 / 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 / Colossians 2:18)
the sad thing is that so many people in today's world will buy into all this fellow is talking about. What are we as a church doing wrong that so many will get sucked in?
Thanks for watching, and reporting JD.
A shepherd must keep an eye on the wolves ravening about.
But that must have been grueling to watch.
I remember when the Toronto Laughing thing happened, and a few members of our church went up there, and came back laughing, and began to share the false teachings associated with this John Arnot. Two of our elders got carried away with this spiritual deception.
Our pastor at the time confronted it, and most of all, went to the Scriptures, and there was this spiritual battle we had to fight.
One elder called us all hypocrites, and he left the church.
Satan deceives, and he somehow, I don't know how, stirs the emotions of people.
He makes people feel good about false teachings, and he makes people happy.
What does the Church need to do? Speak the truth in love. His Word is truth; the whole Word, and nothing but the Word.
Hi, JD. I was in a meeting at Ruby Myers a few weeks ago and one of the men from Lakeland was there. His name is Roger Webb. I can personally say there was absolutly NO preaching or teaching of the word. As he began to talk about the spread of the annointing, a woman came up to him and said she wanted it and from that point on all that went on was prayer for healing and power. I know that signs and wonders are supposed to follow the preaching of the word and no word was preached that day. Everyone seemed to be blessed but I felt a check in my spirit and I will not chase after this movement. Whether it be of God or not, I can only say, it does not line up with scripture and I don't want any part of it. Love and prayers, Mom
Bless you, Mom...I know it can be hard when so many people we like fall prey for this, and think we are crazy for not going for it, and worse, accusing us when we speak out against it because of its anti, extra, and sub biblical basis and happenings...indeed, we ned to fall down too, on our knees and pray for those that fall down as prey...
There is much that this man supports that we cannot, such as saying he has the same angel as the ministry of William Branham, who was the Trinity denying, seprepnt seed (Eve had sex with the snake) believing healer of the 50's and 60's...
Bentley says Abraham helped write Hebrews (an angel told him)...he had the false prophet Paul Cain on the platform, we could speak on and on about the angels and what he says about them...
I think the passage from Acts 16:16-24 is quite telling...
I would ask abybody interested in getting a grip on discernemnt to listen to my sermon, "Staying or Straying", where we preach from 1 Timothy 1:3-7, and speak of why things that look good, or even in a sesne are good, but don't start with good doctrine, how they are not godly, it will open your eyes, and answer some nagging questions you might have about the why...
Wow, anything but the truth of God's word. No wonder the cross is such an offense to people, it strikes at the root of self deception.
"My people perish for lack of knowledge"
Indeed, Jim...you know, the question we should ask isn't actually, "Is it real?", but "Is it right?"
Rightly or wrongly, I read the first comment (by anonymous) and noticed two things. While "bible" is not capitalized (as is customary for a book title) "Happy" is capitalized.
Significance? Maybe none. Or perhaps the "self" focus of making oneself "Happy" is the unintended god of Word-of-Faith audiences.
Just a thought...
A true prophet feeds & heals the soul primarily. And like a surgeon, to heal often requires a painful cutting away of malevolency. Jesus was the greatest Prophet to ever walk the earth, yet unlike the false prophets, sometimes His hearers went away sad for Christ’s cutting words (John 6:66, Luke 18:23). Let’s truly follow in all of Jesus’ steps & preach straight from His Word.
Right on Steve...
It really seems as though people are wanting to find something bigger than themselves to cling to. But telling people they can receive the same power through there television as they can in real life truly isn't helping to get those people to church. Though, I'm not saying what he is offering is truth, I simply think he is doing more harm than to just those he is touching with his hands.
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