The sad state of God's people
| Posted On: 08/28/08 01:52:01 PM |
Age 56, ID |
Although I'm in ministry and with many others stood against this Circus when it started in April. It has so grieved my spirit when ever I have had to watch such reproaches to the assemblies of God's people.I watched and stood by while my sweet wife of 17 years got caught up in this circus of whats called charismatic Christianity. I fought it as best as I could and my marriage is gone, 17 years gone. So when this all came to it's end in Lakeland, I praised God, but also felt hurt over what had taken place in Todd's marriage. I have been standing and contending for the faith a long time now, and I'm just so sick and discuted at what I see represented as the Body of Christ in America. As I heard David Wilkerson say in a resent sermon, something I have asked so many times,.. WHERE ARE THE WATCHMEN? The Church has become so taken with personality and Charisma where the focus has fallen away from the savior and elevated people above God. If there is any one thing which has made me believe we're in the final days, it isn't the state of the world, it's the state of the Body of Christ. No one who knows their bible should ever be affraid to stand and reprove and rebuke with Long suffering any reproach to the sacred assembly of the Lord. It took no discernment at all to see this was a circus and a reproach to our Holy God. How sad when we have individuals go on national TV and when asked by the Host if Jesus is the only way to heaven, and a so called Christian pastor waffles and smiles and because he doesn't want to offend anyone can't answer stright forward and direct, John 14:6 AND "JESUS SAID"! I am the way, the truth and the Life, No one comes to the father except through me. All i can hear echoing in my head is, he who denies me before man, so shall I deny him before my father who is in heaven. And we wonder why America is in the condition it is? If people are asking themselves where is God? We might want to take a look to China, India, places in the middle east and Africa where they suffer terrible affliction on a daily basis and still give all the Glory to God while they are being beaten, Jailed and even murdered for their faith. I pray always the Lord sheild them from the apostasy and foul doctrines of demons being exported by the fallen Church in America. One last thought, we don'tneed revival in America, we need reformation and as one of the other brothers who made a comment here said, where are the Elijahs, we have had tons of the for years now who are always reminding us of their anointing,I have come to call it an anouying. Elijah never had to tell anyone he was anointed, it poured off of him so strong because it was of God! that he would walk up to people and they would just say Man of God. Now that's what I call an anointing. May the great I AM and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Holy Lamb of God have mercy on his fallen people in America.
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- JESUS HAS ALWAYS SENT PROPHETS
| Posted On: 08/28/08 09:02:01 PM | | Age 64, OH |
The watchmen are there but no one will listen to them. It is easy to read Jeremiah now ans say he is a prophet. But who listened to him in Jerusalem. Even after everything he said came true, the few that went to Egypt would not listen to Jeremiah. The same is true today. If Jesus Christ himself would come back like he did when he was born of a woman the results would be no different. The churches would mock him just as they did then. But look at how many follow after men that promise much and deliver nothing. Jesus has always been a perfect leader and he has always put watchmen on the walls. The problem is no one listens to their cry in the night. Lou Newton
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Finally man's wisdom on revival
| Posted On: 08/28/08 01:40:20 PM |
Age 61, NY |
How sad that there is no God in Heaven who can be trusted to care for all the poor silly deceived sheep who were mislead to believe that God would actually heal someone or raise the dead, especially using a person who was so of the devil that so many were able to see it. Why, the man even did violent actions, like the Smith Wigglesworths of old. How dare he! And were there really angels sprinkling pixie dust? Come on now, who really believes that there are angels? Even the word angel only means messenger, right? And of course the angels that fake revival man spoke about are really Japanese gods. What were Aaron and Hur thinking!? Holding up Moses' hands with such a conceited pretext as to think that a battle could be won with a man's hands raised. After he did all those wierd witchcrafty things with the gnats and locusts and killing first born and stuff. Aaron and Hur should have proclaimed from the hilltop what a charlatan Moses was, right? Not that the fake revival man is to be compared with Moses. We all know that's only a Bible story, anyway, and it's in the Old Testament, and.. and..
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- One final word...
| Posted On: 08/31/08 08:39:16 AM | | Age 49, IA |
God will have the last word.
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- HE WALKS WITH ME AND HE TALKS WITH ME
| Posted On: 08/28/08 09:24:29 PM | | Age 64, OH |
You have been so foolish as to dig your own grave. You have been caught in your own trap when you say, "especially using a person who was so of the devil that so many were able to see it". YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT IN THIS STATEMENT. But if there is a Devil then there is a God. One of the greatest evidences that shows that there is a God is that there is a Devil. I asked my class every year if they thought that there could be a God. They all said ,yes. I asked them if he could have written a Book, and they said, yes. I then asked them if they had to choose one Book that was the one He wrote, which book would they choose. These were drug users and immoral young people who drank, smoked and had free sex. In all my years of teaching every single student answered the same in this private survey. THEY ALL SAID THE BIBLE. Every last one. Every year. I then asked them if even one of them had read even a little bit of it. They all said, no. They read magazines and books, but not the one book that could hold the key of eternal life. I asked them, why had they not read it. They did not know. Every year I told them they had just proved there was a Devil. For someone has kept them from reading that book. They agreed that maybe there was a Devil. The Bible says there is a Devil. The Lord Jesus Christ created Satan and we see his work every day in this world. Who is causing you to hate God. What has he ever done to bring you harm. You are evidence yourself that there is a God. Satan is the source of all hate and you are being his servant by hating. Jesus will forgive you, if you just humble yourself enough to ask Him to reveal Himself to you if He is real. He did this for me, and He will do this for you. All you have to do is ask. What have you got to lose. Wouldn't you like to know the Creator of the universe. He is my personal friend. I can not even get the mayor of our town to talk to me. But the Creator of this universe talks to me every day. Lou
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- And He Walks with me--2!
| Posted On: 09/01/08 11:10:44 PM | | Age 49, IL |
Are all the people in Ohio smart in the important things, like you? We have friends from there, and they seem the same way. Thanks so much for this comment. I really NEEDED to read that one. My first lesson on what was sin came from someone from Ohio. It is anything that is not perfect like God. So--if you have in your possession even something as small as a pencil (or smaller or of less value, even) that doesn't belong to you, you're not perfect, and you are, in fact, a sinner in need of repentence. That sensible outlook makes everything moot, doesn't it? People need these things in their arsenal--the sword of the Word, so to speak. I'm not the same commenter from IA.
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- GENEROUS
| Posted On: 09/04/08 08:25:03 PM | | Age 64, OH |
People like you make writing these posts well worth the time. Thank you for being so generous and kind. Lou
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Charismatic credibility?
| Posted On: 08/28/08 12:03:58 PM |
Age 54, FL |
I do not mean to be mean spirited and I hope my posting is not interpreted as such. After reading the pastor's statement I can appreciate his position because I too am a pastor. However, as pastors we have an obligation that is part and parcel with our calling: to protect and feed the sheep. In Ezekiel 34, the Lord speaks against those shepherds that do not act responsibly concerning their sheep.
Surprisingly, some of the greatest criticism that was leveled at those of us that openly warned our congregations and others came from other pastors, many who were themselves sucked up in all the hype of the counterfiet revival. At least two churches that I am aware of in Daytona Beach even had "overflow" meetings via TV (or internet) or even had guest speakers that were part of the Lakeland deception.
As pastors, we should never be afraid to address our congregations in regard to what is blatantly anti-biblical. We will answer to God for the stewardship of the souls of those He has assigned us.
Concerning Dutch Sheets' "apology", charismatic leaders continue to fail the body of Christ. Have you ever asked yourself why? It is really not all that complicated. They have no regard for the orthodox doctrines of the Christian faith. Many are non-Trinitarian, given to personal "revelations"(denying the perspequity of Scripture), and are personality driven, which is what the Bentley fiasco has demonstrated. Dutch, you and other charismatic leaders have repeatedly proven you are not worthy of trust. Repentence should bear fruit and all the Church continues to get from the Charismatics is chaos.
I would like to think we have learned our lesson but probably not. We'll have to see what heresy God TV and the likes will jump into next.
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puzzled and angry
| Posted On: 08/28/08 10:57:02 AM |
Age 42, TX |
What I can't figure out is how ANYONE could be so blind and actually think anything from Todd Bentley had anything whatsoever to do with God! I am especially upset at ALL of you out who went to him for "healing" and for were so gullible! It is embarrassing that people who call themselves Christians are so ignorant of the Bible and what it teaches. He was ridiculous! A joke! I might watch him for comedic relief possibly, but the sadness of the snowed-over throngs of people really thinking God was working thru him made it not so funny. Of course, we must forgive as followers of Christ, but shame on all you for your lack of discernment! He is of the Devil (hello! he "came out of" Satanism recently, and still had demonic activity going on in his home)and it was SO obvious by all of his actions and words - kicking people in the head, per the Holy Spirit??? - come on! From the youtube videos I watched (it only took one clip for me to see who he represented) seeing the mesmerized faces and constant praising of his freakshow circus antics and interviews of people speaking out about how awesome he was - truly sickening! Get back into your Bibles people - it is the only way to know Truth and always test everything against Scripture. I'll guarantee you wouldn't have been fooled if you did...I'm sorry for the berating - but it just really floored me that this even happened. Benny Hinn still has plenty of followers that could learn from this. He is also laughing all the way to the bank!
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Thanks Jan..
| Posted On: 08/28/08 07:06:16 AM |
Age 51, FL |
I, too was cautious, but gradually spoke out that I didn't feel it was of God. My daughter had attended the first week of the revival and gave me a good report. Pastor friends attended within the first 6 wks when it had grown to huge crowds and had some concerns...but one of them had a tooth filled with gold during a morning meeting and it was confirmed by his dentist when he got home. So..a miracle was hard to deny...but was it?? I had to question it. Would God heal a tooth by filling it with a flashy substance or would God simply give him a new tooth?(check out Bible accounts of healing) I know that satan is a counterfeiter...how like him to try to replicate God, but do it in a flashy way...i.e. gold. We need decernment and then we need the courage to speak. Thanks Jan for being courageous. Too many of us were just too afraid of offending our brothers to say anything.
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you're forgiven!
| Posted On: 08/28/08 06:50:49 AM |
Age 28, TX |
Please don't berate yourself, we all make mistakes and learn from them. It's understandable that you were reluctant to speak publicly about it. I first saw Bentley on "It's Supernatural." I was listening, because he said that they have services every day of the week and he spends much of the day praying and seeking God's face. After all, that's how all great revivals begin, with the church on her knees.
But then he said some things that were concerning, especially about kicking old ladies in the face and the such. When he said he was moving to Europe in a month to continue the revival I wondered if he was running from something (like a scandal surrounding his affair, it seems? Maybe to take a new wife to Europe and no one would know it was a different woman?)
I guess if I were in your place I would have spoken out these concerns, and asked for those who have been healed to come forward and give their testimonies/documentation of a healing. You did have that opportunity. But what's done is done. Thanks for your heartfelt lament.
Sarah in Houston
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laughing all the way
| Posted On: 08/28/08 06:16:43 AM |
Age 56, NJ |
To the bank, while so called leaders with public pulpits, radio shows etc. were worried about their reputation in the church. If you were afraid of being wrong, then you didn't hear nor did you trust God in the first place. You have lost your unction. Step down.
We need new leaders who have the conviction to know when God speaks to them, the discernment to know error and the virtue to stand and speak the truth with the purity of the Gospel.
I think many of these apologies are face saving endeavors as they didn't have the faith to speak.
I am so sick of these big ministries making excuses about publicly speaking out. I think they like their positions like the Pharisees did. The three ring circus is even in so called conservative watchdog evangelical ministries. What happened to holiness? On with the show.
Where are the Elijahs of God?
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Listen to the Holy Spirit
| Posted On: 08/28/08 05:54:25 AM |
Age 50, VA |
Do not beat yourself up but yes you should have spoken out publically against this "false revival". Now there are many who are "inoculated" against the truth. They will let this "experience" keep them away from the truth. You are not alone in keeping silent. Too many follow the "advice" of popular evanglical leaders and do not want to "rock the boat". Heresy should be openly denounced by discernment from the Sciptures. Let God and the Scriptures be your guides, not other men.
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- Don't beat yourself up...
| Posted On: 08/30/08 12:57:29 PM | | Age 00, SC |
Amen - no need for self-flagellation now. But learn from this experience and speak up! Too many "evangelical" leaders have been intimidated into the "agree to disagree" compromised position that is advocated by the mega-church leaders - and you know who I mean. While I personally was not deceived by Todd Bentley and realized immediately that he was a false teacher, I do not take any credit for it; nor do I berate my brothers and sisters in Christ for lacking the discernment. I DO hold accountable the many pastors and churches who are NOT teaching and preaching the Word of God and no longer disciple their people in it. That is why people are so easily fooled and lack discernment; they do not know the Bible and are not taught how to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Furthermore, there are many within the charismatic churches and movement who actually think Bible College and Seminary are a liability - not an asset.
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- FOOD FOR THOUGHT
| Posted On: 09/03/08 07:52:06 AM | | Age 64, OH |
Thank you for your comment dear friend. This thought came to me while reading it. If all the Christians read the Bible everyday and studied the Bible as their very life depended on knowing it's Author, would not it be impossible for men like Bentley to preach the lies that he did. The other thought that came to me is that it is sad that sometimes going to Seminary is a liability. The pharisees had schools to teach others and they were just the blind leading the blind. The Catholic church has many Seminaries and many new students are sexually abused in them. My son wanted to go to a Bible school, but I did not know of any that allowed the freedom to follow The Holy Spirit as every person sees fit. They all seem to have their own doctrines and if you do not subscribe to some of them you are persecuted in some way. I sent my son to a "Christian" High School and found that the teachers there showed the most extreme favoritism there that I had ever seen. It was far worse than the public school. His very best teacher was a Christian man in the public High school but some others in that same school were horrible. But we did not find the teachers in the "Christian" school any better and many were worse. A sad state of affairs it seems to me in this nation. maybe you would have some suggestions for my son. Lou
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- Religion blinds
| Posted On: 09/04/08 10:18:13 AM | | Age 48, MO |
Lou: I agree, but for the most part, don't think it intentional. I think it is protecting their PERCEPTION of their truths. The reality they hold is based on religion and they fervently defend their religions doctrines. Thus, churches and religions can't work together. I find this separatism very strong among Calvinistic adherents. There are “pastors” I know who live down the street, that can’t see the Spirit because of their dogma. John
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- JUDGMENT DAY
| Posted On: 09/08/08 02:24:00 PM | | Age 64, OH |
There is a judgment day coming when The Judge will tell each man what that man sought. Most will be told that they sought to justify themselves and sought to please men and not God. I am thankful that no man will judge us. Lou
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