Last week I wrote an article titled, "Have We Made the Cross of Christ an Idol?" It got some great, well-thought-out comments, and I'd encourage you to check them out!

So has the cross become an idol? I think I've finally given this concept enough thought to finally define my stance.

First, what's an "idol?" When the 10 Commandments state, "You shall have no other gods before me," the original Hebrew actually implies this:

"You shall have no other gods (or anything else) between your face and Mine."

An idol, then, is anything that gets between our face and God's--anything that hinders intimacy with Him or distracts us from relationship with Him.

Given that definition, has the cross become an idol?

I've personally been thinking a lot along the lines of how the concept of the cross (rather than the symbol) may have become an idol to us. For instance, I know of many people who constantly go to God for forgiveness but never take the time to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to make them a "new creation" through His resurrection power.

The cross is great because it assures us that our sins have been paid for and ultimately rendered dead. We like to camp out at the cross because it's first of all a ministry to us. It's comforting. It makes us feel good. It helps us feel a release from our guilt.

But the resurrection--exciting as it is--is less comfortable because it requires action on our part. Being partners with Christ in His resurrection involves purposeful living, spiritual warfare, and public testimony. It requires that we be ALIVE!

If we never move on to resurrection life in Christ, then we can't participate in Christ's ascension. Ephesians 2 tells us that those who've been raised with Christ are also presently seated with Him in the spiritual realm at the right hand of the Father. That's the place of intimacy!

So the cross is meant to make intimacy possible. The cross renders sin powerless, which means we can now enter boldly to the throne of grace and have an intimate relationship with our Father in heaven. The cross--like the bronze snake--is a great thing!

It only becomes an idol when we get fixated there and never move forward. It becomes an idol when it is self-serving (fix me; forgive me; make me feel good) rather than God-serving (He is worthy; He is the only Way; He deserves my life and my all).

Granted, there are those of us who initially come to the cross for self-serving reasons and, while there, come to our senses. We lay down our pride and suddenly realize that life is all about Him. But that doesn't change the fact that there are still those who run to the cross whenever their guilt is too much to bear; and they do it merely for the purpose of feeling better--like some kind of drug.

Those who like to hang out at the cross without ever embracing the resurrection were never partners with Christ to begin with. You can't be a partner in His death without also being a partner in His resurrection. Such people typically embrace the forgiveness aspect but neglect the role of repentance.

So have we made the cross an idol? Well, I believe some of us have! Some of us have made the cross into an object for our pleasure rather than a means to intimacy. Some of us have turned it into a drug--running to it whenever we need our fix of forgiveness. We live like the world and bank on the cross still being there to wash away our guilt.

Try not to glaze over this scripture (no matter how many times you've read it):

Romans 6:1-14--What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace (NIV).

Have you made the cross an idol? Or have you used the cross to launch you toward intimacy with God? Maybe you're wondering right now how to actually do that (feel free to e-mail me: art@supernaturalblogger.com).

What is the cross to you?

Comments welcome.
--Art--

Hi friends,

Yes, it's been a while since I last posted. I'm married now! After 7 years of dating (and waiting for her to finish college), we're now happy to be husband and wife. I can't even begin to describe all the awesome ways God has blessed us during this marriage, but let's just say we have two working cars, a house, all the furniture we need, food on the table, no credit card debt, and plenty of love.

Okay, enough mushy stuff...

I had a thought today as I was reading 2 Kings. I confess that I haven't really had a lot of time to meditate on it or cross-reference things, so it's admittedly just a thought. I'm actually curious what some of you might think. Here's the premise:

In Numbers 21, God brought a plague of venomous snakes against the Israelites because of their disobedience. But Moses prayed for them, and God instructed him to make a bronze statue of a snake and hoist it up a pole. Then anyone who looked at the bronze snake would be healed and live.

Later, in John 3:14-15, Jesus said that he would be lifted up from the earth just like that snake so that everyone who believes in him could have eternal life.

So the snake and the pole, according to Jesus, is like Jesus on the cross.

Okay, here's where my pondering comes in:

In 2 Kings 18:4, we learn that King Hezekiah "...broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it..."

So I'm curious, are there any instances where we've made the cross or even a crucifix (depicting Jesus on the cross) into an idol? Or how about the cross as a concept and not just as a figure? Has the cross in any way become an idol to us? And if so, how? Furthermore, what should we do about it?

I'm curious what kinds of thoughts are out there, so feel free to click the "comments" button at the bottom of this post.

Thanks!
--Art--

Until now, I've been careful to avoid political issues because so many of them have been known to cause unnecessary division among Christians. But there comes a point when you, like Jesus, have to choose between peace and the sword of division (Matthew 10:34-39). Today I choose the sword.

It appears as though our culture's assault against Christianity is bubbling to the surface. This morning I want to share two stories with you that have gotten national attention in the past few days--but more than anything, I want to share how I believe we can persecution-proof our Christianity.

First, this morning I heard an interview with two young college students who were threatened with expulsion from the College of Alemeda in Alemeda, California. Just before Christmas of 2007, one of the students, Kandy Kyriacou, gave a gift to her teacher during ordinary office hours. Upon learning that the teacher was ill, the young lady offered to pray for her. The teacher bowed her head, and Kandy prayed for her healing.

Just then another faculty member, Derek Piazza, entered the room and promptly interrupted the prayer with a verbal assault against this student. Kandy left and joined her schoolmate, Ojoma Omaga, in the hall--only to find that Mr. Piazza would continue his tirade, following them outside.

A few days later, Kandy and Ojama received letters from the school threatening them with an "intent to suspend." Later school hearings developed this threat to the point of possible expulsion if the students were caught praying on campus again.

My hat's off to Kandy for taking action as a Christian and seeking God in public for supernatural intervention! I wish "problems" like this were more common! I don't know how effective their lawsuit against the school will be, but I do know that it'll set a precedent for how Christians are treated in colleges for years to come!

Furthermore, Ojama wasn't even involved in the prayer, and yet she's facing the same public persecution. I believe we're coming to a point in our culture when association with radical Christians brings just as much persecution as actually being one (I'm not making a judgment on Ojama's love for God--I'm simply pointing out how she's getting persecuted for an action she didn't even commit).

Where's our culture going? Well, if our own Department of Homeland Security is any indicator, then American Christians are going to have a tough road ahead. Just look at their most recent report on "Rightwing Extremism."

In this report, a line is drawn in the sand by the Democratic Party that has started a slow uproar among conservative Christians. The treatment of the term "rightwing extremist" is dramatically different from that of "leftwing extremist." Leftwing extremists were the topic of a March 6th report, which said:

This assessment examines the potential threat to homeland security from cyber attacks conducted by leftwing extremists, a threat that DHS/I&A believes likely will grow over the next decade. It focuses on the more prominent leftwing groups within the animal rights, environmental, and anarchist extremist movements that promote or have conducted criminal or terrorist activities.

Now compare that to the official report on "Rightwing Extremists":

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

The first part, I understand. But what about that last sentence? I oppose abortion, and I'll gladly debate my convictions from a Scriptural, social, and logical point of view. According to statements throughout this report, I now fit the category of "terrorist" regardless of any other political stance I have.

Ignore the fact that I'm a peaceful Christian American who is humbly submitted to my President as Romans 13 admonishes. Ignore the fact that I have never spoken aggressively about our President or his administration. All that matters is that I am "dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion."

For me, abortion is a human rights issue. Like the slaves ripped from their homeland in Africa, these human beings are being considered less-than-human--property of their owners. The rights of the mother, who "owns" the baby, are regarded as more important than the rights of the "inhuman" baby. Last time I checked, babies don't have their mother's DNA, so they aren't a part of her body. A woman has a right to choose whether or not to have sex. A woman has a right to choose what parts of town to frequent, possibly risking rape. But does she have the right to choose whether or not her baby lives? Strangely enough, she would be locked up for killing the exact same baby if it were born prematurely. What's the difference between the baby inside the womb or outside? A person is a person!

Abortion is also a spiritual issue. After all, why would John the Baptist "leap" inside his mother's womb when the newly pregnant Mary entered the room (Luke 1:41)? I would argue that this is Biblical support for an unborn baby having a personal spirit. And what about when the psalmist wrote, "...from my mother's womb You have been my God" (Psalm 22:10)?

I have no intention of promoting one political party over another here--I simply intend to point out one more indicator that our culture is moving more and more toward the persecution of Christians.

What happens when this concept moves beyond the report into the minds of other government officials? How about when it moves into the minds of the population at large? What happens when Christians who oppose abortion are vehemently considered "terrorists" in the public arena? Will we continue to stand for the rights of the unborn?

This whole issue is even more ludicrous when you read the opening sentence of the "Key Findings:"

The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic rightwing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence...

So there's ZERO evidence that I'm planning any act of violence (which I'm not); but I'm officially a "domestic rightwing terrorist" because I oppose abortion. Make sense to you?

I don't get it either.

If these two news stories are any indication, I believe our culture is headed down a road that will lead to publicly and politically accepted persecution against Christians. Legal battles will evolve into vandalism. Vandalism to violent acts. And violent acts to murder. Are you prepared to be a martyr for the sake of your Christian faith and convictions?

I promised in the beginning of this article to offer ideas on how to persecution-proof your Christianity, so here we go:

To be "persecution-proof" doesn't mean persecution won't happen any more than being "fireproof" will keep something from enduring a fire. It simply means that what's inside cannot be affected or harmed by the outside conditions. Check out how the early disciples were persecution-proof:

Acts 5:40b-42--...They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ (NIV).

Rock-solid Christianity is not a matter of political viewpoint; rather it comes from the life of the Holy Spirit within us! I don't care what political affiliation you have--the issue is that you must be filled with the Holy Spirit (Read all of Acts, especially chapters 1 and 2, to understand what this is all about).

If you want to stand firm in Christ, then your faith must be personal. There must be a passionate pursuit of God! With the Holy Spirit comes boldness to stand up under persecution and hold fast to your faith and convictions.

2 Timothy 1:7--For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (NIV).

As I've mentioned before, I'm in the final stages of editing a book I wrote titled "Wildfire Christianity." In it, I go into great depth about how to live a power-packed, persecution-proof Christianity that can spread from you throughout the world faster than our organized church-planting efforts can keep up with it. If you're interested in this book, sign up to my e-mail list so you can get a sneak peek at the first chapter and be the first to hear when the book finally gets released.

God bless!
--Art--

The Holy Spirit has been speaking to me a lot over the past couple weeks about the correlations between creativity and spiritual warfare. In the midst of all this new and exciting revelation, I felt inspired to launch a whole new blog on the topic, which will be updated pretty regularly for some time.

God can use all sorts of media to advance His Kingdom, and He has done it all throughout the Bible. In the coming weeks, I'll be unfolding more and more of what it is to be a part of God's Media Army. No matter what your medium—music, art, graphic design, web design, videography, pottery, sculpting, or any other form of craftsmanship—God can use it to His advantage in spiritual warfare! This may not all make sense right now...but that's why I've created the new blog!

So head on over to www.SpiritualWarriorDesign.com, and see what God might want to reveal to you about using your gifts and talents in active spiritual warfare!

P.S.—For those of you who are wondering: no, I haven't abandoned this blog--I just sense the Lord giving me a temporary sabbatical as He leads me into new ministries. I'll be back to post something new here soon.

Hi everyone!

It's been some time since I last wrote. I got a couple e-mails in the past week asking if I still existed, so I thought I'd take a moment to catch everyone up on where I've been for the last few months.

As my regular readers know, I got engaged on July 4th last year. The wedding will be this June, so there's been a lot of preparation in the works!

Prior to getting engaged, I was an active part of a growing church plant in Fowlerville, Michigan; while my fiance (girlfriend at the time) was attending church with her family about an hour away. While both of us knew we were where God wanted us to be, once we got engaged it was clear that we should be in the same place. So after much prayer and clear confirmation from my pastor, I left that church plant to return to my fiance's church (the same church that had sent us out four years earlier to plant in Fowlerville).

Long story short, all I did was visit the pastor and ask him how I could help him fulfill his vision; and within a couple months I had been hired on staff as an assistant pastor in the Student Ministries Department. Since November 1, 2008, I've been part of a team responsible for revamping the nursery ministry, revitalizing the 6th-12th grade ministries, and launching a young adults ministry (among other things). As you can see, I've been very busy!

So what's happening with this site? Well, I'm not entirely sure right now. At present, it's not a priority (obviously). Over the next few months, I'll be designing and launching a web site for our student ministries department; and that will probably become my new primary online ministry. Topics will obviously be different, so I may keep this site alive as an outlet for blog posts and scriptural studies that don't apply to the new site. Nevertheless, I can't make any promises. I'm trying to follow the Holy Spirit on this one and not just hold onto things that I want to hold onto!

I've also been writing a book about spreading dynamic, supernatural Christianity around the world at rapid speeds. It's titled Wildfire Christianity. I'm working on the last chapter right now and will announce its completion and availability on this blog. So I would expect this site to stick around at least until then.

I've had to let go the Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry (WSSM) that I started last year; though I'm now involved in helping to mentor interns at our church and implement many of the same teachings that I prepared for that ministry. The heartbeat of that school hasn't died for me, so don't get discouraged if you're one of the people who signed up and haven't received any correspondence from me. When my book comes out, it will be packed with the concepts that made the WSSM what it was. The web site that was formerly used for WSSM will soon be used for the book, just in case you're wondering.

Well, I hope this catches everyone up! I want to give a HUGE thank you to all the faithful readers who continue to visit this site even in the midst of this lull in activity. I'll continue to pray in general for those who visit this site; and I'll still be available to answer your questions and comments if you comment on one of the posts or e-mail me at Art@SupernaturalBlogger.com.

God bless!
--Art--

by Scott Volk www.fire-school.org

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The hour is desperate!

I hear the younger generation crying out for ‘spiritual fathers’, yet, when they’re lovingly corrected and biblically rebuked by those very fathers, they write them off as being old-fashioned, traditional, and out of touch with what the Lord is doing in ‘their generation’. Maybe instead of fathers, they really want grandfathers who will simply pat them on the back, offering only grandpa-like encouragement and positive reinforcement.

I hear older men saying that they desire to be ‘spiritual fathers’, yet, they’re seemingly unwilling to get down in the relational trenches with the very ones that need to be fathered because their ministry schedules are too busy and they have more important things to do. Maybe instead of being spiritual fathers, they really want to be spiritual grandfathers who merely give a thumbs-up when ministry outwardly seems to be going well even though inwardly their grandchild may be withering inside.

Why is it that children enjoy being around their grandparents? Could it be that at grandpa’s house, where candy grows on the carpet and dessert is eaten instead of dinner, life is simply easier? Could it be because at grandpa’s house, we can do almost whatever we please since grandpa is really not responsible for disciplining us; he merely desires to keep us happy until we return home?

I want to humbly confront both the generation that is crying out for fathers as well as the generation that says they desire to be fathers with this simple challenge: it’s time to step up to the plate. It’s time that our words become something more than spiritual rhetoric. It’s time for spiritual wayward sons to honor their fathers and it’s time for spiritual dead-beat fathers to change their ways and assume the role that God intended them to have in their spiritual households.

We’re living in a generation that is desperate to see the fulfillment of the Malachi 4 scripture that proclaims, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” It requires a turning on both parties – fathers turning to their children and children turning to their fathers.

Now more than ever, when biblical standards are being compromised in the name of successful ministries, we need the fathers to lovingly put their arms around their children and guide them into all truth.

Now more than ever, as young people are being commissioned by the Word of the Lord, we need to turn to the fathers, lest our youthful zeal and heavenly calling lead us into dangerous areas of pride and arrogance, eventuating in colossal failure and shame.

I believe we’re at a desperate hour and that the Lord desires to seize it for His glory. Fathers, let’s commit ourselves, by God’s grace, to allowing our hearts to be turned to our children; children, let’s commit ourselves, by God’s grace, to allowing our hearts to be turned to our fathers. Then and only then will the curse of Malachi 4:6 be avoided.

I heard about this letter a few days ago and only now had the opportunity to sit down and read all the way through. In short, I was thoroughly impressed.

Dutch Sheets has been looked up to by many Christians for several years now (perhaps a decade or two?). He wrote a book on Intercessory Prayer that I would put among the top resources on the matter.

Anyhow, Pastor Dutch wrote a statement that addresses Todd Bentley. But not only that; he writes also about the general failures of the present "leaders" of the Charismatic movement (including himself).

I heard an audio recording of Dutch Sheets raising some questions about Todd Bentley and Lakeland long before everything recently fell apart there. I would consider him one of the most respectable people to put out this message, and I'm so glad he did.

I've added his statements here:

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A STATEMENT and APPEAL REGARDING LAKELAND
-Dutch Sheets. (Aug 21, 2008).

It has now been a couple of weeks since I heard about Todd Bentley's plans for separation and divorce. Like everyone, I have had a variety of emotions including anger, sadness, and grief. Every time I see this scenario repeated, I grieve: for the husband and wife involved; for the family that will be scarred in so many ways; because of the incredible reproach it brings to Christ; and the distortion it gives concerning God's heart and ways. I am praying for Todd and his family.

I was asked numerous times to write my position on Lakeland while it was happening, but always felt checked by the Lord—the waters were too muddy and emotions too high. I now feel strongly that the Lord wants me to do so. It will be arguably one of the greatest risks of my ministry to date, but one I feel must be taken. Fathers, when given the voice to do so, bear the responsibility of giving correction and wisdom. I hope mine qualifies for the latter. I assure you I have spent many hours praying and thinking through the situation. The risks are broad: with some of my dearest friends and co-laborers, I risk harming those relationships; with many in the charismatic body of Christ, I risk appearing to be an arrogant, "self-appointed" spokesperson for them; to the "I told you so" crowd, I risk the accusation of "spinning" the situation. (As far as the heresy hunters and revival police—not those who raised legitimate questions about Lakeland, but the attack dogs who make their living and build their ministries criticizing everyone else—I lost respect for them long ago and couldn't care less what they think.)

My purpose and sincere prayer in writing this statement, however, is three-fold: to see healing begin for the body of Christ; to initiate a process that can remove the reproach brought to Christ and the Church; and to do these things while preserving and honoring my current relationships. I pray that these desires, along with my heart, come through loudly. And I hope I'm writing this with true humility— who among us clearly sees all hidden in our own hearts? Let me also preface this statement by saying that what needs to be said cannot be done quickly or carelessly. I do not want my heart to be missed and am not willing to run that risk for the sake of brevity, so please bear with the length. (Incidentally, I think it will be obvious no one involved in the Lakeland situation has asked me to write this; and for the sake of integrity on my part, none have been consulted concerning what I'm stating.)

Mistakes at Lakeland

Did leaders handling the Lakeland situation make mistakes? Yes— huge mistakes. Beyond the obvious fruit of salvations and healings, can good come from Lakeland, as some have suggested, even with the recent revelations concerning Todd Bentley? Yes, but only if there is complete honesty and transparency, the removal of all attempts at self-preservation, and absolute humility from all sides.

Did I endorse the Lakeland meetings? No, I did not, nor did I condemn them. I acknowledged that healings were occurring and some were being saved, which I still believe and rejoice over. I realized and stated that the thousands of people attending were hungry and sincere, as were those involved in leading the 2 meetings. The worship was regularly good. But looking past some of the immediate and positive results, I, like many, also looked ahead to the possible fruit from questionable doctrine and experiences, exaggeration and hype, youthful pride, character issues and the frightening potential of a 32 year "young" man leading a movement that could shape the future of the Church.

These things were frightening, very frightening, to others and me. When something has the potential of setting precedent, birthing a movement and being reproduced as a prototype, we are no longer simply endorsing good brothers, good intentions and miracles. Doctrine and foundations will be built on these events. Teachings and paradigms for future ministries will be formed—in short, the next generation of the church and the move of God in the earth could be greatly impacted. This is why I stopped short of endorsing everything at Lakeland. Just as importantly, I could not ignore the "check", the uneasiness, the sickening feeling deep in my spirit telling me something else was wrong—terribly wrong—in this situation. Like other leaders I tried to push past my uneasiness with the showmanship, the "bams," the head butts and kneeing, along with certain experiences and doctrines, all in order to embrace the good. Like many of my friends I tried to be—and believe I was—gracious, accepting, ready to think "out of the box", etc. But try as I may, the uneasiness in my spirit just wouldn't leave.

Did I voice my concerns to the appropriate people? Yes, including stating my concerns for Todd's marriage to the Lakeland Outpouring Apostolic Team. Did they listen? Some did, some didn't. But I want to state emphatically, this is not an "I told you so" statement. In fact, much of what I want to address goes back several years into our charismatic Christian history. And I assure you that concerning our present weaknesses in the charismatic church, there is plenty of blame to go around. Personally, I've been right at times with my discernment and decisions, wrong at others. It would be worse than hypocritical for me to point the finger of accusation—I have no stones of judgment to throw.

Nonetheless, mistakes were made and must be acknowledged and learned from in order for us to heal, grow and move forward.

Some of my closest friends endorsed and participated in the Lakeland meetings. For them I have both criticism—all of us lose credibility at this point if we're not completely honest—and affirmation. Should they have been more discerning and have listened to the warnings they received? Obviously. Should those who "aligned" Todd with spiritual fathers (which was a good thing and positioned him to receive help if he chooses to accept it) have realized to do so publicly was a mistake and could be interpreted by those watching in no other way than as a complete endorsement? Yes, they should have, especially when the event became a commissioning ceremony, complete with decrees and prophecies of going to higher levels, predictions of Todd's increasing world-wide influence and leading a world-wide revival, emphatic and prolific endorsements of his character, etc.

How could those watching believe the evening was anything but an aligning, endorsing and commissioning ceremony? It was. It really doesn't matter who laid their hands on Todd—all share responsibility. This was unwise at best, naïve at least and at its worst, foolish. And should the leaders involved have realized that those of us connected to them relationally, ministerially, and as movements—some even in alignment with them apostolically and as sons and daughters—would feel minimalized, if not betrayed, by the fact that they were in essence taking us onto the stage with them? Yes. These feelings were inevitable, especially when we had such uneasiness and asked them not to. Should there be an acknowledgment of these mistakes to the body of Christ for the sake of accountability and in order to rebuild trust? I believe so, and remain hopeful this will happen.

With such strong statements of disagreement, what is the affirmation toward my friends who led, participated in or endorsed this ceremony (and the meetings in general)? Simply stated, I know their hearts. It is not a contradiction of my criticisms toward some of their actions to, at the same time, defend and endorse their hearts and character. It is completely appropriate — when true—to defend a person's heart and integrity while disagreeing with their actions.

I think the blunder of that night was huge and very damaging to the body of Christ, but I also realize that in their hearts, those involved honestly felt they were doing the right things. Again, while not defending the action taken, I would defend the character and integrity of Peter and Doris Wagner as vigorously as anyone I know, and do so with absolute confidence. There are no two people, and I mean that literally, who embody the qualities of humility, integrity, holiness (no compromise!), sacrifice, unselfish kingdom-thinking, the tireless giving of themselves to Christ's cause and the body of Christ—and do I need to add risk-taking?— as much as Peter and Doris Wagner. It remains my great honor to be associated with them and call them a spiritual father and mother. And again, while not minimizing or "sweeping under the rug" any wrong decisions, I remain steadfast in my belief that similar affirmations could be made of others involved—either directly or indirectly—in the ceremony. And some of them still see their endorsing of Lakeland as an endorsement of revival generally, not of Todd personally.

The Bigger Picture

It may come as a surprise, however, that my real purpose in writing this is not to only state the above, as important as I believe saying it is. My primary purpose, and I believe my assignment from the Lord, is to identificationally repent on behalf of the leadership of the charismatic body of Christ (see Nehemiah 1:4-7; Daniel 9:1-19). In doing so, I do not have a pompous, "no one else will, so I'll do it" attitude, nor am I arrogant enough to think I have become the spokesperson for the charismatic church. But in the same way that I can identify with the racism of white predecessors and repent to blacks, Native Americans and other races, I can represent the leadership of the charismatic body of Christ and identificationally repent for our sins and weaknesses. I encourage leaders who find my statements true and appropriate to join me.

Beyond the simple fact of it being appropriate, I firmly believe it is the only way to begin the process of rebuilding trust with those asked to follow us and to remove the cynicism of the world we ask to listen to us. As you know, regaining credibility is much more difficult than attaining credibility. Concerning what I'm about to say, I don't believe I have a critical spirit, nor do I want to diminish the sacrifices, faithfulness, and hard work done by so many in ministry. The fact remains, however, that we have failed the Lord and His people in many ways—not just with Lakeland but in countless other situations—and must repent if we are to be trusted in the future. And as you also know, no repentance is effective if watered down and couched in excuses, therefore, I intend to be brutally honest:

1. We, the leaders of the charismatic community, have operated in an extremely low level of discernment. Frankly, we often don't even try to discern. We assume a person's credibility based on gifts, charisma, the size of their ministry or church, whether they can prophesy or work a miracle, etc. (Miracles and signs are intended to validate God and His message, not the messenger; sometimes they validate the assignment of an individual, but never the person's character, lifestyle or spiritual maturity.) We leaders in the Church have become no different than the world around us in our standards for measuring success and greatness. This has contributed to the body of Christ giving millions of dollars to undeserving individuals; it has allowed people living in sin to become influential leaders—even to lead movements, allowing them influence all the way to the White House. Through our lack of discernment we built their stages and gave them their platforms. We have been gullible beyond words—gullible leaders producing gullible sheep. When a spiritual leader we're connected with violates trust, is exposed for immorality or falls below other accepted standards of behavior, it does not exonerate us simply to say we don't condone such behavior. Those we lead trust us to let them know whom to trust. We have failed them miserably in this regard. For this lack of discernment, and for employing and passing on inappropriate standards of judgment, I repent to the Lord and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.
2. We, the leaders of the charismatic church, spin our involvement and fail to acknowledge our responsibility when other leaders fall— all of which stems from our self-preservation and pride. Enough of the spin—we're no different than Washington, DC. Every time another embarrassing and disgraceful situation is exposed, the dancing begins. It seems that no one bears any real responsibility except the man or woman who actually commits sin. Incredibly, we even blame "revival" itself—the pressures, attacks, weariness, the "revival is messy" argument, etc., saying it is responsible for the failures. This is disgusting. Those of us on boards of fallen leaders, those who helped give them a voice, put them on TV, published and endorsed their books (yes, I have), etc., are not exonerated simply by saying we don't condone the wrong behavior or that we didn't know. We're supposed to know. I don't believe anyone is expecting perfection from us—I know I'm not. We're far too human for that. But we are expected to have enough humility to look the world and those who follow us in the eye when we miss it and say, "we were wrong and we are sorry." Our careless accountability has caused the body of Christ to be spiritually raped and abused. It has produced disillusionment and brought immeasurable reproach to our God and cynicism to His message. Concerning Lakeland, what was called the "greatest revival since Azusa Street" has become possibly one of the greatest reproaches. We, the leaders of the charismatic church, are responsible. For not accepting and acknowledging our responsibility, for caring more about our own reputation than Christ's, I repent to God and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.
3. Our procedures and standards of accountability are incredibly inadequate. We have provided camaraderie, not biblical accountability. For those on Todd Bentley's board who had previous knowledge of his marriage problems and said nothing, it was more than a mistake—it was reckless, foolish, and irresponsible. For those on the stage the night of his aligning and commissioning who knew and said nothing—ditto. For those there who didn't know, my question is, "why didn't you?" You were trusted to know. That is one of the purposes of public commissioning and the purpose behind the concept of endorsement. I'm not trying to point the finger; I'm endeavoring to get us to be honest about our failures—we have serious credibility issues. Have I ever laid hands on, commissioned or endorsed anyone without adequately checking them out? Yes, but you better believe I'll be more careful next time! And we must not single out Lakeland. We're all guilty. What about the leader in my city who ran with some of the leading spiritual fathers in our nation— sincere and good men, I might add, and not all "charismatic" leaders—who sang his praises and helped build his stage—all while he was doing drugs and having sex with other men? But we shouldn't blame only the high profile cases—what about those of us who unknowingly have had adulterers on our staffs or appointed elders that turned out to have compromise in their life? Sounding familiar yet? This is so epidemic that every member of the body of Christ stands guilty—what pastor or leader did you follow that turned out to have sin issues? What ministry did you support that was unworthy? There is plenty of blame to go around. The big question becomes not "who do we blame" but "how do we fix this mess?" Leaders can live in sin—adultery, homosexuality, financial wrongdoing, drugs, etc.—for years without it being realized. They can offer completely unacceptable lifestyles for the body of Christ to follow and still keep their TV programs and lavish lifestyles. In the name of grace, compassion and forgiveness we have lowered the standard so much that often there isn't one. We have bought into the lie that true discipline is "shooting our wounded." We have made a mockery of biblical restoration, making "ministry"—not healthy individuals, marriages and families—its ultimate goal. The fact is, integrity matters. No, we don't need legalistic, pharisaical standards, but we must have standards. For this lack of biblical accountability, I repent to God and I ask forgiveness of the body of Christ.
4. We, the leaders of the charismatic church, have built on hype, sensation, innovation, programs, personality and charisma. This has produced: shallowness; false movements; novice leaders— gifted but immature and untested; a deficient understanding of God's word; the building of man-centered rather than kingdom- centered churches and ministries; competition rather than cooperation; humanistic, self-centered Christians who don't understand sacrifice and commitment; Christians without discernment; superstar leaders; a perverted and powerless gospel; prayerless and anemic Christians; a replacement of the fear of the Lord with the fear of man; and a young generation that is cynical of it all. We are responsible, not the devil; he takes what we give him. For this compromise in the way we build, for giving the Church watered down wine, commercial Christianity, a flashy but
   weak Church and hype disguised as anointing, I repent to God and ask forgiveness of the body of Christ. Galatians 6:1-5 is an appropriate reference with which to end this statement: "Brethren, even if a man caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one shall bear his own load." NAS

My passionate prayer is that God honors this repentance — I believe He led me to do it and therefore, will—and uses it to begin a process of cleansing and healing for all of us. In order for the coming great awakening to bear maximum fruit we must have both, as well as a course correction that sets us on a path of wisdom leading to life. There is no doubt that past moves of God have been aborted, ended prematurely and contained error or heresy that have wounded, if not destroyed, many. The healing revival of the 40's and 50's, the charismatic movement, discipleship movement and Jesus movement are all examples. My heart is to help shape a movement, the fruit of which will last for decades — better yet, forever. And I have great expectations for us—I am not a cynic.

My passionate prayer is also that Todd Bentley's marriage survives and thrives…that he turns his heart fully toward Christ and toward those with whom he is aligned, and allows them, as God leads, to put him on a path of complete restoration. I thank God for those who were touched by the Holy Spirit at Lakeland and while watching it on God TV and the web. May we all move forward into all God has planned for us in this awesome season of endless possibility.

With great hope—Dutch Sheets.

On Wednesday, I published an article about how we can take Christ-like action regarding Todd Bentley's legal separation from his wife.
Then today, Fresh Fire Ministries sent out an e-mail with the following news:

We wish to acknowledge...that since our last statement from the Fresh Fire Board of Directors, we have discovered new information revealing that Todd Bentley has entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, Todd Bentley has agreed to step down from his position on the Board of Directors and to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life.

What does God have to say about the current situation with Todd Bentley?

Maybe that's a dangerous question, and I'm not going to pretend to speak on His behalf. But I have spent a lot of time in prayer, and the Lord keeps turning the table on the matter. Here's what I have learned from my times with God.

First, there is no doubt that He is grieved about Todd's current situation and the ripple effect that is shaking the faith of people all over this world. But I also sense that He is not taken by surprise, nor is this in any way "out of control." Todd wouldn't have come forward about this if the Holy Spirit was not convicting of sin and revealing that which is hidden.

Luke 12:1-3--...Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. (NIV)

The hypocrisy of Todd Bentley has indeed been revealed just as Jesus promised, but I believe Christ's work in the earth right now is far deeper than this. During my prayer times with the Lord, I have sensed that He is not in the least bit distracted by Todd Bentley. The eyes of the Lord are still going to and fro throughout the earth, seeking a heart that's completely His. He still sees the deepest parts of every one of us. He still notices our non-public issues on an equal playing field with public ones.

He is a God of the secret things. He sees what is done in secret, hears what is said, and knows what is thought...and He repays openly. We tend to get distracted by public sin, but the Lord still looks on the condition of the hearts of all men and women around the globe.

Hebrews 4:13--Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (NIV)

In light of this, I sense that He would have us shift our attention for a moment.

I can't tell you how grieved I am at the response of so many Christians to Todd Bentley's situation. As you know, I don't agree with much of Todd's theology, ministry methods, or spiritual encounters (even though I would consider myself a Charismatic). Nor do I stand by or support everything done by Fresh Fire Ministries. But that does not grant free license for personal attacks and exploitation of the situation.

On Wednesday, I posted an article about Todd's separation from his wife; and of the 93 people who read it that day, only 2 had a comment that I found suitable for publication. I received about 10 other comments that were outright mean, inappropriate, and un-Christ-like. Some were true in everything they said, but the tone was sarcastic, and the material was off-topic.

Then I took a trip over to Charisma Magazine's forum, and I found the same problem. There were so many so-called Christians spreading gossip, hatred, anger, and bitterness that were in no way called-for by J. Lee Grady or Charisma itself. It is sickening to see the Body of Christ demonstrating such a devotion to vomitous attacks that produce nothing but a failed picture of who Christ really is.

So I say to any of you who might be reading this, check your own hearts. Have you allowed the kingdom of darkness to get a foothold in your life through this failure of Todd Bentley? If so, then you are equally as guilty of the hypocrisy Jesus warned us about! Like the Pharisees, you've been good in your zeal for recognizing truth and taking action, but "you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness" (see Matt. 23:23).

It's time for us as Christians to grow up and get over our petty finger-pointing. We love when a leader falls because it makes us feel more important. We love pointing out false doctrine, heresies, and a lack of discernment because it makes us feel more important. It's time to get over our pride and seek the Lord for how He would have us respond.

Do not think for an instant that God is as distracted by Todd Bentley as we are. While we glare haughtily at Todd's sin, He still sees our own guilt glaring just as gaudily. The only way we will see good come out of this is if we first repent of our own sins of pride, judgments, and bitterness. This is not as much a defense of Todd Bentley as it is a warning to the Church. Are we so blind?

So what does God have to say about Todd Bentley's legal separation with his wife? I'm not exactly sure, but I believe I can rightly say that it is not nearly as harsh as what He has to say about our own illegal separation from the heart and mind of Christ.

May we all begin to grow in love and actually pray for Todd Bentley in this time of humiliation and purging.

God bless,
--Art--

Hello friends,

I've hesitated to publish this news because I sincerely do not want any of it to come accross like an "I told you so" message. But after much prayer, I hope I can present this sobering information in love and see Todd Bentley emerge as the man God has actually called him to be.

Back on April 28, 2008, I wrote an article titled "Healing Revival History and the Lakeland Meetings with Todd Bentley." In it, I shared about how Todd had been comparing himself to William Branham--a faith-healer from the 1940s and 50s--and how Branham suffered emotionally and spiritually from dabbling in things he should not have. I then voiced the following concern:

If you or someone you know has been healed as a result of the Lakeland meetings, praise God! You have not been healed by evil spirits--I believe this was definitely of God. However, be very careful about how closely you follow the words and actions of Todd Bentley. He is a Christian who has been largely deceived by powers and principalities in the spiritual realm, which has caused him to step outside his gifting. We need to pray for Todd Bentley that God would rescue him from the same trap as William Branham.

As it turns out, Todd Bentley's ministry released a statement yesterday, burried in the middle of a long article about the joys of the "Lakeland Outpouring" that says the following:

...It is with considerable sadness then, that we must temper the jubilation we know you all feel with the sobering news that Todd and Shonnah Bentley are presently experiencing significant friction in their relationship and are currently separated. We want to affirm that there has been no sexual immorality on the part of either Todd or Shonnah, nor has there ever been. Undoubtedly the pressures and the burden of the Outpouring, which approaches 144 days on August 23rd, have helped to create an atmosphere of fatigue and stress that has exacerbated existing issues in their relationship. We wish to stress however, that the Outpouring is not “to blame” for the current chain of events and that in effect we have no interest in blaming anyone, but rather we deeply covet your prayers for Todd and Shonnah and for Fresh Fire Ministries during this time. (source: www.freshfire.ca)

I've searched the websites of some of the leaders who endorsed, supported, and publicly commissioned Bentley (C. Peter Wagner, Bill Johson, Rick Joyner, and John Arnott), and none of them have any comments on the matter. Charisma magazine seems to have met the same dead end as they published in an article on August 12, "Bentley did not respond to Charisma’s request for comment. At press time, members of the Revival Alliance, a group made up of prominent charismatic ministers who ordained Bentley as an evangelist in the Lakeland meetings in June, had not yet commented." (source: Todd Bentley, wife separating). The meetings in Lakeland have dwindled and pretty much ended, and it looks like we're entering a new phase here.

At this point it would be both foolish and un-Christ-like to boast in the stance I've been so ridiculed for over the past few months. In Christian love, I can do nothing but weep and pray for Bentley's family and the many many people who will obviously feel let-down by this news.

It seems that, along with prayer, our most needed action in the Body of Christ right now is damage control. As certain people in Todd's life help to counsel him and his wife in hopes of restoring their marriage, the rest of the Body of Christ needs to reach out to the many many people all over the world who are no-doubt shocked at the news.

We need to help our friends and family see that God is still faithful and Bentley's weaknesses are not reflective of God's ability. We also need to help our brothers and sisters grow in discernment so that we don't have another tragedy like this.

J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine, wrote an article today titled, "Life After Lakeland: Sorting Out the Confusion," which I have re-published after this message.

So keep praying for the Bentley family, including Todd and Shonnah's children, and also for the many people around the world whose faith may be waivering in the light of this news. And in the mean time, take steps of action to help your friends and family recover gracefully in the light of Christ.

God bless,
--Art--

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Life After Lakeland: Sorting Out the Confusion
by J. Lee Grady

Todd Bentley’s announcement that his marriage is ending has thrown our movement into a tailspin—and questions need to be answered.

It was not supposed to end like this.

Evangelist Todd Bentley had heralded the Lakeland revival as the greatest Pentecostal outpouring since Azusa Street. From his stage in a gigantic tent in Florida, Bentley preached to thousands, bringing many of them to the stage for prayer. Many claimed to be healed of deafness, blindness, heart problems, depression and dozens of other conditions in the Lakeland services, which ran for more than 100 consecutive nights. Bentley announced confidently that dozens of people had been raised from the dead during the revival.

But this week, a few days after the Canadian preacher announced the end of his visits to Lakeland, he told his staff that his marriage is ending. Without blaming the pace of the revival for Bentley’s personal problems, his board released a public statement saying that he and his wife, Shonnah, are separating. The news shocked Bentley’s adoring fans and saddened those who have questioned his credibility since the Lakeland movement erupted in early April.

I’m sad. I’m disappointed. And I’m angry. Here are few of my many, many questions about this fiasco:

Why did so many people flock to Lakeland from around the world to rally behind an evangelist who had serious credibility issues from the beginning?

To put it bluntly, we’re just plain gullible.

From the first week of the Lakeland revival, many discerning Christians raised questions about Bentley’s beliefs and practices.

They felt uneasy when he said he talked to an angel in his hotel room. They sensed something amiss when he wore a T-shirt with a skeleton on it. They wondered why a man of God would cover himself with tattoos. They were horrified when they heard him describe how he tackled a man and knocked his tooth out during prayer.

But among those who jumped on the Lakeland bandwagon, discernment was discouraged. They were expected to swallow and follow. The message was clear: “This is God. Don’t question.”

So before we could all say, “Sheeka Boomba” (as Bentley often prayed from his pulpit), many people went home, prayed for people and shoved them to the floor with reckless abandon, Bentley-style.

I blame this lack of discernment, partly, on raw zeal for God. We’re spiritual hungry—which can be a good thing. But sometimes, hungry people will eat anything.

Many of us would rather watch a noisy demonstration of miracles, signs and wonders than have a quiet Bible study. Yet we are faced today with the sad reality that our untempered zeal is a sign of immaturity. Our adolescent craving for the wild and crazy makes us do stupid things. It’s way past time for us to grow up.

Why didn’t anyone in Lakeland denounce the favorable comments Bentley made about William Branham?

This one baffles me. Branham embraced horrible deception near the end of his ministry, before he died in 1965. He claimed that he was the reincarnation of Elijah—and his strange doctrines are still embraced by a cultlike following today. When Bentley announced to the world that the same angel that ushered in the 1950s healing revival had come to Lakeland, the entire audience should have run for the exits.

Why didn’t anyone correct this error from the pulpit? Godly leaders are supposed to protect the sheep from heresy, not spoon feed deception to them. Only God knows how far this poison traveled from Lakeland to take root elsewhere. May God forgive us for allowing His Word to be so flippantly contaminated.

A prominent Pentecostal evangelist called me this week after Bentley’s news hit the fan. He said to me: “I’m now convinced that a large segment of the charismatic church will follow the anti-Christ when he shows up because they have no discernment.” Ouch. Hopefully we’ll learn our lesson this time and apply the necessary caution when an imposter shows up.

Why did God TV tell people that “any criticism of Todd Bentley is demonic”?

This ridiculous statement was actually made on one of God TV’s pre-shows. In fact, the network’s hosts also warned listeners that if they listened to criticism of Bentley, they could lose their healings.

This is cultic manipulation at its worst. The Bible tells us that the Bereans were noble believers because they studied the Scriptures daily “to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11, NASB).

Yet in the case of Lakeland, honest intellectual inquiry was viewed as a sign of weakness. People were expected to jump first and then open their eyes.

Just because we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit does not mean we check our brains at the church door. We are commanded to test the spirits. Jesus wants us to love Him with our hearts and our minds.

Because of the Lakeland scandal, there may be large numbers of people who feel they’ve been burned by Bentley. Some may give up on church and join the growing ranks of bitter, disenfranchised Christians. Others may suffer total spiritual shipwreck. This could have been avoided if leaders had been more vocal about their objections and urged people to evaluate spiritual experiences through the filter of God’s Word.

Why did a group of respected ministers lay hands on Bentley on June 23 and publicly ordain him? Did they know of his personal problems?

This controversial ceremony was organized by Peter Wagner, who felt that one of Bentley’s greatest needs was proper spiritual covering. He asked California pastors Che Ahn and Bill Johnson, along with Canadian pastor John Arnott, to lay hands on Bentley and bring him under their care.

Bentley certainly needs such covering. No one in ministry today should be out on their own, living in isolation without checks, balances and wise counsel. It was commendable that Wagner reached out to Bentley and that Bentley acknowledged his need for spiritual fathers by agreeing to submit to the process. The question remains, however, whether it was wise to commend Bentley during a televised commissioning service that at times seemed more like a king’s coronation.

In hindsight, we can all see that it would have been better to take Bentley into a back room and talk about his personal issues.

The Bible tells us that ordination of a minister is a sober responsibility. Paul wrote: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others” (1 Tim. 5:22). We might be tempted to rush the process, but the apostle warned against fast-tracking ordination—and he said that those who commission a minister who is not ready for the job will bear some of the blame for his failures.

I trust that Wagner, Ahn, Johnson and Arnott didn’t know of Bentley’s problems before they ordained him. I am sure they are saddened by the events of this week and are reaching out to Bentley and his wife to promote healing and restoration. But I believe that they, along with Bentley and the owners of God TV, owe the body of Christ a forthright, public apology for thrusting Bentley’s ministry into the spotlight prematurely. (Perhaps such an apology should be aired on God TV.)

Can anything good come out of this?

That depends on how people respond. If the men assigned to oversee Bentley offer loving but firm correction, and if Bentley responds humbly to the process by stepping out of ministry for a season of rehabilitation, we could witness a healthy case of church discipline play out the way it is supposed to. If all those who were so eager to promote Bentley now rush just as fast to repent for their errors in judgment, then the rest of us could breathe a huge sigh of relief—and the credibility of our movement could be restored.

I still believe that God desires to visit our nation in supernatural power. I know He wants to heal multitudes, and I will continue praying for a healing revival to sweep across the United States. But we must contend for the genuine, not an imitation. True revival will be accompanied by brokenness, humility, reverence and repentance—not the arrogance, showmanship and empty hype that often was on display in Lakeland.

We are weathering an unprecedented season of moral failure and spiritual compromise in our nation today. I urge everyone in the charismatic world to pray for Bentley; his wife, Shonnah; his three young children; Bentley’s ministry staff; and the men and women who serve as his counselors and advisers. Let’s pray that God will turn this embarrassing debacle into an opportunity for miraculous restoration.

~SOURCE: http://www.charismanews.com/

I've spent the past couple weeks ministering to people on a one-on-one basis, which is actually my preferred method (so if you have questions of any kind, feel free to e-mail me: Art@SupernaturalBlogger.com).

One particular person named Christynn (permission granted to use her real name and e-mails) has been asking some significant questions about physical healing that I thought would be good to publish. There is a lot of confusion about how God's healing power works, so I want to help clear things up with what the Bible actually says.

Christynn read my article about how the scars on my face were miraculously healed, and it struck a chord with her because of her own condition. The following are excerpts from our dialogue about her healing:

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Christynn writes:
The story about your scars is amazing! God is awesome. I'd like to talk to you about it; I've been standing in faith for Him to take mine as well. And I believe He has. Sometimes it gets hard to keep the faith. I'd like to know what you did. Please email me back.

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Art writes:
Great to hear from you! God can definitely heal your scars—I've met several people since I was healed who have also had scars miraculously disappear. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that the method is sort of irrelevant. Look through the Scriptures, and you'll see that Jesus never healed two blind people the same way, etc. I have yet to meet someone else who had a vision like mine and was then healed over a two or three week process as they laid hands on their scars and said, "Jesus, take the scars." (that's what I did, by the way).

Anyhow, the reason I say this is because what God longs for—more than anything else—is for you to trust Him and cultivate your relationship with Him. That's the one common thread I've found: people being healed as they draw near to the heart of God. So keep seeking His face more than you seek His hand—look for His presence more than His power, and the power will follow suit. The Lord once told me that the only thing necessary for a miracle to happen is the presence of God—so if we'll get into His presence and get to know His voice, everything will be in place. At that point, it's just a matter of talking to Him about your condition.

Also remember that faith is substance. It has a very real spiritual form. But faith is not merely "belief for the sake of believing"—that’s presumption. Real faith is relationship-based. If my fiancé, Robin, says she'll meet me somewhere, I have faith that she'll be there because I know her and trust her. I have faith in her. I could "believe" with all my might that she would be somewhere else, but that wouldn't be faith...it would be presumption. If she says she'll be somewhere, it takes faith to trust her. God is the same way. We don't change Him by merely believing something with all our might—but we can certainly touch His heart by drawing near to Him.

Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent forth His word and healed them." That's what happened to me—the Lord sent forth His word to me because I was desperate enough to cry out to Him and press in for a response. In my case, the Lord responded with a simple vision in my mind. For other people, they just receive an assurance that God has granted the healing, and they stand by it. For others, they may have some physical sensation. Whatever the case, the key ingredient is the fact that God Himself has spoken it, and so we grab onto that promise in faith. Until He speaks, we can "believe" all we want; but that is nothing but impersonal presumption—not faith. Faith is based on relationship.

So I don’t know where you're at right now, but check your heart. If you're struggling to see a healing manifest, think back and determine whether or not you've pressed into God's presence with persistent petition on this matter and actually received a word back from Him. If you haven't yet heard from Him, then you need to keep asking Him to heal you until there is some sort of response. Once that response comes, though, you can take it as an edict from the throne room of heaven and trust the word wholeheartedly! You can grab onto that word with full assurance that the Lord has spoken and it WILL happen! Apart from that word from God, your belief won’t accomplish much. But with that word from God, there is NOTHING that can stand in the way of your faith!

Remember: Romans 10:17 tells us that "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Listen for His spoken word regarding your healing, and your faith will genuinely be evidence of a hoped-for healing and the substance of your healing even when it is not yet seen (Hebrews 11:1). So spend some time in conversation with God. I don't know much about you from your e-mail, so if you'd like me to explain this further, just let me know—otherwise I'll assume that it makes sense to you.

Thanks for taking the time to e-mail. I’ll be praying for you!

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Christynn writes:
Yes, Art that all makes perfect sense. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I'm 23 and married and saved and love God dearly. About 3 months ago my complexion started breaking out and not really scaring, but leaving marks behind. I've had skin issues since I was 12 and in the past few years it hasn't been too much of a problem, until recently.

The last few years I strayed far from Him. I did drugs, was addicted to porn, didn't go to church, and messed around with someone, other than my husband. I know God didn't put skin ailments/problems on me, only satan does that (John 10:10), but I think it happened to wake me up and realize I can't live without God.

I've turned my life around, got baptized and serve Him completely; at first it was to get Him to heal me, now I crave Him all the time. He spoke a word to me a while back as I was reading Gal. 3:13 and He said, "I became a curse for you, so you don't have to live with one." And back in Deuteronomy 28 it talks about the curse of the law and how skin ailments are part of that. I've been standing on that ever since. And I found the story of you and it gave me such hope that He cares for us so much that he wants to take away small ailments like acne/skin problems and scars. Things that aren't life or death, but things that bother His children.

I bought the little healing prayer book called, "God's creative power for healing" by Charles Capps and I read it everyday--2-3 times a day--and plea the Blood of Jesus, His Word, His holy healing power and faith into every pore of my complexion so there is no room for satan to infest it. Where God is, the devil can't be. I'm fully persuaded that He has healed me, but it's hard to look in the mirror or at people. But I know it's a lie from satan and it will soon reflect my new inner self.

It's hard to look my husband in the eye sometimes, but what you said, "…you can take it as an edict from the throne room of heaven and trust the word wholeheartedly! You can grab onto that word with full assurance that the Lord has spoken and it WILL happen! And with that word from God, there is NOTHING that can stand in the way of your faith!"

I want to know what you did when things looked hopeless while your scars where still there. Would you look in the mirror and still see them and get down? What did you do then?

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Art writes:
I didn't do a whole lot during those two or three weeks while the Lord was healing my scars. I didn't pretend they weren't there or believe they were already gone—some people call that "positive confession," but I personally feel like it's just "denial." The way I see it, it's one thing to believe that my healing is already purchased and certain; but it's another thing to act like it already happened when it still hasn't. If I had cancer, then it wouldn't do me any good to pretend I didn't have it—as a matter of fact, that would be dangerous!

So for two or three weeks, I looked in the mirror every morning and acknowledged my scars. I would sometimes speak to them: "You don’t belong here anymore." Then I would put my hands on my face and say, "Jesus, take the scars," because that was in line with the vision God gave me. In your case, you can ask Him to "take the curse" because that's how He spoke to you. Picture Him on the cross and remember that your condition was completely paid for there.

What matters is that you stay realistic. If you're "already healed," then why are you still asking for healing? On the other hand, if your healing is already paid for by Christ and you're not yet experiencing it, you have an awesome reason to be asking for it! You still have a skin condition that has not been healed even though Jesus Christ paid for it. That's an injustice! Call it what it is! Then go to the King of all creation and plead your case, asking for righteousness and justice to reign through your healing!

Don't be afraid to acknowledge earthly reality and command it to be subject to the superior reality of God's Kingdom. No one has skin conditions in heaven, and Jesus taught us to pray that our Father's Kingdom would come and that His will would be done on earth just as it is in heaven! The Kingdom of Heaven is a superior reality; but until it is manifested on earth, we need to be willing to acknowledge the earthly reality—otherwise we won't press in with prayer in the way we ought to.

Another thing is that I would purposefully look for even the slightest inkling of improvement and worship God for it. I remember the first time I noticed a little corner of one of my scars had some pigment in it—I immediately dropped to my knees and started thanking God. So try to maintain a heart of worship and adoration at all times.

In everything, remember that we need to also be content in all things. It's okay to settle in your heart the idea that whether you're healed or not, God is still worthy of all your adoration. Keep your focus more on Him than on your physical condition. I only dealt with asking for healing in the morning and spent the rest of my day focusing on Him, building our relationship, and praying for revival in my church. I didn't let my physical condition consume me. Be persistent in your prayers, but also keep your priorities set. If your physical healing begins to occupy all your prayer time, then the devil has won—keep your focus on matters of the kingdom and don't let yourself get wrapped up in one little thing.

---

After this e-mail, Christynn and I spoke on the phone, and she recognized that she had been allowing her condition to occupy most of her prayer time. At the end of our conversation we prayed, and I sensed the Holy Spirit pointing to a root issue in her heart that immediately resonated with her. We prayed about her need to forgive herself, and here's what she wrote later that day:

Thank you Art, so much for your prayers and time; you have no idea how much that meant. I pray I'll be as good a witness to others as you were to me. We are only vessels to God. I looked in the mirror after we prayed and I saw some small improvement! Praise God! And praise Him for the complete manifestation!

---

At this point, a couple days passed, and I received this e-mail:

Christynn writes:
Last night I found this church out in Dallas called the Healing School. I was curious and called them. I also sent those pictures of my face that I sent to you. The first thing they asked was how my marriage was. I told them it was fine, my husband doesn't go to church as often as he should, but he believes in Jesus and loves Him. He just is going through a hard time with questions about the church. (Thankfully God's putting people in his life to answer them.)

And the pastor basically told me that's why I'm not healed, because my husband is being disobedient. I asked him were in the Bible does it say that and he couldn't back it up. He just told me to read the whole New Testament with my husband and go to church every Sunday and tithe and then I'll be healed.

But I said back to him, in Isaiah 53:4 it says "He took up our infirmities and carried away our diseases." No where in there does it say, but only if you don't tell a lie or only if you make your husband go to church. No, it says point-blank He took them! In Titus 3:5 it says "He saved us, not because of any righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy." And I'm healed because of His merciful sacrifice! He also said that no one in the Bible got healed by Jesus until they repented and walked holy, even the woman with the blood disease. The way I read it is she only believed Jesus could heal her and He said her faith healed her, not anything else.

Now I know that one needs to confess their sins and ask for forgiveness like it says in James 5:16, and I have done that and have completely turned my life around for Him. And I'll tell ya Art, my skin is improving! Every morning I thank Him for taking the curse and even the slightest improvement I thank Him over and over. And people are noticing the difference and I say "Thank God, all glory to Him!"

My mom, who's a strong women of God, was listening to the conversation I was having with the pastor and she was shaking her head and said tell him goodbye. Then after I did, my mom, my dad and I all prayed and broke any spoken curses over me that that pastor said, and thanked God for healing my skin once again.

The thing I noticed that I told my mom was when I talked to you; you were encouraging and uplifting and prayed for me regardless of whatever. This pastor didn't pray for me, he just told me I was wrong and I couldn’t be healed unless whatever. I believe the more Christ you see in a person, the more Christ sees in us. Thank you Art for being Christ-like to me.

If you could give me some feed back on what this pastor said and your thoughts on the matter, I'd appreciate it. My mom told me a true story of a married couple, she was Christian and he was Muslim, and her prayers were getting answered and his were not. That's how he became saved to Jesus! So there, it doesn't matter what your spouse is going through, God's relationship with you is based on you, no one else. Praise God!

---

Art writes:
Wow—yeah, your mom was completely right. As far as spouses go, I see two big issues with that pastor's logic and theology. #1, your husband does indeed believe in Christ—he just has questions and is going through a sort of "desert time" right now. That's totally normal, and many Christians experience this—I went through such a time myself. #2, even if he didn't believe in Christ, Paul said that "the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing spouse." God's power is stronger than sin and cannot be limited in your life by someone else's condition. It's silly to think that God's power would be overcome by your husband not attending a weekly meeting. If we were made sick every time a relative questioned the church or "didn’t tithe," NO ONE would be healthy! Tithing, by the way, is another issue I have because it's a law that gets heaped on people and makes them feel unnecessarily guilty. Believe it or not, the Bible actually doesn't tell us to tithe, so that's not part of the problem either (you can read an article I wrote about tithing and how Christians should actually give titled The Truth about Tithing if you're interested).

The scriptures you quoted were absolutely right, and your discernment on the matter was right too. I sincerely believe that we already got to the root of the matter when we prayed about self-hatred and forgiving yourself. I felt the Holy Spirit was bringing it up, and it resonated with you right away; both of these are evidence that it was the right thing to address. So a big part of your continued healing will be continuing to walk in self-forgiveness and reminding yourself of your inner freedom through Christ. That, in my opinion, is the most important word you've received from God yet regarding your healing!

Let me know if you have further questions. I'm looking forward to your complete healing!

---

Finally, we come to today's e-mail...

Christynn writes:
I hate to keep bothering you with questions. Sorry if I am. What do you think about me going to a doctor for my skin condition? I mean if God has healed me, should I go to one? And if I believe He is my healer and great physician, is it an insult to Him if I go and seek medical help for my skin?

---

Art writes:
It's totally fine. Like I said on the phone, it's okay to use "crutches" while God is bringing the healing.

Remember when I told you how I threw my back out last year and couldn't walk for two weeks? Well, before God healed me, I was going to the doctor and to physical therapy for those two weeks. It wasn't accomplishing much—especially compared to the complete healing God gave me—but when I walked into PT the next week perfectly fine, I got to share my testimony with the Therapist, his assistant, and three people who had seen me barely moving for the past couple weeks. It was a tremendous opportunity to share the Gospel because the miracle was so obvious.

Likewise, my mom had a hysterectomy about six years ago—never actually received a divine healing, except that she is still cancer-free. Anyhow, she did everything she possibly could to have people pray for her and experience a healing before the surgery date, but nothing happened. Then, while she was in the hospital being prepped for surgery, she got to pray with two young ladies who couldn't believe how calm she was (they were also there to go through procedures). My mom prayed for the Holy Spirit to give them supernatural peace, and it worked! If my mom hadn't gone in for surgery, those two women might never have encountered the power and presence of God like that.

So seeking medical help is only a sin if you are "giving up on God" and leaving Him behind. But if, on the other hand, you are getting medical attention and welcoming God to come along with you, you are not in sin. It's just another opportunity to get around people who may never have heard the Gospel before. Look for opportunities to plant seeds in the waiting room, with the doctor, at the pharmacy—wherever! Just use it for the glory of God.

Lastly, I know many many people who have been healed of a condition for which they were presently seeing a doctor, so this obviously doesn't hinder a healing. The only way it slows you down is if you believe it will slow you down. But as long as you recognize that our Almighty God is not limited by us getting medical attention, and that He can still miraculously heal you, you have nothing to worry about. There's nothing in the Bible that says to avoid doctors—actually, Luke, who wrote the third Gospel and the book of Acts (all about miracles and healings) was a physician himself. And I've heard it taught that when James 5:14-15 says to have the elders of the church pray for you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord, the "anointing with oil" was culturally a medicinal practice rather than a spiritual one in this case. Notice how verse 15 says it is the prayer offered in faith that makes the sick person well; not the oil. If you have to take some sort of medicine, take it in the name of the Lord. Dedicate it to Christ's use. And keep trusting God to bring such a complete healing that you won't need the medicine anymore. He can do it, and I believe He will do it.

Don't feel bad about all the questions—this is my ministry, so I welcome it :-)

---

Closing Thoughts:
When seeking to know what the Bible has to say about healing, it's important to consult the Bible first. There are hundreds and perhaps thousands of books out there with wacky ideas that are neither healthy nor true. A good book on healing is hard to come by. I've found that the people who understand healing theology the best are the ones who have been personally healed in the name of Jesus Christ several times (not just once) and have applied that faith to seeing others miraculously healed. The bizarre ideas come from people who were healed once many years ago because everything in the Bible gets interpreted through the filter of their one experience. When you've been healed several times, however, you discover that God never does it the same way twice!

We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!

God bless!
--Art--

I've posted a new mp3 sermon on the podcasts page titled "Vision and Intimacy." You can visit the page itself from the link above or listen to the message directly here: Vision_and_Intimacy.mp3.

From the Podcasts Page:

Are you walking in the supernatural power of God on a daily basis? If it isn't coming easy to you, you might be lacking in vision and intimacy with God. In this message, Art shares how to walk in the supernatural as you receive vision from God and cultivate intimacy with Him. This was one of Art's final messages at Fowlerville Freedom Center, a church he helped plant four years earlier that has since grown to nearly ten times its original size. Message delivered July 6, 2007.

Two more things:

1. I got engaged on Friday, July 4 to my girlfriend of 6 and a half years, Robin! We haven't set a date yet, but we expect the wedding to be some time in 2009. I'll probably post some pictures soon for those of you who are interested. I'd like to say "thanks" to everyone who has been an active part of our lives so far! God has consistently used your friendships to shape us into the people we are today in Christ.
2. I've fixed the worst of the FireFox glitch that made the text on this site hard to read for people using that browser. Now there's a gap between the text and the title, but I didn't have time to finish solving that new issue. Thanks, everyone, who pointed this glitch out to me.

Well, enjoy the message!

God bless!
--Art--

Do you have vision for your life?

Proverbs 29:18 says that "Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (KJV). Other translations use the word "revelation" instead of "vision;" and they say that without it, "the people are unrestrained" (rather than the word "perish").

Here's what I get from this:

1. We need specific revelation from the Lord about direction for our lives.
2. When we receive that "vision," we gain focus, rather than being "unrestrained."
3. As a result we are more effective for the Kingdom of God.

Now, something I've learned over the years, purely through observation, is that God gives both individual vision and corporate vision. The corporate vision is for the Church at large, and is clearly revealed in Scripture. But "individual vision" is the specific marching orders that God has given you to help fulfill that corporate vision.

So I'll ask you again: Do you have vision for your life?

Back in 2002, I was in Toronto when the Lord put a picture in my mind. I saw a map of the United States (my home country) with little red dots popping up all over the place. Rather quickly, those dots began to grow until they all bled into each other and the entire map was red. At the time, I had no idea what it meant, but I worte it down anyhow--knowing that it had something to do with my calling.

As time went on, the interpretation of this vision began to take shape. The things I was reading, writing, hearing in sermons, experiencing, and hearing from the Lord began to take on a common theme. I began to see that I was to somehow be involved in spreading Christianity accross my nation at wildfire speeds--not through the slow, expensive, and laborsome methods we're used to, but rather through simple, Book-of-Acts-style fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. Then, through various other scriptures, prayer times, and confirmations from others, I also came to see that my calling would specifically involve my current generation.

I'll go into more detail in a later blog post. For now, though, the thing to keep in mind is that we need to be seeking the Lord for vision, and it may not come all in one lump. My vision developed over about four years, and only now (six years later) am I beginning to walk in it.

The key is that you must believe that God has a vision for your life. You can have your own vision, but the real question is whether or not you've caught His vision.

You were created with a purpose, a plan, and a destiny. That trumps anything you've ever done; it's who you are! So when you come before God in prayer to seek His vision for your life, don't let the enemy steal it away by pointing out your weaknesses, unworthiness, or failures. God's vision for you is far more powerful and true than any argument that you or the devil could hurl back at it. When God speaks His vision for you, believe Him! Without that revelation, you're unrestrained, un-focused, and you will perish!

Just recently, I found myself arguing against God's vision. I said, "Why me? That's too huge! There are so many people more qualified and better equipped for it! I've messed up too many times in my life to be used on that kind of a scale."

But God's loving response was to put me in my place: "Do you think I care about any of that? No! I created you with a purpose and a destiny that I intend to carry out!"

I wasn't off the hook, and yet it was the most liberating feeling I've ever had. I realized that when the Bible talks about being "predestined," it's not kidding!

God planned you before you were born and wrote His purpose into your DNA as you were being knit together in your mother's womb! You're not in any way a mistake. Real salvation is not just realizing that you're a sinner and asking for forgiveness--it also requires that you realize you've been reconciled back to God! You've been set free to pursue God's original purpose for your life! Now, in Christ, you're a SAINT! That means you're set apart for a purpose! Whose purpose? God's purpose!

As a child of God, there's more to life than being grateful for your redemption and looking forward to heaven. Your King has specific marching orders for you to carry out here and now! He has a vision for your life, and He wants you to seek Him for an understanding. As a result, He'll point your life in the right direction.

Proverbs 3:5,6--Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

If you want to receive God's vision for your life, you're not going to get it from some prophet or preacher--you're going to get it from Him. Other people may confirm the message, but you have to seek Him out yourself.

The key to receiving vision is that you first of all look to Jesus Christ--not the past Jesus, but the present Jesus. Vision doesn't come from asking "What would Jesus do?" It comes from asking Jesus, "What are You doing?"! Your place in the plan of God is intimately tied to your place in the Body of Christ. And in order to discover that, you need to start by looking to Jesus through prayer, fasting, and an active pursuit of Him (reading the Word, listening to Christian brothers and sisters, etc).

The Father's vision for you is wrapped up in His vision for Jesus Christ. God the Father sent His divine Son, Jesus, to earth for a purpose; and Jesus said, "As the Father sent me, so I send you!" God had a vision for Jesus; and since you're part of Christ's Body (the Church), you have a part in continuing to carry that vision out today! Jesus is the author and finisher of who we are, so we MUST look to Him! And remember, I'm talking about the presently living Jesus--not some outdated prophet.

As I close with the following two verses, notice the clear connection between spiritual vision and Christ's ascension to the right hand of the Father. He is alive!

Hebrews 12:2--Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ephesians 1:17-23--I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

One last time: Do you have God's vision for your life?

Dear brothers and sisters,

On April 2, 2008, a series of meetings began in Lakeland, Florida, that have since escalated into an international event. The visiting minister, Todd Bentley, was invited to lead some “revival” meetings at Pastor Stephen Strader’s Ignited Church. What started as a week-long event has now lasted a few months and is broadcast nightly on the internet through the Satellite network GodTV. It certainly has gained a lot of attention and notoriety from many respected Christian leaders; but many have mixed emotions about the meetings.

It is clear that people are being genuinely healed by the power of the Holy Spirit at these stadium events in Lakeland, and this to the glory of “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Thousands are praising and worshipping God with passion and awe. Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, have come to Christ at these meetings. Many have been set free from addictions and diseases that have held them captive for years. I’ve heard first-hand accounts of many of these testimonies, and the people are genuinely thanking God and drawing near to Him.

Roughly three weeks after the meetings began, I started really seriously looking into them. I learned several things that appear to lend to their credibility, and I believe it’s good to point some of them out. Of greatest significance to me is a well-documented prophecy given to Todd Bentley before the Lakeland events at a meeting in Australia. A pastor from New Zealand, Rob DeLuca, foretold the "healing revival" that would break out in Florida and spread around the globe—not knowing about Todd’s plans to visit Lakeland, Florida, shortly thereafter. Another thing that supports these meetings is the fact that they are supported and endorsed by many respected Christian leaders.

But as the weeks have worn on, several other prominent leaders have stepped forward with words of instruction, direction, and caution that we would be foolish to ignore.

Perhaps the most prominent of these voices has been J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine. Grady has now written a handful of articles—published on Charisma’s web site—that raise some important issues.

In his first article, “Honest Questions about the Lakeland Revival,” J. Lee Grady wrote:

When I visited a service on April 15, I was blessed by Heather Clark’s music and the audience’s exuberant worship. And I laughed with everyone else as I watched Bentley shout his trademarked “Bam! Bam! Bam!” as he prayed for the sick and flailed his tattooed arms over the crowd. Hey, Jesus didn’t pray for people according to the Pharisees’ rulebook, so I’m open to unconventional methods.

But I would be dishonest if I told you that I wholeheartedly embraced what I saw in Lakeland. Something disturbed me, but I kept my mouth shut for three weeks while I prayed, got counsel from respected ministry leaders and searched my heart to make sure I was not harboring a religious spirit. The last thing we need today is more mean-spirited heresy hunters blasting other Christians.

I am not a heresy hunter, and I support what is happening in Lakeland because I know God uses imperfect people (like me and you) to reach others for Jesus. At the same time, I believe my questions are honest and my concerns are real.

Grady went on to caution us in three areas, which I’ll interpret with my own words:

(1) Beware of Strange Fire. Here Grady says to be careful with Todd’s excessive emphasis on angels, some of which have questionable origins. I’ve mentioned many times the 45-minutes of one meeting that I watched as Todd described the angel in the room, what it looked like, how he knew where it was, and touted his gift for perceiving angels like this one. He then went on to say that “the healing power flows from the angel.” Never once was the name of Jesus Christ mentioned. This makes you wonder: Would a real angel of God actually parade around an auditorium for 45 minutes while it gets all the attention and Jesus goes unmentioned?

Remember Colossians 2:18, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.” And also consider 2 Corinthians 11:14, which says that, “…Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”

These are legitimate questions to raise. Maybe this angel is indeed from God, but we would be disobeying scripture if we didn’t “test the spirits” and examine carefully everything that is said.

(2) Beware of Bizarre Manifestations. My interpretation of this section of Grady’s article is simply that we mustn’t forget that the “fruit of the Spirit” includes self-control (Gal. 5:22). Any so-called “spiritual” manifestation that causes a person to lose their self-control should be sternly questioned.

There are Biblical examples of this, but they’re not favorable ones. One is when King Nebuchadnezzar was being judged by God and went insane, wandering the wilderness and behaving as a wild animal. Then there was King Saul’s unclean spirit that would seize him, and only David’s music could quit the spirit. Another example is when John the Baptist’s father Zechariah was stricken mute by the angel of the Lord for doubting God’s promise. Another example could be Paul’s “falling down as though dead” on the road to Damascus and subsequent blindness. Other cases are the people who “shook with fear” when they encountered God. In each case, the loss of self-control was either emotional, an evil spirit, or a judgment from the Lord—not “God playing with His children” as many have suggested at the Lakeland meetings and elsewhere.

If someone is experiencing a loss of self control, then we should be careful to discern the reason. Is it a manifestation of a demon? Is it purely emotional? Is it the judgment of God? This takes discernment; but the fact remains that we shouldn’t just laugh about it or consider it some small matter. It may very well be an opportunity for ministry, and only the Holy Spirit can show us how to respond.

(3) Beware of Hype and Exaggeration. I believe Grady puts this section best in his own words:

Some of the language used during the Lakeland Revival has created an almost sideshow atmosphere. People are invited to “Come and get some.” Miracles are supposedly “popping like popcorn.” Organizers tout it as the greatest revival in history.

Such brash statements cheapen what the Holy Spirit is doing—and they do a disservice to our brothers and sisters who are experiencing New Testament-style revival in countries such as Iran, China and India. We have a long way to go before we experience their level of revival. Let’s stay humble and broken before the Lord.

That second paragraph particularly rings true to me in my spirit. I have extensively studied the present-day persecuted church in China, Iran, India, North Korea, Sudan, and several other nations. If there is a modern-day demonstration of true revival, it’s there! 20,000 people come to Christ every single day in China alone! The dead are raised to life, people are dramatically healed, demons are cast out, and more—all in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. And in the midst of it all, these passionate believers are suffering intense persecution, imprisonment, and martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel.

Which sounds more like it defines the word revival? This? Or a bunch of people in a stadium singing songs and sharing testimonies on stage as the “man of God” slaps them on the forehead and yells “BAM!”?

This too was addressed in a recent article from J. Lee Grady titled “BAM! POW! When Prayer Ministry Gets Violent.” In this article, Grady addresses some of the flashy, extravagant “ministry” methods of Todd Bentley. Grady gave some very practical advice, but I believe his strongest and most biblical point was this:

The Holy Spirit is gentle. Jesus boldly drove the moneychangers out of the temple with a whip. But when He prayed for sick people, there is no record of Him head-banging or leg-dropping anyone. He rebuked evil spirits authoritatively, but He never hit, slapped, choked, mounted or kicked a person. He was meek, which means He knew how to control His strength, and He never threw His weight around.

When He commissioned His followers to heal the sick, Jesus told them to “lay” hands on them (Mark 16:18). Since gentleness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (along with kindness—see Gal. 5:22-23), any ministry we do should be tempered with mercy and concern.

But there’s a now-popular video on YouTube in which Todd shares several stories about doing all these things—even to the point of knocking out a guy’s tooth!

I don’t share all these things to slander Todd Bentley, but rather to offer sincere warning. Todd has been approached by many believers regarding these matters and continues to minister in all the ways that have been mentioned. Todd continues to obsess unapologetically about angels. He continues to demonstrate and encourage manifestations that involve a loss of self-control, attributing them to the Holy Spirit. He continues to hype his meetings. And he continues to push people harshly on the forehead as he prays (and happily tells stories from the platform about kicking people, “leg-dropping” people, and various other violent actions in the name of ministry, as shown in that YouTube video).

But J. Lee Grady isn’t the only one speaking out about this sort of “revival”—he just seems to be the primary “respected voice” who’s being most direct.

Ignited Church, which is the host-church for these meetings, is an Assemblies of God church, and Pastor Stephen Strader is an A/G minister. As a result, the National Office of the Assemblies of God has been flooded with letters and e-mail regarding the Lakeland Meetings. The National Superintendent, Rev. George O. Wood, was reluctant to jump to conclusions. He’s gotten a lot of criticism for this hesitancy, but I support his decision to discuss things with the Executive Presbytery of the A/G’s General Council before commenting. After all, his position is such that people expect him to speak on behalf of his denomination, so he must make sure his words reflect this.

The official decision, though, was not to address Todd Bentley or the “Lakeland Healing Outpouring” directly, but rather to issue some stern Biblical instruction regarding revival in general. Many have said that he was too vague, but I watched the entire video and believe he was very clear.

Brother Wood based his address around three solid questions that, at the surface, support what is happening in Lakeland:

1. Is Jesus Christ exalted?
2. Is the Word of God proclaimed?
3. Are persons repenting of sin and being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit?

To be honest and frank, I have to answer “yes” to these questions as they relate to Lakeland.

Is Jesus Christ exalted? Well, at the beginning of these meetings, Todd got a lot of criticism because Jesus was seldom mentioned by name; but these concerns were heard with repentance, and the leadership of the revival began exalting Jesus significantly more prominently since then. Miracles are indeed worked in Jesus’ name; and He is regularly lifted up in word and in song with words of worship, adoration, praise, and proclamation of the Gospel.

Is the Word of God proclaimed? Absolutely. A variety of speakers share the preaching, and the Word of God is preached with authority. Hundreds have come to salvation as a result, and many others have rededicated their lives to the Lord.

Are people repenting of sin? Again, yes. I’ve heard many personal testimonies from people who have sincerely repented of sinful lifestyles. God deserves all the honor, glory, and praise for these things.

Despite all these positive answers, however, Brother Wood’s statement on revival also raises some questions that seem to apply to Lakeland. He said:

Of course, there are additional questions that can be raised, but my purpose is to give some starter reflections for those who have honest hearts to "test all things" as Paul admonished. If the above three questions cannot be answered with a resounding yes, then perhaps other questions are unnecessary.

Well, I can’t really “resound” with a “yes” to that last question because I haven’t really heard anything about any baptisms in water or the Holy Spirit—though admittedly this may be happening and just not getting much publicity. It’s certainly not touted as one of the staples of the “Lakeland Healing Outpouring.” Then again, these things don’t have to necessarily be happening at the meetings for them to be happening at all, so I can overlook this for the sake of not being too picky. We might be just playing a semantics game. If indeed these are the official signs of a “revival,” then maybe Lakeland is not a “revival” by definition—but this does not exclude the possibility of it being some other sort of move of God. Again, for the sake of argument, we’ll overlook this issue for now.

Regarding the second question about whether or not the Word of God is preached, I’ve also seen a lot of extra-biblical words proclaimed. These aren’t necessarily anti-biblical or wrong, but they should certainly receive deeper scrutiny than ordinary Bible-based preaching. Paul told the Corinthian church that when the prophets in the church speak, everyone else should weigh carefully what was said. Lakeland is not an exception. Those who buy into absolutely everything that is said have made themselves into mindless drones who are in danger of turning this event into cult status. That’s dangerous. Everything must be held up to Scripture.

Finally, is Jesus exalted? Absolutely—without question. But He occasionally has to share the stage with Todd’s flashy showmanship and his “healing angel.” So yes, Jesus is exalted, but He is also occasionally set aside. Does this discredit the entire movement? No. No one is perfect. But we should also not assume that the exaltation of Jesus Christ excuses these things that detract and distract. They are not beneficial. Todd has been approached by many Christians in letters and a few in person regarding this, and it’s still going on. This needs to be addressed.

Brother Wood also brought up some other great points. Again, the reason I believe his statement is so important is because he is the elected leader of the Assemblies of God, which is the denomination with which Ignited Church and its pastor are affiliated. Here are a few more things Superintendent Wood brought up:

“The Holy Spirit has not come to glorify Himself, or any human or angelic personality.”

Yes, the Holy Spirit should be acknowledged and given His rightful place; but He has not come to glorify Himself. When talk of “the Anointing” or “the Presence” or the “Shekinah Glory” start to outweigh talk about redemption and the blood of Jesus, things are getting off track. This happens a lot, and the leaders in Lakeland need to be careful.

Second of all, He has not come to glorify a human personality. Unfortunately, however, I see so many people glorifying Todd Bentley by latching onto his charismatic personality and showmanship. It’s nice and healthy to overlook people’s flaws to an extent—but it’s another thing altogether to sweep them under the rug and pretend they’re non-issues. I’ve been called a slanderer for pointing out things that need to be changed—but the truth is, I just want Todd Bentley to come into a fuller measure of Christ’s nature so he can be more effective in his role in Lakeland. That’s love. Ignoring the issues is apathy, and is therefore the exact opposite of love. If you aren’t willing to help someone see the truth, then you do not love them at all. Todd needs to be careful not to let his personality overpower what God is doing in Lakeland.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit has not come to glorify any angelic personality. But Todd goes into great detail about his visions and talks a lot about the “healing angel” who he says is named “Winds of Change.” I addressed this earlier, so I won’t expound again.

Brother Wood continues:

“…A doctrinal test for any revival is whether the content of the preaching is the same as Jesus and the apostles. The Word of God stands over personal viewpoints. Any Biblical revival must "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). If so-called truth is being proclaimed that cannot be found in Scripture, then that proclamation violates the specific announcement of Scripture that the faith "was once for all entrusted" and such a proclamation also deviates from the apostles' fidelity to preach the Word, and from the early Church's devotion to the apostles' doctrine.”

This is very important, and it raises a lot of questions about some of the things Todd Bentley has said in the past. Is prosperity theology biblical? How about a prosperity angel named Emma? How about self-induced visions? Or guided visualization (which has occult origins)? This is all thin ice that needs to be exposed for what it is. These things aren’t just not in the Bible—they are in conflict with it!

There’s the doctrinal test, but how about the practical test? Do miracles count for anything? I’ll let Brother Wood answer:

“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 (Matthew 7:15-23). Jesus warned that "many false prophets will appear and deceive many people" (Matthew 24:11). Paul warns, "If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing" (1 Timothy 6:3). To the Galatians, Paul writes: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned” (Galatians 1:8). Paul also warns us: "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connections with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow" (Colossians 2:18-19). Peter warns us that "there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies . . . Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up." (2 Peter 2:1-3).

“In summary, the message must always be examined. If the message and the messenger line up with God's Word, then the revival is on safe Biblical ground and it should and must be embraced. If not, then even though miracles and manifestations occur, it should be avoided.”

We have to ask ourselves, “Is everything in Lakeland on ‘safe Biblical ground’?” The fact is, most of it is. Jesus is being exalted. Sick people are being healed in the name of Jesus Christ. Many are coming to repentance and salvation. Many have been delivered of addictions. This is all to the glory of our God in heaven! But the reality remains that some things are not on “safe Biblical ground.” And these things, frankly, are unnecessary and even harmful! Regardless of their origin—of God, of man, or of the enemy—they are causing division among the Body of Christ. If not for any other reason, this should dissuade the leadership of the Lakeland Healing Outpouring from allowing such things to be taking place. If their desire truly is to bring unity in the Body of Christ, then they should stop practicing and permitting fringe issues that are non-beneficial, unnecessary, and questionable in their validity.

Brother Wood continues:

“…ultimately, if the revival is to have enduring fruitfulness, it must be pastored carefully with doctrinal soundness, moral and financial accountability, and care to give publicity to Christ rather than to the revival.”

That last statement concerns me. I see a lot more publicity given to the revival than to Jesus. Much of the promotion of the revival started out as Todd Bentley circulated e-mail reports to his supporters and began telling everyone present to spread the word. He told young people to put it on their MySpace and tell everyone they could about the meetings. The leaders of the meetings started marketing the “revival” with the now-coined slogan, “Come get some!” According to the previous paragraph, this is carelessness.

So it is clear that there are questionable things taking place at the Lakeland Healing Outpouring that should not be bought into hook, line, and sinker. Just because there are obvious proofs of God’s presence does not make the meetings devoid of error.

True, no one is perfect. But we can either ignore imperfections and let things remain the way they are, or we can address them and see Jesus revealed in greater fullness. The latter is my goal, and it is commanded in Scripture.

I am certain that if left unchecked, the Lakeland Healing Outpouring could slip down a path of demonic corruption. Any time there is a move of God on this magnitude (and even smaller), Satan’s minions come after it full guns. It’s dangerous to the kingdom of darkness, and to assume that demons aren’t present is naïve.

So how should we respond to the Lakeland Healing Outpouring?

1. Pray for Todd Bentley, Pastor Stephen Strader, worship leader Roy Fields, and the rest of the leadership in Lakeland.
2. Continue to seek God for yourself regarding how you should respond to the meetings.
3. Constantly “test the spirits” by analyzing each word and manifestation with spiritual discernment and our sure litmus test: the Bible.
4. Pray for more salvations, healings, deliverances, and so forth to take place among the people.
5. Warn others not to be led mindlessly but to be aware that nothing should be considered perfect except God and His Word.

I believe if we will be faithful to these five things, we will see greater purity in Lakeland, resulting in greater effectiveness for the Kingdom of God. Right now, many ministers trying to validate the claims of healings and resurrections have come up empty handed. I personally know a few people who have actually been healed, but even their testimony is anecdotal and questionable. This doesn't mean people haven't been healed or raised from the dead in Lakeland; it just means that we should be careful not to assume that every single person going on stage has actually received healing. Let's not be swept into the emotionalism of the event at the expense of actual discernment.

Let us also heed the advice of J. Lee Grady, and be careful with our terminology. Let’s not cheapen the word “revival” by throwing it around loosely. Look around the world at the underground churches in persecuted nations like China, and you’ll see a clearer picture of the word. As for Lakeland, feel free to chalk it up as a “Healing Outpouring” for which we should be grateful to God; but also realize that it's not necessarily all that it's cracked up to be. Giving the event and its leaders more credit than they're due is unhealthy and detrimental to unity among the Body of Christ. That's my biggest concern. If the leaders of this movement are aware that so much of what they're doing is causing division among the Body of Christ, then they should cease such teachings and actions immediately. Unity with Christ must be our highest aim, and that involves and includes unity with the rest of His Body, the Church. Let's get our eyes off of Lakeland and onto the Lord Jesus Christ. If He wants to do something there, I bless it; but that doesn't mean He can't move in even greater ways right where you are today.

May the Lord continue to minister to His people in spirit, soul, and body! Amen!

God bless you all,
--Art--

Art Thomas
http://www.supernaturaltruth.com/

While I'm no longer going to pick apart Lakeland or Todd Bentley (unless specifically told to by the Holy Spirit), I do still believe that clarifying points and moving forward are valid topics...and necessary! Many have come to this site seeking answers, and I believe this is a responsibility that I cannot drop--but as I've said, I do not feel that I need to look any deeper into Lakeland. We MUST transition into action rather than reaction. Let's move forward!

I recently came across an issue, though, that involves Lakeland. I actually believe this is bigger than Lakeland and is spread throughout the Charismatic Movement at large, so that's why I'm addressing it. Many have been arguing in favor of Lakeland and other movements with the words of Jesus when He said things like (paraphrase) "If your son asks for a fish, will you give him a snake? If he asks for bread, will you give him a stone? Or if he asks for an egg, will you give him a scorpion? No way! In the same way, your Heavenly Father will certainly give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (see Luke 11:11-13 and Matthew 7:9-11)

I agree completely with these verses. The problem that arises, however, is that many people are looking for a snake rather than a fish! They may be asking for the fish with words, but the mental picture they've been conditioned to expect looks like a snake. So when the fish is offered, they are more likely to reach down and pick up the snake because that better fits their understanding of what a fish is.

Why? Because of false teachings and false manifestations that have been allowed to run rampant in the Church for decades. Charismatic Christians and even new converts have been conditioned to expect certain manifestations, and so they chase after anything that meets their expectations whether God is actually causing it or not! It is evidence of a weak relationship with God (if any relationship at all). Those who truly know God are not the least bit phased by false manifedstations. They know if their Friend is present or not.

But we are entering a time when the line of distinction between the false and the true is being blurred, and many are being confused. In Matthew 24:24, Jesus warns, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible." By the way, the word "Christs" here literally means "anointed ones." Jesus prophesied that false "anointed ones" and false prophets would appear before the end of the world who would perform great miracles. Wonders so great, in fact, that even the most seasoned saints could fall victim to the deception.

Did Jesus prophesy that the miracles would be false? Did He say that they would not be performed in His name? Nope. He just said that the people would be false. And He said that they would be so hard to distinguish from the true prophets and "anointed-ones" that even the "strong" Christians would be deceived. Could we be experiencing such a thing right now? Of course real miracles are happening! Jesus said they would! And of course they are being done in His name--how else would "even the elect" be deceived?

Snakes and fish both have scales--it is not difficult to be confused between the two when all you can see is a small cross-section. You need to see the whole picture to rightly distinguish, and that can only be granted through a relationship with God.

But where did we go wrong? Over the past several years, the life-bringing Bread of Jesus Christ, revealed through true prophetic words, has been exchanged for useless, bread-shaped stones (prophecies of the prophets' own minds) that offer no benefit. The egg, which is a bearer of life, has somehow been confused in our minds with a scorpion, which is a bearer of death. We've even gone so far as to put snakes in the goldfish bowls that sit in our children's bedrooms. God doesn't make the exchange. We do.

People have been conditioned over time to expect the Holy Spirit to look and act a certain way. We want Him to make us shake, jerk, wiggle, vibrate, and fall over. We want Him to make us laugh, cry, shriek, or shout. We want Him to make us act drunk--staggering around, swaying limply, and slurring our speech. I'm not going to say that it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to actually do these things (He can do whatever He wants), but I am going to say that it is wrong for us to have put God into such a box.

The moment you expect a specific manifestation is the moment when you shut off discernment. It becomes mechanical rather than personal. In your mind, if it doesn't match your idea of what should happen, it must not be the Holy Spirit...and worse yet, if it does match your expectations, you readily accept and receive that spirit!

What if the Holy Spirit does not wish to move according to your expectations? What if He's doing a "new thing?" If the Holy Spirit is NOT moving in the way you anticipate, are you are more likely to accept what He's actually doing or ignore Him and grasp after any spirit that WILL meet your expectations?

If you have allowed yourself to box God in with these expectations, then you may very well have fallen victim to the deception Jesus Christ foretold. The fish was offered in response to your request; but out of ignorance and preconceived notions, you rejected it for a snake. This isn't an insult--it means you rank among "the elect" as Jesus put it! You are not beyond forgiveness, and God may very well be using this message to bring you back to reality.

Yes, God will offer the Holy Spirit freely to those who ask; but it is up to you to keep your relationship with Him alive. Knowing God is not based on a formula, a method, a system, logic, or even our expectations. He is a PERSON. You cannot know Him apart from a genuine personal relationship, which can only happen through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We must see that He is a sovereign, sentient Being, capable of doing as He pleases. He is not an impersonal force that sways according to our presumption!

There's a difference between faith and presumption. Faith means you expect your Friend to do what He promised He would do. Presumption means you expect God to do what you expect Him to do. Presumption is not based on realtionship, and it almost always leads to error. Faith, on the other hand, is the means by which we KNOW God in an intimate way and steer clear of the end-time deception prophesied of by Jesus Himself.

Where do you stand? Are you experiencing things based on presumption, or are you experiencing what God has already promised to you that He would do? When you ask for a fish, are you looking for a snake, which you presumptiously assume is actually the fish you wanted? When you ask for bread, do you grab a stone instead because it looks more solid? When you ask for an egg, are you more intrigued by the shell-like exoskeleton of a scorpion? Are you one of the "elect" or others who Jesus said would be deceived by false "anointed-ones" and false prophets? Are you swayed by miracles and the name of Jesus into puting your trust in a false "anointed one" or "false prophet?"

Weigh carefully what has been presented here and do not answer too quickly. Judge your own heart and see where your position stands.

Your brother,
--Art--

A lot of people have been coming to this site for answers about Lakeland, so that has been my primary theme for a few weeks now--unfortunately, it has been at the expense of some other very important news.

Last year I got to know a missionary to China who will remain nameless due to the political dangers in that country. He and his family have been living and ministering there for several years. They have also adopted three beautiful little girls from that nation who might have otherwise faced intense danger due to the one-child laws and the cultural "need" for giving birth to a boy.

As most are probably aware by now, western China was rocked by a massive earthquake just a little more than a week ago. On the afternoon of the earthquake, I received this report from this missionary:

Although we are safe, there are thousands of families affected by this disaster. Please remember the families whose children were in a school that collapsed, for those that were in buildings that collapsed, and those who were injured or killed from this tragedy. We hear that there are thousands that were killed.

The biggest tragedy is that 95% of them don't have everlasting hope. They have no one to turn to. They wail, they burn candles, they blame themselves. They must have done something wrong to cause this.

Often, when people go through a tragedy or a situation where they feel their life is hanging in the balance, they are more receptive to hear the Good News.

And just today, I received this e-mail second-hand from the missions coordinator at our church:

Thank-you for your thoughts and your prayers. We are doing well.

Last night at 10:30pm, the government (via the television and through cell phone text messages), communicated to the people in our region that another earth quake was coming. At 11:00pm last night, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people poured out of their homes and found refuge in parks, on the streets, city squares, anywhere they could find that kept them away from buildings. We have 7-9 million people in our city. Today, they kept their kids home from school. They are still in the parks and they are scared to death. In the midst of disaster, we have the message of Hope.

During this time, we are trying to share and show a calmness, a confidence in the face of danger that cannot be shaken by rumors, bad reports, or disasters.

Stay in touch.

The news here in the U.S. has been reporting the government's seizing of foreign aide. People are finding it very difficult to donate to China releif efforts because of the corrupt government officers hoarding the goods.

For one thing, I believe we need to uphold all this in prayer before our gracious, loving King. But I would also like to share a trusted medium for financial giving in case you're interested. The following information comes directly from this family's most recent mass e-mail:

We just received an e-mail from our Regionl Director and he mentioned that a relief fund has been setup at HQ to assist in our team's outreach to the devastated thousands of West China. If you would like to contribute, send your gift to HQ, earmarked China Earthquake Relief. The details are still being worked out about how the funds will be used; but, we wanted to let you know that there is a fund setup.

I read the following account today:
Parents of the dead students built makeshift religious altars at the site, resting the corpses on any available piece of plywood or cardboard, and burning paper money and incense in a traditional honor for their child in the afterlife.

Help us share the Good News.

The "Headquarters" to which they're referring is the Assemblies of God World Missions HQ.

You can also view the donation information directly by going HERE.

God bless, and let's keep praying for China!
--Art--

**Dear readers, I have made some major edits to this post and removed all references to Lakeland because I feel they were unnecessarily divisive and distracted from the message in the post. I have also removed many of the comments. I apologize to those of you who spent a lot of time writing responses, but just know that it was those responses that prompted me to make these changes. Thanks! --Art--

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I'm what most Christians would call a "worship leader." I've been doing it for years--getting up week after week to play piano or keyboard or guitar, leading a large group of people in songs about God. It's not at all the New Testament model for singing songs; consider 1 Corinthians 14:26, "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."

According to Frank Viola and George Barna in their book Pagan Christianity?, choirs didn't come into being until shortly after AD 313. Then by AD 367, congregational singing was completely banned in order to keep the lyrics under the control of the clergy and avoid heressies slipping into the mix (which had become a problem). I wonder, could it be that there are heressies slipping into the mix of some of our songs today?

John Huss, who lived from 1372 until 1415, was one of the first to reinstate congregational singing and the use of musical instruments. In the Eighteenth Century, the Wesleyan revival in England made congregational singing even more popular. Much happened from that time on, but the major shift took place in 1962 when, according to Barna and Viola:

...a group of dissatisfied British church musicians in Dunblane, Scotland, tried to revitalize traditional Christian songs....The revolution came when rock and roll was adapted into Christian music with the coming of the Jesus movement....The origin of the worship team goes back to the founding of Calvary Chapel in 1965. Chuck Smith, the founder of the denomination, started a ministry for hippies and surfers....He gave the counterculture a stage for their music--allowing them to play Sunday night performances and concerts. The new musical forms began to be called "praise and worship."

Is this model evil? No, not at all. What is unfortunate, though, is that it has defined in our minds what it is to "worship"...and it's barely even half a century old! We think these songs have always been the definition of "worship," and we think this is the way it should be done. Thus we have dogma, pure and simple--a belief based on belief that has an air of holiness about it handed down from the previous generation.

Now remember, I am one of these so-called "worship leaders," and I thoroughly enjoy it. I'm not here to bash congregational singing, church models, or anything of the sort. I just want to help you to think critically about it all for a moment.

With all that said, I would like to share with you the words of renouned author Derek Prince in an article titled "Earthly, Soulish, Demonic--Protection from Deception:"

If you turn to Exodus 32, you will find something that always astonishes me. Here was the anointed and appointed High Priest making a golden calf. I want to analyze what it says in Exodus 32:1-10.

Moses at this time is up on the mountain. They have not seen him for something like forty days. So it says:

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

The very significant phrase there is "the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt." They had lost sight of God. They were focusing on human leaders. And I believe, almost inevitably, that will lead to idolatry. When we lose our vision of God and focus on God's servants we are in great danger. So,

Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, 0 Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" So when Aaron saw it [this is an amazing description - when Aaron saw his own calf], he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord."

To Yahweh. I mean, I find it hard to understand how Aaron could do that. But if Aaron could do it, you and I can do it. We are no better than Aaron. Probably most of us are not nearly of his caliber. Then it says:

Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

That is the essence of idolatry: play. When our worship becomes play, we have moved out of the spiritual into the soulish and, ultimately, into the demonic. I do not want to appear critical, but I have to say, to my understanding, most of what is called worship in the Charismatic movement is not worship at all. Often it is very self-centered: "God heal me. God bless me. God, make me feel good. God do this and God do that." It is ego-centric; it is soulish. Only the spirit can focus directly on God.

Much of the music that we have in church today appeals to the soul, stimulates the soul; it is very much the same kind of music as is used in the world to stimulate the soul.

I am no expert in music, absolutely not at all. I cannot sing a note in tune. But I have a certain sensitivity to the impact of music. Having lived five years in Africa, I am aware that certain repetitive themes and rhythms can deaden your sensitivity. If you sit under that long enough, especially when it is very loud, you lose the capacity to discern. And in Africa those rhythms are used to call up demons.

Why do I bring all this up? Am I saying that our "praise and worship music" is demonic? Remember, I lead such musical meetings, so that's not my purpose here. Rather, I want to disassociate the word "worship" from our musical, emotional expressions of song. And for that matter, I want to encourage you to be aware of what could be happening when we sing. Not all of our songs glorify God. Should we call this worship? How about the songs that DO glorify God? These weren't called "worship" until the 1960's. I would argue that these are "praise."

Worship is a condition of the heart whereas praise is an expression of that worship. One can worship while they praise; but it is also possible to praise without worshipping--we call that "flattery." We must check our hearts to see if we are worshipping God or flattering God when we praise Him in word or in song.

I spoke with a pastor friend of mine while writing this article, and he said, "Art, you have a knack for writing about something and making it appear as though you have that thing all figured out." He's right--I say that to my shame, not my credit. So here's my disclaimer: I have been personally guilty of "using" music for the sole purpose of stirring emotions and having fun. I have allowed "worship" to become "play" as Derek Prince put it so clearly.

But I'm realizing things. I'm seeing how the Biblical word for "worship" in Greek and Hebrew imply something far deeper than songs in a big gathering. Just because you sang three fast songs and two slow songs this Sunday does not mean that you worshipped in the least bit.

And I should also add a disclaimer that it's okay to have fun while you're praising God! Praise can be exuberant and exciting--it's good to direct our God-given emotions toward our Lord and Savior! But do not take the worship of your heart lightly--we must be utterly sober and serious about our humility before the Lord.

Praise songs often result in us getting swept into emotionalism as we praise our God. Again, this isn't evil--God gave us emotions so we could connect with Him on an emotional level. And it's perfectly alright to get swept into songs about God...so long as we don't lose discernment. But it's not worship...it's an expression of worship!

Again, I'm what many would call a "worship leader," and I'm okay with the title for the sake of people understanding what I'm talking about. But I know full well that what I do musically is sometimes more of a ministry to people's hearts than a ministry to God. Hopefully, my ministry to men's hearts will bring them into a place where they can minister to God on a daily basis through lives of worship. But if all I do is lead them in a few songs, I have not facillitated worship--all I've done is given them an opportunity to sing to God and either experess the worship already in their hearts or pretend to do so. Or else, perhaps, I have merely set the emotional tone for the sermon. Again, not evil--but also not "worship" by definition. There's a difference between "worship" and "praise."

In short, worship is a lifestyle of humility before God. It is to exalt Him in your actions, thoughts, decisions, and words. Yes, you can express your inner worship to Him by praising Him in song, but that is not "worship" in and of itself. Worship is a condition of the heart by which we live our spiritual lives prostrate before our King in utter humility. In everything we do, we seek to reveal Him (rather than ourselves) so that He may be glorified in the earth.

Let us examine our own hearts and see if we are living lives of worship! Remember, When God hears your praise, He hears the condition of your heart. Either you are worshipping Him, or you are just singing out empty flattery.

For His glory,
--Art--

Hi everyone,

While I don't want to distract from the letter about the Charismatic Reformation I put out early this morning, I believe this article deserves notice.

J. Lee Grady is the editor of Charisma Magazine and yesterday posted an article that I support with all sincerity. Weeks after writing articles that promoted the Lakeland meetings and even seemed to endorse them, Grady has issued some warnings that I believe echo what I've been sharing on this site for the past several weeks. Here is what he said:

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Honest Questions About the Lakeland Revival
by J. Lee Grady

I support any holy outbreak of revival fervor. But let’s be careful to guard ourselves from pride and error.

God is stirring deep spiritual passion in the hearts of the thousands of people who have traveled to Florida during the last month to experience the Lakeland Healing Revival. Since these meetings began in a 700-seat church on April 2, the crowd has moved four times to bigger venues, the fervor has intensified and the news has spread worldwide—thanks to God TV and online broadcasting.

Within a few weeks, the bandwagon effect was in full swing. It’s safe to say that no outbreak of Pentecostalism in history has gained so much international exposure so quickly as these meetings have.

I’m a cheerleader for the charismatic movement, so I rejoiced when I heard the news about revivalist Todd Bentley’s extended visit to Ignited Church. It was thrilling to hear the reports of miracles and to watch the crowd grow until a stadium was required to hold everyone.

"When we put bizarre behavior on the platform we imply that it is normative. Thus more strange fire is allowed to spread."

When I visited a service on April 15, I was blessed by Heather Clark’s music and the audience’s exuberant worship. And I laughed with everyone else as I watched Bentley shout his trademarked “Bam! Bam! Bam!” as he prayed for the sick and flailed his tattooed arms over the crowd. Hey, Jesus didn’t pray for people according tothe Pharisees’ rulebook, so I’m open to unconventional methods.

But I would be dishonest if I told you that I wholeheartedly embraced what I saw in Lakeland. Something disturbed me, but I kept my mouth shut for three weeks while I prayed, got counsel from respected ministry leaders and searched my heart to make sure I was not harboring a religious spirit. The last thing we need today is more mean-spirited heresy hunters blasting other Christians.

I am not a heresy hunter, and I support what is happening in Lakeland because I know God uses imperfect people (like me and you) to reach others for Jesus. At the same time, I believe my questions are honest and my concerns are real.

My motive is not to criticize Bentley or the pastor who is sponsoring these meetings, Stephen Strader. In September 2002 Charisma featured a seven-page article about Bentley’s amazing conversion from drug addiction. I believe Bentley is a sincere brother who wants people to encounter God’s presence and power. No doubt this 32-year-old evangelist needs our prayers now more than ever, especially since he has become the focus of international media attention.

But as the noise from Lakeland grows louder and its influence spreads, I’m issuing some words of warning that apply to all of us, not just the folks in Lakeland. I hope everyone understands that these cautions are offered in love:

1. Beware of strange fire. The name of Jesus is being lifted up in the Lakeland revival, and three people came to the altar for salvation the night I attended. Larger numbers have come to the front of the auditorium to find Christ every night since then.

Yet I fear another message is also being preached subtly in Lakeland—a message that cult-watchers would describe as a spiritual counterfeit. Bentley is one of several charismatic ministers who have emphasized angels in the last several years. He has taught about angels who bring financial breakthroughs or revelations, and he sometimes refers to an angel named Emma who supposedly played a role in initiating a prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. Bentley describes Emma as a woman in a flowing white dress who floats a few feet off the floor.

All of us who believe the Bible know that angels are real, and that they work on our behalf to protect us and minister to us. But the apostle Paul, who had encounters with angels himself, issued stern warnings to the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Colossians about angels who preach another gospel or that demand attention. In Colossae, believers were so enamored with angels they had seen in visions that they became “inflated without cause” by spiritual pride (Col. 2:18, NASB). Paul was adamant that preoccupation with angels can lead to serious deception.

We need to tread carefully here! We have no business teaching God’s people to commune with angels or to seek revelations from them. And if any revival movement—no matter how exciting or passionate—mixes the gospel of Jesus with this strange fire, the results could be devastating. We need to remember that Mormonism was born out of one man’s encounter with a dark angel who claimed to speak for God.

2. Beware of bizarre manifestations. When the Holy Spirit’s power comes on people they may feel weak or even fall. The Spirit’s power can also cause people to tremble, shake, laugh or cry. Such manifestations are biblical and we should leave room for them. But where do we draw the line between legitimate experience and fanatical excess?

The apostle Paul had to deal with outrageous charismatic manifestations in the Corinthian church. People were acting like raving lunatics—and turning the church in to a free-for-all of unbridled ecstatic behavior. Paul called for discipline and order, and he reminded early Christians that “the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). In other words, Paul was saying that no one under the influence of the Holy Spirit should act out of control.

In many recent charismatic revivals, ministers have allowed people to behave like epileptics on stage—and they have attributed their attention-getting antics to the Holy Spirit. We may think it’s all in fun (you know, we’re just “acting crazy” for God) but we should be more concerned that such behavior feeds carnality and grieves the Spirit.

When exotic manifestations are encouraged, people can actually get a religious high from jerking, vibrating, screaming or acting intoxicated. (I have even been around people who writhed as if in pain, or made sexual noises—thinking this was a legitimate spiritual experience.) But emotional euphoria doesn’t guarantee a heart change. The person who is bucking like an untamed bronco in a church service would benefit more from sitting still and reading the Bible for an hour. When we put bizarre behavior on the platform we imply that it is normative. Thus more strange fire is allowed to spread.

3. Beware of hype and exaggeration. Our hearts are crying out today for a genuine move of God. We want the real deal. We’ve read about the Great Awakenings of the past and we long to see our nation overcome by a wave of repentance. The church is in a backslidden state, and our nation has rebelled against God. We are desperate!

In our longing for a holy visitation, however, we must be careful not to call the first faint breeze of the Spirit a full-fledged revival. If we do that, we are setting people up for disappointment when they realize it may not be what we blew it up to be.

Some of the language used during the Lakeland Revival has created an almost sideshow atmosphere. People are invited to “Come and get some.” Miracles are supposedly “popping like popcorn.” Organizers tout it as the greatest revival in history.

Such brash statements cheapen what the Holy Spirit is doing—and they do a disservice to our brothers and sisters who are experiencing New Testament-style revival in countries such as Iran, China and India. We have a long way to go before we experience their level of revival. Let’s stay humble and broken before the Lord.

I am rejoicing over all the reported healings at the Lakeland meetings. Miracles are awesome. Crowds are great. But miracles and crowds alone don’t guarantee a revival. Multitudes followed Jesus during His ministry on earth, but many of the people who saw the dead raised or ate food that was supernaturally multiplied later crucified the Son of God.

It was the few disciples who followed Jesus after Calvary who ushered in a true revival—one that was bathed in the fear of God, confirmed by signs and wonders, tempered by persecution and evidenced by thousands of conversions, new churches and the transformation of society. We should expect nothing less.

J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.

In line with these warnings that reach beyond Lakeland or Todd Bentley, I would like to direct your attention to the letter I wrote to the Church yesterday about the needed Charismatic Reformation. You can read it in our new forum, or you can download a printable version.

God bless!
--Art--

I've considered myself a "Charismatic" for longer than I can remember, and I intend to continue. Unfortunately, however, I've noticed a trend among so many who share my belief that the Holy Spirit is alive and active today: more and more, people are getting swept away into believing everything they hear and attributing nearly every manifestation to God. To be frank, I believe many are falling victim to "doctrines of demons" and being led astray.

1 Timothy 4:1-2--Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron...(NKJV)

I also like the New Living Translation's version, which is a little easier to understand:

1 Timothy 4:1-2--Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. (NLT)

What does it mean to have a dead conscience? For one thing, it means that you have lost all discernment, and you will believe whatever you're told--whether it be by a false teacher, a false prophet, or a lying spirit.

In 1 Kings 22, God has determined that it is time for the evil King Ahab to be taken out of power, so he gathers a meeting in the throne room of heaven:

1 Kings 22:19-23--Micaiah [the prophet] continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?'

"One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'

"'By what means?' the LORD asked.

"'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said.

"'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'

"So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you." (NIV)

I believe we are seeing this same sort of thing happening to many of the people in the Charismatic movement. Why? Because so many of us have turned away and followed after deceptive teachings and doctrines of demons. Like Ahab, we have no regard for the truth of the Lord. In contrast to Ahab, however, the Lord's purpose is not a physical death, but rather a spiritual one. God's plan has always been to bring us to the cross of Christ in repentance so that we can have our sin put to death and the Holy Spirit may bring us new life through His power.

I feel that the Charismatic Movement is experiencing a great shaking at this time. So much of it has been hijacked by "doctrines of demons." So many of our brothers and sisters are listening to lying spirits who prophesy peace, and then they are teaching these false words to others. False teachings and demonic manifestations are running rampant, and people are outright accepting them. Worse yet, they are attributing them to the Holy Spirit! This is wrong, but it is being allowed by the Lord so that those who are not lovers of the Truth will be exposed.

In this time of shaking, people will either buy the delusion hook, line, and sinker, or they will reject it and embrace the truth of Christ. That is why discernment is so vital in the Church today. As John said, the spirit of antichrist is already in the world. We need to be aware of what this spirit is doing, because it foreshadows what will take place at the end of time:

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12--And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (NIV)

Friends, I'm calling for a reformation among Charismatics. Tomorrow I intend to share some specific ways to make this happen, so check back then. For now, please pray for discernment and focus during these times of shaking so that you may "be able to stand your ground when the day of evil comes."

God bless!
--Art--

This is a re-post of an article I published on January 7, 2008. (I've deleted the original post in order to cut down on clutter.) I believe this is a timely word given the current emphasis on Todd Bentley, "The Florida Outpouring," and the Charismatic Movement in general.

---

Jeremiah 14:14-16--Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve (NIV, emphasis added).

There are false prophets today--and it's a bit of an epidemic here in America. Everywhere you look--especially on the television--we find well-meaning preachers "prophe-lying" ear-tingling words that promise health, wealth, and prosperity to our nation when God is actually saying, "Repent! Turn back to Me! Intercede for America!"

But worst of all, what I learned from the verses above is that God didn't just hold the false prophets accountable--He also promised the same judgment to the people who listened to their words! We MUST be a people of discernment who will hear the Holy Spirit for ourselves and not just take the "holy man's" word for it. We must be seekers of the face of God and learn His true plans through:

• personal encounters with Him,
• the authority of the Bible,
• genuine fellowship with other God-fearing and God-loving believers, and
• accountability to mature believers who have proved by the fruit of their ministry that they truly are messengers of the One True God.

A couple years ago I had a really strange dream. In it, I was at a theme park where they had somehow discovered live dinosaurs. At some point, though, I saw a man dressed in an old sea captain uniform way up high on a pedistol (maybe a hundred feet in the air) with some sort of harpoon gun. One by one, he was shooting the dinosaurs and having them replaced with robotic replicas. I asked someone why he was doing this, and they said, "The robots are safer--no one can get hurt."

"But the real ones are alive!" I argued. My rebuttal fell on deaf ears. Soon, I began to fear for my own safety--not concerning the dinosaurs, but rather the haphazard sea captain and his deadly harpoon. In fact, I looked around and saw several more sea captains on pedistols. So I squeezed through a hedge and found myself outside the boundary of the park in a thick woods. There I discovered a group of people worshipping God, and they had several baby dinosaurs in cages.

I asked someone why the dinosaurs were in cages, and they answered, "They'll get set loose one day, but right now they're being fed and trained. Besides, no one cares to see the real dinosaurs anymore; they want robots. Soon people will realize that the sea captains have no authority, and then they will pay more attention to the value of the real dinosaurs."

That's when I woke up. After writing down the dream and praying about it, I sensed that God was shaking up the prophetic movement in America. I felt He was saying, "There are too many people elevating themselves in the Church and replacing My true, living words with cold, dead utterances. My true prophets are no longer welcome there because they are not considered 'safe.'"

Today there is great value placed on those individuals who do not pose a 'threat' to the authority figure's teachings. The true prophets--who, according to John Sandford, bring blessing, healing, judgment, warning, protection, discernment, and words of knowledge--are being systematically replaced by false prophets with ear-tingling words, empty promises, and great skills in group hypnosis and emotionalism. In so many cases, the prophet has been replaced by the personality.

But I personally believe there was a significant promise in that dream I had. God is raising up true prophets--many of whom are not inside the organized theme park we call "church." He is protecting them from being wounded and snuffed out by those in authority who prefer "robots." (I should add, though, that not all people in authority are like this, so don't let the devil convince you of that lie). God is feeding them and training them in the wilderness as they worship and grow in groups of genuine Christ-followers. Before long, the false prophets will be exposed for what they are, and the hearts and minds of the masses will be stirred for the true word of the Lord.

It's coming! I don't know when, but I think it has already started!

With all the writing I've been doing about the Lakeland meetings with Todd Bentley, I wanted to take a moment to exalt the name of Jesus Christ for His true healing power!

In the first two pictures to the right, you can see various scars I used to have on my face. The most obvious ones are there on my chin. It's a little hard to tell, but there are also big scars on my cheeks, nose, and forehead--they're just sunburned, so they show up pink (click the images for a larger picture).

I received these scars from borderline third-degree burns (technically classified as second-degree) when I was 16 years old. The doctor said they would never go away, and my dermitologist said that in the slim chance that they would disappear, it would take 7 years because that's how long it takes a skin cell to replace itself. In the first picture, I was 17, and in the second picture, I was 18. Shortly after that, though, was the healing I'm about to share with you, which resulted in the third picture, taken when I was 19.

Three years into having the scars, I got upset with God--I don't recommend that, but it's just where I was at the time. I said, "God, what's the point? You're not getting any glory from these scars! Children are afraid of me. It's embarassing. Why would you make me live with these scars?"

Suddenly, a picture popped into my mind of Jesus after the resurrection when he told Thomas to put his fingers where the nails were and touch where the spear entered His side. I sensed the Lord saying, "I didn't just take the punishment for your sin so that you wouldn't have to face it, but I also--even now--bear the scars so that you don't have to!"

I quickly put my hands on my face and said, "Jesus, take the scars!" Nothing happened.

But I held onto that word from God and did the same thing every morning. Within three weeks, they disappeared completely--four years before the dermitologist said it was humanly possible! To this day, the only evidence I have of those scars is a little patch of white hair that grows in my beard (and I technically shouldn't be able to grow a beard because of the dead cells that once formed the scars!). And any time someone points out the white, I get to share this testimony with them! God is so awesome!

That's not the only time I've been healed, though. As a baby, I was diagnosed with a heart murmer, but my parents had our church pray for me and I was miraculously healed. As a matter of fact, my medical record still shows the heart murmer even though the doctors agree that I no longer have one!

Then there was my broken back that was healed about six months ago. Long story short, I dislocated some vertebrae and pinched some discs, which rendered me unable to walk or even move without excruciating pain. I spent two weeks sleeping on a mattress on the floor of our living room before I begged to be taken to my church. There, during the morning prayer time, I was laying on the floor in pain. My pastor prayed one of the simplest prayers: "Father, I hate seeing Art hurt like this! Would You please do something?" Immediately, I felt and heard a series of pops as my spine went perfectly into place! I returned to the physical therapist on Monday walking perfectly upright (only a slight limp from a pulled muscle in my hip). I got to share the Gospel with the therapist and his assistant, and the assistant rededicated her life to the Lord! She had not been to church since she was married about a decade prior, but now she could see the power of God!

I could go on for hours with these stories. I've been healed of tendonitis in my right shoulder, Attention Deficit Disorder, a degenerative tooth disease that was making my teeth fall apart, stomach ulcers, chronic sinusitis, and more. I KNOW God's healing power and the TRUTH that by the lashings Christ endured, we are healed! I can say with confidence that you too can be healed supernaturally in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

Jesus Christ has all power and authority in heaven and on earth, and I feel it is important to testify to it--especially in the midst of so much speculation surrounding the physical healings taking place in Lakeland, Florida with Todd Bentley. I still do not endorse those meetings (you can read the other articles here at www.SupernaturalTruth.com to find out why), but I certainly do not deny the power of God to heal people physically!

Feel free to e-mail these pictures and testimony to your friends to show proof of God's healing power. I would like to open up the "comments" section of this blog post to people who have testimonies of their own healing or prayer requests for physical healing; and then I would like for us to praise God, rejoice with one another, and pray for the afflicted in Jesus' name. Let's get a true online "healing revival" going, and let's do it in the name of Jesus Christ with a clear presentation of the Gospel!

Blessings,
--Art--

Yesterday I watched another hour of the Lakeland Healing meetings with Todd Bentley (A re-run of Thursday night). I was actually very impressed for a good long time, and I feel it is only fair for me to report this. For most of the time I watched, Todd was speaking in Jesus' name and declaring many diseases healed. He told people that Jesus was healing them and to expect Him to touch them deeply. Granted, it was very emotional, but I can overlook that--God made our emotions, so why not use them?

But after the ministry time, when Todd had people get up on stage to testify, things took an ugly turn and Todd fell right back into the very things I've been speaking out against for the past week and a half.

Over and over, Todd reminded people of the "word of knowledge" he had that brought each person their healing and even once asked, "Do you know why this man is healed?" I waited in anticipation for a presentation of the Gospel, but Todd answered himself: "He got healed because I had a Word of Knowledge..." No mention of the Gospel. No mention of Jesus. But he did say that when he gave the Word of Knowledge, the healing angels of the Lord visited the man.

It grieves me to keep seeing these things because so much of it was on-track and opened wide such huge doors for a presentation of the True Gospel. But Todd Bentley keeps doing such subtle things that completely squash the revival-potential of this movement. I'm reminded of the popular sermon illustration in which the kids tell their dad that they want to watch a PG-13 movie, arguing that "there's only a little bit of bad stuff in it." The kids come home from school, and the dad has made brownies. The kids rush to the brownies, and the dad stops them. "Before you eat them," he says, "You should know one thing: I put a 'little bit' of dog poop in them...but it's only a little bit."

It's that "little bit" of problems I have with the Lakeland meetings that make me so disenchanted with Todd and everything going on there in Florida. I find it hard to rejoice that they have rented the "Joker Stadium" to house the thousands of people now flocking to the meetings from around the world. Why? Because it's only catering to the flesh.

Jesus performed many signs and wonders, but it was always to confirm His word--same thing with the apostles. If you are performing signs and wonders--especially at the magnitude of Todd Bentley--then you have an intense responsibility to speak the truth along with them. Yes, Todd is leading people in "God, save me" prayers, but there is nothing happening in the areas of exposing sin or inviting people to repentance. Physical healings fix the body and bless the soul. They are an external work. Preaching the full Gospel of Jesus Christ (including the need for repentance) is where the internal application comes. Unless there is an internal work, the event is nothing more than carnal and fleshly.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses the church of Corith by saying that they are carnal and worldly because of their quarrelsome focus on following mere men. This is the same Corinthian Church about whom Paul said, "...you do not lack any spiritual gift..." (1 Cor. 1:7). They had the gifts, but they were earthly-minded. They focused on human leaders and how to meet the needs of their flesh. Yes, they believed in Jesus, but their focus was misplaced.

I see the same thing happening in Lakeland, Florida, with Todd Bentley. People are looking at Todd for an "impartation" and for the "10 anointings" he promised them (whatever those may be). There is a tremendous external application, but barely any internal application. It's carnal. It's fleshly. It's earthly-minded. And it is focused on a mere man instead of the pure, holy, and righteous Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

1 Corinthans 3:21-23--So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God (NIV).

Keep your eyes fixed on the Son of God, and don't be distracted by big names and external miracles. Seek God for the internal application of His Word.

I've spent some time praying about what is going on in Lakeland, Florida, with the so-called "Healing Revival" (Also known as the "Lakeland Healing Outpouring"). What I'm about to share will probably burn some bridges that I've been forming recently with various ministers around Michigan; nevertheless, the truth must be shared. I know I have a lot of readers, and that puts me in a place where I am held even more accountable to God than otherwise. Therefore, I must be faithful in my commitment to the truth even if it may result in fewer ministry opportunities in the future.

Enough setup--let's get down to business. Thursday's blog post brought the most significant influx of new visitors this site has ever seen; and in that post I made a solemn promise to you:

If this current movement is truly from God, then no one will be able to stop it. And if Todd Bentley is a false prophet, then I can guarantee that God will expose him for what he is. But unless this happens, I have to say, "Amen! So be it! May this be the beginning of the revival we've been crying out for! May the healing power of God be poured forth from heaven on a global scale!" If God reveals differently to me, then I will certainly speak out against these meetings, but I will not do so apart from genuine revelation.

Well, over the weekend, I believe I may have gotten some of that genuine revelation. Believe it or not, it didn't come while reading articles condemning the meetings in Lakeland--it came while reading things from the people who support it!

Of particular interest to me was an angel Todd Bentley reported to have seen, which another minister, Bob Jones, said was named "Winds of Change." Here's what Charisma Magazine reported about this:

Bentley, who looks more like a gang leader than the founder of a Christian ministry, came to Lakeland on April 2 and has shown no sign of leaving since an angel, he said, visited him the day after he arrived.

Prophetic minister Bob Jones told Bentley he believed the angel’s name was "Winds of Change"--the same angel, Jones said, that visited healing evangelist William Branham in the 1940s. (source: charismamag.com)

I don't know how much you know about William Branham and his healing meetings, but I see some significant correlations between his ministry and Todd Bentley's. So I want to give you a short history lesson about William Branham and the "Voice of Healing" revival of the 1940s and '50s.

This particular movement is rarely talked about today, but it involved a handful of traveling ministers who brought significant demonstrations of God's power to their meetings--and William Branham was a key player. David Harrell, Jr., in his book All Things are Possible (1978) said of the leaders of this movement:

Most were dedicated to back-breaking work and spent long grueling hours in the centers of the platforms of the big tents praying, clapping, shouting, pleading with the crippled to walk, commanding the blind to see....It was an exhausting, grinding, draining way of life. William Branham was a broken man after little more than a year; Jack Coe was physically exhausted at the time of his death; A.A. Allan, an incredibly tough campaigner, tottered constantly on the brink of psychological collapse; the resilience of Oral Roberts became a legend among his peers.

Why did these men suffer so much for the sake of ministry? People were genuinely being healed--there were even cases of the dead being raised to life. If this "Healing Revival" was from God, why did these men end up so mentally, emotionally, and physically wrecked?

Many Christian historians seem to offer the same answer: things often went downhill when these men tried to operate outside their specific giftings.

Where Branham was concerned, people were known to fall asleep while he preached--he was that boring! So Branham had his associate, Baxter, do all the talking. Baxter would preach the gospel, and then Branham would come to the microphone and start pointing at people, calling them by name, identifying their ailment, and declaring them healed in Jesus' name (there were no "information cards" handed in beforehand or anything else that could explain this--it was genuine revelation). Many documented cases of healing came forth with medical records to prove their reality. God was certainly moving!

Unfortunately, a series of events that started in 1955 led Branham down a dark road. His ministry faced deficits, and in 1956, the IRS was taking action against him for tax evasion (which he was actually not guilty of--as it turned out, some ministry associates were taking advantage of him. Branham was living on $7,000 a year even though $80,000 was funneling through his ministry.). As William Branham struggled with the emotional impact of these financial issues and the betrayal of his collegues, and as opportunities for ministry became increasingly competitive with the onset of new "healing ministers" toward the end of his ministry, Branham started to drift off the deep end.

Before long, Branham's personal doctrine was skewed severely, and he began to teach some heretical things. He denied the existance of the Trinity, he taught that hell wasn't eternal, and that Eve had engaged Satan sexually while in the garden of Eden. The false teachings didn't stop there, but it goes without saying that Branham's ministry went steeply downhill.

Back when Branham stayed within his gift and only focused on healing, God used him mightily in ways that we haven't seen since. But as soon as he stepped outside his gift and started preaching and teaching, Branham actually developed a cult following who worshipped him as Jesus Christ and baptized people "in the name of William Branham!"

So as I was praying about the current "Lakeland Healing Revival" and Todd Bentley's role, I asked the Lord what to think of it all. Please weigh this for yourself and feel free to confront me publically if you believe I was deceived, but I felt the Lord say to me, "Todd Bentley's gift of healing is true; but his method of ministry is unnecessarily theatrical and many of his teachings are littered with falsehoods."

After sensing this from the Lord, I started digging through Internet articles written by Todd Bentley, and what I found disturbed me. He shared more about visions he had experienced than he did about the actual Word of God. And never once did I find a place where he added a disclaimer like I did in the previous paragraph, offering his "revelations" up for scrutiny by the Body of Christ. Instead, he just spouted strange teachings--like when he said that he met with the Apostle Paul at his little wooden shack in heaven, and Paul told him that the Book of Hebrews was written by him and Abraham together as he had supernatural heavenly visits with this patriarch of the faith. (see the original article here.)

What?

Now, I have to be honest with you, I have had heavenly encounters myself, but I only ever saw Jesus during those visits. For that matter, the experiences I had always led to action--souls were saved, people repented, and even animals were raised from the dead--but never once did I come out of those encounters with a new teaching or some erroneous claim about something no one else knows. Not to mention that each of those encounters was somehow confirmed to be true (by an outside source) within minutes of having the experience. Heavenly encounters, visions, trances, and the like are real, biblically-supported occurrances that can take place in the life of a believer; but they can also be counterfeited by demons, and I'm afraid Todd Bentley has fallen victim to some of these spiritual illusions.

If you or someone you know has been healed as a result of the Lakeland meetings, praise God! You have not been healed by evil spirits--I believe this was definitely of God. However, be very careful about how closely you follow the words and actions of Todd Bentley. He is a Christian who has been largely deceived by powers and principalities in the spiritual realm, which has caused him to step outside his gifting. We need to pray for Todd Bentley that God would rescue him from the same trap as William Branham.

In closing, I want to make a few contrasts between William Branham (while he was still ministering within his gifting and God was moving powerfully) and what we see happening right now with Todd Bentley.

According to John Crowder (who I'm afraid is falling into the same trap as Bentley) in his book The New Mystics, "Branham never raised his voice when he was speaking, nor did he use any showy tactics." Todd Bentley, on the other hand, parades about the stage slapping people in the forehead and yelling "BAM!" I watched some of it on GodTV and was actually a little repulsed by his showmanship. One elderly woman fell over, and Todd said, "She doesn't know why she fell over!" The ushers helped the old woman up, and she said, "Yes I do know why I fell over: you pushed me!"

Also from Crowder's book: "Often, if the anointing was not present, Branham would simply cut his meetings short and walk out, leaving thousands frustrated. Branham sometimes did this if he felt the congregation was looking too exclusively at him to effect the healings." Todd Bently, however, seems to overlook the absence of the Holy Spirit. One person who I found in an online forum observed, "...when a severely inflicted person comes up on the stage for healing and doesn't 'fall over' when he screams BAM in their face, [Todd] immediately changes the subject, either by calling out another 'word of knowledge', or telling everyone that the atmosphere is changing, either an angel has shown up or a new glory is filling the place."

Likewise, Branham was not a self-promoter during the healthy days of his ministry. But with Bentley, I see that he is strongy promoting his meetings and telling the young people to get the message out through their MySpace and FaceBook accounts. He said, "Young people, announce it to the world!"

The Todd Bentley that I'm seeing today looks more to me like the latter William Branham than the former. There is nothing--other than the healing miracles themselves--that I can compare to William Branham when his ministry was healthy; but there are plenty of correlations with the post-1956 Branham, who taught extra-biblical falsehoods, was a self-promoter, and operated outside his gifting (leading thousands astray).

I love Todd Bentley, and I am not here to slander his name. I believe that he could repent very quickly and be used mightily for the Kingdom of God. However, if he continues on this path, I fear what the result may be. Please, brothers and sisters, be careful with Todd's teachings and so-called "revelations." I believe Todd has a healing gift from God, but that does not automatically validate his teachings. Unfortunately, his healing gift seems to add weight to what he has to say, and people believe him all too quickly. The only reason Todd can heal people in the name of Jesus while simultaneously teaching such odd things is that "God's gifts and His call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29).

Please be discerning, friends. Chew the meat and spit out the bones. If you want to attend the meetings in Lakeland to receive a healing touch from God, then I will certainly not stop you; but PLEASE be careful to test the spirits and weigh every word out of Todd's mouth.

As much as my life has been impacted in the past through Todd Bentley's ministry, I, for one, can no longer defend it.

A notable event has stirred up in the little town of Lakeland, Florida. On April 2, Todd Bentley began a series of meetings that have now lasted nearly a month due to the intense spiritual activity taking place. I usually prefer not to write lengthy blog posts, but I believe this is a topic that warrants it.

I have scoured the Internet for credible information on these events, and I find that people seem to be either gung-ho for it or dead-set against it. As you are all aware, I believe very much in the supernatural, but I am also a strong proponent of what is actually true rather than what is counterfeit. Therefore, I want to present both sides of the coin, and then offer what I believe the Word of God has to say about such debatable matters.

So far, the most objective information I've found (although largely supportive of the event) came from Charisma Magazine, which presented this report:

Thousands of people longing for a physical or spiritual touch from God are flocking to central Florida for ongoing revival meetings that some have dubbed the "Lakeland Healing Outpouring."

The services, which are being broadcast live daily on GOD TV to millions of potential viewers, reveal the excitement radiating from this area of the Sunshine State, prompting some people to jump on planes and fly in from across the country and even from abroad.

Todd Bentley, the 32-year-old Canadian healing evangelist with a boyish grin responsible for the meetings, reported on Friday that people’s faith alone has healed them even while they were booking their flights online or boarding planes bound for Lakeland, a city of about 90,000 between Orlando and Tampa along Interstate 4.

The 700-seat sanctuary of host pastor Stephen Strader’s Ignited Church can no longer contain the crowds. More than 1,000 worshipers stood inches apart at Friday night’s service, jamming every aisle and altar area. Their bodies rocked back and forth, and their faces wore peace-filled, lovesick and euphoric expressions.

The cars parked outside were also inches apart, with every grassy parcel of land on bordering properties used for overflow. During worship, song lyrics on PowerPoint were replaced with a warning to drivers parked at a nearby store that their cars would be "towed immediately."

"We are all shocked that each night a minimum of 60 percent [are] first time [visitors]," Strader said yesterday.

Fire marshals locked the church doors at last night’s meeting, forcing 400 people to remain in front of the church. The crowd watched the service on a large TV, and more than 200 waited until midnight for Bentley to come out and pray for them, Strader said....

At Friday night’s meeting, the mother of a 6-year-old girl said her daughter broke her elbow about two weeks ago and was healed after a word of knowledge from Bentley. The little girl told the crowd: “Jesus came out of heaven and touched my elbow.” The girl’s before-and-after X-rays are posted on YouTube [Art: I should interject here that I've seen this video, and there is nothing visible to the poor quality camera--all you can see is a lot of excitement among the people viewing the X-rays. That doesn't mean they're not real; it just means it's not worth looking up].

Amber, a thin 15-year-old girl born with scoliosis, said she was healed and could now carry her schoolbooks as well as bend over and touch the floor, which she did publicly during the meeting. One man said he was healed of Hepatitis C. An elderly woman said she went to the doctor for confirmation first before telling the crowd she was healed of glaucoma.

Others on Friday night said they were healed of rheumatoid arthritis, panic attacks, ruptured discs, deafness, post traumatic stress disorder, cancer, leukemia and emphysema.

After a half hour of testimonials Bentley asked the crowd “to give the Lord the glory.” For at least 40 minutes people continually cried the words “holy” and “glory” in a chorus.

Some worshipers fell to the floor weeping. From behind his keyboard, a blonde-locked worship leader named Roy Fields led the procession, his face beaming heavenward.

“What is happening is so much bigger than anyone in this building,” Bentley said from the stage where he was kneeling. “I hear the angels joining in. … The Holy Spirit is taking over.”....

The meetings have been extended due to swelling crowds. Bentley announced Friday the revival would continue daily through at least May 4. He also said he believes the same revival will hit Kansas City, Mo., next.

—Paul Steven Ghiringhelli in Lakeland, Fla.

Charisma Magazine's perspective on the revival appears to be rather positive. It even had quotes from John Arnott and John Kilpatrick from Toronto, Canada, and Pensecola, Florida respectively. These men were instrumental in big "outpouring" events of their own--and they too were highly criticized and scrutinized for their meetings and the strange things taking place.

As it turns out, there was a well-documented prophecy given to Todd Bentley before the Lakeland events at a meeting in Australia. A pastor from New Zealand, Rob DeLuca, foretold the "healing revival" that would break out in Florida and spread around the globe (the picture to the right was taken while this prophecy was being given). Whether or not this prophecy was actually from God has yet to be seen; but as you'll see in a moment, there is a healthy way we should respond until it is either fulfilled or proven false.

I've also found people, like Andrew Strom, who are sharply against what is happening--although this does not surprise me because Andrew Strom has been pointing out fallacies and heresies in the prophetic movement for some time (many of them valid, admittedly, but some of them overblown). Strom asked in a recent e-mail regarding this movement in Florida, "Have we completely forgotten the warnings of 'Lying signs and wonders' in the Last Days?" I believe this is a fair warning, and we would be wise to stay on our guard about such matters, but we have yet to see if this is actually the case in Lakeland.

Strom has a lot of criticisms about Todd Bentley's ministry, but I do not believe this necesarily means God has not been using Todd to perform genuine miracles (see my article titled Spiritual Power and the Nature of Christ). As much as Andrew Strom is doing well to keep our eyes focused on Christ and free from false teachings, he also has issues in his life that could be criticized (though I do not believe it is my place to share these things in a public forum like this without addressing him personally first). The point I'm making is that no one is perfect, and we need to be discerning of what God may or may not be doing rather than judgmental of the individual(s) He might be using to carry out the work.

Finally, as promised, I want to present how I believe we should resond to this activity in Florida.

In Jeremiah 28, we learn about a false prophet named Hananiah who proclaimed, "This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD's house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,' declares the LORD, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'" (Jer. 28:2-4).

So the false prophet Hananiah prophesied peace in a time when the true prophet Jeremiah knew better. But what was Jeremiah's response? Did he condemn Hananiah? Did he rebuke the false prophet's words? Nope.

Jeremiah 28:5-17--Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD. He said, "Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the LORD's house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true."

Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, and he said before all the people, "This is what the LORD says: 'In the same way will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.'" At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

Shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: "Go and tell Hananiah, 'This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.' "

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.' "

In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died. (NIV)

Three things stand out to me in this passage. First, Jeremiah shouted, "Amen!" to the prophecy of peace and affirmed that he too wanted the word to come to pass. Second of all, Jeremiah makes the point that if a person prophesies war and disaster, that's nothing special; but if they prophesy peace, then they are only recognized as true if their prediction comes to pass. And thirdly, God brought judgment on the false prophet as foretold through the true prophet.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 13:6,7 tells us, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (NIV). If we are truly a people of love, then we should rejoice with the truth...but we should also always trust and hope. In love, I believe we should trust Todd Bentley and hope that this truly is a move of God.

If this current movement is truly from God, then no one will be able to stop it. And if Todd Bentley is a false prophet, then I can guarantee that God will expose him for what he is. But unless this happens, I have to say, "Amen! So be it! May this be the beginning of the revival we've been crying out for! May the healing power of God be poured forth from heaven on a global scale!" If God reveals differently to me, then I will certainly speak out against these meetings, but I will not do so apart from genuine revelation. For now, let's pray that God would reveal the truth of Jesus Christ and save thousands of souls in the midst of what is happening with Todd Bentley in Lakeland.

Have you ever heard someone explain a commonly misunderstood concept, and then your new understanding seems to haunt you? Such is the case for me when it comes to "Binding and Loosing," which many Christians talk about but few understand. When I was around 11 years old, we had a minister visit our church from Texas, and he spoke about these two words. Like a good little Christian, I went home and researched the message for myself, and it checked out. Believe it or not, most of us have a completely backwards understanding of these terms.

Here's the origin:

Matthew 18:18,19 - "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (NIV)

We very often use this verse to justify phrases like this:

• "I bind you, Satan."
• "I loose the Holy Spirit"
• "Father, bind the enemy"
• "Lord, loose peace"

The list could go on, but you get the idea. The problem is that we've been basing our understanding of these words on the English definition rather than the original Greek.

In the Greek, the word "bind" is "deo," which means to knit, tie, and wind--like "binding" a Christmas tree to the roof of your car or "binding" together the pages of a book. It is a matter of tight connection. This verse isn't instructing us to "bind" the devil. But Acts 20:22 uses the word "deo" correctly when Paul says, "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there" (NKJV). Jesus' original instruction was saying to knit ourselves with, tie ourselves to, and wind ourselves around His Holy Spirit.

As for the word "loose," the Greek word is "luo." We seem to use this instruction from Jesus to "loose the Holy Spirit" before a meeting, etc. I don't know who decided this is what it meant, but I didn't know the Holy Spirit was stuck! In reality, the Greek word "luo" means to break up--to destroy, dissolve, loose, and melt.

We now see that Christ is giving us the power to destroy the forces of darkness--not just tie them up! Whatever we destroy, dissolve, and melt on earth will be destroyed in heaven! When we cast out an evil spirit on earth, that spirit has also lost any audience it might have in heaven! If we "luo" that spirit here, we "lou" it there! That spirit cannot approach God (like Satan did in the book of Job) and barter for the right to attack a person spiritually. To "luo" is to destroy!

To see this word used in a different context, pay attention to the words “destroy” and “destruction” in 2 Peter 3:11,12: “Since everything will be destroyed [luo] in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction [luo] of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” Now that's luo!

Overall, Christ is really talking about the spiritual pacts we make; are we knitting ourselves with God and destroying the demons in our lives, or are we tying ourselves to evil spirits and dissolving our connections with God? Christ gave us the power to bind and to loose spiritual things. This is the power to attach and destroy. It is the prerogative of the Holy Spirit to become intimately enmeshed into our lives. On the same token, though, it is the objective of Satan to attain that same goal.

Who are we binding ourselves to?
Who are we destroying?

Galatians 5:24,25—Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (NIV)

Tonight my girlfriend Robin and I went to see Expelled, the new documentary by Ben Stein. In it, Stein points out the unfairness among academia as anyone even hinting at "Intelligent Design" is laughed out of even the most prestigious positions. Ben went to great lengths interviewing some of the top minds on either side of the debate, and it clearly revealed the bias against the possibility of Intelligent Design (ID). In American academia particularly, Darwinian Evolution reigns supreme.

I would have to say that it was thoroughly enjoyable--even though there was a dry spell in the middle (about an hour into it). Having just taken a class at the University of Phoenix called "Critical Thinking," I also thought the movie made a few small mistakes in making a case for open dialogue about ID. For one thing, much of the movie was an appeal to emotion as Ben visited some Holocaust sites and based much of his movie on an analogy with the Berlin Wall. Nevertheless, this movie has the potential of opening up some great dialogue among the scientific community if people will look past the emotionalism and accept the facts that are clearly laid out.

Three particular things really struck me. First, Stein asked one professor, "If Darwin's understanding of a human cell could be likened to a Buick, what would you compare today's understanding of the cell to?" The scientist's answer: "A galaxy!" What followed was a lengthy, computer animated flight through the inner workings of a cell. Echos of my college biology class rang through my head as I got to watch a simulation of the thousands of processes that happen at once in every cell of your body--it was mind blowing! I would recommend seeing this movie for this little animation alone!

The second thing that struck me was what great lengths the supporters of evolution will go to in order to steer clear of even the possibility of an intelligent Creator--aliens, crystals...it was weird to say the least! They treated the notion of Intelligent Design like a plague that needs to be extinguished, and their greatest attacks against the ID supporters were nothing more than name-calling and put-downs.

And the third thing that struck me was the obvious link between Darwinian, atheistic thinking and such atrocities as the Holocaust, the sterilization of thousands of "defected" people (even in America!), and Planned Parenthood. If life is nothing more than goop, and if there is no afterlife, then people should feel free to irradicate any life that is at all flawed, thus helping along the evolution of mankind. Yikes! But if there is a God, and life is more than what we see tangibly, then great lengths must be taken to preserve life at any cost!

Do you see why this debate matters? Do you see why Ben Stein was willing to put his name and possibly even his career on the line to point out something so needlessly controversial?

Even though Expelled was by no means a Christian movie (Ben Stein is Jewish), I felt it helped solidify my faith. And even though every ID supporter was careful to distinguish between "Intelligent Design" and "Creationism," I felt it restored credence to the reality of our Creator. This was not a movie of apologetics and proofs for ID, but it certainly made a clear case for allowing open discussion among the scientific community in America.

If you can get out to see this movie, I highly recommend it!
--Art--

Have you ever been hurt by a friend? A stranger? An authority figure? A church? Discover the life transformational power of real forgiveness that will set you free from your past!

If you go to the Podcasts page of SupernaturalTruth.com, you'll find a new section titled "Sermons and Teachings." I've added a lesson I taught at the recent Encounter Retreat titled "Forgiveness." Simply right-click on the link there and select "Save Target As" to download it to your computer. Then listen at your leisure!

This message is packed with testimonies and personal examples that bring it to life and make practical applications. Expect the Holy Spirit to minister to your heart as you listen!

Blessings!
--Art--

P.S.--As always, the message is not copywritten, so you are free to copy and distribute it as you see fit. I only ask that appropriate credit is given and that you do not sell the teaching for financial gain. Thanks!

I recently read a short article that impressed me on one point (even though the rest of it was a little weird). The person said that angels and demons are not supernatural. The word "supernatural" implies something that is "above and beyond" creation, but angels and demons are created beings. In other words, the only being who is truly "supernatural" is God Himself!

Angels and demons are natural, created beings, completely spiritual in nature (with no physical bodies, although they can sometimes appear physically). Humans are created both physical and spiritual in nature; but just because we have a spirit doesn't make us supernatural either. We were created, and so were the angels and demons that war for our souls. Only God is truly supernatural.

Why is this important? Because it puts things into right perspective! To quote the words of one of my favorite songs, "In Christ Alone," "No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand!" HE IS SUPER-NATURAL! My God is ABOVE nature! He is ABOVE all created things!

As children of a supernatural God, we need not fear ANYTHING natural--He created it all and can intervene at any moment! His power and love are above and beyond EVERYTHING that has been made!

Romans 8:38-39--For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV).

---

ABOVE ALL

Above all powers, above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what you're worth

Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

© 1999 Integrity's Hosanna! Music/LenSongs Publishing

One of the sweetest things about having a blog is that it's a great outlet for rants about your pet peeves; so I'm going to take advantage of that. This does actually have some value, though, so don't think I'm going to point out something trivial like burnt edges on a grilled cheese sandwich. Enough rambling.

Tonight I was listening to the radio on my drive home from a restaurant, and there was some preacher talking very excitedly about a series of meetings he was going to be leading this week. The part that bugged me, though, is that even though he was really passionate about his invitation, he used the word "Amen" incorrectly about fifteen times. It's not that it almost seemed like he had Turrets Syndrome as he haphazardly threw the word around at random points in his sentence; it was more about the complete loss of meaning.

What does the word "amen" mean?

"Amen" is a Hebrew word that basically means "So be it!" It comes from the root word for "rock," so it gives an impression of "It is firm--like a rock." The word is used to solidify a statement and declare that it is "set in stone" or "certain."

But this preacher was saying things like, "The city of Detroit is falling apart--Amen!"

NOOOOO!!!! Use the word correctly! Don't set something like that in stone! Try this: God has plans for our city that wll glorify Him and snatch people from the fires of hell--Amen! So be it! It is firm! It is certain! It is set in stone!

AMEN!!!

Do we Christians realize the power of this simple little word? I don't think so--if we did, then we wouldn't use it like a question from our pulpits. Amen? Have you ever heard a pastor say that? They ask the congregation, "Amen?" as though it's a question! What are they looking for? Approval? Are they giving people the opportunity to disagree? If you are preaching the Gospel and it is the sure Word of God, then proclaim it: Amen!

The word "amen" is one of power and proclamation. It's not an alternative to the word "goodbye" when we hang up our phone call with God. It's not a word that offers things up for question. It doesn't mean "do you agree?" And it doesn't mean "I think you're right" or "that resonates with me emotionally." It is a word of certainty and authority.

So in the coming weeks, think very carefully about the way you use this word--you may even start to notice the misuses of it (sorry if my pet peeve is contageous). It is about time that we Christians realized the authority we have in Jesus Christ! AMEN!

There's a new video online now! Last weekend we held an Encounter Weekend retreat where I was blessed to be invited to lead worship and teach three of the lessons. One of them was called "Knowing your New Best Friend: the Holy Spirit."

If you want to have a deeper relationship with the Spirit of God, then I highly recommend you take some time to watch this video. With the ministry time included, it's 45-minutes long, so make sure you've got some time to watch.

You can access this teaching through the video page at http://www.supernaturaltruth.com/video.htm. It's the second video from the top of the page.

Be blessed!
--Art--

Hi everyone,

I've posted a new song on the music page called "Three Nails."
You can read the lyrics and download the mp3 for free at:

http://www.supernaturaltruth.com/music.htm

God bless!
--Art--

One of the couples from my small group who attended the Encounter Retreat this weekend got to experience the delivering power of God. They're completely free from a long-time addiction to smoking!

The wife stopped smoking on Friday--as I understand it, this was mostly due to some chest and throat pain she was experiencing. That evening they went outside to smoke, but she found it hurt too much. All day Saturday, she stayed away from cigarettes because of the pain, but she was grateful for her condition and felt it was God's way of making her not even like smoking. That night, she got her cigarettes from her car and threw them in the bon fire...but her husband refused.

He had tried quitting many times before and thought he knew what a waste it would be to get rid of his current pack of cigarettes...that's a lot of money to waste if you're not really quitting! But as he laid in bed that night, he prayed, "God, if you really want me to quit, then I don't want any symptoms whatsoever--no headaches, nervousness, or even oral fixations like gum chewing or pen biting. Nothing!"

Guess who took him up on his bargain? You guessed it! The next day brought no withdrawal symptoms at all. Neither did Monday. Or Tuesday! He said this is the first time he's ever been able to quit without horrible side effects.

Part of the solution was the supernatural power of God that appears to have brought healing to his lungs and nervous system; another aspect is that at the Encounter Retreat we deal with matters of the heart and healing inner wounds from past experiences.

Addictions like smoking tend to stem from inner voids that need to be filled. Often they are a way of simulating peace and giving temporary relief from anxieties or stress. But such methods are entirely artificial. When the inner void is filled with the Spirit of God, however, and we actively choose to rely on Him for peace, we begin to find complete freedom!

Now, here's how to stay free: Temptation to return to an addiction will inevitably arise when we find ourselves facing the same stress or anxiety that we used to manage with our addiction. We then have a choice: either we can suppress our desires or confess them to the Lord. Suppression only serves to pressurize these desires so that they erupt later on in a flurry of anger or an addictive binge. Confession, however, allows the desire to be released in a healthy way. We can then confess our anxiety and stress to Christ, ask Him to handle all our concerns, and choose to trust Him.

Addictions are not solved "cold-turkey." They are solved by the love of Father God, trust in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Allow God to heal your heart and teach you to trust Him. Ask Him to heal you. And rely on Him to keep you free! He will do it!

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24--May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (NIV).

What can I say? Our Encounter Retreat was awesome! God showed up in powerful ways and ministered His love and power to everyone present in one form or another. Some had a deep inner revelation of our heavenly Father and experienced His love in a whole new way. Some had a God-given realization of their guilt and came to encounter the work of Jesus Christ deeper than ever before. Many of us had dreams, visions, and supernatural experiences. Many people were released from long-time bitterness that they didn't even know they had. Strongholds were demolished. Chains were broken. The all-consuming Fire of God set people dramatically free this weekend!

On top of all this, on our drive home, we called one of the ladies from our small group and found out she had been horribly sick all weekend. We invited ourselves over to pray for her (which she welcomed). Before we had even arrived at her house, her fever lifted for the first time in days!

From there we went to the little city park in downtown Plymouth to have our Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry and play worship music by the big fountain in the middle. We had fifteen people from our group show up, and we worshipped God for about an hour together in the park.

Before long, it started getting too cold to stay out there, so we went to a local coffee shop called "The Bean" to continue. Within a matter of minutes after we started playing music, a man walked in and looked at us. My girlfriend Robin flagged him over, and he listened as my friends Sara and Katie sang a song they wrote that said, "I want to wake up and find that I've already died and it's not I but Christ who lives in me."

"Hi, how are you?" I asked.

"Have you got a half-hour?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" came the collective reply of all the people in our group.

Long story short, we spent the next several hours listening to him pour out all his struggles and life experiences. During the first hour, our statements were careful to gently point him toward Christ and set the stage for a presentation of the Gospel. During our second hour, though, we spoke of Jesus Christ and His power to save and set us free from guilt and shame. Everyone listened couteously to his stories, and those who spoke always seemed to say just the right thing as the Holy Spirit led us. People shared prophetic words and supernatural "words of knowledge" in practical, loving ways and pointed this man to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Eventually it was closing time and we had to return home. We invited him to our Monday night group, so hopefully he'll be there tonight as the seven of us who attended the Encounter Retreat share testimonies about our experiences!

God is so awesome! If you are willing to welcome His presence in the streets, I can guarantee that He'll show up with power!

Why do you suppose we complicate God so much? We think that hearing His voice is somehow something strange and mystical that rarely happens. We don't realize that we were created for relationship with God! Why would He make that a difficult thing?

I'm asking these questions because the Lord just put me in my place a couple hours ago. I develop web sites for a living (Michigan Network Solutions, LLC.), and today I came accross a severely frustrating problem. My client wanted a change made to one little thing, and I spent three fruitless hours trying to fix it with every trick I knew. My girlfriend, Robin, who is a computer programming major and will be graduating in December also couldn't figure out what was going on. It was a mess.

Then I had a novel idea: Why don't I ask God what to do?

I dove off my swivel chair and fell down on the floor in desperation. "God!" I cried out, "You've got to help me here!"

Instantly--and I mean instantly--a simple, three-word sentence popped into my mind. Funny, I didn't want to accept it because it seemed too simple! But then the Holy Spirit said, "What kind of friend do you think I am? Why should I make you beg? Now go do what I showed you!"

I made the change--it was something I had never done before, but it worked!

God wants to be your friend, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ made that possible. To think we have to beg, plead, and somehow work for an answer is to imply that Christ's sacrifice wasn't enough!

Listen for the voice of God even when it doesn't seem like you're doing something for the Kingdom. He will direct your path even as it relates to your career. The next time you run into a problem at work or a question about what turn to make, cry out to God, and He will answer!

I just have to share a story from a good friend of mine--we'll call him Paul--who recently spent some time with some long-time friends of his and shared the Gospel. In his friends' living room, Paul kicked back and talked about the love of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ. This couple hung on every word, captivated with the message he shared.

The next day Paul received a phone call from his friend who said, "I've been thinking a lot about all the things you said yesterday and all the wisdom I heard in what you said. Was there some person whose beliefs have really influenced you and made an impact on the way you believe?"

"Absolutely," replied Paul, "There was actually one guy in particular that has had a profound influence on my beliefs."

"Well, who is it?" pressed the friend.

"Jesus."

I thought this was an awesome example of relational evangelism. I've never really been a fan of preaching in the streets, going door-to-door, or handing out literature (even though God does sometimes use these methods). Rather, my preferred method of evangelism is through personal relationship. Try asking around--see how many Christians you know who received Christ because of a street preacher or a pamphlet and then see how many came to Christ through a personal relationship with another believer. The latter are far more common!

Start with the people you know--your friends, family, co-workers, or classmates. Pray for the Holy Spirit to begin softening their hearts and then act on any opportunity you can find to share the love of Christ! Speak the Truth, seasoned with love. You might be surprised at how effective you become at planting spiritual seeds for God's Kingdom!

Yesterday, I wrote about a judgment I had formed, and how I found I was guilty of the same thing. This illustrated Romans 2:1, which says, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."

When we judge others, we put ourselves in an awkward position. Either we are already guilty of what we are judging in others, or we soon will be because "God's Word will not return void." If the Bible says that we are guilty of the same things, then the spiritual law of sowing and reaping will be put into effect, and we will find it very hard not to fall into the same trap.

I remember a period in my past when I was doing great financially but someone close in my family was going through a bankruptcy. I judged them, thinking of myself more highly than I ought to. And you know what the Bible says, "Pride goes before the fall." Within a matter of weeks, I suddenly found myself in a heap of financial trouble, racking up debt and missing bills. This went on for several months. It didn't make any sense to me until I realized that I had judged these family members. I repented for my sin, confessed it openly, and renounced the judgments I had formed. Suddenly things started turning around again.

In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus says this: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

We need to be very careful to expose and uproot judgments when they are formed because they always have an adverse effect on our spiritual lives! Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any judgments you may have formed against others. Confess these things, renounce them, and speak blessing toward those people, organizations, businesses, governments, or demographics. Forgive the people involved, and also forgive yourself. You may be surprised at how quickly certain circumstances change as you get set free from judgment!

Why are people so uncomfortable with change? To be honest, I don't think it's in our nature; I think it's in our culture.

Our men's group just finished studying the book Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul, and it was a life-altering study for me. One of the key points is that as men we have a deep inner need for three basic things: (1) an adventure to live, (2) a battle to fight, and (3) a beauty to rescue. Author John Eldredge says that these three things are at the core of who we are as men. Women, on the other hand, have slightly different needs. They want to be captivating, they want to join us in our adventure, and they want us to fight for them.

John Eldredge points out that the American church at large demasculates men by convincing us that we should be passive, nice, and sugar-coated. Contrast this with the Chinese church where the men are encouraged to suffer and die for the sake of the Gospel! Now that's an adventure!

Back to the issue of change (I'll tie this together in a moment).

This past week, my church encountered a change that shook things up quite a bit. We're rather small with an average attendance of 50 people on a Sunday, so this wasn't too dramatic--but it was change none the less! In short, we rotated everything in our main meeting room 90 degrees to the right.

Personally, I have to admit that I was a little annoyed because it became a lot more restricting. Everything was closer together because the room is narrower in this direction. Everyone was seated closer together, and all our musicians were squeezed together too.

But I also have to confess that the Lord used this whole scenario to reveal to me an area where my sinful nature still had not been dealt with. After the meeting, several people came up to me and made comments on how they weren't especially thrilled with the new setup, and I just said, "I'm not going to say anything now because I need to make sure my heart is right before talking about this, but I'm not particularly thrilled with the changes either."

Then the Holy Spirit started working on me, and I thought, "What is there in me that would make me a point person for all this murmering?"

I realized that my own heart was resistant to the change and was upset because it didn't facillitate my own agenda. I like having the chairs in a half-circle rather than two columns because it makes things more interactive. I like having the musicians spread out because we have more room. Furthermore, I didn't like that the change made us look more like a traditional church.

But instead of just recognizing these personal feelings, I became passive agressive. I burried my feelings and pretended to be cordial with the people who petitioned for the change in the first place. Their reasoning was that we can fit more people, folks won't have to walk accross the front of the room to enter or exit, and people are less disctractable. Why should those things bother me?

Because I had my own agenda and couldn't handle things not being the way I like them. I had been instrumental in moving the sanctuary to the less traditional position, and so this felt like an attack on me! But it wasn't--it was a change being made for the sake of functionality and building the Church! I had formed a judgment in my heart that these people couldn't break free from the traditional church model, when in actuality, I was the one who couldn't break free from my own favorite model of church! I was guilty of the very thing I was judging them for!

Romans 2:1--Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things (NKJV).

I think our resistance to change is not a matter of "not liking new things;" I believe it is that we like what we have, and we've begun to personally identify with these things. Be careful how you judge the viewpoints of others, because you who judge are guilty of the same things!

Returning to Wild at Heart, I believe there is something to be said about how the Church should handle change. Our men need to be adventurous enough to embrace change and daring enough to lay down our personal agendas to walk in unity. With this in place, our women can more easily feel secure enough to join us in the adventure. That's not a husband/wife issue--it's how males and females in general can function together in this spiritual family we call "the church."

Any time you struggle with change in the Church, examine yourself and see if it's just your personal preference that's bothering you. Be daring enough to die to self! I say this because I sense that the Lord is bringing some significant changes to the American church over the next few decades. I'm writing a book about these changes right now entitled Wildfire Christianity, which should be complete some time within the next six months. For now, though, my challenge is this: Get ready for change!

When we read about Jesus in the Gospels or about His apostles in the book of Acts, we find several places where they were involved in casting out demons. We even find places that say "many demons" were cast out! In fact, some people had multiple demons opressing them. And Jesus told His disciples (which includes you and me) that we have authority over all the power of the enemy. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of Jesus Christ, we can heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, and cast out demons.

Such activities were so common in Bible days, but these days it seems like we pretend demons are nothing but figments of an uneducated person's imagination. And yet, all over the world we see dramatic evidence of their existance.

I'm reminded of the many cases in Africa and South America where people are inhabited by spirits that make them behave like animals--eating grass, crawling on all fours, slithering like a snake, clawing at people, and making bizarre noises. When the spirit is cast out in Jesus' name, these people come to their senses and testify to the power of God.

This isn't the only way demons work in other countries, but it is very common. And yet we rarely see such things in America. Demons try to be more clever here. Instead of dramatically demonstrating their influence over a person, they do so sneakily and subtly. And here's how:

In Genesis, we are told that God formed man from the dust of the ground (body), breathed into him the breath (Hebrew: "spirit") of life, and man became a living soul. Body, spirit, soul. From this description, we learn that the soul is the product of the body and spirit coming together. As a result, our soul (which consists of our mind, will, and emotions) can be directly affected by the condition of our body or spirit at any given moment.

In a healthy Christian, our spirit is fully alive in Christ and supercedes the condition of our body so that our soul obeys our spirit. But if our spirit is not alert and drifts off to sleep, our body takes over and our souls become slaves to our impulses and physical condition.

Now, if our soul is the result of our body and spirit coming together, what do you suppose happens when an evil spirit comes into the mix? Well, for one thing, we get confused on a spiritual level. For another thing our soul gets affected, causing us to have tainted emotions, evil thoughts, and unwise choices. Furthermore, our body can be effected. Just as our human body is given life by our human spirit, it can also be adversely affected by an evil spirit.

Demonic activity is no less common today than it was 2000 years ago in the Bible. If anything, it is more prevalent because the end is approaching and Satan knows his time is short. In America, demons produce mental disorders, clinical depression, strife, envy, and other things that seem like they're just natural parts of who we are. We try to physically suppress their effect on the soul by taking pills and changing our diet, but we often end up in worse shape than we were in before.

In the past three weeks I've had the opportunity to see four people instantly set free from clinical depression as I took gentle authority over the evil spirit, cast it out, and prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill that void in the person's life. In fact, I too went through a few hours of unexplainable depression on Sunday until my girlfriend Robin took authority in Jesus' name and cast the evil spirit away (this may have been one of the spirits that was cast out of the others, which should remind us that we need to stay clothed in the armor of God).

My encouragement to all of you is not that you would go out looking for depressed people and casting out demons. Jesus said we need to be careful about that because if the person does not also get their life filled up with God and repent, the evil spirit will vome back with seven more demons worse than himself. I've seen this happen in the past too, so I'm very careful about this.

Another word of caution is that we need not tell the person, "You have a demon." This could be just the thing that demon needs to make the person leave or put up walls. Instead, offer to pray for them and then take authority during your prayer. Tell the spirit to leave in Jesus' name and invite the Holy Spirit to bring healing and transformation to the person. By the way, "taking authority" does not mean yelling, or being angry, or jumping, or doing anything else dramatic. In a confrontation, the person with the most authority is often the one who is most calm. Tell the spirit to leave and not come back. Speak on behalf of Jesus Christ, and make that point known. It's that simple. No hype, just authority.

So if you know someone who is struggling with an evil spirit in any way, I tell you on behalf of Jesus Christ that you have been given the authority in Him to cast out demons. But also seek the overflowing power of the Holy Spirit, and put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6) so that you may remain protected and not vulnerable (otherwise you might wind up affected by the same demon like I was in the story earlier).

God bless!

JESUS IS ALIVE! Not only that, but Jesus IS resurrection personified:

John 11:25-27--Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world" (NIV).

After saying these words, Jesus went to Lazarus and raised him from the dead!

Those of you who follow this blog are probably aware by now that I like to spread around stories about the dead being raised to life in Jesus' name. As of 2005, there were documented cases in 52 different nations of the dead being raised to life by Christians. In some of these countries, there are hundreds of cases--for instance, Mozambique, Africa, where Rolland and Heidi Baker minister the love of Christ to thousands of children each year. Heidi has been known to hold dead babies and children in her arms, sobbing over them and praying until God gives them back their life.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life! Jesus didn't just die; He rose to life! And that means He is physically seated at the right hand of our Father in Heaven right now! Furthermore, through the Holy Spirit, we have access to that same resurrection power both for ourselves and for others.

Romans 8:11--And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Matthew 10:8--Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

My challenge to you this Easter Sunday is that you would seek the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit on a personal level; and do not be afraid to demonstrate His power and love on a practical level! Jesus is the resurrection and the life; and it's about time people in America and abroad start truly realizing it!

Good Friday. Today we celebrate the most profound turning point in history. The epic story of all creation pivots at this one defining weekend, starting with the crucifixion of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I was actually a little hesitant to write anything today because it almost seems cliche--like it's the good "Christian blogger" thing to do (and if anyone knows me, I'm not one to do things "just because"). Nevertheless, we are celebrating Easter earlier than we ever will again in our lifetime. And as I look out my window, I see that it has started to snow here in Plymouth, Michigan. There's a thin covering on the neighbor's yard, and everything is getting whiter as I write. We're expecting several inches tonight.

From this physical reality, the Lord began to speak to me out of Isaiah 1:18:

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Good Friday is borne out of this theme. The blood of Christ is the truest scarlet there ever was in the eyes of God--so true, in fact, that the redness of our own shame and sin pales to the purest white in comparison. And as we see in the above verse, Jesus didn't wash our sins away without reason--He did it so that we could have a relationship with our Father in heaven! "Come now, let us reason together," He says!

The death of Christ is an invitation to intimacy. With Jesus died everything in us that separates us from God--but only if we have truly given our old lives over to Him.

So today, I want to encourage you not simply to remember the death of our Lord this Good Friday, but to give Him the reward of His suffering. Spend some time with Him. Reason together. Have a conversation. He's dying to talk to you...wait, scratch that...He already died; and now He lives, so start talking.

What is "balanced" Christianity? So many times we see people fly off to extremes. They find a doctrine they like and they run with it. One person says God is just, and that's all they preach about. Another person says God does miracles, and that becomes their entire life. Then we find someone who only teaches that God is love; and someone else who pushes teachings on hell and judgment.

So what is balance? Is it to compromise our teachings? Is it to bring everything more toward the "center" so that less people are offended? Is it to avoid extremes?

Well, I say we should get our example from Christ Himself. Jesus was extreme. He was extreme about God's justice, righteousness, power, love, and judgment. He was extreme in worship, fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism. He was extreme in service, humility, and kindness. He was extreme in bluntness, prophetic clarity, and harsh truth. Jesus was extreme in every way! Jesus was not balanced in the sense that He watered down His life; He was balanced by being extreme in every area!

If we wish to be truly "Christ-like," we need to be unafraid to be extreme in every way! Look for the one aspect of God's nature that you like to convey most, and then look for some ways you often avoid. My encouragement to you is not that you would cut back on the aspect you currently favor, but rather that you would become more extreme in the areas where you currently lack fervor. It's time to be extreme in all ways as we reveal Christ in this world!

Revelation 3:16 says that Christ will spew the lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. It's time to get red hot in every way!

2 Peter 1:5-11--For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (NIV).

Today I was watching "Animal Planet" and they had a special about a wildlife preserve where the young bull elephants started brutally killing the rhinos. The solution was to bring in an older, more mature herd of elephants to model appropriate behavior for the younger ones and hopefully provide some sort of behavioral infratructure that would help tame the younger animals. It worked.

In the church, we need to have a similar principle; but we must be careful with the way we put it into practice. My pastor tells a story about when he was first saved, he met with the elders of his church and passionately shared his testimony and some of his ideas. The elders looked at him blankly and one said, "Don't worry, in a little while you'll calm down and be just like us."

"God forbid!" he replied (though he admits it was more in pride and disdain than in love).

In contrast, take a look at Esther 4:10-16. King Xerxes ordered that all the Jews be annihilated (if you've ever seen the movie 300, yes, that is the same Xerxes that was attacking the Spartans). Esther was a jewish woman who had been taken to be his queen. The following story comes in where Esther's cousin Mordecai (who had raised her) has suggested that she appear before King Xerxes. Esther then sends one of the king's eunuchs named Hathach to her cousin Mordecai:

Esther 4:10-16--Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions(NIV).

Esther, here, is the younger generation, and Mordecai is the older. Do you see the magnitude of what took place in this story? Rather than Mordecai telling Esther to "calm down and wait this out," he called forth exploits. Not only that, but Esther relied on him for spiritual support by asking him to fast for her and gather others to do the same. And Mordecai agreed!

Here we see generational unity. Like the elephants in my opening example, it's not so much a matter of the older generation "calming down" the younger as it is the older generation providing a scaffolding for the younger to flourish within! Mordecai suggested that Esther risk her life for the sake of God's people, and he stood by her with prayer and fasting.

There is a strong Biblical precedent in both the Old and New Testaments for generational unity, mentoring, and spiritual fathering/mothering. If you're young and you do not have a mature spiritual mentor who challenges you to acts of faith, the I would recommend you get looking for one! Otherwise, you might end up like those young bull elephants being destructive rather than productive (I've been there, and it truly does take spiritual mentoring to help us gain focus and direction for our lives).

And if you would consider yourself one of the older generation, then I call for you to take us youngsters under your wing and call forth great exploits for the kingdom of God! We don't need you to calm us down or tell us how to "play it safe." We need you to fast and pray for us so that we can fulfill the purpose for which we were born and help reveal our Father's Kingdom in the earth! We need you to be our "Mordecai" and speak identity into our lives. We need you to challenge us in faith--not fear--and call forth exploits!

In the name of Jesus, I challenge each reader to bridge the generational gap and demonstrate unity in the Church no matter your age. The Lord has promised that in the last days He would send forth the spirit of Elijah to call the hearts of the fathers to their sons and the hearts of the sons to their fathers. Now is the time--more than ever--that we need unity among the generations!

I used to be really cynical about church retreats. We go, we cry, we decide to change our lives forever, everyone hugs, and then we go right back to the way things were. After attending more retreats than I can count and seeing the same temporary results, I had grown rather disenchanted with the whole idea.

But that's when we planted our church in Fowlerville (www.ffcag.org), and our pastor invited the staff to attend an Encounter Retreat with another church. Long story short, none of our lives have been the same since!

At the Encounter, we deal with matters of personal transformation, freedom in Christ, and deliverance from habits, addictions, bitterness, wrong thoughts, and past mistakes. Furthermore, we focus on the foundations of Christian life and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. At this year's retreat, I'll be leading worship and presenting three lessons:

• "What Do You Desire?" - All about who we are and how much more important the God-given desires of our personal spirit are than the desires of our flesh or soul.
• "Others and You" - Forgiveness and freedom from bitterness and resentment.
• "Knowing your New Best Friend: the Holy Spirit" - All about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, how to be led by the Spirit, and how to deepen your relationship with Him.

This year's retreat will be held in the lodge of Youth Haven Ranch, which is a beautiful facility in the little town of Rives Junction, Michigan (about halfway between Jackson and Lansing).

I've posted an informational flyer on the Documents page in case you're interested. We would love to have you join us! I know I have readers all over the world; but if you happen to be in the area, we would love to have you (we've had people come from as far away as Pennsylvania and Texas to past retreats).

This will be the fourth retreat I've helped staff, and each one seems better than the last! Also, we have limited space, so please contact me soon if you're interested.

God bless!
--Art--

Yet another person raised from the dead in America--and this time the secular news picked up the story!

Below is a link to Channel 7 News in Miami / Ft. Lauderdale. This is an official newscast from February 1, 2008 that a friend of mine forwarded to me. In it, a Florida cardiologist, who is also a Christian, shares about how he prays for his patients and how the Lord led him to pray for this man even after he was verifiably dead! The cardiology team had worked on him for 40 minutes, his face and limbs were "pitch black with death," and then the Christian doctor prayed for him in Jesus' name!

The link below will take you to a text-based page containing a manuscript, but at the top of the article is a button that says "watch the video." Here's the link:

http://www1.wsvn.com/features/articles/specialreport/MI75423

Enjoy!

Depression is a tough issue, and this time of year is especially hard for some due to the lack of sunlight and more time spent indoors. In the past few days, however, I've seen a couple of my friends discovering freedom from depression even though it is normally so common for them at this time.

I know the situation is different for everyone and there's not really a "pat answer" that solves every person's situation, but I believe there is tremendous power in testimony. Just today, as we held our Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry, one of my friends was talking about how depressed he's been lately and how he can't seem to break free from it.

I think it's important to note here that being depressed does not make you less of a Christian or somehow less loved by God. The fact is, you're just going through a rather rough season in your life, and God is right here with you. It is true that He wants to help you out of your depression--and I believe He will--but that does not mean that you're involved in some sort of grave sin that has made God hide His face from you. On the contrary, He is paying even closer attention because He cares about you so much!

Anyhow, as our meeting went on, we all spent some time practicing "hearing God's voice" and sharing insight with each other. That's when I noticed something rather curious. I would have expected that my friend's depression would have started lifting as people shared words of prophecy and encouragement for him. To some extent, I think that helped; but this did not appear to be nearly as effective as when he started prophesying and encouraging the rest of us!

Admittedly, this took some serious effort on his part--he had to break past the emotional struggle and choose to actively embrace who he is in Christ. This meant putting his faith into action.

And here's a part of the story I find really fun: he is rather new to the whole concept of hearing God's voice, and yet he was having visions and receiving impressions from the Lord that ministered to several of us! You do not need to be some sort of "super-Christian" in order to hear God's voice. You can be a developing Christian struggling with depression and still hear Him! As a matter of fact, ANYONE who is a Christian has already heard His voice!

John 6:44-45--No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”(NAS)

If you're a Christian, then you've already heard God's voice, and the lines of communication are open between the two of you. So let Him speak to your heart, but also let Him minister to others through you! Get into a small group of believers where you can actively participate in interactive ministry. I can't guarantee that all your struggles in life will vanish, but I can certainly say that the heaviness on your heart will begin to lift! As I mentioned above, there is something liberating about being a vessel of the Lord and allowing Him to use you to minister to others; but we must choose to take action.

And what if you're not a Christian? Well, I believe God is speaking to you and calling you today! It's easy to be depressed when we're overwhelmed and physically worn down--even for a Christian. But when we start realizing who we are created to be and begin acting on it, the cloud begins to lift. The Bible calls the Lord "my glory and the lifter of my head." He raises you up! Turn to Him today and ask Him to begin showing you your true identity!

Hi everyone. As many of you have noticed, I've been AWOL for the past week. To be honest, I tried posting several times, but I kept noticing how prideful I was in what I was writing, so I just deleted those before posting. God has done many awesome things this week and opened many doors, but I still don't feel I can share all these things without getting puffed up, so I'll wait until I settle down a little :-)

I do, however, want to alert all of you to an organization that just welcomed my ministry on an official level. If you've visited any of the standard pages of SupernaturalTruth.com today, then you've probably noticed the new Awakening America Alliance link on the left-hand side.

I mentioned this organization back on January 8, 2008 when I brought up the national 21-day fast that was being encouraged and organized by the AAA. Well, that fast is over, but this organization is still contending for a spiritual awakening in America!

Each ministry involved is asked to set aside one day each week to fast and pray for those in America who do not know God. I--and any of you who wish to join me--will be officially setting aside each Monday. The objective is to have thousands of people fasting and praying for the lost on every day of the week.

You can read about the Awakening America Alliance's "Purpose and Objectives" on the Documents page of my site. See if you might be interested in joining. I don't receive anything for forwarding you--I just believe this is a worthwhile affiliation! Lets seek God together for a spiritual awakening in America!

This last Wednesday, my friend Tony (who leads our men's Bible Study) pointed out that the devil tends to attack those areas of our lives that God wants to use most. Then Sunday came along and I believe the Holy Spirit revealed something to me allong those lines during a time of prayer.

The thought occurred to me (I believe it was from God, but judge for yourself) that the enemy has been around for a while and understands how to read the human genetic code. He looks for things God meant for good, and he perverts them so that we never become who we were created to be.

For instance, suppose God created one person to be a fiery, passionate, bold Christian who is not afraid to speak the truth in the face of opposition. Then the enemy comes along, sees the God-given potential that has been written into that person's DNA, and attacks it. Later in life, the circumstances the enemy has brought against that person have wounded their soul and spirit to such an extent that instead of being a bold proclaimer of the Truth, they become a person with an anger and rage problem.

And here's the hard part--Does God hold that person accountable for their actions? You bet. Why? Because that's not who they were created to be. Yes, they have some DNA that makes it very easy for them to have anger and rage problems, but the fact remains that this was not God's reason for writing that DNA!

Yesterday I met someone (who will remain anonymous) who God is calling out of a homosexual relationship and into His Kingdom. This person's response was to respond to the Holy Spirit and leave the house where they were living. We got to pray together for salvation and new life, and this person stated that they genuinely felt different than before. Sure, there will be a process of spiritual and emotional transformation involved--I've experienced this first hand in my own battle with lust and sensuality. But I think one of the most important things that came up was this matter of DNA and how modern scientists claim to have found "the gay gene" (I apologize if that term is offensive to any of you).

You see, God created this person to have a tender, caring heart through which the Holy Spirit can reveal His power and love in awesome ways. The enemy came along and attacked that DNA early in their life through circumstances and lies spoken into their thoughts. And now, years later, this person has finally accepted that Jesus Christ has something better in store!

The supernatural love of God knows no limits! The Bible says, "God is love," and, "Love covers a multitude of sins!" God is not shocked when the devil attacks us in the areas God meant for good--He is grieved. Why? Because it hurts to watch someone you love getting dragged away from you. Not only that, but the things we often get "dragged away by" are the things God meant to be used for good--like the firey boldness of the one who was dragged into rage or the sensitivity, creativity, and personality of the one who was dragged into homosexuality.

We need to stop explaining away our sin by saying, "Well, that's just the way I was made; so God must want me to be like this." The truth is, he made you just the way He wanted to so He could reveal something about Himself through you that no one else could. He created you with a purpose and a destiny. He has a reason for every gene in your genetic code. But He did not create you to live a life of sin.

Christianity is not about "denying who we are"--it's about becoming who we are! God created us each with His plan and purpose in mind, and the Christian life is one of glorifying our Father in Heaven. That means we do His will. That means we become who He created us to be! And this can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit!

In our own strength and will-power, we are helpless when it comes to getting out of the mess the enemy has dragged us into. We've been attacked right down to our DNA, and so it seems that this is just "who we are." Do not be fooled. When we allow the transformational power of the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with God's love and show us who we are meant to be, He begins to change us from the inside-out. Our DNA doesn't change, but the way we apply it does! We become who we were created to be! And God, our Father, gets all the glory for our freedom from sin!

My prayer for each and every reader today is that you would not be swayed by the enemy to believe that your sinful nature is "just the way you were made." I pray in the name of Jesus that you would instead realize the purity and purpose that were intended by God before you were even conceived in your mother's womb. I pray that you may come to grasp how long and high and deep and wide is the love of God and how great is His kindness toward us expressed in Christ Jesus. Today is the day for you to leave your old ways of life at the cross (considering the "old you" as being dead) so that the blood of Jesus Christ can purify you and the Holy Spirit can give you a brand new life of intimacy with our Father in Heaven.

I invite and welcome you to join our family!

Pam Walker has been used by God to raise the dead more than once. In this new video she shares one story about a little boy named Isaiah and the events surrounding his miraculous resurrection. Also, I'll share a couple stories about raising animals to life and a spiritual encounter I had in which Jesus taught about the Christian's ability to be a "life-bringer who is full of life."

The video entitled "Raise the Dead" can be found through the video page at SupernaturalTruth.com.

1 John 5:16-17 tells us that there is such a thing as a sin that does not result in death. The Bible doesn't really say any more on the matter, but I believe there are some clues in the story of the first sin that did result in death (If you don't know the story of Adam and Eve, read it in Genesis 3).

Ever notice how Adam and Eve didn’t have any children until after they were banned from the garden? God told them to "be fruitful and multiply" as soon as woman was created. In fact, the name “Eve” means "mother of all the living;" but Adam didn’t give her that prophetic name until after they had sinned. Until then he just called her “woman” because she had been taken "out of man." He wasn’t speaking destiny over his wife when he should have been.

They weren’t trying to be disobedient--they didn’t even really know what sin was. But I think we sometimes find ourselves in a similar condition--sinning in ignorance. The Apostle John said that there is a form of sin which does not lead to death and there is another form that does. Here, I believe, is proof. Adam and Eve’s first sin was not the blatant disobedience we often cite about them eating the forbidden fruit. It was other things that they did without realizing they were wrong. Things that didn’t lead to death. Things that God corrected in relationship with them. I know this steps on some theological toes, but hear me out. Yes, the world was technically perfect before Adam and Eve ate the fruit; but it was not without sin. Uh-oh...now I’m in deeper...

But think about it. Does it make sense to think that Adam and Eve had "free will" in reference to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but no "free will" in reference to anything else? Do you think they were robots that weren’t capable of making a wrong decision except when it came to eating? No way! Mistakes happen all the time; that’s part of having free will. But these were mistakes, or "sins," that did NOT lead to death. God was being a loving Father. He taught, corrected, and trained. He raised Adam and Eve as His children. Love covers a multitude of sins.

Most of us have probably heard that all sin is equal in God’s eyes. That’s not entirely true. It’s not in the Bible; it’s just our way of convincing people that whether you lied or murdered is irrelevant--both lead to death. The truth is that all willful sin is equal in its result. A person’s choice to separate himself from the life of God will undoubtedly lead to spiritual death. That’s why the sacrifice of Jesus is so crucial. Relying on Him means He takes the penalty of death in your place. But when it comes to the incidental sins that come with the territory of free will, John shows a very different solution:

If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is a sin that does not lead to death (1 John 5:16-17, NIV).

Sin equals separation. If I sin against you, I’ve separated myself from you. If I sin against God, I’ve separated myself from Him. Sin is separation, and separation is sin. Some separation leads to death--like willful disobedience. Other separation does not.

Perhaps the easiest way to think of such "non-deadly" sin is as "distraction." Distraction is a form of separation. Adam and Eve were possibly so caught up with the wonder of God’s creation that they never got around to fulfilling His purpose. He wanted them to multiply, but that never happened while they were in the garden. Sometimes we too get distracted from God’s vision--even by good things. This won’t send us on a one-way ticket to hell, but it will bring correction from the Lord. Sin number one is distraction from God’s vision.

Sin number two is distraction from God’s order. God established man as a spiritual covering for woman. When was Eve led astray by the serpent? When was she tempted? In broad daylight while Adam stood by silently (notice how it says she gave some fruit to the man who was with her). We often unwittingly throw God’s order out the window by simply getting distracted. It happens in marriages, but also in the Church. Christ is the Head of the Church, but often we put all our faith in people like pastors or other leaders. Sometimes God still moves in that environment as He tries to bring us back to proper order, but it is spiritually limiting at best.

Sin number three was distraction from God’s thoughts. All they had known up to that point was what God had already told them. It wasn’t the temptation itself that was the sin; it was the fact that they entertained the thought of it. They separated themselves from what they knew to be trustworthy and true in order to believe a lie. Often times we’re tempted to do something, and we immediately shift our focus back to God. We defeat that temptation. Other times, though, we think about it for a while. We ponder how we could get away with it. For instance, we might ruminate on a possible lie until we think it’s air-tight enough to tell. Even if we don’t go through with it, it’s separation from God’s thoughts; and it will more often than not lead to greater willful sin.

Do you have any areas of your life in which non-deadly sin has started creeping in? Are you focused on God's vision for your life? Are you submitted to God's divine order? Are you "putting on the mind of Christ?" Falling short in these areas won't ruin your salvation, but it will hold you back from fulfilling your God-given purpose. If you see any shortcomings, I encourage you to repent and get your life on track with the One who can keep you from falling!

What is the "True Church?"

Is it defined by our big cathedrals with stained glass windows and mass choirs?

Is it defined by our fancy stage-shows with rock bands, lights, and illustrated sermons?

Is it defined by the hundreds of thousands of North Koreans who huddle together in secret meetings of 4 or 5 people for worship, fellowship, discipleship, and communion (if they get caught, they would be imprisoned, tortured, or even killed).

The true Church has no specific method or program that we can look at and say, "That's it!"--but it does have some very important scriptural qualities that are consistent throughout.

If you read through the book of Acts, you will find the word "Church" used rather often--and it always spoke of the people more than a system or religion. Here are a few examples:

• Acts 5:11--"Great fear seized the church." A religion can't experience fear--people do.
• Acts 8:1--The Church was persecuted and scattered. You don't persecute buildings, methods, religion, or programs--you persecute people. And if you scatter a building or oganization, it falls apart--but when the Church was scattered, it only served to spread the Gospel further!
• Acts 9:31--"Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord." These are qualities of people--not programs.
• Acts 12:5--The church prayed. Only people can do this--not a building or program.

Then we find out in Colossians 4:15 that someone (a woman at that) had church in her house!

So what is the "True Church?"

1 Corinthians 11:18 presents a beautiful clue as to what the "True Church" really is (even though this verse is talking about something else in context). It says right there in the middle: "...when you come together as a church..." In other words, Christians are Christians; but we become "the Church" when we come together!

The New Testament is full of instances where "The Church" is shown to be "The Body of Christ." And we're told over and over again that we are all different parts with many different roles. Even Jesus pointed out that He is present when we come together:

Matthew 18:20--For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (NIV).

Yes Jesus is within every individual Christian through the Holy Spirit, but He is only in the midst of us when we come together!

God does not call us to be individuals who invent our own personal brand of spirituality and wave the banner of "Just Jesus and me--I don't need anyone else." Such people are not only missing out on the love and fellowship that come from the true church, but they are also cutting themselves off from the full measure of Christian authority. Jesus didn't say that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against a single Christian--He said that they will not prevail against the Church!

There's more to be said about authority in the Church (which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets--Ephesians 2:20) and the fact that it's possible (and good) to organize and mobilize the Church (see Paul's letters to Timothy); but we'll save these for another time. For now, simply remember this:

We need each other! Let's come together and BE the church!

Discerning God's Voice

"God never ceases to speak to us, but the noise of the world without and the tumult of our passions within bewilder us and prevent us from listening to him." - Fenelon

How do we get to the point where we hear the voice of God even in the busy-ness of everyday life? Well, let me share an analogy with you.

Many of us can remember as children being at a big, busy party; and somehow--in another room--our ears would tune into the voice of our mother saying our name to someone else. We knew she was talking about us, and we raced into the room to figure out what was being said.

Why is this such a common experience? Because many children learn the voice of their mother in the quiteness of the womb, the crib, and her arms. Learn your mother's voice in the quiet times and you'll be able to recognize it in the busy times.

It's the same way with God. Get to know His voice in the quietness of devotion. Read His Word. Take time to pray. Seek to encounter Him and truly know Him on an intimate level. And the deeper you travel into the heart of God, the easier it will be to recognize and discern His voice in the midst of worldly noise.

It's at this stage that we find it easier and easier to be ambassadors of Christ in the circumstances of everyday life.