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--

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--

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--

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.

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!

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!

The Baptism of Repentance

The pictures attached to this post are of a couple friends of mine who my girlfriend Robin and I got to baptize in bathtubs recently. Our small group has been blessed to be leading people to Christ on a regular basis. These pictures were taken a couple months ago (a few weeks apart), and the man and woman being baptized are today radical followers of Jesus who come every week to our small group and have seen multiple miracles happen in and through their lives since coming to Christ. In fact, the young woman who was baptized only a couple months ago got to help guide another girl to Christ last week as she drove her home from our small group meeting!

I want to encourage every reader--if you have not already--to be baptized. And not only that, but I want to encourage you to feel free to baptize others! Philip did it in a little pool of water (Acts 8:36-38); and John did it in the desert region--specifically the Jordan River (Mark 1:4). And you don't have to be a member of the clergy to perform a baptism:

John 4:1,2--The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples (NIV).

Jesus put the ministry of baptism in the hands of the disciples! And who are the disciples?

John 15:4-8—[Jesus said:] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My TRUE DISCIPLES produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father (NLT, emphasis added).

You are Christ's disciple if you remain in intimate relationship with Him as evidenced by the "fruit" in your life. "Fruit" is simply evidence of the life within. If you are demonstrating the power and nature of Christ through the Holy Spirit in your life, then you are His disciple!

Today's post is all about baptism--specifically the spiritual and supernatural dimension that's involved.

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Ever heard of "water baptism?" This tends to be a matter largely disputed among denominations--one group says you can baptize babies; another group says the person must be old enough to make a conscious decision to follow Christ. One group says all you need to do is sprinkle the person with water--another says they must be fully immersed.

While I personally favor the idea that you should be fully immersed in water (and only when you can make a decision based on personal conviction), I do not believe I have the right to dictate whether or not God honors other forms of baptism--actually, I think He does for the most part.

In the book The Heavenly Man, Brother Yun recounts one of the times he was in prison for his faith. Long story short, through a miraculous course of events, the Holy Spirit used Yun in such a way that his cellmates (there were many prisoners in a cell) started coming to Christ all at once--falling on their knees and repenting! And since their water was strictly rationed, they only had a few drops of water available to baptize each one. Yun reports that their lives dramatically changed that day, and for days they all walked around with tears in their eyes. From then on they shared the Gospel in the prison yard and many prisoners came to Christ! Can you rightly argue that their "sprinkle" baptism is any less valid than someone who was fully immersed in water? I can't!

The method of baptism is less important than the spiritual dynamic behind the ritual. However, the full symbolism is only seen in total immersion: dying with Christ, being laid in the grave, and then being raised back up in new life.

Baptism is all about new life. According to John the Baptist and Jesus, baptism with water is a baptism of repentance. "Repentance" means to utterly change direction--a 180 degree turn. It is to dramatically change your way of life, your way of thinking, and your way of acting. It is not just to "turn away" from sin; it is also (most importantly) to "turn toward" God. Baptism with water is often called "the baptism of repentance" (Mark 1:4).

But righteousness comes by faith, not by baptism; so why do we need to be baptized? Well, why do you need to pray? Why do you need to fast? Why do we need to do anything? It’s a matter of relationship with God. Peter seems to imply that baptism is a form of prayer—an appeal to God.

1 Peter 3:21b—Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is AN APPEAL TO GOD from a clean conscience (NLT, emphasis added).

Maybe that’s why Luke’s account of Christ’s baptism reads like this:

Luke 3:21—When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And AS HE WAS PRAYING, heaven was opened…(NIV, emphasis added).

I believe water baptism is a form of prayer designed by God as a prophetic declaration to the kingdom of darkness that "this person belongs to a different King!" Baptism is a form of spiritual warfare!

Do you need to be baptized in order to be saved? Well, the thief on the cross next to Jesus didn’t get baptized, yet Jesus responded to the man’s faith and conviction by saying, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Salvation comes by faith, not by baptism.

But if you’re going to start living as an ambassador of the Kingdom—helping "God’s will" happen on earth—then you should be baptized. Baptism gives you authority over Satan and his demons. Come to think of it, the Orthodox Church has an icon (picture) of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and demons fleeing from the water. There is a very real spiritual dynamic to baptism--it's not just a symbol as many people believe.

Water baptism is a public confession of faith done in submission to the order of God. Not only is it a confession before man, but more importantly it is a confession of faith before the entire kingdom of darkness! We are often taught that baptism is for the church's sake and therefore must be performed with the church present. I don't see this anywhere in the Bible--in fact, I see the opposite. I see John baptizing in the desert (Mark 1:4) and Philip and the Ethipoian stopping at a pool of water by the side of the road (Acts 8:36-38)--who knows, it might have even been a puddle left over from the rainy season! Grated, there were always people present to witness the event, but there does not appear to be any requirement as to who those people were. The Ethiopian was baptized in front of the people in his procession, but it does not appear that any of these people were Christians! Nor do they appear to be repentant or else Philip might have baptized them too!

In a very real spiritual sense, a person does receive a certain grace from God when they are baptized.

On the other side of the coin, the more you question baptism and whether or not it’s necessary, the more you are questioning God’s order. The enemy will go to town on that one! They’ll know you’re not in line with the heavenly King or His authority.

The word "Kingdom" literally means "King’s domain," and the King’s domain is everywhere that His authority is expressed. Jesus told His disciples, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you." And Jesus said that we should pray for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth just like it is in Heaven. Water baptism is the first step of submission to God’s authority and is therefore the first stage of His Kingdom coming to the earth through you! The question is: Are you helping the process or hindering it? Are you submitted to His authority or arguing against it? Are you looking for every reason not to be "baptized" in the way we've discussed here, or are you excited about the opportunity to publicly demonstrate your love and obedience to Christ?

Are you like the rich young man (Mark 10:17-23) who counts the cost of repentance and decides it is too much trouble? Or are you like the Ethiopian Eunich (Acts 8:6-40) who was still in the process of hearing the Gospel when he said to Philip, "Look! There's some water! Why shouldn't I get baptized?!" Apparently the man didn't need to be taught any further because when he came up from the water, Philip disappeared as the Holy Spirit miraculously transported him to Azotus!

The emphasis the Bible places on baptism should give us a clue about how important it really is! So go get baptized and start to live in the authority you're given! And furthermore, look for opportunities to baptize others!

Matthew 28:18-20--Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"(NIV).