My Todd Bentley Dream

I write the following with grief, and anger, in my heart. I also write with the fear of God in mind: If anything I say here is contrary to God’s will, may it be accursed.

Last night I had a dream. In it I found myself walking up to a group of apostles sitting in a circle with Jesus on an elevated cement platform. I wasn’t sure it was Jesus at first, but then the apostles, who were somewhat arrogant and flippant in demeanor, assured me yes, this is Jesus. So I excitedly sat down, and there I sat for some time, watching His every move and listening to His every word (He was joyously preaching some really good things!). I was enthralled and invigorated just being so close to the King, my King. But then, suddenly, Jesus got up from the circle and walked over to a nearby woman and proceeded to commit fornication with her. I was shocked and disgusted. Immediately I realized that this Jesus was not the true Jesus. The true Jesus would not act contrary to His Word, the scriptures. Sadly, I been led astray by those haughty apostles, as well as by my own ignorance and gullibility. As I digested these facts in my spirit, I turned away from this false Christ (anointed one). I was then instructed by the Holy Ghost to wait for the real Jesus, who would be coming again soon in the clouds.

When I awoke from the dream I immediately thought about Todd Bentley. I thought about his female prosperity and wealth angel Emma (who is now a male I guess?), him selling (for a nice profit) miracle hankies in past meetings, him punching people and knocking out their teeth, him preaching “buy the anointing from me via offerings, big offerings,” him lying and/or exaggerating about miracles, him calling down angels, him lying about visions, gold dust, diamond dust, sapphire dust, gemstones, and oil stigmata, him trying so hard to become the next William Branham/the next big thing, and him hyping his ministry with all of the above.

While I’m an adamant supporter of what God did in the nineties through TACF and Rodney Howard-Browne, I have to say that alot of what Todd Bentley preaches and does is “another gospel,” one contrary to that preached by the apostle Paul. I believe my dream was an answer to prayer, as I have been asking God about Mr. Bentley for some time. Like the false Jesus of my dream, I think Todd Bentley is a false minister, whether by ignorance or by sinister choice, who is deceiving people with lies, many demonic visions, and distortions of scripture. At times he does preach really good, but that’s part of the deception. Those that know their Shepherd, and the character of their Shepherd, will turn from this man and his wickedness. They will flee his man-made doctrines (the cement of my dream) and fornication with mammon, self-promotion, demonic spirits, and the pride of this life and run into the strong tower of the Word of God.

The River of God, His presence, is a holy thing. Why some are polluting it with lies, simony, and deception is beyond me. Why some leaders are endorsing or passively ignoring the lies, simony, and deception is also beyond me. They will be judged if they don’t soon repent. May God actually send gemstones down from heaven (via the portals!) and knock some sense into the leaders of the “prophetic movement.” They are seriously in error with many of their doctrines.

I was once a very happy Holy Ghost party attendee, but that was when the River was flowing downwards (humility) and without pollution. Now that it’s now flowing upwards (pride) and with so much trash, I can’t jump in any more. It’s just too scary, and it’s just too unhealthy spiritually. That truly saddens me, for I love to party hard in the Lord. I really, really do.

Father, please take the prosperity gospel, diamond dust, oil stigmata, gemstones, portals, simony, and other strange teachings out of Your Body. Open people’s eyes to the truth. Deliver us from evil, Lord. Amen.

True Profit

A song calling for modesty, purity, and humility in the leadership of the Body of Christ, by Jerney ToHisheart:

We’ve made ministry a business,

Instead of a Spirit flow;

We’ve sold our King for profit,

Instead of loving Him so.

When will we hide, Church?

When will we hide?

He’s holding out His hands to us,

Longing for the fidelity of His redeemed bride.

“Come, come away with Me and hide!”

That’s the cry of Jesus,

The groan you feel inside.

We’ve made the outside beautiful,

Instead of adorning our hearts.

We’re going through the motions,

Not seeking what He imparts.

When will we thirst, Church?

When will we thirst?

He’s holding out a river to us,

A life-giving flow where

He is the headwater, the first.

“Come, come away with Me and drink!”

That’s the cry of Spirit,

The deep’s roaring brink.

We’ve made idols of each other,

Instead of Him, our Brother.

We’ve exalted gifts and flair,

Instead of our kind Lover.

When will we descend, Church?

When will we descend?

He’s holding out meekness to us,

The lowliness, humility

Of His Son’s scarred hands.

“Come, come draw near and see My Son!”

That’s the cry of Father,

The victory that was won.

We’ve loved what the world deems lovely,

Instead of all He died for.

We’ve dishonored the weaker,

Instead of blessing the poor.

When will we love, Church?

When will we love?

He’s holding out His heart to us,

A heart pierced by the sharpened points

Of our unsheathed spears.

“Come, come to My presence and dwell!”

That’s the cry of Yahweh,

What He wants His Church to sell.

Televangelists To Compete For Prestigious Math Award

Televangelists Mike Murdock, Steve Munsey, and Kenneth Copeland have been nominated and will compete for the 2009 Wolf Prize in Mathematics. The $100,000 prize, given annually for “achievements in the interest of mankind and friendly relations among peoples,” is second only in prestige to the Fields Medal, a highly regarded international mathematics honor.

Reverend Mike Murdock, of Mike Murdock Ministries, was nominated by Reverend John Hagee, of John Hagee Ministries. “Doctor Reverend Minister Mike definitely deserves the Wolf Award for his celebrated revelation ‘sowing big financial seeds into MMM (Mike Murdock Ministries) + buying all of my, Dr. Mike Murdock’s books = wisdom from God = prosperity.’ This magnificent revelation has brought increased prosperity to needy peoples all over the world,” said Hagee on the nomination form. Reverend Steve Munsey, of Steve Munsey Ministries, was nominated by Reverend Creflo Dollar, of Creflo Dollar Ministries. “Minister Leader Senior Pastor Munsey’s famed mathematical equation ‘giving $777.77 monthly to SMM + giving a one-time $8,888.88 seed to SMM in 2008 = a perfect new beginning of prosperity in your life’ has brought monetary prosperity and thus true happiness to multitudes on the face of this our great earth,” said Dollar. Reverend Kenneth Copeland, of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, was nominated by Reverend Mac Hammond, of Mac Hammond Ministries, for his revelatory and humanitarian mathematical law “giving loyally and abundantly to KCM + confessing ‘I am a millionaire’ forty times a day = wealth, riches, and honor from God.”

Nominations for the Wolf Prize can only be given by certain qualified individuals such as university department heads, directors of research institutes, directors of higher learning institutions, etc. Hagee claimed nomination suitability as he received an honorary doctorate from Oral Roberts University, is the founder of Christians United for Israel, a non-profit ministry designed to bolster support for Israel, and is one of the most famous and richest televangelists in the world. Dollar claimed suitability because he also has an honorary doctorate degree from ORU, is the founder of the online “School of Prosperity,” and has been on CNN defending the prosperity gospel a few times. Hammond claimed suitability as he is the founder of Living Word Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN, is the owner of two expensive condos in Florida, several luxury cars, airplanes, many fancy suits, and millions of dollars, and is a big winner at life. Reverend Rodney Howard-Browne, founder of the River Bible Institute in Tampa, Florida, nominated Reverend Rod Parsley for the award, but was deemed an unsuitable nominator after the Wolf Foundation discovered that his doctorate was given by a small diploma-mill bible school and not through an accredited institution. “We have to uphold the integrity of true doctoral degrees, which usually take several years of disciplined study at accredited schools and high costs to achieve,” stated the Wolf Foundation in their rejection letter. Reverend Paula White, of Paula White Ministries, also received a rejection letter after breaking basic nomination rules. Evidently, she had nominated herself for the prize.

2009 contenders may include Reverends Rick Godwin and Jesse Duplantis, as well as a plethora of African and South American evangelists who are currently working out their own golden mathematical equations. Only a few new moons will tell.

(Yeah, this is satire, wolf satire.)

http://www.wolffund.org.il/main.asp

God, help those who claim to be Your mouthpieces renounce the bodyguards, titles, seed-faith manipulations, greed, and limousines and receive Your grace. May a tidal wave of humility form, hit, and destroy all our fleshly structures. May repentance revive us; nothing less.

Youtube video of the century:

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=bzZq6hL-PMY

Amen, Andrew Strom! Amen!

There’s some grievous things going on at the following church den of iniquity. Come out and be ye separate, Eagle’s Nesters! Follow your Lord, not a man! God loves you and has better for you than this! Help the poor! Love one another! Stop enabling sin in the pulpit! Put your beautiful foot of glad tidings down and say ‘Stop the madness!’ Tell Rick Godwin that the perk he should desire and seek first and foremost is the perk of putting a smile on God’s face with his humility, obedience, and financial accountability and modesty, not the perk of mammon!:

Spending raises questions

Web Posted: 11/21/2007 06:06 PM CST

Abe Levy
Express-News Pastor Rick Godwin constantly presses his flock at Eagle’s Nest Christian Fellowship to give generously for a new $36 million megachurch under construction on the North Side at the same time he spends tens of thousands of dollars of church money on luxury items for himself.

When he flies, it’s first class or private chartered plane. He stays in high-end hotels and buys expensive gifts for some of his church associates. He can watch the Spurs from an AT&T Center luxury suite and play golf at the exclusive Club at Sonterra.

In 2005, an independent audit done at the church’s request questioned similar expenditures, such as spa services massages and vitamins for Godwin, and warned that changes were needed to bring the church into compliance with tax rules for religious nonprofits.

Accounting changes were made, Godwin recently told church members at a regular business meeting, and a new tax compliance audit has begun.

This year, financial records show, the church spent $143,000 on charter planes from January to July. For a ministry consulting trip that included his wife and another church couple, Godwin charged Eagle’s Nest more than $11,000 for a week’s stay in a luxury resort in Hawaii.

While in London, Godwin stayed at the elegant Berkeley Hotel in the Knightsbridge area at a cost of $4,500. As gifts for his church associates, Godwin charged to the church $2,600 for an Armani suit and accessories and $2,518 for a Cartier watch.

Godwin wouldn’t grant requests for an interview with a San Antonio Express-News reporter about church finances, including his travel and gifts, so it’s unknown whether he has reimbursed the church for any of these expenses or accounted for them as compensation, in keeping with the 2005 audit recommendation.

Eagle’s Nest coverage Godwin and Nail statements • Rick Godwin’s statement • Statement from Larry Nail Documents • Journal Entries • Ledger • Receipts • Audit pages 1-10 • Audit pages 11-20 • Audit pages 21-31 Talk Backs • Tell us if you think churches should be more accountable to their members, and if so, how? • When it comes to church-funded travel, gift-giving and other perks for pastors, how much is too much? • What do you make of the elders’ first public statement? Previous coverage • Church with open books wanted (Jan. 29, 200 • Volunteer leaders lose jobs at church (Nov. 30, 2007) • Pastor defends spending (Nov. 25, 2007) • Bob Richter: What would Jesus say about the profligate spending at Eagle’s Nest? (Nov. 25, 2007) • Elders address report on pastor’s spending (Nov. 22, 2007) • Spending raises questions (Nov. 18, 2007)

A reporter did contact several longtime church members upset by some of Godwin’s spending habits, but they said they have felt intimidated to say so publicly.

A growing church

As pastor since the independent church’s inception 23 years ago, Godwin, a former Baptist minister who trumpets the motto “Real, Raw, Relevant,” has built church attendance to as many as 3,000 for its three weekend services.

Now located near U.S. 281 and Bitters Road, the church promotes itself as a break from traditional denominations, offering rock-style worship music and multimedia presentations. It’s evangelical but cuts against the grain with a nonjudgmental approach, even on topics such as homosexuality and alcoholism. It also promotes racial diversity in its membership and leadership.

(John Davenport/Express-News) Donations are running short for the church’s future site. A fundraising brochure says, ‘Trust God to provide what He lays on your heart to give, even if the amount is more than your current resources can readily identify.’

Last year Eagle’s Nest took in nearly $6.5 million in income and launched a fundraising drive for its new church on 68 acres along Marshall Road in rapidly growing North Bexar County. Expected to open in May, it will be among the largest churches in the city, with a 5,000-seat sanctuary, a food court and Central Park Mall’s former Venetian carousel, for which the church had a separate $100,000 fund drive.

Among the amenities for Godwin, a speaker at national and international Christian and business conferences, and his wife, Cindy, the executive pastor, will be a two-car garage and a private elevator leading to executive offices in a separate wing.

At a recent business meeting, a church official announced donations are running $20,000 a month short of a goal of $5 million needed for the initial phase of financing.

A brochure about the drive asks people “to pray” and “give cheerfully.”

“Trust God to provide what He lays on your heart to give, even if the amount is more than your current resources can readily identify,” it says. “Jesus said, ‘Give and it will be given to you.’”

Raising concerns

Concerns about how donated church money was spent is a recurring theme in the ‘05 audit, a draft copy of which recently was obtained by the Express-News.

It cautioned the church to improve record-keeping and avoid expenses that appeared to be personal and not ministry related.

Among the findings of the audit, done by the certified public accounting firm of Ratliff & Sommerville in Arlington:

The church put 10 percent of all its revenue into a separate account that Godwin could use any way he wanted, subject to church elders’ approval, but the audit found no record of such approval in the elders’ meeting minutes.

The church pays for a membership in the Club at Sonterra and a luxury box at the AT&T Center for Spurs games, but there were no logs to record when Godwin used them for business or personal reasons.

While Eagle’s Nest paid for Godwin’s chartered flights to speaking engagements at other venues, the reimbursements received from the other churches covered only the cost of an airline ticket, not the full cost of the charter. Also, Godwin pocketed the speaking fees from the outside church for himself.

In 2004, the church paid $2,600 for one of Godwin’s daughters to get a flight upgrade on her honeymoon.

Also in 2004, the church spent $4,737 for an anniversary trip for Godwin and his wife that appeared to be strictly personal.

Jewelry costing $4,500 was given to Cindy Godwin.

It’s unknown what a final version of the audit, if there was one, concluded about the spending or what the church’s response has been. Godwin and church leaders have repeatedly declined interviews.

‘Giving fatigue’

As word has spread within the church about some of Godwin’s expenses, a growing number of members have been calling the church with questions. Godwin has directed most inquiries to finance committee members and elders.

Some church members say they have “giving fatigue” from numerous pledge drives. In recent years, the church has launched drives to pay off the loan for the existing church building and pave and light the parking lot there, buy the land for the new church, buy the children’s carousel for the new church and construct the building. In recent weeks, they have been asked to buy the first 2,500 chairs in a $300,000 drive.

To counteract such feelings, the church has broadcast video announcements on its large screens in the sanctuary, using parody and contemporary music.

A man with devilish-looking horns on his head and burning flames behind him speaks in one of the videos, saying he’s glad to see church members dislike giving money for new church building funds.

“People just run for the doors,” he says. “They think up all kinds of excuses, like we disagree with this and we think the church is putting too much into that and we hate the drapes. … They just don’t want to cough up the money to get the job done. And frankly we applaud them for that.”

Pastor perks

Some church members don’t see the humor in Godwin’s expenses, however, as they are asked for more and more donations.

One example is a late summer mission trip to Uganda to build a home for a woman to teach orphans. About 15 church members went, and all but two raised their own money for coach airfare of about $2,000.

One of the two was a staff member, for whom the church bought a coach ticket.

The other was one of Godwin’s daughters. For her, the church paid $10,031 for a first-class ticket, according to a church financial journal entry.

Another time, when the daughter accompanied her father to a speaking engagement in Australia last year, her flight was $15,567, a journal entry shows. It’s unknown whether Godwin reimbursed the church or what role, if any, his daughter had at the event.

In September, Godwin’s wife took a private plane to California — along with an unknown number of other church women — to attend a women’s conference that was training for Chosen, a women’s event put on at Eagle’s Nest. The cost of the chartered flight was more than $17,394, according to another journal entry.

Other times, elders and their wives have gone on trips with Godwin to places like Las Vegas and New York.

Another financial journal entry shows that an elder, Guillermo I. Rocha, and his wife went with the Godwins to Hawaii for consultation work at a church, which is on the big island of Hawaii. The couples’ hotel rooms were on the island of Oahu, where they stayed for a week at the five-star Halekulani Hotel, a 455-room oceanfront resort at Waikiki Beach, at a total cost of more than $11,000.

Rocha declined comment and referred any questions to the church’s lawyer, who refused a reporter’s requests for interviews.

Two other elders, Dr. Wayne Gordon and Harvey Mabry, received gifts from Godwin this year — Gordon the Armani suit and Mabry the Cartier watch, receipts show. Both elders did not return several phone calls from a reporter.

Godwin, speaking at the recent church business meeting, defended the church’s financial integrity. Because of the scope of the building project and the growth of the church, a comptroller had been hired to oversee finances, he said. He added that since the 2005 audit, two other audits — neither about tax compliance — were favorable and one helped the church secure a loan.

“We started out as a motorboat and now we’re a battleship,” he told the audience, later adding, “We’re healthy, we’re strong.”

(The above article ‘Spending raises questions’ is not satire. Wish it was.)

1965 Timely Prophecy

The following is a prophecy given in 1965 by the respected and late prophet, author, and teacher Stanley Frodsham.

With Great Judgments

With great judgments will I plead with the population of this country. Great darkness is coming upon the countries that have heard my gospel but no longer walk in it. My wrath shall come upon them. The darkness shall be so great, and the anguish so sore that men will cry out for death and shall not find it. There shall be a lingering death, famine, and great catastrophes.

My wrath shall be manifested against all ungodliness. It shall come with great intensity. You have known My love but have not known My wrath, My severity. My judgments are literal and not a thing to be lightly passed over.

Realize the severity of My judgments and My intense anger against the sin in My household. My judgments shall begin in My house. For I will cleanse My house that it be not partaker of My wrath against the iniquities of the cities. Before I visit the nations in judgment I will begin at My house…

When I do cause My wrath to come upon the cities of the world My people shall be separate. I desire a people without spot or wrinkle, and such shall be preserved by Me in the time of My wrath coming upon all iniquity and unrighteousness.

Cry Out Continually

I am going to prepare you for the coming days by a hard path that will cause you to cry out continually unto Me.

For when the going is easy, men do not seek Me, but rejoice in a temporary blessing. And when that blessing is removed they so often turn this way and that way but do not come to Me. I am showing you these things that you may seek Me continually and with great diligence. As you seek Me, I will open up truths to you that you have not seen before; and these very truths will be that which will enable you to stand in these last days.

As you are persecuted, reviled and rejected by your brethren then you will turn unto Me with all your heart and seek Me for that spiritual life you have need of. And when tribulation comes you will have that which will enable you to stand. For many shall be tossed to and fro. Men’s hearts shall fail them because of trouble on every hand. For these days shall be very terrible, the like of which has never been seen before.

When I visit My people in mighty revival power, it is to prepare them for the darkness ahead. With the glory shall come great darkness, for the glory is to prepare My people for the darkness. I will enable My people to go through because of the visitation of My Spirit. Take heed to yourselves lest you be puffed up and think that you have arrived.

Many shall be puffed up as in the olden days, for many then received My message but they continued not in it. Did I not anoint Jehu? Yet the things I desired were not accomplished in his life.

Listen to the messengers, but do not hold men’s persons in admiration. For many whom I shall anoint mightily, with signs and miracles, shall become lifted up and shall fall by the wayside. I do not this willingly; I have made provision that they might stand. I call many into this ministry, and equip them; but remember that many shall fall. They shall be like bright lights, and the people shall delight in them. But they shall be taken over by deceiving spirits and shall lead many of My people astray.

Seducing Spirits

Hearken diligently concerning these things, for in the last days shall come seducing spirits that shall turn many of My anointed ones away.

Many shall fall through divers lusts, and because of sin abounding. But if you will seek Me diligently I will put My Spirit within you. When one shall turn to the right hand or to the left you shall not turn with them, but keep your eyes wholly on the Lord. The coming days are the most dangerous, difficult and dark, but there shall be a mighty outpouring of My Spirit upon many cities, and many shall be destroyed.

My people must be diligently warned concerning the days that are ahead. Many shall turn after seducing spirits; many are already seducing My people. It is those who DO righteousness that are righteous.

Many cover their sins by great theological words. But I warn you of seducing spirits who instruct My people in an evil way. Many of these I shall anoint, that they may purify and sift My people; for I would have a holy people.

Many shall come with seducing spirits and hold out lustful enticements. You will find that after I have visited My people again, the way shall become more and more narrow, and fewer shall walk there in. But be not deceived, the ways of righteousness are My ways. For though Satan come as an angel of light hearken not to him; for those who perform miracles and speak not righteousness are not of Me.

I warn you with great intensity that I am going to judge My house and have a church without spot or wrinkle when I come. I desire to open your eyes and give you spiritual understanding, that you may not be deceived but may walk with uprightness of heart before Me, loving righteousness and hating every evil way.

Look unto Me and I will make you to perceive with the eyes of the Spirit the things that lurk in darkness, that are not visible to the human eye. Let me lead you in this way that you may perceive the powers of darkness and battle against them. It is not a battle against flesh and blood; for if you battle in that way you accomplish nothing. But if you let Me take over and battle against the powers of darkness then they are defeated, and then liberation is brought to My people.

I Warn You

I warn you to search the Scriptures diligently these last days.

For the things that are written shall indeed be made manifest. There shall come deceivers among My people in increasing numbers, who shall speak forth the truth and shall gain the favor of the people. For the people shall examine the Scriptures and say, “What these men say is true.”

Then when they have gained the hearts of the people, then and THEN ONLY shall they bring out these wrong doctrines.

Therefore, I say that you should not give your hearts to men, nor hold people’s persons in admiration. For by these very persons shall Satan enter into My people.

WATCH FOR SEDUCERS. Do you think a seducer will brandish a new heresy and flaunt it before the people? He will speak the words of righteousness and truth, and will appear as a minister of light, declaring the Word. The people’s hearts shall be won. Then, when the hearts are won, they will bring out their doctrines, and the people shall be deceived.

The people shall say, “Did he not speak thus and thus? And did we not examine it from the Word? Therefore he is a minister of righteousness. This that he has now spoken we do not see in the Word, but it must be right, for the other things he spoke were true.”

Be Not Deceived

Be not deceived. For the deceiver will first work to gain the hearts of many, and then shall bring forth his insidious doctrines.

You cannot discern those who are of Me and those who are not of Me when they start to preach. But seek Me constantly, and then when these doctrines are brought out you shall have a witness in your heart that these are not of Me.

Fear not, for I have warned you. Many will be deceived. But if you walk in holiness and uprightness before the Lord, your eyes shall be open and the Lord will protect you. If you will constantly look unto the Lord you will know when the doctrine changes, and will not be brought into it. If your heart is right I will keep you; and if you will look constantly to Me I will uphold you.

Great Dangers

The minister of righteousness shall be on this wise — his life shall agree with the Word, and his lips shall give forth that which is wholly true, and it will be no mixture.

When the mixture appears then you will know he is not a minister of righteousness.

The deceivers speak first the truth and then error, to cover their own sins which they love. Therefore I exhort and command you to study the Scriptures relative to seducing spirits, for this is one of the great dangers of these last days.

I desire you to be firmly established in My Word and not in the personalities of men, that you will not be moved as so many shall be moved. I would keep you in the paths of righteousness. Take heed to yourselves and follow not the seducing spirits that are already manifesting themselves.

Diligently inquire of Me when you hear something that you have not seen in the Word, and do not hold people’s persons in admiration, for it is by this very method that Satan will hold many of My people.

Truth In The Inward Parts

The truths that I have revealed to you must become a part of you — not just an experience, but a part of your very nature. Is it not written that I demand truth in the inward parts? It is the truth of the Lord expressed in your very being that shall hold you. Many shall experience the truth, but the truth must become a part of you, your very life.

As men and women look upon you they will hear not only the voice but see the expression of the truth. Many shall be overcome because they are not constant in My ways, and because they have not permitted the truths to become part of them. I am showing you these things that you may be prepared, and having done all, to stand.

Fear not the days to come, but fear this only, that you shall walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord.

In this time I am ordering and setting up My church and it shall indeed be pure, without spot or wrinkle. I will do work in My beloved that has not been seen since the foundation of the world. I have shown you these things that you may seek the Lord diligently with all your heart, and that you may be a preserver of His people.

Stanley Frodsham (1882-1969)

Kowtowing To An Anointing

As I was praying in tongues this morning, the word “kowtow” came up out of my spirit. I looked it up in the dictionary and it means this:

1. To kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in expression of deep respect, worship, or submission, as formerly done in China.
2. To show servile deference. See synonyms at fawn.
3. Fawn: to support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior.

As I continued praying, I felt like the Lord was telling me that many (most) of His leaders today kowtow to the anointing and/or gifts in other ministers, but they don’t kowtow to Him. They, like the Jews Jesus rebuked in John 5, accept praise from one another, but make little effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God.

The Apostle Paul wasn’t like that. He lived in the fear of God and was motivated by love in his ministry, love for the truth and love for the Body of Christ. For example, he said in 1 Timothy 1: “Command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer…these promote controversies rather than God’s work, which is by faith…the goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Also, in 1 Corinthians 3 he says to be very careful how you (ministers) build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. If you build with hay, straw, or wood, your structures will be burnt. You may be saved, but only as one escaping through flames. And if you corrupt the sacred temple of God (His Body) through false teaching, you in turn will be corrupted: do not deceive yourselves! Again, in Galatians 2 we read about Paul chastising Peter: “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, ‘You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?’

These three passages, along with a myriad of others in the New Testament, make it clear that God wants ministers to preach sound doctrine, and if they don’t they will pay a price for it. As well, those ministers who remain passive and don’t refute false teaching are just as guilty as those who teach it. Let’s read Revelation 2:20-25: “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teachings she misleads My servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know I am He who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets ( I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come.”

I believe God is looking for ministers and Christians today who will kowtow to Him alone. If a brother or sister has a great anointing or gift yet has false doctrine abounding in their ministry, it’s our duty to admonish them. If we don’t, we’re lovers of a gift more than lovers of the God who gave the gift.

Jesus hasn’t changed in the past 2,000 years. He still loves His entire Body equally and deems it sacred. If you’re a minister corrupting the Lord’s family through false teaching, stop it. If you’re a minister passively watching your colleague preach nonsense, stop it. Who do you love more, Jesus or your colleague? Is not your loyalty to your Savior first and foremost?

I’m tired of cowards leading the Body of Christ. I’m tired of cancers spreading through the Body, ravaging my brothers and sisters in the Lord. And so is the Lion of Judah, whose glory is what I seek.

Thank God for lowly Paul, who always championed the truth; by doing so he unselfishly and bravely protected the Body. In this day where Rick Joyner is telling us we need to honor fathers in the Body of Christ, I say we should honor Paul, a true father of our faith. We can do this not through lip service, but by imitating him and by heeding his (which are really God’s) words. If we continue to embrace or ignore doctrine that is contrary to what he wrote, we’re doing something much worse than dishonoring him: we’re arrogantly thumbing our greedy, prosperity-, minstry-, and position-obsessed snouts at him.

How dare we.

Gray Coats, Blue Coats, White Robes, and Brotherly Love

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

I have this really good Christian friend named Lopez. He thinks being slain in the Spirit is unscriptural; that Rodney Howard-Browne is a demon-possessed fanatic; and that the Toronto Blessing is a deception of the enemy. I, however, think being slain in the Spirit is fine; that Rodney Howard-Browne is a true revivalist; and that the Toronto Blessing is of God. I qualify my beliefs with this: being pushed down by a minister in the name of being slain in the Spirit is wicked manipulation; Rodney Howard-Browne’s embrace of bodyguards, limos, legalism, and some other things has soured me; and the Toronto Blessing movement does have error in it (such as a tendency toward spiritual elitism, a plethora of untested visions and signs, a lack of zealous biblical discipleship resulting in ministers being promoted because of their gifts or “visions” not their tested character, and a paranoia of grieving the Spirit which undermines true, healthy God-given discernment).

Years ago whenever I would fly off to a TACF conference, Lopez would always warn me and tell me to be very careful. In response, I would always agree, yet beg him to come along with me; I so wanted him to experience the sweet move of God there. But he never joined me, as he was adamant about keeping any form of deception out of his life. I’ve always admired this about L, although at times I wish he would trust the Holy Spirit more. Sometimes God has specifically sent me to meetings to sharpen my discernment skills, and I think L, who has been saved and filled with the Spirit for over thirty years, could have benefited likewise. Once several years ago I was at a TACF conference in which the guest speaker was preaching some pretty bad doctrine. It surprised me because I hadn’t expected it. But the Lord used it to teach me and others in the meeting that some of the prominents in the River/prophetic arenas are off in areas, and that we needed to keep listening to the Spirit and keep clinging like good and loyal soldiers to the Word of God. It was a hard but invaluable lesson. I’m certainly not saying God wants us all to go sit under false teaching. False teaching is like cancer. But it is out there and we need to know how to combat it. I also must say that I’ve sat under other ministers at TACF and have never heard any false doctrine from them. It’s those times that I most fondly remember.

So Lopez and I disagreed about TACF, yet we still remained friends. We never hated each other for our different beliefs, and we never shunned each other either. He kept being my brother and friend when I returned from Toronto, and I kept being his. I didn’t look down on him, and he didn’t brand me a deceived River fanatic.

What was the key to our peace? What kept us from having our own little civil war? Respect. Respect for each other and respect for God. You see, our fellowship was not based, nor was it conditional, on whether or not we agreed about the Toronto Blessing. It was based on the blood of Jesus Christ. Over time it became clear that neither of us was going to change each other’s minds about the River, so we decided to love one another despite our differences. We decided that we wanted to glorify God with our lives, and this meant loving one another and giving each other the freedom to stand before the Lord as our consciences let us (see Romans 14). As well, we had so many other things in common like the Word of God, evangelism, and our mutual disgust of the tithing lie and the unbalanced prosperity doctrine that we could walk far together (Amos 3:3).

In the midst of Christian civil war prophecies, I’d like to say that I’m not a blue coat or a gray coat. I’d like to think I’m a red coat, just like Jesus, or a white robe: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

While I deeply believe that God does make and is making war against religion and the evil spirits behind it, I believe they and our carnal mindsets are the only casualties He wants lying dead on the field. I don’t believe He wants our discernment and love slain in the holy battle. In our freedom, in our wonderful Holy Ghost freedom, we must always remember what Paul said, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:13-15)

For those in the River, I say: “Rivers grow in depth and power as they carry rocks and sand with them downstream. These particles gouge into the earth, thereby creating deeper riverbeds and thus rivers with more water and a stronger current. Of course the Word of God–Jesus–is our Rock, and unless we carry it/Him downstream with us there will be no real River growth. Also, rivers descend; they don’t ascend. If you’re Rivering without humility, you’re not Rivering, you’re sinning. Stop it. God is wanting Christians across this earth to embrace His presence, and you’re in the way. Some of you think you’re right in the flow, even a key-player in the flow, yet you’re merely a beaver helping other spiteful, arrogant beavers build dams for your own selfish lusts. Repent. Without holiness you will never see the Lord.”

For those not in the River, I say, “Do not despise prophecies; do not quench the Spirit; and keep testing all things. I do urge you to embrace the River, which is simply God’s awesome presence, in your churches, for what’s church without the glory of God? Religion, I think. (Yuck! God hates it!) Open up your services to the Holy Ghost, and God will reward you (Hebrews 11:6). Hold tight to the Bible, but be sensitive to what God wants to do in your midst. He wants to meet you on Sunday, and He wants to meet you in your homes. Respect Him in that regard just as much as you respect His Word.”

Love,

C. KingHisglory, a soaker in His presence and His Word (a dual soaker)

“God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and truth.” Jesus, John 4:24, New Testament, Bible

Lakeland Revival “Burn Service” Puts Smile on God’s Face

Tonight at the Lakeland Revival, the greatest miracle in the history of Christianity occurred: First, all full-time ministers in attendance were instructed to record their titles (pastor, evangelist, senior-pastor, youth pastor, teacher, revivalist, doctor, reverend, doctor reverend, minstrel, minstrel reverend, worship leader, senior worship leader, junior worship leader, associate worship leader, apostle, prophet, prophetic evangelist, senior intercessor, intercessor, children’s pastor, doctor reverend pastor, televangelist, senior pastor televangelist, missionary, missionary reverend, movement father, movement mother, movement pastor father, movement pastor mother, revival pastor, revival evangelist, miracle-worker, miracle-worker revivalist, international apostle, international prophetic apostle, international televangelist, international reverend apostle evangelist pastor teacher prophet doctor, healing evangelist, minister reverend teacher, minister, minister reverend apostle, prophetic minister, apostle doctor, missionary to the nations, full-time minister, renowned minister, renowned apostle, senior associate pastor, ministry president, ministry vice-president, senior elder, senior deacon, senior youth pastor, high reverend, highest reverend, high apostle prophet, highest apostle prophet, stadium revivalist, big stadium revivalist minister, the new Elijah, the new Elisha, the next Willie Branham, etc.) on a white 3×5 card, then march to the center of the stadium where a raging bonfire was burning. Next, they took turns throwing their cards/titles into the fire as the laycrowd cheered, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus increase! Jesus, Jesus, Jesus increase!”

At midnight when the last card was tossed into the fire, those closest to the blaze could see the outline of a gigantic smile appearing in the flames. “I believe the Consuming Fire, otherwise known as God Almighty, was really happy about what happened tonight, so He sent us the sign of His smile. I was sitting only a few feet from the raging fire and I personally witnessed the big grin in the flames. It was totally awesome,” testified Mark Wounds, a Lakeland resident and part-time minister at Big Destiny Church. When asked if he threw his title of “elder” into the blaze, he smiled and responded, “No, it was for full-timers only. I get to keep my title, hee hee!”

Father, this is my fantasy revival. Thanks for letting me fantasize. I love You, Amen.

(Note: this is satire, although maybe someday it will come true.)

What the angels sang as The Lakeland Burn burned:

http://www.hallelujah-chorus.com/audio/hallelujah-chorus-9MB.mp3

Angel Named “Hugh” Appears at Lakeland Revival

Last night at the historic revival of the great revivalist Todd Bentley, a 5-foot-tall male angel named Hugh Mility appeared and then disappeared, all in a matter of seconds. Evidently, as soon as Hugh arrived near the back of the stadium, the angel Emma kicked him out, saying, “We’ll never advance the kingdom with you around. When you appear, people start getting content, obedient, lowly, meek, and all nice to each other, and today’s the day of spiritual aggression and fervor. It’s the day of striving for anointings, offices, wealth, names, titles, authority, being included in the prophetic who’s who, and prominence, not striving to be the least. Haven’t you heard the prophetic crowing of the people roosters? It’s a new day, Hughie. Go back to Africa before God sends you to Jupiter where your ignorant friend Connie dwells in deserved solitude.”

Evidently three people heard and saw this angelic interaction; they have chosen to remain anonymous out of fear for their families.

For more about the angel Connie:

http://hermansmith.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/angel-of-contentment-banished-to-jupiter/

Father, shower us with the rain of humility after You send the fire of holiness. I thank you for prophetic symbolism, miracles, signs, angels, revival, and everything of Your glory that’s good, but please remind us the way up is down, and the way to greatness is service. Take away our titles and leave us with You. It’s all about You, not us. Love, your bondslave, C. (I’m not on the prophetic who’s who roll, but I’m on the Rock, standing firm!)

The Coming Raging Fire

From a post on the Elijah List:

THE RAGING BAPTISM OF FIRE IS COMING TO THE CHURCH
Lucas Sherraden, Houston TX
Jul 5, 2002
email: pastor@greatwood.org

July 02, 2002

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Bio: Lucas Sherraden is a pastor in the Houston, Texas area. His local fellowship is a part of Graham Cooke’s apostolic network and in relationship with James Avenue Church in Ft. Worth. They are also are in relationship with IHOP-KC.

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There is a baptism of fire coming to the church. This new move of God’s Spirit will clarify for many a new dimension of what the fire of God is. Unlike a painful and dreaded event, this outpouring will reflect a Bridegroom’s heart of love for His Bride.

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THE FIRE FOR GOD’S LOVE FROM HIS THRONE

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I saw a river of fire that came from the throne of God. The origination point of this mighty river was the very heart of God. Then I realized that the fire of God wasn’t just his judgment, justice, vengeance, anger toward sin, but it was primarily His love and passion. The current of this river was raging. It was obvious that if anyone were to step into the river even a little, they would be instantly swept away by the strength of the current.

As I noticed people around the river looking at it, talking about it, nervously laughing at the speed of its current, I saw Jesus come behind people and begin throwing them into the fire. He was doing this like it was fun for Him. He was laughing and was filled with joy. However, some people screamed with terror and fought it. They tried to resist and began to pray rebuking the Lord not realizing that all the time it really was the Lord. They reasoned that this cannot be God because God would never do this. Yet the Lord still threw them in.

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JESUS ACTUALLY HELD THEM UNDER

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Others reluctantly submitted and yet others were willing and ready to go. As they entered the river, Jesus went into the river and actually held them under! For the ones that resisted and fought the Lord this was extremely difficult and hard. It went against their idea of who Jesus was. Some submitted and yet others left the river to go back to shore. When the returned to shore they began to do exactly what they had been doing prior to Jesus throwing them in. They were content to watch the river rush by and not be in the river.

I began to understand that Jesus was baptizing individuals with fire as John the Baptist had prophesied. This baptism of fire will be a total immersion in a river of fire, which is God’s intense passion for His people. This baptism purifies because the inner-heart desires of God’s people will change as we drown in the river of fire. I noticed that as Jesus held people under and they quit struggling, things began to float off of the person and to the surface of the river. As it surfaced, it burned away instantly. This was old, sinful, carnal desires floating to the surface of the river of passion as God submerges us deeper into it. As sin came off, Jesus pushed people further down.

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CONSUMED WITH A DESIRE FOR THE FIRE

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Then I noticed that the people who were going deeper began to change. They were consumed with a desire for this fire instead of what used to thrill them. “The love of Christ will constrain us” was their motto. His love became compelling in a much deeper way. When this baptism is released, God’s people will be surrounded and buried in the intensity of His passion. Everywhere we turn, everywhere we look, everywhere we are we will see, experience and feel the fire of God’s passion for us.

We will be undone. His fire will overwhelm the church not in a judgment of wrath - but in passion of love.

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APOSTOLIC DEMONSTRATIONS

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When God releases the fullness of this baptism, it will result in an ongoing outbreak of apostolic demonstrations of God’s power in signs and wonders. The miraculous and the supernatural will become normal in many churches. Church will not be what we have come to experience and know.

This next move is unprecedented. I noticed that many in this fire became quite powerful with signs and wonders accompanying their lives. It was as if the miraculous couldn’t be helped. There were even accidental miracles happening because the anointing was so strong.

The most powerful demonstrations of God’s power did not happen when God’s people gathered for meetings (and there were powerful demonstrations in each meeting), but it happened when those immersed in fire went out to the world. Miracles happened to the lost. I saw neighborhoods gathering in front of houses where someone everyone knew had just been healed of terrible diseases. I saw people in the workplace stop their workday because someone was healed right on the job. Hospitals saw regular healings as nurses and doctors who were baptized in fire would lay hands on patients and the patient’s problems would go away. The greatest expressions of church happened unexpectedly and in unpredictable places.

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NOW IS THE TIME TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND OBEY

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I felt the Lord telling me that now is the time to commit to and rest in hearing God’s voice and immediately and unquestioningly obeying all that we hear. We are to learn to rest in obedience or we will turn back to what used to be anointed. Learning this lesson now will prevent us from falling back into the familiar. Without this baptism, we would rest on the obedience of yesterday and with what we have believed to be right in the past.

But being immersed in the passion of God will burn away this routine. Those who left the river did this. They returned to the version of Christianity they were familiar with. The enemy and a religious spirit hate this move of God and will be at work trying to distract people back into Christianity as usual. But many in the church will not be like Lot’s wife and look back. They will press ahead!

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FASCINATED WITH JESUS, NOT THE WORKS

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The outbreak of signs and wonders will result in a newfound fascination with Jesus. Very few will be fascinated only with the marvelous works done in the church. The names of the people who worked miracles will hardly be remembered. They will only remember the name of Jesus. Right now people become fascinated with places, ministries and individuals who carry authority in the Spirit. People flock to locations where there is a move of God because they are so hungry for the Lord.

But after this baptism, we will not be awestruck with where God’s hand is at work because we are mesmerized with Him. It is only at His feet where we will be at home. God’s jealousy will be satisfied. As this move of God was unleashed and with every miraculous demonstration people became totally overwhelmed with the character and nature of God when they saw His beauty.

He will have a Bride that is only enamored by Him and not where He is at work. This move of the Spirit will remove the heart of Gomer from His Bride (Hos. 1:3).

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SPIRITUAL FIDELITY WILL BE RESTORED

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Spiritual fidelity will be restored. I saw church leaders and Christians who were on the trading block selling themselves to many things. Church growth was a fascination and it became harlotry. Effective ministry and techniques that led to life transformation were fascinations and leaders were selling themselves to be more effective.

After the river of fire experience - spiritual adultery burned away for many. The heart of Gomer was one of the things that surfaced in the river of fire. No more will those in leadership be fascinated and consumed with a primary desire to reach more people and to minister more effectively because they will be consumed with the love God has for them. In turn as they were consumed and the fire surfaced, more people came and ministry was more effective.

Because of the signs and wonders and miracles, people became obsessed and consumed only with the Bridegroom. No longer was the church driven by success in ministry, comfort, or a few momentary highs in the Spirit. Our desire will be nothing other than to dwell in intimacy with the Lord.

He will be our only reward.

Amen, Lord, burn everything in my life that’s not of You, and burn away the sin and harlotry in Your church. Amen! Amen!

Joshua Mills Has Divine Visitation From Jesus and the Apostle Paul

According to eye-witness reports, Jesus and the Apostle Paul made an appearance in a May 16 “Soupernatural Kitchen Conference” featuring “Chef” Joshua Mills. However, the visitation was tested by the prophets present and deemed “false and a deception of the enemy.”

Maribell Jones of Barnesville, Georgia reported this: “At about 8:00 p.m., I was sitting in the second row worshipping God. The music was really nice and the atmosphere charged. Suddenly Josh Mills began manifesting the oil sign, the feather in the ear sign ( a rather new sign meaning he can now hear angels daily), the red eye sign (another new sign meaning he can now see who’s in hell and what sign skeptics will go there when they soon die), and the blue sapphire dust sign all at once. Then when he opened his mouth and began preaching, I saw gold dust on his tongue and that his teeth had turned a brilliant white. They were so white they blinded some of us. So as we sat in our chairs blinded and listening to Joshua preach about the coming August explosion of the ‘white teeth sign,’ out of nowhere Jesus and the Apostle Paul showed up. They stood below the stage where JM was preaching and manifesting and said this (as soon as they appeared my blindness left):

Paul (he spoke first): ‘Do not teach false doctrines or perform phony manifestations any longer, and stop devoting yourself to these things. They promote controversies rather than God’s work–which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. You have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless conjurations. You want to be a minister of the supernatural yet you don’t know what you’re talking about and confidently affirming most of the time.’

Jesus (spoke secondly): ‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. There He abides in glory, the glory you so continually speak of and profit from, watching everything you do and everything you say. And those angels you speak so fondly of, they too watch what you say and do, recording every single heart intent, decision, thought, and action you make. Will you come to Me on the Day of Declaration and say, “Lord, Lord, did I not prophesy, manifest astounding signs, cast out devils, sing new spiritual songs, and perform many miracles?” But unless you repent of your ways and begin truly following the ways of My Spirit, I will tell you plainly, “Away from Me, you evildoer.” Hear My words and build upon them, O man of the flesh, O man leading many astray. For My words themselves are the glory of God you so calculatingly promote. This glory when combined with the glory of My presence and the true supernatural is the pure and only mixture I want to rain upon My beloved. Hear Me this day, O man, O showman. Stop your acid rain!”

After the two spoke, they disappeared, leaving us all speechless. But within a few minutes, the leaders/prophets in the meeting huddled on stage and discussed what had happened and what was said. After about an hour they issued this statement via Minister Lucy Rael:

‘The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:29 that prophets are to judge things like what just happened. We have done that and found that although our hearts burned within us while Jesus and Paul spoke their silly lies, it was really a trick of the skeptics. Like the show American Idol did with their Elvis Presley apparition, the unbelieving brethren have cleverly devised a way for visions to appear in our sacred meetings. We will now end the conference, after taking another offering, and search for their hidden technological equipment, which they probably planted last night after breaking into the building. Shame on them for stooping so very, very low. Civil war has indeed begun, saints! Take your sides! Jesus is on our side! See this feather below me, this is a sign that He’s on our side! Praise the Lord! He’s on our side and He hates all skeptics!’

“With that, a cloud of confusion came over us all and we left. Some of us went to Denny’s and talked about it, but we’re still unsure what to think. I guess we’ll have to go to our pastor and ask him what we should think because none of us know the Word of God too well and even then the Word leaves alot of things open for interpretation. And I can’t trust my heart because Josh Mills infers that supernatural signs outweigh what our sinful, deceived hearts might affirm and confirm, even though the Spirit of Truth lives inside our sinful, deceived hearts.”

Folks, over the past ten days the Lord’s been telling me He had a word for Joshua Mills. After daily mulling that over in my heart, this morning I awoke and the Lord gave me the above. I guess you can call it prophetic satire. Josh Mills, stop polluting the River, in Jesus’ name. Stop polluting the Lord’s beautiful, holy River, or you too will be polluted by the hand of God. I speak this truth firmly in love.

Scripture basis: 1 Tim. 1:3-7; Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Cor. 3:10-17

http://www.filmbaby.com/films/2150

Know Your Lord

I love the following post by Hollie Moody. You’ll know the false from the true by knowing Jesus. We (Christians) all have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us in these difficult times. I myself embrace the River of God’s Presence and Joy, yet I do not follow false teachings that are sometimes proclaimed from other swimmers. I cling to the Word while floating downstream to the end of my race.

Vision: The Enemy’s Battle Plan
by Hollie Moody
(April 25, 2000)

As I was praying on April 25th, 2000, I began to see in my mind a picture of the Lord. He was sitting on a rock and groups of people of all ages were gathered around Him. They all seemed to be laughing and talking together. I felt joy and peace and happiness as I viewed this scene. At times, the Lord would reach down and bring a child onto His lap. Or, He would reach out and a baby would be placed into His arms. He would then gaze down into the face of the baby and speak softly and tenderly to the baby. At other times, someone would draw close to His side, and He would place His arm around them, and draw them closer to Him.

An angel approached the Lord. The crowd before the Lord parted to allow the angel to draw near to the Lord. A silence fell over the laughing, joyous crowd as the angel stopped before the Lord and began to speak. From the way this angel was dressed, I sensed immediately that this was a warring angel. Being a warring angel and well aware of the coming battle plan of the enemy, he spoke with a strong sense of urgency and even perplexity in his voice. He was very concerned.

“There is work to be done,” the angel said to the Lord. “Why do the people only sit here idly? These are dangerous times. The people should be doing battle in prayer and in the spirit. Instead, they sit here at Your feet, laughing. They are completely unaware of what is even now transpiring in the courts of hell.” With great concern in his voice, the angel asked, ” Why are You allowing this?”

[Before continuing the vision, as a side bar to that conversation, I had the impression the angel and the Lord had been in each other's presence numerous times and had many conversations with one another. What the angel said did not sound disrespectful or challenging at all. I could feel how he was feeling, and it was a genuine question in the midst of such perplexing opposition to come.]

The Lord gazed with love at the angel before Him. “Before I answer your questions,” the Lord replied, “take this child of Mine and show them what is being planned by the enemy.”

Both the angel and the Lord then turned their heads and stared at me. “This will be too much for her,” the angel protested.

“Take her, and show her,” the Lord repeated. (The angel bowed his head to the Lord, then turned towards me.)

I began to back nervously away as the angel approached me. “Where are you taking me?” I asked the angel.

“To the enemy’s camp,” the angel replied.
“Go with him,” the Lord instructed me.
I felt very nervous and afraid, but allowed the angel to touch me. As soon as the angel touched me, we were in darkness. I felt fear engulf me.
“Fear not,” the angel said to me, and instantly, the fear vanished.

The darkness seemed to dissipate, and I discovered that the angel and I were in what appeared to be a great court. A man was sitting on a large throne, and before him were gathered all types of creatures and men. (This “court” had the appearance of a cave. When I first viewed this scene, I felt stunned. I’m not sure why. It was like something “rebelled” in me at what I was seeing.)

“Who is that man on the throne?” I asked the angel. “And who are the creatures and men gathered before him?”
“That is the accuser of the brethren and his armies,” the angel replied.
I then realized that I was in the presence of satan. (When the angel informed me that this man was satan, the fact that he was sitting on a throne amazed me. Later, when I prayed about this aspect of the vision, I felt that the Lord said that satan was trying to copy everything that was God’s in heaven, for himself.)

Satan was speaking, and I heard him say, “This will be our strategy.” He then got up from his throne and went to stand in front of a large map on the wall behind him. As I stared at the map, I became aware that it was a map of the entire world. (It is very hard to describe this “map.” The map wasn’t actually “pinned” or “hanging” on the wall, but it was in front of the wall. But, it was like I could see it from all angles. And also, I could see like “air waves,” “wind currents,” the tides of the seas, etc. I could also see the hemisphere around the world ~~ moons, stars, planets, etc. I really have no words or way to correctly put down the appearance of this “map.”)

Satan began to divide the world into sections. Then, he called out some names. I saw the creatures and the men gathered before satan part, and very large and strong looking angelic beings approached satan. (I saw four of these mighty looking angelic beings.) I could sense the power of these beings, and sensed the evil and wickedness of that power. A hush had fallen over the crowd.

“Who are these beings?” I whispered to the angel who I was with.
The angel I was with seemed concerned. “They are satan’s princes.”
Satan began speaking again, and he was assigning sections of the world to each of these “princes.”
“You will need your armies,” satan said to them. “Choose whoever you will. All is at your disposal.”

The large beings then began to pick and choose who would be in their particular army. (This was by no means “orderly.” There was a great deal of arguing, bickering, etc.) When they were finished, they all turned back to satan and stared at him.
“Each prince will teach you our strategy to deceive and to destroy and to slay mankind,” satan said. “Go with them.”

The princes and their armies began to exit from the presence of satan. The angel and I began to follow one of the groups. They went into what appeared to be a school room. The prince went to the front of the room and began to instruct his army on how to deceive, destroy and slay the people in their particular section of the world that had been allocated to them. The angel and I then went to each “classroom.” The same plans and strategies were being “taught” in each “classroom.” (By the “same” plans, I don’t mean each class was teaching the exact same thing. What I mean, is that each class was very thorough in what it was teaching, and on how to apply what was being taught.)

In some of the classrooms, they were studying political leaders. Their families, homes, lifestyles, etc., were being closely scrutinized. I felt very frightened and helpless, very overwhelmed, as I saw and heard how very thorough these “lessons,” for lack of a better word, were. Nothing was left to chance. Every area of these political leaders’ lives was being dissected and investigated and studied. Demons were being assigned on how to “attack” and influence and “control” each of these political leaders, their families, and even their friends and co-workers. Nothing was left to chance. Nothing was overlooked. The books they read, the radio stations they listened to, etc., everything, everything was being discussed. The enormity of all of this was absolutely mind boggling to me. This also occurred with the religious leaders.

It was the “religion” classes that frightened and shocked me the most. In these classes, religions of the nations were being studied and discussed. Even New Age and occult, wicca, tarot, etc., were being discussed. Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., were being discussed. The bibles and books and other writings for all of these religions were being read and studied. Each denomination of Christianity was being studied. The Bible being studied was the major source of information for these “lessons.” This was truly horrifying and shocking to me that demons were reading and studying the Bible. And, it was all for the intent to twist what was written, and to seek ways to misinterpret, misrepresent, etc., it to Christians. The demons were discussing ways to “dilute” the Gospel. They were discussing ways to “incorporate” major beliefs from all the religions into one big acceptable “gospel for humankind.”

Some of the demons in these religion classes were ordered to “infiltrate” churches, were being taken into actual churches, and were watching how the people prayed, worshipped, sang, etc. They were studying how messages were being delivered to the congregations in numerous churches. They were studying the individuals who were used in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit. These individuals were followed around constantly by assigned demons, who watched and listened to everything these people said and did. The friends and family members of these individuals were also studied. The demons discussed ways to drive wedges, etc., between those people who were truly being used of God, and the people they went to church with, and even how to cause these peoples’ own pastors and spiritual leaders to lose faith and confidence in these people who were used in the gifts of the Spirit. I felt so angry and frustrated and helpless as I saw and heard how this was to be accomplished, and how it had already been initiated in many, many congregations, and how it was largely succeeding.

Many of these “religious” demons, for lack of a better word, were being taught how to sing in churches, how to dance in the Spirit, how to pray and teach. I felt at times as if I were going to vomit as I witnessed many demons in these classrooms “practicing” how to worship the Lord, and how to be a Christian. Seeing a demon “dancing before the Lord” is so awful, and so sickening, that there are just no words to describe it adequately.

Some of these more “major” demons, could also work “signs, and wonders, and even miracles.” Some of these demons, were also being taught how to be “Christ.” This was being done, by actually studying the scriptures. Seeing some of these demons acting and speaking like Christ, shocked me speechless. Seeing them reading the Bible, was like an abomination to me.

In some of these classes, even UFO’s and aliens were being discussed, and how to deceive people through these phenomenon. There were classrooms where food and dress and slang words - yes, slang words(!) were being studied. Crops were being studied and discussed. All of this was just so vast, it overwhelmed me.

Suddenly, the “classes” began to leave the rooms. The angel and I followed them. They congregated back in front of satan.

“Report,” satan said. “How will we deceive, destroy and slay mankind?”
One of the princes came forward and began to outline their plans and strategies to satan.

“The people want signs and wonders and miracles from their religious leaders,” the prince said. “We know that our enemy will be, and has begun already, to grant this unto his children. We will slip in with a counterfeit move, and deceive many. We have taught our armies how to mimic worship, praise, and looking and acting like a true believer. We will give unto our armies the ability to work signs, wonders and even miracles. But while all become focused upon these outward manifestations, others of us will begin behind the scenes to dilute the message of the gospel. We will accomplish this partly through speaking to the people about God’s ‘true’ nature. We will allow the people to create God into what and who they want Him to be.”

“Good,” satan said. “Very good.”
The prince began to speak once again. “When the people have created their own version of God, then, we will give them OUR god.”
The crowd before satan began to cheer wildly.
“We must depart !” the angel urged me.

Suddenly, we were back before the Lord. He was still in the midst of His children; laughing with them, talking to them, touching them.
A silence fell over the group once again as the angel I was with once more approached the Lord. The angel reported to the Lord all we had heard and seen in hell.

The angel was very concerned and distressed, asking, “Why are You just sitting here with the people? Why haven’t they been sent to begin battle? How will they be able to discern this coming great deception if they aren’t even aware that one is coming?”

The Lord became grave. His face as He looked at His children was alight with His great love for them. I noticed tears in His eyes. Then, He turned His head and looked at the angel speaking with Him.
“My children will know the false, by knowing the true,” the Lord said. “The longer they spend in My Presence, the more they will know My voice when they hear it. A voice of a stranger, they will not follow.”

“But the enemy has those who have been taught to speak just as You do,” the angel protested. “They sound almost just like You.”
“Almost,” the Lord replied gently. “Almost they sound like Me. Only My sheep who have lingered long in My Presence will know the voice of their true Shepherd. And this is why I spend so much time with My children. I spend as much time with them as they allow Me to. I know very well what the enemy is planning. My plans are plans of love and fellowship.”

The angel and the Lord both fell silent as they gazed at the crowd before the Lord. “Love them well!” the angel replied.

“Yes, a battle is coming,” the Lord sighed, and I saw tears in His eyes. “Great wickedness and persecution upon My children; My true children who know My voice. A time of wickedness and persecution such as has never been seen or experienced. Yet in the midst of it all, I will move, I will bless, I will speak, I will love. I will win. There are those of My children who sense much of this. They are the ones who will never stop praying and interceding; not even in times of seeming peace.”

“What about me, Lord?” I asked.

The angel and the Lord looked at me. “Pray,” the Lord replied. “Tell the prayer warriors to strengthen themselves and their brothers and sisters in the times of peace.
I will be pouring out of My Spirit upon all nations and peoples. It will spread to even the most unlikely of places~~ television, magazines, newspapers, radios, even the Internet. And it will be here that the battle will truly begin, and the deception begin.”

The Lord stood up.
“It is time?” the angel asked Him.
“It is time,” the Lord replied.
Then, I was no longer with the Lord or the angel, but praying once again.
John 10 is in my mind; especially verse 14 ~~ “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”
In Him, ~~ Hollie L. Moody

Thanks, God, For the River

Lately with all this Todd Bentley stuff circulating, I’ve really been seeking God. I have such a hard time with false doctrine and fake manifestations. I also have difficulty with preachers becoming proud and exalting themselves as “a great man or woman of God.” I guess I’ve been around religion and its controlling, dominating spirits for so long my heart feels somewhat abused and threatened by most ministers. I am just so very tired of people wanting to sit on thrones next to Jesus, when all I want to do is bow at His feet in humble surrender.

So I talked to God about this tonight, and He answered me. I sit here weeping under the presence of God, so thankful to feel His love and mercy.

What did God share with me? Well, a goofy, crazy, silly, precious video about some nut in Scotland who justs loves to party in the Spirit. He’s not out to be the next ‘general of God’ or the next ‘William Branham’; he’s just a man out to enjoy God. And that’s my kind of general, a general nut!

The River of God is a good and awesome thing. Although I hate false doctrine, spiritual pride, and other pollution (stigmata, gemstones falling, fake feathers, etc.) in the River, I really love the River. And what is the River? It’s God’s presence.

May we all become little children again and stop the competition to be the next great man or woman of God whom everyone oows and ahs over. And remember, you can still jump into the River (God’s presence) without jumping into false doctrine, brazen extremes, or the counterfeit. I’m living proof. Amen, I’m all for joy and tasting of the Lord (He is so good!), yet I don’t swallow every cup of “blessing” that comes my way. I spit out what the Spirit and the Word tell me.

Here’s the video:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=eZaePikA3uU

Hundreds Go Deaf At and Around Lakeland Revival

Over the past few weeks, reports of deafness have surfaced from those either attending the Lakeland Revival or those hearing about the historic event. These two-hundred or so reports are all similar in narrative, as people testify of hearing a loud, long, and obnoxious clanging or gonging noise and then Bam!, silence.

Mary Kay Holcomb of Stephensville, West Virginia had this to say: “Not too long ago I was saved from my sins at First Baptist Church Stephensville. On April 29, I was at the revival minding my own business. I wasn’t shaking or groaning or laughing or anything. Suddenly the ‘drunken’ lady sitting next to me said, ‘What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you manifesting? Aren’t you spiritual, or are you just one of those ignorant River skeptics?’ She then continued to berate me and soon all I could hear was a really, really loud clanging noise. Within a matter of minutes, I went deaf.”

On April 22, Ginny Strupe of Tampa, Florida testified: “I was at church last Sunday and told a few people there that I had concerns about Todd Bentley’s teachings, especially the one about Emma the beautiful female angel who was sent to make Christians rich. The next thing I knew our youth pastor started demeaning me, saying, ‘How dare you speak against this anointed man of God! He’s being used mightily! I mean, who are you to talk anyway? You’re just a measly secretary for a piddly little law firm. Has God ever used you to start a revival or heal people of cancer or do anything really big? No! You’re just a rebellious, unused little laysheep who needs some water, so get off your big, size 18 butt and go to Lakeland and let Todd give you some. Quit thinking for yourself; that’s what pastors and five-fold ministers like me are for!’ Then he kept going on and on about not touching God’s anointed, and as he did, his words all sounded like a clanging noise or gonging sound and by the time I left church I was deaf as a doornail.”

Trevor Stickley of Lakeland said this in a Tampa Tribune interview yesterday: “I work at a convenience store close to the revival grounds. Two nights ago some revival attendees came in laughing and jerking weirdly. Then when I told them we were out of Marlboro cigarettes, one of them, the one who was jerking the most, started cussing me out. When he got to saying the ‘F’ word, immediately I heard a loud, screeching gong noise, a noise so loud I went deaf for one whole night.”

While these strange anti-miracles remain a mystery, one minister in Los Angeles believes it’s prophetic symbolism. This morning Emma Goldgry, senior pastor of Refuge Church, wrote this on her wildly popular blog Soldier in the Humilitary, “1 Corinthians 13 says that without love, the utilization or manifestation of spiritual gifts is tantamount to a loud gong being played. It effects you but in a wrong, very negative way. When some of these revivalees promote this move yet do not walk in love, they’re like a big noisy gong going off. These people, including the leaders involved, need to remember that without love, revival is just noise. They also need to be aware of Satan’s slick tricks: he will tempt them to walk in the flesh while witnessing about God’s glorious presence so that the whole thing, Christianity, and even God will be discredited. He will also tempt them to overlook bad doctrine in the name of big gifts/anointings and revival. Oh, how I’d like to take the Shepherd’s Rod of Bob Jones and smack Todd Bentley’s hiney for some of the teachings he’s infusing into the Body. Where are the discerning elders who should be chastising this young man so his gift can be a true blessing with no sorrow attached to it? Are they off eating with man-pleasing Peter at the Jews-only table? Yes, where are the God-pleasers in this thing? Is not our loyalty to be given to God first and foremost?”

As for Ms. Holcomb and Mrs. Strupe, they remain deaf and will attend the revival tonight in hopes of getting healed.

Of course, the above article is satire but bams! of truth…

Father God, help us love one another during this difficult time. Help the Lakeland revival attendees and supporters stay out of elitist behavior, a great and calculating deception of the enemy. May humility guard their hearts and minds and give us all wisdom, Lord. We want Your truth to reign as well as Your awesome glory. And let us ever be mindful that You are in control. You see, You know, and You reign. We love You, Lord. Thanks for the miracles, signs, and wonders and thanks for Your truth. May we never depart from it in the name of anything or anyone.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast. It is not proud, rude, or self-seeking. It is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.

OR

If I repeatedly attend the Lakeland Revival, TACF, or any other such meeting but have not love, I am nothing. If I soak in God’s presence for five hours and have not love afterwards, I am zilch. If I get Bammed! by God resulting in spiritual drunkenness but have not love, I am nada. If I’m a leader or follower in this movement and I marginalize, demean, and condemn those who don’t understand it or who have valid concerns about it, I’m a zero, a size-18 polluting-the-River zero.

10 Signs That Your Church Has a Carnival Spirit Attached To It

10. The visiting evangelist has a booth in the foyer sanctified for the sale of his three hundred miracle handkerchiefs. (Paul the apostle was an idiot when he utilized hankies freely 2000 years ago. I mean, he could have really profited off the anointing and bought a house instead of renting one there at the end of his life. What a dummy.)

9. The visiting evangelist and your pastor charge admission (registration) fees for special conferences. (Depending on God via freewill offerings takes too much faith. Who wants to go through the agony of trusting El Shaddai when you can just charge a nice fee and then take up an offering or two or three? Let’s just keep living in our flesh, ministers…)

8. There’s a booth in the foyer reserved specifically for the sale of trinkets such as vials of Israeli holy water, Jesus key chains, Father flashlights, and Holy Ghost throat lozenges. (With these curios selling at 900% over cost, who can resist that profit margin?)

7. Your church has very profitable food and drink booths such as Starbucks, Donuts Delirious, and Pizza Plus. (Forget potlucks and fellowship: anything to make a buck, huh?)

6. There’s a Wolf Man in the pulpit or in the chief seats behind him or both. (He’s dressed like a posh sheep but you’ll know him by his favorite phrase: HOOOOOWWWILLMYJETRUNIFYOUDONTTITHEOFFYOURGROSSINCOME!!)

5. Every Sunday morning, there’s a couple fortune tellers waiting in a room upstairs. They’ll sell you the personal prophecy you crave for only $35.00. (The demand is so high for these predictive words, I guess it’s wise to profit off it.)

4. The church staff employs ballyhoo (sensationalized promotion) to get the word out about your great church. (Leaning on the Holy Ghost doesn’t work anymore because He’s just too slow nowadays. I guess He’s getting older…)

3. Subsequent to the preaching you can see the Headless Bride for an admission price. (Just look around you during the post-sermon offering; most people are not disciples of the Head of the Church, Jesus. They’re just an audience at a show. Are you one of them?)

2. Most everyone in the audience has been attending the carnalval so long they know how to swallow a sword without getting hurt. (They never let the Word of God really penetrate and pierce their hearts. If they did, the pain of repentance and sanctification would produce much fruit.)

1. Jesus is no longer preached as the Lord Our Righteousness, the holy King of kings, or the Lion of Judah. Instead He’s Jesus the Clown, ready at the visiting minister’s will to produce a spectacular show of oil stigmata, blue sapphire dust, and/or gemstones falling from heaven through the ceiling and onto the floor right under your chair. (What a grievous sideshow we’ve now allowed in the name of Spirit freedom.)

Lord, You’re not a clown, although some things that we say, do, and