Tuesday, June 3, 2008

More on The Florida outpouring?

I have been emailing all week with a few friends on this Lakeland out pouring.. Now as my readers will note I have posted about this before. But I felt that I had to write more on this as I have learned more and had more and more chats about this with other believers.
A few weeks ago in our Sunday school class we learned about how we were to warn other Brothers and Sister who may be heading into trouble.
The teacher Andy Stanly ( who I have come to be very fond of) and for those that are wondering yes he is Charles Stanly son. Anyways he said it is like jumping out in front of our friends and yelling WOO slow down buddy your heading into something that could hurt you..
I feel that way about those that are easy to fellow men and teaching like those of this Lakeland outpouring..
First I have to state that I for one do believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I have falling under his power many times. I have seen others be healed and delivered from everything from demons to cancer. I am not one of those people who believe that sighs and wonders are gone past. I believe that there is coming a day when God will pour out his spirit on all flesh and we will see signs and wonders like we have only read about in the bible.
But I do believe that Gods word is the true power by which God changes lives forever....
There are those that say we should not judge this move in Lakeland because of the way Todd Bently looks or talks.. We just need to let go of what was taught because God is doing a new thing in our hearts and spirit..
First thing I see wrong with that mind set is that God word has not change nor has he. As a matter of fact I believe his word says this in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Reival is a move of God because of the hearts of men turning from their sin and repenting. It is not about signs and wonders. True Reival is best summed up in the book of 2 Chronicles 7:14
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land
God is a God of oder not disoder. I do not read anywhere that reival is men and woman running around like dogs barking or flaping their arms like a chicken. I have always been taught to use Gods word for the standerd by which I juage what is of God and what is not. Since we know he never changes and his Spirit has been moving on the earth since the first days of creation then lets look at the effected it had on men. Lets look at the first time we see the power of the Holy Spirit at work. Again keeping in mind that God never changes..
Acts 2
1And
when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. First thing i note is that all the believers saw and heard all the same thing not just one person ALL!


5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Second is that the men were speaking known languages now i do believe that the Holy Spirit can pray for us thur us when we have no words to pray. But the point i want to make is they were not running around like wild dogs! more on that later..
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I love this like any good Gospel the true Gospel is being preached. You too can be saved! NOt make more money or have gold dust fall on you, But be saved by a loving God.. I heard a sound bite from Todd Bently preaching where he states that God told him it was not all about Jesus any more but about Angels and Signs and wonders.. WHAT??? Reival with out the one who has the power to save?
I was thinking about the end of that verse ya shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. How do i know someone has the gifts of the Holy Ghost working in them? Simple you can see the fruit of the Spirit at work in their life..
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
Note that it did not say has Angels vist them or gold dust get in their hair..
I think that one of the most scary things i have read is that everyone keeps saying well tiem will tell wither of not this is a true move of God in Lakeland.. WHAT time? how long will people follow after a wind that is not of God.. ? How many will fall away from the true fruits of the spirit before they see how far it has taking them? Gods word tells us to test the Spirits to see if they are of God.. The Devil comes as a Angel of Light... I am not one to often WARN people agaist a preacher just because I do not agree with all their teaching but deep within my spirit the first few times i read or watched Todd Bently and others who are in this move. I felt very very WRONG about it.. I watched a few shows and prayed and ask God to give me wisdom about this. I spoke with a few Pastors and friends in Christ. Some like him most feel like it do.. So here is my WARNING~~~ If you or others have been following this man please pray and seek God as to his wisdom.. Do some reading online what others have to say,, I have read more bad then good... Second is get your bible out and read what a move of God looks like from his word.. I think you will find it to a very diffrent picture then the one of the spirit that is moving in Lakeland Fl.
I John 4:1
My dear friends, many false prophets have gone out into the world. So do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God.

2 comments:

Lorrie Dobbins said...

I completely agree. When I first heard about Todd Bentley I went online to listen to some of his messages. The first thing that triggered a warning in me was the fact that his entire "sermons" are about what the angels showed to him. I kept waiting it out, wanting to give him every chance I could, but I didn't hear him once talk about salvation or wanting people to come to know the Lord. I was all based around his "experiences."

BEAN said...

yup you got it... i emailed a friend today who has been watching this and loving it , I warned her that i believe this is a part of the great falling away the word speaks about...
itchin ears....