Types of Rapture (~9.1 MB) - Moriel Ministries

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Point of Interest – Continued shaking. He will even wave his arms over the audience, shouting, “Fire! Fire! Fire!” This is nearly identical to Toronto and Pensacola. And his own ID, shouting “BAM!” We will examine the subjective experiences and revelations he is bringing others into, and the objective, i.e., the teachings, the new revelations from angels, and his stories’ inconsistency with the Bible and within themselves at times. First: in his ministry’s “Statement of Faith,” the majority is in agreement with Christian teaching. However, there are a few points that need to be focused on: “We Believe in... Number 1. THE WORD OF GOD-We hold the Bible to be trustworthy, the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. Scripture is our source of revelation of God,…it is the final Court of Appeal on all points of doctrine, life and godliness. (2 Tim 3:16- 17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12). ”Number 12. FURTHER REVELA- TION - We recognize that God is continually restoring truth and light to His Church. Therefore, we place no limit on further revelation; however, each must be substantiated according to the Scriptures.” HYPERLINK “http://www.freshfire.ca/ index.phpId=106” http://www.freshfire. ca/index.phpId=106 That is exactly what we will do: look to see if what Bentley teaches and practices is substantiated according to the Scriptures when they are read correctly and in context of the authors’ intent. This last statement of faith in itself is an oxymoron since God has already finished his revelation and does not continue giving more and more. Instead, we are to learn and understand what is already given. This means we have an open Bible. This has become the modus operandi of Bentley’s ministry and lifestyle. I personally believe (and have experienced) the power of God and genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit which are given to empower our ministries and lives. Some think that we should just have an attitude of rejoicing for the good reports coming from Lakeland and not concentrate on any flaws. These people often make excuses for anything that does not line up with Bible doctrine because they want to believe, and not be critical of someone in ministry. They are willing to accept anything, even when error stares them straight in the face. But a mature believer will not blush and run from an examination, nor fear what man may say, but only what God says. We want to be sober minded, on guard, discerning, knowing we are at the end of the age during which Jesus warned there would be great signs and wonders to deceive the elect (us). This is what God says, and it is not to be ignored. Some people have wondered if this is the new age inside the church. Well, its operatives have been working inside since the late 80s and early 90s, so we should not be surprised at the escalation of power in counterfeit miracles and experiences. Because the masses are attracted to SEE a miracle they have become unable to hear; they have become deaf to the Word of God. In the vacuum of true Bible exposition, in which they are supposed to grow, they are seeking supernatural experiences promoted in Bentley’s gatherings. For years Bentley has openly promoted angelic encounters, transportation to Heaven, and Jesus appearing. He is preaching what is not in the Bible, and it does not make one hungry for the word, but instead desirous of supernatural experiences. Some may ask, “Why is this wrong” I will hold off on answering this immediately and let you decide after you have read of the experiences and the refutations by the Word of God, which is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword. What we need is to be in prayer for the many young people that are attending his meetings, that they not be led astray or damaged by what is encouraged for them to do. The book of Leviticus speaks about piercing and tattoos - that we are not to follow the trends of the world, we are to be sanctified. It is in the last several years that Bentley has thoroughly decorated himself for his ministry. On this site it gives pictures of his tattoos: http://www. scribd.com/doc/2909690/AN-ANGEL- CALLED-EMMA Putting aside his abundance of tattoos and body piercing, it is far more important to examine the teachings and concepts he is putting forth to know whether the source of the supernatural that is taking place is of God or is from somewhere else. How does a sign and wonder deceive When it is delivered by someone who does not know or teach the Word correctly. This is not about someone’s quirky personality, but what they believe, teach, and practice apart from sound doctrine. You can also know what people believe by the people they associate with; Bentley’s associations should be the first red flag for anyone familiar with the prophetic movement and the Latter Rain proponents: Bob Jones, Rick Joyner, Paul Cain, Randy Clarke, John Arnott (Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship), Patricia King, and a host of unknowns that also hold to Latter Rain teachings. Bentley is a part of “Elijah’s List,” a loose group of false prophets who have intentionally divorced themselves from the Word of God in their interpretation and operation of spiritual gifts. They now have an influential internet forum to sell their books and DVD’s, and to post their prophetic promptings. They daily post every wacky nonsensical prophecy possible; nothing seems to be prohibited. If you think you have heard it all, you have not until you’ve read their daily posts. Lets read just a few teachings from the Elijah list website: Q: Do psychics have a prophetic gift from God A: While there is no verse in the Bible that says that psychics have a prophetic gift from God, there are numerous passages in the Bible that, if taken together, paint a picture of a loving Heavenly Father who gives gifts to every single person from the time of his or her conception. Some of these passages include: scripture references given for brevity- Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13,16 ; James 1:17; Romans 11:29. (submitted by a reader of our Web site. Prophetic TV is a production of Elijah List ministries http://www.prophetic.tv/faqs.php) Sorry, there are no Scriptures to justify this. None the Scriptures he cited have any reference to everyone being born with spiritual gifts. God gives us natural gifts, not supernatural gifts. Natural gifts are for the natural man. The spiritual gifts come only through possession by the Holy Spirit. They are for those who believe the Gospel, not for everyone born. Yet Shultz says that these “were born with a prophetic gifting from God,” they can “use their gifts for their own selfish, and even demonic, purposes.” If they can’t get this right, how trustworthy are they to discern truth from error They’re not. This is beyond absurd and scary. It shows us how bankrupt they are in understanding the Gospel and the Holy Spirit who works “charisma” in believers only. In another the article, “Debugging the prophetic,” Steve Shultz, who heads up the Elijah list, asks a question: “How and where do you find accountability for the accuracy and fulfillment of prophetic words delivered by the prophets today Who can I rely on” Answer: “When we post any word at all on The Elijah List website – ANY word – some think it’s from God and some think it’s NOT from God. So, that’s the way it’s supposed to work. Over time, you will decide literally for yourself which words you feel are trustworthy for YOU and/or which prophets you feel have the least or best credibility.” After making a case for prophetic accuracy with Hurricane Katrina, he goes on to say, “So, the bottom line is this: just work to decide for yourself which prophet/ prophetess you most trust and which you don’t and leave it at that. I believe this is 20 June 2008 • Moriel Quarterly
the wisest course.” Is this how we decide It is up to an individual’s feelings to determine what is true or not. This is not wise or biblical. We are not to lean on our own understanding; we are to trust in God’s delivered word. Our trust is not to be in men that prophesy, but in the God of prophecy. This is an “everyman-does-what-is-right-in-his-own-eyes” philosophy. It is promoting a prophetic free-for-all. When Israel did this they were misled by the false prophets. And what were the false prophets saying Through their dreams and visions they were telling the people of Israel’s future. Lets look at whom Bentley attributes his influence from – ANGELS: “Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: ‘Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma’ he asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, ‘Bob, who is Emma’ He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out.’” HYPERLINK “http://www. etpv.org/2003/angho.html” http://www. etpv.org/2003/angho.html. A “female” angel. There are none mentioned in the Bible, not once. Every time angels appeared they looked like men. They are called sons of God, not sons and daughters of God. It is crucial to understand the roots of this whole movement that first went through the Vineyard churches through John Wimber, then spread to the body of Christ. To befriend Bob Jones (who is one among many sordid characters he hangs out with) is not good. Bob Jones telling Bentley the prophetic movement was started by a female angel may be more revealing than one would first think. Bentley has a view of the supernatural that has crippled him from understanding the simple truth from Scripture. So he has replaced it with his own revelations and supernatural experiences that exceed even those of the apostles. Bentley’s entire ministry is focused on angels and false revelatory visions and visitations; from this come the healings. Bob Jones was a Vineyard minister (one of the original Kansas City “prophets”). Jones was removed from the Vineyard for sexual impropriety. He had women strip so they could “stand naked before the Lord.” Two women came forward in 1991 and told Vineyard leaders that Jones had used his prophetic authority to touch and fondle them sexually. (Roy Rivenburg, “A Question of Faith,” Los Angeles Times, January 28, 1992, sec. El, p. 8.) Jones admitted it and was removed from ministry. While Jones appears repentant, in the same time period he was prophesying that Jesus told him that a certain portion of the end-time church will be an immortal end-time army. Bentley says of Jones “My friend…Bob Jones [is] a gifted, mature seer-prophet.” Jones has been influential on Bentley and this so-called miracle revival in Lakeland. On Bob Jones’ Web site we read of him being sick. (“Update on Bob Jones,” April 12, 2008.) ”We still need to have a fistula placed in his arm in the event he should need dialysis in the future. However, we believe the Lord gave us a miracle and will continue to heal the kidneys (sic) and totally restore his health. He is gaining strength daily. We must be good stewards of the miracle He gave us. There were many long and exhausting days due to effects of the chemicals used to cleanse the bloodstream. Many times Bob was ill and very weak after dialysis. In the process of healing, he lost about 55 pounds, however his lungs are clear and his vitals are normal.” They ask “to pray for his kidney function to increase.” The most recent report: “Our last visit to the kidney doctor was a great success. Bob’s kidney function continues to improve; the creatinine level dropped to 3.1 so the doctor removed the perm-cath from his chest last Wednesday.” (May 6, 2008) Why didn’t Jones go to Todd Bentley and be instantly, miraculously healed, as we hear others are Isn’t this what is taking place at the Lakeland meetings The answer should be obvious: Just like the faith healers, when they are sick (and this is serious) they go to a doctor, not to their fellow gifted healers. They know better. What does Bob Jones believe and teach Follwing are just a few examples. He had this to say about Joel’s army: “They will move into things of the supernatural that no one has ever moved in before. Every miracle, sign and wonder that has ever been in the Bible - they’ll move in it consistently. They’ll move in the power that Christ did. Every sign and wonder that’s ever been will be many times in the last days. They themselves will be that generation that raised up to put death itself underneath their feet and to glorify Christ in every way. . .and the Church that is raising up in the government will be the head and the covering for them. So that that glorious church might be revealed in the last days because the Lord Jesus is worthy to be lifted up by a church that has reached the full maturity of the god-man!” (Visions Point of Interest – Continued & Revelations, Fall 1988.) Jones describes his hands turning blue, and then turning purple: “When that happens that means you’ve got some incense that’s gone up. You’ve got some intercession that’s gone up that Papa’s saying yes to.” Jones also states that his alleged healing power came upon him when he was struck by lightning: ”It was about ’76. A bolt of lightning. I was inside, I didn’t have my wires grounded in the basement down there, and I grabbed ahold of the refrigerator, and lightning hit the wires outside, and a great blue flame came in. And a ball of fire danced all over that basement, and didn’t hurt me. But from that time forth my hands worked funny…. Anytime God is going to start a fire, he starts it with lightning. And you can take a little of that fire and impart it wherever it is needed. And it will start a God’s fire” (Bob Jones, Visions and Revelations, 1988.) ”Bob Jones was told that the general level of prophetic revelation in the church was about 65% accurate at this time. Some are only about 10% accurate, a very few of the most mature prophets are approaching 85% to 95% accuracy. Prophecy is increasing in purity, but there is a still a long way to go for those who walk in this ministry. This is actually grace for the church now, because 100% accuracy in this ministry would bring a level of accountability to the church which she is too immature to bear at this time.” (Rick Joyner, “The Prophetic Ministry,” Morningstar Prophetic Newsletter. Vol. 3, No. 2, Page 2.) This is probably the most dangerous of his statements. He is saying that God gives us false prophecy because we are immature, unable to be accountable. It’s just like the Devil to turn truth on its head. What about the Old Testament prophets Did they not have 100% accuracy in prophecy And so when these “prophets” miss it (even 10%, although it’s far more) his excuse is that it’s God’s fault, not theirs. Mike Bickle and Bob Jones relate the story of an angel revealing that God would appear to Bickle in the form of another person named “Don” in a vision or in a dream. Bickle said the vision eventually took place, and part of its message was to show him that “Jesus appears in thousands of different faces to portray something,” Bickle said, “He was trying to say, ‘I’m your friend, I am your familiar friend and I’m going to show you all things so you can move in the power of the Spirit’” (Mike Bickle with Bob Jones, Visions and Revelations, transcript, series of five tapes, Fall,1988 p.53-60.) “I am your familiar friend” may be more like a familiar spirit, considering the teachings that have come forth and the ac- June 2008 • Moriel Quarterly 21
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Types of Rapture (~9.1 MB) - Moriel Ministries

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