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Is Todd White A False Teacher?

 

[image error]Should I Listen To Todd White, Or Is He A False Teacher?

Some time ago, I shared a video of Todd White sharing his thoughts on the whole “Spiritual Father” thing. It’s a really healthy perspective, although it contrasts with large segments of the Charismatic movement we are part of. I quickly got a whole lot of pushback with vague accusations saying “Todd White is a heretic.” Only when I pressed the matter of “why?” did people post several articles and videos against him.

Many of my readers probably appreciate Todd White. However, it’s helpful to know how to discern truth and how to help other people to discern. I also get a good deal of search engine traffic from people wanting to know if Bill Johnson is a false prophet or if Bethel Church is a cult. I’ve met individuals who genuinely wanted to know the truth and were disturbed by so articles or videos criticizing Bill Johnson or other teachers.

Consider my response if you have seen such articles or videos. People who are discerning consider what a person actually says, not just what people say that they said, and they listen to both sides of the issue. Otherwise, it’s not discernment, it’s faultfinding, something Jude 1:16 doesn’t speak well of. It might be helpful to check out my articles How To Discern Other People’s Discernment and Discerning Your Own Discernment. 

I highly appreciate many leaders associated with the Toronto revival and the “NAR” (New Apostolic Revolution). I see it as a move of God. Even so, I disagree strongly with a few things like the tithing doctrine and the overemphasis on spiritual fathering that some, and not all, of them teach. Just read scripture and you’ll see that true churches in which the Holy Spirit is moving miss it and need correction. Of these issues, Todd’s position on spiritual fathering agrees with mine and the guy who most influenced him, Dan Mohler, agrees with my position on tithing! So I actually feel that Todd brings something that is more healthy to the movement in certain aspects.

I don’t share all the same views as Todd White. Few Christians have all the same theology! But I want to respond to some of the main accusations that Todd is a heretic or deviant from Biblical Christianity. There is so much stuff people come up with that I can’t respond to everything, but we will look at some of the primary criticisms.

Todd has a lot to offer the body of Christ and I don’t want people to miss out on it because they’ve been disturbed by people who oppose him. Todd, like any genuine Christian leader, is a jar of clay whom God has placed treasure in and we should test everything he says. However, in several cases, the opposition to Todd is itself based on harmful and less-than-biblical theology.

Here’s the post I shared:

Facebook Post

Can We Say Todd White Is Guilty By Association?

One site’s indictment of Todd White says that he calls Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland his “spiritual fathers.” While Todd has been influenced by both men, I guess they didn’t see the video I posted of Todd White sharing his view that we must primarily look to the Lord himself as our “Spiritual Father.” Benny Hinn himself has recently shared, with tears and sincerity, that his views have changed so much, he has grieved the Lord many times, and he wants to do so no longer. Scripture is full of people who walked with God mightily and also missed it in big ways. What if we were unwilling to learn anything from King David because of his errors?

I don’t agree with everything that Benny or Copeland has ever said. In fact, I strongly disagree with Copeland about tithes. It’s not fair to write off Todd or anybody because of the other imperfect people they have learned something from. In fact, it takes wisdom and humility to receive the treasure that God places in imperfect “Jars of Clay.” 

Francis Chan, a guy with a great heart and a much different background then Todd, also gets pulled into this “guilt by association” thing for his fellowship with Todd. I suspect that while Chan has different theology than Todd, he recognizes how many accusations against Todd White grossly misrepresent what Todd teaches. It takes humility, godly maturity, and wisdom to receive the treasure God has placed in imperfect vessels and to unite around the gospel message while disagreeing on non-essentials.

In an article responding to critics, Chan makes it clear that he does not agree theologically with everyone he takes a picture with. He then shares how he himself fell into the trap of slander when he was younger, and writes “We should all be careful to guard against false teaching of any kind. In the process of refuting false teachers, however, we can unintentionally falsely accuse good teachers. That might be equally harmful to His Kingdom.  God desires unity in His body, so it is no small crime to bring division into the church.”

We should also consider that the guy who has had the most influence on Todd is Dan Mohler, not Hinn or Copeland. Dan Mohler does not even believe in tithing is relevant to New-Covenant giving, and his teaching sharply contrasts with some of the more popular prosperity doctrines. Dan is such a solid guy that like Daniel, if you are going to find anything against him it probably has to do with his devotion to God. (Daniel 6:5) A while ago I found an article written against Dan Mohler. I’m not sure if I can find it now, but the sole complaint was “Dan Mohler talks about love too much.” What!? I guess they wouldn’t like the apostle John either!

Do Miracles And Healing Make Todd White A False Teacher?

Many points calling Todd a warlock, heretic, or fraud are based on a theology that says God doesn’t do miracles anymore or that miracles are only up to God and have little to do with our faith and obedience. One article takes Todd’s own testimony of how he used to be a trickster and deceiver, doing anything for drugs, and uses it against him as an accusation that the miracles are false. That’s hardly fair! Maybe they should interview some of the people who have been healed when Todd ministered to them.

One writer said “My doubt and concern is not in healing or miracles but rather how some use these things to bring attention to themselves and to avoid persecution for preaching the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18).” This logic is funny considering how the miracles are stirring up opposition for Todd just as miracles consistently did for Jesus and the apostles in scripture. In fact, Paul wrote that everybody who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted, and in scripture, it was the religious people rather than outsiders who opposed Jesus and the apostles after miracles happened.

The articles calling Todd a warlock notes with an “eyes rolling” kind of tone that Patricia King met Todd White at a “Glory School.” I was at that glory school. I’ve been to few Christian events that got as much into scripture as Patricia King’s glory school, with teaching solidly rooted in Jesus’ death, resurrection, and incarnation. God’s glory and God glorifying us are solidly biblical concepts and it’s worth getting out a concordance and looking up the topic!

As far as the healings, I knew Todd as an acquaintance before he was well-known, when he was delivering ice and ministering to people on the way. He is from where I grew up. He was ministering to everybody he could long before anybody put things on video. The miracles are real, no manipulation. I myself have been healed and there’s no way you can convince me it’s a lie, I’ve seen hundreds of people healed. It’s sad that Christians are citing an atheist skeptic’s arguments that it’s a farce, because their form of religion has more in common with atheism than they like to admit.

So this criticism of Todd is based totally on a false theological premise that God doesn’t do the things anymore that he used to, an antichrist premise which denies the role of the church as the body of Christ (who is the same yesterday, today, and forever) commissioned by Jesus to do the same works and greater. This anti-supernatural doctrine came straight from the influence of gnostic teachers who denied Christ came in the flesh. They believe God doesn’t do miracles anymore, so they believe anybody who ministers healing must be phony.

Does Todd White Sell Miracles?

I’ve read that Todd White puts miracles up for sale. This is one of the most laughable accusations since Todd sometimes gives a generous cash gift to someone after ministering healing if they are struggling financially! He frequently ministers to waitresses and gives a ridiculously large tip.

Of course, essentially selling miracles by suggesting giving money might be the key to your healing is a real problem in some circles and I find it abhorrent. But accusing Todd of this? Yeah, it’s laughable and it says something about the bias and lack of credibility of those bringing the accusation. Accusations like this should really be specific and point to something that people can see, such as a video in which the accused actually did attach people’s healing to their giving.

Does Todd White Teach That Jesus “Stopped Being God?”

The Youtube video Todd White Denies Jesus Is God claims Todd White denies Jesus’s divinity because Todd is teaching Jesus’s humanity. This is the same argument they use against Bill Johnson, even though Bill always says plainly, flat out, that Jesus is God and never stopped being God.

Todd teaches that Jesus became weak as a man, which scripture says as well. Hebrews says he became like us in every way, but without sin. Todd’s preaching makes this very clear if you listen to all of it, and Christ’s deity is clearly laid out in Lifestyle Christianity’s statement of faith.

Pastor Gabe also brings the same argument against Bill Johnson. His reasoning is absurd. I already responded in an article to Pastor Gabe’s hit piece on Bill Johnson, and Pastor Gabe’s theological objections are really that Bill teaches the hypostatic union and justification. Gabe twists that to say Bill denies Jesus’s deity and sanctification, both of which Bill very clearly teaches. In order to accuse Bill, Gabe pits Jesus’ humanity against his divinity and pits sanctification against justification, as if these truths were in opposition to each other.

It becomes evident that Pastor Gabe himself doesn’t fully accept what scripture teaches about Jesus’ humanity, that he became like us in every way. The accusation that Todd rejects Jesus’ deity is based on similar false premises as the accusation against Bill, in that the accuser does not fully accept what scripture teaches about Jesus coming in the flesh. While not explicitly denying the fundamental and orthodox truth of Jesus’ incarnation, the ones making this accusation against Todd and Bill border on doing so because they deny what scripture teaches the incarnation implies. They deny the scriptural point that Jesus came with every weakness we have, and yes, without sin.

As the discussion continued on my Facebook post of Todd’s videos, the guy who was most adamant that Todd was a heretic began making statements that reeked of Gnosticism, especially the Gnostic view of the human body. The Gnostics were a heretical group that denied Jesus came in the flesh and that negatively influenced Christianity through Augustine. He converted from Gnosticism to Christianity but still retained many aspects of Gnostic thinking and became the most influential theologian in church history. It is actually the people making this accusation against Todd who are on dangerous theological ground as regarding Jesus’ incarnation.

Does Todd White “Flip The Gospel Upside Down” And Teach We “Deserve” Salvation?

A PirateChristian.com article and a PulpitAndPen,com article , as well as some YouTube videos, claim Todd flips the gospel upside down and teaches we deserve salvation, based on the quote “The cross isn’t just the revelation of my sin, it’s the revealing of my value. Something underneath of that sin must have been of great value for heaven to go bankrupt to get me back.”

The accusations that Todd is making light of sin by saying Jesus died to reveal our value are way out of context. Anybody who has heard Todd speak very much knows that he doesn’t make light of or excuse sin. Not even close! Todd saying what Scripture says, that Jesus died because of God’s love for us. Even in the Old Testament scripture calls God’s people his inheritance, precious to him.

Todd NEVER SAYS OR IMPLIES that we deserve salvation. If you think he does, show me where. It is an immense fallacy to say that “Jesus died for us because of our value to God” = “Jesus died because we deserved salvation.” Our value to God does not come from anything we did to deserve it, but our value is in being loved by God and made in his image. God gave his one and only Son for us because he immensely values each of us! Todd never said Jesus did not die for our sins, and if you listen to him much that should be clear. He simply said it’s about more than just that. Jesus’s death reveals how much God values us because HE LOVES US! (See 1 John 4:10 and Romans 5:8 for example on how Jesus’s death reveals the Father’s love for us/our value to the Father.)

Quoting Dan Mohler, Todd’s mentor: My Bible doesn’t say “For God was so frustrated at wit’s end and fed up with the world that he sent his Son.” Or “God was so disgusted with the repetitive failure of humanity that he couldn’t take it anymore and finally sent his Son.” My Bible says “For God so loved the world…”

Does Todd White “Tell God What He Must Do?”

Some show videos of Todd rebuking sickness or something and claim he is “telling God what he must do.” This is a gross misrepresentation, but it has been unfairly leveled against other people as well.

Rebuking sickness or demons and speaking God’s word to situations is not commanding God! Rather it is adding our “amen” to God’s “yes,” just as the prophets of old did and as Jesus taught his disciples to do. It joining our wills to God’s as he has revealed his will to us in Christ. It is part of an incarnational mindset that understands that we are the body of Christ and his Spirit dwells in us. Christ himself taught his disciples to rebuke sickness and expel demons.

Does Todd White Teach Man-Centered Theology?

Often when I hear accusations of “man-centered” theology, it’s because the Accuser has a problem with the scriptural implications of the incarnation. God came as a man. And God is not narcissistic. He has plans for men. His plans aren’t just all about himself. The incarnation is about God being glorified in man and the invisible nature of God being revealed in humanity. Scripture clearly teaches God’s purpose to glorify men. However, this is not a man-centered message. It’s about God being glorified in man, and man being glorified in God.

Of course we reject a self-centered false gospel. If you listen much to Todd’s teaching and the teaching of Dan Mohler, who mentored Todd, you’ll notice that they both talk extensively about rejecting a self-centered, self-serving perspective to live a life of love. That is why it’s so ironic that anybody would accuse them of preaching a self-serving gospel.

Does Todd White Teach He Has Never Sinned?






One of the most common accusations against Todd White is the claim he teaches he has no sin. Here is a compilation a critic made of some of his statements:

The point of contention with Todd is that First John says we deceive ourselves if we claim to be without sin. Of course, it is clear from Todd’s testimony that he does not claim he has never sinned. He is talking about walking with a clear conscience because God has given him a new heart and he’s been cleansed from sin by Jesus’ blood. Here I’m sharing a little more of the context in first John to help us understand what it’s saying.

Of all the verses here, those in bold green letters could be taken out of context in order to argue that anybody who claims a clear conscience is a liar. Yet those in bold blue letters could be taken out of context in order to argue that Christians cannot ever sin and anybody who ever slips up or sins is not a real Christian! Both of these conclusions are erroneous.

1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-6, 10, 29, 3:6-10 (NIV)This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

The verses in bold green letters above are not talking about having an expectation that we as Christians will always mess up, walk in sin, stumble, and miss the mark. Of course, all have sinned, we must admit that and receive God’s gift of salvation, but we can actually find freedom in Christ. Romans 7 talks of life under the law, Romans 8 contrasts that with living by the Spirit.

Here, Dan Mohler explains so clearly how a few verses in First John get twisted so that Christians fall into an expectation that they will always mess up. First John says we have an advocate “if” we sin, not “when” we sin. Scripture does not teach that we must always expect to fail. Romans 6 is so clear that the old nature was crucified with Christ and we are to consider it a fact that we are dead to sin and alive to righteousness. On the contrary, we hear many Christians talking as if they were alive to sin and anybody who thinks Jesus’ work can set us free from the bondage of sin is a heretic! Yes, the righteousness we receive is imputed, it is Jesus’s righteousness, not our own, but it bears the fruit of righteousness. For more on how this works, see our article Falling Out Of Sin And Into Righteousness.

Todd is talking about walking free from sin by walking in communion with Christ. He’s talking about living in the Romans 8 life, not the Romans 7 bondage. He says he doesn’t remember the last time he lusted after a woman. So what’s wrong with that? Really, people are calling Todd a wolf and a false teacher because he teaches walking in freedom from sin with Christ? People are calling him a false teacher because he teaches righteousness and walking in holiness by God’s grace?

I’m much more concerned about the attitude that “We’re just always going to fail, because we’re human,” and the epic of porn addiction in the church. I’m much more concerned about the expectation that everyone is just going to mess up. I know it doesn’t have to be like that. I haven’t walked perfectly. Even so, I’ve shunned porn since I was 12 years old. Before I was married I fell madly in love, yet kissing my girlfriend mouth-to-mouth or anything beyond that wasn’t even a consideration. Not because of some religious legalism but because I loved my girlfriend so much and didn’t want to do anything to hurt her by violating her conscience or going somewhere she would regret later. I was shocked when a pastor came to me with the assumption that I must have already slept with my fiancee before we were married. I thought “Do you know me?” It’s sad that this is just what so much of the church has come to expect.

It feels so good to live in communion with God, to not remember the last time you violated your conscience, to just be aware constantly of the love of God reigning in your heart towards others…a constant flow of living water. I’ve experienced living in that consciousness of Christ and not of sin for weeks at a time, taking communion with no awareness of having violated my conscience since the last time I did a month ago. I’ve also messed up many times. But where is the limit in scripture to how closely we can walk with God? Enoch walked with God until he was translated! Where is the point that scripture says “Well, you’re just going to have to sin now, because you’re human?” What is the limit scripture puts on how long you can go without violating your conscience? 

Remember, Jesus Came As A Human!

Remember, Jesus came as a human, had every weakness we do, walked in communion with the Father, never sinned, and died to set men free from the power of sin. He is the only man who has never sinned, but he came to set men free from the power of sin and bring many sons to glory. Applying Christ’s redemption frees us from sin, not death as “liberation” from this “sinful human body.” Death is not our savior, not even in part! The idea that our humanity means we must keep sinning, is Gnosticism!

The Gnostics believed that the body and physical world is corrupt and spirit is pure, so they denied that a pure and sinless God could come in a human body. They taught that Jesus was a spirit who only appeared to have a body but really didn’t. They saw salvation as liberation from the physical world. Sound a lot like the notion that “we’ll only ever really be free from sin when we die.”

Here’s part of my response on the Facebook thread to a guy who argued that Todd is a heretic and we will always fall into sin because we live in human bodies. He also claimed Todd and Bill Johnson deny Jesus’s deity because they teach his incarnation and humanity.

You are arguing against a straw man. Nobody said that Christians can’t sin or are no longer Christians if they do sin.

However, scripture puts no limit on how much we can walk in freedom from sin, and it has nothing to do with being in a human body, as Jesus came in a human body, and our human bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Todd claims a clean conscience so you accuse him of teaching sinless perfectionism. However, the apostle Paul claimed the same in 1 Corinthians 4:4. 2 Corinthians 1:2 and Acts 23:1. There is actually such a thing as being able to say “my conscience is clean before God.”

We who are born again do have the divine nature of Christ, because as scripture says we have the spirit of Christ if we are his, we have been joined to him in spirit, and we have become (and are becoming) partakers of his divine nature. He is the head, we are the body.

You also don’t seem to acknowledge that Jesus was made like us in every way as the firstborn among many brethren, could do nothing of himself, was a weak as we are and learned obedience through what he suffered, and was tempted in every way as we are and did not sin (and not just because he was God). Unless you acknowledge these scriptural points instead of saying that Jesus could only do works of power and walk in holiness because he was God, you have a major problem in your Christology and incarnation theology.

Your most serious accusation of both Bill and Todd, that they deny Jesus’ deity, is contrary to what both of them have repeatedly and explicitly stated. As tolerant as Bethel church is when it comes to weirdness, Bethel Church takes Christ’s deity so seriously that Bill Johnson warned the church to stay away from a teacher who was denying it. And the very basis for your insistence that Bill and Todd deny Christ’s deity is based on the major error in your theology stated above…you have not accepted the above points that scripture teaches the incarnation implies.

Summary

I hope this has helped some people who have had genuine concerns about Todd White. Again, I don’t agree with Todd about everything and you should test what he says, as you would test what I or anyone says. 

In essence, some of the main accusations against Todd have to do with him teaching that Jesus came in the flesh (as a man), teaching walking in holiness, demonstrating God’s power through the enablement of the Holy Spirit, and teaching God’s love for people. Faultfinders who are always resisting the Holy Spirit and believe that God stopped doing miracles a few thousand years ago twist these teachings and take his statements out of context to make fallacious accusations.

Now a scriptural admonition about people who do this:

Romans 16:17 (NIV) I appeal to you, brethren, to be on your guard concerning those who create dissensions and difficulties and cause divisions, in opposition to the doctrine (the teaching) which you have been taught. I warn you to turn aside from them, to avoid them.

The post Is Todd White A False Teacher? appeared first on Go to Heaven Now!.

Is Todd White A Heretic?

 

[image error]Should I Listen To Todd White, Or Is He A False Teacher?

Some time ago, I shared a video of Todd White sharing his thoughts on the whole “Spiritual Father” thing. It’s a really healthy perspective, although it contrasts with large segments of the Charismatic movement we are part of. I quickly got a whole lot of pushback with vague accusations saying “Todd White is a heretic.” Only when I pressed the matter of “why?” did people post several articles and videos against him.

Many of my readers probably appreciate Todd White. However, it’s helpful to know how to discern truth and how to help other people to discern. I also get a good deal of search engine traffic from people wanting to know if Bill Johnson is a false prophet or if Bethel Church is a cult. I’ve met individuals who genuinely wanted to know the truth and were disturbed by so articles or videos criticizing Bill Johnson or other teachers.

Consider my response if you have seen such articles or videos. People who are discerning consider what a person actually says, not just what people say that they said, and they listen to both sides of the issue. Otherwise, it’s not discernment, it’s faultfinding, something Jude 1:16 doesn’t speak well of. It might be helpful to check out my articles How To Discern Other People’s Discernment and Discerning Your Own Discernment. 

I highly appreciate many leaders associated with the Toronto revival and the “NAR” (New Apostolic Revolution). I see it as a move of God. Even so, I disagree strongly with a few things like the tithing doctrine and the overemphasis on spiritual fathering that some, and not all, of them teach. Just read scripture and you’ll see that true churches in which the Holy Spirit is moving miss it and need correction. Of these issues, Todd’s position on spiritual fathering agrees with mine and the guy who most influenced him, Dan Mohler, agrees with my position on tithing! So I actually feel that Todd brings something that is more healthy to the movement in certain aspects.

I don’t share all the same views as Todd White. Few Christians have all the same theology! But I want to respond to some of the main accusations that Todd is a heretic or deviant from Biblical Christianity. There is so much stuff people come up with that I can’t respond to everything, but we will look at some of the primary criticisms.

Todd has a lot to offer the body of Christ and I don’t want people to miss out on it because they’ve been disturbed by people who oppose him. Todd, like any genuine Christian leader, is a jar of clay whom God has placed treasure in and we should test everything he says. However, in several cases, the opposition to Todd is itself based on harmful and less-than-biblical theology.

Here’s the post I shared:

Facebook Post

Guilt By Association

One site’s indictment of Todd White says that he calls Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland his “spiritual fathers.” While Todd has been influenced by both men, I guess they didn’t see the video I posted of Todd White sharing his view that we must primarily look to the Lord himself as our “Spiritual Father.” Benny Hinn himself has recently shared, with tears and sincerity, that his views have changed so much, he has grieved the Lord many times, and he wants to do so no longer. Scripture is full of people who walked with God mightily and also missed it in big ways. What if we were unwilling to learn anything from King David because of his errors?

I don’t agree with everything that Benny or Copeland has ever said. In fact, I strongly disagree with Copeland about tithes. It’s not fair to write off Todd or anybody because of the other imperfect people they have learned something from. In fact, it takes wisdom and humility to receive the treasure that God places in imperfect “Jars of Clay.” 

Francis Chan, a guy with a great heart and a much different background then Todd, also gets pulled into this “guilt by association” thing for his fellowship with Todd. I suspect that while Chan has different theology than Todd, he recognizes how many accusations against Todd White grossly misrepresent what Todd teaches. It takes humility, godly maturity, and wisdom to receive the treasure God has placed in imperfect vessels and to unite around the gospel message while disagreeing on non-essentials.

In an article responding to critics, Chan makes it clear that he does not agree theologically with everyone he takes a picture with. He then shares how he himself fell into the trap of slander when he was younger, and writes “We should all be careful to guard against false teaching of any kind. In the process of refuting false teachers, however, we can unintentionally falsely accuse good teachers. That might be equally harmful to His Kingdom.  God desires unity in His body, so it is no small crime to bring division into the church.”

We should also consider that the guy who has had the most influence on Todd is Dan Mohler, not Hinn or Copeland. Dan Mohler does not even believe in tithing is relevant to New-Covenant giving, and his teaching sharply contrasts with some of the more popular prosperity doctrines. Dan is such a solid guy that like Daniel, if you are going to find anything against him it probably has to do with his devotion to God. (Daniel 6:5) A while ago I found an article written against Dan Mohler. I’m not sure if I can find it now, but the sole complaint was “Dan Mohler talks about love too much.” What!? I guess they wouldn’t like the apostle John either!

Do Miracles And Healing Make You A False Teacher?

Many points calling Todd a warlock, heretic, or fraud are based on a theology that says God doesn’t do miracles anymore or that miracles are only up to God and have little to do with our faith and obedience. One article takes Todd’s own testimony of how he used to be a trickster and deceiver, doing anything for drugs, and uses it against him as an accusation that the miracles are false. That’s hardly fair! Maybe they should interview some of the people who have been healed when Todd ministered to them.

One writer said “My doubt and concern is not in healing or miracles but rather how some use these things to bring attention to themselves and to avoid persecution for preaching the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18).” This logic is funny considering how the miracles are stirring up opposition for Todd just as miracles consistently did for Jesus and the apostles in scripture. In fact, Paul wrote that everybody who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted, and in scripture, it was the religious people rather than outsiders who opposed Jesus and the apostles after miracles happened.

The articles calling Todd a warlock notes with an “eyes rolling” kind of tone that Patricia King met Todd White at a “Glory School.” I was at that glory school. I’ve been to few Christian events that got as much into scripture as Patricia King’s glory school, with teaching solidly rooted in Jesus’ death, resurrection, and incarnation. God’s glory and God glorifying us are solidly biblical concepts and it’s worth getting out a concordance and looking up the topic!

As far as the healings, I knew Todd as an acquaintance before he was well-known, when he was delivering ice and ministering to people on the way. He is from where I grew up. He was ministering to everybody he could long before anybody put things on video. The miracles are real, no manipulation. I myself have been healed and there’s no way you can convince me it’s a lie, I’ve seen hundreds of people healed. It’s sad that Christians are citing an atheist skeptic’s arguments that it’s a farce, because their form of religion has more in common with atheism than they like to admit.

So this criticism of Todd is based totally on a false theological premise that God doesn’t do the things anymore that he used to, an antichrist premise which denies the role of the church as the body of Christ (who is the same yesterday, today, and forever) commissioned by Jesus to do the same works and greater. This anti-supernatural doctrine came straight from the influence of gnostic teachers who denied Christ came in the flesh. They believe God doesn’t do miracles anymore, so they believe anybody who ministers healing must be phony.

Does Todd White Sell Miracles?

I’ve read that Todd White puts miracles up for sale. This is one of the most laughable accusations since Todd sometimes gives a generous cash gift to someone after ministering healing if they are struggling financially! He frequently ministers to waitresses and gives a ridiculously large tip.

Of course, essentially selling miracles by suggesting giving money might be the key to your healing is a real problem in some circles and I find it abhorrent. But accusing Todd of this? Yeah, it’s laughable and it says something about the bias and lack of credibility of those bringing the accusation. Accusations like this should really be specific and point to something that people can see, such as a video in which the accused actually did attach people’s healing to their giving.

Does Todd White Teach That Jesus “Stopped Being God?”

The Youtube video Todd White Denies Jesus Is God claims Todd White denies Jesus divinity because Todd is teaching Jesus’ humanity. This is the same argument they use against Bill Johnson, even though Bill always says plainly, flat out, that Jesus is God and never stopped being God.

Todd teaches that Jesus became weak as a man, which scripture says as well. Hebrews says he became like us in every way, but without sin. Todd’s preaching makes this very clear if you listen to all of it, and Christ’s deity is clearly laid out in Lifestyle Christianity’s statement of faith.

Pastor Gabe also brings the same argument against Bill Johnson. His reasoning is absurd. I already responded in an article to Pastor Gabe’s hit piece on Bill Johnson, and Pastor Gabe’s theological objections are really that Bill teaches the hypostatic union and justification. Gabe twists that to say Bill denies Jesus’ deity and sanctification, both of which Bill very clearly teaches. In order to accuse Bill, Gabe pits Jesus’ humanity against his divinity and pits sanctification against justification, as if these truths were in opposition to each other.

It becomes evident that Pastor Gabe himself doesn’t fully accept what scripture teaches about Jesus’ humanity, that he became like us in every way. The accusation that Todd rejects Jesus’ deity is based on similar false premises as the accusation against Bill, in that the accuser does not fully accept what scripture teaches about Jesus coming in the flesh. While not explicitly denying the fundamental and orthodox truth of Jesus’ incarnation, the ones making this accusation against Todd and Bill border on doing so because they deny what scripture teaches the incarnation implies. They deny the scriptural point that Jesus came with every weakness we have, and yes, without sin.

As the discussion continued on my Facebook post of Todd’s videos, the guy who was most adamant that Todd was a heretic began making statements which reeked of Gnosticism, especially the Gnostic view of the human body. Gnosticism was a heretical group that denied Jesus came in the flesh and that negatively influenced Christianity through Augustine. He converted from Gnosticism to Christianity but still retained many aspects of Gnostic thinking and became the most influential theologian in church history. It is actually the people making this accusation against Todd who are on dangerous theological ground as regarding Jesus’ incarnation.

Does Todd White “Flip The Gospel Upside Down” And Teach We “Deserve” Salvation?

A PirateChristian.com article and a PulpitAndPen,com article , as well as some YouTube videos, claim Todd flips the gospel upside down and teaches we deserve salvation, based on the quote “The cross isn’t just the revelation of my sin, it’s the revealing of my value. Something underneath of that sin must have been of great value for heaven to go bankrupt to get me back.”

The accusations that Todd is making light of sin by saying Jesus died to reveal our value are way out of context. Anybody who has heard Todd speak very much knows that he doesn’t make light of or excuse sin. Not even close! Todd saying what Scripture says, that Jesus died because of God’s love for us. Even in the Old Testament scripture calls God’s people his inheritance, precious to him.

Todd NEVER SAYS OR IMPLIES that we deserve salvation. If you think he does, show me where. It is an immense fallacy to say that “Jesus died for us because of our value to God” = “Jesus died because we deserved salvation.” Our value to God does not come from anything we did to deserve it, but our value is in being loved by God and made in his image. God gave his one and only Son for us because he immensely values each of us! Todd never said Jesus did not die for our sins, and if you listen to him much that should be clear. He simply said it’s about more than just that. Jesus’s death reveals how much God values us because HE LOVES US! (See 1 John 4:10 and Romans 5:8 for example on how Jesus’s death reveals the Father’s love for us/our value to the Father.)

Quoting Dan Mohler, Todd’s mentor: My Bible doesn’t say “For God was so frustrated at wit’s end and fed up with the world that he sent his Son.” Or “God was so disgusted with the repetitive failure of humanity that he couldn’t take it anymore and finally sent his Son.” My Bible says “For God so loved the world…”

Does Todd White “Tell God What He Must Do?”

Some show videos of Todd rebuking sickness or something and claim he is “telling God what he must do.” This is a gross misrepresentation, but it has been unfairly leveled against other people as well.

Rebuking sickness or demons and speaking God’s word to situations is not commanding God! Rather it is adding our “amen” to God’s “yes,” just as the prophets of old did and as Jesus taught his disciples to do. It joining our wills to God’s as he has revealed his will to us in Christ. It is part of an incarnational mindset which understands that we are the body of Christ and his Spirit dwells in us. Christ himself taught his disciples to rebuke sickness and expel demons.

Does Todd White Teach Man-Centered Theology?

Often when I hear accusations of “man-centered” theology, it’s because the Accuser has a problem with the scriptural implications of the incarnation. God came as a man. And God is not narcissistic. He has plans for men. His plans aren’t just all about himself. The incarnation is about God being glorified in man and the invisible nature of God being revealed in humanity. Scripture clearly teaches God’s purpose to glorify men. However, this is not a man-centered message. It’s about God being glorified in man, and man being glorified in God.

Of course we reject a self-centered false gospel. If you listen much to Todd’s teaching, and the teaching of Dan Mohler, who mentored Todd, you’ll notice that they both talk extensively about rejecting a self-centered, self-serving perspective to live a life of love. That is why it’s so ironic that anybody would accuse them of preaching a self-serving gospel.

Does Todd White Teach He Has Never Sinned?






One of the most common accusations against Todd White is the claim he teaches he has no sin. Here is a compilation a critic made of some of his statements:

The point of contention with Todd is that First John says we deceive ourselves if we claim to be without sin. Of course, it is clear from Todd’s testimony that he does not claim he has never sinned. He is talking about walking with a clear conscience because God has given him a new heart and he’s been cleansed from sin by Jesus’ blood. Here I’m sharing a little more of the context in first John to help us understand what it’s saying.

Of all the verses here, those in bold green letters could be taken out of context in order to argue that anybody who claims a clear conscience is a liar. Yet those in bold blue letters could be taken out of context in order to argue that Christians cannot ever sin and anybody who ever slips up or sins is not a real Christian! Both of these conclusions are erroneous.

1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-6, 10, 29, 3:6-10 (NIV)This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

The verses in bold green letters above are not talking about having an expectation that we as Christians will always mess up, walk in sin, stumble, and miss the mark. Of course, all have sinned, we must admit that and receive God’s gift of salvation, but we can actually find freedom in Christ. Romans 7 talks of life under the law, Romans 8 contrasts that with living by the Spirit.

Here, Dan Mohler explains so clearly how a few verses in First John get twisted so that Christians fall into an expectation that they will always mess up. First John says we have an advocate “if” we sin, not “when” we sin. Scripture does not teach that we must always expect to fail. Romans 6 is so clear that the old nature was crucified with Christ and we are to consider it a fact that we are dead to sin and alive to righteousness. On the contrary, we hear many Christians talking as if they were alive to sin and anybody who thinks Jesus’ work can set us free from the bondage of sin is a heretic! Yes, the righteousness we receive is imputed, it is Jesus’s righteousness, not our own, but it bears the fruit of righteousness. For more on how this works, see our article Falling Out Of Sin And Into Righteousness.

Todd is talking about walking free from sin by walking in communion with Christ. He’s talking about living in the Romans 8 life, not the Romans 7 bondage. He says he doesn’t remember the last time he lusted after a woman. So what’s wrong with that? Really, people are calling Todd a wolf and a false teacher because he teaches walking in freedom from sin with Christ? People are calling him a false teacher because he teaches righteousness and walking in holiness by God’s grace?

I’m much more concerned about the attitude that “We’re just always going to fail, because we’re human,” and the epic of porn addiction in the church. I’m much more concerned about the expectation that everyone is just going to mess up. I know it doesn’t have to be like that. I haven’t walked perfectly. Even so, I’ve shunned porn since I was 12 years old. Before I was married I fell madly in love, yet kissing my girlfriend mouth-to-mouth or anything beyond that wasn’t even a consideration. Not because of some religious legalism but because I loved my girlfriend so much and didn’t want to do anything to hurt her by violating her conscience or going somewhere she would regret later. I was shocked when a pastor came to me with the assumption that I must have already slept with my fiancee before we were married. I thought “Do you know me?” It’s sad that this is just what so much of the church has come to expect.

It feels so good to live in communion with God, to not remember the last time you violated your conscience, to just be aware constantly of the love of God reigning in your heart towards others…a constant flow of living water. I’ve experienced living in that consciousness of Christ and not of sin for weeks at a time, taking communion with no awareness of having violated my conscience since the last time I did a month ago. I’ve also messed up many times. But where is the limit in scripture to how closely we can walk with God? Enoch walked with God until he was translated! Where is the point that scripture says “Well, you’re just going to have to sin now, because you’re human?” What is the limit scripture puts on how long you can go without violating your conscience? 

Remember, Jesus Came As A Human!

Remember, Jesus came as a human, had every weakness we do, walked in communion with the Father, never sinned, and died to set men free from the power of sin. He is the only man who has never sinned, but he came to set men free from the power of sin and bring many sons to glory. Applying Christ’s redemption frees us from sin, not death as “liberation” from this “sinful human body.” Death is not our savior, not even in part! The idea that our humanity means we must keep sinning, is Gnosticism!

The Gnostics believed that the body and physical world is corrupt and spirit is pure, so they denied that a pure and sinless God could come in a human body. They taught that Jesus was a spirit who only appeared to have a body but really didn’t. They saw salvation as liberation from the physical world. Sound a lot like the notion that “we’ll only ever really be free from sin when we die.”

Here’s part of my response on the Facebook thread to a guy who argued that Todd is a heretic and we will always fall into sin because we live in human bodies. He also claimed Todd and Bill Johnson deny Jesus’s deity because they teach his incarnation and humanity.

You are arguing against a straw man. Nobody said that Christians can’t sin or are no longer Christians if they do sin.

However, scripture puts no limit on how much we can walk in freedom from sin, and it has nothing to do with being in a human body, as Jesus came in a human body, and our human bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Todd claims a clean conscience so you accuse him of teaching sinless perfectionism. However, the apostle Paul claimed the same in 1 Corinthians 4:4. 2 Corinthians 1:2 and Acts 23:1. There is actually such a thing as being able to say “my conscience is clean before God.”

We who are born again do have the divine nature of Christ, because as scripture says we have the spirit of Christ if we are his, we have been joined to him in spirit, and we have become (and are becoming) partakers of his divine nature. He is the head, we are the body.

You also don’t seem to acknowledge that Jesus was made like us in every way as the firstborn among many brethren, could do nothing of himself, was a weak as we are and learned obedience through what he suffered, and was tempted in every way as we are and did not sin (and not just because he was God). Unless you acknowledge these scriptural points instead of saying that Jesus could only do works of power and walk in holiness because he was God, you have a major problem in your Christology and incarnation theology.

Your most serious accusation of both Bill and Todd, that they deny Jesus’ deity, is contrary to what both of them have repeatedly and explicitly stated. As tolerant as Bethel church is when it comes to weirdness, Bethel Church takes Christ’s deity so seriously that Bill Johnson warned the church to stay away from a teacher who was denying it. And the very basis for your insistence that Bill and Todd deny Christ’s deity is based on the major error in your theology stated above…you have not accepted the above points that scripture teaches the incarnation implies.

Summary

I hope this has helped some people who have had genuine concerns about Todd White. Again, I don’t agree with Todd about everything and you should test what he says, as you would test what I or anyone says. , I didn’t see you in this class today, but I hope to see you in another class soon!

In essence, some of the main accusations against Todd have to do with him teaching that Jesus came in the flesh (as a man), teaching walking in holiness, demonstrating God’s power through the enablement of the Holy Spirit, and teaching God’s love for people. Faultfinders who are always resisting the Holy Spirit and believe that God stopped doing miracles a few thousand years ago twist these teachings and take his statements out of context to make fallacious accusations., I didn’t see you in this class today, but I hope to see you in another class soon!

Now a scriptural admonition about people who do this:

Romans 16:17 (NIV) I appeal to you, brethren, to be on your guard concerning those who create dissensions and difficulties and cause divisions, in opposition to the doctrine (the teaching) which you have been taught. I warn you to turn aside from them, to avoid them.

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Be Still And Wait On The Lord

[image error]Heaven Now!

Sometime around 2008, I felt that the Lord was telling me to write about truths I’d learned which had brought manifestation of God’s power in my life and a great awareness of God’s presence. At times I physically began to feel the place around me vibrating with God’s goodness. I remember reaching out my hand and feeling currents of love flowing out of my fingers, and at one time it was God’s love was flowing through my whole body from head to foot and I could feel physically as a current going through me.

Some years later I wrote the Heaven Now Trilogy in order to help people experience heaven’s reality now and see everything around them become like heaven. I encouraged people to get a vision of all that’s possible in Christ and not settle for experiencing anything less. I talked about beholding the Lord, getting rid of the veils that keep us from seeing Him as he is, and understanding the implications of Jesus’s death, resurrection, and incarnation. I also shared the testimonies of what these truths did in my life.

The trilogy is full of powerful truths and I often tangibly felt the Lord’s presence as a weight and wept as I wrote. However, I know feel that there is one really helpful thing I didn’t talk much about in the trilogy and didn’t understand so well at that time. I’m still learning!

Jeff Randle and Unveiled Life

Two or three years ago, I got connected with Jeff Randle. As you guys know, one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit that Corinthians talks about is Power, and Jeff had some of the most extreme testimonies of power manifestations that I’d ever heard. His heart was to teach other Christians to walk in extreme power like Elijah, using the same faith that we exercise in ministering healing to change the course of world events, praying such prayers that we see the results in the news the next day!

In fact, Jeff prayed like I had begun to pray as a teenager. I would be praying for a country and all the sudden I would feel this power come on me as I imagined societies transformed and communities filled with a holy awareness of God. The testimonies of past revival that I had read and heard planted something in me, and I had to see it in my time! I began loudly declaring that the people’s eyes would be open to see Jesus and declaring what was going to change, tears pouring out. One time I was praying for Russia and in a moment it was like my whole van was filled with power and I was screaming, weeping, and declaring that Russia would be filled with the knowledge of Jesus as the waters cover the seas.

I’m not one to quickly jump on the latest bandwagon in the Charismatic Movement (as long-time blog readers probably know), and having crazy stories to tell doesn’t impress me in and of itself. But as I got to hear Jeff and what he was teaching, I felt that what he was saying was really rooted in truth and in the gospel. As much as what Jeff was saying was a big stretch for many Christians, I actually felt that his teaching avoided errors and pitfuls that I’d seen in some of the current Charismatic fads.

Jeff taught a lot of the things I’d written about in my Heaven Now Trilogy. In fact, he often said things about the way God’s power manifests that I could relate to so closely and I thought “Only a person who has experienced this would understand what Jeff is saying.” Especially around 2008/2009 things had begun to get a bit crazy for me with the manifestation of God’s glory, so that people saw were talking about angels in my house, supernatural winds blowing, manifestation of scent from heaven, and even a manifestation of supernatural rain in my house. I had seen what triggered many such events, and I could tell that Jeff knew what he was talking about.

You can click here to check out the Unveiled Life website, the Unveiled Life facebook page, and the Unveiled Life YouTube channel.

Stillness

One thing Jeff was talking about that I hadn’t was “stillness” and waiting on God. Even so, it tied in closely with what I’d written about beholding the Lord until our countenances glow with his goodness. It was a way of exercising and growing strong in faith and learning to rest in the Lord. It was shutting out the distractions in order to behold the Lord’s glory and  What he was saying was Biblical, and I realized how much it would have helped me if I had practiced it more earlier.

In fact, when I thought about it, I had experienced the “stillness” that Jeff was talking about. As I watched Jesus heal people, I often held my hand on someone’s shoulder without saying much until their pain was gone. When I met someone who needed to be healed it felt like time stopped and the person in front of me was the most important thing in the world. There was such a peace that sometimes both I and the person receiving ministry wept.

Michael Van Vlymen is another Facebook friend whom I’ve interacted with at times, as well as reading several of his books. Michael is a really solid guy who has a lot of wild testimonies and is well-grounded in truth. I recently read Michael’s book Waiting on God: Spending Time In His Presence in Silence, Stillness, and Expectation.

As Michael went from prayer and worship into waiting silently on the Lord, angels began to visit him and heaven broke loose in his life! As I’ve learned about other people who have walked in God’s power and led revival, I’m realizing that many of them practiced silence in God’s presence. In fact, I just heard Bill Johnson talking about how he takes 5 minutes to just sit and know “God loves me.” 

I Would Have Avoided A Lot Of Trouble By Waiting On The Lord!

So guys, I have to be honest: This is hard for me sometimes, and I have a lot to grow!

I love watching Mark Hemans‘ videos of healing and deliverance, and I’ve mentioned him to you guys before. I just listened to this sermon of his and I felt like it was correction to me from the Lord. For me that’s not a heavy thing. It’s encouraging! I’ve happy to see where I’ve gone wrong because I can avoid the same mistakes next time!

In this message Mark talks about how Saul was moved by his circumstances and so he failed to wait on the Lord. I realized that I would have avoided a lot of painful mistakes and things that sidetracked me if I had learned to wait on the Lord. It would have helped me to keep continuing more consistently in the reality I talk about in the Heaven Now Trilogy.

After listening to Mark’s sermon, I took about two and a half hours to just be silent and wait in expectation on God. It was difficult! But my experience made me realize how important this is for me and how it builds faith. Faith is rooted in rest and quiet trust, and anxiety takes us right out of faith if we yield to it. Waiting in silence teaches us to say “no” to anxiety! It also really teaches us to say “no” to being moved by feelings or natural senses. Waiting in silence requires us to choose to trust God. This is how it can be a part of building extreme faith.

As I’ve taught about incarnation, I’ve often emphasized our part in partnering with God. It’s true. This is a partnership, and that’s how God’s power manifests. And if you want to see people healed and delivered you should learn to be aggressive against sickness and oppression. Yet at times, in practice, I’ve fallen into the trap of overemphasizing my part in this partnership and losing the quiet trust. It’s one way to get out of a position of faith. And remember Jesus’s words about not using vain repetition when we pray, thinking we will be heard because of many words? What if we pray by making our requests known to God, then waiting in silence and eager expectation as the peace of God, which passes all understanding, fills us?

Scriptures About Waiting On God And Stillness

Guys, my passion is to see Christians experiencing heaven now and doing their part in seeing the earth filled with the knowledge of God’s glory as the waters have covered the seas. I try to share what works and what has helped me. I’ve shared much of that in the three Heaven Now books. I also encourage you to get Michael Van Vlyman’s book or check out Jeff Randle’s Unveiled Life power school to learn more about stillness. But for now, here are a few scriptures about quieting our souls and waiting expectantly on the Lord:

Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 130:5 (NIV) I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 37:7 (NIV) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 40:1 (NIV) I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Micah 7:7 (NIV) But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Psalm 62:5 (NIV) Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Isaiah 40:31 (NRSV) but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Lamentations 3:25-26 (NRSV)The Lord is good to those who wait for him,to the soul that seeks him.It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.



I just shared a sample above, but click here for a list of 39 Bible verses about waiting for the Lord.

Why don’t you try it? Present your requests to God, and then take some time to just sit quietly in expectation. Or go from praise and worship into silent reverence. Stay in the moment, and be still and know that He is God!

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Jesus Believes In You!

[image error]While I was doing some reading related to my latest book, I came across the article Rabbi and Talmidim. It explains the historical background of Rabbi’s and their disciples. This shed new light on Jesus’ words “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16 NIV)

A Rabbi Choosing His Student Was An Affirmation Of Confidence!

The article explains the significance of a Rabbi choosing his disciples:

“A few (very few) of the most outstanding Beth Midrash students sought permission to study with a famous rabbi often leaving home to travel with him for a lengthy period of time. These students were called talmidim (talmid, s.) in Hebrew, which is translated disciple…

“Most students sought out the rabbis they wished to follow. This happened to Jesus on occasion (Mark 5:19; Luke 9:57). There were a few exceptional rabbis who were famous for seeking out their own students. If a student wanted to study with a rabbi he would ask if he might “follow” the rabbi. The rabbi would consider the student’s potential to become like him and whether he would make the commitment necessary. It is likely most students were turned away. Some of course were invited to “follow me”. This indicated the rabbi believed the potential talmid had the ability and commitment to become like him. It would be a remarkable affirmation of the confidence the teacher had in the student.”

Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV) As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Do you understand the significance now of Jesus saying “You did not choose me, but I chose you?” He wasn’t arguing a case for Calvinism! He was making a “remarkable affirmation of confidence” that they could become like him in every way! The article on a Rabbi and Talmidim explains that the purpose of discipleship was not mere intellectual learning, but imitating and becoming like the teacher. It required total commitment.

Luke 6:40 (NIV) The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

Luke 9:57-62 (NIV) As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

God’s Perspective On You

Only a very few of the best students were normally selected to travel with a rabbi, especially a rabbi like Jesus who taught as one who had authority. (Mark 1:22) Yet I imagine that the disciples Jesus called weren’t necessarily the best students. They sure got it wrong plenty of times when they were with Jesus, as we see in the gospels! Peter sometimes found his foot in his mouth and often didn’t act quite like Jesus would! He also ended up swearing three times that he didn’t know Jesus. Yet Jesus still said “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” He was saying “I know that you can become like me.”

Maybe it would be a little more accurate, rather than just saying “Jesus believes in you,” to say that God has confidence in the ability of the Holy Spirit to make you like Jesus. So many Christians say, when hearing of Jesus’ pure character or works of power “That was Jesus, and I’m not him!” But the point of discipleship is becoming like the Master! Imagine, Jesus was confident that Peter could come out after him and walk on the water!

You may see your mess-ups and failures, but Jesus still says “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” That means he’s not giving up on you! In spite of all your errors, Jesus is confident in the ability of the “Helper,” the Holy Spirit, to conform you to his image. By the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, Jesus is confident that you can love your enemies, heal the sick, and do the mighty works he did. He is confident in the ability of the Holy Spirit to overcome your weaknesses and turn the spiritual wimp into a warrior.

So say yes to Jesus and make an all-out commitment to follow him, no matter how many times you stumble along the way!

Philippians 1:6 (NIV) being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

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This Is True Love!

[image error]A few months ago, I was feeling so hurt and numb after many things that have happened in Brazil. Then, one Sunday I was praying and God brought me to tears. He said, “My Son’s blood is enough for all the sin of Brazil.”


John 1:29 (NIV) “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

 


I remember when I was so desperate for life and I heard the message of God’s love, that Jesus died for me. It was the greatest glory I ever knew, to be cleansed by Jesus’ blood, to have forgiveness and freedom. Jesus’ blood is enough for my sin, for the sin of Brazil, for the sin of the world.

Communities Gripped By An Awareness of God


I was just listening to testimonies from the Welsh Revival. One young man was in court and broke down in tears saying “I’m guilty,” then told the lawyer not to defend him anymore. The judge adjourned the court and told the man how to find forgiveness with Christ, the young man was saved, and the jury sang a hymn.


 


I’ve heard is of wailing as people see God’s love that turns to laughter with the joy of forgiveness. I long to hear it again. I’ve heard the testimonies of whole communities gripped with an awareness of God’s presence, and the newspapers regularly reporting on the revivals. I’m not satisfied to only hear about it. I’ve tested and seen that God is good and I want everybody to experience what I have. If the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of God’s glory, let it start now!



They call this the “Love Song of the Welsh Revival.” Hardened sinners would break down in tears and receive God’s gift of salvation as they heard it:

Testimonies Inspire Faith And Believing Prayer

Psalm 77:11-12 (NIV) I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your worksand meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV) Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known.

Hearing testimonies of what God was doing in the Welsh revival sparked revivals all over the world. We’ve seen people healed as they simply heard testimonies of healing. Likewise, great manifestations of God’s glory have come out of testimony. Will you let the testimonies of what God has done in the past grip your heart and spark faith for the people around you to encounter God? Will you let these testimonies stir you to believing prayer? It’s easy to find testimonies on Youtube. Will you be satisfied with anything less than heaven now? I’m not.

Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

God is ready and the harvest is ripe! He is looking for people who will give themselves totally over to the Holy Spirit until they become portals of heaven on this earth. Will you say “Yes, Holy Spirit! I invite you to do your work in me and fill every nook and cranny of my heart and soul!”

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Come To God With Empty Hands!

[image error]On Sunday I heard the Lord shouting in my heart “Come to me with empty hands!” He was opening up the scriptures to my understanding, and I fell backwards into my chair because of the glory of the message.

A pure gospel message proclaimed comes with a manifestation of glory and power. I love to see people weeping as they listen, even physically healed without receiving prayer. I have often tangibly felt God’s glory in an experience that was trigged by thinking about some scripture. I know where the glory is, and it’s not complicated. It’s in the simple gospel message of “God loves you and Jesus died to restore you to relationship with him.” I like to listen to sermons that move me to tears, and I like to see people weeping when I speak.

On the other hand, where there is no power it is often because the gospel message is not pure. What the Lord spoke to me about approaching him with empty hands is quite contrary to what we have heard in so many churches, yet it is the message that comes with glory! When I go to church I want to see miracles, I want to see Jesus glorified, and I want to see people’s hearts gripped by God! Nothing less satisfies my soul.

Here’s what the Lord showed me about coming with empty hands:

“Nobody shall appear before me empty-handed”

Maybe as soon as some people saw the title of today’s post, they thought of this scripture:

Exodus 23:15 (NIV) “Nobody is to appear before me empty-handed.” 

We’ve heard this preached in sermons about giving and offerings. No matter how nice a preacher tries to make this sound, the message a lot of peope are getting is “Don’t come to God without money!” This has been exacerbated by teachings about “sowing a seed” to get a breakthrough, or tithing so God can “open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing.” (Sowing and reaping is Biblical, but the harvest we reap for giving money isn’t healing, deliverance, or more money!)

Come, All You Who Have No Money!

Isaiah 55:1 (NIV) “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

We just read a scripture saying that nobody should appear before God empty-handed, but everyone should bring an offering. Now we read a scripture calling those who have no money! What? Let’s consider the contexts of both passages.

Two Covenants

Galatians 4:21-31 (NIV) Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Paul said that Hagar stands for Mount Sinai, and she is in slavery with her children. We, in contrast, are children of promise. The command “Nobody shall appear before me empty-handed” was literally given on Mount Sinai! The contrast with Isaiah’s words is striking. Isaiah 55 is a passage announcing the gospel, a New Covenant passage yet found in the Old Testament, shortly after the prophecy of Jesus as the suffering servant in Isaiah 53. Isaiah is saying “Come empty-handed! Come, you who have no money!”

Let’s be honest. How often has the message “Come, you who have no money!” been what has come across to people from the church?

God Satisfies The Hungry But Sends The Rich Away Empty-Handed!

When we minister healing, some people have the attitude “I don’t deserve to be healed,” or say “I hope I can deserve to be healed.” Others say that such and such a person “deserves” to be healed. These are self-centered attitudes, a manifestation of pride.

Naaman was an important official who was sick with leprosy. His story is in 2 Kings 5. He almost didn’t follow Elisha’s instructions of dipping in the Jordan because of pride. Then when he wanted to give a generous gift after being healed. Naaman’s attitude was “don’t come empty-handed,” but the root was pride and Elisha refused it. Naaman had to humble himself to receive what God had for him, and then God humbled him again by refusing what he brought in his hands.

Don’t even attempt to come to God on the basis of your merit!

Luke 18: 9-14 (NRSV) He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 1:53 (NIV) He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

The gospel calls the hungry, those who have nothing to offer. It’s good news for the poor! Come you who have no money! Come, buy and eat, without money and without cost! God says “Come to me empty-handed, with nothing to offer in return, and you will receive grace!” 

Those who come empty-handed will be satisfied, loaded with benefits! But the proud, those who think they are rich, who come with full hands, will leave empty-handed. Come to God with humility, with nothing to offer, and receive his grace.

Now of course, I’m not saying “Don’t bring your money to church!” or “Stop giving!” Lol. I’m just saying, don’t let that have anything to do with how you approach God. Giving in the New Covenant is about being moved by what moves God’s heart as we walk in communion with God. Let your giving be from that attitude and never from a place of “I need something to approach God with.”

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“Have I Committed The Unforgivable Sin?”

[image error]I’ve received messages several times from people who were in anguish, fearing they had committed the unforgivable sin and no longer had any hope of being saved. These messages so move my heart because I was there before, tormented by fear, when I was 12 years old. Yet I’ve experienced such joy and freedom since.

Maybe some people are reading this who are dealing right now with the tormenting fear of having committed the unforgivable sin. Or maybe you’ve had someone confide in you that they were dealing with this same fear. There are so many Christians who’ve dealt with this, and I’d like to share what helped me.

The Unforgivable Sin

First, let’s look at the two texts that are most closely related to the concept of an unforgivable sin:

Matthew 12:31-32 (NIV)  And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

The context of this passage was the Pharisees rejecting Jesus the Messiah and saying he did his work by the devil’s power. Some that the other passage, in Hebrews, has a similar context. It was written before the devastating destruction of Jerusalem to Jews who were in danger of going back to trusting in animal sacrifices and the Jewish system and dying in the slaughter of AD 70. (The Christians who heeded Jesus’ warning about this in Matthew 24, fled to the mountains, and escaped.)

Hebrews 6:4-9 (NIV) It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation.

This passage terrified me when I was a kid. Although we should heed warnings to not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13), despair doesn’t bring anyone to repentance! Let’s talk about how to know you haven’t committed the unforgivable sin. I’ll share some of the scriptures that helped me.

How To Know You Haven’t Committed The Unforgivable Sin

In my near-despair, I found a few scriptures that I grabbed on to which gave me hope. This was a big one:

John 6:37 (NRSV) All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Jesus promised he would never turn away anybody who came to him. Therefore, nobody who has committed the unforgivable sin will come to Jesus. If your heart is crying “Jesus, help me,” then you have not committed the unforgivable sin.

Psalm 145:18-19 (NRSV) The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them.

Grab onto this promise of scripture. The Lord is near to all who call on him in truth. If you are calling on Jesus sincerely, you want to be free from sin and torment, he is near to you. Nobody who is calling on the Lord has committed the unforgivable sin.

Romans 10:12b-13 (NRSV)  the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The fact that your heart is tender and you are worried about grieving the Lord shows that you have not committed an unforgivable sin and that the Holy Spirit is working in your life. If you had committed an unforgivable sin, you really wouldn’t be worried about it! You wouldn’t care!

How Many Times Should We Forgive?

These words of Jesus also helped me:

Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV) Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

If Jesus told Peter to forgive this man times, how much more is our Heavenly Father patient? Maybe you have failed again and again. Open yourself up to the Holy Spirit, invite him to help you and produce Christ’s character in you. Don’t wait change your life before you approach God. Receive his forgiveness and come to him now.

Seek The Lord With All Your Heart!

I held on to these scriptures when, as a young pre-teen, I was terrified of having committed the unforgiveable sin. Then Ann and Charles Stock ministered as guest speakers at our new church when I was 12 years old, and I felt God’s love come all over my body, so I could physically feel it. God showed me that not only did he still love me, but he had great plans for my life.

Three years later, when I was 15 years old, I again had a similar experience with God’s love. It set me free from an obsessive-compulsive disorder caused by guilt and condemnation. I went on to walk more closely with the Lord, to feel his love flowing through me like a river, and experience unspeakable joy.

Listen to me. GOD LOVES YOU! You may not feel like it. You may feel hopeless, tormented, and on the brink of despair, but God still loves you and has a plan for your life. He is the God of hope! (Romans 15:13) He has a glorious, wonderful future for you, and he hasn’t given up on you! The Holy Spirit doesn’t feel like you’re too hard a case for him! You may have been faithless, but he is still faithful!

2 Timothy 2:13 (NIV) if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Jeremiah 29:1 (NIV) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Regardless of how you feel, decide to seek wholeheartedly to know God and to know his love for you. Call on Jesus’ name and find promises in scripture that you can grab a hold of for encouragement. If you have to write them down, do it! If you fall, keep getting up again and going on with the Lord!

Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.

Hebrews 12:1+2 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

 

 

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Devote Yourselves To Prayer

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Colossians 4:2 (NIV) Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

1 Peter 4:7 (NIV) The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

Scripture tells us to devote ourselves to prayer, or give our focus and attention to prayer.

How Much TV Do You Watch?

Wikipedia says that United States adults are watching five hours and four minutes of television per day on average (35.5 h/week, slightly more than 77 days per year). That’s quite a lot!

In the past, some Christians got into the legalism of saying watching TV is sin. Of course, we don’t want to go there. Manmade rules, guilt, and condemnation don’t produce good fruit.

But I think Christians would spend much less time watching TV if we’d realize what we can accomplish by devoting ourselves to prayer. Lots of TV puts us in a kind of zombie state, the opposite of “alert and of sober mind.”

Many people watching tons of TV struggle with feelings of uselessness and depression. This is especially common among elderly people who are retired, find it hard to get out much, and tend to spend more time in front of the TV. What if instead of going the route of legalism, we just stopped watching so much TV because we found something so much better?

I’m really looking forward to seeing Incredibles 2 when I get a chance! I think it’s been out for a while now, and I still haven’t seen it. Yet although I really enjoy seeing a good movie once in a while, spending long hours watching TV and movies has lost its appeal. I have no interest in watching most of what’s out there, and if I do feel like watching something, it’s almost always as a way of spending time with family or friends.

Many people report that it took a little discipline to change their eating habits or to form an exercise habit, but when they did, they felt so much better and eating lots of sugary food lost its appeal. It can be the same with TV. If you get into the habit of devoting yourself to prayer, you might find that the TV has almost no appeal to you anymore!

These Promises Seem Too Good To Be True, But They Are True!

Take a moment to read some of Jesus’ promises concerning prayer:

John 14:13-14 (NIV)  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

John 15:7 (NIV)  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

John 15:16 (NIV) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 

John 16:23-24 (NIV)  In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

1 John 3:21-23 (NIV) Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 

1 John 5:14 (NIV) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Do you believe these promises? I think if we believe them, devoting ourselves to prayer will be a high priority! But if we feel like they aren’t working, it’s easy to get discouraged. A little glimpse into the spiritual realm that helps us to see what are prayers are accomplishing will help us to stay encouraged and continue to devote ourselves to prayer.

Persevering In Prayer

As a teenager, I wrote down these scriptures and latched onto them. Yet I wondered why I often had asked things of God and it didn’t seem like I’d received them.

Then I read the story of Daniel encountering an angel after 21 days of prayer and fasting. The angel’s words give us a glimpse into what may be happening in the spiritual realm.

Daniel 10:12-13 (NIV)  Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

God sent an angel immediately, from the first day Daniel began to pray. Yet Daniel only met the angel 21 days later!

We often don’t realize until later what’s happening as we pray. Only later do we begin to understand what our prayers put into motion. Sometimes we see immediate, rapid change, and sometimes it’s like planting a seed. You don’t see anything change immediately, but a long time later there’s a big tree standing there.

Not only that, but fervent prayer builds something in us that’s released later, in a moment. The other day I was in the park and a kid playing soccer twisted his ankle. He was limping. I held my hand on it for 10 seconds and he ran off with no limp and no pain. The awareness in my heart of God’s presence was built through prayer. You don’t have to pray long hours to see people healed, but prayer can build an awareness of God’s presence in you so that you are quickly in the place of faith when you face something.

The exhortations of scripture to continue and persevere in prayer imply that sometimes we won’t see the results immediately, and feel like giving up. Don’t give up!

Luke 18:1 (NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Colossians 4:12 (NIV) Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

Ephesians 6L18 (NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Do You Want To Make A Difference?

There are so many people with great needs, in desperate situations, stuck in sin, feeling hopeless. There are many unjust situations that need to change. Will you join with Jesus in his task of rescuing people?

Few people really devote themselves to prayer, but those who do leave a massive impact. Every revival I’ve heard of had people who devoted themselves to prayer. Two elderly, blind ladies devoted themselves to prayer for years, and the Welsh revival was the result, changing the culture and transforming society with an awareness of God’s presence.

I encouraged elderly ladies in Russia with this truth, reminding them that the Iron Curtain fell because of believing, persevering prayer. These little old ladies in Russia could shape the course of history with their prayers!

Are you ready to make history and see great joy come to your city as you join with the Holy Spirit in fervent, effectual prayer?

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There Was Great Joy In The City!

[image error]A few weeks ago, I was watching an old video of a gospel crusade with Kathryn Kuhlman when the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart “There was great joy in the city.” I remembered this as a scripture reference.

Acts 8:5-8 (NIV) Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

This phrase has been repeatedly coming through as I’ve been praying in the last several weeks. There is great joy when people are healed and delivered from sin and oppression. You can see the great joy in the Kathryn Kuhlman crusade.

Do You Want To See Great Joy Come To Your City?

Once you’ve experienced this great joy, you lose the appetite for lesser things! That’s why I usually have very little interest in seeing movies or normal TV programming anymore. I remember feeling great joy at various times when I’ve seen people healed, delivered, and saved. I was jumping because I was so happy.

As I pray, I’ve been watching a lot of other videos of “great joy” coming to people. The videos remind me of what I’ve seen God do and put fire in my prayer. It’s wonderful to see God touching people’s lives and delivering them from sin, sickness, and oppression!

The Argentina revival is a great move of God that started in the 1980’s and has continued for decades. I found this video of Claudio Friedzon holding a gospel crusade in 1993. Great joy came to that city! The video is in Spanish, but even if you don’t speak Spanish you’ll see the people falling over in waves as the Holy Spirit does his work. One guy was in the middle of the soccer field and it looked like somebody suddenly cut his legs out from under him!

It’s not that I care about people falling down in and of itself. But what’s precious is what the Holy Spirit is doing in these people when they fall. We’ve heard the testimonies later of healing, deliverance from oppression, marriages restored, and much more.

I remember someone close to me being very skeptical of being “slain in the Spirit.” Then he received prayer and the Holy Spirit threw him back several yards and up in the air (as he relates). He landed on the floor in a pool of tears. It is so wonderful even to be humbled and corrected by the Holy Spirit that I feel like I would be so happy for him to correct me if I would ever fall into pride.

There was great joy in Argentina!

I’ve been watching a lot of videos of Mark Hemans. I see great joy coming to every place he goes. Here’s just one of his highlight videos. It brings great joy when the deaf hear, the mute speak, schizophrenia is undone, autistic children begin to speak, and the secrets of people’s hearts are revealed!

I’m not always the most disciplined people, but watching these videos helps me to focus and intensify my prayers. It helps me to keep beholding the Father with the eyes of my heart.

“Without Tears There Is No Victory”

I want to see great joy wherever I go! What I’ve seen before, I want to see again, here and now! Nothing is as worthwhile as giving ourselves over to God’s purposes on this earth.

In the last few weeks, I’ve listened to several messages from Carlos Annacondia, the most famous evangelist of the Argentina revival. Nearly every time I hear him I end up in tears.

Carlos preached a message called “Without tears, there is no victory.” (It’s in Spanish) He talked about how Jesus prayed…with “loud cries and tears.” This kind of prayer has always preceded revival.

Hebrews 5:7 (NIV) During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Carlos said he would rather have an hour of prayer with loud cries and tears than 8 hours of praying with discipline but less fervor. I pay a lot of attention to what Carlos says. At some of his crusades, people on the public buses started manifesting demons as they passed within several blocks of the crusades, and then the others would take them off the bus and bring them to the gospel crusade where they would be saved and delivered. Significant percentages of the population in large cities turned to Christ within a few weeks.

Those Who So In Tears Will Reap With Shouts Of Joy!

Here is another scripture Carlos referred to:

Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV) Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

Do you want to see great joy come to your city? Are you willing to sow in tears? Are you willing to open your heart up to Jesus and let him cry through you for people who are suffering and oppressed? Will you engage in the kind of fervent, effectual prayer that changes cities and nations? It’s worth it! If you are willing to sow in tears, you will reap with songs of joy!

John 4:34-38 (NIV) “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.

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Take Hold Of The Evergreen Life To Which You Were Called

[image error]Eternal Life Is Evergreen

1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV) Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.

A few years ago, I shared the vision I had of myself handing my wife a pine cone. I soon learned that the pine cone was an early symbol of eternal life. Eternal life is so much more than simply immortality. It is evergreen. Like an evergreen tree that doesn’t lose its leaves even in winter, the life God gives us is constant. We flourish regardless of exterior circumstances. In fact, some pine cones only release their seeds in fire, and many seeds require a stratification process of going through freezing cold in order to germinate. It’s actually the harsh conditions that foster the germination of the seed so that life becomes evident!

The article I wrote about evergreen life came together with some other writings to make an encouraging devotional for people facing trials. As I was working this week on launching my book “Evergreen Life,” the Holy Spirit brought 1st Timothy 6:12 to my mind.

If we were thinking of “eternal life” as only a reference to going to heaven when we die, it almost might sound as if 1 Timothy 6:12 was talking about working for our salvation, as if it wasn’t already secured by faith in what Jesus did. But when we understand that “eternal life” is “evergreen life,” 1st Timothy 6:12 takes on a lot more meaning.

God has abundant life available for each of us now, regardless of the exterior circumstances we face. It is his quality of life! But we don’t just experience the fullness of it automatically. How do we take hold of this evergreen life?

Taking Hold Of Evergreen Life

According to Jesus in John 17:3, eternal (evergreen) life is knowing the Father and the Son. In other words, our experience of evergreen comes from communion with God.

In John 14-15, Jesus talked about abiding in the vine through communion with God. We abide in Christ by putting his word into practice. The result is receiving Jesus’ peace and fullness of joy, and then bearing much fruit.

Scripture describes God’s word as a seed. Just as harsh conditions release the seed from the pine cone and foster its germination, the trials we face give us an opportunity to put God’s word into practice so that God’s life, evergreen life, becomes evident in our lives. In fact, sometimes the trials bring us face to face with whether or not we are really taking God’s word seriously. If we are not, they give us an opportunity to change. The abundant life of a person walking in communion with God becomes especially evident to the world around when exterior conditions are harsh.

Some Scriptures To Help You Take Hold Of Evergreen Life Right Now!

First, experiencing evergreen life starts with receiving righteousness as a free gift. Communion with God is impossible unless we can first approach him without shame, and that is only possible because Jesus carried our sins on the cross. God’s mercies are new every morning, his grace is abundant, so receive his mercy and grace today!

[image error]Having received forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Christ, we take hold of evergreen life as we abide in God’s word and put it into practice. Here are some great scriptures which teach us how to respond when the going gets tough, taking hold of eternal, abundant, evergreen life, now!

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Philippians 4: 4-9 (NKJV) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:1-5 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

1 Thessalonians 5: 15-18 (NKJV) See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:1-2, 5, 8, 12-17 (NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth… Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth…  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

I’ve just released “Evergreen Life,” a devotional book containing 24 insightful and encouraging articles, most of which I wrote during crazy times living in Rio de Janeiro. They contain a perspective on life that will help you to flourish whether circumstances are favorable or harsh. It’s available in paperback and kindle, and the kindle version is only 99 cents for the first month of the launch. If you’d like to get a copy for yourself or as a gift for a friend, click here or on the picture below.  [image error]

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