This is the question of the ages. There are different definitions of  “goodness.” The standards we use define our answers. Click here for more

moving house is inconvenient and certainly stressful, esp when it was unplanned and short notice, but it's small potatoes compared to the hardships my forebears endured, sometimes leaving all of their belongings behind in a flight for their very lives...  I'm grateful for the examples of my pioneer ancestors and for the legacy of faith they bequeathed to generations after them...

This is a story of a Christian Arab country, Lebanon, that went Islamic. Hear the story about the horrific change in “values,” the murders, the persecution, the evil, and how the only hope the persecuted people had were the Israelis, who administered compassion and help in time of need.

This is the last wake up call for America. Do you have an hour to save your life?

Click here for more

One Arab living in Jersusalem put it this way, 'To the Arabs, we're Christians, which means Crusaders, and to the Israelis we're Arabs, which means terrorists."

Later in the same article, the same Arab Christian said, "Jews [worldwide] support the ultra-Orthodox who don't work but just study and have five children to a family. The Muslims have large extended families who help each other out, and even they receive help from churches. We're a small community and don't receive anything, We don't want handouts, but they (the church universal outside of the Holy Land - ed.) could help establish businesses or provide scholarships."

One way you can help the Arabic Chrisitians in Israel is to partner with IRR/TV to help them with an evangelism campaign to their fellow Arabs. They are Christian Arabs with the winds of revival in their hearts who wish to see not only their Christian brothers and sisters renew or rediscover their faith, but to see Muslims discover who Jesus Christ really is and his power to give them a new life filled with hope and assurance of salvation.

If you would like more information, kindly read through the past few stories on this blog and listen to our podcast where indicated.

If you want to help, you can offer your tax deductible (USA & Canada) gift here: irrtv.org

Our latest radio program here

The complete Jerusalem Post article here

Technorati Tags: anti-semitism, Venezuela, Catholicphobia, religious+persecution, Bolivarian+revolution, Catholic+Church, Hugo+Chávez, Christianophobia, Hizbullah, Islamism, Islamist+revolution

Plight of Christians in Iraq continues to worsen: After explaining the articles of Iraqi Constitution which refer to Sharia Law, it says that "Iraqi Christians have continued to find themselves in the cross hairs of faith-inspired violence. The worst episodes have occurred in regions with diverse ethnic and religious groups, such as Baghdad and Mosul, where the majority of Iraq's Christians live. The State Department reported last year that Muslim extremists "warned Christians living in Baghdad's Dora district to convert, leave or be killed."

Peshawar's Christians under threat from Taliban encroachment:  According to the Voice of the Martyrs, Taliban militants seized the Christians. Last week as they were in prayer at a child dedication service. the service was held in a former Madrassa Islamic school. Some of the Christians were beaten. Cell phones, money and personal possessions were stolen from them. The Taliban abductors demanded that the group's pastor convert to Islam. He refused.

Iran: persecuting Christians: Iranian authorities have detained two converts to Christianity in the southern city of Shiraz for eight weeks on suspicion of “apostasy,” or leaving Islam. In Iran, apostasy is a crime that can be punishable by death. Mahmood Matin, 52, and Arash Bandari, 44, remain imprisoned in a secret police detention center (...) A draft penal code under discussion in Iran’s parliament this month may make the death penalty obligatory for those who leave Islam or use the Internet to encourage others to do so.

Technorati Tags: Sharia+Law, Iraqi+Christians, Pakistani+Talibans, Christians+in+Iraq, Christians+in+Pakistan, Christians+in+Iran, religious+persecution, persecuted+Church

From Nigeria to Indonesia, Christians are under siege in virtually every single country in the Muslim world, the victims of countless acts of discrimination, depredation, brutality, and murder that are so widespread and systematic that it can rightfully be called the new Holocaust. This time, however, the perpetrators of this Holocaust aren’t wearing swastikas, but kufi skull caps and hijabs.

Some of the oldest Christian communities in the world are subject to relentless attack and teeter on the brink of extinction at the hands of the “Religion of Peace”: Palestinian Christians in Gaza and the West Bank; Assyrian, Syriac and Chaldean Christians in Iraq; Coptic Christians in Egypt; Evangelical and Orthodox Christians in Eastern Ethiopia and Eritrea; Armenian Orthodox Christians in Turkey; and Maronite Christians in Lebanon.

(...) The global war on Christianity by Islam is so massive in size and scope that it is virtually impossible to describe without trivializing it. Inspired by Muslim Brotherhood ideology and fueled by billions of Wahhabi petrodollars, the religious cleansing of Christians from the Muslim world is continuing at a break-neck pace, as the following recent examples demonstrate.

Then it gives several examples of the religious cleasing of Christians in Islamic states, some of them truly underreported.

Technorati Tags: Christianity, religious+persecution, Global+War+against+Christianity, Islamism, violence, religious+violence, religious+cleasing

Kyrgyz Christians have complained that the problem of burying deceased members of their communities is unresolved, especially in rural areas. Local administrations, local people and Muslim leaders often oppose the burial of non-Muslims or insist that they be buried according to
Islamic rituals. Attempts to discuss the issue - including a meeting at the
State Agency for Religious Affairs - have not led to a solution. Alisher
Sobirov, the chair of Parliament's standing Commission on Religion, told
Forum 18 that "no one outside the local administrations - including the
Muftiate - has the right to make decisions on cemeteries." Asked what
should be done, Sobirov claimed that it was not within Parliament's power
to address burial issues. Asan Saipov of the Muftiate told Forum 18 that
they had decided "not to allow the burial of non-Muslims in Muslim
cemeteries" - even though these are run by local authorities and are
usually the only local cemeteries. He insisted that villagers made the
right decision in stopping the family of a 14 year old Baptist from burying
him.

For more information: forum18.org

IRR/TV is involved in media missions work in Kyrgyzstan as well as an ongoing ministry to children in Kyrgyze and Russian prison camps.

irrtv.org

WORLDNETDAILY reports that "a homosexual man who has a blog on Sen. Barack Obama's campaign website is suing two major Christian publishers for violating his constitutional rights and causing emotional pain, because the Bible versions they publish refer to homosexuality as a sin."

His name is Bradley LaShawn Fowler 39, of Canton, Mich. The prize he's after?

$60 million from Zondervan and another $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ...

Fowler's claim:

[Bible] references to homosexuality as a sin have made him an outcast from his family and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment."

Great idea: If a man 'can't' control his passions, he seeks to control God and his servants. If the natural effects of defying the Law of Nature is "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment," the man denies that other message God is sending him through his natural instincts, his conscience, and his gift of reason (all of them persuasive blessings and protections from a loving Father to one of his children to set things right again), and instead he seeks to relieve himself of the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual bondage he has brought upon himself, by enslaving the unenslaved, by denying them their freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, to deny them access to that wonderful and protective moral standard that has existed since the world began thereby increasing the likelihood that others will find themselves similarly enslaved, and so far as the United States goes, to overthrow the inspired first amendment in its entirity, and with them, other rights, all of them, from God, and vital to the survival of freedom, and the happiness of God's children.

It is ironic that so many go on quests for 'freedom' which only serve to enslave themselves and others - and yet they do, and I find no humor in it.

No, not at all. It is, however, valuable ammunition that must be put to good use, to prove the point, the politically informed warned decades ago, and still warn, that the gay, lesbian, same-sex 'civil rights' movement - as part of the larger picture of an equally ill-inspired sexual liberation movement - has never been about liberty (license never is), but its destruction.

It began with a quiet war on faith and the family, and to execute that war came an equally quiet, ever so gradual assault on freedom of religion, speech, the press, and association - and with these: a step by step, battle here, and battle there, war on free enterprise, as privately owned businesses, clubs (e.g. The Boy Scouts of America), adoption services, and insurance companies have been told what they can and cannot do on a variety of matters that a free state never had any business becoming involved with in the first place.

The subtlety has given way to open warfare that is not far removed from becoming viciously hot and increasingly dangerous and potentially irreversible.

In the end, if current trends are not halted and reversed, with the legal precedents fully in place, and the rising generations dumbed-down and demoralized, this once quiet war on God, family, and country will go full circle, the hammer and sickle will be pulled out from under its socialist cloak, and exercised with frightening efficiency, with no exceptions, fellow travelers included.

This is not an unrealistic appraisal, but precisely where we are headed.

The mask has come off. The tomorrow the politically astute warned decades ago is here.

One can only hope that supporters of the gay/lesbian civil rights movement come to grips with the fact that they've been had, before they do more damage to themselves and their country.

As to the rest of us, who are still on the fence, or idly sitting this thing out, the time to take sides and engage is now. Duty calls. Resolve to sacrifice. And get to work.

Steve Farrell is the Editor-In-Chief of Stiff Right Jab, the President of the Center for Moral Liberalism, associate professor of political economy at George Wythe College, and author of the inspirational novel, "Dark Rose."

Thousands upon thousands of Muslims have protested a bunch of cartoons published in Denmark. Muslims worldwide have expressed their outrage, not only through peaceful protests, but also by burning down embassies and murdering innocent people.

More recently, the movie Fitna was produced by Geert Wilders, a Dutch PM. Again, thousands protested.

Now, let’s look at what does NOT offend Muslims....

If worldwide demonstrations, violence, and mayhem shows us what offends Muslims the most, then it is equally revealing to pay attention to the events that do not cause sufficient offense for Muslims to muster any noticeable protest at all:

• Apostates Tortured, Killed: As we have noted, apostates of Islam may be threatened with death, even in the West. Recently, a Muslim man who converted to Christianity in Iran was arrested, tortured, and may yet be killed. Many other apostates have been killed, beaten, or threatened. Where’s the Muslim outrage over this travesty? Why are there no large, visible groups of Muslims fighting for the right of apostasy?
• Religious Minorities Persecuted Throughout Muslim Lands: Christians, Jews, Bahais, Hindus, Buddhists and others are persecuted throughout the Muslim world. Why aren’t Muslims more offended by this than they are by a movie?
• Women Treated as Second Class Citizens: In Pakistan, thousands of women in prison are rape victims. Honor killings, stoning of adulteresses, and FGM (female genital mutilation) plague the Muslim world. Saudi women can get into trouble for driving a car. Why no big demonstrations against this appalling treatment of women? Is this less of an offense than a cartoon?
• Islam Linked to Militant Jihad by Muslims: Muslims are offended when non-Muslims discuss Islamic Jihad (which was one subject of the movie Fitna). However, there are Muslims who have linked militant Jihad to Islam, in modern times and throughout history, yet these Muslims who promote militant Jihad are never protested in a large way by other Muslims. A press release may be issued, but Muslims are not demonstrating in the streets over this. Why the double standard?
• Mohammed’s Example Justifies Marital Sex with Nine-Year-Olds: According to a Saudi marriage official, a girl can be married at any age, even one year, so long as the marriage isn’t consummated until she is nine. This is based on authenticated Muslim Hadith (traditions) that Mohammed married Aisha, his favorite wife, when she was six and consummated the marriage when she was nine. How is it possible that Muslims aren’t sufficiently offended by the Saudi’s comment to protest his words?
• Jews Marked for Death Worldwide: According to Palestinian cleric Wael Al-Zarad on Al-Aqsa TV, the Muslims' blood vengeance against the Jews "will only subside with their [the Jews] annihilation.” This is not the only recent example of Muslims calling for a new Jewish holocaust. Why are Muslims not offended by these calls to genocide? Why is there no obvious sign of Muslim outrage over this?
• OIC Moves to Quash Free Expression in the West: The OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) is making bold moves to stifle criticism of Islam through the UN. There is a plethora of other Muslim groups attempting to stifle free speech about Islam in the West. All Muslims who embrace free speech and free press must be terribly embarrassed about this. Where are the demonstrations?
• Slavery Practiced by Muslims: Recently, UAE royals enslaved 17 women at a luxury hotel in Belgium. Slavery has never been entirely abolished in the Muslim world. Surely this would be enough to generate some Muslim outrage, but I have seen no mass demonstrations against those Muslims who continue this abhorrent practice.

It isn’t that no Muslims are offended by the above list. On the contrary, there are some examples of decent Muslims speaking out against abuses committed by Muslims, often in the name of Islam. To notice the lack of public demonstrations over the above list does not disparage the tremendous efforts of these brave individuals and small groups. However, the Muslim community as a whole does not seem sufficiently disturbed by the items on this list to protest them en masse. Why would some cartoons be more offensive than torturing and killing apostates? Why would a movie be more offensive than declarations of genocide? Where are the Muslims who would demonstrate in the streets for the right of apostasy, true equality for religious minorities in Muslim lands, equality for women, full renunciation of militant Jihad, marriage for adults only, respect for Jews, free expression, and a real abolition of slavery? Hello? Are you out there?

As Christians who live in western democracies, the persecuted church is a foreign concept to our thinking, yet in much of the world, a lack of  is an ever increasing reality for believers; even in nations that have freedom of conscience and freedom of religion embedded in their constitution - one such nation is Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan continues to try to close places of worship. The latest incident is a court case brought against Grace Protestant Church in Semey, in eastern Kazakhstan. The Fire Brigade claims that their newly constructed place of worship does not meet fire safety requirements, stating that that there must be a six meter gap between their building and the next building. However, a church member stated, "there is no building on that land, it is an empty plot." Church members and their lawyer insist that all relevant building permits, including those from the Fire Brigade, are in order. But "the court ignored these documents." One of Grace Church's members said that "it looks like they are trying to close down our church with any excuse."

In a separate case, a Soviet-era prisoner of conscience, Yegor Prokopenko, pastor of an unregistered Baptist church, has been fined for a second time in three years for unregistered religious activity. Local prosecutor Tatyana Semynina said that "they can believe as much as they want, but should not organize religious meetings."

For more details, visit forum18.org

AUDIO: Hear more on recent actions agains the church in Kazakhstan in our podcast. Click here to listen or right click to download

An excellent brief on freedom of religion can be found here

To learn more about Kazakhstan, click here

Read for yourself: Constitution of Kazakhstan in English

How to respond to false manifestations?

As I am writing this article, I am dealing with a situation where someone in our meetings manifested some “mixture” in the area of signs and wonders. They were helping God out. They had experienced the true phenomena of God in the past many times and yet gave into the temptation of the enemy to fabricate a sign. In this case, it was the planting of gemstones in a meeting that were not given by God. There was mixture. The true and the false can operate through the same person.

When the Lord revealed this to our team, of course we were devastated. The initial reaction was shock, pain, and in some of our team, anger. We had trusted and now felt deceived. We went back and forth at first with doubt that this could even be happening. We did not want to believe that someone had violated our trust. What about the people who came to the meetings trusting and believing? What about their innocence and the violation of that? How are we to handle situations like this? How are we to respond?

The Lord helped us through with the following insights:

1. Confrontation. We had to lovingly but firmly confront the offender. They denied it at first. We continued to pray for the Lord to give us the Word of the Lord on the situation and to give us more “evidence”. He did! The main goal in confrontation is to bring a brother (or sister) to repentance so they can be restored. This is part of the LOVE WAR the Body is in. Oftentimes individuals get hurt when they confront and the response is denial. This can produce more pain and more uncertainty. It is important to rest in the love of God in the midst of confrontation. Let His peace fill you. Never confront when you are angry for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. It is important not to jump to conclusions but to wait until you have the facts completely in place.

2. Admit Pain. We cannot deny our pain, anger, and disappointment, but we cannot let these things build walls around our hearts. I cried before God bringing my pain to Him and asking Him to keep me strong so that I could help heal the offender and the Body.

3. Rightly Discern between the True and False. We did not want to throw out the true due to seeing a manifestation of the false. We have seen the true many times over. We have had credible ministries like Joshua and Janet Mills and many others labor with us in the area of supernatural manifestations. They have been real valid experiences flowing through pure hearts. The minister who manifested the lying signs had also manifested the true. We must keep our faith strong in times like these and discern objectively.

4. Don’t over-react. It is easy at this point to want to shut down everything – especially your heart. Jesus taught us in the parable of the wheat and the tares not to react in fear or in haste. He assured us that HE will take care of it and will send angels to remove all stumbling blocks out of His Kingdom. In the meantime, we must not lose faith or trust in Him.

5. Wisdom. Wisdom from above is: pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (James 3:17) If we ask for wisdom, God will give it. (James 1:5). Wisdom is very important. It is vital that we only proceed as the Father directs. We need to know what steps to take, what to share and what not to share, how to approach the situation, and how to respond. The Lord will instruct us if we WAIT on Him. God showed us how we could walk in love for this individual, to help them get restored and also to help the Body process. He gave us wisdom on how to uphold righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous act. He is so good and His wisdom is perfect.

6. Exposure. We are going to see exposure of the false in 2008. Jesus warns us that the things done in secret will be shouted from the roof-tops. Great wisdom is needed in how things are exposed, but there will be increased exposure coming. We must not cover things up even though we want to cover each other during a time of healing and restoration. We cover in love but we expose in truth with sensitivity. We need to walk in the integrity of the truth. We must not compromise.
7. Keep faith. The enemy desires to produce doubt in our hearts. If he can do this, he has won his battle. When the Lord exposes the false in 2008, many will fall away due to disillusionment. Beware of this. Do not close the door of your heart. Remember, the exposure of tares is inevitable. Jesus told us that wheat and tares would grow up together in the same field. Learn to rightly divide but keep your faith strong. Do not shrink back.

8. Press on. I always like to make the devil sorry he ever tried! Press on for more of God. We are pressing on for more of all that He desires to reveal. If it is of Him, we want it! Allow your love for Jesus and His Kingdom rise up in you like never before. 2008 is going to be amazing!

The heart of God is always, always, ALWAYS redemptive toward us. Even when we blow it, when we sin. Because that is the heart of God toward us, that needs to be our heart toward one another.

Patricia was violated by this minister. His violation not only destroyed her trust in him, but it could have had serious consequences for her ministry and damaged her credibility with her partners. Yet her main concern was how to help heal not only the damage done to the Body of Christ, but to heal the offender as well. She and her team made a conscious decision to walk in love toward this individual and help them.

1 Corinthians 13 shows us the heart of God, because God is love:

1 If I speak in human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 but do not have love, I gain nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body [to hardship] that I may boast,

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I have been appalled at the tone of many of the things I have seen written on the Internet concerning Todd Bentley. I am not concerned about people's disagreement with his theology or teachings. There are many people in the Body of Christ that I disagree with, but I am not out on a campaign to destroy them. They belong to God and it is up to Him to discipline His children, not me. I may spat with people on this or other forums, but when it comes down to it, they are fellow believers and there is a line that if I cross, I will have to answer to my Father for how I am treating His children.

Here is a piece that I came across today that blew my mind. This was a copy of an email a blogger sent to Destiny Image Publishing.

“How can you claim to be a publisher of ‘foundationally spirit-filled’, ‘biblically sound’, and ’spiritually inspirational’ books, when you published Todd Bentley’s book ‘The Reality of the Supernatural World’, which as well as containing numerous scriptural contradictions and deceptions, also contains deliberate intentional lies and false testimony?

Notably I draw you attention to the sex changes of Todd’s alleged encounter with the angel Emma from female to an unnamed male angel on page 230 of the book. (See more details here). This is appalling and indefensible and means that you knowingly publish a liar’s books - why, is the money in it too tempting for you? Or do you not care about scriptural truth, general honesty and integrity any more?"

Now, I don't know about you, but I would beat my kid if I found out she had sent such a rude piece of correspondence out, just on a natural level. It seems that if you are the doctrine police, the rules of polite conduct no longer apply to you.

This person did not even attempt to confront Todd Bentley. They took it first to the publisher and then posted the email on the internet for the world to see, without having ever once sought Todd and tried to reason with him about the issues raised here. Contrast that with what Patricia did. Contrast that with 1 Corinthians 13.

If you think Todd Bentley's a heretic, fine. You have that right. If you believe you are attempting to defend the flock of God, you even have a noble motive. But scripture is clear about how these things are to be done. Confronting Todd is the first step. If that gets you nowhere, he has publicly submitted to a group of elders in the Body. Take your concerns to his leadership. That is the godly thing to do.

But whatever your actions, you have to love the guy. You have to pray for him. You cannot dishonor him. Scripture says so. And those of you who continue to attack with the desire for the destruction of this man, you are going to find yourself with God opposing you. Scripture says so.

A VISION FROM GOD

My wife and I and my youngest son were in St Louis for a weekend break a couple of years ago. We were driving from the hotel to listen to the St Louis Symphony on a Saturday night and the Holy Spirit came upon me. As usual this would not be a time of my choosing yet I know from experience that the Holy Spirit is not a respector of time.I kept on driving and I knew my wife was talking but I was caught up in the Spirit. Tears were falling from my face and the car was pretty dark so my wife did not notice. The Holy Spirit continued to move in my Spirit for the next couple of hours, all through the performance, and came in waves, one “scene,” unfolding after another. The grandness of the orchestra seem to only heighten my experience. I am sure people around me may have thought that I was deeply moved by the music, and the truth is I was somewhere else altogether.

The beginning of the vision was a loud booming voice calling all Christians to awake , “Awake you sleepy Christians.” “Who will ascend Gods Holy Hill? Those with a pure heart and clean hands." This was scene 1, a call to arms. Then the second scene unfolded. I saw thousands of baby turtles heading from the dunes towards the sea. They had a wide beach ahead of them. Before most of them could cross the beach and reach the water they were attacked by birds of every kind. The power of the air had come to attack them, seagulls by the hundreds making a horrendous shrieking noise as they feasted on their helpless prey. Birds of every kind joined the attack, swooping down and pecking and carrying the baby turtles off. Then from the dunes from where they came, came raccoons and critters of every kind to join in the frenzy and drag these hapless baby turtles away. Just when I thought the slaughter could not get worse, out from under the sand came crabs, crabs with large pincers which tore into the turtles and they dragged them into holes in the sand to be devoured. As all of this was going on, I could see Scripture framing this whole scene. “Many are called but few are chosen,” “Broad is the road that leads to destruction, narrow is the path that leads to life.”

Suddenly the scene changes, I am on a beach, but it is the scene from Saving private Ryan. Death was all around me. Young men being killed right where I stood and the severely wounded all around, desperately seeking for a place to hide, for some kind of barrier to protect them from the onslaught. There were kids with there innards hanging out and they were trying to stop them from spilling onto the beach, while screaming for their mothers. Men with their limbs blown of, the one man walking around in shock with his right hand carrying his left arm which had been blown off.

Suddenly the scene changes again. There is a Rock with a sword embedded into it. This sits right in the middle of a large arena. This is also the scene from Braveheart. On strolls a man that is dressed like William Wallace in the scene from the movie where he addresses his vastly outnumbered army who are thinking about fleeing from the battle. The man, who is actually Jesus dressed in full Scottish battledress, reaches forward , and with both hands, pulls the Claymore from the Rock and turns to address the crowd in the arena.

“ I am Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I am maker of heaven and earth and I am the Holy Son of the Living God. I hold in my hand the two edged sword. And with this sword I will surely destroy all the enemies, this vast army of evil that you see here before you. This army that has dared to challenge the living God, this army that has exposed itself on the battlefield will be completely destroyed this very day. I see another army here before me, the army of the Living God. You have gathered here today in defiance of darkness and tyranny. You have come here to fight as free men and free men you are, for it is I that gave you that very freedom. So you see with your eyes that you are few and they are many, you see that you are vastly outnumbered. Will you fight today?

“No, we will run and we will live,” shouts a man from the crowd. “Yes, if you run now you will live a while. If you stay and fight you may die, but I have called you here this day to die in a battle that will be celebrated for all eternity. Yet for those who run and “live,” what kind of life will you live? When you are dying in your beds, many years from now, how many of you will cry out with regret, having lived a life of compromise and shame and know in your heart that you would be willing to trade forty years of compromise for one day of glory in this great battlefield of the flesh. This light against darkness. To be able to say to your enemies “eye, you may kill me this day and I may have to lose everything this very day but one thing you will never take, you will never take my spirit!!!!

Now the scene changes again. I am in the stadium or arena . Men of God form a semicircle in front of the crowd of young people. Behind the men are a sea of flags. The flags are blowing in the wind. The flags represent the enemies that the Holy Spirit had just showed me. The enemies that attacked the turtles each had names and the names were written on the flags. Some of the names were Rebellion, lust, sex, drugs, beer, abuse, suicide, bitterness, hatred, greed, materialism, incest, rape, murder and many many more.

The call is made to the crowd, its the call that Jesus has just made, “Will you come forward and die to these thing this day?” They respond to the call to arms and begin to move forward in obedience to the call. They run towards the enemy, they kneel and pray with the men of God and then move past them and with pure hearts and clean hands they make their way towards the flag that represents what they have just laid down, they pull up the flag and they break it over their knees and throw it to the ground. Freedom rings out into the night sky, the rejoicing rises up into heaven itself and all of heaven rejoices to see Satan’s kingdom torn down and Gods young people taking back that which is theirs, that which is Gods, their very heart. And Satan trembles at the rise of this army…………..Amen

To: Lakeland Outpouring Apostolic Team: Chuck Pierce, Dutch Sheets, Lee Grady, Steve Strang, Ché Ahn, Jeff Beacham, David Cannistraci, Joseph Askins, Bill Johnson, John Arnott

From: C. Peter Wagner

Date: June 25, 2008

Subject: Personal Report of Lakeland Outpouring

As all of you know, what I believe to be God-orchestrated circumstances over the past three weeks or so have brought me mainstream into the Lakeland Outpouring and the controversies surrounding it.

I am writing this from Lakeland. The night before last Doris and I attended the meeting in the tent along with 10,000 others, the largest crowd yet since meeting in the tent. It was the 82nd day of the Outpouring. Todd Bentley used his speaking time in giving the most detailed testimony so far of the “dark night of the soul” that he experienced for 18 months 2005-2007. It was a very remarkable and transparent confession of his pride during the ten years previously and details of the wilderness that God took him through to break the pride. He was very clear about his lack of discipline, his emotions out of control, his rejection of God, his dislike of reading scripture, public meltdown on the platform, memories of childhood rejection, loneliness, sexual abuse, his marriage on the brink of divorce, etc. He was so burnt out he cried 4 hours per day for 21 days straight.

When it was over, God restored everything related to his staff, his marriage, his ministry, and his newly-refined personal character. This was a very remarkable and touching presentation. There was no hint of victimization or wanting a pity party. It was a confession of his own sin and the consequences he paid for disobedience. Doris and I were very touched by this, and we were thankful to God for a window on Todd’s character that we didn’t expect to be so wide open to us

Let me remind you that Doris and I have been very close to other similar outpourings, especially the John Wimber signs & wonders phenomenon of the late 70s and 80s and well as the Argentine Revival of the 80s and 90s. We believe we have paid our dues in terms of the ability to discern truth from error and also in receiving severe and often painful criticism for some of the judgments we made in supporting those two movements. As we observed and participated in the meeting in the tent, we became very nostalgic about Wimber and Argentina, even noting some physical resemblance between Todd and Wimber. His accuracy in words of knowledge reminded us of both John Wimber in the past and Robert Henderson in the present. The worship time was similar to the worship we experience in Freedom Church in Colorado Springs except on a larger and more exuberant scale. We saw or felt nothing that would cross the lines we have previously experienced in high-profile revival. We have learned that God-driven revival is often messy, tending to pull some out of their religious comfort zones, but at the same time opening gates for new seasons of the movement of God.

All this was in preparation for last night, June 23, when we held a ceremony of apostolic alignment for Todd Bentley. As you will see from the document I will attach, the gist was that Todd would be aligned with Ché Ahn, Bill Johnson and John Arnott, representing Revival Alliance, who would then commission him as the evangelist to lead the Lakeland Outpouring. A few of us met with Todd personally before the service, and we found him to be a wonderful individual. Doris and I had never met him before. I explained to him what the ceremony would be like, and he agreed. I thought that it was interesting when he wanted to change one thing I had written in this document, because I could then run a quiet test of his humility and his respect for authority. Keep in mind that this was Todd’s ministry and Todd’s meeting. However, he had delegated the leadership of the ceremony to me. I suggested that his change was not wise, and he immediately accepted my decision. We were on the same page! In fact, we like each other!

The scenario was that I took the podium and called around me Todd, Ché, Bill and John. I then called to the platform a number of apostles whom I had chosen to stand behind us: Stephen Strader of Lakeland FL, Karl Strader of Lakeland FL, Jeff Beacham of Sydney, Australia, Rick Joyner of Ft. Mill SC, Doris Wagner of Colorado Springs CO, Sharon Stone of Burton, England, Paco Garcia of Chiclana, Spain, Clarice Fluitt of Monroe LA, Richard Maiden of Scottsdale AZ, Michael Maiden of Phoenix AZ, Joshua Fowler of Orlando FL, Barry Boucher of Ottawa, Canada, and Wesley Campbell of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Unfortunately Bishop Bill Hamon had to cancel because of a travel problem. I then read the paper I am attaching and, despite several requests, I even desisted from telling a joke! When I finished, I handed the microphone to Ché and he was in charge.

Ché, Bill and John laid on hands and anointed Todd with a special new “Be Revived” oil that Chuck Pierce (who was in Africa) sent for the event. Todd went down under the power of the Spirit and the three prophesied over him, commissioning him as the evangelist to lead the Lakeland Outpouring. Then most of the backup apostles prayed and prophesied as well. The power of the Holy Spirit was so heavy on that event that you could almost have cut it with a knife!

It was quite evident to those present that this was a groundbreaking event. A serious public problem had been growing in the body of Christ revolving around concerns about Lakeland from respected leaders. Even “schism” had been mentioned frequently. Because of the extensive media coverage through GOD TV, it was much more than a private or a trivial matter. Something was called for to set things in order, and this is the stated role of apostles. We are now in a place in what I see as the Second Apostolic Age that apostles can agree publicly to bring alignment. The seventeen apostles involved in this event represented three distinct apostolic streams: ICA (10 were ICA members), Revival Alliance, and Morningstar. Even though we are not networked formally, we believe in and support each other and we stand together when a crisis such as this one comes along. I may be wrong, but I cannot recall an event of this nature in the recent history of the church.

There was a notable prophetic dimension accompanying the event. Around a month ago, Bob Jones prophesied that on June 22 the outpouring would increase so much that it would appear that the revival would really begin at that time. Of course no one knew that June 23, the day after June 22, would be the date of Todd’s apostolic alignment which could well be the event to release increased spiritual power. Parenthetically both June 22 and June 23 broke previous attendance records in the 10,000-seat tent.

There is a great deal more to say, but I will leave it as it is for the moment. My paper, “Lakeland Outpouring Apostolic Alignment,” which I am sending you will fill in many details. Although I am writing this primarily to you who are mentioned above, I will also send it to some others to whom I feel responsible for a report of Todd’s alignment and commissioning.

Blessings,

Peter

C. Peter Wagner

President, Global Harvest Ministries

Chancellor, Wagner Leadership Institute

CPW/jmc

P.S. on June 25. Last night was Todd’s day off, so Ché Ahn took the service. Among other things, he used Chuck Pierce’s “Be Revived” anointing oil to personally anoint the 1,000 or so pastors as “carriers of fire” to their churches. Forty-seven nations were represented in the meeting. He admonished them to receive it here in Lakeland and then give it away!

A Personal Note

from Chuck Pierce

in Africa Regarding Revival!

Dear Friends,

We have had several people write with great concerns about the current move of God that has been stirring in Lakeland, Atlanta, Dallas and other areas of our nation. Let me share some things with you. I actually believe this letter would be worth reading as you continue praying for us in Africa.

We have made our way into Northern Nigeria. Continue to pray for us. Life here is what you may have imagined in Africa: tin roofs, raining, hazy mountains in the distance and bugs buzzing. When we got five miles from the Compound in the rural area of Kafanchan at the Throne Room Trust Ministry, International Prayer Village, you could feel the tangible Presence of His Spirit. I love being here, even though the surroundings are not what I am normally accustomed to; the food is different, and well, yes, there are many different creatures. The main issue is this: in the midst of this environment, I am not afraid of being infected by malaria or getting dysentery because I am in a different land. The people here are some of the most gracious in all the world.

I see that some individuals view “moves of God” this way: they see all the dangers, they are afraid that they will have a demon transferred to them, they analyze every move and shake and scrutinize doctrinally everything that is happening. This may be the only way that some can process their relationship with the Lord and the Body of Christ. I know that many would not like to be here in northern Nigeria in this rural area, nor would they like to be wearing the kingly, African traditional clothing that I am wearing this evening. Some of us are more adventurous than others. Some need to fully test the water before they swim. Personally, I have found that there is great joy in watching God’s people express themselves, work through their issues, learn to discern both good and evil and continually mature in Him.

I was just in Zambia. We saw a great reconciliation of the nation and people with the ex-President. This man had a great reproach from his terms in office. However, God in His grace chose to bring him forth, humble him and forgive him, and use him to change a nation. From a political standpoint, many would have wished he would have stayed estranged from the Body. However, I chose to go with the Spirit of God above political party divisions and reconcile him back into God’s Kingdom plan.

We at Glory of Zion International have chosen to number ourselves in intercession with what is happening in Lakeland and other places throughout the world. Some have written asking me to reject Todd Bentley. GZI does not have a philosophy or mindset to reject anyone. We watch, pray, and then try to communicate what the Lord is saying to help the overall Body of Christ advance.

I have seen others get offended because key leaders commissioned Todd as a modern day evangelist. We at GZI have no problems with this. Please know that we are living in an age where the Apostolic gift in the Body has come into a new position and era of authority. I was very excited to read Peter Wagner’s report (you may go to our web site to read this) on the commissioning service in Lakeland. I admire Ché Ahn, Bill Johnson, and John Arnott. I can now rest in Him, knowing that if things get way out of sync, they can help Todd make adjustments so the Spirit can keep moving.

We will continue to pray that the Lord raise Evangelists all over the world who can reach the harvest fields today. Yes, they may look different than Billy Graham, and they may have experienced some unusual happenings that perhaps will be better communicated as they grow in the Lord. But overall they are stirring the Body of Christ, leading people to the Lord, and doing the works of Jesus.

Let me share with you a personal experience. When Pam and I were in the Baptist Church in the early ’80’s, we were in a “move of God.” The Fullness Movement had touched the Baptist Church in the late ’70s, led by Jim Hylton, Ras Robinson, Jack Taylor and others. We had had some incredible meetings at our church. Many had gotten saved, gotten right with the Lord and filled with the Spirit of God. I loved this time. Pam and I both reminisce over it and call it “the Glory Days”. Then James Robison had his annual meeting and invited John Wimber to minister. Many of you remember our story of Pam’s barrenness. You can read about it in two or three of the books that we have written. We were told by all of our leadership how this “move” had gotten way out of hand, and now that John Wimber (who had no Baptist roots), was invading James Robison’s meeting, we should all stay away from these gatherings. (You should know that John Wimber and Peter Wagner helped revive signs and wonders in the ’80s.) Well, I heard God very clearly tell Pam and me to go in January, 1984 to the James Robison meeting where John Wimber was speaking. While we were there, the Spirit of God fell on my wife and sovereignly filled her. His power knocked the clots out of her uterus and He dramatically healed her. When the Spirit of God fell on Pam she said, “You were right! There are demons everywhere, but I AM HEALED!”

This was not about John Wimber. This was not about Baptists. This was not about controversy. This test was ours! The situation was about us following God without fear so He could reward us with an incredible blessing. Pam became pregnant two weeks later and continued to be pregnant for the next 10 years of our life. We had six wonderful children. I’m so thankful I listened to the Spirit of God and did not let religious fear rule us. There were others with us that were not touched at all by the meetings. As a matter of fact, they did not appreciate at all the way John Wimber ministered. However, in the midst of his ministry, the Spirit of God ministered to us and changed the course of our lives.

I am honored that God brought me into alignment with Peter and Doris Wagner after I embraced the move of God that had been stirred by he and John Wimber. We have now been together for 17 years. During that time, I have continued to get the best God has to offer from the revivals in Argentina, Toronto, the “Laughter Movement”, Brownsville, and any other fresh breath of wind that blows. I have many friends who have great cautions over experiential manifestations and extra-Biblical sensational happenings. I heed those friends’ voices and listen carefully. This does not keep me from experiencing what God is doing. I love what Bishop Bill Hamon says, “Eat the meat and spit out the bones and you will find yourself nourished.”

Recently, I have been pondering the first several verses of Genesis. In the midst of a wreck and ruined, chaotic, without-form earth, the Spirit of God began to hover. Once the Spirit began to hover, God could speak into the earth realm and pull forth creativity. He did this for six straight days. But notice God’s order: He didn’t try and set in order the sixth day before the first day. He didn’t try to place the fourth day before the second day. Little by little, as the Spirit hovered, order came and man was offered a new position as a result. That is how I view every move of God.

What I would encourage you to do is to keep discerning by the Word and the Spirit, but to be open to see the Lord move in a new way. The disciples could not understand why the Lord would go to Samaria and visit with the woman at the well. However, because of His love and boldness to break a religious standard, a whole city was saved (John 4). The Lord is preparing to save entire cities today.

Thank God that Jesus talked to this woman - a person with a past, a Samaritan, and a woman. He was not afraid of His reputation being marred. Recently, a letter from one of the major Bible churches in Denton went out to leaders in our city on the doctrine of women and how they should have a subservient role in the Body of Christ in public ministry. Prior to this letter going out, I had invited Cindy Jacobs to minister at Glory of Zion on Sunday, July 6. I want you to know that I have been a champion for women ministers throughout the years. I am so very excited to have Cindy with us on July 6th because women are welcome to minister in Denton, Texas. I would never shut the door of ministry for her to come into this city because of man’s opinion.

Neither would I, Robert Heidler or any leader that is aligned with me, shut the door to Keith Miller or Todd Bentley to come to Denton to minister what the Spirit of God is doing in their lives. We consider it a privilege that God has opened the gate for Spirit-led ministry to come into Denton. We are glad that He “needs” to come to Denton just like He “needed” to go to Samaria. You are always welcome to come to Denton. As a matter of fact, you might “need” to come here to gain your next release from the Lord. You can go to Keith Miller’s meeting. You can come to our Firstfruits Gathering. You can come be with Cindy Jacobs on Sunday, July 6. You can come to Tuesday Morning Prayer. You are invited to come any time and you will not be rejected as you come into this city.

Keep praying for us. We will be home on Tuesday.

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce