Ashes Into Beauty

Last night, I was listening to a teaching which, among other things, mentioned that God often tests us to determine whether we are able to go on in a ministry for Him.  As I was listening, I became somewhat disturbed by the idea that if we “failed” a test, we were doomed to never become all that God wants us to become, or do all God wants us to do.  Although in retrospect, I don’t believe that is what he was saying, that is what it seemed like at the time.  But then, this morning, God took me on a trip down the memory lane of my own past and I saw clearly some of the mistakes I’d made – some of the “tests” I’d failed, and God’s patience and lovingkindness in teaching me and working me through those things.  And for the first time, I had compassion for some of the men and women of faith who have left ruined lives and ministries in the wake of their mistakes.

Specifically, I thought of Todd Bentley who at one time had a powerful healing ministry but then left his wife for his assistant and experienced an understandable and overwhelming backlash from the Christian community.

For a long time, I didn’t want to hear anything Todd Bentley had to say and to be honest, I was angry at the attempts of some of the Godly men I look up to and respect who were working toward restoring his ministry. I had (and still have) no doubt in my mind that Todd and his new wife Jessa were not meant to be married.  But does that mean that they are condemned to live without hope for restoration in the future?

If God can’t or won’t restore Todd Bentley, what does that mean for the rest of us?  If God won’t “turn mourning into dancing,” make the “wilderness like Eden” and the “desert like a garden” for Todd, why would he do it for us?  Are our sins any more heinous to God?  Is our disobedience and lack of understanding any less intolerable?   I don’t think so.

For the first time, I have a tremendous compassion for Todd and his new wife.  I can understand how they made the mistakes they made, and I empathize with the hurt they must feel.  And for the first time, I understand the attempts being made by Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner and others who are working desperately to “restore what the locusts have eaten.”

Because if God can’t restore Todd Bentley to his former position, what hope does that for leave the rest of us?

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Thursday’s Thought – Billy Graham on Evangelism

In response to a question regarding the ability of a handful of early disciples to “turn the world upside down” while millions of Christians today “can’t even keep it right side up,” Billy Graham gave the following response:

“The early Christians didn’t conform their faith to match the world; they changed the world to match their faith. They had the truth, and they refused to water it down. They held the faith that would not compromise…

The words of the apostle Paul, ‘Be not conformed to this world,’ have tremendous significance and meaning for us today. These words cut like a sharp sword across our way of life. They are not comfortable words. They separate the weak from the strong. But they are words of inspiration and challenge, and we need to hear them and heed them today.”

– Billy Graham, Billy Graham Answers Your Questions, World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota, pg 123-124

 

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And They Glorified God Who Had Given Such Power to Men…

Yesterday we went to a Benny Hinn “Miracle Crusade.” It wasn’t at all what I’d expected! Pastor Benny was soft-spoken and extremely down to earth, and there was nothing “showy” about any of it. In fact, I was surprised by how little action there was. It was all very much like a typical church service until the end when Pastor Benny began to receive words of knowledge regarding healings and started to call them out. “There is someone here with arthritis, God wants to heal that right now,” and “there is someone here who has diabetes and the Lord is healing it,” etc. I looked around and from where I sat, it seemed as if nothing at all was happening. This went on for a little while until Pastor Benny asked for everyone who had received a healing to come forward and I was shocked to see how many people there were! On both sides of the auditorium, the line extended almost to the back of the conference center.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that. I came into the service, fully expecting Pastor Hinn to be all over the building, laying hands on people for healing, snatching old men out of wheelchairs, swiping crutches, crying “Hallelujah!” and “Praise JE-sus!” I expected shouting and weeping and people being “slain in the spirit” as he walked by. To be honest, I expected to be a little uncomfortable. I even expected to doubt what I was seeing. But Pastor Benny never even left the platform. Everyone who claimed a healing had been healed from their seats. He never shouted or grabbed anyone. He never even prayed for anyone’s healing! He simply stood at the podium and asked the Holy Spirit to show up. There was nothing sensational about that service and I was actually somewhat disappointed.

But the more I think of it, the more impressed I am. It’s obvious that Benny Hinn never “faked” anything. If a skeptic wanted to discredit him in that particular service, they would have to say that the hundreds of people who were healed last night experienced an incredible case of “mind over matter” and received a healing simply because they believed they were healed. I don’t have a problem with that. The Bible says: “All things whatsoever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them” (Mark 11:24). But what is obvious to me is that healing doesn’t have to be sensational. It can be as simple as asking the Holy Spirit to show up, and creating an environment where He is welcomed.

It really makes me wonder… how many of us could do that, if we had the faith of little children? How many of us could have healing services of our own if we simply believed that God could and WOULD heal those around us, and created a worshipful environment where the Holy Spirit was welcomed? After having been to see both Benny Hinn and Todd Bentley, who was a part of the Lakeland revival (1), I’m convinced that this is not something that only a select few people are invited to partake of. The Bible tells us that those who believe will lay hands on the sick and the sick will recover (Mark 16:18).  This is just as much a part of the great commission as preaching the gospel (2). It doesn’t take a special anointing, it simply takes the faith to act on a biblical promise (3). And, as Bill Johnson points out “Faith is not the absence of doubt, it is the presence of belief.”

We worship a God who heals people (Ex 15:26). We worship a God who wants to fellowship with us (1 Cor 1:9). We worship a God who answers prayers (John 16:23). And we worship a God who says that ALL things are possible for those who believe (Mark 9:23) (4).

I truly believe that revival can begin in our own back yards if we’ll only begin to step out in faith for it.

1.) Many of you may know the personal circumstances that caused Todd Bentley’s ministry to come to an end. However, as Bill Johnson pointed out, we cannot confuse a great anointing with bad character. If we are to disregard the ministry of those who fell into sin and deception, we would need to stay away from Gideon, Samson, Solomon’s Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon. “We must learn to eat the meat and throw out the bones.”

2.) There are many within the body of Christ who believe the gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are no longer applicable today. This is another post entirely, but for now I will quote another great healing revivalist, John G Lake:

“Who opposes the fact of healing? Not the doctors, but the churches and the preachers. Those who stand to represent the Son of God and proclaim His salvation. What kind of a salvation? A salvation without the power to deliver, a salvation without the power to save a soul from its direst distress and need, a salvation only valuable in the life to come and without the power to deliver a soul from present torment.”

(John G Lake, The complete Collection of His Life Teaching, Compiled by Roberts Liardon, Albury Publishing, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1999, pg 255)

3.) Although some people do have the gift of healing, which is one of the nine spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12), every believer is to participate in healing to some extent (Mark 16).

4.) I found something interesting in the Websters Dictionary when I looked up the word “all.” The Websters dictionary, 1828 edition says: “This is radically the same word as heal; for in Sw. hel, and in Dan. hele, signify all, and these words are from the root of heal.”

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