Flock or Pack?
For the many misguided sheep who still cannot discern whether these men belong to the flock or the pack… the following might be very helpful:
The fruit of Brian “Head” Welch
http://www.reflectionsfromthewall.net/my-reflections/the-fruit-of-brian-head-welch
Brian Head Welch and Todd Bentley
https://thelasthiker.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/brian-head-welch-and-todd-bentley-calvary-chapel-says-hes-not-backing-those-dudes-really/
Mark Chironna’s New Age/Quantum Mysticism at Bethel Redding Conference
Mark Chironna’s New Age/Quantum Mysticism at Bethel Redding Conference
In 2012 the book, The Physics of Heaven, was released. Shocking in its enthusiasm for quantum physics/quantum mysticism, and in its lack of discernment about New Age practices, the book has the approval and participation of Bethel Church of Redding’s movers and shakers. Bethel leader Bill Johnson contributed a chapter to the book, as did his wife, Beni Johnson. The Physics of Heaven is co-authored by Judy Franklin, Bill Johnson’s personal assistant. The foreword is written by Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate Leader at Bethel.
As disturbing as The Physics of Heaven is, at least the book serves as a warning that Bill Johnson and Bethel (and others) are heading toward a New Age/quantum mysticism understanding of God. [1]
Before we get to Mark Chironna and the quantum heresy he spewed out during a Bethel conference–with the full approval of Bill Johnson–let us briefly define terms.
Read more here:
http://mywordlikefire.com/2014/09/13/mark-chironnas-new-agequantum-mysticism-at-bethel-redding-conference/
John Crowder, the new comic book hero of mysticism
Here is an update on John Crowders latest antics, from Sandy Simpson of Deception in the Church:
Just when I thought I had seen it all from Todd Bentley and friends, here is the latest DVD series from John Crowder…Supernatural phenomena discussed on this teaching set include:
Levitation miracles
Stigmata
Translation & Transportation
Bilocations
Talking with Animals
Nature Miracles
Body Elongation
Shape Shifting
Invisibility
What next? Read about it here:
John Crowder, the new comic book hero of mysticism
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/crowder.html
Related:
See documentary on false prophet and wolf John Crowder by clicking HERE.
Mike Bickle of IHOP-KC instructs followers on contemplative prayer
Mike Bickle of IHOP-KC instructs followers on contemplative prayer
In Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit: 5 Practical Phrases, International House of Prayer leader Mike Bickle gives instructions on how to experience contemplative prayer–which he calls “communing prayer.” Like all Christian contemplatives, Bickle works hard at presenting this as biblically acceptable. He states there is “…a lot of counterfeit mysticism…” Before teaching his Christianese mantra method, he again emphasizes he is not talking about Eastern or Oprah religion.
According to Bickle, “I use sentences, better yet phrases. Eventually on these five phrases I’m gonna give you in a minute, I reduce those to one word…” (42:13 of video, give or take)
There is much throughout this entire video to cause concern…
More here:
The Summer Circus Circuit
This past weekend while Todd Bentley was pickling people in L.A., a hypnotist stage show was taking place in Houston, Texas, where people were turned into snakes, dominoes and drunken puppets at the stroke of a famous master hypnotist’s invisible magic wand:
The magician also gave out magic impartations and new assignments, just like his apprentice.
See more of the master magician at his best here:
Speaking of apprentices, just recently (last December) this same hypnotist invoked his magic fire on kids (see here). At 8 minutes into the second video, Master Hinn humbly passed on the impartation of his magic mantle to a young boy, telling him that this was a moment he would never forget, an event that will be recorded and written in the history books of heaven…(oops, it must have just been symbolic, because he took back his expensive Armani ringmaster’s/magician’s jacket.)
You never know when the world travelling circus ciruit will show up in your town. Sadly, there will always be gullible sheep flocking to the big tent.
Related:
Benny Hinn’s Ministry’s Act of Shame – Get Out Your Credit Card!
http://slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/202/
Tracking Todd Bentley in Kentucky – nothing has changed
Has Todd Bentley spent his week of R&R in self examination or repentance as some have hoped? Tonight he will be back at Lakeland, but from the sound of his ‘preaching’ last night in Kentucky, nothing has changed.
Todd in Kentucky:
http://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/todds-ky-visit/
See a small clip of Todd in Kentucky STILL claiming verified resurrections (32=zero) here:
BUT what about Todd’s “verified” miracles and resurrections. Take some time looking at the following evidence and discover that those “verified” resurrections are not really verified after all:
I Say, Old Chap, This Is Rather Brilliant!
http://wordnverse.com/2008/07/16/i-say-old-chap-this-is-rather-brilliant/
There are lots of Biblical expose’s of Bentley’s teaching in youtube. Here is another:
Todd Bentley and the theology of glory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV1CzbJdHuw&eurl
In the meantime, Patricia King has gotten together with Randy Clark and made a video of her testimony of defense on behalf of her friend Todd Bentley:
WSTK-ITV- Patricia King & Randy Clark on Todd Bentley
BUT how can we take the testimony of Patrica King seriously when, in the following video series, she introduces false teacher Jamie Galloway’s unbiblical teachings on angels (Part 1) and says that she sits at the feet of the new mystic John Crowder (Part 2)?
Doctrines of Demons Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D1wkThccw0
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3YwtjGEdJw
As you can see, nothing has changed. In fact, the whole mess may be getting worse.
More Wolves in Disguise – where you’d least expect them
There are some places you would never expect to see wolves in sheeps clothing – or wolves in ‘horse and buggy’ clothing. What about those peaceful Mennonites?
The Mennonites
http://giannina.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/the-mennonites/
Youth Ministries Alert
http://youthministries.wordpress.com/
Stacy on Ecsatasy
There is a fascinating (and very disturbing) teaching by Stacy Campbell on Ecstatic Prophecy and Holy Spirit Possession that can be watched here:
SHATTER! Stacy Campbell – Holy Spirit Possession
Make sure you click on the 7 minute SHATTER! video on the left if you want to watch it. At 3 minutes into her teaching Stacy describes a Buddhist festival in Thailand where people (Buddhists) who wanted to worship would cross this little line, and when they walked into the middle of this square they were hit by an evil spirit and demon possessed on the spot – vibrating, falling towards the altar, giving an offering to the demon. This gave Stacy the ‘heeby jeebies.’
This is ASTOUNDING because there is a video you can watch of Todd Bentley where he instructs the people coming up on stage to stand in a certain spot which he points to where the anointing is the strongest. If they stood there, said Todd, they would ‘get it.’ This spot was close to the pulpit where he said there was a ‘portal’ of some sort. Sure enough, who ever stood there would get struck, start jerking, and fall over. IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT STACY CAMPBELL DESCRIBED AS DEMONIC POSSESSION?
Here is the youtube video from the Florida outpouring (May 17th) where you can observe this phenomena (warning, please do NOT play this around children):
Drunk in God’s spirit
(the audio on this one is not very good, crank up the volume)
At 2 minutes, you will see a woman named Shannon standing in the anointing. Hear Todd saying that anybody that steps into it, gets it! At 2:55 the most evil laugh you have ever heard comes out of Todd. “Sometimes the angels get involved,” says Todd. (The angels who are involved in this are not the kind that everyone thinks.)
Back to the Holy Spirit Possession video of Stacey Campbell – using Vine’s dictionary and Bible verses to sound very biblical as she describes her version of ecsatasy, she teaches that biblical Holy Spirit possession and ecstatic prophecy means to be ‘standing outside of,’ in a trance, in a condition in which ordinary consciousness is suspended, a spiritual state where natural sense are suspended (as in Todd Bentley astral travelling to England?). But it is more than just floating in suspension – it is FRENZY, she says, not peaceful. Is this what the Bible teaches about life in the Spirit?
See what Stacy Campbell’s version of ecstatic prophecy looks like here:
Ecsatatic Prophecy Stacey Campbell ( 1:38 )
And who can forget her ecstatic head shaking prophecy over Todd Bentley last week? Does this sound or look like peace and self control, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?
There is something else very telling that Stacy Campbell mentions in her Holy Spirit Possession teaching – she talks about Evelyn Underhill at about 4:22. This is no small matter. Evelyn Underhill was a mystic who had occultic connections…
The Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society headed by A.E.Waite, best known for the Waite Tarot Deck. Its members variously included poet W.B. Yeats (known for his poem, “The Second Coming”) and Evelyn Underhill, author of Mysticism.
-The Inklings (http://www.crossroad.to/Excerpts/books/lewis/inklings-williams.htm#Underhill)
Evelyn Underhill believed that mysticism was the highest form of human consciousness and defined Mysticism as ‘the art of union with reality.’ It is not surprising to see those in “Holy Spirit movements” quoting the mystics. As Alan Morrison writes, there is a connection between the two:
There has been a very interesting parallel between the development of mysticism in the professing Christian Church and the flourishing of Holy Spirit Movements throughout Church History.
While it is true to say that there is not an exact parallel between classical mysticism and specifically charismatic movements — in the sense that all mystics have not necessarily exhibited the charismata — there are many startling congruences which are worthy of exposure.
Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movements are in so many ways a manifestation of the mysticism which has been developed in the Roman Catholic Church…
[…]
… the mystic monk Thomas Merton, who has done so much to develop the Interfaith Movement, could say — as reported in an article on renewal in the New Catholic Encyclopedia — ‘Pentecostalism seems to sum up the spirituality most likely to work in the U.S. now’. And in one of the Supplements to that same Encyclopedia, it is reported that there are three ways to Spiritual Perfection: 1) The Charismatic Way; 2) The Eastern Mystical Way; 3) The traditional Catholic Mystical Way (e.g. the Cloud of Unknowing).
– THE EVANGELICAL ATTRACTION TO MYSTICISM
By Alan Morrison
http://www.bereanbeacon.org/EvangelicalAttraction.html
When you hear that people in the signs and wonders/prophetic/charismatic movement have been studying and quoting from mystics who experienced ecstasy and strange experiences, look out!
Another one in this category who teaches in the ecstatic realm is Patricia King and her Ekstasis Worship. There was also a Spanish mystic from the past who experienced ecstasy – Saint Teresa Avila (1515-1582). Many Christians being drawn into contemplative spirituality in churches today are reading her classic writings on the Seven Mansions of the Interior Castle . Some say these are related to the Seven Chakras.
This is a serious matter. These ladies seem to draw a big audience, and appear quite angelic and sweet looking from afar, but so do (she)wolves in sheeps (ewe’s) clothing. I saw Stacy Campbell on a Christian TV program once when she was much younger and never thought that she would end up so far off the mark. Somewhere in her walk she stepped over the line and had her first taste of spiritual ecstasy and got addicted. Was it by studying the mystics? Now she is handing this toxic spiritual drug out to others. (Does that makes her an ecstasy dealer?) Has Stacy Campbell, in the name of the Holy Spirit, given herself over to the very thing that gave her the heeby jeebies watching in Thailand? What is this strange manifestation we see when in Lakeland as people are told by Todd Bentley to step over a line into a portal zone and shake and vibrate? What is this we see as Stacy Campbell prophesies over Todd Bentley in the name of Jesus – is this Holy Spirit possession, as she says? Or is this demon possession? Is this Holy Spirit revival in Florida about worshipping Jesus, or is it really about ecstatic frenzied demon worship in disguise?
It’s really time to wake up, sheep, and draw that line in the sand. And then, stay far away from “it”!!!
Related:
Stacey Campbell – Who is this stone?
http://livingjourney.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/stacey-campbell-who-is-this-stone/
Stacey Campbell and her “Wind Illness” the Kundalini Syndrome
http://livingjourney.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/stacey-campbell-and-her-wind-illness-the-kundalini-syndrome/
More Odd Bentley and Friends
Discerning Christians are becoming more alarmed about Todd Bentley and friends…
Angels or Demons?
Todd Bentley and “The Beautiful Side of Evil”
By Berit Kjos – June 26, 2008
http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/bentley.htm
Bob Jones – a tail of a prophet
http://www.letusreason.org/Latrain52.htm
TruNews Interview of Pat Holiday
Topic: Odd Bentley and the occult revival
http://www.trunews.com/Audio/6_27_08_friday_trunews2.mp3
More Disappearing Trails
If you have ever observed the tracks left behind by sheep, you would know that a sheep’s foot print looks very different than a wolf foot foot print. This is why wolves in sheeps clothing need to continually cover their tracks, otherwise the sheep will know that there are wolves among them in the sheep pen. Let’s take a look at some recent tracks that have been covered up on the disappearing trail…
We all heard about the disappearance of Todd Bentley’s references to his angel Emma, who became simply that “particular” angel as his story was changed (see Todd Bentley, Is he now ashamed of his angel Emma?).
But that is not the only thing that is being changed as Christian bloggers expose what is going on behind the scenes while wolves in sheeps clothing tip toe around in the sheep pen, trying to act like sheep.
For example:
The godtube video of Todd Bentley at The Secret Place in Abbotsford, B.C., as referred to in the post called
Following the Tracks (Part 2)- from Abbotsford to Lakeland and Around the World, has disappeared.
Here is another one. After being up for a long time, the youtube video of Mark Virkler teaching how to hear the voice of God through automatic writing/channelling (as recently referred to in a post called Todd Bentley Responds to Criticism) has suddenly disappeared. In the video, Virkler sat down and typed out a message on the spot from God for his interviewer in a cheap display of “hear God guaranteed” on demand, not unlike putting coins into a soda pop dispenser. This was an important video as Virkler’s spiritual advisor is Dr. Gary Greig, whose widely publicized endorsement Freshfire uses to legitimize Todd Bentley and the false Florida revival.
Then there’s the strange phenomena of shifting articles. Take for example the glory cloud revelation (Todd’s vision of Sundar Singh) as referred to in Todd Bentley and Contemplative Meditation.The link to this vision account disappeared. It was later discovered that it was simply changed on the Freshfire website shortly after many discernment blogs had linked to it.
Then there’s this one which deserves a longer explanation. A recent article on Wolf Tracks that got a lot of traffic and referals was called LECTIO DIVINA – Leading Sheep to a New Level of Consciousness. While I was writing this article, I copied and pasted the words from a page on the Youth Specialties website that was written by Mike Perschon. In the article, Pershon mentioned the four levels of consciousness achieved through practicing Lectio Divina.
This is what I wrote in the Lectio Divina article (the words in quotation marks were copied and pasted from Mike Perschon’s article, as were the four steps of consciousness, or so I thought):
Mike Perschon of Youth Specialties compares the four steps of Lectio Divina to “four levels of consciousness…which introduces you at each new level into a whole new world of reality” that occurs through the four levels of repetitious reading:
1- LITERAL LEVEL CONSCIOUSNESS
2- Moral level of consciousness
3- the Allegorical level which requires a Spiritual level of listening
4- We simply rest in the presence of the one who has used His word as a means of inviting us to accept His transforming embrace. We call this level, Union of Life or the unitive level of consciousness.
-An Experience of Lectio Divina
(http://www.cellofpeace.com/refl_lectio.htm)
The reference to these steps can no longer be found as the Youth Specialties article is no longer there. All you will get if you click on the link now is the OOPS page. Nevertheless, whether it has disappeared or not, Mike Perschon himself commented on Wolf Tracks under my article on Lectio Divina and did not disagree with these steps or the practise of Lectio Divina. Here is what he said:
“I’d just like to clarify that I’ve been misquoted here. I didn’t write the website regarding the four steps. I was asked by Youth Specialties to do an introductory article on various contemplative practices, and I linked to certain pages I deemed to represent the practice well. I didn’t write it though. That said, I don’t disagree with it, and I would like to further clarify by saying that I do not espouse Lectio Divina as THE way to knowing Christ. As an academic and former pastor, I am devoted to studying the Bible within its contexts, and understanding it in a very rational way. But I find that Lectio Divina enlarges my experience of the Bible. It’s one of many tools I use in my walk with Christ. And I’m not suggesting it replaces grace, as some have supposed elsewhere.”
We would like to give Perschon the benefit of the doubt, but as it is interesting that while Perschon says he was misquoted, he admittedly does NOT disagree with these 4 levels of consciousness. It’s difficult to check back to read exactly what he said because the page is now blank, and the article that I used to pull his quote from has been shifted over. It has been moved, and given a new URL…
This is where it was:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/spirituality/contemplative.php
This is where you can find it now:
http://www.youthspecialties.com/freeresources/articles/spirituality/contemplative.php
Apparently missing from the article is the reference to the 4 levels of consciousness, however, the link to Cell of Peace remains. Perhaps I copied and pasted incorrectly? Could be. But then, how can this ever be proven? Is the moral of the story to copy/paste/save everything we find? Who has time for that?
The point of bringing these particular things to light is this. Why would Mike Perschon say he was misquoted, but also say that he agrees with the quote anyways? Is he feeling bad about leading youth to a new level consciousness instead of leading them to the truth? Is he sort of covering his tracks?
In another Youth Specialties article Mike Perschon wrote (here):
Morton Kelsey refers to the experience of contemplative prayer in all its forms as entering a “laboratory for the soul.” While this phrase entices me with its sense of adventure, it frightens most believers. For too long, evangelical Christianity has packaged faith in safe bundles.
I’m sorry Mike Perschon, but the reason this “frightens” most believers is that this is not of God, and the only “safe” place to be is under the shelter of His wings. He is our strong tower. This is why we must stay away from practices that might open our minds up to the darkness of the spirit realm and doctrines of demons, but you are leading youth away from God, in this mad laboratory experiment devised by Satan, and into darkness.
In conclusion, there will surely be more covered tracks as the delusion unfolds and sticky web of apostasy is woven. In the meantime, some might say, why bother with all this, let’s just read God’s Word and stick to the truth. While this is very VERY good advice, and I totally agree, God’s Word also instructs us to reprove and expose what is in the darkness.
11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Ephesians 5:11
Maranatha!
Outpourings from the mouths of the Florida sheep
There have been many comments left on this blog. Most of them are supportive and are made by discerning sheep who know their true Shepherd. Others are supportive of the person who has brought the revival to Florida. Here is just a sampling of the comments which have been pouring out of those sheep who support and have been filled to over flowing with the Florida outpouring…
“I find it sad to read that christians attack each this way. I really miss the love on such a such. Does the Bible not say that we are not to judge?”
“STOP IT AND START LOVING ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE CONFICTING!!! Todd, Benny Hinn, etc…
I KNOW THAT JESUS LOVES THEM!”
“So then if Mr. Bently is of Satan and not of Jesus Christ then “No One” is being healed? If what is going on there is not true revival than what is. Does Jesus heal today or is all of this fake. How can the devil cast out the devil?”
“alot of the negitivity thats coming out of this revival is plan ignorance. Everytime God tries to get something to people they want to make it demonic. I know the anointing when I see it Todd has it.”
“I just want to say that I have never heard such ignorant statements in all my life.You people are so wrong about the Lakeland revival.Have you ever even stepped your foot inside the revival tent to actually experience what is going on there?IF you would have been listening you would have heard them say (in one of the meetings)that they have been going out EVERYDAY into the streets and taking the word AND MIRACLES out side of the walls of the church.But instead, you are to hasty to jump to conclusions and say (oh it ain’t God).How come you don’t say that about churches that are permanantly established in the area?(or maybe you do)!Personally,I think you’re just jellous!Why don’t you quit whinning and persecuting and start praying and supporting them.MAYBE God has showed them something that He has’nt shown you because you have to much pride and are not willing to humble yourself and pay the kind of price that they are paying.I just hope you get your heart right with God and quit having a pitty party.Repent and ask God to forgive you and He will.Then you can go to the meetings and have a good time in the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit.”
“stop with all the self glorified comments and pointless bickering.”
“Repent of not even praying for the sick, repent for your unbelief that the dead are raised, repent of being afraid of diseases let alone clensing leapers, repent of reducing the gospel to words of human wisdom with no power. Does your gospel have power to transform lives, deliver from demonic oppression, set people free from drug additions. It’s easy to be critical, it’s another thing to love unconditionally those you don’t have a grid for.”
“are all the miracles false? Are all the people who invite Jesus into their hearts not saved? Just because someone thinks about, imagins, visualizes…does not automatically mean that it is wrong just because you say so. When you pray, what do you think of? A blank black screen? Please tell me! Could that be worse? Let’s see, I could say that you are “visualizing” a black place. I demand that you tell me what you think about when you pray!
… I would repent of this if I were you as the Lord has shown me that people who speak against this highest form of this movement, the glory of God revival, could experience an immediate judgement. I would be careful if I were you of offending the Lord.
Todd Bentley has only lifted up the name of Jesus and prayed for people’s healings. And guess what, they have been healed in Jesus name! Like you, the pharisees had no answer for Jesus who, also like your view of Todd, did not fit into their doctrinal box. They were left with only one option: to call what Jesus did demonic. You are straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel here. Good luck when you get to the hump! And good luck also when you stand before the Lord and have to answer to criticizing a great move of God where perhaps hundreds of thousands of are receiving Jesus as their Saviour.”
“people like you guys on this blog remind me of the pharisee’s in Jesus’ day. As matter as fact Jesus called them “you brood of vipers”.
…there were some in Jesus’ day that were convinced that He was not the son of God but exactly opposite. they said he must be a devil if He can cast out devils.
…you are the type of people that bash EVERY single man or woman of God that comes down the pike. if you dont agree with this man, fine, but keep it to yourself.”
“i dont understand how you can watch and hear of the wonderful things GOD is doing and be so negative?
Does God inspire you to right these?”
“His laughter is not “Mocking God” have you ever even listened to Todd Bentley? I know it is scary that he is passionate and has tattoo’s and piercings to some. Todd advocates praising God for breakthroughs and counting the cost to follow jesus. If you don’t believe in the supernatural, you might have to throw out your bible as well.”
“…I tell ya, When God shows up, get out of his way.. Jesus was not of this world and neither are we.. We are all spiritual beings who are living a natural life….. Todd is the bomb and God is alive and using him.. Leave him alone and concentrate on activating your church to transform this world… Learn about your gifts and if you get famous for loving Jesus, than good for you!!! …Shubba!
… sheepy weepy I guess its your job to find faults.. I’d like to know how many people you have personally led to Christ this year… thats just a challenging question directed prophetically at you! Todd, keep on burning hot for God, all the way… supporting you and your team…Bring on the Shunda Bunda Thunda! Matthew 12.. talks about the unforgivable sin.. Look out! …Sha! This exact thing happened with the Pharisees”
Is Todd Bentley walking in the footsteps of mystics and seers?
Is Todd Bentley actually receiving revelations from God, or is there something more to his visions of angels and messages from heaven? For example, what about his vision of Sadhu Sundar Singh? Read the following and decide if these things are biblical.
To begin with, does this vision line up with what the Bible teaches?
DEATH OF A PHILOSOPHER
The soul of a German philosopher entered into the world of spirits and saw from afar the incomparable glory of the spiritual world, and the boundless happiness of its people. He was delighted with what he saw, but his stubborn intellectualism stood in the way of his entering into it, and enjoying its happiness. Instead of admitting that it was real, he argued thus with himself, “There is no doubt at all that I see all this, but what proof is there that it has objective existence, and is not some illusion conjured up by my mind? From end to end of all this scene I will apply the tests of logic, philosophy and science, and then only will I be convinced that it has a reality of its own, and is no illusion.” Then the angels answered him, “It is evident from your speech that your intellectualism has warped your whole nature, for as spiritual, and not bodily, eyes are needed to see the spiritual world, so spiritual understanding is necessary to comprehend its reality, and not mental exercises in the fundamentals of logic and philosophy. Your science that deals with material facts has been left behind with your physical skull and brain in the World. Here, only that spiritual wisdom is of use which arises out of the fear and love of God.” Then said one of the angels to another, “What a pity it is that people forget that precious word of our Lord, ‘Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matt. 18:3). I asked one of the angels what the end of this man would be, and he replied “If this man’s life had been altogether bad, then he would at once have joined the spirits of darkness, but he is not without a moral sense, so for a very long time he will wander blindly round in the dim light of the lower parts of the intermediate state, and keep on bumping his philosophical head, until tired of his foolishness, he repents. Then he will be ready to receive the necessary instruction from the angels appointed for that purpose, and, when instructed, will he be fit to enter into the fuller light of God in the higher sphere.”
–The Visions of Sadhu Sundar Singh of India
http://reluctant-messenger.com/sadhu-sundar-singh.htm
This is what the Bible says about second chances for salvation after death:
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
Obviously, the above account does not line up with the Bible, therefore, it would be classified as a false teaching from lying spirits. This vision was one of many experienced by Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929). Many people today say that he was a fine Christian, and take great offense that anyone should criticize Todd Bentley’s vision of Sadhu Sundar Singh, whose contemplative steps of prayer he practices.
Strangely enough, Sundar Singh’s visions of wandering souls in the spirit world and heavenly spheres also included contact with a dead mystic and seer named Emanuel Swedenborg:
“I saw him several times some years ago, but I did not know his earthly name. His name in the spiritual world is quite different just according to his high position or office and most beautiful character.”[7]
Sharpe also refers back to Singh’s endorsement of Swedenborg as recorded by Appasamy:
“Swedenborg was a great man, philosopher, scientist and, above all seer of clear visions. I often speak with him in my visions. He occupies a high place in the spiritual world … Having read his books and having come into contact with him in the spiritual world, I can thoroughly recommend him as a great seer.”[8]
Sundar Singh’s correspondence with the Swedish Lutheran bishop Nathan Soderblom in November 1928 further confirms that he claimed visionary contact with Swedenborg.
For western evangelical Christians, Swedenborg has long been regarded as an unorthodox teacher. Some, such as the Christian apologist Walter Martin, have classified Swedenborg and his followers among the cults.[9] In light of the evangelical rejection of Swedenborg’s theology, the omission of Sundar Singh’s endorsement of Swedenborg’s teachings from evangelical biographies is very significant. The difficulty for evangelicals is compounded by Singh’s confirmation of contact with Swedenborg in the spirit world. This visionary form of contact with an unorthodox deceased teacher clashes with the portraits of piety drawn by later evangelical biographers such as Cyril Davey and Phyllis Thompson.
– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu_Sundar_Singh
Who exactly was this man who Sundar Singh contacted in the spirit world?
Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, Christian mystic, and theologian. Swedenborg had a prolific career as an inventor and scientist. At the age of fifty-six he entered into a spiritual phase, in which he experienced dreams and visions. This culminated in a spiritual awakening, where he claimed he was appointed by the Lord to write a heavenly doctrine to reform Christianity. He claimed that the Lord had opened his eyes, so that from then on he could freely visit heaven and hell, and talk with angels, demons, and other spirits. For the remaining 28 years of his life, he wrote and published 18 theological works, of which the best known was Heaven and Hell (1758),[4] and several unpublished theological works. –wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Swedenborg
Not only was Swedenborg a seer and a medium, he was also one of the forerunners to modern spiritualism. Swedenborg believed that he was the only one able to shed light on the true meaning of the Bible, with the help of Angels. This is who Sundar Singh had contact with in the spirit world. Remember this as you read the following…
Let us now get on the fast forward track to June 19, 2006, where Todd Bentley wrote the following…
THE GLORY CLOUD OF REVELATION & PROPHETIC MANTLES ~ PART TWO: CONCLUSION
BY TODD BENTLEY, FRESH FIRE MINISTRIES
http://www.freshfire.ca…I saw in a vision, the Glory Cloud of Revelation descending upon the church. It was also during this time of prayer that God took me in a vision to what I believed to be the Himalayan Mountains. I saw an Indian man with a turban on his head and heard the whisper of the Spirit say, “This is Sundar Singh. I am releasing anointing of revelation like this.” I had no communication with this old saint, nor did he say anything to me. The experience lasted only a moment…
[…]
… Sundar Singh spent at least two hours daily in reading the Scriptures, meditation and prayer. He would arise at 5:00 am and finish by 7:00 or 8:00 depending on what his schedule was for the day. He often spent the whole day or night in prayer. His discipline was to read one chapter of the Bible, rapidly at first reading, then to return to reread passages or verses that were more suggestive to him. These he would linger with and meditate on for as long as it was fruitful for him to do so. Next, he would enter into a period of “recollection” for twenty minutes or so. This was a time of silence, in which he would allow the Lord to speak to him in some way. With his own mind and heart quieted, he opened his mind and his heart to hear what the Lord would have to say to him or just simply enjoy companionship with his Lord. Often this period of silence would extend into a deeper state called “contemplation” in which he enjoyed complete rest and refreshment in the love of God.
Often during times of contemplation, he entered into experiences of ecstasy. He regarded these experiences as the same as St. Paul’s entrance into the “third heaven”. During his latter years, they occurred frequently, as often as ten times a month. About these experiences he said, “I never try to go into ecstasy; nor do I advise others to try. It is a gift to be accepted, but it should not be sought; if given, it is a pearl of great price.”
Anyone who contemplates the heavenly calling of the apostle Paul and his being caught up into the third heaven, and again into Paradise, will lift up his voice to God and say: Glory to God who surely gives great gifts to men!
THE FOUR R’s OF THE CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONAL LIFE
This key is one of the most important tools if we are to see an increase of wisdom and revelation in our lives. In the western Christian tradition, meditation refers to thinking about or the use of the imagination around a passage of scripture, whereas, in India, traditional meditation refers to silencing one’s thoughts. The Christian tradition practices the silencing of thoughts and emotions, but it is called “contemplation” rather than “meditation”. This is one of those unfortunate twists of semantics, which has caused confusion when discussing the spirituality of East and West.
Sundar Singh practiced a sequence of prayer discipline that is identical to ancient Christian monastic disciplines: reading the scriptures, meditation on a passage of the reading (also called response of the mind and heart), recollection, and rest. This sequence is also called lectio divina in Latin. It means divine reading, or more precisely, divine listening, since few people in that day could actually read. When ordinary Christians attended church to hear the Scriptures read aloud, they’d memorize a passage or a verse, and ponder it for a week.
These are the four R’s of lectio divina or Christian devotional life:
1.Reading (hearing) the Word.
2.Responding to the Word with mind and heart.
3.Recollecting oneself with an open mind and open heart to God’s will, and
4.Resting in His Presence.Christianity is a way of life, not a hobby, or a pastime. As such, we must treat it as serious business. Reflecting on God and His way should not be taken lightly. We must modify our schedules and make the time to meditate, contemplate, and reflect on His word.
Find a quiet place, away from noise or distractions. Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening (Genesis 24:63). King David lay on his bed to meditate: “When I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches (Ps. 63:6).
[…]
The entire article by Todd Bentley can be read here:
http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=143&pid=954
*Note: If the Freshfire link becomes no longer available there is something similar here:
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=1400
After seeing this vision of Sundar Singh, Todd Bentley borrowed his practices of meditation, contemplation, and being still, as revealed in his teaching on Soaking:
“I learned from the lives of Brother Lawrence and Sundar Sing (the famous Hindu mystic who radically converted to Christianity a hundred years ago), as God began to birth my ministry into power. At the end of three months of waiting, basking, bathing, marinating, just beeeeeeeing in His presence I had a visitation of the Lord Himself. He stood behind me and every time I turned around to look at Him He would be behind me. I heard the Lord speak to me in an audible voice as a man speaks to a man.”
http://freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=119&pid=954&bid=955
SOAKING PART 1
BY REVIVALIST TODD BENTLEY
Not only has Todd Bentley been meditating, soaking and having visions and contact with angels and the spirit world (as Singh and Swedenborg did), he has also been teaching these methods to others, as recently as this past January 14th – 17th at Freshfire’s Secret Place Conference in his home town of Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, where he shared teaching time with Heidi Baker, Rodney Howard-Browne:
Wednesday night: Todd Bentley taught on contemplative prayer and learning to silence your thoughts. He outlined the four prayer steps practiced by Sundar Singh, an Indian prophet who had a visitation from Jesus. The steps include: 1. Read a whole chapter, 2. Meditate on the passage that most spoke to you, 3. Recollect with an open mind and heart as the Holy Spirit reveals the scripture to you, then 4. Rest and restoration in His presence while the Spirit imparts revelation or takes you into the heavens. As we make ourselves available to the Lord, said Todd, it is amazing where we will go with Him.
– The Secret Place 2 Conference
http://www.sfwm.org/newhome/showminrpt.cfm?id=36
SECRET PLACE II – CONFERENCE REPORT
Isn’t it becoming quite obvious by now that Todd Bentley walks in the footsteps of mystics and seers who had contact with the spirit world? Is it any wonder he has similar supernatural experiences and angelic encounters? This is extremely important to understand. If you are a sheep who is following Todd Bentley and seeking after the supernatural realm, please take heed. This in NOT the path that the Good Shepherd leads His sheep on. Run to Him while there is still time!
5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets
Who make my people stray;
Who chant “Peace”
While they chew with their teeth,
But who prepare war against him
Who puts nothing into their mouths:
6 “ Therefore you shall have night without vision,
And you shall have darkness without divination;
The sun shall go down on the prophets,
And the day shall be dark for them.
7 So the seers shall be ashamed,
And the diviners abashed;
Indeed they shall all cover their lips;
For there is no answer from God.”Micah 3:5-7
Essential reading:
Tarot, Carl Jung, Swedenborg, Blake & Freemasons
http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/occult/theosophy-swedenborg-blake.htm
Sadhu Sundar Singh – Hindu Mystic in Sheeps Clothing
http://discerningtheworld.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/sadhu-sundar-singh-hindu-mystic-in-sheeps-clothing/
Todd Bentley Responds to Criticism
Wolf Tracks would like to draw attention to the recent response by Todd Bentley to his followers regarding the widespread criticism of his teachings and the fruit of the Florida outpouring. This will be of interest to all who have been following the revival trail and the supposed appearing (and disappearing) of certain angels.
The following are just a few choice excerpts…
Bringing Biblical Light to Your Questions about the Lakeland Outpouring & Todd Bentley
by Todd Bentley
June 8, 2008
http://www.freshfire.ca/?Id=1059&pid=993“… if I say that I had a vision of an angel, or encountered one or even spoke with one, but you haven’t doctrinally or experientially, come to terms with the reality of angels being in our midst, then you may not attribute it as valid. You may even tag me as someone who worships angels, seeks them for counsel, ministers under the power of, or misrepresents them in some way. In the case of the angel called “Emma,” who I described as having mother-like nurturing qualities, some have automatically assumed that my doctrine is that I believe in female angels. This has never been the case! For whatever reason God chose to show me this angel in a female persona, He did. This isn’t to say that the angel was female. Angels are spirit and appear in many forms. Perhaps that’s the form God chose this angel to take for the purpose of the revelation He gave me. They are spirit beings of light, created out of God’s glory, without gender, and appear in whatever form God chooses to send them to us.”
[…]
“…I asked my staff to remove from our website, articles that are causing such strife and division and deterring the Body from the very real and pressing focus of these last days. Jesus wept when people missed the purpose. Every blessing flowed and people received, but they missed the purpose. Don’t miss the purpose!
Again I emphasize, it’s good and right to search out the Truth and to discern the spirits, God expects us to do so. Nevertheless, it’s also important to do so outside of one’s comfortable box, not mistaking discomfort for discernment, and realizing that God is not only a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but also a God of new things. Realize also, that if you spend time in His presence, in fellowship with Him, and if daily, you put on the full armor of God and spend time in His Word; you’ll be more comfortable erring on the side of extravagance rather than quench the Spirit. A body of believers without the Holy Spirit is a breathless, lifeless body.”
(…)
Read the entire response at the above link.
It may be important to note that the article ends with a reference that appears to bring weight and authority to Todd Bentley’s ministry. This hearty endorsement of the revival is from Dr. Gary S. Greig, PhD., a former Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Regent University School of Divinity, and Senior Editor, Theology and Acquisitions for the Regal Publishing Group. He is an instructor for Vanguard Ministries, president of Kingdom Training Network and has also served under Dr. Peter C. Wagner.
NOTE: This may be a side trail, but it’s an important one. Dr. Gary Greig is the spiritual advisor of Mark Virkler (as claimed here: www.cwgministries.org/newsletters/october2003.htm). Virkler teaches that you can hear the voice of God, guaranteed, through 4 steps of meditation and journaling.
Watch this youtube of Mark Virkler practicing automatic writing/channeling here:
How to hear God’s Voice guaranteed by Mark Virkler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd0UqlKSSb8
The Arnott’s (TACF) say they have been profoundly impacted by Mark Virkler’s teaching.
See the on-line book written by Greig, Virkler, and Frank Gaydos here:
How to Release God’s Healing Through Prayer
http://www.cwgministries.org/books/How-to-Release-Healing.pdf
—
Update: There are some related comments on this subject here:
Lying Spirit Manifests Again Through Todd Bentley About Angel Emma
On the Highway to Heaven
Can we beam up to heaven any time we want for a visit? Todd Bentley says he can.
This is the newest article from Let Us Reason that examines the claims of Todd Bentley and his frequent visits to the third heaven:
An Open Heaven – Todd Bentley’s Highway to Heaven
Backtracking on Emma
It appears that Todd Bentley has gotten into a bit of hot water for talking about Emma too much. Not only has Freshfire removed the name of Emma from their website, Todd has now publicly denied her on stage. Sort of.
Was she an apparition? Or a figment of his imagination?
One site has an interesting thought about the angel Emma – perhaps she is another apparition of Mary:
http://www.yesumulungi.com/Apologetics/Appologs49.htm
Whatever the case, Todd Bentley can try to cover up his angels and their tracks all he wants, but angelic visitations are such a major part of his teaching that without these bizarre close encounter/abduction stories, he might not have much left to say.
Watch:
Todd Bentley Encounters with Angels
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kSlt0_8HwMk
Read:
A Question of Angels
http://www.lightforthelastdays.co.uk/view_page.asp?page_id=238&menu_id=226
Related (older news):
PASTOR STRADER SPEAKS: On Todd Bentley, Emma, Revival, etc.
http://blog.thewaycf.com/2008/05/pastor-strader-speaks-on-todd-bentley_31.html
Serpent Tracks
Here is a MUST SEE video:
The False Revival (comparison)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtVGxJU-j2I
This 6 minute youtube video by Let Us Reason contains clips comparing the spiritual manifestations of other religions and the new false revivals taking place inside the church. Watch as Todd Bentley, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, and other false teachers mock God and spread their doctrines of demons to the innocent and unwary.
Watching this video certainly makes it obvious, doesn’t it? I’ve seen many of those clips on other videos, but to see them all together is very effective and disturbing. There can no longer be any doubt that this is the same kundalini serpent power seeking and finding willing vessels to manifest.
Here is a good article on this subject:
THE STRIKING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE “TORONTO BLESSING” AND THE SERPENT POWER OF KUNDALINI
http://www.discernment.org/revival/comparis.htmHere is a DIRECT QUOTE from a Kundalini Page on the web (caps are my addition):
“Usually the awakening of Kundalini was a process which only occurred after years of spiritual practice and meditation. Yet INCREASINGLY, the Kundalini experience is being reported among people who are not undertaking spiritual practices. Since 1993, when Shared Transformation, an American journal for connecting spiritual awakeners first began, it has been contacted by OVER 700 people in the throes of SPONTANEOUS KUNDALINI AROUSAL (Collie & Kree, 1995). These INCREASED reports of spontaneous Kundalini awakening at this time of PLANETARY UPHEAVAL may be INDICATIVE OF A LARGER PURPOSE AS WORK, the beginning of a planetary wake up call…”
Since reading this article I have sent off several e-mails to various “gurus” and New Age sites describing the activity at Toronto and Pensacola and asking their opinions of them and did they think these could be spontaneous Kundalini Awakenings in these folks. (…)
The above article tells me that what used to take years (I know from experience) now is being “granted” immediately to those not even following the yogic path. These occult folks view this as indicative of a LARGER PURPOSE AT WORK. What and/or whose purpose?
The only answer is the larger purpose is that of Satan and his hosts of seducing and deceiving spirits. Their purpose is to dupe well-meaning Christians via demonic manifestations masquerading as the “work of the Spirit.”
My brothers and sisters there is a GLOBAL DEMONIC DECEPTION being perpatrated on 100,000’s of charismatic Christians. Almost all the Charismatic leaders endorse these manifestations as a true move of the Holy Spirit.
[…]
Read more about Kundalini signs and symptoms at the above link. (There is also a comparison chart.)
Also see these:
Comparison Between Kundalini and the so-called Toronto Blessing
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/kundalini.html
(has several charts)
Florida Revival – is there a Kundalini connection?
http://livingjourney.wordpress.com/2008/05/26/florida-revival-is-there-a-the-kundalini-connection/
(has Todd Bentley awakened to kundalini serpent power?)
It may be of interest to note that in a recent interview (see here @13:20), Todd Bentley referred to his salvation experience as his “awakening” or “enlightening.” He says that he got saved because he had an “experience” with God. Was this a Kundalini awakening? How many times have we seen him vibrating and shaking, and spreading it to those he touches? Haven’t we seen enough of this mockery?
Sheep! Wake up and smell the rotten fruit!
“So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:20
CBN following the Florida outpouring – but ignoring the trail of rotten fruit
Not only is CBN still favourably reporting on the Florida outpouring and Todd Bentley, they are now quoting Patricia King (Extreme Prophetic) and Randy Clark (of Toronto Blessing roots):
Lakeland Outpouring Coming to Your City?
By Paul Strand
CBN News Washington Sr. Correspondent
June 2, 2008
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/384025.aspx
They also have some exclusive interviews…
…with Todd Bentley here:
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/370342.aspx
…and with Patricia King here:
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/384188.aspx
They are even linking to Extreme Prophetic, Global Awakening (Randy Clark), Ignited Church, Fresh Fire Ministries, and God TV.
Does CBN know about the rotten fruit left behind on the laughing revival trail that Randy Clark was a part of? Do they know about the supernatural conversation that Patricia King and Todd Bentley had with Bob Jones about their out of body/astral projection experiences into the third heaven together and the vanilla smell of the anointing?
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, as they promote Clark, King and Bentley and their ministries, it’s sad to see that CBN is condoning and spreading this growing deception.
Related:
Tracing the trail of the Revival
Laughter/Toronto/ Pensacola/_____ /_____?
http://www.letusreason.org/Pent30.htmThe Vineyard Movement’s ‘Toronto Blessing’
http://www.intotruth.org/tb/toronto2.html
Following the New Mystic Trail
One person that Todd Bentley has done ‘fire and glory’ conferences with is John Crowder. See here. This coming November, according to John Crowder’s itinerary page, Todd Bentley is scheduled to speak at The Oil of His Presence Conference alongside John Crowder and Stacey Campbell.
It’s not surprising that John Crowder and his friends are also into gold dust, gold fillings, manna from heaven, and faked stigmata, as shown by his very recent association with false prophetess and proven fraud Lucy Rael who was caught faking angel feathers. See pictures here:
http://www.thenewmystics.org/ManifestationsofGlory.html
John Crowder also teaches a strange “buzz” gospel. He says that when you witness to Satanists, no talking is necessary. All you need is to just show up buzzed and whacked in the glory. He also teaches a ‘whacky’ version of contemplative prayer and mysticism.
About 3:30 on a youtube called The Ecstasy of God Part 4 Crowder starts talking about contemplative prayer and the ecstasy of God – a heart that’s infused in pleasure. As he talks about this he walks around in a stupor, and describes how he has days where he wakes up whacked, so sloshed he can barely put his clothes on. He says to follow the little white rabbit to have the best trips with Jesus. Meditation is the second stage of prayer, the place where you meditate on a vision, actually encountering and ‘doing stuff.’ But where we really need to live is in this realm of stage three that is union, deep deep heavy ‘shoobie doobie.’ He says that a lot of mystics say it is a lesser ecstasy, an experience of His presence. Give me a Godka, the hard stuff, jack me up like Daniel’s, ends Crowder.
Watch John Crowder living out that shoobie doobie whacked out on Godka life here at End Times Prophetic, Prophecy, Visions, Dreams, Revelation, Christian Blog. It is quite sickening.
Also see this one:
John Crowder, demonic puff impartation caught on video
*Warning: you may find these extremely offensive
If this is who Todd Bentley has been associating himself with, and will be associating himself with in the future, what does that tell us about Todd Bentley? As those in his home town know, it is no secret that divine angelic feathers were claimed to have been landing on people during his local meetings. As it turned out, the building was well known for birds that nested in the rafters.
As the old saying goes, (buzzed, whacked, drunken) birds of a (fake) feather flock together.
———-
Related:
Todd Bentley tracks lead straight to the Contemplative New Age Spa
Todd Bentley says that the secret to living a prosperous, abundant life in ministry and business is “The Open heavens” – living and ministering under a heaven that’s open above and beneath our feet and lives. It should be of great interest and concern to those following the Florida revival that the following description of how to live under the Open Heaven by Todd Bentley is no different than contemplative mysticism or New Age practices.
The following quotes are excerpts from An Open Heaven by Todd Bentley (found at openheavensoakingmusic.com). [Titles in bold lettering and other bold emphasis added by Wolf Tracks.]
***Todd Bentley Practices the secret of the Awareness – Contemplation and Being Still 4-12 hours a day:
Several years ago, many of you already have heard my testimony as shared in our 3 tape series “The Secret Place” a must for those who you hungering for what I am about to share in these first two paragraphs of how I had a holy visitation from the Holy Spirit. As a result, at different times during the span of about three months. I would be laid out (slain in the spirit) or as I would rather put it. I was so overwhelmed with God’s manifest presence like a thick honey cloud. I could do nothing most days but “BE Still” or “Wait on the Lord” I was blessed from heaven with such an awareness of His divine presence I was forced to the floor and would simply lie in His glory. I call it forced by the weight of His glory into a place of contemplation, times of solitude or just sitting at His feet like Mary. For four to twelve hours a day, I would simply gaze at the Lord’s beauty or as Paul describes in Heb 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,” the word “looking” is translated to Gaze or stargazer.
***Todd Bentley Practices the Presence of God and the Secrets of Brother Lawrence through contemplative meditation and soaking prayer, Results in visitation by Spirit Guide and Altered State of Silence:
During these extended times of soaking I would receive at times, numerous kinds of visions, dreams, prophetic experiences and visitations of angels sometimes. I often refer to that time in my life as my “soaking season”. God taught me how to dwell and abide in the secret place of His presence (Ps 91:1) I came to understand the power of stillness, quietness, basking, bathing and drinking in His love. I was in a place of surrender and meditation in His presence. I understood here some of the secrets of Brother Lawrence’s life and practicing the presence of God. This is better known today as the silent prayer of the heart or meditation and contemplation.
It was after that soaking season that God called me out into full-time ministry. I received a divine visitation of the Lord. It was as if a person walked in to the room and stood behind me. I could feel His presence over me and heard distinctly, the audible voice of the Lord. I was told exactly how I would be called out and prophesied over in a meeting that evening, deeming that time as my commissioning for ministry and shown in open vision numerous events in the meeting that night as a sign. You could say it happened overnight. In fact that night, that the intensity of the soaking season and times of almost daily revelation ended, though I still continue to live a lifestyle of soaking.
***Todd Bentley Practices The Silence and Stillness of Listening (Contemplative) Prayer and Meditation to induce revelations, experiences and visions:
… I would soak or wait on the Lord in absolute stillness. Day after day I positioned myself in stillness and quietness, listening prayer and meditation on the Lord’s presence. I learned to quiet my mind of all business and when my mind did wander I would simply refocus on thinking about Jesus. After some time I began to receive visions and different prophetic experiences sometimes several times a day and many times everyday. I simply began to expect it when I came into the Lord’s presence. Did I pray and worship or do any other kind of prayer? Yes! but when I began to feel the Lord’s glory. I would simply lie on the floor and just “be there” in the presence, focused on Him in quietness and total surrender. After weeks of practicing this kind of silent prayer I noticed much more increase of revelation. The more I wait the more I receive. I wait as much as I can now. It is a lifestyle, sometimes 1-3 hours a day of quiet prayer and soaking.
***Todd Bentley practices visualization:
I believe that it is important in receiving an increase of revelation and seeing into the spirit to exercise our spiritual eyes. …What are the eyes of your understanding? In the Greek understanding is translated the mind and imagination. Let’s learn to set our mind on things above and seek those things above including that we might see in the spirit. One way we can exercise our spiritual eyes is to look not at the things, which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. I encourage you to take every time God has been seen in the scripture and described by the prophets in heavenly glory and read it. We need to get a glimpse in our spirit of what the heavens look like. We need to have a vision of Jesus describe in heavenly glory.
***Todd Bentley practices mantra repetition and meditation to induce personal revelations:
One sure way to increase revelation in your life is Meditation. Meditation brings revelation and revelation the manifestation of what’s been revealed. In this verse every word that’s come from God is to be received as a light that shineth in a dark place, “until”. There is a process of becoming revelation.
When we read a scripture it is as a light that shineth in a dark place “until” the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. That is revelation, we meditate, speak out loud, re read and speak out loud over and over the same verse “until” the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.
***Todd Bentley experiences Supernatural smelling of scents – signs of Kundalini:
We were created with five natural and five spiritual senses including touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing. In the same way that I am familiar with these five senses in the natural, why not in the spirit? Can we touch, taste, sight, smell and hear heavenly things now?
[…]
I want to share with you some of the ways God reveals himself and some different experiences I have had in the prophetic. One of the first experiences I ever had with revelation was through the scent sense.
Smells: We should be aware of what we smell. Sometimes He wants to minister His presence on His people’s lives and we can smell the fragrant touch. At times I have smelled cinnamon, vanilla, roses and even oil, such as oil that one would use to polish boots.
***Todd Bentley practices out of body experiences (another manifestation of kundalini) due to altered state of consciousness:
I was taken into the spirit several times and quite I will feel my body be sucked up like a vacuum. I will immediately shake and feel myself hurled through space and time. I have even seen and felt myself leave the earth, travel through the stars and flash of bright light and I am somewhere. Did my physical body go? Never that I know but when I find myself aware of where I was before I went I know I was in another place. All my emotions are heighten and involved in a caught up experience and most times I feel my self go.
To read Todd Bentley’s entire description of his Open Heaven living and daily soaking experiences, which may as well be at a contemplative New Age retreat or spa, see here:
http://www.openheavensoakingmusic.com/id23.html
(The Open Heaven Soaking Music website where this “teaching” can be found belongs to Jay Maddox who operates in ‘a seer anointing.’ While Maddox and Bentley, like many others in the soaking movement, may say they are attempting to bring people of all ages into closer communion with God, the Bible says that we are brought near only by the blood of Christ. These teachings are overshadowed by the Spirit of Error, not by the Spirit of Truth, as this website states.)
——————–
Related reading:
Kundalini Energy (the effects of Soaking Prayer)
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1088&more=1&c=1
SOAKING? A spiritual discipline or Eastern mysticism?
http://www.crossroad.to/Q&A/church/postmodern/soaking.htm
Are McLaren, Bentley and Tolle from the same pack?
Brian McLaren is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church and an influential leader in the emerging church culture. He was recently listed by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.
But what he is teaching is far from traditional evangelical or even Protestant doctrine. What he preaches is another gospel. In fact, he admits that he is looking to other sources than the Bible for answers.
In a 2004 interview, Brian McLaren said the following about the Bible:
“We modern Protestants, whether liberal or conservative, can seem to think of only one thing to do with the Bible — analyze it, study it. Many of us are looking for other things to do with the Bible other than analyze it in sermons and studies.
So, we’re looking to the Benedictines, Ignatians, and others to learn ways of contemplating Scripture through practices like lectio divina, examen, and imaginative readings. We’re finding the value in ritual and symbol, which involve the body and imagination, not just the rational powers of analysis — and we’re being helped by brothers and sisters from other traditions.”
-An Interview with Brian McLaren
http://jasonclark.ws/2004/02/20/interview_with_/
Besides, Catholicism, exactly what are some of these other traditions Brian McLaren was talking about?
“Brian McLaren wants us to learn more about ‘meditative practices, about which Zen Buddhism has said much. To talk about different things is not to contradict one another; it is, rather, to have much to offer one another’ (A Generous Orthodoxy, p. 255.) Can Zen Buddhism have something to offer that would improve a Christian’s spiritual life when the Bible teaches us that we are already partakers of Christ Jesus’ divine nature? (2 Peter 1:3-11) McLaren cites contemplative meditation promoter Richard Foster as one of the key mentors for the Emergent movement.”—Spiritual Fusion: East comes West, Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries
-Source: Brian McLaren – New Age/Mystic/Contemplative
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/brianmclaren.htm
What does McLaren mean when he talks about these meditative practices?
Brian McLaren’s newest book, Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices, is about exploring the ancient Christian spiritual practices. The review of this book at Lighthouse Trails Research (here) concludes with this:
In the last chapter of McLaren’s book, “Theosis (via Unitiva),” he sums up his calling by stating that “The purpose of the via purgativa [the practices] is to prepare us for the via illuminativa [the awakening], and the purpose of the via illuminativa is to prepare us for the via unitiva [all is one], the union of our nature with the nature of God” (pp. 171-172). He calls God “fire” and says, “We join God in being fire … Before the beginning … God was All, and All was God” (p. 175). This is the exact same message that Eckhart Tolle and Oprah are propagating. But while many Christians are now condemning Tolle’s message, they don’t realize that the very same message is permeating their very own churches.
Lectio Divina? Imagination? Awakening? Fire? As you may have noticed, McLaren (who says on his Deep Shift website that what we need is a ‘big shift’) is not the only one who is using these words. They are also a big part of the counterfeit revival that is going on right now.
Christianity is undergoing a paradigm shift of major proportions – a shift from faith to feelings; from fact to fantasy; and from reason to esoteric revelation. Leaders of this Counterfeit Revival, such as Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, Rodney Howard Browne and John Arnott, have peppered their preaching and practice with fabrications, fantasies, and frauds, seemingly unaware of their profound consequences.
Many of the followers who at first flooded into Counterfeit Revival “power centers” have become disillusioned and have now slipped through the cracks into the kingdom of the cults.
John the Apostle warned, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
This warning is particularly relevant today, as Christianity is undergoing a paradigm shift of epic proportions.
-Lakeland Revival – Todd Bentley
http://earthless.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/lakeland-revival-todd-bentley/
New Age terms like transition, transformation, energy (fire), unblocking or opening your mind to the supernatural, and the concept of ‘feeling the shift’ are commonly used by many today, incuding Oprah’s friend Eckhart Tolle…
“You ask, “What does Word of Faith and Emergent Church have to do with Oprah?” Most likely you’ve heard of Eckhart Tolle and his blockbuster book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life Purpose. For the past few months Oprah has been promoting Tolle’s “revolutionary message” to her TV audience and offers a class on XM Satellite Radio. So, Oprah now sponsors two occult classes: A Course in Miracles with Marianne Williamson and A New Earth with Eckhart Tolle.
Listen to what Warren Smith says about The Shift:
“In her first class with Eckhart Tolle, Oprah asked if people had experienced the ‘shift’ while reading Tolle’s book, A New Earth. The question reminded me of Werner Erhard’s New Age EST program in the 1970s that taught this same idea of shifting one’s perception, and then similarly asking – ‘Did you get IT?’ Obviously, there is pressure to ‘get IT’ – to feel the shift: Oprah felt the shift – did you? Are you understanding this new [age] way of looking at yourself and the world? Or, are you being blocked by your mind and your ego from seeing this New Spirituality that can save our planet? Keep logging onto our classes. Keep reading Tolle’s book – you’ll ‘get it.’”
– http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/print.php?&ArticleID=3470
How interesting that Todd Bentley always calls the fire anointing “it” – step into “IT,” “IT’s” going to happen, this church and that city is going to get “IT,” or ”Come and get “IT”. And other churches are supposedly getting “IT” now too as youth pastors fly to Florida to ‘get some’ and bring “IT” back home.
Keep in mind that Todd Bentley, like McLaren, also has been learning the meditative practices of ‘brothers and sisters in other religions.’ He was discipled early on by a Roman Catholic Charismatic “prophet” named Frenchie. And who can forget his vision of Sadhu Sundar Singh – Hindu Mystic in Sheeps Clothing, whose meditation steps of Lectio Divina he practices AND teaches?
Exactly what is IT that Brian McLaren, Todd Bentley, and Eckhart Tolle are getting from their meditative practices which they have learned from other sources than the Bible? Could it be they are all from the same pack of wolves?
Meanwhile, the sheep on the slope are contemplating grazing on the pretty patches of green New Age grass, totally unaware of the gravity of their dire situation. They have taken their eyes off the Shepherd and have allowed themselves to be lured here by the false shepherds who promise to lead them to IT. They are oblivious to the watchmen who shout, “Don’t do it sheep! IT is not what you think IT is! Run away from “IT”, and back to the safety of the Good Shepherd, while there is still time!”
Some perk up their ears and listen, but most of them don’t want the truth. They want a pack of lies told by a pack of wolves. They just want IT.
There is a way which seems right to a man, But ITS end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons – 1 Timothy 4:1
Related reading:
Todd Bentley and a Spirit Named “Winds of Change”
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1099&more=1&c=1
LECTIO DIVINA – Leading Sheep to a New Level of Consciousness
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is derived from a Latin word that means “holy reading.” It is an ancient method of slowly reading the scriptures in a repetitive fashion in order to encounter the presence of God.
Friar Luke Dysinger explains that this “VERY ANCIENT art, practiced at one time by all Christians, is the technique known as lectio divina – a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures which enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God.” (See The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina)
Today, this practice that has been kept alive in the tradition of Benedictine monastics and oblates is not only popular among Catholics, it has gained acceptance in other faiths and, more recently, in the emerging church.
The Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project, an organization dedicated to contemplative youth ministry, has a description of the four steps of Lectio Divina on their website:
In order to practice lectio divina, select a time and place that is peaceful and in which you may be alert and prayerfully attentive. Dispose yourself for prayer in whatever way is natural for you. This may be a spoken prayer to God to open you more fully to the Spirit, a gentle relaxation process that focuses on breathing, singing or chanting, or simply a few minutes of silence to empty yourself of thoughts, images, and emotions.
Reading (lectio) – Slowly begin reading a biblical passage as if it were a long awaited love letter addressed to you. Approach it reverentially and expectantly, in a way that savors each word and phrase. Read the passage until you hear a word or phrase that touches you, resonates, attracts or even disturbs you.
Reflecting (meditatio) – Ponder this word or phrase for a few minutes. Let it sink in slowly and deeply until you are resting in it. Listen for what the word or phrase is saying to you at this moment in your life, what it may be offering to you, what it may be demanding of you.
Expressing (oratio) – When you feel ready, openly and honestly express to God the prayers that arise spontaneously within you from your experience of this word or phrase. These may be prayers of thanksgiving, petition, intercession, lament, or praise.
Resting (contemplatio) – Allow yourself to simply rest silently with God for a time in the stillness of your heart remaining open to the quiet fullness of God’s love and peace. This is like the silence of communion between the mother holding her sleeping infant child or between lovers whose communication with each other passes beyond words.
–An Ancient Way of Praying with Scripture
(http://www.ymsp.org/resources/practices/lectio_divina.html)
Mike Perschon at Youth Specialties compares the four steps of Lectio Divina to “four levels of consciousness…which introduces you at each new level into a whole new world of reality” that occurs through the four levels of repetitious reading:
1- LITERAL LEVEL CONSCIOUSNESS
2- Moral level of consciousness
3- the Allegorical level which requires a Spiritual level of listening
4- We simply rest in the presence of the one who has used His word as a means of inviting us to accept His transforming embrace. We call this level, Union of Life or the unitive level of consciousness.
–An Experience of Lectio Divina
(http://www.cellofpeace.com/refl_lectio.htm)
It is no secret that chanting a mantra indeed empties the mind of thought and opens one up to a different state of consciousness. Mantras are used in yoga, Zen, Hindu, and Transcendental Meditation. Here is what some of these websites say about mantras:
*From a Yoga website:
“Modern science has reaffirmed what yogis have known for thousands of years – that SOUND is able to effect the chemistry of the body and mind, and alter thought patterns. (…) Mantra Meditation is a VERY Powerful technique!
You will discover that the repetition of Mantra allows your mind to focus and concentrate more completely on sound, and clear away other thoughts, emotions and distractions which divert our energies. Our senses become more acute and our mind become sharper and more perceptive as the mind clears away the jumble of unnecessary inner dialogue.”
– http://www.focalpointyoga.com/mantra_meditation.htm*From a Meditation website:
“The repetition of a mantra…is meant as a method of practice which brings about a power (siddhi) to reach the supreme state of consciousness. In this state there is silence within the mind which becomes still (shaant) and eventually you will merge the mind or individual awareness with the whole, which is Pure Consciousness and Knowingness. Every time you practice you obtain the result, as this fourth state of consciousness is always with you.”
-http://meditate4life.com/four-stages.htm
In spite of the well known purpose of mantra repetition to clear the mind and achieve this state of altered consciousness, many Christians today are mistakenly teaching that this is how to meditate on the Word of God. But is this how we fill our minds with God’s Word – by emptying our minds?
True biblical meditation involves thinking and understanding, as we read at bible.org in an article called Biblical Meditation:
What Does It Mean to Meditate?
The first question we must consider concerns the meaning of meditation and what meditation involves. This is particularly important to the Christian because of the great and growing emphasis on meditation in eastern religions. Transcendental meditation, as it is often called, is not biblical meditation. It is dangerous and actually opens up one’s mind for Satanic attack as it is found in New Age thinking.
(…)
Meditation means “the act of focusing one’s thoughts: to ponder, think on, muse.” Meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation, usually on a specific subject to discern its meaning or significance or a plan of action.
(…)
In Eastern forms of meditation as in TM there is an attempt to empty the mind. Biblical meditation, however, is an attempt to empty the mind of the wrong things in order to fill it with what is right and true according to the index of God’s inspired Word.
–Biblical Meditation by J. Hampton Keathley
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=989
If you want to learn about God, understand His Word, and enter into His presence, Lectio Divina is not the way to go about it. What would you do if someone called you and kept repeating the same phrase over and over again? Would you talk to them, or would you hang up the phone?
———-
*Related reading:
What is Lectio Divina? @GotQuestions.org
http://www.gotquestions.org/lectio-divina.htm
Todd Bentley and Contemplative Meditation
Todd Bentley Taught Contemplative Prayer and Silence
***UPDATE:
More Disappearing Trails
https://sheepyweepy.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/more-disappearing-trails/
More Sheep Talk
The sheep are baaa-ing today, and this is what they are saying…
“Meet the New thing- Same as the Old thing” “Will We get Fooled Again?”
Bentley’s healing video promoted by New Age website
Todd Bentley Says that the Heavens Open in Certain Geological Locations
Does Todd Bentley Bend the Bible?
At the last link, Lest Any Man Should Boast , a question is asked of the sheep:
Is Todd Bentley’s “Fire” trying to get into your church?
I was wondering what Fire Retardant people are using to keep Bentley’s Fire out of their church. He is continually instructing the recipients of his anointing to take the Fire back to their church’s and communities. He seems to be aiming this primarily at the youth and youth pastors.
How are you dealing with this?
And finally, this one is about a Hindu mystic wolf in sheeps clothing:
Sadhu Sundar Singh – Hindu Mystic in Sheeps Clothing
(Remember, Todd Bentley saw a vision of Sundar Singh and later taught the prayer steps of contemplative spirituality that he practiced).
Tracking the Root of Todd Bentley’s Fruit
This is how an article from Deception Bytes introduces the source of Todd Bentley’s fruit:
“In Todd Bentley’s Article Angelic Hosts Bentley issues the invitation to eat from the Tree of Life. “I see angels bringing some of you to the tree of life. Remember how God, in Genesis 3:24, sent the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life because man had sinned. God took Adam and Eve out of the garden. But today the Lord wants to bring some of us into that place where we taste the fruit of the tree of life. I want you to get involved right now and say:
Father, please give us that fruit. Lord let those angels bring us right into the place where you have prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Give us the divine life that comes from that tree so we can taste and see that the Lord is good.”
But is the fruit that Todd Bentley offers good? Find out more about this ‘tree of life’ and it’s roots, here:
Todd Bentley, Fires of Kundalini and the Demon Samael
http://www.deceptionbytes.com/Todd-Bentleys-Fire-of-Kundalini
All who read here, please heed the warning signs! CAUTION: EATING THIS FRUIT MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR SOUL!
Tracking the Disappearing Trail
It’s very strange when you are tracking a trail and it suddenly disappears into thin air.
The following is from –
The Way Christian Fellowship
Food for Sheep.
Water for Goats.
Todd Bentley: Do we have anything to worry about?
http://blog.thewaycf.com/2008/05/todd-bentley-do-we-have-anything-to.html
Does a true shepherd have to retract what he says? Does a true shepherd have to cover up and change his story? You be the judge.
Here is another strange occurance in the disappearing trail mystery:
There was a page at Todd Bentley’s Freshfire Ministry entitled THE GLORY CLOUD OF REVELATION & PROPHETIC MANTLES ~ PART TWO: CONCLUSION BY TODD BENTLEY, FRESH FIRE MINISTRIES. This page told in detail Todd’s vision of Sundar Singh as well as details about the Christian Contemplative Tradition called Lectio Divina.
This is no longer available. It has disappeared into thin air.
Sometimes those who are being tracked have to go to great lengths to cover their tracks.
Update:
It was reported that the Sundar Singh vision page had disappeared from Freshfire’s website. Wolf Tracks has tracked it down. The link has been changed from this:
http://www.freshfire.ca/teaching_details.php?Id=143
to this:
http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=143&pid=954
But we are still on the lookout for Emma’s whereabouts, as reported in the above link.
(Fellow bloggers may also want to change their links accordingly, as has been done on the Wolf Tracks post Todd Bentley and Contemplative Meditation.)
Tracking Bob, Todd and Patricia to the Third Heaven
In this extremely revealing google video, Todd Bentley talks about his out of body (astral projection) experience into the third heaven with Bob Jones. Even Patricia King tells of her attempt to get to the third heaven with Bob, but all she saw was a light. Then there’s the children that Bob frequently takes up to the third heaven where he lets them loose and they see the white light. As they discuss this, they all smell vanilla, because the third heaven smells like…vanilla, of course.
(Those wondering about the blue flame in the bottom corner of the screen can read about Patricia King and the blue flame here.)
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” 1 Timothy 4:1
Wake up sheep!
Wolf Tracks 
Recent Comments