Monday Morning Mentations

It’s been a wild and crazy week. Several people who I read and respect so much have linked to my post last week about supposed revival, encouraging me and validating my thoughts and words. Though I have turned my face in a new direction, the old insecurities remain. Too often I think that I have nothing of value to say, nothing to add to the conversation. After all I am just a woman, just a high school graduate, just a stay at home mom. It is a battle to remember that I am enough. I have been blessed with affirmation this week. Thank you.

Throughout the week, I read more and more and the topic became personal as my teenagers were invited to attend the nearest breakout of revival. Whereas my younger two teens were not quite aware of what they were being invited to, my 18 yos was and had the lone dissenting voice. He was respectful but firm. We talked about it later and he echoes my thoughts that even IF this were a real revival, he is not interested in chasing and collecting signs.

I did not initiate or invite a conversation about the revival and Todd Bentley with anyone, but when later asked I was honest about my concerns. There were a couple of troubling things said to me during that conversation. Before I continue, let me say that the person I spoke with was kind and respectful and I hope that I was also.

The Touch-Not-God’s-Anointed line was used. When I said that I didn’t believe in that theory, the reply was a incredulous, “But it’s Biblical”. Ok, just because the words are in the Bible does not mean that the application and theory are Biblical.

From Chris Good:

In the Old Testament, ‘anointing’ was often given to those specially set apart for a special office or task, such as that of a prophet, priest or king. The idea of not ‘touching’ an anointed individual can be seen with David in regard to Saul (eg: 1 Samuel 24 and 26). However the context makes very clear that what David meant is that Saul was not to be harmed physically because he was still God’s anointed king (24:5-7; 26:9,11,23-24). It did not mean that Saul could not be criticised for failing to be faithful to God and His Word – for in these very chapters David publicly rebukes the King on numerous occasions (eg: see 24:8-21; 26:17-22).

Further proof that David did not take this as argument against criticism can be seen in Nathan’s rebuke of his adultery and murder. David did not tell Nathan to ‘not touch the Lord’s anointed’, but rather accepted his rebuke in humble repentance (2 Samuel 12:1-15)! Hence it is clear that this phrase does not have anything to do with scriptural criticism!

This understanding is also confirmed in Psalm 105:15 – another much misused text – which reads: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” However, when one reads the context in which the passage occurs it becomes clear that this refers to God’s protection of His ‘anointed’ Israel (and her prophets) from hostile nations during the time of the Exodus and settlement in Canaan. Even here – God and His prophets are not slow to criticise ‘anointed’ Israel for her waywardness!

In conclusion then, the Old Testament context shows that ‘not to touch the Lord’s anointed’ consistently refers to protection from physical harm and never implies freedom from criticism or accountability.

Also read Touch Not Mine Annointed, Touch Not My Annointed, Touch Not Mine Annointed Syndrome

I do not wish any harm toward Todd Bentley or anyone else involved in the Lakeland “revival” and subsequent” breakouts”. In fact, I have become a little weary this week reading and thinking about the entire issue. Personally, I think I am moving into a place of intercession. My heart is being drawn to pray for anything that is of God to be glorified and for any deception, any greed, anything that is not of God to be exposed. I want to pray that people will be wise and discerning and that they will be content in the Lord. But at the same time, I believe these online conversations are important.

Discussing and thinking through my own experience in the charismatic and prophetic movements has been part of my moving forward in my faith journey. Though I had begun to sense some of the hypocrisy and fallacies that I had been exposed to, I am just now putting words to the perceptions. Barb summarizes this article very well in her post, Straw Man Arguments. To summarize even more, here is just a list of the things I heard from from the pulpit.

1. We need a fresh word for today
2. We are not bound by tradition
3. God offends the mind to reveal the heart
4. Touch not the anointed; do his prophets no harm
5. Judge not lest you be judged
6. Doctrine is just someone’s opinion
7. God is doing a new thing

I realize now how I was conditioned not to think, not to question, not to reason. These arguments caused me to push back my instinct that something just wasn’t lining up with the God I was reading about in Scripture.

I am not willing to say that there is nothing of God in the Lakeland “revival” or that God cannot use Todd Bentley. But I cannot give it a seal of approval just because there have been reported “signs and wonders” either. Again, my prayer is that all will be revealed and that people will not walk in deception. I’d like to see physical confirmation of healings and resurections. I’d like for someone to explain to me why God would give people gold teeth. What purpose does it serve? When the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire in Acts, people were not begging for a manifestation and they didn’t rent out the coliseum to hold healing revivals. To the tune of $15,000 a night. I did the math, close to half a million dollars will be spent to rent the Lakeland arena until May 25th.

I think that is the aspect that may bother me the most. So much money is being spent to provide an experience with the Lord. I said in my earlier post that I would believe in a move of the Holy Spirit where people sold their possessions and made sure that no one was in need. There is great tragedy going on right now in the world and can’t we do more than just celebrate our own revival?

From Kingdom Grace:

The American view of blessing is often self-indulgent and does not take into account the degree of suffering experienced by so many of the people whom God deeply loves.

The movie’s creator said this:

After having no words to express my emotions regarding the recent revival manifestations in America, I created this video as a prayer for the deceived and the suffering…and those of us who need to help them both. – LeeElla

Isaiah 58: 2, 6-7

2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

One more thing in this same vein and I am going to be done … done for this morning and probably done discussing this whole matter. One of the things that bothered me most when I started reading about Todd Bentley and his ministry was the concept of seed memberships. PJ Miller sums it up well in Selling Spiritual Benefits:

As noted, the website also allows you to “Sow Seed Into Revival.” Er, ’seed’ is money, of course. You can become a “Harvester Partner” ($30 min/month for a minimum 12 consecutive months or one time gift of $360 per year), a “Kingdom Builder” ($80 min/month for a minimum 12 consecutive months or one time gift of $1000 per year), or a “Global Fire Partner” ($500 min/month for a minimum 12 consecutive months or one time gift of $5000 per year).

. . .

However, when you ‘partner’ with Fresh Fire Ministries, you just get a little bit more…

When you become a partner with Fresh Fire Ministries you also receive several practical benefits which include:

Discounts on selected Todd Bentley products

Discounts on FFM conference registration

Partner Only sessions at our conferences – impartation services

Invitation to Partner Only conferences

Audio teaching of the month called “Deep Thoughts”

Fresh Fire’s Deep Thoughts sessions are brand new this year, recorded live here in our office with Todd and his interns, or staff. Each session is an up close and personal deep sharing time that will help you gain more spiritual insight. And receiving this CD every month is just one more reason to partner with FFM!
- Source: Fresh Fire Ministries, Partnership Last accessed, May 15, 2008

This reeks of selling (alleged) spiritual benefits.

To my friend who didn’t have a problem with this and who sees this as just a how the world does business, all I can say is:

1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Certainly it is the one with the gold ring and fine clothes who could afford the highest membership benefits while the poor man in the shabby clothes would have to do with less of Fresh Fire ministries.

Ok, I am just about fried this morning and I hope my thoughts flowed together coherently. I think I have linked back to all that I need to and if not, I will correct it later.

To such a very, very difficult subject, I’d like to end on with the funniest thing I have read in a long time. If you are up for quite a chuckle right now, go read: Shrek – A Mother’s Day Story

~~ Grace and Peace ~~

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Related Tags: Todd Bentley, Lakeland Revival

~ by Cynthia on May 19, 2008.