In Matthew 12:9–14 Jesus was in a synagogue on the Sabbath; and there was a man with a paralyzed hand. Some people wanted to accuse Him of doing wrong and asked Him whether it is against their Law to heal (work) on the Sabbath.
Jesus asked them if any of them had a sheep which fell into a deep hole on the Sabbath whether they would rescue it. Then to prove His point, He healed the man with the paralyzed hand.
So what is Jesus saying here? Is He encouraging people to break one of the Ten Commandments? Of course not.
Jesus is saying: Beware of those who would use God’s Word for their own ends. They would either take it literally or miss-quote it to suit their own argument and to their benefit, as in the classic example of the false teachers in the video below by the “New Covenant Group” that claims there is no hell.
Notice particularly howNONEof the passages where Jesus teaches the doctrines of God’s wrath and eternal punishment are discussed. Instead, there is only an appeal to a synthetically constructed Jesus that was built using only incomplete information and distorted human reasoning.
“Then [Jesus] will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”(Matthew 25:41–46)
“Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God”. 2 Corinthians 4:2
“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)
Phyllis Tickle speaking at a communion service at Rob Bell’s church, the Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI. Her heretcial and blasphemous words needs no clarification.
“As we’re about to do that, let us remember what we are doing. We not only celebrate that death and that promise of return, but we’re feeding by eating God, which is what we’re doing here, by eating the body and blood of our God, we are feeding the God within us. For as we take those elements, the Spirit also feeds within us, and is reinvigorated as he, or she, or it is by our faith.”
He writes- ‘My daddy God loves it when I play with him as a child… I can feel the Holy Sprit’s pleasure when I do child-like frolicing.. I love to Huff in the Holy Ghost and Jesus is the one that serves the smokey Glory..
I love Jesus and I love you.’
This is very disturbing, and looks very demonic, this type of behavior seems to be coming primarily from two guys called John Crowder and Benjamin Dunn, they have several videos on You Tube like the one below,
PASTOR Michael Guglielmucci has been told by church officials to report to police, who will investigate what has happened to money raised during his cancer deception.
The Australian Christian Churches told The Advertiser yesterday that it was auditing Mr Guglielmucci’s bank accounts, which included money donated from people touched by his hit song Healer.
Mr Guglielmucci confessed his two-year fraudulent cancer battle at a national executive meeting of the ACC on Saturday, and was stripped of his credentials.
Edge Church International’s executive pastor Jonathan Fontanarosa said Mr Guglielmucci had “made it clear that he is not sick”.
“But we’re waiting on further investigation to find out the full truth,” he said. “The church is in shock . . . we were totally unaware of the situation.”
It was decided at Saturday’s meeting that a statement would be read on Mr Guglielmucci’s behalf at churches around Australia this Sunday.
But an email sent on Wednesday from Sydney’s Hillsong Church detailing the hoax was obtained by The Advertiser.
It also said Mr Guglielmucci’s wife and family were unaware of the deception. The Melbourne-based preacher is in Adelaide, but has gone to ground.
His parents, who founded Edge Church International, an Assemblies of God church at Reynella, are assisting him while he seeks professional help.
The ACC has promised that all money raised deceptively will be returned or donated to charity.
The Assemblies of God, Australia’s largest Pentecostal movement, adopted its new name of Australian Christian Churches in 2007.
The former pastor with one of Australia’s biggest youth churches, Planetshakers, inspired hundreds of thousands of young Christians around the world as he performed with an oxygen tube in his nose.
Healer became an anthem of faith for believers, many of whom are suffering illnesses and were praying for Mr Guglielmucci.
The song, featured on Hillsong’s latest album, debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.
In a YouTube video, he tells how the news from the hospital that he had “quite an aggressive form of cancer” inspired his song. “I just went home. I knew I had to go home and needed to get alone with God,” he says in the video.
“I walked into my studio at home and for some reason. . . I sat at a piano and began to worship.
“I sang that song from start to finish. I was crying. I just realised that God had given me an incredible gift and I realise that song was going to be my strength.”
Church community sources said Mr Guglielmucci attended his medical appointments alone.
A scheduled appearance by him at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne this weekend has been cancelled.
While many in the church were embarrassed by the betrayal, others showed support on Facebook, where a page titled “We are STILL praying for you Mike Guglielmucci” was set up yesterday.
We wish to thank all of our friends and partners for the overwhelming flood of support and compassion we have received as a ministry on behalf of Todd and Shonnah Bentley. The many phone calls and emails of concern from people who genuinely love the Bentleys and Fresh Fire Ministries have been a great encouragement to all of us here during these past few days. In particular, the rallying of support and prayer for Todd and Shonnah by prominent leaders within the Body of Christ has been a beautiful indicator of the maturity and grace the Lord is bringing to his Bride.
We wish to acknowledge, however, that since our last statement from the Fresh Fire Board of Directors, we have discovered new information revealing that Todd Bentley has entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, Todd Bentley has agreed to step down from his position on the Board of Directors and to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life.
On behalf of the Fresh Fire leadership and the Board of Directors we wish to apologize to our friends and partners and to the larger body of Christ and to ask for your forgiveness. We are truly sorry for the pain many of you must feel and so regret that in the midst of great revival, the enemy has found a way into our camp. To those who have stood by us, we wish to thank you for what in many cases has been years of support. Thank you for your financial giving towards the vision of this ministry, and thank you especially for your prayers. For those of our partners, friends and supporters who may be struggling with the recent disclosures and finding continued support of this ministry in conflict with either conscience or conviction, we release and bless you with all our hearts and trust that God will redeem in your hearts the good that He has accomplished in your lives through this ministry. It is our sincerest hope and prayer that the Lord bless you and bring you into your fullest destiny in Him.
When this ministry was initially birthed in May of 1998, Todd had but one simple desire in his heart – to see the world come to know Jesus. Now, only 10 years later, Fresh Fire Ministries has grown to become a Resource Center that is literally reaching out to all the corners of the Earth. There have been dozens of associate ministries, scores of interns and hundreds of graduates from the Supernatural Training Center. Over 60 nations have received a combined total of more than five million dollars in humanitarian aid and we have seen well over one million conversions for Jesus Christ.
And so, the question can well be asked… where do we go from here? It is true that we are deeply saddened by these recent events, but it hasn’t shaken our faith in either God or His goodness towards us and with the help of wise and compassionate leaders within the body, we will do everything within our power to see our brother and sister healed and restored.
As a ministry, we can not forsake the vision and heartbeat upon which Todd Bentley founded Fresh Fire Ministries which is simply this:
Matthew 10:7-8
And as you go, Preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
While Todd and Shonnah each go through the necessary steps towards restoration and wholeness, we are compelled, with the resources with which God has entrusted us, to continue to spread God’s love and power all over the world.
There are many noble activities and endeavors in which Fresh Fire Ministries is involved, initiated by Todd, and to which we are still committed. We have the Supernatural Training Centre, our school of ministry, already in it’s fourth full year and with more than 50 students already enrolled we’re believing for an amazing year of biblical instruction, practical application and encounters with the presence of God. Many mature and gifted speakers and associates, graduated interns and teachers filled brim-full with the DNA and fire of this ministry are ready to pour revelation and passion into the hungry hearts of this coming year’s student body.
We will continue to host conferences in our region with speakers and worship leaders from around the nation whose message and mandates resonate with the vision and heart of Fresh Fire Ministries. In addition, we are committed to supporting the growing “OutPourings” across North America and around the world with our Associates, with encouragement and prayer support. In Todd’s own words, “What God is doing is bigger than one man”, and we now have a golden opportunity as the Body of Christ to pick up the baton and to run with perseverance for His glory.
Our missions department is progressing, as previously mentioned, with our major African crusade. With close to 100 team members in attendance, excitement is beginning to build and team members have responded that they are still believing God for the most amazing missions trip ever! Our Uganda Jesus Village in Kampala is forging ahead with the recent acquisition of 35 acres of land 30 minutes drive from our present location. Two of the 15 homes planned for the property are nearing completion, and the expanded village, when finished, will house almost 150 orphans rescued from war torn northern Uganda.
So whether in our Children’s Home in Africa, in our Supernatural Training Centre in British Columbia, in the revival meetings and outpourings spreading around the globe, or in taking teams to minister compassion and practical assistance to the poor in the far corners of the Earth, we have been and still are committed to bringing love, hope and a demonstration of the saving, healing, delivering power of the Gospel to a world in need.
Thank you all once again for your prayers and support. We bless each and every one of you in whatever decision you must make. Please know that our heart in all of this is to see the name of the Lord vindicated, and we take great encouragement from Psalm 23 and the Lord’s promise that He will “lead us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Together we look to the mercy and wisdom of our loving Father and we remain as ever, your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Todd Bentley, the evangelist who has led the Florida Outpouring revival here in Lakeland since April 2, has filed for separation from his wife and might not return to the revival, according to his former local spokesperson, Lynne Breidenbach. She said Bentley made the announcement to his staff this afternoon. Bentley and his wife, Shonnah, have two daughters and a son and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months. Bentley and his wife have been in marriage counseling for several months, Breidenbach said. She called the situation “very sad” but insisted it “doesn’t invalidate what Todd did” at the revival.
Breidenbach, who said her contract with Bentley’s Fresh Fire ended today, said it is not clear whether Bentley will make further appearances at the revival. About two weeks ago, Bentley announced he would leave the revival on Aug. 23 in order to resume his traveling evangelistic work. The Fresh Fire Ministries Web site indicates that a September appearance by Bentley in England has been postponed. Stay tuned for further information.
“When God does not show up and when God is not moving, I thank God I have a gift, and I thank God I move by faith, and I thank God when God’s not moving I move God.”
Well, you may have been wondering what happen to the man Bentley kicked in the stomach live on Stage at Lakeland, Roger is 40 years old, he manages a Pediatricians office. The two men who gave Roger the plane ticket to Lakeland and went with him are friends of his from a bible study and do not work for any Fresh Fire affiliates. These questions were asked by New Leaven.
Initial questions to Mr. Roger:
Dear Roger,
I know it took a lot of courage for you to identify yourself as the man in the much-talked-about video with Mr. Todd Bentley. Well, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your testimony. I hope you don’t mind me asking you a few questions for my own benefit. Than you. Here we go:
Before you went to the healing service conducted by Mr Bentley, Were you truly ill? Were others aware of your illness? In going to the healing service, Did you believe that God was going to heal you through the ministry of Mr. Bentley? Do you have firsthand knowledge of others who had known illnesses and were then healed through Mr. Bentley’s ministry? Were you completely healed?
Do you consider Mr. Todd Bentley a man of God? Were you ever skeptical of Mr. Bentley’s healing ministry? If so, Was it because of what you heard from others, saying that he’s only a fake and so on? Or was your skepticism simply one of unbelief, because you didn’t think God can heal you through such ministries as Mr. Todd Bentely?
Thanks for allowing me to question you.
In Him,
TC Robinson
Mr Roger’s reply:
TC,
Have no problem with you asking me anything. I don’t see this as being couragous in identifying myself, I see it as a necessity (sp?) since this has been taken way out of context. I just felt that I needed to set the record straight. Anyway:
1)Before you went to the healing service conducted by Mr Bentley, Were you truly ill? Yes, I was diagnosed approx 4 yrs ago this Aug. 7th with Stage 4 Met Colon Cancer which had spread to lymph nodes & liver. I had a colon resection where they took 1 ft. of the sigmoid colon. I then started intense chemo 2 wks after surg. I did this for 6 months. We then did a CT to see if how much the tumors in my liver had shrunk so we could go after those. I went and had my CT, right after I got home from the scan, I wasn’t home but 10 mins & the center where I go called and told me I had to get back to the office right away. They said I needed to have an EKG & they needed to put me on oxygen right away. (It was an urgency as if I were coding in a hosp.) Well, come to find out, the tumors had reponded really well to the treatments, but I had a Pulmonary Embolism. Being in the medical field myself, I know the severity of Embolisms, but I did not know the statistics. I was told by the Pulmonologist that the stats for the size of Embolism that had already traveled to my lung was that 90% of people die within the 1st hour of developing. Well we had to put off going after the liver tumors for awhile to address the blood clot. We treated this with Levonox injections (given in the stomach) for awhile. We then placed a filter in the vena cava the night before my liver resection. We then took 2 pieces of my liver out. I was in ICU the 1st night, then the 2nd day I was moved to another floor. When they moved me from 1 bed to the other, I noticed that I was having problems with my left arm. Turns out, I was having a mild stroke (TIA). So now we had to figure out why this happened. After several studies, it is determined that I have what is called a PFO. I was told this is where the muscle that divides the chambers of the heart is off aligned, so when they moved me and I had to stand up, I must built pressure up from getting up 1 day after being fillet like a fish, that the muscle flapped open and a piece of the clot we had been treating must’ve went across the chambers and flicked up to my brain to cause this. Well, after getting out & recovering, I went back to work and everything looked really good. We decided to recheck me in 8 weeks rather than 3 months. When we did that, I was told that I had a recurrence of my cancer in the lymphnodes in the abdominaL area. So back out of work I was. We went back to chemo & added intense radiation everyday for 6 weeks. We seemed to have hit a home run with this because my numbers were in the normal area for quite some time. Shortly after though, I fell into a depression even though the doctors were telling me I was in the best possible positin I could be in. Not sure why this happened, but when I went for a follow-up appt, the doctor told me that they were wondering when this was going to happen not “if”, they said most people go into a depression when 1st diagnosed or during treatmen, but I was different cause I kept going to the gym & continued playing softball. It was only after really deep into the treatments that I started slowing down. Anyway, he started going down the list of things that happened to me: 1) Diagnosed w/stage IV cancer & had a baby boy on the way. (The 1st thing out of my mouth when I was diagnosed was “Am I going to be around to name my son? He couldn’t give me a straight answer. Just said that’s what were shooting for.”). 2) Had a colon ressection, 3) Went through imtense chemo. 3) Had an embolism (should’ve killed you), 4) had a liver ressection 5) Had a stroke, 6) Had a recurrence. The he said something that didn’t hit me until I was driving home from the appt. See while I was going thru my intense chemo, the 1 constant prayer I said, was “Lord if I fall please help me get up, because in your path to crusafixtion, look how many times you fell & you got up every time. Even when they thought they put you down for good, you rose again. So, please I have to get up.” This was my prayer because at that time, I felt like I was being selfish to ask for healing because there are so many other people out there that in my opinion are much worse off that I am. Although now I know it’s okay to ask for healing. Anyway, the doctor told me after going thru the whole list of things, he said “Look how many time you have fallen and you have gotten up every time.” Like I said, it did not hit me until I was driving, but I realized I got back word for word what I had been praying. The doctor did not have to use those words. He could’ve used any other wording, but he chose those. I do believe that was God answering my prayer. I tell people all the time, God does answer prayers. It may not be right then but in time he will give you the answer. What has happened now, is that my #’s have been slowly creeping up again. A normal CEA for a non-smoker such as I should be no more than 2.5, my numbers had risen to 8.3 and after several scans, we determined that I have a hot (active) cancerous lymphnode in y lower abdomen that is causing my counts to go up. Also, just want to say this, when I was 1st diagnosed, my # was “786″. I asked that doctor, you must meant to tell me that the normal # should be no more that 250 right? he said “No”, so then I said, you must mean that my # is 7.86 ? He said, NO, it is 786 (seven hundred eighty six). I said, WOW, I must be lit up like a christmas tree inside.
2) Were others aware of your illness? Yes, many people including my wife and children.
3) Did you believe that God was going to heal you through the ministry of Mr. Bentley?
I had never been to anything like that before. The 2 gentlemen that I went with, I had told them that I would go with an open mind, open heart, open eyes & open ears as much as I could. I also told them that I was not going expecting anything and if nothing happened to me while I was there, that it was not going to automatically make me think that this whole thing is a sham. See my primary focus was not to see Todd, but to be in the spirit of god. I can say that I had NEVER been around so many God loving people at 1 time before.
4) Do you have firsthand knowledge of others who had known illnesses and were then healed through Mr. Bentley’s ministry?
I personally don’t know anyone, but I met some people that claim to have had a healing. The way I see it, is there are only 2 that truly know if anything has happened. 1 is that individual person & God.
5) Were you completely healed?
I want to make this very clear, that I NEVER said I was healed. What I said to the 2 men that I was with (and they could verify this) is that when we returned home on a Wed, I was to have treatment on that Friday, was that they would be drawing my lab that we track which is called a CEA (Carcenogenic Embryonic Antigen) and I just knew that I was going to have a SIGNIFICANT drop in my numbers. They asked me, “Are you saying you are healed” I said, “Well I guess it just depends on how you view that. All I know, is that I was going to have a significant drop in my #”. they said did you feel anything like a heat or an electricity going thru your body ( I think they asked that cause that seemed to be a commen answer given by people that claimed to be healed.) I told them No, but I did feel like a flutter in my lower abdomen the 1st night we were there, Todd asked everyone that had any problems to place ther had over that area and since I said I was goin to be open about this, I placed my hand over my lower abdomen.
Todd began praying for different things and then he said, “There is someone out there with a cancerous lymphnode in your lower abdomen”. Now I’m not saying he was specifically talking to me, but it did get my attention. So if I had to give a yes or no answer to your question, then it would be no.
After I returned from Lakeland and I had my treatment that Friday. I had a follow up appt with 1 of my doctors. We were getting ready to start radiation therapy. When we re-looked at my #’s and they had dropped to 4.1. My wife and I looked at each other and I proceeded to tell the doctor where I was the previous weekend. the doctor did some calculating and he looked up with a grin on his face and said “You had a 53% drop in your #, I would say that is pretty significant.” I had never had a drop like that in my #’s.
6) Do you consider Mr. Todd Bentley a man of God?
That was the 1st time I ever seen or heard him, but from what I saw & how he spoke of god, yes I would have to say he is a man that loves god.
7) Were you ever skeptical of Mr. Bentley’s healing ministry?
I would have to say yes among others. What I told the guys that I went with, is that I DO believe that god can still do miracles, I DO believe that god can still heal & I DON’T believe that these things have to take place in a certain venue. I also believe that god presents us with opportunies and I believed that god was presenting me with an opportunity to go to Florida with these men.
See, they called and offered to pay my flight & hotel all I had to pay was personal expenses. So I said I would be a fool to pass that up. I also said, ” The thing that kinda rubbed me wrong is that some of the things I have seen via TV, for example Benny Hinn, I’m sure there are some wonderful things that go on during his services, but why do some of these guys like him have to dress up in all white and almost have the light shining on them. Seems like they are trying to put the focus on them. Maybe he does not mean it that way, but that is the perception that is given off.
7) Was it because of what you heard from others, saying that he’s only a fake and so on?
No
8 )Was your skepticism simply one of unbelief, because you didn’t think God can heal you through such ministries as Mr. Todd Bentley?
No, my skeptisim was not one of unbelief, because I DO think that god can heal. If god chooses to heal thru such ministries such as Todd Bentleys, then let it be done. Like I said, I DON’t believe that god will only do great things in certain venues. God can do it wherever & whenever he chooses.
PASTOR Michael Guglielmucci has been told by church officials to report to police, who will investigate what has happened to money raised during his cancer deception.
It was decided at Saturday’s meeting that a statement would be read on Mr Guglielmucci’s behalf at churches around Australia this Sunday.
From the Board of Directors at Fresh Fire
Todd Bentley, the evangelist who has led the Florida Outpouring revival here in Lakeland since April 2, has filed for separation from his wife and might not return to the revival, according to his former local spokesperson, Lynne Breidenbach. She said Bentley made the announcement to his staff this afternoon. Bentley and his wife, Shonnah, have two daughters and a son and are Canadian citizens. Under Canadian law, separation is a first step in divorce proceedings and takes nine months. Bentley and his wife have been in marriage counseling for several months, Breidenbach said. She called the situation “very sad” but insisted it “doesn’t invalidate what Todd did” at the revival.
