Depending on where you live in the world and what interests you, you may or may not have some knowledge of the recent revival meetings in Lakeland, Florida, led by Canadian Todd Bentley. Although tens of thousands from around the world flocked to Lakeland over a period of four months—mostly due to the reports of physical healings—the meetings generated considerable controversy due to Bentley’s questionable doctrines, strange angelic encounters, unconventional style, and his exaggerated and sometimes outright false reports of miracles.

Perhaps the crowning moment of the Lakeland meetings was June 23rd, when a number of prominent charismatic “apostles” and “prophets” publicly endorsed Bentley’s ministry and the revival he was leading. Charisma magazine, in an article titled, Leaders Commission Todd Bentley at “Lakeland Outpouring,” stated that, “The special service was billed by leaders as one of the greatest moments in revival history.” One well-known charismatic leader, an “apostle,” described that event as “a commissioning ceremony, complete with decrees and prophecies of going to higher levels, predictions of Todd’s increasing world-wide influence and leading a world-wide revival, emphatic and prolific endorsements of his character, etc.” Peter Wagner, “presiding apostle” of the International Coalition of Apostles, was one of those who endorsed Bentley that evening, publicly stating, “This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley, your power will increase, your authority will increase, your favor will increase, your influence will increase, your revelation will increase.”

Agnostic and celebrity astronomer Carl Sagan used to keep a framed postcard near his shaving mirror—just so he could see it every morning. On the back was a penciled message to a Mr. James Day of Swansea Valley, Wales.

It read:

Dear Friend,
Just a line to show that I am alive and kicking and going grand. It’s a treat.
Yours, WJR

On the opposite side of the postcard was a color photo of a sleek, four-funneled steamer captioned, “White Star Liner Titanic.” The postmark was dated April 12, 1912, just two days before the Titanic struck an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and sank with the loss of 1,500 lives, including that of WJR—William John Rogers.

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being (Psalm 51:6).

Last month when I was in Sri Lanka, I made a point to visit a world-famous orphanage director. He told me about ominous dreams he’d had some days before the Indian Ocean tsunami swept ashore on Sunday morning, December 26, 2004. He knew something was going to happen that would submerge his orphanage. But before December 26, 2004, the concept of a tsunami was foreign to him, as it was to most people in the world.