DISCERNMENT MINISTRIES:
Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit
THANK HEAVEN FOR JOEL OSTEEN AND ROB BELL AND RICK WARREN
A great many “Christians” in America need to stop what they are doing right now this moment and get down on their knees. To thank God.
For Joel Osteen.
And Rob Bell
And Rick Warren.
And the Word of Faith preachers of the prosperity gospel.
And the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons.
And the pope.
And the atheists.
And the Emergent Church.
And the Church of Satan.
A great shout of praise needs to be lifted to heaven (or to someone) for providing all those on the “Obviously Apostate” list. Because if it weren’t for Osteen, Warren, Todd Bentley, Rob Bell, the pope and the others, who would our crack discernment teams write about?
If the Obviously Apostate disappeared tonight, hundreds of “Christian” radio shows across the USA would suddenly have a complete and total lack of programming tomorrow. Without the Obviously Apostate, who would they discern?
Christian Distractions, Christian Lightning Rods: Obviously Apostate, Obviously Lost – A list of some of the more obviously apostate.
Visited a “cutting edge discernment website,” and there were all of the ‘normal’ discernment props on display for their “Christian” audience to see: the Spurgeon devotionals, the occasional reference to the Bible, and the obligatory pieces on Joel Osteen and Rob Bell and the emergent church.
Most of the people in the comments seemed to be giving each other and the authors the Internet equivalent to high fives. There is much congratulations and celebrations of the crowd’s ability to discern a wolf like Joel Osteen.
Now, Osteen IS a creepy, pretend christian–no doubt about that. In fact, it’s strongly suspected that he’s supposed to be. In fact, Osteen is so totally UNChristian, that many nonbelievers in the world have him nailed cold. But how many times do the “discernment ministries” need to beat that particular spiritually-dead horse?
Yes, there are people in America who are taken in by the likes of Joel Osteen and TD Jakes. But there is a big list of “discernment ministries” which have a short list of easy targets and no others. Every day, it’s another piece on the same group: Osteen, Warren, the Word-Faith wolves and the atheists.
Here’s a tip: if a person’s level of discernment is so nonexistent as to sit under a Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer or TD Jakes, that person is most likely NOT reading one of the cookie cutter online “discernment” ministries for guidance. Seriously, if a person is taken in by a TD Jakes or Joyce Meyer or Kenneth Copeland, there’s a fair chance that person isn’t even saved–else the Holy Spirit would be dancing a jig on the person’s head every time they turned the channel to one of those antichrist forerunners.
The Bible says that the level of real discernment will be nonexistent in the last days. Actually, because so many who sit in the counterfeit whore Church “received not the love of the truth,” God will send them a strong delusion so that they will believe a lie and be damned [2 Thessalonians 2:10-12].
Once the strong delusion hits, there will be NO discernment at all–except among the remnant of true believers who will be on the run from the false prophets and apostles of the whore church. The remnant will be tagged as “evil” and marked for “cleansing.”
Back to today’s lack of discernment–both by pew-sitters and “discernment ministries.”
Witchcraft in the church? Occult imagery in the popular church praise and worship music? Counterfeit spirits and unbiblical pagan practices and rituals taking place in the churches? Antichrist dominion theology invading the churches?
Not so much as a word about any of that–and when there is, it’s so empty and non-specific, it’s a good guess as to what the author/host is referring.
Cheap grace? Unsaved people pretending that they have an eternal fire insurance policy because they raised their hand or prayed a prayer one time? Popular Bible teachers exalted when they teach what’s in the Bible one day and teach totally contrary to the Bible the next (John MacArthur and just about any other media-driven “ministry”).
How many take on the science fiction eschatology that has ushered in a respectability for the occult, gnosticism, paganism and UFO lore? Wolves like Chuck Missler, Tom Horn, Cris Putnam, LA Marzulli mostly get a free pass and their adherents tote their Scriptural poison into many a church.
This crew serve as Nephilim pimps for the whore church. Fairy tales about the Nephilim serve as a gateway drug to the occult and Catholic mysticism–and few “discernment ministries” take them on because they know these false teachers are popular.
There’s not only fake discernment being peddled in America, there’s a whole apologetics industry which has sprung up–not to defend the tenets of Christianity–but to defend the wolves and false prophets and teachers who mangle God’s Word!
So by all means: throw another Joel Osteen piece on the fire.
Everybody come in close and warm yourself. Pat your neighbor on the back and congratulate him on his ability to “discern” good from evil.
And while the back-slapping and high-fiving is taking place, another dozen churches go down the tubes to the enemy.
Which, one suspects, is when the real celebrations commence.
[2 Observations:
1-Some discernment ministries DO take on the tougher targets. Whenever we find one, we try to link to them.
2-Discernment ministries most often are attacked because one of their “targets” has accused them of being “too religious” or “too discerning.” This writer believes that the evidence will show the real problem lies in the opposite direction.]
Do You Know Jesus? Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ
Justin Peters Calls Out Bam Bam Bentley, EPIC Moment. – Doesn’t this sound like commentary to a WWE match?
[Much of this article originally appeared in End Times Prophecy Headlines: June 9, 2014.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: Stuart Miles, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-14. © Mondo Frazier, DBKP and End Times Prophecy Report, 2007-14. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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End Times Prophecy Report 
Yes find any discernment ministry that will take on the heresy of C. S. Lewis. Will any? They will condemn a certain false doctrine and those who teach it, but when it just so happens that C. S. Lewis taught the very same thing, they will give him a pass saying he wasn’t a theologian. So because I’m not a theologian I can say whatever I want about the Bible and can then be excused? I don’t think so! This is giving preferential treatment to a false teacher, C. S. Lewis, because of his estate and the money he generates for the book companies. His heresy has led many astray into further heresy, yet to the so-called discernment ministries he is untouchable. The only standard that any false teaching should be judged by is the Word of God, and if it contradicts God’s Word then that false teacher should be called out and believers should be warned. God bless you:)
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/walking-in-the-light/
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I’m glad you mentioned C.S. Lewis!
I forgot him. You’re right: Lewis is the untouchable heretic.
And his antichrist pronouncements are many and egregious.
John Hagee and the renovated Jimmy Swaggart are two others who seem to fly below the discernment radar.
You’re right. Lewis is particularly dangerous because so many hold him up as some sort of Christian role model when his claims, his fruit and his associations make it doubtful he was even saved.
Again, you’re correct: the Word of God is the only measuring device we ought to be using to judge.
Thanks for the comment. I’ll check out the link.
God bless you!
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Are you saying the WRITTEN Word of God is the only measuring device? Bible only? Just curious.
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Hi Laura,
Yes, exactly. The written Word of God is the only measuring device.
The Bible only.
The battle over new revelation–are we still getting new revelation from God through all of these people who claim to speak for God (the new self-appointed, self-anointed “prophets” and “apostles”)–is a very important one. The Bible says that true believers will lose that battle; that false apostles and especially, false prophets will be a sign of Jesus’ near return in the last days.
And so it is: these people are everywhere!
I belonged to a church where “Words of God” were spoken to the assembly on a very regular basis. One day, I became very aware (it was curious, like someone flipped a switch in my head) that these people were not speaking for God. God never changes, though sometimes in my church he spoke as a surfer dude. Or he used English idioms that were not in His written Word. Yet, the church always celebrated these “Words from God.”
A couple of these “words” were quite clearly NOT from God. I wondered how the others could imagine that God would speak like a junior high girl speaks? I would pray that the person giving these false ‘words’ would not say it. Yet, so many times it was added after the “word”: “Thus saith the Lord.”
I began to ask “IF God is speaking to us, how come no one is writing this down? This is important! We should be adding this to our Bibles.”
That was the beginning of my end in that church. I was ostracized for holding to God’s written Word and not agreeing with various doctrines of man [Who gets shunned because they disagree with Left Behind? Seriously? That tipped me off that something was really very wrong.] After fifteen months, I was gone and I was free.
I have relatives still ensnared, so I’m not celebrating yet.
I am not saying that God doesn’t speak to us individually through His Word. He does. I can testify to the fact that He abundantly does. Just today He revealed something that I was unaware of in Jeremiah 25 and 51 and Revelation 17. Even though I’ve read those passages dozens of times, it was like a thunderbolt of revelation to me. Everything I was working on became clear.
But the new revelations? The Bible says they will be used to mislead the Church. How can they not? They’re coming from “false prophets” (which is the only type of prophets the Bible speaks of after Acts).
I probably said more than you were looking for, but the battle between God’s written Word and these “new revelations” is a daily one now. And God’s written Word is taking a beating. Satan is raising up other forms of authority to challenge God’s written Word. He’s clever and he’s working overtime on this front.
Thanks for the comment.
God bless.
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Yes! Regarding C.S. Lewis and those willing to take him on: I actually just read a discernment article done by Berit Kjos at http://www.crossroad.to/
By the way, thank you, endtimesprophestyreport, for linking to my blog’s list of discernment ministries. I haven’t heard of your website before, and I look forward to perusing it.
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Thanks Melissa,
I try and get over to Crossroads to read regularly but it’s been a few months. Thanks for the reminder it’s there!
Happy exploring!
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The Bible, the written Word of God is the only device that we can use to determine whether or not someone is teaching false hood.
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I coudldn’t agree more.
Actually, that search for what is true, what could be trusted is what led me to Jesus.
I became acutely aware that everything I had learned–and I had spent some time, effort and money to learn–was a lie. I then spent HOURS and DAYS searching for something, anything that was not part of the massive deception I’d learned was pulled over the world’s eyes.
FINALLY, after running out of every other option; after examining every possible source of truth, I was very frustrated. Everything seemed to be part of this great lie.
Then I remembered that I had read Revelation many times years earlier. I wondered if the Bible might have a solution (Though I have to admit, I wasn’t the most optimistic person at this point. How could I have been? The Bible was the absolute LAST place I looked–and only after I’d run out of every other option).
Well, while studying Revelation, I came to Jesus. And everything about the truth fell into place. My search was finally over.
The Bible is the only measurement to use. It’s the only measuring tool we can trust.
God bless.
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I believe all the false teachers are the tv evangelist such as Joel Ostein, benny hinn,and td Jake’s and many more feeding false doctrine and are there to take Gods money fooling everyone in the fake healings and scams telling everyone who follows these wolves in sheep’s clothing are going to Heaven.They are there for the money.They are all ILLUMINATI 33degree masons following the pope with the new world order.Look up false t.v. evangelist on web and you’ll see for yourself.My aunt and uncle follow the false teachers on .tv. don’t be fooled.
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Steve Vining,
I agree.
Osteen, Hinn, Jakes and the rest of the TV wolves are all false preachers.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
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To Whosoever,
I feel like I’m speaking into the wind here, but I’ll give it a shot! I could list a number of excellent “discernment ministries” which I’ve saved to my Favorites (including ETPH); however, I always have to read them with the caveat that every author that is exposing the likes of Todd Bentley, NAR, WOF, Bethel, et al are basically coming from a non-Pentecostal point of view.
Even though I totally agree with them for their “heresy-discernment” platform, as soon as I mention the scripturally-based teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, I’m treated with instant suspicion that I’m one of those heretical, tongue-talkin’, blasphemers like the “tokin on the ghost” crowd!
This is unfortunate for two reasons:
1) Discernment ministries that treat me this way perpetuate the false civil war between the non-Pentecostals and the Pentecostals (both groups, other than the obviously heretical, have the Holy Spirit and salvation … you can’t have one without the other).
2) Most discernment ministries are so adamant that the Pentecostals are of the devil, that some of their so-called “discerning” comments against Pentecostals come close to blaspheming against the very Holy Ghost that they so boldly proclaim is giving them their discernment.
I’m a Pentecostal … I love and obey (by the grace of God) the Holy Scriptures! I believe the Word of God is a Christian’s final (and only) true Authority for teaching, exhortation and correction! And regardless of anyone’s suspicion or unbelief, I’m not saying these things as a “sheep in wolf’s clothing”, nor am I (as a representative of the Pentecostal group at large) demon possessed as many of the “discernment crowd” would have their followers believe!
Jeremiah, I appreciate your site and read it every day. I applaud your efforts in the Lord and pray that God will continually use you by His grace and wisdom. But, please, won’t someone of the “discernment-ministry” crowd bring a balance between these horribly heretical groups and the average Pentecostal Christian who, by the grace of God, is trying to live a godly and productive life in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?!
Thank you and God bless,
Tim
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Tim,
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. I enjoyed reading it.
I never divided the discernment crowd into “Strange Fire” and “Reformed” (or Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal) although I realize that these divisions exist. [Members of my family (myself included) have a Pentecostal background.]
I have had quite a number of “discernment” sites bookmarked. However, they would always disqualify themselves with heresies, scripture twisting, other gospels and deception. One-by-one, I had to cross them off of my bookmarks. I have come to the conclusion that all are compromised. Some more than others.
However, I keep hoping that maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
This is not to say that everything they produce is a lie. Far from it: the most effective deception is four or five parts truth, one part lie. On various subjects, each does a good job. On other subjects, each does harm.
I’ve had correspondence with several of these ministries. I have been adamant that ETPR is NOT a discernment ministry, though we do practice discernment.
I agree that many of the discernment crowd perpetuate a “false civil war.” That is a good way of putting it. Adherents line up behind one or the other side, regardless of the ungodly teachings each group features.
From my experience, my assessment of the Pentecostals: There are genuine born-again believers in Pentecostal churches. Because they are truly born again, they have the Holy Spirit indwelling them as promised in Scripture. Because the Spirit will lead us into all truth, these born again believers have discernment. This is in spite of, not because, they are in Pentecostal churches.
That’s pretty much the same assessment I have of Roman Catholics and Presbyterians, the other two denominations with which I’m familiar. God draws all men and they make a choice about fallowing Jesus, regardless of what denomination they may label themselves.
Most importantly, the “discernment ministries” are a deceptive front. The “conflicts” between the various groups appear to me to be staged. Like pro wrestling and politics.
Thank you for your kind words.
Again, we are not a discernment ministry. Like any born again believer, we do practice discernment.
Believers should be wary of looking to men (including us). My advice for someone looking for a good discernment site:
1- Make sure the spirit one is listening to is the Holy Spirit. He will lead believers into all truth.
2- Spend more time in the Word. The more a believer handles the truth of God’s Word, the better equipped he will be to discern counterfeits, regardless of denomination or point of view.
Once again, thank you for your comment.
God bless you.
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Jeremiah,
Thank you for your response … your openness is encouraging and I appreciate it!
Just as a clarification, though, I’m aware that ETPR is not a “discernment ministry” per se, but you do have links to discernment ministries that do tend to divide into “strange fire” v.s “reformed” (if one digs deep enough). However, at the same time, I also found your description of these “discernment ministries” (both good and bad) to be quite accurate.
I guess the main crux of the matter for me is the desire to educate whosoever will listen that Pentecostalism, in and of itself (especially within sincere, Bible-believing groups), should not be so quickly “lumped” together with the strange fire ministries “by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of”.
Thanks again for you prompt response and may God richly bless you, Tim.
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