Deception, Delusion, Discernment: 2005
By Jan Markell, Olive Tree Ministries, Inc.
As a part of my "Understanding the Times 2005" conference
recently I shared a message on delusion in our generation. I am providing some
brief paragraphs on it. Why am I surprised at what is happening? What the Bible
predicts comes to pass whether we like it or not. For the believer it is
temporary bad news heralding the ultimate in good news: The King is coming.
It is still troubling when we see that up is down, black is white, right is
wrong, evil is good, good is evil, and everyone is doing what is right in his
own eyes. Since the hoofbeats of the "four horsemen of the apocalypse" spoken of
in Revelation can almost be heard, such events that stretch credulity will
increase. Brace yourself.
While I am refraining from commenting on Catholic theology, I still was not
ready for the events surrounding Pope John Paul's recent death. He brought
together almost everyone in the world. Iranian mullahs greeted their most bitter
enemies at the funeral. Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, "New Agers", Evangelicals,
atheists, and more came together to honor this supposed "man of peace." It was a
type and shadow of Revelation 13 and 17--the coming "one world religion" which
will do the same. I am not suggesting a pope will be the antichrist and I do not
believe the Bible supports that.
But there is something troubling when a few billion people laud a mere human
being as the most influential man in the last one hundred years with press
attention resulting in 35,000 stories and a TV audience of two billion. I do not
think the world would stop and Fox News would air without commercial
interruption if the president of the National Association of Evangelicals passed
away. The delusion set in because of the longing for a "man of peace." "Peace,
peace when there is no peace" as it says in Jeremiah 6. But the longing for
peace is at an obsession level as forty nations equip themselves with weapons of
mass destruction. So grieved was the world that a British paper called the
pope’s death “global Calvary. No one can compare to him. His message was
universal.” A greater “man of peace” waits in the wings.
It is strong delusion that puts extra pressure on Ariel Sharon and all of Israel
because "now is the time to seize the opportunity for peace" since Arafat has
passed and to remind Israel to "get off the land" no later than 2006. More
delusion has America giving one of the most corrupt administrations on
earth--that of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas--$500 million dollars that will
be spent on his cronies and himself, not his people. Rewarding terror, which is
what this is, flies in the face of the Bush doctrine. It is strong delusion.
Don't be surprised if Abbas gets the Nobel Peace Prize in the future though he
has done nothing to promote peace nor will he ever. And while the Palestinians
arm themselves with mortars and rockets, there is talk that Israel may be
pressured to dismantle her nuclear capability.
Deception reigns when America calls Saudi Arabia one of our best allies when in
reality she is plotting our overthrow through the spread of Wahhabism in foreign
and U.S. mosques. Also when political correctness allows Muslims to gain high
office, even in Homeland Security as reported by my radio guest Paul Sperry
March 19 (hear it on "Radio Archives" at my Web site, www.olivetreeviews.org.
His book: "Infiltration: How Muslims are Penetrating Washington.")
It is delusion and deception that prompts America to prop up the United Nations
at the cost of $1 billion a year even when they have just pulled off the biggest
scandal in the history of scandals, the "oil-for-food" debacle.
Stories come into my office daily about the deception, lack of discernment, and
delusion that have come into some of our churches today. Some are preaching a
watered-down gospel with "anything goes." We don't offend and we don't divide.
And we don't warn the sheep who the wolves are out there to stay away from. For
some--but not all--essential doctrine is an unimportant leftover from days gone
by. It's even destructive.
At the same time, false theologies have gained a new stronghold. Demonstrating
outside my conference were those with a sign saying, "Replacement Theology is
Right!" That teaches that the Church is the new Israel. He could visit 90% of
the churches in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and they would all embrace that,
so let 2,000 people who don't do our thing. The newest "pop theology" on the
block is Preterism which teaches that all Bible prophecy is history: It happened
in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem.
The World and National Council of Churches are doing everything in their power
to crush Israel, to praise terror groups like Hezbollah, and not say a word
against terror nations committed to destroying Israel and America. Good is
called evil, evil good (Is. 5:20). All discernment has died and delusion taken
over.
Mysticism has come into the front door of our churches, not the back door.
Practices that the Bible calls "divination" are welcomed in pulpits and are
mainstream. Better raise up a "spiritual Better Business Bureau" because your
spiritual health is at risk some places. (I talk about this in my video/DVD,
"Mysticism: An Equal Opportunity Deceiver," available on the Web site.) We are
now "signs and wonders"-oriented and experience focused. No one is immune from
the temptations of these new practices that really aren't new. They began in the
Garden when Eve was tempted with occultic power to see into the future.
Some Protestants are getting pulled into the Catholic celebration of Mary
according to the March 21 issue of "Time" magazine. I never thought I'd live
long enough to see that, frankly.
For those who still have eyes to see and ears to hear (and not all do), these
are "signs of the times." We should look up and know our Redemption draws near"
(Luke 21:28). We know our King is coming. When our foundations rock, lean on the
"Rock of ages." When everything from our church, to our nation, to our dollar
becomes unstable, remember, "God is the stability of our times" (Isaiah 33:6).
He never changes.
As more people fall for lies because of the loss of discernment and the rise of
delusion, stand for the truth. Great will be your reward in Heaven.
To learn more about deception, consult my Web site,
www.olivetreeviews.org , then to the
category of "Spiritual Deception." The category of "Prophecy Watch" will also be
helpful.
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