The End of an Era?

You may have noticed that this website, like others in the same field, has been slowing in pace and is updated much less frequently. You may have noticed that news reports are now shorter and contain less; and that articles cover ground that has been covered before.

What's happening?

Speaking personally, I have been busy on other projects, but even so there's been a slow-down, a lull in events, and now many discernment ministries are just dotting the i's and crossing the t's on what has gone before. Nothing really new has come along that needs explaining; everywhere it's the same old same old, and it's getting tiresome going round in circles like this, saying the same things in different ways.

Those who were once very active in exposing error on a daily basis are now asking themselves "Why don't I get the same urge to research and share these things any more? Why am I so fed up with all this now? Am I missing God or is He saying something else?"

The work of God can ONLY be done in the leading of the Holy Spirit. If God does not initiate a work, then it is of the flesh and will bring forth little fruit. Conversely, when the inspiration dries up there is no point trying to continue in the flesh, even out of a misguided desire to stay on top of heresy or "help people". In fact, only GOD can truly help people and it's plain arrogance to think we can do in the flesh what God will not do by His Spirit.

God's promptings are changing direction into something different now. There is a time and a season for everything, (Eccl 3:7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak) and the season for this kind of discernment presentation is drawing to a close. Indeed, it's been winding down for some time now.

Seeking The Way Forward

My intention is, over the coming months (if I can find the time), to give this site a complete makeover, moving most of the older material to an archive site, and redesigning this site so that I can concentrate on new work.

At the moment I am feeling my way forward (please pray for me) and can't give you any clear idea of the kinds of articles I will be writing in the future, except that I have a longing to lead people into spiritual maturity and holiness, and to help them weather the storms to come. Whether or not that is my role or whether it's possible to do through a website remains to be seen.

Does that mean I won't be exposing error any more? NO! If there are pertinent subjects to cover, and if God leads me that way, I certainly will be covering deception subjects in the future. However, there is a two-fold call associated with this ministry. The foundational scriptures on which this ministry was launched (see the ministry history file HERE) comes from Isaiah Chapter 62. They are:

As you see, there is a two-fold work here, that of gathering out the "stones", the stumbling blocks that hinder the believers' progress to Zion, and secondly the lifting up of God's standard to rally all under His banner, with a proclamation of the soon-coming Lord Jesus and the need to make ready.

We see this two-fold message also in the ministry of John Baptist:

I feel there has been such emphasis on the gathering out of stones and making the paths straight (needful though that is) that we have all lost sight of the need for repentance, holiness and sanctification which is just as much a preparation for the Lord's coming as pure doctrine.

God's Own Planting

I want to quote here another ministry that was once (in the UK) prominent in exposing deceptions. I hasten to add that this is not a ministry of which I particularly approve, and I consider much of their activities and teachings to be off-base, in particular their Hebraic Roots work and social work. Also, the emphasis of this ministry is a Reformation A-Millennial one to which I do not hold. Nonetheless, I quote their words as an illustration:

God will never stop reaching out to rescue people from heresy and apostasy, and wherever there are those who look to Him for truth, they will find it. However, at the same time, God will not plough the same ground for ever; there must come an end to warnings and working over the same ground:

God has been at work in His Church, like the Farmer. He's been preparing the ground with His warnings and rebukes in order to arrange everything properly for the last days. He's been arranging people into their "appointed places" just like those rows of seedlings where He knows they will be most efficient - and safest!

God also pays heed to the cries of His children and He knows that many people are lonely, weary, downtrodden, confused and almost at breaking point with all the troubles they have endured. It is not his intention to completely crush the grain, even though we have to have our husks removed.

God is a good farmer and knows when to stop threshing the grain. He will upbuild and restore those who truly love him, answering their prayers and shielding them from harm.

The Abuse of Discernment

There are, of course, some people who (miraculously!) don't seem to have heard of the false revival or have come into it fresh, looking for information. For the sake of the few, the information has to be there. But I think I can speak for many when I say that "we've heard it all before".

All the supposedly new things happening in the churches are just variations on a theme; how many times and in how many different ways do people need to be told that it's wrong?

Then, there's the question of how effective mere information is in achieving the result God wants.

I have spoken on this theme before but it was aptly put in a newsletter sent to me (extracts below) as a result of reading my previous news report. This pointed out a phenomenon that I'd been familiar with for many months: that our real ministry to God - that of bringing people to a deep, personal, solid and lasting relationship with God that will stand the test - is not being achieved (and may even be harmed) by a mere presentation of the facts of the apostasy.

The writer of the newsletter, Anton Bosch of Plumbline, a South African Ministry, points out that some have jumped on the discernment bandwagon through a desire to be popular or just to criticise other people out of a sense of bigotry. A Phariseeical spirit of nit-picking against any little doctrine that a fellow-Christian seems to have, is penetrating the discernment community and bringing it into disrepute. Oftentimes a person's supposed doctrine is "exposed" and their reputation dragged through the mud on the basis of one chance comment taken out of context, or a series of vague links to other people.

On this site, as you know, I have stood for sound doctrine and the desire to expose what is obvious and blatant heresy. I believe in exposing deception; but this kind of rumour-mongering and innuendo is NOT what discernment ministry is all about!

However, my main point is to talk about the change of direction that many of us are feeling at this time. What we are seeing are but symptoms of that change, and are part of God's pointers to it.

Here are some short extracts of anton's newsletter. Read the entire newsletter on the site indicated below.

VINEYARD NEWS: Randy Clark leaves the Vineyard

Randy Clark has sent an open letter to fellow Pastors within the Vineyard Movement to tender his resignation, which is effective September 2001. Randy Clark joined the Vineyard in September 1984 and leaves after 18 years and cites past hurts as a reason for his resignation.

Randy Clark, author of ‘Catch the Fire’, initiated the ‘Global Awakening Apostolic Missions Network’ comprising a network of Assemblies of God, Methodists, Four Square and independent denominations. He visited the ‘Toronto Airport Vineyard Church’ with a small team on 20 January 1994 and initiated the infamous ‘Toronto Blessing’, which was a false anointing.

From: Christian Witness Ministry’s Monthly Mailer.
Cruise by http://www.christian-witness.org and browse a while...
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Then try http://www.christian-witness.org/archives/index.html

Here again is the ending of an Era. The "Toronto Blessing" did not actually begin in Toronto, but it shot into the news and into public consciousness at the beginning of 1994. (The events at the Toronto Airport Fellowship began in late 1993 .)

Now I want to digress slightly at this point and refer to work that I hope to present on this website in the future. There is a correlation between events in the Church and events in Israel - and in the world as a whole. There's a spiritual parallel to world events.

At the time that the Church entered into a false revival and anointing, Israel (and other nations) entered into a False Peace, a so-called ceasefire. Both events were a delusion but appeared to promise hope for a glorious future.

In 1993 at least two dramatic events took place that set the stage of the Endtimes. In December 1993, full diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the Vatican, ending centuries of hostility. Religious leaders hailed this as a triumph of peace and harmony. Coincidentally (?) also in December of that year the European Parliament established its first direct links with the PLO.

But the event that awed the world in September 1993 was that handshake on the White House lawn between Arafat and Rabin, then Israel's Prime Minister. Supposedly this started a "new era" of peace and cooperation between the two warring nations. From September 1993 to September 2000 that shaky peace kept the worst violence in check.

Another New Era

However after exactly seven years, almost to the day, the peace process broke down and Israel was launched back into full-scale violence as the "intafada" began again. It was sparked off by a small incident (a visit to the Temple Mount by Ariel Sharon) but in spiritual terms this was the spark that lit the fuse of another "new era" of hatred and bloodshed that has continued to this day. History had changed direction.

In the Church, things also were changing, but more imperceptibly. After the launch of the Toronto Blessing around the same time as the Israel-Palestinian peace accord, there were prophecies of a lasting and dramatic revival and the salvation of all nations.

Instead of unity - division! Instead of harmony - anger and spite! Instead of revival - impurity and greed and selfishness! Just as in Israel, the talk of peace and unity were a sham masking the same old enmity and strife as before only giving it more scope for advance.

Now seven years later the Blessing is regarded as old hat, many churches are tired of manifestations, attendances at the revival centres have fallen off, and despite repeated prophecies the "glory" has not descended and all the birthing has brought forth nothing!

** (See - "Three Years and Still No Revival" on the Moriel site)

And - as in Israel - September 2000 brought a change in direction for believers, a new strategy, and a new call. Some kind of watershed has taken place.

Winds of Change

As so often, the false prophets of the revival take a genuine spiritual situation and turn it to their advantage, giving events a spin to pervert their true meaning.

So, this change in direction that many perceive is now being prophesied as a SHIFT or a TRANSITION into a "new paradigm" [all new-age terminology!], and into a new governmental order of apostolic leadership.

Clearly, such teaching is at odds with scripture which not only identifies Jesus as the only one worthy of inheriting the kingdom (Heb 1:1-2/Gal 3:16) but tells us that earthly glory and rulership during this present era is NOT God's plan for the Church.

But another false prophecy of the "Winds of Change" given in 1995 by Don Franklin prepared the way and shows us what the teaching behind this concept really means:

The devil is desperately trying to make capital out of what is happening, with boastful visions and words that pander to man's pride. Despite that, God will have His way. This is God's world, God's kingdom and God's plan for the Endtimes. We are in HIS hand, no matter what!

Finally....

To those who have hung on so long that they can't keep going any longer - God sees your plight! There is nothing that you are being asked to endure that is outside the scope of His provision and protection - trust in Him to bring it all right in the end. There IS a reason - wait on God. Don't give up!