There’s something remarkable about an apology. It could be whispered or shouted. It could be written on a scrap of paper or even a napkin. But seldom does an apology happen on a large scale.

Family Radio’s massive, highly organized billboard [...]]]> Remember reading this article about five months ago? http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/gallery/2011/05/the_world_is_ending_drive_safely.html I’d love to read it rewritten thusly:

There’s something remarkable about an apology. It could be whispered or shouted. It could be written on a scrap of paper or even a napkin. But seldom does an apology happen on a large scale.

Family Radio’s massive, highly organized billboard campaign is different. It’s revolutionary: The font is so bold and the images so striking that the billboards’ declaration of “We were wrong. We are sorry” is entirely unexpected. These signs seem to have been designed by highly-paid marketing executives, and yet the message is mundane. This strange contrast between form and content makes the billboards as eye-catching and effective as many commercial ads.

At familyradio.com and the other websites promoted on the billboards, readers learn that Harold Camping’s predictions about the world ending on May 21, then again on October 21, were fabrications aimed at promoting himself, his so-called ministry and fleecing his naïve followers. Self-proclaimed, now ruined, “prophet” Harold Camping now admits that he made the prediction based on dismal investment reports only, and not by careful reading of the Bible.

Michael Garcia, special projects coordinator for Family Radio, is an organizing force behind many of the billboards promoting Camping’s mea culpa. He estimates that the group has placed about 1,200 billboards across the United States and 2,000 overseas. These are numbers more typical for big brands like McDonald’s or Coke than a religious group, according to Stephan Freitas, chief marketing officer of the Outdoor Advertising Association.

It’s difficult to put a price tag on such a campaign: Neither Family Radio nor CBS Outdoor, which sold a large number of the billboards, would comment on cost, but the number could easily be in the millions.

“Every soul is worth every penny. We want to reach everyone,” Garcia said over the phone. The friendly former truck driver says that it’s his duty to use his talents to warn as many people about the false teaching of Camping as possible.

“When you have information—let’s say you have some information about a wolf in sheep’s clothing and many people are going to be in danger from his false teaching. If you withheld that information, I don’t see how you could sleep. We have some information that has been checked out in the Bible, and it says that nobody knows the day of Christ’s return.

Garcia and others affiliated with Camping have made great efforts to warn people in every part of the world. Iraq, Russia, Dubai, Lebanon, New York City, and rural Nebraska. Although in some cases billboard owners asked them to remove the potentially libelous words denouncing Camping as a liar and a thief —Garcia said that eventually most came around and helped him get his word out. He sees this as a sign from God.

Camping has quietly retired from his position at Family Radio, but has never renounced his bogus predictions. Thankfully, the people who helped him spread his spurious message earlier this year are now taking responsibility and liquidating all of Family Radio’s assets to reimburse those who stupidly gave their money to Camping.

One former contributor, swindled for almost $10,000 has received more than $38,000 from The Zacchaeus Foundation, formerly known as Family Radio, along with a personal apology from a member of their board of directors.

Well, now it appears that Camping has apologized, but certainly not with the same megaphone that he used to spread his false message . Nevertheless, I pray that his contrition is real and that he will be snatched from the fire (Jude 23).

If you’ve ever talked to someone about your faith, or religion in general, you’ve probably heard the words, “Well, that’s not what I believe.” And when you prod the person who says this, you ultimately come [...]]]>

Contrary to believing in imaginary feelings, Christianity believes in objective, historical, revealed, actual, rational truth from God. – John MacArthur

If you’ve ever talked to someone about your faith, or religion in general, you’ve probably heard the words, “Well, that’s not what I believe.” And when you prod the person who says this, you ultimately come to the understanding that their belief is based upon nothing but their own feelings. It is an illusion. The god they believe in is a fabrication, a mixture of truth, mythology and outright lies. Their god has been created in their own imagination. To put a sharper point on it, they have created a god in their own image.

On the other hand, you may have talked to someone who used the words, “Well, that’s not what the bible says.” This is a person that you should listen to because they are referring to an unimpeachable source of truth, rather than their own thoughts and feelings. But you still have to have discernment skills.

Fred Phelps can tell you that the bible says that God hates homosexuals so we should all go protest at the funerals of American soldiers . Joel Osteen can quote 3 John 1:1-2 and tell you that it means that God wants you to be rich, healthy and beautiful; and that your earthly happiness is God’s greatest goal. Both these men claim to be Christians, but their twisted theology contradicts the truth.

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. – 2 Peter 3:17-18

But you, beloved, build yourself up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” – Jude 1:20

The only way to stay out of the snare of false teachers is to know the truth. Not ‘my’ truth or ‘your’ truth, but the ‘true truth.’ The truth of the Bible that comes from God. Pray for wisdom and discernment, spend time in the Word and in prayer.

My opinion really doesn’t matter (ever heard a blogger say that?!), so I’ll just quote scripture.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23

There is no one who does good, not even one. [...]]]> Believe it or not, she says she isn’t a sinner anymore. Listen for yourself.

My opinion really doesn’t matter (ever heard a blogger say that?!), so I’ll just quote scripture.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23

There is no one who does good, not even one. – Psalm 14:3

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8

She says she’s righteous.  She even lies and says that the Bible says that she is righteous. Scripture has something to say about that too.

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; – Isaiah 64:6

As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE – Romans 3:10

She says she is not poor, miserable or a sinner. Here is what Jesus says.

‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. – Revelation 3:17

Methinks she needs to learn the meaning of the words, Simul Justus et Peccator. No. Scratch that. That is for believers, not wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Osteen sez (at 1:53),

The scripture says in Ephesians 1 verse 4, ‘Long before God [...]]]> Biblical discernment is the skill that is lacking most among Christians in America today. This is the only explanation for the huge following that people like Joel Osteen enjoy. It takes only a little Biblical knowledge to refute claims like the following:

Osteen sez (at 1:53),

The scripture says in Ephesians 1 verse 4, ‘Long before God laid down earth’s foundation, he had us on his mind. Because of the sacrifice Christ made, we are a free people; and not just barely free, but abundantly free.

Hmm… Kinda sets off my Bible Radar. In my Bible, Ephesians 1:4 NASB reads,

…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love…

Funny how from that verse, Osteen can say that it was God’s intention that I would have lots of money and be healthy my whole life, free from poverty and sickness.

In an email devotional entitled, “Today’s Word” on July 25, 2006, Osteen wrote,

God desires above all, that we prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers. (John 3:2)

Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria

God wants you to live a life of victory. He wants you to prosper physically, spiritually, emotionally– in every area of life. God also wants you to prosper financially to fulfill the destiny He’s laid out before you.

The poor guy can’t even misquote scripture correctly. That verse isn’t John 3:2, it is 3 John 1:2. Big difference. Here’s what my Bible reads for 3 John 1:2 NASB:

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

The ‘I’ in that verse is John, the writer of the letter; not God as Osteen says. And he is simply giving his friend Gaius a greeting in the traditional Greek manner; a prayer for prosperity and health and John adds that it is  Gaius’ soul that he cares about prospering.

Sorry Joel, but it is clear that your desire, above all, is to lead people away from the Word of God by their wallets.

Luke called the Bereans “…more noble than those in Thessolonica” because they checked everything by searching the scriptures daily. Biblical discernment starts with reading your Bible and not believing everything you hear. Just because someone is on television, sells millions of books and has hundreds of thousands of followers, doesn’t mean that they are preaching the Word of God. Usually, it means that they are loved by the world. And as it is written in James 4:4 NASB, “…do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Do not be an enemy of God. We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. Check everything you hear and read (Including this article!) with the scriptures as the Bereans did so long ago. Read your bible. Learn the Word and beware the false teachers like Joel Osteen.