What would a Friday night be without the weekly smackdown of LCG members who seem to constantly never do anything right? This week LCG members are mistreating friends, gossiping, and otherwise not being peacemakers. Why blame the members? The biggest peacebreakers in the LCG are its ministry and leaders. When has the ministry ever sat down with a member, in a spirit of meekness, to counsel? Instead, those sessions tend to be an egotistical power trip as the member is berated for failing to do what the minister thinks is right. When the leadership sets the example, the members will follow.
Are You a Peacemaker? Jesus explained a fundamental aspect of Christianity when He told His disciples, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). The Apostle Paul advised Christians in Rome they should do all they can to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:17–21). Paul explained we can become peacemakers by not seeking revenge or mistreating others when we have been mistreated and by overcoming evil with good. Solomon stated, “He who covers [overlooks and forgives] a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter [keeps talking about or won’t let go] separates friends” (Proverbs 17:9). Real peacemakers are willing to go to their brother or sister when problems arise and talk things over in a spirit of meekness (Matthew 18:15), and a brother or sister led by God’s Spirit will be willing to listen to bring peace (James 3:17–18). One important lesson we must learn as Christians is that peace comes when we follow and learn to apply the laws of God—as David wrote, “Great peace have those who love Your law” (Psalm 119:165). How are you doing in this area of your life?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
21 comments:
"we can become peacemakers by not seeking revenge or mistreating others when we have been mistreated and by overcoming evil by good."
This is the rule rigging abusive ministers addressing their abused victims. According to church culture, sinners don't need to repent. Rather it's the victims that need to resign themselves to be abused by the church loonies and abusive ministry.
A simply proof is that the ministers don't teach rights, or condemn the mistreatment of members. Where is "you have a right to be free from abuse" or "you have a right to be free from deception?" Rather it's endless forgive, turn the other cheek, be gentle, a soft answer turns away wrath, don't let the sun go down on your anger etc, etc.
The "go to your brother or sister when problems arise" is often a trap. I know since a minister once told me that when I complained about a criminally minded member. It was obvious by his tone/body language that he just wanted the person to be warned and lay low. Or intimidate me into denial and/or silence.
It's like the righteous sounding Pharisees, but scratch the surface and it's dead mens bones.
There's no such right as the right to sin.
Over 5 years ago, I asked an elder for forgiveness and to this day he never accnoliged it. So I did the right thing and left.
Sad but true.
I watched as friends were kicked out of LCG for the very same things that the Meredith boys and the McNairs did. Guess who was never kicked out.....
I also had friends fired from LCG HQ just because someone there did not like them. There was nothing pastoral or Christian about those actions. Pure politics and personal pettiness.
PEACEMAKER - AKA... The Colt Single Action Army, also known as the Single Action Army, SAA, Model P, PEACEMAKER and M1873, is a single-action hand gun with a revolving cylinder (a revolver) holding six metallic cartridges.
It was designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company—today's Colt's Manufacturing Company—and was adopted as the standard military service revolver until 1892.
I have family at LCG HQ who said that "we are not family and their first duty is to Ministry and to warn them of people like us. " We asked if they really wanted that and they repeated it 3 times and said "we do not regret anything." Thus they continued slandering us and after the corruption got worse at HQ and in Atlanta we left.
Apparently this blog isn't interested in peacemaking, either. :-(
Now if Doug was firing on all cylinders.........
Dr. D. Winnail is one of the main Ministers who tells people before they become ordained they have to cut ties with friends who are members and rather build friendships with those who are ordained. He is not the only one who teaches this as it is a "Normal Routine" to tell anyone who is considered for an ordained leader position.
I have seen many friendships just end all of a sudden and the ones who are not ordained are left wondering what happened. I thought it was crazy and something that was NOT Biblical at all and it certainly does not promote unity.
I was told by not only family who were being ordained but also close friends who were about to be ordained that they had to distance themselves from us in order to be ordained. After about another 10 years of dealing with practically being ignored at the Feast because we are not of the "Elite ordained" so they could not fellowship with us...HA that was my own family and of course our once very close friends that could not have time for us until maybe after the Feast. Mr. Weston also told our "very Close friends" (who turned out to not be real friends) to "SEEK OUT and DESTROY ANYONE who is considered a cancer to the Ministry and church." That hurt us deeply and our children. So we have left that because the fruits are not good. There are good people in that Organization but the majority of the leadership that we have met (remember we have family that are in the Ministry ) do not have good fruits. I have heard that Atlanta is almost as bad as HQ too.
Not really. People on this blog have often posted that the solution to the ACOGs problems is for them to follow Christ.
The hit and run troll " The W.A." said..."Apparently this blog isn't interested in peacemaking, either. :-("
Seriously dude? Seriously? Instead of popping on and running off at the mouth about something you really know nothing about, you should read the hundreds of posts and comments encouraging people to follow the real Jesus, not the Armstrongite "christ" that none of them know.
Wikipedia can become an addiction Tonto.
This is another dangerous indoctrination to keep the members obedient, disempowered, down-trodden, and uninspired.
Doug wrote a piece on peace and never mentioned the word grace. However, Doug does conclude with connecting peace with law-keeping.
I did a bible search using the words peace and grace - the result was eighteen verses mention both words together. Most of these same verses also mention God and Jesus; therefore, I don't think Doug would go near those versus for fear of getting too cozy with Jesus and that grace stuff he oozes.
Doug dangerously avoids preaching about the word grace, lest his followers become informed and inspired. However, Doug never fails to insist on law-keeping as the way to grow spiritually and get close to God.
LCG claims to be original Christianity but, LCG's convoluted message of warnings and old covenant law does not preach peace through Jesus, as stated in Acts 10:36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Doug and the LCG have a very long public record of preferring law over Jesus. St. Paul perfectly described Doug and the LCG: Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Dangerous Doug, alienated from Jesus and fallen from grace, does not want his people to know what grace and justification are. Doug does not want them to understand that Jesus makes us righteous, so that we are at peace with God.
Doug does not know what the law is under the New Covenant and shuns the true way to peace:
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a shame what the cogs have become. They are nothing less than money-grubbing organizations using people as tithe slaves to do their bidding. These organizations spend so much money in gaining members and then brainwash them into sacrificing their livelihood to provide the best for the ministers.
They have twisted scripture (Mal) comes to mind, to make the people feel that they are robbing God, when in fact, a careful study of this book reveals that it is the priesthood that was doing the robbing. They have falsified other important scriptures as well, such as the timing of the Passover and Pentecost. One would think that after many years that these organizations moved on to a greater understanding of the scriptures but the opposite is true. In many cases, the members in their diligent study of scripture have surpassed the level of understanding of their teachers.
These leaders - at least most of them, have denied Christ by not following His example but instead established their own doctrines that benefit them while the member's families suffer by trying to survive on 50% of their income. One day they (if they don't repent), will hear the words of Yahshua saying "I never knew you...".
Besides Pack and his common who else is requiring 50% ? tithes?
Doug Winnail concludes with writing: "...One important lesson we must learn as Christians is that peace comes when we follow and learn to apply the laws of God—as David wrote, “Great peace have those who love Your law” (Psalm 119:165...)... How are you doing in this area of your life?..."
******
Well, has Doug asked himself that question about how he is doing in this area of his life?
Doug again writes as though he were addressing unconverted people, people who lack the power of God's Spirit in their lives. Doug mentions people like Solomon and David, but it's a fact that God's Spirit was already working with these individuals. They didn't, on their own, develop love, peace, or for that matter: meekness. Those are all fruits of God's Spirit, things that God provides.
Doug, again, puts the cart before the horse when he believes/states that "...peace comes when we follow and learn to apply the laws of God..."
Isn't peace a fruit of God's Spirit?
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Oh, yes, and so are love and meekness. Doug takes God out of the picture and thinks "self" can just do something, do some works, and magically one demonstrates love and peace and meekness in one's life.
Is that the case in Doug's life? It's hard to tell, b/c he keeps, via his "smackdown," addressing his followers as though they lacked God's Spirit. He judges them as though they lack God's Spirit and can have those fruits by simply learning some lesson about following and obeying God's law.
Does Doug not understand that God's law is contrary to us?
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" Col 2:14
How can it not be contrary to us? Receive the gift of God's Spirit, but that's God's business, His will and His timing. He does plan to give out His faith, for example, by measure/proportion (Romans 12:3, 6); does He not? Doug's way (the "living" group way?}, without God, won't work, and Doug will be back on more future Fridays to continue his smackdowns.
Has Doug, former WCG hireling, ever read the WCG Correspondence Course, the one that clearly explained why ancient physical Israel was incapable of yielding and obeying God's law? There are many reasons that could be cited, but here is only one such reason:
"Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Deut 29:4
Now, I assume and suspect there may be Christians within the living group: people who have yielded to God's Spirit, and it is those who don't need the smackdowns. The rest don't need the smackdowns either, b/c if God, by His grace, does not provide them His Spirit, then what are they going to do about it?
Perhaps Doug may want to review the old Correspondence course regarding how God's Spirit is involved; however, beware b/c that course is filled with "junk food" spiritual nutrition.
Will Doug ask himself how well he is doing in this area of his life? And do something about it, so we don't continue to be under Doug's burdens that he strives to put on our shoulders?
Time will tell...
John
John,
Physical Israel was incapable of obeying Gods laws?? Then why did God punish them for breaking His laws? Where's the justice there? Then why did God in Deuteronomy repeatedly tell Israel to carefully obey His laws? Why did He say "choose life or death?" Why then did Christ rebuke the cities in which miracles were performed, yet failed to repent? Then how come Nineveh did repent?
They were all limited by not having the holy spirit, but God still held them responsible for the understanding that they did have.
I suggest you try studying the Bible through your own eyes rather than blindly believing some bible correspondence course.
Time will tell if you do.
The anonymous troll attacker, uh, "Anonymous" said.... ahhhh, never mind. I'll choose peace. :-)
"Have a profitable Sabbath,"
Profitable? Like the money changers in the temple?
Sheldon Monson was not moved by Winnail and Weston's attempt to "make peace" with him.
LCG headquarters is known for its constant backstabbing and mudslinging.
Winnail should try to fix the LCG leadership before his issuing condescending instruction to the members.
Anon, July 17, 2021 at 6:26 PM, wrote asked a bunch of questions, and then commended saying: "...They were all limited by not having the holy spirit, but God still held them responsible for the understanding that they did have.
I suggest you try studying the Bible through your own eyes rather than blindly believing some bible correspondence course.
Time will tell if you do..."
******
Anon, you asked a lot of questions and answers may be found in the Bible without using that Correspondence course.
What kind of answers would you provide to answer your own questions? A sermon could be given for each question you asked.
The last enemy is death. Regardless of what ancient physical Israel did, or you/I do, we all will experience death, the so-called last enemy. Before that event we will experience good and evil. Why? Adam and Eve knew good, but it was God's will they also learn to know evil and learn to hate evil. We all will learn to hate evil, even if some don't acknowledge it until they are again given life in a resurrection.
Yes, physical Israelites, people, as you wrote, are "limited by not having the holy spirit." Both Old Testament and New Testament provide abundant examples of the truth of that.
God, who is not some dummy, knew that without His Spirit guiding people's lives they would not keep His Covenant, would have sin in their lives and pay the wages (same wages you and I will also pay!): death, which it has been appointed for all of us once to die.
Before Moses died, God told Moses this:
Deut 31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go [to be] among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God [is] not among us?
18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.
19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
To be continued…
John
Continuing…
Where was their free choice, free moral agency? Why didn't they choose life? They all died, just like what will happen in our lives. Aren’t we choosing life in lieu of death? Life? How do we get there from here?
God has a lot of things, events, written, preserved in the Bible for a witness, which helps us to understand good and evil, God’s Spirit vs Satan’s spirit, life vs death, blessings vs curses, etc.
If you want another example of God telling Moses something earlier, read Deut 29:22-28.
What causes sin? The Bible answers that too, and the same things that bothered those Israelites also bothers us. Before Joshua died, he told the people things similar to what Moses said: without God’s Spirit one can’t do it: choose life, for example. See Joshua 24:19-23, 27.
Have you lately experienced sin in your life? Well, then you must/will pay the same wages that those Israelites paid. Done deal! You will not be an exception. The formula is simple. Sin occurs in your life. Wages exist. Wages, the only wages for sin, any sin, is death (Romans 6:23).
We are going to experience evil, and learn to hate evil. God is love and no respecter of persons, so all will live again. All will come up in either the 1st or 2nd resurrection (there is no 3rd needed). It's a plan, and then some time after that 2nd resurrection Satan and his angels will be taken/destroyed.
Do you want to know the cause of death? That's in the details: more details. Here's some hints: Isaiah 19:14; I John 3:8, 12; 2 Tim 2:26; John 8:44; James 4:5; Hebrews 2:14-15, etc.
I prefer to cut/paste in those verses, but it makes a post too long. A bottom line: after the wages are paid, all will be given the gift of life again, when all will be given God's holy spirit.
Can you believe in a plan that contains grace like that? Doug Winnail cannot preach this information, b/c he, at this time, must blame/judge others. He cannot tell you about 2 Cor 5:19, b/c that involves grace. Doug is too law-oriented, full of self, self-R, but one day he will live up to being meek, humble, loving, etc.
Time will tell...
John
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