It is pretty hard to listen to a Church of God claim the world lacks vision when the entire COG lacks vision as it flounders around doing nothing except birth one crazy self-appointed prophet after another.
Decades and decades ago the church had a vision that was propped up by Herbert Armstrong's dynamic voice and vision. Then the epic prophetic failure of 1975 disrupted the church and downhill it went after that point, The vision was gone. Oh, yes, the church thought new buildings and exotic campuses portrayed a vision of a world to come, but the vision for church members started dying in 1975. The final nail was driven in that coffin when in 1986 when Herbert Armstrong died. Today in 2022, matter how hard any of them claim they are trying, they have no vision anymore and thus rejoice when one or two new people enter the fold.
The Importance of Vision: In Proverbs 29:18 we read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (KJV) or “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law” (NKJV). Vision is the capacity to see the real future. That future is found in the Bible—the revelation of God. The biblical vision is the Gospel, the good news of the coming Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14) and the ultimate purpose of human existence—gaining eternal life and reigning with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom (Matthew 19:28–29) to bring peace, justice, and prosperity to the peoples of the world (Isaiah 9:6–7). Today, that exciting vision of the future has been lost or forgotten or never heard by most people on earth. As a result, many have no sense of purpose other than “doing their own thing” (Judges 21:25). The Sabbath is a good time to thank God for revealing to His people this exciting vision of the future and of His way of life that is a mystery to the world today (Matthew 13:10–17; Mark 4:11).
Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail
9 comments:
Let’s think of better adjectives instead of profitable and help Mr. Why-nail sins upon the cross when I can rub members noses in them weekly.
Have a restful, meditative, chill, relaxing, calming, tranquil, or beautiful Sabbath.
Low-effort as always, but that’s how he can teach us how to Dougie.
Lack of vision? How could he say this when Lasik surgery has become so affordable?
Fully agree.
Every now and then I state that 'fruitful' would be a better word than 'profitable' as that should be the direction of one's heart.
It's only profitable for the leaders $$$
When he says profitable, he means studying and absorbing their crap. But, caveat emptor! In Armstrongism, their eisegesis ices Jesus!
In actuality, how about a fruitful or profitable week. You gotta be a Christian all the other days of the week, not just one, right Doug. From a secular point, America had vision when they created planes, the internet, smart phones and so much more. They act like Armstrongism are Amish.
Every now and then I state that 'fruitful' would be a better word
...but then we think of Gerald Waterhouse, Raymond McNair, Bwana Bob, and enough others that the double-entendre would weigh far too heavily. Even "spiritually profitable" would be head and shoulders above Doug's mere "profitable" buzzword bingo.
Doug's vision of the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God is one where his/another exciting Jesus will very soon return and reign on earth for an exciting 1,000 years. That vision is of darkness and it is lacking some light on the subject. It is a false vision: something that God warned Jeremiah about:
"Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart." Jeremiah 14:14
Doug, like Bob Thiel, thinks "the last days" is for our day and age, and not something that will be here in over a 1,000 years from now. Bob spoke of the last days quoting Acts 2:17-18.
:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"
There is only one time in "the last days," way off in the future, beyond the 1,000 years of your Mickey Mouse Millennium, when God pours out His Spirit upon ALL Flesh. Doug has another false vision: one of darkness. Where's the light?
There is a source of light, but don't be snared!
2 Cor 11 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Satan and his angels are sources of light, but their light is darkness. They get to those ministers very easily. If you were Satan, how would you do it? Throw your Fear Religion on some lonely widow? Or, if allowed to do so, wouldn't Satan snag the top leadership hirelings, who in turn in their blindness, then deceive all of those "under them?"
Turning a blind eye to God's grace and mercy, focusing on God's law and striving to earn salvation by your own works all contribute to having a false vision. Accusing the brethren for not meeting up to your standards of righteousness (self?) is also a false vision if you continue to hang on to those thoughts.
There is no gray area in this. A good tree doesn't produce evil fruit, nor does an evil tree yield good fruit, but light and darkness? Jesus said this about vision involving light and darkness:
Matthew 6:22 "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!"
How much light is in Doug? In Bob Thiel? In the xcog hirelings of the former WCG of Pasadena?
We know Christ is a light bringer, but so is Satan; however, Satan's light is darkness.
God will not pour out His Spirit upon all flesh until the time of the 2nd resurrection in the Eighth Day, which is way beyond Doug's MMMillennium.
There is vision with light; however, there is no vision when in darkness (ever been in a cave and all of the lights are put out?).
Doug is striving to help us see the light of vision; however, Jesus did say: "...If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!"
Doug, there is a lot of light associated with what God the Father (The God of the OT Acts 3:13 is not Jesus), by His Spirit, has accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ (I Cor 8:6), our Passover sacrificed for us, and that Eighth Day pouring out of God's Spirit upon all flesh, but when will you see the light to "catch that vision?"
Time will tell...
John
Anonymous of August 27 at 8:31 said:
"their eisegesis ices Jesus!"
That's very humorous, sad, and true, at the same time!
My prayer today for the people of the LCG is Isaiah 42:7-8 and Galatians 3:1-2
May God open LCG eyes that are blind, free captives from prison and release those who sit in darkness. Poor, deceived LCG; who has bewitched you? Jesus was crucified for your salvation. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing in Jesus?
Post a Comment