Apparently, Living Church of God members are wasting their time again on frivolous things in these EVIL days! Not only are they sidetracked by the cares of the world, but with personal and interpersonal problems! Temptations abound!!!!!!
The world is rapidly imploding around the LCG and members need to remain focused on getting the gospel to the world. They have been pretty much an epic failure here in Los Angeles because no one knows anything about them.
LCG members had better get their act together and build some character or they will not be able to reign on high with Jesus Christ!
Redeeming the Time: The Apostle Paul strongly urged brethren in Ephesus to live purposefully and make the most of every opportunity to grow and become more like Jesus Christ “because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–18). Ephesus was a bustling port city that was full of temptations and distractions that were affecting individuals trying to live a Christian life. Jesus also warned against being sidetracked from our spiritual goals by getting caught up in the “cares” of this world—political issues, personal concerns, and interpersonal problems (Matthew 13:22). These admonitions are still important today! As our secular and materialistic world hurtles towards the climax of this age, we need to stay focused on our mission of preaching the Gospel and developing the knowledge, wisdom, and godly character needed to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. Let’s make the most of our time to prepare for this exciting future.
Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail
22 comments:
December 2009. Probably repeated some other times, too.
Redeeming the Time: Excellent idea. Don't allow false religious leaders to worse-than-waste your time with such “doctrinal upgrades” as their “two-fold gospel” message that they made up to try to compete against what Herbert W. Armstrong had taught on the matter. Their teaching that the “falling away” will be something that happens out in the world is an attempt to belittle the big work that Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God under him had done and to get people to forget all about the Great Apostasy of 1995 in the Worldwide Church of God that resulted in such things as their own tiny little splinter group. They got less than one-tenth of the people from the WCG, were unable to grow over the following decades, and yet try to say that almost nobody had ever heard of HWA and the WCG but that their own tiny little splinter group is somehow going to “shake the nations.”
Another gospel and another jesus. No wonder they are invisible.
Where in the hell on earth did LCG get a mission to preach the gospel? It's OK to preach but were they authorized by God or Jesus Christ to go on a mission? No. I know this b/c not everything they preach/teach is according to the Word of God. Such as Ex 23:14-16.
I wonder why LCG doesn’t put many sermons to speak of on their website anymore.
I wonder why LCG doesn’t put many sermons to speak of on their website anymore.
Showing mercy to non-members who now have less of their crap to listen to?
The Kingdom of God is NOT the millennium!
To control the membership... they feel like people would stay home and listen online instead of coming to services. I know in my area in LCG, one needs to phone the pastor and explain why they are not attending services in order to get livestream details. I seem to recall PCG making a similar policy. This is in contrast to the biblical message where the apostles wanted as many people to hear it as possible. Seems like that isn't the LCG/PCG model- are they ashamed of their so-called gospel?
Where in the hell on earth did LCG get a mission to preach the gospel? It's OK to preach but were they authorized by God or Jesus Christ to go on a mission?
They got it primarily from Matthew 24:14 (And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come). This is a prophecy (of Rev 14:6), not a commission. Nowhere did Jesus ever tell His disciples to preach the gospel as a witness. So, LCG's work is largely worthless. Instead, Christ instructed us to make disciples, which LCG does try to do, but is pitiful in its results, despite huge expenditures. Rod Meredith liked the "as a witness" commission, because he could claim he was doing a "great work" without being held accountable for any results.
" we need to stay focused on our mission of preaching the Gospel and developing the knowledge, wisdom, and godly character needed to reign with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. Let’s make the most of our time to prepare for this exciting future."
I propose that even the most devout Christian who understands the NEW Covenant and actually HAS the Holy Spirit, will only be doing justice and righteousness, loving God and fellow man, and walking humbly with their God while in the earthly body. I also propose that the SPECIAL knowledge, wisdom, and character to DWELL with God will only come when we have our resurrected bodies. Also,it's too bad the splinter groups do not understand the gospel they are supposed to be preaching... it is not the OLD COVENANT.
Without a doubt, all the members of LCG are wasting their lives on a very frivolous thing, like being members of the so-called LCG! (Oh crap! Now I'm starting to sound like Tonto!)
1.21PM
It's probably to guard against members becoming stay at home Christians. Why the hassle of going to church, especially in old age, when one can get sermons on the web.
Interpersonal Problems are a side-track from Christianity? Seriously? That's very interesting considering Jesus himself said in Mathew 5:23 that you have to postpone worshiping God until you fixed the problem between you and your brother. This might be the most Anti-Christ statement they've ever produced. SMH
No pal the Bible says the gospel is of the kingdom of God.
"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,"
Mark 1:14 KJV
And there is only one lord Jesus Christ any other is counterfeit. Nice try but you struck out.
It's up for everyone to listen to especially to find new members and coworkers .
10.45 AM
Has it ever occured to you that HWA might be responsible for, or contributed to the Great Apostasy? He ran his church like a police state, which included his ministers robbing their members of their natural rights and responsibilities. How could the members grow if they were infantilized? HWA must have known that. I suggest you look long and hard at HWA. If you do, you will realize that he doesn't deserve to be on a pedestal.
the “cares” of this world—political issues, personal concerns, and interpersonal problems
How are these not religious issues?
Political issues: This one makes no sense to me. Christians aren't supposed to care about politics? Abortion, redefinition of marriage, censorship/free speech, stewardship of natural resources, war/pacifism, public health, public school policies, criminal justice policies... are these really worldly distractions or are they things Christians should be speaking up about? Politics affect real people that Christians are supposed to be busy caring for. Calling them a distraction looks like shirking responsibility. If we really know the way of to improve the world, why refrain from doing so?
personal concerns: this is a broad category.
Interpersonal problems: Resolving and properly navigating interpersonal problems is far from a distraction from Christianity. It's one of the main goals of Christianity.
Of course you live in L.A. of course...of course ..
It's all so surreal. From straight logic, or just plain common sense, I never thought these ACOGs would survive the mapping of the human genome, let alone still exerting mind control over so many of the people Armstrongism incapacitated. Who knew that the prophecies would rise to such a ridiculous level, that we'd have quotes in which a minister counseled parents of their mentally challenged child to leave her at the mall, that an elder would murder his wife, that a homeless person in rags would have his own ACOG and would be attempting to impregnate his stepdaughter, or that there would be dueling splinters vying for the same feast sites?
The only thing I could foresee back in 2001 when I learned of all the splinters was a time when the people leaving the splinters would be the prominent ones discussing their damages and recoveries on these sites. I was waiting for one of the big guys in original WCG to come clean with some revelations that would totally blow the lid off the scam, but they're all dead now, and the few who did exposes were heeded about as much as the House Jan 6 Committee and now the FBI. Tyrannical demagogues, once they've got your mind, seem to turn to teflon and never really go away so long as they live in peoples' memories.
My advice to all those still being exploited in the ACOGs would be to go "Lone Ranger", and just keep the doctrines at home. It's the only way to maintain sanity and balance. All of our proofs have not shaken them from the lies and heresies of Armstrongism, but by practicing the doctrines privately instead of in group, at least they wouldn't be suffering abuse at the hands of their leaders. If you wish to continue tithing, find some worthy charities. There are missionary organizations which provide food, water, and clothing to people in starving nations over in Africa, or Haiti, and others who smuggle Bibles into communist countries. They are probably better stewards with the tithes than any of the Armstrong organizations who consider the old man's sins to be license as opposed to wretched things which should be repented of.
I cannot decide if Doug is just a terribly poor theologian or if his contempt for the people who pay his salary prevents him giving a worthwhile, original message - perhaps Doug is suffering from both problems.
It surprises me that Doug would dare use the word “redeeming” in this rehash.
Doug must be counting on his people to be too numb to realize that concepts related to the word “redeeming” were very much an integral part of original Christianity – something that is completely lacking in today’s ACOGs, especially his LCG.
Instead of helping his people have a profitable Sabbath resting in the redemption of the Redeemer, Doug is telling them to work, work, work, under his title of Redeeming the Time.
Doug warns the people that they must redeem the time and develop character – but he won’t tell them how to accomplish his requirements.
Instead of another smackdown, learning about the redemption offered by the Redeemer is what the LCG truly needs (Galatians 4:5).
Doug’s most heretical statement in this post is: “we need to stay focused on our mission of preaching the Gospel and developing the knowledge, wisdom, and godly character needed to reign with Jesus Christ …”
The justification given by Jesus is the only righteousness that will get you into the Kingdom and the redemption provided by Jesus is the only “developing” of any attribute that will help you reign with Jesus in the Kingdom (Titus 2:14).
Doug’s heresy is insisting that the people must work to be saved, while negating the Savior’s work of salvation, including justification and redemption.
Prayer for Doug:
Holy God, grant Doug growth in grace and knowledge.
Open Doug’s heart to embracing you as his Redeemer.
Let his ministry be characterized more by redemption than by law smackdowns.
Bless Doug, with acute awareness of your redemption, new every morning, so that redemption and freshness dominate each message he gives his people – AMEN!
Prayer for the people of LCG:
In the holy name of Jesus, Blessed Redeemer, I pray that you awaken these people in the Sabbath Rest of assurance that they have been redeemed from the curse of the law.
Redeemer, live in them; be the triumph over every smackdown.
Let your redemption, like a salve, seep into their souls, soothing every shame, finding every hurt, no matter how deep and long they have been buried within their souls.
Be the redemption that turns their shame, sorrows, and pain into purpose and compassions for others in need of redemption.
May redemption from the penalty of the law enrapture their hearts and cause them to praise your name.
May the people of LCG experience redemption as one of the unique aspects of your love today, forever; amen, amen, amen!
Trooisto, Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 5:44:00 AM PDT, said:
"...I cannot decide if Doug is just a terribly poor theologian or if his contempt for the people who pay his salary prevents him giving a worthwhile, original message - perhaps Doug is suffering from both problems...
...Doug warns the people that they must redeem the time and develop character – but he won’t tell them how to accomplish his requirements...
...Doug’s most heretical statement in this post is: “we need to stay focused on our mission of preaching the Gospel and developing the knowledge, wisdom, and godly character needed to reign with Jesus Christ …”...
...Doug’s heresy is insisting that the people must work to be saved, while negating the Savior’s work of salvation, including justification and redemption..."
******
If Doug suffers, he suffers as a babe, and he does not mind that so long as the living group continues to send him a profitable $paycheck$. Even as a babe drinking spiritual milk, like God's law, and sharing that milk to feed other babes, he still has not explained the following verse regarding God's law:
"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
That law is against Doug Winnail, his followers and each of us, because of and by ourselves we can't keep it and it results in our deaths. It is contrary, as the verse 14 says, to all of us. Doug, where are the grace and mercies of God through His Son fitting into your/our lives, because you can't even perfectly do it?
Yes, Doug, feasting only on spiritual milk, cannot explain how we can fulfill Doug's requirements in order to work for and earn salvation. Doug blames, judges and burdens his followers with requirements that he, himself, like a babe, cannot adequately fulfill.
When will Doug get weaned off of the milk, redeem some time to eat some strong meat for a change and share it with others, and discern enough to finally really appreciate: "the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," and not by any works of SELF?
Time will tell...
John
"Where in the hell on earth did LCG get a mission to preach the gospel? It's OK to preach but were they authorized by God or Jesus Christ to go on a mission?"
Not just that, but they have the "mission" to preach the Ezekiel warning message, something that Christ never told the disciples to do. Is the LCG leadership above the apostles, do they show the working miracles of the apostles?
Post a Comment