Escaping from the Philadelphia Church of God

 

Gerald Flurry Claims He Posseses The Key To "The Mystery"

One thing you have to hand the self-anointed prophets in the Church of God, in this day and age, is that the church has never seen such a cesspool of theological idiots masquerading as "true" COG leaders and prophets in its entire history. Whether we speak of Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, Ron Weinland, or Gerald Flurry, the quagmire of theological slop these guys dish out is enough to keep a herd of swine contented for the rest of their lives.

Never in human history has God had such a ridiculous crop of buffoons claiming to represent Him and who claim to be His "one true voice" in this day and age.

This brings us to Gerald Flurry, the current KING of the Church of God, the possessor of the Stone of Herb that Jesus is returning to sit on as he brings into fruition the Kingdom of the Church of God that he thinks the rest of the world wants or needs to long for. According to Flurry, all of this is a mystery that he and he alone now possess the keys to. His god is a mystery. Its kingdom is a mystery. Its plan for humankind is a mystery. No one in the entire 2,000+ years of Christianity has ever understood this mystery till now. 

Flurry writes in his latest Trumpet rag this:

God’s mystery has been hidden from man and from the angels for eons and eons.

The angels were charged with beautifying the Earth, and later the universe if they succeeded on Earth. God wasn’t going to implement His mystery plan unless the angels failed, which they did.

Ancient Israel didn’t receive God’s mystery either because they didn’t have God’s Holy Spirit. Only a few of God’s prophets understood the mystery.

When Jesus Christ came to the Earth the first time, He revealed the mystery to His Church and gave them access to the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Church members have every advantage possible, and it all revolves around the mystery.

But in this end time, 95 percent of God’s people have rebelled against the mystery. Only 5 percent still cling to it. These two sides went to war in court for six years for the writings of Herbert W. Armstrong, primarily Mystery of the Ages, proving there’s always some kind of war going on around the mystery and the ministry that teaches it.

Where would we all be with these buffoons telling us that we are too stupid to understand things and it is up to them to tell us what to believe? We are also expected to believe that Mystery of the Ages is a sound theological document on God. A book that needs to lay alongside the Bible in order to understand it.

If there is any book in Armstrongism that needs to be burned in a bonfire, it is this book. No one and I repeat NO ONE needs any book or booklet by Herbert Armstrong in order to understand scriptures. No one needs a COG leader to tell them what to believe either. Their interpretations and opinions are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Gerald Flurry, the King of the COG, goes on to claim we are in a battle. A holy war to defend the mystery.

In this end time, a lukewarm Church has the same attitude as those Laodiceans. They have rebelled against the mystery, a synopsis of the entire Bible!

“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Colossians 2:1-2). Paul was saying, Most of you don’t really get it. Mr. Armstrong said something similar to the Worldwide Church of God toward the end of his life.

It’s not easy to comprehend the mystery, but you absolutely can! This message is a warning to the Bride of Christ that will share the throne of David with Him throughout the Millennium and for eternity.

“And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ” (verses 4-5). Steadfastness is a military word. We need faith and a willingness to fight for the mystery to prove we love it. We build the character we need to enter God’s Family by waging spiritual war for the mystery.

As I have stated on this blog before, the constant battle that COG members have to be in with the god of these guys has to be exhausting. That god is always pulling some kind of crap in order to test people to see if they are worthy to be in the Kingdom of the Church of God.

The Prophet of Coors continues on with this:

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:2-5).

Again, Paul didn’t care about his fate while sitting in prison. He cared about the world learning the mystery. What dedication! What love for God and His will!

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship [dispensation] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (verse 9). The mystery was hidden from mankind in general until Christ’s first appearance on Earth. When He was crucified, the temple veil split in two, symbolizing the possibility of direct access to God the Father. The Father is the Author of the mystery. He wants to give us unimaginable joy and happiness. We must have the depth of faith to really believe this mystery and hold on to it no matter what.

When a COG leader starts talking about grace then you need to tell that fool to shut up. They have no idea what they are talking about. Nor, should any COG member believe that their leader knows what that mystery is, because they do not.

Any COG member can read the verses of Ephesians 3:2-6 and discover that mystery. The New King James Version says this:

Ephesians 3:2-6     New King James Version

² if indeed you have heard of the ^[a]dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, ³ how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴ by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), ⁵ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: ⁶ that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Or, as The Message interpretation says:

The Secret Plan of God

3 ^1-3 This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called. I take it that you’re familiar with the part I was given in God’s plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.

^4-6 As you read over what I have written to you, you’ll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God’s Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.

It is pretty simple what that "mystery" is. All people, Jew or Gentile, those who have never heard of him and those that have heard of him their entire lives are all on equal ground before God. They get the same promises.

No one needs some stinking turd masquerading in self-important glory over the head of some splinter church telling them this. The problem is that NONE of them do. Their god is an angry pissed off god who is just itching to fry the rebellious asses of those around them. They want this and need this in order to legitimize their self appointed titles as prophets and apostles of the church.

Instead, what you hear is this crap:

God is re-creating Himself in man! That’s at the core of God’s mystery. Verse 9 seems to indicate that God will keep re-creating Himself in human beings throughout the universe for all eternity! (My free booklet Prophesy Again will explain this to you. This truth will blow you away.)

And this:

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin [is about] to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (verse 7). The seventh trumpet blast, the very last one, is a warning tied to Mystery of the Ages.

Verse 7 dates this prophecy. Jesus Christ will return when the mystery has been fully declared! We can know that His Coming is at the door.

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (verse 11). The commission of God’s Church today is to prophesy again. This is necessary because God’s own people almost destroyed the mystery! They “cast down the truth to the ground” (Daniel 8:12).

There is a reason the church has no need of prophets in this age and this is why. They have all been liars and continue to be liars.

This is why Jesus said to rest in him and stop worrying and fighting with one's self over whether or not you have done it correctly:

Mathew 12:28-30 (The Message) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

So rest.

“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2–3).

Rest in wonder, amazement, and peace.

 

 

 

 

PCG: Unless you LOVE the ministry your salvation is at stake

If you were a Philadelphia Church of God member, could you and would you love your minister?  Would you love the one who tells you to dump your child at the mall?  Would you love the one who tells you to stop speaking to your children, grandchildren, parents or grandparents? Would you love the minister that tells you to sell your business and give all the money to the PCG?

Do you really love the ministers who guard the ordinances of God? We must, if we are to share David’s throne with Jesus Christ! 

Look where the Laodiceans are: They followed men who didn’t guard the truth of God. They followed men who did not follow God! 

Next, let's threaten the members with tithing.  Make them feel like they are sinning for not sending in a full amount.  Make them feel like their salvation is at stake for not wanting to tithe.  Even though the new covenant does not expect tithing nor teach it, but instead force it upon your members as a salvation issue.

The priests under Ezra collected tithes according to God’s law (verse 44). This is a doctrine the wcg did away with almost immediately after Mr. Armstrong died! They saw it as old and outdated. But anciently, those Jews learned to rejoice in giving to God. They loved to have a minister do whatever was necessary to keep them from going into captivity. They knew the value of such a minister! 

Your salvation will be at stake if you do not remain faithful to your minister.  After all, he is far more important than Jesus or grace or love.

We need to love God’s faithful ministers before the captivity so we can escape such captivity! We have to learn this lesson today and not go the way of those ancient Jews prior to captivity—the way the Laodiceans are going today. The modern- day nations of Israel are about to go into captivity—the worst captivity mankind has ever experienced!

PCG: Gerald admits it IS all about RACE

Jeremiah 7:32-34 speak of a horrific time soon to come when dead bodies will pile so high there isn’t anywhere to bury them.

All joy and mirth will cease. Then notice what happens next. “At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves” (Jeremiah 8:1). They will have to know exactly where those graves are in order to  unearth them. “And they shall spread them [those bones] before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven ...” (verse 2).

The discovery of the tombs of the kings could create a world sensation very soon. The Holy Roman Empire destroys those bones because it worships the dragon (Revelation 13:4; Revelation 17). Satan hates David’s throne more than any throne on this Earth because it is about to replace his throne forever!

Jeroboam had a fierce hatred for these righteous kings. That hatred comes from Satan, the god of this world. He has contempt for the throne of David, especially now that there is a new throne! Look at what these Satan-inspired people will do just to the bones of the righteous kings of David’s throne! Can you imagine what they would like to do to God’s people who possess that throne?

You could say this will really upset God, but those kings are going to be resurrected right after this. Bones are not going to mean anything to us in the future. We will be able to visit personally with men like David and Solomon—what difference will their bones make then? Soon we will get to the point where there aren’t any more bones!

What Satan wants to blot out most of all is the scepter promise. It’s about the race of kings who sit on that throne—and about Jesus Christ sitting on that throne and bringing grace to the world. Satan is in his greatest wrath because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12), and he wants to blot out everything that has anything to do with the throne of David.

PCG: Eight Reasons Why We Are Sons Of Zadok

Gerald Flurry writes:

In The Former Prophets, I gave seven reasons God’s faithful people are called the sons of Zadok. I will list them here and add an eighth. These will help you keep your focus on the throne of David. 

1. We cling to The United States and Britain in Prophecy.Leaders in the Worldwide Church of God got rid of this book in the 1970s. Mr. Armstrong brought it back. After he died, they shelved it again, and people just followed along. But the sons of Zadok stand up for the truth of God! We are loyal to David’s throne! We fought a six-year court battle to win the copyright to that book and others. 

2. We continue the dig in Jerusalem. We will do quite a bit more before it is over, I am sure. This is all related to David’s throne, on which the sons of Zadok have their minds fixed. 

3. We are spiritual Jews who never lose the key of David vision.This is the only vision given to the Philadelphians (Revelation 3:7). 

4. We continue to let God deepen that vision. 

5. We continue to follow Mr. Armstrong, who taught us the truth about David’s family throne. His prayer rock became the symbol of David’s throne! What an honor for Mr. Armstrong— forever! He didn’t know this would happen, but I’m sure it will be a pleasant surprise for him when he is resurrected shortly. 

6. We have staged musicals about Jeremiah and David, and both are centered on David’s throne. In Armstrong Auditorium in 2012, we presented Jeremiah: A Musical and Step-Dancing Extravaganza, a musical with a message about David’s throne. A year later we produced David: The Endless Throne Begins. 

7. We are doing all we can to proclaim the key of David message to Israel and the whole world. 

8. We have the new throne of David. Is that not a big part of why we are called the sons of Zadok? Think about this noble title! This is a tremendous honor that God has given us. Surely He did so because He knew we would have the throne of David in this end time.

Notice WHO is missing from the pciture....

PCG: God gave us our new jet

Now that God has given us the new throne, His Work is moving forward with a much faster speed. It is critical for God’s people to understand this. We are now in the gun lap of our race to Christ’s Second Coming. At this point, events in the world are speeding along at a breakneck pace. God is going to hasten to perform His Word. And He wants to stir us to our fastest speed in the final phase of His Work in this world. He wants us to expend all our energy to finish His Work—the last lap of the race! 

Isn’t this the main reason God gave us a corporate Gulfstream G450 jet at the same time He gave us the new throne of David? 

“And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. Then the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah” (verses 13-15).

PCG: Christ Frequently Visits Us

Geralrd Flurry says Christ comes to visit them more often now.

Christ came to help us in the court battle. Is He still here, operating personally in some ways? Does He come back periodically, or is He staying here? Verse 11 is very much like verse 1: He stood there by the altar—He did the job Himself. Maybe He thinks it is necessary to be appearing more often to help us out because we are in the time when Satan has been cast down, and he and his demons are confined to Earth. Maybe in this utterly mad age with Satan and the demons cast down, we require Christ’s presence more than in the past. 

And now, we have the very throne of God, which makes us a more obvious target!

King Gerald Flurry has replaced the Royal Family

Look again at the time frame of events related to the change in the throne.

In November 1996, the PCG began plans to print Mystery of the Ages. That same month—on November 15—the stone of Scone was transferred to Scotland. Mystery of the Ages was on the rise, and that stone of destiny was faltering—and it is no longer the stone of destiny today.

About 10 months later, on August 31, 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash.

Did the royal family of David’s throne lose some of its protection from God? I don’t know for certain, but it is interesting that it happened within a year of England surrendering the stone. God does give special protection to those who have the throne of David. He also punishes them for their sins more acutely than He would others.

When God gave the revelation about the new stone on January 16, 2017, the royal family of Britain was displaced as the royal family of David’s throne. That was a signal of terrible things to come upon Britain, as well as a sharp decline of America and Judah. It was also an indication that we would see a rapid decline in Britain’s royal family.

Look at what began happening to Britain’s royal family almost immediately after this change.

The Queen was 91 years old at the time and obviously near the end of her reign. Her husband announced in May 2017 that he would step down from his royal duties later in the year. In its June 30, 2017, issue, Newsweek published a feature article about Prince Harry, in which he said that when his grandmother dies, nobody wants to assume the throne. “Is there anyone of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time,” he said.

Well—God is relieving them of that responsibility!

The royal family of Britain is no longer royal in God’s eyes, and I don’t think they are very royal in anybody’s eyes. They are the ex-royal family of David’s throne—the very throne that Christ is about to rule from forever!

This is a universe-shaking event! Surely the angels have been shaken by this. And it is a very moving and stirring event to God the Father and Jesus Christ. This is reality—not a reality show, but reality!

The Philadelphia Church of God is now the royal family of God’s throne! That is something to ponder! 

How Can You Trust Today's Self Appointed COG Prophets?

Church of God News had the following post about Norbert Link and his prophetic predictions of how the world is rapidly coming to an end.  This is nothing new to anyone who has even the slightest contact with the Herbert Armstrong's Churches of God movement.  One self-appointed prophet after another has come out with sure predictions that have failed in the most epic fashion.  None of them seems to ever remember that scripture condemns every single one of them when just ONE of their prophecies fail. Yet, they go on day in and day out uttering some of the most absurd, baseless and idiotic predictions imaginable.  The seven biggest liars in the Church of God today are Flurry, Pack, Malm, Thiel, Weston, Link and Weinland.  They get all hot and bothered with silly end time predictions and scenarios and totally ignore anything about Jesus Christ.

The question is, how can you trust Link's predictions or ANY of the others when it is based upon the failed prophecies of Herbert Armstrong, who's failures go back as far as 1935? When the very founder of the church you are a part of told one whopper after another, each epically failing, how can we trust any of these men today? Other than Weston, every single one of these men appointed themselves as prophets and church leaders. Weston inherited his mantle, the rest placed it selfishly upon themselves.

COG News posted:

Church of the Eternal God
In Standing Watch, 28 June 2018, Norbert Link says that the actions of Donald Trump and the reactions of European leaders are leading to war between the European Union and the USA – not just a trade war, but a real war, the great tribulation. 

He offers a free booklet, The Great Tribulation and The Day of The Lord, which states on p. 16: “Incredible as it may seem, the United States and Great Britain, as well as other Commonwealth nations, will be overthrown and enslaved by their former ally and friend—the United States of Europe, led by the modern Assyrians.”

(This scenario – the modern Assyrians being Germany – was part of the end-time prophecies of Herbert Armstrong, to which a number of ex-WCG churches hold fast.) p.55: “… another “Elijah” must come to prepare this world for the second coming of Christ. God has given this role of an end-time Elijah to His end-time Church. There should be no doubt that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, who is considered by many as an apostle and who served as Pastor General of the Church of God until his death in 1986, began to fulfill this role.” 

In the Plain Truth magazine, June/July 1934, Mr. Armstrong set out the timeline of end-time events in his article What is Going to Happen: 

“These prophecies above considered, then, indicate that we may expect the present world-wide depression, time of trouble and fear of war to CONTINUE until the year 1936! This in spite of the NRA or any man-devised remedies for the present trouble! 

And at, or quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling — and the heavens rolling back as a scroll, showing the SIGN of the coming of the Son of man IN HEAVEN.” 

In the July 1935 issue he declared, in Mussolini Goes To War, “Even as you read this, he is marching to ARMAGEDDON! HERE is the most astounding prophecy of the hour! Heretofore unexplained! Now being startlingly fulfilled! The Bible foretells every step Mussolini will take … 

Mussolini shall establish his palace, as capital of the revived Roman empire, at JERUSALEM!” 

The Plain Truth magazine was not printed in 1936 or 1937. Publication was re-started in 1938 without any reference to these failed prophecies.

PCG: Getting ready to flood the earth with new textbook in the World Tomorrow

The twisted mind of Gerald Flurry continues to run amok with one outrageous claim after another. His idolatry of all things Herbert Armstrong is sickening to watch.  Besides the Stone of Herb in his collection, Furry calls HWA's Mystery of the Ages the second most important book in the world.  It will soon be the text book of the entire population of humanity in Flurry's kingdom to come.

Habakkuk 2:17 is about the destruction of Lebanon, which was at one time the jewel of the Middle East. God is saying that the entire Earth will soon experience that kind of destruction! The Laodiceans will have to go through this because they are lukewarm; they aren’t excited or on fire for what God has given them. And some of them ended up fighting God and trying to destroy His truth!

But notice where this all leads: “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (verse 14). We are getting ready to fill the Earth with the truth taught in Mystery of the Ages! After the Bible, this will be the main textbook in the World Tomorrow. It is the instruction manual God will use to teach all mankind! This will be the number one book that all mankind will study, after the Bible, because it decodes the Word of God! It contains the most wonderful message you could possibly hear. As God’s kings and priests in embryo (Revelation 1:6), we are preparing to teach the entire world from this book!

After all, it is more important to emulate Herbert Armstrong and ready Mystery of the Ages than it is to emulate Jesus Christ and read Galatians or Romans.

PCG: Thinking About "The Work" Will Cure Your Discouragement

Steven Flurry has an article up in the Philadelphia Trumpet titled, You Can Conquer Discouragement!  So what could be the cause of all that discouragement and disappointment?  Could the headline of the next article be a cause of discouragement?  Can they really be this stupid?

• Commentary:  You Can Conquer Discouragement!
  God gives us the means.
• Commentary: DoYou Realize How Soon the World Could End?
  Events are moving far faster than most people grasp.
   
  So what is Little Stevie trying to get across?  It all revolves around money.  When you are depressed think about the "work."  That will solve all your problems!  Send your money in, it will make you happy to know you support the work.

  
  

  When you face discouragement, don’t let your mind dwell on the Jezebel obstacle in front of you. Get your mind on God and His work.

  The key to overcoming discouragement is to get our minds off ourselves and onto the power and might of God. Turn to God in humility, with prayer and fasting. Then get back to work. Concentrate on serving God and doing God’s work

  The cause of all that discouragement is this:
  
  

  Perhaps you’ve mulled some of those prophecies for years. Do you realize just how soon they could be full-blown reality?

  Are you ready? “[T]ake heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares,” Christ warned. “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35). Woe to those caught in that snare! And though Christ said it would entrap the vast majority, He gave this warning so you could be among the few who escape it (verse 36).