Living Church of God: Encouraged To Be Kinder?

From an LCG source:

Dr Winnail has written a brief piece encouraging us to be gracious and kind to each other. Many are wondering if this is an indirect slap at some of the ungracious things that Weston, McNair, Meredith and others have done to members over the years and still are doing today.

The Importance of Kindness: Jesus told His disciples that we glorify God when we “bear much fruit” (John 15:8). One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that God is looking for in the lives of Christians is kindness (Galatians 5:22). The Scriptures tell us that Christians are “children of God” who are to grow to become “like Him” (1 John 3:1–3). The Scriptures also tell us that God is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness” (Nehemiah 9:17). David wrote that God “has shown me His marvelous kindness” (Psalm 31:21). Solomon describes the virtuous woman: “on her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26). Jesus said that God is even “kind to the unthankful” (Luke 6:35). In 1 Corinthians 13:4, we learn that “love suffers long and is kind,” and that anyone who ministers to others should be recognized “by longsuffering, by kindness” (2 Corinthians 6:6). This is why the Apostle Peter urged believers to “add to your faith… brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5–7). If we hope to become like God and be in the Kingdom of God, we need to develop and exercise this important quality of kindness.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

Weekly Update 

PCG: Joe Tkach Jr Will Persuade Catholic Church To Throw The Philadelphia Church of God Out Of The U.S.

Gerald Flurry has said a lot of incredibly stupid things over the years, as have Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland and Jimmy Malm, but none of their prophecy prediction idiocy can compare to the proposition Gerald Flurry is throwing out into the wind about Joe Tkach Jr. and the Catholic church.

Gerald Flurry Throwing All Caution to the Wind / Date Setting:

December 28, 2018 

Gerald Flurry is nearing the end of his life, and reading his articles in the January 2019 issue of The Philadelphia Trumpet, one would think that he has thrown all caution to the winds. On page 8, he writes, "The Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the greatest event ever, will happen in six to 10 years, as I calculate it. That means the Great Tribulation, the worst suffering this Earth has ever experienced, will start within a few short years."  

Nevertheless, Joel Hilliker on the very next page, warns that, "In recent decades, it seems that every few years someone comes along with a new prediction of the world as we know it. And then those predictions prove false. This problem of failed prophecy has plagued many religions for thousands of years. People predicting Jesus Christ's return have set dates." 

On page 10, Hilliker again: "Be wary when you hear someone predicting a specific date of Christ's return." But what if the "someone" doing the predicting is the leader of your own church? What if Gerald Flurry himself is date-setting, "as he calculates it." 

Flurry has another even more bizarre article in the latest PT, called "Is America's Supreme Court In Bible Prophecy?" To put it briefly, the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh does two things. First, Flurry says, "I believe... [it] indicates God will likely see that President Trump has a second term." Secondly, the end-time Amaziah (= Joe Tkach Jr., who turned WCG around after Herbert Armstrong's death) is going to persuade the Supreme Court (full of Catholics, Flurry says) to throw the PCG out of the United States! But not to worry, Flurry says: 'The Supreme Court's rejection of our message is God's way of getting His people out of this country to a safe place.' Armstrongite-watchers will know that this used to mean Petra! --D. K.

Comment: The following words are taken from the January 24, 2017 PCG letter: 

Gerald Flurry has prophesied that Trump is the "End Time Jeroboam" that will ally with Joe Jr. Tkach and the WCG and finally kick the PCG members out of the USA, exiling them to Jordan/Petra. Flurry has also made a prophesy that Trump will be the last President of the USA because the Tribulation is very, very close and could happen at any time.    Exit and Support

Philadelphia Church of God on Depression

Leave it to one of the most abusive Churches of God to lecture the COG and society on depression.  The track record of the Philadelphia Church of God and how it has ruined lives and marriages over its existence is appaling. So for the PCG, and particularly Dennis Leap, to lecture us on the causes of depression is revolting.

Dennis Leap wants everyone to know that because they have broken the 10 commandments THAT is the reason people are depressed. And, lest we are too dumb to forget, Satan and his demons are also the cause.

Unseen Spiritual Forces

The majority of people are completely blind to the fact that even the unconscious violation of God’s spiritual laws—the Ten Commandments, God’s means to guarantee human happiness—sets one up to experience mental, emotional and personal problems and negative attitudes. The Ten Commandments are in force just like the law of gravity. When we obey them, the result is peace of mind, inner joy and happiness. Yet if we break them, we become broken. We must face the reality that consciously doing things we know are wrong results in negative or depressed feelings. 

If this is true, then why are some of the vilest COG leaders, who claim to be staunch commandment keeps, men who have ripped apart marriages, destroyed teenagers lives, led people to suicide and even to murder.

Here is a point that few recognize. Unresolved anger, bitterness, envy or jealousy leads to feelings of loss. We must learn to conquer these self-destructive, sinful emotions. All of these are the bricks of the path that leads to depression. “Envy makes the bones rot,” warns the Bible (Proverbs 14:30; English Standard Version). 

Anger, bitterness and sense of loss, all things that are a result of the vile "no contact" policies and other vile teachings of the PCG. PCG leaders could care less about the lives of members as long as they can keep them under control.

Although it is not socially acceptable to believe in evil spiritual forces—Satan the devil and his army of demons—they do exist, and they have made it their express goal to influence and disrupt the minds and attitudes of unsuspecting humans. Satan is the author of angelic and human sin. He is the most depressed being in the universe, and he desires for all humans to feel the same way he does. In Ephesians 2:2-3, the Apostle Paul calls Satan the “prince of the power of the air,” because this evil being broadcasts his negative attitudes of mind worldwide. 

Various COG leaders have been broadcasting their evilness across the airwaves for decades.  How many more need to die because of them, while they blame Satan and demons for the evil they cause.

No wonder so many people don’t understand the negative attitudes and moods plaguing them. The Bible warns that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12; English Standard Version). Satan and the demons place damaging and negative moods in unwary minds. The sudden impulse to end your life comes directly from them.  A Fresh Look at Depression

It’s time to face the reality of depression.