LCG: Trust Us For Wise Council - NEVER Trust Your Own Judgement! It Is A DANGEROUS Human Tendency!

 

The Value of Counsel: One of the common pitfalls in life is trusting in our own judgment when we only see part of the picture. When we make decisions or take actions based on how we see a situation, the results can be costly to ourselves and to others. This is why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:5, “lean not on your own understanding,” and in Proverbs 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes,” and again, in Proverbs 28:26, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.” Solomon also warned in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” These multiple warnings in Proverbs were recorded to alert us to a dangerous human tendency. To help us avoid making serious mistakes in life, Solomon advised in Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety,” and again in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” This is one of the reasons we have a Council of Elders in the Church of God. As individuals, we can obtain wise and valuable advice by prayerfully studying the book of Proverbs and by seeking counsel from parents, the ministry, and from more experienced friends and associates who can be objective and help us see a bigger picture that we perceive on our own.     

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Melvin Rhodes: The Age of Ignorance?

 

The Age of Ignorance?

Mel Rhodes has posted a piece that appears to be a rebuttal to my post "Faith of Our Fathers: A Racist Legacy." His post, "The Age of Ignorance," opens with a tribute to Handel's The Messiah (with which I have no problem). He wrote: "Today, we live in what can best be described as the age of ignorance.

Whatever the issues of the day, Black Lives Matter, slavery, and abortion, to name but three, a great deal of ignorance abounds. Gone is the grounding people once had in the Christian scriptures. Now, people spout their opinions, whatever they may be, exposing their ignorance on all topics.

The secularists may still appreciate the Hallelujah Chorus, for the inspiring music, but gone is the faith of their ancestors. It has been replaced solely by ignorance."

My first date with the mother of my children was on the occasion of a performance of The Messiah at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Then, as now, I felt inspired and appreciated the allusion to the fulfillment of God's plan for humankind as outlined in the Judeo-Christian Bible. Hence, my admiration for this composition could never be described as being secular in nature.

And, although the first two Hanoverian kings of Britain recognized Handel's talent, neither of them could fairly be characterized as "Christian" kings - unless we are using that term in the generic sense - as in, Donald Trump is a "Christian" president. George I was an adulterer who imprisoned his wife for seeking solace in the arms of another and had several children with his mistress.

Likewise, George II had several mistresses and was estranged from his father and heir (the Prince of Wales) for many years. Both George's were crude, vindictive men who spoke little English and used the British throne to further the interests of their principality in Germany (NCK objected to my characterization of it as a minor principality in the previous version of this post). Moreover, as far as the "Divine Right of Kings" is concerned, the only reason the Hanoverians ascended the British throne was that Parliament had barred the legitimate heir to the throne from the succession because he was a Roman Catholic!

In fact, the quotation from Dr. Roy Atwood is a perfect example of the kind of sentimental/nostalgic/fairytale history that I referenced in my post. For those who are interested in correcting the errors of their forefathers, the solution is relatively simple. It only requires a little intellectual curiosity, an open mind, a desire to be a better person and faith in God's ability to transform and forgive.

See Mr. Rhodes' post here

Lonnie Hendrix

UPDATED: LCG Breaking News: LCG Members Outraged After Weston Fires Sheldon Monson and Jason Fritts Over Masks

From an LCG source:

LCG fired 2 ministers today. One was a long-standing COE member. The members are outraged. These 2 were extremely loved and in charge of the youth ministry. Sheldon was in charge of their camps (which just wrapped up). Weston is citing masks as the reason (comical and lame) but we all know that’s just the pathetic excuse they’ve come up with.

Sheldon Monson Jason Fritts

August 7, 2020 Dear Brethren, It is with a sad heart that I must announce that Sheldon Monson and Jason Fritts are no longer in the ministry of the Living Church of God. We spent four and a half hours on Monday of this week with both of them discussing differences over masks, singing, how faith is exercised, and a few other issues. Then we held a Council of Elders meeting yesterday with Mr. Monson and 16 other members and advisors of the Council for another four and a half hours. Today Dr. Douglas Winnail and I talked with Mr. Monson on the phone and he agreed that we have come to a parting of ways. We also spent more than two hours with Mr. Fritts and could not reach an agreement on these subjects. We do not have personal animosity toward either of these men. Mr. Monson has been a faithful minister for many years and Mr. Fritts, though younger, has also served faithfully for a number of years. We want to make this breach between us as painless and amicable as possible, but it is impossible as an ordained minister to hold different views of how to conduct services during this temporary time of stress and not cause division, no matter how sincerely held those views may be. Even without intending to do so, this causes confusion and fragmentation among members of the Church. It is important to understand the reasons for some of the decisions the Church has made and that were confirmed by 16 longtime ministers yesterday in the Council. And let me assure you that these are not all “yes men,” as those of you who know them can attest. We truly wanted to find a way to work through our differences so that we all speak the same thing, as Paul admonished in 1 Corinthians 1:10. We will explain the doctrinal issues and biblical principles in the services livestreamed from Charlotte this Sabbath to North America and believe that the overwhelming majority of you will understand. The Bible is replete with admonitions concerning how God views division and those who cause division, and is just as clear about the wisdom of avoiding such individuals. This does not mean that we see each other as enemies. If anything, we should pray for one another with a sincere heart, that they may be able to walk with us in unity in the near future. But for now, we are left with no other choice but to agree to disagree. Brethren, we must be unified as one body doing the Work God has given us to do. Christ warns us that a “house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25). Our world is falling apart around us. Satan is very active in dividing the world right now, and he would love to do the same in the Church. God has blessed us greatly during this time, and we are doing our best to walk through the many open doors He has thrust on us in the last several months, so it is no surprise that Satan is attacking us now through sincere, well-meaning, but confused individuals. Brethren, please do not get caught up in the politics of this world and issues such as whether to wear a mask or not. Here is a letter from one of our members and what she sees: Thank you for the work you are doing. Life today in this world is so different than I ever thought it would be, although I knew that these things would happen. I am praying for you, please continue to pray for all of us in the work. This is truly a difficult time, and it may be a time when God is sifting the wheat from the tares again. I am beginning to see division in the Church because of the dumbest thing ever, “masks.” I pray that we all see the one behind all of this and realize that nothing, absolutely nothing happens without God’s permission. It is so sad. This is a trying time for all of us. Pray that we don’t allow ourselves to fall into Satan’s trap. I see how Satan is trying to separate us (me) from the love of God. He is astute and we (I) must keep crawling to God for deliverance from Satan, the world, and ourselves. My biggest problem is me! Life today seems bleak, please pray fervently that we are able to celebrate the Feast together this year and focus on God’s Kingdom, coming to replace this world’s kingdom. May God bless you, your wife, and all my beautiful family in Christ out at headquarters and around the world. Thank you all for giving all you have to do God’s work. The magazines, letters, sermons, programs, Viewpoints, Whiteboards, Living Education, and so much more freely offered to us all are incredibly helpful. God gives us many passages of scripture on how to handle matters of controversy in the Church. To say that you believe Jesus is the Head of the Church and then reject all the scriptures proving how He guides His Church when there are matters of controversy is showing a lack of faith in His leadership. Why is it, my friends, that we believe Jesus is active as the Head of the Church and guides the servants He has appointed to lead His Church only so long as they agree with us? Walking by faith is essential, but, brethren, we need to ask ourselves: Is it up to each person individually to define “faith” in terms of wearing or not wearing a mask and singing or not singing during this “present distress” (1 Corinthians 7:26)? Is it truly biblical? One not-so-peripheral issue in the first-century Church of God was circumcision. It was a big deal, where people had plenty of scriptural “evidence” on both sides. God provided that account in Acts as just one of many examples that teach us how Christ settles matters of controversy within His Body. Paul instructed the divided Corinthian congregation, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). Some may wonder whether we will still have summer camps and the answer is an emphatic YES. We will have them as long as God permits us to do so! We have every intention to continue with our youth camps. I have spent 28 years working with our young people at our camps, and we have no intention of abandoning them. Please be assured that, overwhelmingly, the membership is loyal and has faith in Christ to lead His Church. As all of us understand, it is our responsibility not to get caught up in disputes over masks and other matters, but to preach the Kingdom of God. Let us not walk in fear but in faith, boldly doing the Work set before us while there is still time. Sincerely, in Christ’s service, Gerald E. Weston