LCG: Seek Wise Counsel

Doug Winnail is back with another round of seeking wise counsel when making decisions. Apparently, the year is off to a bang since he is repeating this same post. While Doug says to go to parents, friends, and associates for wise counsel, he also mentioned the ministry. Any thinking COG member knows that going to the ministry is NOT the ideal thing to do. Receiving wise counsel from the ministry has a horrendous track record. Remember that many of these ministers were the same ministers that gave bad advice when in the Worldwide Church of God and still give the same bad advice after jumping ship, twice, to be in Living Church of God. Use extreme caution if you plan on going to the ministry for counseling. Since hardly any of them have real certified training in counseling, you may be putting your life at risk!

The Value of Counsel: 

One of the common pitfalls of 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 problem, 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 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.” We can obtain wise counsel and valuable advice from prayerfully studying the book of Proverbs on a regular basis and from seeking advice from parents, the ministry, and from more experienced friends and associates, who can be objective and help us see a bigger picture than we perceive on our own. God wants us to succeed and be happy in this life and become wise leaders in the coming kingdom (Daniel 12:3)—which is why He inspired and preserved this advice about the value of counsel!

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Philadelphia Church of God Says The World Cannot Handle The Truth That They Have To Give

With a wild election season, Democrats taking control, weather patterns going crazy and constant rumors of war, Church of God leaders are getting whipped into a frenzy. With big tech silencing the President and right wing groups, these same COG leaders are screaming persecution. Add to all of this cacophony the rapidly approaching 35th anniversary of Herbert Armstrong's death and you have a perfect storm recipe of doom and gloom that excites these men. 

Gerald Flurry, in order to remain relevant, has been shouting from the flatlands of Oklahoma for months now about the guaranteed reelection of Trump, the persecution of media giants in the banning of certain of their videos, and now for the expected miracles about to happen on Herbert's death anniversary.

Exit and Support Network has a couple of letters up in relation to this:

Looks like PCG is getting nervous about their programs possibly being banned from YouTube. SF on the latest Trumpet Daily radio show (“The Real Coup”) said they are “expecting trouble.” He said it was because “they” can’t stand the truth. They are now going to have their own platform. 

Flurry is like Bob Thiel. They both get all pissy when their wildly absurd videos are taken down. Never mind the fact that these videos are filled with prophetic nonsense that is a result of Armstrongite teachings or that in Bob's case are just plain appallingly bad, these men see persecution at every corner as a satanic attack to thwart their mind-boggling ministries. Plus, when has Flurry (or Bob) ever told the truth? Both are biblical illiterates with no real training in eschatology, hermeneutics, and especially in Christology.

When has "truth" ever been found in any of these splinter personality cults?

Another letter mentioned a sermonette by Carlos Heyer, one of Flurry's toad-eaters makes absurd claims that great days are ahead for the Philadelphia Church of God in spite of the dangers that surround them at every corner.

Heyer says this:

“Last December 5 GF declared a churchwide fast for January 10. He outlined 3 areas to focus on during this fast.” Heyer called Gerald Flurry “our Prophet or King.” 

 

He said Brad Macdonald wrote an announcement for Europe and the UK telling who has fasted in the past; i. e., the ancient Israelites, the Jews in Ezra’s day, those in the NT, and the church under HWA. “In every instance, these fasts produced incredible fruit and the Work surged forward.” 

 

He said the theme for this fast is “Fasting and Praying for God’s Protection.” Some scriptural references he gave were Ezra 8, Daniel 9, Isaiah 58 (mentions “true fasting vs. false fasting”), Psalms 37, and Matthew 6:16-18. 

 

HWA “left us a legacy on how to fast, alternating one hour of study, one hour meditation, and one hour prayer, then begin the cycle again.” 

Then it becomes quite clear as to why Flurry is calling a fast. He wants more money! Income is stagnant. Membership is stagnant and/or dropping. As members leave the church no new ones appear to be interested in their nonsense.  Of course, Satan's use of COVID to throttle the work is to blame.

GF had said: “The coronavirus is holding the Work back in many ways and we need more laborers; and we need to make sure we are overcoming Satan the Devil. 

 

He read more from Brad Macdonald’s announcement in which he went through 3 areas/points to focus on: 

 

(1) Fast and pray for God’s intervention in the covid 19 situation as it is holding back the Work (even tho the income has not been adversely affected). 

 

(2) Fast and pray for more members and laborers. Overall membership has not increased. 

 

(3) GF has said these are exciting and intense days, but they are also dangerous. The only way we can thrive and perform at the level God needs us to is if we are close to God. Examine ourselves for anything that is separating us from God. Examine your relationship with the world. Are you too close to the world? Too materialistic? 

Too materialistic? WHAT????? This is PCG after all and the FLurry clan. They are shining examples of excess and lust for the good things in life. Campus buildings built just so Flurry's grandkids can learn the sacred Irish dance, luxury private homes on campus filled with fine art and other extravagancies, a money-draining concert hall, a boondoggle jet that sits parked in a hanger until Lill'Stevie wants to flay back and forth to England or Jerusalem, or for their exclusive use any time Flurry's grandkids need to compete in an Irish dance competition somewhere in the world. And let's not forget they excursion to Oregon to dig up a dirty old rock and bring it back to the cult compound where they placed it on a bed of royal purple velvet and then encased it in glass so the faithful can come and worship it, at least until till Jesus comes and sits his kingly butt upon it. after Flurry flies it to Jerusalem. 

“Let’s beseech Him to further empower this great Work and to help us prepare individually and collectively for the return of Jesus Christ.”

Let's pray that this NOT happen because this is NOT a "great work" and it also has absolutely NOTHING to do with Christ. This abomination, along with Dave Pack's, Bob Thiel's and Ron Weinland's, need to be buried in the trash heaps of the valley of Armageddon where their cults all belong.

Jim O'Brien (Church of God Cincinnati) says we are in a spiritual war and has declared a fast

Jim O'Brien (Church of God, Cincinnati) says that as Christian people we need to understand we are at war. The world is reeling around us and the United States is in election turmoil, unlike any other election we have seen. Society and church members are depressed.  COVID has wreaked havoc on society, businesses, and churches. As usual, the gays are behind a lot of the problems O'Brien sees in the world.

So where does O'Brien turn to? Does he look to Jesus for comfort and ways to cope in this weird world? Nope! He looks back at the law, Moses, Nehemiah, and fasting. Fasting in the old covenant was a time of lamentation and the visible presence of sackcloth and ashes. Contrast that with the new covenant where Jesus is the focus and the focus is upon joy and feasting:

...in the Old Testament individual and corporate lamentations were often accompanied by fasting. Likewise, in the only legislated fast, the people of Israel afflicted themselves on the day of atonement (see Lev. 16:29–31; 23:27–32). In short, because of God’s absence, the people of Israel fasted. This would also explain why the disciples of John the Baptist fasted. He was, in Jesus’s words, the greatest son born under the old covenant (Matthew 11:11), but now that the bridegroom has come, fasting has been replaced with feasting. This is exactly the point of Matthew 9:14–15, 

 

Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 

 

Just as John the Baptist himself said: Jesus is the bridegroom, John is the friend of the bridegroom, the one who prepares the way for the groom to receive his bride (John 3:25–30). Hence, the relationship between John and Jesus—and the difference between John’s fasting and Jesus’s feasting, is eschatological and covenantal. It is not simply a matter of personal ministry styles. 

 

Accordingly, when Jesus answers the question about fasting, he reveals an important truth—his presence means the cessation of fasting. A New Covenant Perspective on Fasting

Armstrongism has always placed its emphasis upon old covenant laws and rules, all easily laid out in plain view as a schoolmaster writing on a chalkboard. Perhaps, during difficult times, the focus can be made upon the good and joyful things in life that are always present, even in the darkest of times. Those little epiphanies display the grandeur of God far more than bemoaning the evils in the world and actually lift people out of their depressed state of being where they dwell in negativity. 

Jim O'Brien writes:

 

Hi Friend, 

 

During the past few months the world we live in has changed dramatically. Formerly we were accustomed to living in a country with freedom to worship God, where leaders invoked the Bible, the name of God, and revered the God of the Bible. All those freedoms are now being threatened.

Sociologists declare that we live in a post-Christian world. The Bible is ridiculed, and Christians are accused of using hate speech for advocating a moral lifestyle. As a result, marriage is threatened, the family is undermined, and parental rights are rapidly diminishing. The state is the new parent. 

 

Many churches are closed. There can be severe fines and even jail sentences for attending a funeral, celebrating marriage or just attending church and singing hymns to God.

We are watching American cities being burned and innocent people attacked.

As spiritual people we understand that this is a religious war and we need to use spiritual weapons to combat the enemy. This war may be new to us, but it is not new to the people of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

After church this past weekend, I reflected on several comments about a spirit of depression that is covering the world. For this reason, I decided to read the Book of Nehemiah, the Prophet who faced depression after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s solution was to fast and pray. His prayer is recorded for us.

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name.” (Nehemiah 1:5-11)

Nehemiah did not simply point the finger at other people. Remember, he said that not only had Israel sinned, but the sins “myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.”
Let us, who believe in the God who led Israel out of slavery—the God who founded America—confess our sins before God and believe that He will hear our prayers and protect the “elect” that He has chosen.

When Solomon dedicated the temple to God, he knew man would sin. Solomon prayed to God before all the people, “When [your people] sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.” (2 Chronicles 6:36-39)

God has blessed us with the freest country ever to exist in which to live. We have lived in wealth without threat from foreign enemies. We have been blessed with justice. Therefore, we take wealth and justice as a natural part of life—we take them for granted without considering the urgent need to “cry out to God” as Moses and the Prophets did. 

Now these blessings are threatened. Many of us feel that we are becoming captives in our own country. It is time for us to seek God in urgent prayer. Let us do what Solomon said, turn back to God “with all of our heart and soul.”

For this reason many of us have agreed to join together in fasting and prayer to seek God. Let us confess our sins, recognize the flaws we have as individuals, as a nation and as a church.

Let us commit ourselves to repentance asking God to restore the church, His people, to a place of worship that honors the God who gave us life and blesses His people with liberty.

We have set aside this Sunday, January 17 to fast and pray. Thank you for joining with many brethren across the nation as we look to God for our salvation.

Warmest regards to each of you,

Jim O’Brien

Here is a partial list of congregations and groups participating in this fast.

Atlanta Independent Church of God

Bible Home Fellowship Jonesboro, AR

Bible Sabbath Association

Cana Christian Fellowship Virginia

Celebration Church of God Idaho

Christian Church of God Jackson, MS

Christian Educational Ministries

Church of God Beth El Nashville

Church of God Big Sandy

Church of God Central PA

Church of God Cincinnati

Church of God International

CGI Dallas Ft. Worth

CGI Tyler Texas

CGI Atlanta

Church of God Kansas City

Church of God Parkersburg, WV

Church of God Rocky Mount NC

Church of God Southern California

Common Ground Christian Ministries

Fellowship of the Word Flatrock, NC

Hungry Hearts Fellowship Jackson, TN

Independent Church of God Fellowship Portsmouth, OH

Fairview Texas Church of God

Katy Christian Fellowship Katy Texas

Lexington Church of God

LifeResource Ministries

Living God Ministries Montgomery

North Texas Fellowship

Our Father’s House Sacramento

Outreach Ministries Scotts Bluff, NE

Pleasant Hills Church of God

Seventh Day Christian Assembly—Knoxville, TN

Terre Haute Church of God

West Tennessee Sabbath Ministries