April 08, 2015 LCG Weekly Update
God Is Faithful: One of the striking themes of the Exodus story is the extreme negativity of the Israelites. They complained when they were in Egypt (Exodus 3:7). They complained when they were coming out of Egypt (Exodus 14:11). They complained when they had no bread (Exodus 16:3). They complained when they were given bread (Numbers 11:6). They complained against the authority of Moses, and tried to incite a revolution (Numbers 16:3). Others complained when God struck down those who had rebelled (Numbers 16:41). And they even complained when God told them to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 13).
Were they especially bad sinners? Of course not. The Apostle Paul shows that a spirit of negativity is a trap for all human beings—even those with God’s Spirit! And thus, he wrote to the Corinthian church: “Nor let us... complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:9-11).
Paul then continued his instruction with one of the most encouraging passages in all of Scripture: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
As these Days of Unleavened Bread draw to a close, it is good to remember God’s care and love for us. He does not condemn us for having difficulty with an obstacle. He knows what we’re going through! And because He is faithful, He will always help us when we cry out to Him and seek His strength, mercy and deliverance. That is one of the enduring lessons of the Exodus.
Have an inspiring Sabbath,
Rod McNair
From a reader here:
MY OBSERVATION:
Me thinks Rod McNair protesteth too much. It's interesting that in addition to all the sermons on obeying and submitting (to LCG government) McNair is now chastising the unhappy LCG members even in the weekly update which is read as an update from headquarters in congregations worldwide each Sabbath. Notice how he tries to scare them about complaining against the authority of Moses and those that tried to incite a revolution. It's sickening that he would even try to draw a parallel between the corrupt, completely absent of humility, tyrannical LCG authority, himself included, and Moses. Translation: "You stupid sheeple need to sit down and shut up. Quit complaining about the fact that we are changing church doctrine, ruling unjustly, spending millions of dollars on university expansion and prying into your private lives. We have been given this authority over you by God Almighty and we can rule however we see fit. To question us is to show a lack of faith for which you will be punished".
Interesting how he completely leaves out the part where God punishes Moses for not following His instruction and for exalting himself before the Israelites in Numbers 20:8-12
“Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”
McNair must is either stupid or counting on the fact that his audience isn't all that familiar with scripture. Either way, it made for an entertaining read.
