Thursday, September 10, 2020

"Well Whatever the Context is, You Have Definitely Taken That Out of It!"




(Posted by request and originally posted in the 
Ambassador College Pasadena Forum.)

When I worked in Church Administration just prior to graduation, all local churches had to send in a picture to HQ of their choirs.  They were gone over and if a picture showed a handicapped person of any kind, they were sent a "Snowflake From Heaven", my term for HQ Memo, telling the Choir Director to remove that person from the Choir.  In context, it is referring to the priesthood but I don't think ministers with disabilities were disqualified or removed from a local church. 

This was the OT Scripture used to justify such a request. 

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is broken footed, or brokenhanded, Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

I also had an experience or two with fellow Pastor types who struggled as to what to do with both children born out of wedlock and the girls, usually teens, that gave birth to them.  One member called me and said her daughter was dead. A shocker as I had just buried a teen hit by a car recently. (Oh not again!)  But he meant she got pregnant and she was now dead to him. We had a long talk about "love never fails".  I 

""A bitched shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 23:2)

A bitched is someone who was born outside of wedlock, which means you were born before your parents were married. Being born out of wedlock makes you filthy, apparently; so filthy in fact that it takes ten genetic steps down the line to wash how filthy it makes you.

So even if your family's 100% awesome you can't come to church in like a century or two if you're a bitched, which I guess is only fair. After all, "God is love". 

I always found a heavy dose of compassion, kindness, and understanding went much further in the long run of life with teens in trying times than banishment and scorn. I have had many a teen, now adult, who had such experiences call me to update me on their very beautiful children's success in life. 

Four separate then teens now adults have called me to tell me they were gay. Interesting. "Does that surprise you?" they all asked me.  I said, "No, it seemed rather apparent from the start when I knew you."  I asked why they called to tell me and each said, "Because I knew you'd understand.".  That's a much better answer than "Because you ruined my life."  

One mother called me in a rage and panic as her daughter was pregnant, by her father.  What to do?  I told her, for her long term mental health of her daughter and the dangers this situation posed,  to go to the ER, explain it all, and do what they suggest. It was already what she wanted to do but felt she needed "permission".  No permission needed.  You can speculate on the conclusion all you wish. 

It got crazy out there as a pastor at times. (not even counting bi-annual corporate church scandals and drama) I don't recall any classes on the reality of ministry. By nature, I probably would have disagreed anyway as my "send the pastor a note telling the Choir Director to remove the handicapped person"  experience was something I was not about to do back then either. (My older and only brother is blind, deaf and cannot speak from birth trauma as a "premie" so I was a bit sensitive to the concept in the OT. Fortunately, he can't sing and was never called into the one True Church. 

Lots of pastor experience tales I suppose. They ran the gamut from interesting to insane.  and often endeavoring to explain the concept of "CONTEXT" seemed to escape most in the Churches of God ministry and member. 

Church of God Leadership And What They Think Of Members When Making Decisions

 


Wednesday, September 9, 2020

King Gerald Flurry Melts Down After PCG Members Refuse To Swallow His "New Throne" Malarkay

 


It is always fun to watch various COG leaders go into meltdown mode when their teachings are questioned by members.  In their mind, when their god reveals something to them then the membership needs to swallow it as absolute truth. 99.99% of the time these revelations are figments of severely disturbed minds instead of God speaking.

For a couple years now, ever since Flurry went to Oregon and dug up the dirty old rock that Herbert is supposed to have knelt at to pray, he has been on a quest to legitimize the absurd idolatry of the rock that has taken place since then. From originally being placed in a garden so people could sit and meditate in front of it, it is now displayed in a glass case so that the devoted can gaze upon it in awe and wonder knowing that the sacred butt of the so-called "christ" they follow will come and sit upon it. The absurdities of the myths that Armstrongite leaders dream up is beyond measure

Flurry has written a new article (Psalm 89: Jeremiah Speaks to the PCGfor his grumbling and questioning members who are refusing to swallow his lie. He has to keep his few remaining members under control and living in fear so that his money keeps coming in. Pretty much how ALL the COG's operate these days.

Like all good COG leaders, Flurry has to claim that certain scriptures are written for a specific church in the end times. According to Flurry, Psalm 89 was written by Jeremiah SPECIFICALLY for the Philadelphia Church of God. Of course, he cherry-picks one Psalm in particular to support the worship fo the rock he has elevated to status of sacred.

I believe the Prophet Jeremiah authored Psalms 89 and 119. The Worldwide Church of God taught this for many years under Herbert W. Armstrong, and I agree. These psalms are also written in poetry, which Jeremiah was skilled at doing (perhaps with Baruch’s help), especially considering the poetic book of Lamentations.

God commissioned Jeremiah to save David’s throne from Israel and reestablish it in Ireland, so Jeremiah had a passion to understand David and how and why he was a man after God’s own heart. He wrote in the spirit of David as a means of becoming more of a man after God’s heart. One lesson these psalms teach is that we must be people after God’s own heart.

The author of Psalm 89 learned a lesson from psalms like Psalm 22, which David wrote. The author of Psalm 119 patterned it after Psalm 19, which David wrote. If Jeremiah wrote these chapters, then the connection of his thinking to building David’s throne is clearer.

The message from God in these psalms is especially for the Philadelphia Church of God. God’s Church now has David’s throne. God has made us responsible for building up that throne, a great responsibility—greater than we tend to realize! God is educating us so we know how to build it up.

As usual, it is a COG responsibility to help usher in some kind of "kingdom" they think their god is in the process of using them to prepare.

Jeremiah was speaking of what he would do, and now God is speaking: “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations” (verses 3-4). God promised to build up David’s throne to all generations!

God keeps His promises, which means He has been building up that throne in our lifetimes, in these last two eras of the Church! Herbert W. Armstrong restored all things (Matthew 17:10-11) and laid the foundation for our understanding of this truth. And this last era is especially unique because we have David’s throne—the throne of God! (This is fully explained in my book The New Throne of David. Request a free copy.) God is going to build up that throne in this last era because it is now within His Church. He has fulfilled that promise and is building up that throne within the pcg today. 

According to Flurry, his members and the COG membership as a whole do NOT understand this amazing thing. Even Bob Thiel, who knows everything about everything, cannot comprehend this great news! Of course in Flurry's eyes, his group is specifically set apart to be the select group to usher in this creature "christ" he claims that will sit upon his rock. Yet, many of his follower's are not on the sacred rock bandwagon

What is our part in this? We have specific responsibilities that Mr. Armstrong did not have. God’s ministers and Church members must build up His throne! God is concerned about how we execute this royal duty. He is focusing us on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, who will rule from this very throne!

Genesis 49 is a prophecy of what would happen “in the last days” (verse 1). In verse 10 God states, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” The scepter and the lawgiver would descend from Judah, David’s tribe—even “in the last days,” right up “until Shiloh come,” until Jesus Christ returns! And this is a specific prophecy that those two roles—the scepter (civil government) and the lawgiver—would be combined into a single office. In the past, the scepter and the law were separate—one individual holding the scepter on David’s throne in a civil government and another teaching God’s law in His true Church. But now they are combined in the Philadelphia Church of God.

You cannot combine these responsibilities and build up the throne of David without putting in some work. We must have a level of understanding to be able to tie these two entities together. Now everything is ruled by the royal law of God until Shiloh comes. That law rules the very throne of David! It is stunning to think on what God has given us and the kind of example He expects us to be.

Did you know that 95% of the COG refuses to follow this nonsense! It is Flurry's duty to draw us all back into the true chruch. We are not joining his work or giving him money.

The sun and moon give light, and so does this godly promise!The world lies in darkness; it doesn’t see this light. Nevertheless the truth about this throne is real—it is a bright lamp God gives His Church! God’s people must shine that light both to the world and to the 95 percent of God’s people who have grown lukewarm and turned away from God. Their failure shows how difficult this job is.

God expects a lot from His people. He certainly required a lot of Jeremiah. This prophet was persecuted, thrust into a dungeon neck-deep in mud, and left for dead. Surely his nerves were stretched to the breaking point!

When PCG members and others dare to question Flurry's dedication to this holy rock and the teaching it will be the thone his creature "jesus" returns to they are directly attacking the royal line of David, which essentially means that you are attacking Gerald Flurry, since he is of that "royal line."

Now, in Psalm 89, comes one of the strangest turns anywhere in the Bible. After those many powerful statements about God’s promise to David, this follows: “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant[David]: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. … Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?” (verses 38-45, 49).

These are strong words! I do believe they are Jeremiah’s. Maybe Jeremiah is one of the few who would talk to God this way because he had such a close relationship with Him. Yes, this psalm concludes, “Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen” (verse 52). But does that mean everything was OK?

The attack on David’s royal line deeply dismayed Jeremiah. Clearly he thought God had broken His promise!

PCG members do not trust Flurry in this matter and that has irritated him. PCG members MUST trust him in ALL matters. To do so is to "cast the crown" to the ground denying his "christ."

Now, in Psalm 89, comes one of the strangest turns anywhere in the Bible. After those many powerful statements about God’s promise to David, this follows: “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant[David]: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. … Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?” (verses 38-45, 49).

These are strong words! I do believe they are Jeremiah’s. Maybe Jeremiah is one of the few who would talk to God this way because he had such a close relationship with Him. Yes, this psalm concludes, “Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen” (verse 52). But does that mean everything was OK?

The attack on David’s royal line deeply dismayed Jeremiah. Clearly he thought God had broken His promise!

You MUST trust Flurry, unconditionally! To not trust him means you do not support the great commission.

God is saying to Jeremiah and to all of us who have God’s throne in this Church now, You must totally trust me—or you cannot fulfill this commission!

It sounds easy to totally trust God and “live … by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). But it is tough to actually do it—not 99 percent, but 100 percent! This is what God expects from people who are working with David’s throne!

You know Jeremiah had faith—but at this point, he did not totally trust God. He had to grow to where he absolutely knew God would fulfill His word, regardless of appearances to the contrary.

Even having a 1% distrust factor means you are totally removed from God's sight. 100% trust and loyalty to Gerald Flurry is required. Only then will you be a true "son of Zadok". 

Trusting God 99 percent or less is really a deadly spiritual disease! God’s people must remove this disease. God’s message is, Don’t challenge me. Don’t accuse me of losing my lovingkindness! Just know 100 percent that if I say it, it will be done! 

Only those who totally trust God are “sons of Zadok,” named after the priest who remained loyal to David’s throne to the end. That means totally trusting every single word of God, including the scepter promise and the covenant with David.

How dare PCG members "murmur" against Flurry! To do so is to go against church government which has set Flurry up as the one true leader in this end times.

What do you do if there is murmuring against God’s leader? Somehow you have to convince them they are wrong, or they are going to be put in the outer court. Here, God performed a wonderful miracle: “and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” (verse 8). This was so spectacular, even the carnal Israelites could not deny God’s presence!

The principle is, compare the rods and see where God is working. None of them will miraculously bud and produce fruit except for the one God is using.

Revelation 10:11 contains our commission to “prophesy again.” Revelation 11:1 says God’s leader is given “a reed like unto a rod,” a symbol of authority to do the Work. In the end time, God’s people were divided and confused, and 95 percent of them turned away from God, and they are murmuring, and they are in the outer court, and they don’t understand what God is doing—a tremendous failure! They need to prove who has the rod that is blossoming, budding and bearing fruit!

Murmer's will DIE! 50% of the COG will die FOREVER because they have rejected Flurry! 

In Moses’s day, God warned that those who didn’t stop murmuring and rebelling would die (Numbers 17:10). That is what God says to us spiritually. At some point you must stop the murmuring and rebelling, or you’re going to die! That is the opposite of the total trust God is building in His people. This is about eternal life and eternal death. Amos 8:14 speaks of people who “shall fall, and never rise up again.” Fifty percent of God’s people who turn away from Him are going to die forever!

If you are a loyal COG member and stop murmuring then you too can be there when Flurry hands over the sacred rock so his creature "christ" can sit its royal behind upon it. Only the true follows of Flurry will be heirs of this magnificent time!

Some of God’s people will soon present that throne to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming! How can someone do that if he doesn’t really understand these things? We must believe what God is doing! We are sons of Zadok, and we are going to share the throne with Jesus Christ. So God expects the very highest standard. To fulfill that role, we must have demonstrated total trust in God!

Flurry warns then all the unfaithful PCG members who dare to question him. Every word he speaks and every single word his ministers speak is specifically from the god of the PCG! That word can NEVER be questioned!

No matter how hard the trial gets or how fierce it is, just look in the Bible. See what God says. And when the temptation to question or challenge God arises, refrain! Don’t even go there! That is total trust in God.

God’s ministers have the responsibility to teach God’s Word—not what they would like it to say or what they think it should say, but exactly what God tells them to say! That is total trust!

Flurry ends with justifying the deluded visions his mind has made up. His god has revealed the truth about the sacred rock and his creature "christ" returning to it. That can never be questioned!

When I heard a voice announcing the new throne of David, it was absolutely like no experience I have ever had. But hearing it made me realize all the more that God is right here! He is not in some far-off place. The angels, too, are all around wherever God’s people are. That experience helped me see this even more deeply.

God wants to build in us total trust! If you are a loving father, you will not forsake your child. Yet God and His love exceed that commitment by many miles! God is perfect! Jesus Christ is perfect! Even amid the agony of torture and crucifixion, He totally trusted God.

I am a descendant of David, and God has given me the title of a king. I probably want to use this office even less than I should because I don’t feel worthy to be anything for God. Nevertheless, it means a certain responsibility for me and for all of us. We have a duty to raise and build up David’s throne.

In the back of Flurry's mind, there is a bit of logic that tells him that he is crazy as hell, but he is so blinded by his own narcissism that he cannot see it and ultimately sees the rejections as persecution.  

Many prophecies warn that God’s Church will receive real pressure in the future. Enemies will castigate our people in unmerciful ways. They will probably say people who hear a voice belong in insane asylums, and it is crazy to follow someone to a place of safety who says he is a king. They will compare us to cults like Jim Jones, which committed mass suicide. That will be hard to take! It will take strong courage to resist that. And that will only come from knowing and totally trusting this revelation.

100% loyal is demanded! 

God doesn’t want one speck of distrust! We are human, and we all sin. We are not perfect like Christ and the Father. But we are striving to be like them as much as we possibly can. We are striving to totally trust our Father! That is the primary lesson we need to learn from Psalm 89.

If Jeremiah can have a breakdown of his faith, so can all of us. He had a breakdown, but I think he quickly recognized it. And remember, he was one of the great men of the Bible.

If we are to do great things for God, we have to believe God! We have to trust God totally! If we do that, then no matter the opposition and obstacles, we will do a great work for Him! 

That false trust in the god of Flurryism really means one thing. You cannot trust Flurry's god unless you trust HIM (Furry) 100%. 

100% obedience of the true leader is required for salvation to happen. That is the mantra for EVERY single COG leader from Flurry down to Thiel.