Living Church of God has another Chicken Soup for the Soul Friday night message for their faithful in the church.
The problem with it all is that it is just another rehash of a tired and worn our record that has been skipping for 20 some years now. They have been preaching a message that they call the gospel, which is filled with doom, gloom and almost no hope at all for anyone, including their members.
LCG members are encouraged to be lights to the world, yet turn their backs on the world around them. When is the last time LCG, as a church, told its members to be lights by helping at homeless shelters, or to feed the hungry, or care for the orphans who are not church members? When have their members made sandwiches or meals for the police or fire departments in their neignborhoods who have to work on holidays or during times of disasters or emergencies? When has LCG ever shown their thanks like this? What about cooking a warm meal for the prostitutes or drug addicts who have no hope in their lives?
God forbid if LCG members get caught up in such twiggy ideas or being peripheral agents of grace! It is better to ignore them, or at least beat them up with the law.
Oh, and LCG members are to NEVER let "personal agenda's" ever overwhelm their lives, especially Headquarters employees, and leadership. Has there ever been a COG HQ filled with more backstabbing than LCG? Given the long history of members and employees spilling the beans on HQ shenanigans, we all know that "personal agenda's" is the game of the day, and the children of the dead leader and his relatives live in an alternate universe from the rest of the membership.
Living Church of God members are to NEVER sit around and complain about the hypocrisy at HQ and in the leadership.
Living Church of God members are to develop their minds to be just like Christ's. As usual, LCG members have to be constantly doing something to please their God. Unless they continually are working and working and working and working to please their God, they bear the burden of stirring up it's wrath. Living Church of God's continual denial of being true followers of Jesus leaves LCG members with no ultimate hope. Constantly having to do things makes them feel good, but still leaves them distant and longing for the grace some sincerely seek, but never quite find.
Where Is Your Heart?
Jesus urged His disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). He said, “My food [My nourishment, what motivates Me] is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Jesus was a mission-oriented person who challenged His disciples to follow in His footsteps (Matthew 4:18-22). Truly dedicated Christians are committed to that same mission—preaching the Gospel, warning the world, feeding the flock and being real Christian lights and examples to those around them (Matthew 10:6-7; Mathew 24; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 John 2:15-19). They cannot afford to get side-tracked on peripheral issues or twiggy ideas (2 Timothy 2:14-19). They don’t let personal agendas—economic, political or romantic—pull them off course (Matthew 13:18-23). They don’t listen to rumors, and they don’t stand around and complain—they focus on what is good and what is positive (Philippians 4:8). They don’t let interpersonal differences hinder their spiritual growth or their relationship with others (Romans 12:14-18). Their goal is to develop the mind of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). The Sabbath is a good time to ponder the question—Where is Your Heart?
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail