One of the posters that I miss is invisible, not only for her insights many of which influenced me a lot, but invisible also seemed to have knowledge of much of the behind the scene stuff at TLW. During the time I was absent from this message board, I wasn't aware that she posted. I went back to read her comments regarding the NT (Jesus) instructions re Gary asking for forgiveness. When my mother was ill, my siblings wanted her to disburse all her assets and go on welfare and into a nursing home but I knew mom didn't want that ever and I had power of attorney. Long story short, one of siblings continually bad mouthed me to the medical staff and towards the end the hospice staff. I found it very difficult to forgive that and had more success at forgiving JRS than my siblings. In May something happened that I never in a million years thought would happen, a sibling who was seeing a shrink after a spouse passed, called me to apologize saying "I was a narcissist; you followed mom's wishes." After that it was sooooo easy to forgive. Maybe Gary will never apologize but if he did I think decades of old wounds would begin to heal.

kBOY wrote: “It was the more powerful who won out, not the most SPIRITUAL.”

----------------------

Now that’s a strong statement of insight especially befitting this current earthy dimension of momentary insanity.

Hey, welcome to The Church of the Living Word where the powerful always prevail over the spiritual; a guaranteed insane experience!!

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Slight correction--gone more like 18 years:
> The decision to leave was made at the Palmer Lake
> conference-- so many, when addressing Marilyn,
> referring to her as the 'Lamp of Israel.' The only
> time I can recall using a title when addressing
> her was during one of those 'Fred and Ethel'
> meetings--going over local church
> accounting/activities--when I asked her 'so you're
> an apostolic father, huh?' That teasing bombed
> (cold silence), and I don't recall speaking
> another word during that particular meeting.

_________________________________________________________

I commiserate. If the leadership didn't get my jokes, Hasta la vista baby.

HEADLINE NEWS: God is a No-Show--Again!

"Release The Outpouring!"
September 4, 2016

[www.churchofthelivingword.com]

". . . the Feast of Tabernacles . . . created a great anticipation for God. We should also have a great anticipation for the Lord to manifest His Presence." (Familiar ground with no fruition.)

"This outpouring . . . will produce the release of God's sons. No matter how long the process seems to be taking (painfully l o n g ), . . . full maturity will happen instantly." (Ruling & reigning with a rod of iron in hand.)

"When will this . . . outpouring . . . happen? (Wait for it . . .) When we ask for it." (Like all the other times when it did not happen.)

" . . . it is when God's people proclaim, 'Now, Lord'". (Disregard all the previous 'Now, Lord's!')

"To see God's promises manifest on the physical level requires that we believe them, appropriate them, and proclaim them." (It's worked great so far.)

lily rose said, "Maybe Gary will never apologize but if he did I think decades of old wounds would begin to heal."

You also mentioned your sister's narcissism.

Waiting for Gary to apologize is akin to waiting for a narcissist to seek therapy. It rarely happens because the narcissist doesn't see that they have a problem. They feel that everything is just fine, and that any problem is sourced from those around them. "If everyone would just toe the line and do what I say, things would run more smoothly". They don't see, (or in some cases do not have the capacity to see) that they are in fact the source of the problem.

Add the ingredient of leading a cult, and the constant ego boost that results from human adoration, and you have someone who does not, will not, ever see a reason to apologize to anyone for anything. Unfortunate, but that is reality.

Gary reads a plea for making amends, and instead of experiencing a change of heart and having the desire to make a course correction, he sees a parishioner as apostate and in need of counseling to get right minded.

Probably so pbxguy. The fact that my sibling got therapy with a psychiatrist for a year exposed the realization/admission of narcissism. I wonder if there aren't other members or newer members though who may think Gary should do the right thing. Maybe I'm wrong again. Oh well, thanks for the input.

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HEADLINE NEWS: God is a
> No-Show--Again! ( WAITNG FOR GODOT)
>
> "Release The Outpouring!"
> September 4, 2016
>
> [www.churchofthelivingword.com]
> se-the-outpouring/
>
> ". . . the Feast of Tabernacles . . . created a
> great anticipation for God. We should also have a
> great anticipation for the Lord to manifest His
> Presence." (Familiar ground with no
> fruition.) WAITNG FOR GODOT
>
> "This outpouring . . . will produce the release of
> God's sons. No matter how long the process seems
> to be taking (painfully l o n g ),
> . . . full maturity will happen instantly."
> (Ruling & reigning with a rod of iron in
> hand.) WAITING FOR GODOT

> "When will this . . . outpouring . . . happen?
> (Wait for it . . .) When we ask for
> it." (Like all the other times when it did
> not happen.) WAITING FOR GODOT
>
> " . . . it is when God's people proclaim, 'Now,
> Lord'". (Disregard all the previous 'Now,
> Lord's!') WAITING FOR GODOT
>
> "To see God's promises manifest on the physical
> level requires that we believe them, appropriate
> them, and proclaim them." (It's worked
> great so far.) WAITING FOR GODOT


WAITING FOR GODOT is a play in which two characters wait endlessly in vain for the arrival of someone named Godot.

pbxguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lily rose said, "Maybe Gary will never
> apologize but if he did I think decades of old
> wounds would begin to heal."
>
> You also mentioned your sister's narcissism.
>
>_________________________________________________

I received holy hell a while back from my sister (who I guess reads this stuff) for mentioning on the Internet that I had a sister. So I have tried to refrain from mentioning any living family, hence I tried using the term sibling. I have more than one sibling and the sibling I referred to who lost a spouse, got very depressed, saw a shrink, had a revelation about narcissism issues, apologized to me (which resulted in my wounds going away) was not my sister. Whew. I have to say this about my wounds (not anyone else who has wounds on this message board). I really blew my wounds out of proportion and I only realized that when my sibling and I began to love one another again.

One of the fallacies of TLWF doctrine is that someday there will be an instantaneous change if you just keep following the leader. It’s based on mind control regarding the doctrine, instead of actual obedience to what Jesus taught. If we put into practice what Jesus taught, there is an immediate reaction – not just pie in the sky. For instance, if we forgive and love our enemies, there is a change that takes place today, not just when we get to heaven – or after we breakthrough into some new level. How we treat others is affecting our relationship with God right now. Or as John said, "If a man says he loves God, and hates his brother, he is a liar." You don't get to be cruel to followers and then say you love God and have it be true.

If something is not working right now, it is because it is not God. His words do not return to Him void. You have to recondition your thinking (mind control) to believe that what God says doesn’t always work. “Not What I See But That Which Thou Has Spoken O Lord” really is just an excuse for it not being God speaking in the first place. If it is actually God speaking, you will see the result. He doesn't need anyone to make up excuses for Him, like those who pretend to be His prophets do.

You could take the doctrine of resurrection life and if you honestly looked at the facts, nobody looks a day younger, much less has overcome death, for all the obedience that has been mandated by the leadership. Some of the leaders have not even made it to a normal life expectancy themselves, and yet they claim to have something special that you do not. It takes a lot of courage to pull your head out of your "revelation".

Gary suggested at a Shepherd’s Conference that if we noticed a problem, we should be part of finding the answer, not just harbor criticism. There were some things I was concerned about, so I sent a letter to Apco honestly looking for answers – e.g. the kingdom dawning in 1979, the failed prophecies of the 1980’s, all the survival preparation that turned out to be unnecessary etc. Instead of receiving any type of explanation for myself, as well as for others who were asking me, I was removed from all ministry for a year. Anyone with even a twinge of critical thinking left was immediately silenced. It certainly was not about the truth, but about control. It was back to the salt mines until I could learn to blindly follow and keep my mouth shut. FYI, all of the things I mentioned to Apco, I still view the same way 20 years later. The kingdom did not dawn in 1979 in a way that only the leaders were able to see – sorry. That was swept under the rug and they are now looking for the next big breakthrough - as soon as you are even more obedient.

Jeremiah 23:30-32 says: “’Therefore,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ‘Yes,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, “The Lord declares. ‘Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ declares the Lord. ‘They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,’ declares the Lord.”

L.B.

I recall an SOP-level word that came back when I was a newbie in the mid-70's that had to do with 'oneness'. I also recall at the time finding it curious that the word actually dealt with 'agreement', not actual oneness. Being young and dumb at the time, I merely dismissed my 'misunderstanding' and continued on my way for another 35 years. As all ex-pats have now come to realize, 'oneness' within TLW has always meant obedience, blind or otherwise.

On the topic of 'instantaneous change', one can refer back to the recent post entitled, "God is a No-Show--Again!" The feasts have always held out hope-against-hope for this dynamic to find fulfillment, but as you so aptly pointed out, talkin' the word without walkin' the word will always bear little or no fruit. Many of the sweet, beaten-down sheep have manifested many more characteristics of LOVE than TLW leadership could ever hope for (hopefully not).

All the praying, prophesying and proclaiming will not overcome the resistance to walkin' in the word already delivered--LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Begin there, and change will soon become evident.