Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens
Date: September 12, 2014 01:34AM
Many of us have had to learn the hard way that we can be trained in deception so that something “bears witness” and it’s not true at all. Some radical Muslims are so convinced of their revelation they will blow themselves up or some radical Christians will drink the Kool-Aid and commit suicide. Much of what has been paraded as “words from God” is nothing more than a good feeling about something. I’ve been guilty of following and giving such “words”. The safeguard or plumb line is Jesus’ teachings – not some “leaders” interpretation or twisting of those words to serve their own purposes. Jesus said we have one teacher and it is the Christ, and we are all brothers. It should be a red flag when the teaching of men begins to take the place of the teachings of Jesus. TLWF is certainly not the first group to claim divine inspiration for a body of teaching in an attempt to gather men after themselves.
Like the Bereans, we need to read Jesus’ teachings for ourselves. He said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” One simple test for God’s Spirit is does the individual come to serve like Jesus did, or are they looking to be served. Is there the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) or are they being followed only because they are a charismatic leader that followers can dump their personal responsibility to walk with God on?
“Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracle? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” When “God in the sky” is mocked versus a human taking His place, how are you going to do “the will of my Father who is in heaven”? We were often told that there needs to be a designated relationship who can tell you “No” to ensure your true submission. Try telling TLWF leadership “No” and the claws will come out – not the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus was constantly saying “If any man wants to…” before the requirements of discipleship. He left free will intact without removing consequences for actions. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
I can speak of the fruit of TLWF in my life. After over thirty years of sincerely following the leadership and the teaching, every area of my life was in shambles. Following another human’s will does not produce life as advertised. They want all of the obedience and none of the responsibility when it doesn't work. How many leaders gave the prime of their lives only to be discarded as they got close to retirement? Following Jesus' teaching on the other hand has caused every area of my life to blossom. They are not the same thing – in fact they are the opposite. “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in man.” We would be wise to do the same. The real violation of those who ended up crossways with TLWF leadership is that they no longer allowed them to take the place of God – something Jesus commanded them to do. At some point it will become evident to everyone that TLWF leadership does not possess resurrection life to hand out in exchange for blind obedience - "If they carry me out feet first, this was not a word from God."
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/2014 01:38AM by larry bobo.