Originally Posted by Bubbles!

''Shew thyself'' approved.....?'' From WHOM did you get this fancy speech?
Just experimenting with this system. I'm trying to learn how to use it.

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

And that's why 2 Timothy 2:15 says:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

For years I have been asking the Holy Spirit to help me understand what I am reading. He always answers me. I also ask Him to keep me from being deceived. He is TRUE and FAITHFUL. So I trust the LORD when I ask Him to help me understand and He leads me to some good bible teachers on you tube.

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

There seems to be three books in particular in the NT that people often struggle with - Revelation, Hebrews & James. But I have to say that in going through each one slowly here with the saints, and really diving into the context and meaning, they all have all proven to be fresh and very helpful!

What really helps me is getting the big overview of each book, which really puts things into a proper and simple context. (and old, unhelpful concepts get exposed)

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Im still struggling with the book of James. WL's sharing on that and in the Life Study was rather negative. It was made out to be a 'religious` book and not as 'high' as the other books of the bible. WL said that James thinking was mixed with Judaism and the New Testament. You're right. In the LC we dont do 'good works' that is from the 'wrong' we just stay 'under the divine dispensing' and poof! Things will change or at least we'll gain enough Christ to overcome so the heck with everyone else. (Eyeroll)
Oh my gosh - just skimming through the LS of James and seeing all the brainwashing and control statements. Ugh. A sister I was very close to accused everyone she knew of being controlling yet she wouldnt admit how controlling WL and the blendong bros are. It's sad.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Wow! Thanks! I had know idea. i still hate that all we had to go on was WL's interpretation.

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

We recently went through James here, and it was wonderful! Many, including me, had not-so-good opinions about James. But some background things that helped us was knowing it was the first NT book written. James had nothing else of the New Covenant to go on, and he was addressing Jewish believers. The language sounds reminiscent of the OT, because that's all they had. But his words would have been quite revolutionary to the Jewish believers of the time.

And at various points in James, we were a pretty amazed to see how closely he tracked with some of Paul's writings!

Originally Posted by Ohio

Regarding the RecV, there is another version very similar to it called the World English Bible, or WEB.

Both are updates to the ASV 1901 version, which is an excellent translation, but the language is almost 120 years old. So the WEB is a great update to the ASV, with minor improvements. The WEB and the RecV are very similar.

Can you guess which one is free to the public?

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Im still struggling withthe book of James. WL's sharing on that and in the Life Study was rather negative. It was made out to be a 'religious` book and not as 'high' as the other books of the bible. WL said that James thinking was mixed with Judaism and the New Testament. You're right. In the LC we dont do 'good works' that is from the 'wrong' we just stay 'under the divine dispensing' and poof! Things will change or at least we'll gain enough Christ to overcome so the heck with everyone else. (Eyeroll)
Oh my gosh - just skimming through the LS of James and seeing all the brainwashing and control statements. Ugh. A sister I was very close to accused everyone she knew of being controlling yet she wouldnt admit how controlling WL and the blendong bros are. It's sad.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

You got it! Not only was I 'rebellious' I was also 'leprous.'

I do remember the sharing about Psalms and Proverbs and how David was in his soul or something and not in the spirit. There is a lot to detox from!

The other thing I keep thinking about is the Recovery Version of the bible. There are a lot of differences in the word choice. Like 1 Timothy 4:16 - Watch your life and doctrine closely...in th RV Take heed to yourself and to your teaching. - so 'doctrine' is changed to 'teaching' because 'doctrine' (in the LR) is a bad thing. It makes my head hurt to think about how much WL put a spin on the word of God. I listened to a commentary from Jeff Riddle regarding the recovery version. This is the link to his blog which is basically the audio transcribed. http://www.jeffriddle.net/2017/02/wo...-recovery.html
He was confued about the copyright thing and not being able to quote it without written permission. He addresses the footnotes and the 'crystallization' of the bible. Riddle states that he's a little bothered by the words "consummation" and "crystallization"' of 2,000 years of study. Of course there's more to his review, but it helped me a lot.

Originally Posted by Ohio

This is so ridiculous. So you got the GLA "leprosy" and there was "no room in the inn" for you?

There is so much superstition with LSM. That's what happens when you leave the word of God, and substitute the words of Lee.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Oh my....I remember when my aunt and I traveled and tried to find a locality to meet at, we weren't allowed to go becauae we were from the GLA and might 'poison` the saints there. It got so bad that we had to have permission to meet in another locality in our region and we were excluded from certain home meetings. Proposterous!

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Im still struggling withthe book of James. WL's sharing on that and in the Life Study was rather negative. It was made out to be a 'religious` book and not as 'high' as the other books of the bible. WL said that James thinking was mixed with Judaism and the New Testament. You're right. In the LC we dont do 'good works' that is from the 'wrong' we just stay 'under the divine dispensing' and poof! Things will change or at least we'll gain enough Christ to overcome so the heck with everyone else. (Eyeroll)
Oh my gosh - just skimming through the LS of James and seeing all the brainwashing and control statements. Ugh. A sister I was very close to accused everyone she knew of being controlling yet she wouldnt admit how controlling WL and the blendong bros are. It's sad.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Oh my....I remember when my aunt and I traveled and tried to find a locality to meet at, we weren't allowed to go because we were from the GLA and might 'poison` the saints there. It got so bad that we had to have permission to meet in another locality in our region and we were excluded from certain home meetings. Proposterous!

Originally Posted by Terry

In my LC experience I always heard it phrased as "the low gospel".
"We in the local churches have the high peaks"......, while generally refer to all other non-LC congregations as having the low gospel.
While I used to hate hearing the phrase, I really feel sad for ones in the local churches that still use "the high peaks" expression. I'll take "the low gospel" every time than to be puffed up with knowledge.
I think of this passage from James 2:14-16

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

That sums up how I perceive the LC attitude towards works. Someone is in need, we pray yet do nothing. To do something is considered "works" which is looked down upon.
We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. If the extent of help is assisting to feed homeless, thank you.

Originally Posted by Hannah

The lowly gospel- I hate that! Hate it.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Oh my....I remember when my aunt and I traveled and tried to find a locality to meet at, we weren't allowed to go becauae we were from the GLA and might 'poison` the saints there. It got so bad that we had to have permission to meet in another locality in our region and we were excluded from certain home meetings. Proposterous!

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

I have a question for you all..
How in the world were you all able to focus on Christ? Or maybe you all couldn't? But still God in His Love, Mercy and Compassion sustained you. His WORD is True and Faithful. He will never leave you or forsake you. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

I have a question for you all..
How in the world were you all able to focus on Christ? Or maybe you all couldn't? But still God in His Love, Mercy and Compassion sustained you. His WORD is True and Faithful. He will never leave you or forsake you. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

In the LC, I know they deny this, it's who you are. If your the son or daughter of an elder you're golden, untouchable. If your a single sister, you're nothing. .

Originally Posted by Hannah

Welcome, Stillseekingtruth!

I too was raised in the GLA churches, with my HS years spent in Anaheim. The LSM /TC issues were so damaging to so many believers, friendships, and families. I moved out of the region in '04 but felt like wherever I went by telling other saints where I was from that I was automatically received with skepticism. And what was it all for? Power, essenrially.

So much of what you said resonated with me. The lowly gospel- I hate that! Hate it.

Glad you are here and hope to connect more with you.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

1. I was publicly and privately rebuked.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

We praised TC and we cursed him at the same time. There was so much mixture where I was. Ministry + TC. In prayer meetings, we'd read a portion of a life Study and then the brothers would make fun of it. I'd meet at the sister's house and they praised WL. This is why it's so hard to trust. It's so hard to know what to believe. When I had questions about certain passages in the bible I was told to read the Life Studies. One sister used to joke, but was more serious, when I someone was frustrated with life just to read two life studies and call in the morning. Yet i was reminded over and over again "Brother Lee said don't just take his word. Take everything to the Lord." You can do that, but after thousands of messages, life studies, ministry books, and indoctrination you will still 'hear' WL in 'What the Lord says." If you speak anything different, you are not hearing the Lord, you are hearing yourself or Satan and you need to rebuke it.I can't believe how much hur and frustration Im still harboring.

Originally Posted by Ohio

Welcome to the forum, stillseekingtruth!

Glad to hear you have the aid of a wonderful husband, and that you can find some good amidst the fleshly abuse and hypocrisy.

Coming from a TC-controlled region, I can understand the confusion and the conflicts. So much rivalry, back-stabbing, suspicions, and endless commentary about how bad the other side was. It was like a nasty divorce, and everyone was losing, except the lawyers.

Originally Posted by aron

And in the NT, Peter's repeated mistakes are noted. As were those of others. Peter just got more ink because he was in the lead to follow Jesus. Nobody "covered" Peter.

And how did we go from "Christ only Christ" to "Drunken Noah" anyway? Talk about bait-and-switch!

Originally Posted by aron

And how did we go from "Christ only Christ" to "Drunken Noah" anyway?

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

Ok, that's my rant. I must say, however, it wasn't all bad. I traveled to London and Paris and other places I never would have gone. The price was sitting in several hours of meetings, but whatever. I love kids and I loved spending time with them when I wasn't being micromanaged or rebuked by the brothers. Once I took a group of young sisters to get ice cream during SSOT and I was rebuked by the brothers. The next day one of the brother's wife did the same thing and no one said a word.

Well, this is enough for now, I think. Thanks for letting me get some of this out!

Originally Posted by Terry

The prophet Nathan did not "cover" King David..

Originally Posted by awareness

And hope to read more rants from you. You rant real good. Keep it up, pretty please. You seem to be a wonderful person to me, for whatever it's worth.

Originally Posted by stillseekingtruth

5. I begged the leading brothers to please not let the 2 - 4 year olds run in the parking lot unattended and I was told that we cannot correct the saints. We must be like Moses and be half blind. Just pray, Sister. Guess what! One of those kids was in the hospital for swallowing laundry detergent AND he was hit by a car. Ok, I know accidents happen with kids, but these parents seriously needed some loving guidance.
6. I bought into the lie that another locality wouldn't be blessed by the Lord because they didn't go through proper order to start that locality. Guess what, they're going strong.
13. I believed that mainstream Christianity had a low gospel and low light
14. I believed that I was becoming God in life and nature, but not in His Godhead
16. I condemned myself for being me
18. I was never allowed to tell my story of the abuse I endured under my parents or my uncle or anyone else because I needed to cover the brothers and my parents. I had to be like Noah and cover their nakedness.
19. When I did tell a few elders about my parents because I was kicked out of my house, they said that no matter what I said how they felt about my parents would never change. Nobody gave a darn about me and I knew it. All anyone cared about is if you were in the meeting and you were serving.