I was deceived

[Nell]

Nell's version + NewKJV
Gen. 3: 9-14 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” 12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done???” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle,

So ExChurchKid, I think it’s time to place responsibility where it belongs, for what happened to you. From the beginning, from the genesis, someone was out to get you. Us. All of us. What happened to you in the Local Church of Witness Lee, happened to all of us to one degree or another; one circumstance or another. Yours was particularly bad. So before we continue, I’d like to insert this thought.

I was deceived. I admit it. I repent that I believed the father of lies rather than the God of truth. I take responsibility for my choice to believe Witness Lee in contrast to the truth of God’s word. Regardless of what I experienced in the Local Church with Witness Lee at the helm, I believe Witness Lee was not the instigator. The same serpent who deceived the woman in the garden deceived Witness Lee. I also believe that the same serpent is active today in the LC leadership working his deeds of deception…pointing fingers at all who disagree with them/him. I believe that the same serpent is active today pointing fingers at our forum members, trying to deceive, and destroy any voice we might have or harmony we might garner. Because of the deception of the serpent, the serpent was cursed by God. But God didn’t curse those of us who stand for the truth of God's Word at the expense of Witness Lee and the LSM.

I made a choice, ExChurchKid. You didn’t. A choice was foisted upon you at birth. I’m very sorry that happened to you. I'm sorry for what happened to many "Church Kids" in your situation. I offer you my friendship and my willingness to help you if that's what you need and/or want. I can tell you the truths of living a Christian life as I've learned from God Himself, and His Word. The god of your agnosticism is not the God of Truth.

Because the serpent is the great deceiver, still, to this day, we blame each other, and point fingers at each other. We need to understand/remember who our enemy is, and who our enemy is not. The woman said “the serpent deceived me.” The serpent is our enemy. The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field. I’m not your enemy. We are not enemies.

I had a terrible circumstance in my life a few years ago that drove this point home. Ultimately, the Lord Jesus helped me to realize what damage can be done by deception…by me even having a wrong thought and acting on it. He gave me this prayer: “Lord, please don’t let me be deceived.” I still pray this prayer today. Another statement I try to live by: “If you don’t know the truth of a matter, don’t form an opinion until you do know.”

For this, I give thanks with a grateful heart.

Nell