Advices needed? Strange "coincidence"?

[Fuji]

Guys, this is a bit crazy. I may be overthinking but please tell me your opinions.

So me and some friends went to check out an apartment. When I arrived, the manager said that unfortunately it's no longer available. He insisted to take us to another apartment, so I said ok.

So I entered into this alternative apartment. I looked around and do you know what was the first thing that I saw?

"Holy Bible. New Testament." I was so happy because praise the Lord the tenant is a Christian. Then it continues, "recovery version".

Please know that where I live is not somewhere like Texas or California or Taiwan. The LC is very very small but you can see they try every effort to grow in terms of numbers.

It's funny. Normally when I see someone with a Bible, I'm overjoyed. But I was disturbed when I saw this Bible. The aching memories in my heart came back. It was hard for me. And it's the only thing that I could see: the apartment was quite messy yet the Bible was sitting right there at the most obvious place. I couldn't focus as this recovery version Bible reminded me of the prevalent exclusiveness and pride of LC. Sure, the Rcv Bible may have its strength but always believing their footnotes are the best, their translation is the best... No...When I was in the LC there was only one brother who would sometimes considered using other translations during meetings. It's such a disturbing feeling that I asked the Lord why? This must not be a coincidence.

And since I'm not in the LC officially now, the feeling of "LC is the unique church and probably the only true church" surprisingly came back when I saw the recovery version. This was a common mindset of many when I was in LC, despite I tried hard to resist it (as said earlier I decided to leave to "flee" from temptation lol). So I thought, huh? God are you putting this recovery version here to warn me to return to the LC? (I believe if I tell any LC friends or members that this happened, they would be quite confident it's God calling me to return to "the Recovery")

It seems like God knew what was in my mind then. As I walked out in confusion, it's funny that I ran into a sister of my church within 10 minutes. I have *never* run into any of brothers and sisters on the street outside of church meetings. I saw her smile and I was full of joy. I asked the Lord, huh, so now this is your way of reassuring me that the body of Christ is definitely not exclusive! The Lord is humorous!

One thing however is that this Recovery Bible was still wrapped in plastic cover when I saw it, so I wonder if someone actually gave it to this tenant or that he ordered it online. So there may be a chance he's not even a believer yet?

Anyways,I just have no peace whenever I think about just letting it go because inside, an instinct (that I hope is my spiritual instinct) kept bugging me to say something. The manager's info on this apartment allows me to have access to this apartment owner. I want to tell this person so badly to be careful if he's meeting with the LC. I am not trying to ask him to leave - I hope he can grow tremendously and cherish the saints - but I just want to tell him to be aware of the exclusiveness and pride in LC, and do not take the route of worshipping the ministry and Lee, because when I look back on my own journey, although I have learned many things from LC, there are many wounds of mine that are still taking time to heal. I wish they didn't happen in a way. It's painful. I am not trying to intervene with his life but I don't want this brother/seeker to experience any emotional damage or spiritual pride. ***Especially also after reading many of you guys' stories here.***

When I finally decided to share my story here few weeks ago, it's also because of the same instinct. I have been reading this forum for years but it's that instinct that suddenly and assuringly moved me to share my story here, and I'm so glad I did.

What should I do? I do hope to reach out to this person to share with him my lessons in the LC! I don't think this is a coincidence at all! Maybe I'm overly obsessive, but it's my own wounds that make me want to look out for others or perhaps I should just pray and let God handle it.

[Freedom]

I think there are all kinds of situations that occur which may or may not be coincidental, but, unless there is actual reason to believe it’s not coincidence, then it’s probably best to not try to read too much into the situation. One of the things I noticed about the LC is that they love to share stories or testimonies that appear to be anecdotal and seem to affirm some aspect of the LCM. It teaches LC members to draw premature conclusions about the meaning of different situations or series of events.

I know this isn't the best example, but suppose an LC member testifies how they found a ministry tract sitting on a table in the library, and they conclude that the purpose of the tract was so that the Lord would lead them to the LC. When you hear those sorts of testimonies, the conclusion usually sounds reasonable, yet when you really think about it, there are so many other possibilities regarding the purpose of the situation. It’s not to say that the presumed conclusion is necessarily wrong, it’s just that the other alternatives are always dismissed out of hand.

[Nell]

Fuji,

If this happened to me, I would say "hum".

Then, I would say "Lord, if you're trying to tell me something, I'm sorry, but I'm not getting the message."

"Lord, I don't know what to do, so I'm not going to do anything. I don't know what to think, so I'm going to stop thinking. I'm listening for your voice. Lord, you know how dense I am, so I'll just wait to hear from you again about what I'm supposed to do, if anything.

Thank you for being my Father. I love you...Fuji"

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Nell

[A little brother]

Isn't that what this life is about? Trying to read but not "over read" what is God's purpose in us and act accordingly?

I guess the general steps are to pray, find some biblical support, follow your heart, and observe the circumstances as we act because God may give us some more hints along the way.

As for fellowshiping with LCers, I would suggest to focus more on ideas that they will not resist strongly. For example, go back to the Bible (well, may be not the RcV footnotes) to prove everything instead of just relying on spirtual books / outlines; experiencing God not through the words of others but personally; and may be even share a true view of what the general Christian community is like instead of the narrow judgmental view from Lee.

[Evangelical]

If it happens 3 times its God. The three witnesses rule. But by what you describe, it sounds like superstition to me. Try to listen to God's voice in your spirit, rather than focusing on outward things.

[Fuji]

Thank you everyone!I think I was just overwhelmed suddenly at that time as I saw that Bible because all the memories just popped up and there was a moment I couldn't resist feeling all the pain that I had. I missed the LC time in a way, yet I cannot resist feeling the hurt I had been through. It's a very mixed feeling.

It's not easy when it happens in "reality". I am very thankful for this forum and brothers and sisters who fellowship openly here. But I must say, ever since moving out of a big city, I never expected running into any saints in LC and the recovery Bible in this way, and I forgot to mention that, even though since "leaving", I did try to find some people around who are still in LC to meet with to pray and read the word together,but not in a formal "I am an absolute LC-er" way, but sooner or later when these ones that I reach out know that I am in other churches, they stopped responding to me. It...was not what I expected. I guess this is also one reason why, when everything added up, I was overwhelmed. How I wish I can just fellowship freely whether one holds a Rcv Bible or not. (By the way, I know I tend to type a lot so I don't know if I made it clear that I did NOT believe it's a "God's signal" to ask me to go back to LC - it's the opposite of what I think - but I was just wondering if I should go ahead to "interfere" with this man's life by sharing with him my experience, which after many of your advices I know I should not, or to reconnect with LC saints in my city to fellowship together. But as I said above, I did once, but I was "silently" rejected. So I never tried again...)

Thank you all.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Fuji

Thank you everyone!I think I was just overwhelmed suddenly at that time as I saw that Bible because all the memories just popped up and there was a moment I couldn't resist feeling all the pain that I had. I missed the LC time in a way, yet I cannot resist feeling the hurt I had been through. It's a very mixed feeling.

Thank you all.

Fuji, try to remember and give thanks for all the precious spiritual blessings you have received in the LC. This will benefit you your whole life. Yes, you will have mixed feelings, but over time you will be able to thank the Lord for the good, and discard all the LC junk. As Paul says, "Test all things, hold on to the good." -- I Thess 5.21

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Fuji

It's not easy when it happens in "reality".

While it is not entirely incorrect to say that truth is reality, when you intentionally phrase it different, it produces a sense of something that is not warranted by the mere changing of near synonyms. The lexicon of the LRC is one of its strongest weapons in holding onto its people. They become convinced that the words are more important than the truth. That better words mean better truth.

But words are just words. If they are used for the same thing, then which word you use does not change what is described by the word. Only the perception of it. If it is important, it doesn't matter which word is used. If it is true, it doesn't matter which word is used. If it is false, it doesn't matter which word is used. The point is what it true, not which word was used.

And Lee insisted that "reality" was a better word. Why? Because it made the truth more true? No. Because it made us think we knew more than everyone else because we said it better.