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Author Topic: Where Proud Boasting is Going On, God is Not  (Read 9178 times)
Janet Easson Martin
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« on: May 23, 2016, 07:07:30 pm »

Where Proud Boasting is Going On, God is Not


Since "no flesh shall glory in his presence", it stands that anyone exulting in himself or his efforts is not in the presence of God.  It is impossible! God has no glory in that! Where that is going on, his presence isn't.

Yet, that is the heartbeat of GCx, their own greatness. Though many claimed to be "close" to God, they indeed could not. He dwells with the sincerely humble in heart, not the superficially humble in pretense.

So don't be fooled. Churches and church leaders that glory in themselves are not experiencing God's presence, no matter what they say.


« Last Edit: May 24, 2016, 05:39:14 pm by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
Janet Easson Martin
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« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2016, 08:56:49 pm »



"The higher a man is in grace,

 the lower he will be in his own self esteem."


Charles Spurgeon


« Last Edit: August 17, 2016, 06:25:27 am by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2016, 08:37:34 pm »



"The greatest test of whether the holiness we profess to seek or to attain is truth and life
will be whether it produces an increasing humility in us.

In man, humility is the one thing needed to allow God's holiness to dwell in him
and shine through him.

The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is lack of humility.

The holiest will be the humblest."

- Andrew Murray


« Last Edit: August 23, 2016, 07:54:36 am by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2017, 01:27:50 am »

I think so I hope it will be true, I think it was a cheap idea.
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« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2022, 11:20:17 pm »


How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,

And has not turned to the proud,

nor to those who become involved in falsehood.


Psalm 40:4    NASB



As I was reading this verse today, a few things struck me anew. The first was that you cannot be relying on God’s power and be arrogantly proud at the same time. Pride is not a fruit of the Spirit, but of the corrupt flesh. Trusting in God in the moment makes one instead “supernaturally enabled” to be patient, kind, good, and gentle. It is as many rightly state -Christ living through us.

Pride produces jealously, hatred, rage, and selfish ambition. It competes in a worldly manner even in “spiritual activities.” For instance, competing in “worship” mannerisms, rising to higher levels of leadership in the church mostly to be praised by men, practicing “better spiritual” public prayer, performing before others as they are serving rather than doing it out of love and compassion behind the scenes for those in need. I know all too well these inauthentic behaviors because they were at full throttle in GCx. Members were persuaded to look to the elder “gods” for approval, recognition, promotion (to the inner circles), and recommendation for marriage. Once outside GCx in a healthy church these are not a way of life because there is generally no worldly competition for approval.

The second is that the proud and the false should definitely not be the ones we look to for approval or direction. Though they may claim they obey God; they certainly, by their arrogance, are not currently following him. As Charles Spurgeon put it, “The higher a man is in grace, the lower he is in his own self esteem.” You cannot truly obey Jesus without grace. You must abide in Him who is full of Grace and Truth.

So don’t be fooled by a lot of “presumptuous authority”, quoted scripture, and long prayer in men who boast in themselves and treat others with disdain. They are obviously not really making the Lord their trust.




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« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2022, 05:47:38 pm »

This TRUTH (below) from Diane Langberg is even deeper than we may realize.

The GCx Church Organization was all about appearances. So much so that they exaggerated their outcomes and excused their inflation of numbers and activity with justification to “reach more”. They also produced their “outcomes” at a high cost to their members. They nullified the very commands of Jesus to ‘love one another’ and ‘respect all men’ by abusing them to build their little empire.

Being Christlike was not really the goal.  Being “godly” according to the erroneous definition set forth by leadership was the obvious goal. In order to follow those “rules” one had to give up Christlikeness. Reading the stories on this site of what many members experienced while inside testifies to this.


The work of the church is not the call to ministry. Spiritual success is never measured by human outcomes. Our true work is that of manifesting likeness to Christ in all things, whether it is in success or failure, criticism or praise.

-Diane Langberg, Twitter, January 30,2022


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« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2022, 09:48:10 am »


Actions Speak Louder Than Words


I personally recall McCotter boasting of himself a number of times with this particular verse from the Bible, claiming others accused him of great devotion to God by declaring he ‘slept, ate, and drank Jesus.’


This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches but, let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me
, that I am the LORD,…

Jeremiah 9:23,24


But he conveniently left out the second half of that verse both in his “teaching” and his behavior. The obvious overflow of goodness resulting in really knowing God described in the full scripture separates the pretentious braggarts from the genuine reflectors of the knowledge of God. We would far more clearly identify them by what immediately follows:


who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:24


When it comes to recognizing godly spiritual leaders, biblical actions always speak louder than biblical words. That is what God’s Word tells us in both the Old and New Testaments. If every person who quoted scripture, bragged of his “spiritual-ness”, and had a loyal following were “anointed in the ministry of shepherding,” God’s church would be a sham.  



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« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2022, 09:39:02 pm »

Andrew Murray is a man who truly knew his God. His Complete Sacrifice. His Unspeakable Offer. His Incredible Forgiveness. His Unceasing Love. His Deep Compassion. And His Compelling Power.

Murray has helped so many to better understand God The Father, Jesus The Son, and The Holy Spirit Our Counselor with accuracy from the scriptures. He is well respected among many Christian Leaders not only for his sound teaching, but also for his Christ-like character. Though he taught and wrote in the late 18th century until the early 19th century his messages are timeless. The works of his I have read have been updated to modern-day language.

I REALLY like his 31-day devotional, “Abide in Christ,” with it’s focus on understanding who we are and what we possess in Christ. It is encouraging to say the least. I also highly recommended his book, “The Power of the Blood,” on which I based so many of the Essential Affirmations I have posted on the Healing Section of this Forum. It is the best explanation I have found on all that Jesus’ blood does for us and in us now and for eternity. I believe those of us in GCx who were neglected a solid foundation of grace and truth and taught erroneous “doctrines” would immensely benefit from Murray’s essential  teachings.

Murray captures so wonderfully the real essence of what God has done for us. I believe this comes from his intimate understanding of God. In the same manner, this short video captures how vital humility is to knowing God and genuinely imitating him, including some of Murray’s own words. I hope you may feel it’s ministry and blessing in viewing it; and most of all, comprehend the VIRTUE OF HUMILITY, ESSENTIAL especially in Christian leaders.


YouTube Video: Humility, The Most Important but Forgotten Virtue, Andrew Murray

https://youtu.be/kWZIBRvJmyw



The 31-day Devotional, “Abide in Christ,” by Andrew Murray Book Description:

“Remain in My Love” ―John 15:9
Many Christians go to church each week burdened by guilt and shame, believing they are unworthy of God’s full love. In Abide in Christ, Andrew Murray reminds every Christian that God promises His constant presence with them.

In just ten minutes a day, Andrew Murray’s 31-day spiritual guide offers timeless meditations and practical lessons. Move from a divided heart to wholehearted surrender. Your hunger for God’s presence is made to be satisfied―experience a deep, authentic, and ongoing connection with Jesus.


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For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2022, 07:45:32 pm »


Attitude Reveals Abiding

Rather Than Activity


I feel struck more recently about the manner in which people minister. Perhaps it is my getting older and thus closer to my heavenly address. I sense the heart behind our actions can be so precious to God. I feel more aware now than ever that the activity one may outwardly perform can be rather useless to the real Kingdom of God. Maybe to one’s own kingdom he is building it is useful, but not Our Father’s. His attitude judges himself better; exploiting and manipulating others to bolster “his success.”

The heart of this verse makes one’s modus operandi startlingly significant to me now, more than at the beginning of my journey in Christ:

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5


I think the surprising exposure of several “big” Christian leaders in recent years has also made us take pause at outward performance. Some were so successful at hiding their lack of abiding in Christ, they even escaped exposure before their death. It is both comforting and humbling that God will hold all believers accountable at the First Judgement (Judgement of Believers); and heavier responsibility to those leaders who taught and practiced error. Human fruit is not Divine Fruit. Human fruit are works of straw that will be burned up scripture teaches. Even John 15 talks of these “works” being useless and only good for burning. The Bible speaks of some believers entering heaven as escaping through flames as if most of what they did turned to ashes. It talks of our works being tested by fire, and us ourselves being tried by fire to burn off what is dross.


God’s emphasis on the heart and means are interesting because I and others heard a considerable amount of teaching in GCx regarding “useless works, dross, and a less than fully devoted heart” in living for God. They rebuked those who didn’t attend all four to six “meetings” a week, labeling them with a divided heart. They accused those who were not bringing many disciples into the GCx Church, who were not “multiplying their lives” of being selfish, immature, and less than worthy Christians. They guilted those who were not sharing the gospel at ALL times. They questioned and discredited their devotion to God.

It was all outward performance as if you hadn’t made your quota
for the sales team.


The respect you were paid had everything to do with how many verses you shared, how many people you witnessed to, how many people you brought to church, and especially how many you assimilated into “disciples.” It was all outward performance as if you hadn’t made your quota for the sales team. And, most of all, they strongly disgraced nearly all who left their Church slandering them, and threatening that their lives would be much less fruitful, less rewarded, and even be under the dangerous discipline of God.


We were outrightly lied to when McCotter and other GCC leaders told us joining up with the GCx Church would save us from a life of regret from not “fully” serving God elsewhere. We were persistently brainwashed that GCx guaranteed living a life worthy of the gospel. Actually, many of us have so much regret from our spiritual and psychological enslavement there that we began to think that the gospel was a heavy burden to weigh us down rather than set us free. GCx DID NOT model or teach truth of about living a life worthy of the gospel. The abundance of pride and arrogance, manipulation and bullying, impatience and criticism was the condescending and abusive habit in which so many “leaders” and “disciplers” walked. Here is what Our Father in Heaven has to say about that:


...walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in love,
and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:1-3


The first priority and characteristic of being assured one is walking in a worthy manner is complete humility. This quality is very telling of a leader’s abiding quotient. It is revealing about whether his fruit is truly that of remaining in the vine. As many have keenly said, humility is the true mark of godliness, not “works.” By the way, it seems the ‘bond of peace’ in the verse above has to do with not criticizing or falsely accusing other sincere believers or believing churches of performing less worthy or less “godly” in order to elevate themselves. What follows this verse seems to support recognizing instead the Spirit at work, not the personality or the “activity.”


The GCx Church Organization founder and so many of it’s leaders didn’t have a clue about walking in Jesus’ manner which is gentle and humble in heart; which by the way is an inner attitude, not merely a voice pattern.



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For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2023, 08:04:51 pm »


Worshipping Men


“Do not try to combine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Glory,
with the worship of men’s social status”

(The New International Commentary of the New Testament translation of James 2:1)


“The Lord Jesus Christ is the divine glory… Jesus is the very embodiment of the divine glory made present in the world.  Like the Shekinah to the people of God in the Old Testament and the Immanuel who is Jesus, the very glory of God is embodied in the person of Christ.  An interchangeability between Christ and glory is observable here”

-Excerpt from The New International Commentary of the New Testament


Victims of GCx's spiritual abuse write here to speak of the "caste" system that was painfully present in their churches. They may also refer to it as inner circles and other terms. It was sadly clear who was approved of by the leaders, and those not tapped by their invisible scepter were treated with less dignity and value even amongst the leaders' "followers" who imitated this self-righteous view.

In "GCx" there strangely seems to be interchangeability between mere men and "glory".  The general inclination of GCx, from my personal experience (and seems to continue according to many on this site), was to show favoritism to those who they thought would profit them – or give them a good showing to increase their “glory."  James 2:8,9 says

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”  

What I learned that was so startling was that the word favoritism in the verse above is similar to the favor a king or ruler would grant with his audience when subjects would prostrate themselves before him.  They would lie there for the king to ‘lift up their face’ or be left there all day long.  Isn’t that hauntingly similar to how many of us felt inside about the acceptance by “rulers” of GCx? The grossly impudent speech and conduct toward those supposed to be in their care.  What did we have to do to win their approval – to be in the inner circle – where the “glory” was?  (Or where we thought the glory was.)  

What kind of lasting influence has that had on the VALUE we assign ourselves?  Are we not the favored of the Lord?  Why is it we did not receive treatment by those in “authority” as deserving of mutual respect as God’s wonderful creation and as those who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and God's gifts?  The Glory of God in all of us who believe is part of His glory we share in reliance upon him as failed creatures.  GCx leaders and followers mix favoritism with faith, which results in a harmfully false and unbiblical value of ourselves and others.


« Last Edit: August 25, 2023, 06:33:30 am by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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