Dear Brothers and Sisters -
Jim and I are not currently on the Onelist ourselves.  We have been going
through our own sufficient amount of trials here in St. Augustine, FL, the
chief one being that a few weeks ago we left a church that had initially
looked good and zealous, and had great music, because the pastor was turning
into a control freak, (even the music was becoming discordant) and hey, "been
there, done that and got the T-shirt" at Cobu, so no thanks. Recently just
Jim and I have gone to a church with a Wesleyan heritage that is "non-denom"
and "quietly charismatic," which, as you can tell, is how we have developed
"over the ages" ourselves.  The sad part was seeing the "seeds of Stew" in
the control techniques of this guy here, and seeing what was happening to the
good people as the guy was changing for the worse.  The big thing is how they
begin (and I confess I found myself doing this somewhat so it must be my
dysfunction or something, you'd think I'd run away a bit faster) to "justify"
the guy's "way of putting things."  Like you think "nah, he couldn't have
meant it THAT way, he must have meant it like (the more pure way)... but hey,
it is hard to bear that he meant it the control-freak way.  It ruins the good
fellowship.  It is a specific demon, I am convinced.  And it comes out
smelling like a rose to those who become addicted to its odor.  But it is a
slow poison.  The stench of it is still stinging my nostrils here, but I
believe there is healing where Jesus is lifted up, which praise God I was
prayed for by a little old lady with oil on her hands this morning!  Let's
hope when we are old we can still bear good fruit!  So, as for "THEM and US"
of them reading the Onelist, the same applies.  Love is healing.  Flat out.
And Tom P's letter he cc'd to us is right on.  Prayer.  I may not be on the
List, but I have been too busy with coping to pray.  But there is Revival.
Return to Wed. nights.  Let's pray for each other also, dear fellow soldiers
in the field.   Praise God for Christmas - the Incarnation of our Blessed
Savior who delivered the True Prosperity of Eternal Life through His Blood.
He came to a lowly stable.  May you prosper in your soul even as you read
these words. May He come to the lowly manger of your heart, however humble it
seems, whatever animals need to bow to Him, whatever stinks there! He comes
to change our world.  Remember, you can't control who gets what information
off the Onelist - besides the wisdom of confidentiality, the safest way to
relate to "THEM" is to preach the unconditional love found in a personal
relationship with the God of Jacob, not of Cobu. Quote me:  "If God doesn't
bless all those who are broken in spirit because of the abuse they took in
Cobu, then He owes His own nature a big apology."  Because God is love.  His
Spirit is greived to think of anyone going to Hell.  He did not create it for
people. Not even Stewart, however fallen he may be from even common human
decency.  If Stewart will not repent, then may God spare him from falling
even further into evil.  Because, make no mistake, there will be Hell to pay,
and none of us is able to pay our redemption without the Real Jesus.  Gotta
go.  We are driving to Vilano Beach to visit an artist friend's studio.  It
doesn't seem like Advent with this weather. Nancy C.