FOURTH LETTER TO LLOYD GOODWIN
Revelations 4:3 - Living Bible (He that
sat on the throne). "Great
bursts of light flashed forth from him as a glittering diamond, or a shining
ruby, and a rainbow glowing like an emerald encircled his throne. Revelations 10:1 -
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven surrounded by a cloud,
with a rainbow over his head: his face shone like the sun and his feet flashed
with fire.
(A couple of
months after we had quit going to GAC in Des Moines, we decided that we were
free enough to go and visit the church. I didn't want to cause any problems but
just wanted the people to see that I was still alive and wanted to lift
up Jesus in a testimony. Lloyd Goodwin was in Elkville, Illinois for a fellowship meeting at Brother
Archer's Church. I called Brother Archer and asked if Lloyd Goodwin was
there and he said no. I asked Brother Archer to give him a message for me. He
was very kind and said that he would. I asked him to tell him that we wanted to
visit the church and I would like to just see my brothers and sisters and if
that wasn't OK to have him call me or have one of the elders call. He agreed to
do that. Later that day, Glenn Goodwin called me at home and said that it was
OK for us to come to church as long as we didn't do anything to disrupt the
service. I assured him that we would not. I did tell him that I would like to
say just a few words to lift up the Lord. He said that would be OK. The rest of
the letter is self-explanatory.)
LETTER FOUR
July, 15, 1991
Dear Brother Goodwin:
Greetings,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you for allowing Kim
and I to attend church (indirectly) through the elders. (Oh, excuse me; Glenn Goodwin said
that he, Brother Paul Vest and Brother
Gary King
are not elders.) Anyway,
thank you for that much.
We had absolutely no
intentions of causing any problems. We really did just want to worship the Lord
(which we did) and let the people know that we loved them. We did all that we
could to up lift the speakers.
I was going to stand and let
the people know that I loved you and them and if there was anything I had done
wrong to hurt them or you, I was sorry, (and just read a verse from the Bible.)
But Brother Glenn Goodwin came back and said that you had called and said that
we were not to be allowed to speak until you got back in town. I asked, Why? He said that was your instructions. I asked, what if I
say something anyway and he said, "then (-----) will sit you down and if
that doesn't work, the band will "play you down."
All I wanted to do was lift up Jesus and let my friends know that I love them.
Brother Goodwin, I felt like
I was in a Nazi labor camp or something. I went to the restroom and (-----)
almost ran after me! I came out and (-----) was waiting outside the door with
(-----) following. I said, "I'm not going to do anything." She said,
"I know you're not!" She was insinuating that if I did, she would do
something about it.
I didn't even try to get up
after that. In fact Kim and I both received a beautiful touch from the Lord and
were inspired by the testimonies of God's people!
I was a little perplexed at
(-----) words. I would like to have heard the name of Jesus lifted up but all
he did was lift you up. I believe in giving honor
where honor is due but that got to the point of being ridiculous! It was just a
show, which wasn't impressive at all.
After service, I spoke with
Glenn Goodwin briefly and told him that I would like to speak with you, alone
(my husband present, if you wish) and see if we could work things out. I want
to do things the Biblical way.
Paul said "If you have ought against your brother, go to him and him alone and if
he won't hear you, then go to the elders and if they won't hear you, then go to
the church. " (Actually,
it doesn't say go to the elders, it says to take some others with you
but I knew that in this case, it would have to be the elders that went with
me.) I want to do it right and God's way.
What I say to you Brother
Goodwin is "I'm really sorry for any wrong that I've done against you
personally or to the church. Please forgive me." I mean that sincerely.
I am not sorry for repenting
to Don and Wanda Patton. Robert came to you two weeks before and told you that
it was really bothering me. You had ample time to tell Brother Patton the truth
yourself. Also for what you said about the precious women of
God. Whatever happened between you and Sharon is between the two of you. If you did
her wrong, then you must repent to her.
Also, I'm asking you to
repent to the church for the lies that you have told about me openly in the
pulpit. I have heard it from many witnesses.
If you told Sister June that
I had been to bed with over 50 men, then you need to repent to her and tell her
the truth. She said, "I know for a fact that you've been to bed with over
50 men!" I would like to see the proof. There were even insinuations that
I was a prostitute. That, I've heard from at least ten witnesses.
You have defamed my
character, ruined my reputation and even alienated some of my closest friends.
(----) was like a son to me. Now he won't even speak! You need to publicly make
things right and restore my credibility. "This is what I ask."
When I was leaving church,
(-----) kept following me and acting like a Nazi guard! I turned around and
said "I'm not going to do anything, I love you all." She said,
"You've been spreading lies about my pastor!" I said, no, he's been
spreading lies about me and she said, "You're a liar! And I said,
"No, he's a liar!" Then she grabbed my arm and shoved me and said,
"Get out of our church!" I said, "This is my church too."
She said, "No, it's not, get out right now!" I said, "Well,
we've probably put a couple hundred thousand dollars in this church over the
past 16 years so I feel we own part of it too!"
I think Robert has over 4000 hours of labor in that
building alone. I've put in a few myself, nursery, cleaning, school, as well as
the work on the new church. So I just kind of feel that we have just as much
right to come in and speak as anyone else. But I'm willing to do it the
"Biblical way," if you are willing.
I need to hear from you by
Wednesday, July 17, 1991. You can call me or have one of the elder's call. If
not, I'll call. We must get this settled.
Brother Goodwin, there are so
many things that I wish to say to you. The Lord loves you, but Satan has snared
you. You do have the free will to choose.
You know, I was reading in
the Living Bible in Revelations
4:3 (He that sat on the throne). "Great
bursts of light flashed forth from him as a glittering diamond, or a shining
ruby, and a *rainbow glowing like an emerald encircled his throne. Revelations
10:1 - Then I saw another mighty angel coming
down from heaven surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head: his face
shone like the sun and his feet flashed with fire.
I looked up the word
"rainbow" in the Greek which means:
*Rainbow: iris, ee'-ris, Greek 2463; perhaps from Greek 2046 (ereo) (as a symbolical of the female messenger of the pagan deities); a rainbow ("iris") :- rainbow. - ereo, er-eh'-o, Greek 2046; probably a fuller form of Greek 4483 (rheo); an alternate for Greek 2036 (epo) in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. speak or say :- call, say, speak (of), tell.
The word cloud means, obscure
or in darkness. I really believe that Christ is already in the process
of coming as a thief in the night, in obscurity. He is
already drawing his elect out of her.
I was really surprised at the
word, rainbow which when you put it all together goes like this:
Rev 10:1 - LB - Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven,
surrounded by obscurity, with a (rainbow i.e. female messenger sent to
utter, speak, say, call or tell something) over his head: his face shone like
the sun and his feet flashed with fire.
I knew that
this was a prophetic word from the Lord. I have never claimed to be a prophet
nor did I even understand, at the time, the gravity of some of the things the
Lord gave to me. It was just that I knew when He was speaking to me
through the word of God or a dream.
"I am a messenger from
God to you."
Isaiah 28:14-22 Living Bible:
"Therefore hear the word
of the Lord, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem: You have struck a bargain with
Death, you say, and sold yourselves to the devil (Sheol) in exchange for his
protection against the Assyrians (enemy).
“They can never touch us", you say, "For we are under the care
of one who will deceive and fool them." But the Lord God says, "See,
I am placing a Foundation Stone in Zion - a firm, tested, precious Cornerstone
that is safe to build on. He who believes need never run away again.
I will take the line and
plummet of justice to check the foundation wall you built; it looks so fine,
but it is so weak a storm of hail will knock it down! The enemy will come like
a flood and sweep it away, and you will be drowned. I will cancel your
agreement of compromise with death and the devil, so when the terrible enemy
floods in, you will be trampled into the ground. Again and again that flood
will come and carry you off, until at last the unmixed horror of the truth of
my warnings will finally dawn on you.
The bed you have made is far
too short to lie on; the blankets are too narrow to cover you. The Lord will
come suddenly and in anger, as at Mount Perazim and
Gibeon, to do a strange unusual thing - to destroy his own people! So scoff no
more, lest your punishment be made even greater, for the Lord God of Hosts has
plainly told me that He is determined to crush you!"
Verses 23-29 are also to be
considered.
You always said, Brother
Goodwin, "God doesn't pay all his debts on Friday."
"Whatever a man sows
that shall he also reap."
Also read Revelations 3: 1-6.
This is also for you. (I knew that there were
still people in GAC that were God's children. I used to go by the church and
pray for them that God would let them see.)
Rev. 3:1-6 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven
stars. I know your
deeds; you have a
reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete
in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard;
obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and
you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have
not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they
are worthy. He who
overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name
from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his
angels. He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Please respond by Wednesday,
July 17, 1991 and let me know if you are willing to "make things
right."
Sincerely In Christ,
Sister Wanda Mason
