Joyce Leiphon and Light of the World Church a modern day Pharisee

Matthew 23 - Woes to the Scribes and the Pharisees

a. Jesus rebukes the scribes and the Pharisees.

1. (1-4) They lay oppressive burdens on others.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

a. Whatever they tell you to observer, that observe and do: Jesus says respect is due to the scribes and Pharisees - not because of their conduct, but because they sit in Moses’ seat. They hold an office of authority, ordained by God.

b. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders: The first accusation against these religious leaders could apply to many religious leaders today. Many still make Christianity a set of burdensome rules to follow.

i. The early church rejected this legalism when it insisted that obedience to the Mosaic Law is not a foundation for the Christian life. Peter told the legalists in Acts 15:10: "Why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

c. Heavy burdens: The burden of the religious leaders contrasts sharply to Jesus’ burden. His burden is light, and His yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30).

2. (5-10) They do their works to be seen of others, and live for the praise of men.

"But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ."

a. All their works they do to be seen by men: The religious leaders were guilty of advertising their righteousness. Both the phylacteries (small leather boxes with tiny scrolls with scriptures on them, tied to the arm and head with leather straps) and the borders of their garments were worn in supposed conformity to the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 11:18, Numbers 15:38-40).

b. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments: Naturally, like every person in the flesh, the religious leaders figured that broader phylacteries and larger borders on their garments showed them to be more spiritual. There is virtually no end to the way that man’s depravity cannot pervert God’s commands.

c. They love the best places . . . greetings in the marketplaces: Not content to display their "spirituality," the religious leaders loved it when people admired their "spirituality." They coveted the seats of honor at banquets and at the synagogue, and they loved the honoring titles such as Rabbi and father.

3. (11-12) The way of Jesus: service and humility.

"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

a. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant: In the flesh, we determine greatness by how many people serve and honor us. In Jesus, we determine greatness by how we serve and honor others.

i. Since Jesus truly was the greatest among them, He spoke of Himself as a servant. Unfortunately, for the most part the church has imitated the style of the scribes and Pharisees more than the style of Jesus.

b. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted: This promise is absolutely true, but sometimes needs the measure of eternity to make itself known.

b. The eight woes.

These woes stand in contrast to the eight beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-11. Jesus speaks harshly here, but this is not the language of personal irritation, but of divine warning and condemnation.

1. (13) Woe to those who shut up the kingdom.

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."

a. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Literally, the word "hypocrites" refers to an actor, someone playing a part. Jesus exposes the corruption covered by the pretty religious exterior.

b. You shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: The religious leaders kept people from the kingdom by obscuring God’s word with human traditions, and by denying Jesus. Empty religion and legalism do the same thing today.

c. You neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in: It is bad for someone to not enter into heaven themselves, but it is far worse to prevent another from going in (Matthew 18:6).

3. (14) The religious leaders steal from the vulnerable.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation."

a. You devour widows’ houses: They stole widows’ houses in the name of good business and "stewardship", and made long prayers for the sake of big donations.

b. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation: Jesus reminds us of the concept of greater condemnation; no one will have it good in Hell, but we can trust that some will have it worse than others will.

4. (15) The religious leaders led their converts on the wrong path.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."

a. You travel land and sea to win one proselyte: Zeal in evangelism does not prove that a person is right with God. These religious leaders went to great lengths in their evangelism, but they brought people to darkness, not light.

i. Paul had the same idea in Romans 10:2, where he observed that some of the Jewish people of his day had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

b. When he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves: In this respect, the religious leaders were similar to Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses today. They were courageous and energetic messengers, but with a false message.

5. (16-22) The religious leaders made false and deceptive oaths.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it."

a. Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing: Out of obedience to God’s word, they would not swear by the name of God (Exodus 20:7). But they constructed an elaborate system of oaths - some of which were binding and some were not - a way of making a promise while keeping your fingers crossed.

b. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it: Jesus reminds us that every oath is binding, and God holds the oath-maker to account, even if they excuse themselves.

6. (23-24) The religious leaders are obsessed with trivialities, and ignoring the weighty matters.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!"

a. You pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin: Their tithing was meticulous and noteworthy; but not if it only soothed the guilt of their neglect of the weightier matters of the law.

i. Tragically, the church is often distracted with trivialities while the world goes to hell.

b. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel: Jesus illustrates their folly with a humorous picture of a gnat which could not be swallowed because it was not bled properly in accord with kosher regulations, and swallowing a whole camel instead.

7. (25-26) The religious leaders are impure both inside and out.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."

a. You cleanse the outside of the cup: Many are satisfied with a superficial cleansing, and the appearance of righteousness before others. God looks for a true cleansing, so we can be clean before God and man.

8. (27-28) The religious leaders have the appearance of good, but without spiritual life in the inner man.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

a. You are like whitewashed tombs: Before Passover, it was the custom of the Jews of that time to whitewash the tombs in the city of Jerusalem so that no one would touch one accidentally, thus making themselves unclean. Jesus says these religious leaders are like these whitewashed tombs - pretty on the outside, but dead on the inside.

b. You also outwardly appear righteous to men: God is never fooled by what we show on the outside. He sees what we actually are, not what we appear to be to other men.

9. (29-36) The religious leaders honor dead prophets, but murder the living prophets.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation."

a. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous: They professed to venerate the dead, but they rejected the living. In doing so, they show that they really are the children of those who murdered the prophets in the days of old (you are sons of those who murdered the prophets).

i. We express the same thought when we think. "I wouldn’t have denied Jesus like the other disciples did."

b. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt: Jesus prophesies about how these leaders will complete the rejection of the prophets their fathers started by persecuting His disciples, whom He will send to them.

c. Serpents, brood of vipers: This phrase has the idea of "family of the devil." These religious leaders took an unmerited pride in their heritage, which was really of the devil, not of Abraham.

i. This is all pretty tough stuff. Why did Jesus utter such scathing rebukes? Because He loved these men. These men were the farthest from God and they needed to be warned of coming judgment. What Jesus really wanted was their repentance, not their judgment.

1. (37-39) Jesus laments for Jerusalem.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’"

a. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem: Luke 19:41 tells us that Jesus wept as He looked over the city of Jerusalem, contemplated its coming judgment, and said these words. Jesus wanted to protect them from the terrible judgment that will follow their rejection of Him.

i. It is written that Jesus wept two times: here, at the pain of knowing what would befall those who reject Him, and at Lazurus’ tomb, weeping at the power and pain of death.

i. This heartfelt cry is another way to see that Jesus didn’t hate these men He rebuked so strongly. His heart broke for them. When we sin, God does not hate us, He genuinely weeps for us, knowing that in every way, our sin and rebellion only destroys our life.

iii. May we share God’s broken heart for a lost humanity!

b. You shall see Me no more till you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Jesus here reveals something of the conditions surrounding His Second Coming. When Jesus comes again, the Jewish people will welcome Him as the Messiah saying, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

i. It will take a great deal to bring Israel to that point, but God will do it, and Israel will welcome Jesus back - even as Paul said in Romans 11:26: And so all Israel will be saved.

Ft Pierce Utilities Authority invites Joyce Leiphon?

Just another way to become acceptable to the community of Ft Pierce, Florida.  This kind of theatrics is something only Joyce Leiphon could pull off.  Yes the prayer is short, simple and to the point.  Yet, it seems she's using her prior contacts in law enforcement to promote herself again.  Check the link and see, yes she still has some pull over the Ft Pierce, St Lucie County Flordia area. If I didn't know her and her agenda, I'd go to her church and see what was going on.  If the city of Ft Pierce would invite her to pray over their meetings, can she be all that bad?  (hint.....go to her church and then get caught in the web of deception)

Here's the link.  http://fortpiercefl.swagit.com/play/08212012-597

She forgot to say, "MONEY COMETH to ME NOW!"

Joyce Leiphon and Light of the World Cult

I was asked recently how could anyone stay under someone and give mo' money until it hurts.  Unless you've been there it would be hard to understand.  If your pastor/teacher/mentor exhibits any of the following characteristics, you too, may be in a cult.

Signs Of Cult Behavior:

1. Cult members are focused on a living leader to whom members seem to display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment. The leader is a strong-willed, domineering character who rules the group with tight control. She lets it be known in subtle ways that she is “in charge” of the movement. She makes the plans, she orchestrates the movements of the group or groups (sometimes she exercises her sway over several groups). Frequently, they even begin to imitate her mannerisms in terms of dress, voice inflection, language patterns, aggressive attitudes, etc. They become “clones” of their esteemed leader. It is not uncommon that the leader knows of weaknesses or past problems of people within her group and uses intimidation and fear to keep them under her control.
2. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged, and there can be pressure or social punishment when there is disagreement with the “boss.” Those who disagree are made to feel as though they are stupid or inept. They are brainwashed with the notion that they do not have the knowledge or experience to question the leader. Younger people are particularly vulnerable to the leader’s “anointing.” No matter how radical the leader becomes in her decisions or actions, the cult members will not criticize her. Even if there should be mild disagreement, no specific expressions are voiced. The members feel that although she may be mistaken in some of her judgments, but the overall good she accomplishes outweighs any minor flaws. Members are taught to “rationalize” the conduct of the leader.
3. The leader is preoccupied with money. There is always a need for increasing finances. New projects are always “in the works.” Members are strongly encouraged to greatly sacrifice for the leader’s pet projects. There is always pressure to give; members of the group must be kept excited on a continual basis. The cult leader always takes the major credit for the movement’s accomplishments. Members become psychologically dependent upon him. “What would we ever do without our spiritual mother?,” is the cult mentality.
4. The cult leader generates within her members “a polarized” mentality. Her people evolve an “us-versus-them” mentality. Little-by-little she criticizes other groups with which her members might tend to associate, undermining confidence in them, attempting to discredit anyone who could have influence over her “flock.” Cult members become suspicious. No one is really as “sound” as “we” are. We are an “elitist” group. And so, seeds of isolationism are sown. The movement leader discourages reading any material, examining any ideas that hedoes not initiate.
5. The cult leader has a clearly defined “anti-authoritarian” disposition. Within the context of the church, for instance, she would have an “anti-elder accountability” attitude. Elders would be recipients of constant critical remarks. No cult leader would affiliate himself with a congregation having elders to whom she must be in submission. “Control” could not be maintained in such an environment, so Elders are rendered impotent, or non existent.  The cult leader would constantly criticize preachers, particularly those whose knowledge of the Scriptures eclipse her own. Members must be made to feel that she is the “chief authority” in spiritual matters.
6. Cult members are seen occasionally to take on a new personality. They begin to act differently. They become increasingly antagonistic to family members and long-time friends. They may even boast that, “I am not the old [name] that you used to know; I am a new person now.” And indeed they are. They have become strangers to those who knew them well. They have been transformed into the image of their leader.

So there you have it, potential cult members. Take the time to climb through the Word of God as your pimp is twisting it from the pulpit. Read it in context – don’t just flip to the verses she tells you to read. If you still believe that your pimp descended from the right hand of the Father, then stay.

Joyce Leiphon $20,000 Thanksgiving gift

As we embark on another Thanksgiving season, I wanted to write about what we did while I was a member of Light of the World Church each November.

It's the annual "Money Cometh to Me" conference held in Darrow, LA at Dr Leroy Thompson's church. We'd be asked to start seed sowing (MONEY) for her expenses and to sow (give till it hurts) as much for this week long love fest of material riches.

Joyce Leiphon as usual will go to this conference as she does each year to sow into her man of god. She will go and bring a money offering each day for the 5 day conference, at two meetings each day she'll have to bring some major cash with her on this trip.

I remember being asked one year what Light of the World did for the poor and needy in Ft Pierce, how many families did we help feed. Unfortunately, my answer was.....NONE! But I can tell you, when Joyce Leiphon came back from Dr Thompson's fund raising show, she did tell us she gave $20,000.00 to Dr Thompson and we should be striving to be like her. Of course that meant we were to give her the money directly.

Now that's a $20,000 turkey. How many families could that have helped in Ft Pierce? We'll never know, but one thing for sure this Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks that I'm not part of this ponzi scheme and not part of Light of the World Church.

Joyce Leiphon Witchcraft practices

It's been two years since I left Light of the World Church and Joyce Leiphon.  I've wondered if writing this blog has had any impact in warning others about this church and the pastor worship that occurs here.    Since this is Holloween and Joyce and her Light of the World Church will be having their service tonight to honor the Money Cometh God, I thought it'd be appropriate to write a post. 

A couple things happens in the month of October that costs the members of this cult more money than other months.  I don't know the origins of this, but October has been pastor appreciation month since 1992.  Joyce has her private servant send out emails concerning this as I posted earlier.  In short, pastor worship, oh yes, I understand you should appreciate your teachers and leaders, however, used by Joyce Leiphon, it became an enslaving tool of witchcraft.

Not to be out done, but October 23 is Joyce Leiphon birthday, and she again has her private servant send out emails for this too  In short, pastor worship again, and yes, I understand you should appreciate your teachers and leaders, however, used by Joyce Leiphon, it became another enslaving tool of witchcraft.

When I was there, October was a month our family did without.  This is nothing short of pastor worship as we were compelled to give and give until it hurt!  It seemed her followers tried to out do each other in our "seed sowing"  Funny how "seed sowing" refers to money cometh.  Her man of gawd, Leroy Thompson would tell us "Don't send me a birthday card without no money in it!"

Witchcraft, yes, I said it.  I have now come to realize that Joyce Leiphon practices witchraft under the disguise of christianity.  When you are calling, saying, yelling, shouting at an object (money) and commanding it to come to you (MONEYCOMETH to ME!).....that's witchraft.  When you have your subjects take pictures of money, checks written to Joyce Leiphon in $10,000.00, and post them all over your house....that is witchcraft.  Stand in a circle as a group and holding hands and command money to come to you and your  brothers and sisters, and most of all, to the leader.....that is witchcraft.   When you speak spells against persons by name, (those who have left her cult)....that is withchraft.

So on this day, I would admonish those who would never think their church would be involved in witchcraft, let alone idolatry (pastor worship).  I would say, run, run and run!  Oh, by the way, nothing was ever mentioned about the Cross, Jesus, God, the Blood of Jesus, or Salvation by Grace.  Everything was focused on Joyce Leiphon and money cometh!

Joyce Leiphon Money Cometh moment with a wink and a nod

On November 6th, 2007,  Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) office sent letters to six “televangelists” (i.e. Christian ministers who have extensive television exposure) in an effort to obtain information about potential “abuses” of donor-originated funds within these non-profit organizations.

I wished he had sent one to Leroy Thompson and Joyce Leiphon.  Though Joyce doesn't have a jet, or a Rolls Royce, (she has declared she will have these one day) she sure would have to explain the amount of cash she receives from her sheeple. But like with all cults, the cult leader has no accountability. When this investigation was going on, of course it was considered an "attack of the enemy" by Joyce Leiphon.  We had a private meeting where she told me that all cash money gifts were to be given to her "outside the church".

With a wink and a nod she told me she got that info from Leroy Thompson in a phone call and we were to continue giving her cash outside the church, like in the parking lot or in an envelope in her dinner basket (yes, she had members make her dinners).  She made this announcement to the core group, but I had come in late that night and missed it, therefore the private meeting.  I felt like a secret agent, are you kidding me?  Meet the pastor at a "drop" and give her your money?

I was fairly new to the LOTWC cult but understood the nod and wink.  I went home and told my wife I thought we were to pay things unto Caesar (like taxes), and I did not think this was legal and violated the spirit of the law as well as the letter of the law.  I didn't think it was proper and kept it to myself.

Joyce Leiphon, did, after several days rescind her annoucement and that she would continue to take cash from us at the pulpit while preaching the gospel of wealth.  I guess she had a moment of clarity and we continued to give her cash at each meeting 3x a week.

We continued to give, but changed to checks as we would be able to document our giving and for the deduction given on our tax returns.  But the cash gifts don't count and could not deduct that as a charitable donation.  Of course we were told not to be motivated by a tax deduction but how God's blessings would rain down from heaven like manna.  So, there was lot's of cash passing on to Joyce Leiphon directly.  What does Joyce do with the cash?  She is a 5013C non profit organization. I do know she gives to her man of gawd Leroy Thompson. She brags about it as often as possible.  I know we didn't help anyone in our church or community.  I did get a tax deduction for the money we gave in check form.....but the cash?  OH the cash, nothing, no deduction, nada.  Just a nod and a wink that one day too, people will be giving you their hard earned money!

Joyce Leiphon and Light of the World Church, a cult? Part I

I saw this in the comment section recently and wanted to post this as this describes my experience with the "Money Cometh" gospel as preached by Joyce Leiphon  Thank you to anonymous for sharing their comments.  This is part 1, part deaux 2 will follow.  Anonymous comments are in bold.  My personal response and my experience are in yellow.

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Yes, Yes and YES!  I believed everything Joyce Leiphon said and taught as the gospel.  She would tell us we should follow her as she followed Jesus. Joyce Leiphon could never be wrong as she is a woman of God!

‪ Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Yes, Yes and YES I was a spy, a spy within the inner circle of LOTWC, my assignment was to watch out for those who would show signs of doubt.  Yes, I admit, I did report those who said things not in line with Joyce Leiphon and her teachings.  Punishment was severe and quick.  The Amish, Jehovah's Witnesse's, Mormon's etc have nothing over the control Joyce Leiphon has over her group.  I'm talkin' about shunning, calling them devils, do not talk, eat, help, console, and there is no chance of reconciliation to come back into her good graces.


‪ Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).

Yes, Yes, and YES!  Every Monday night, 7-8pm, mandatory prayer which would consist of reading several scriptural passages, inserting PASTOR JOYCE into the written text.  Wed night 6-7pm more of the same. Then the service about money cometh.  Sunday morning 9-10am, more of the same.  After scriptures were read in unison, a time for praying in tongues.  The louder, the better!  I can not tell you how many people came and left before a Sunday service to start at 10 am to find a group of screaming, shouting, shaking people speaking in tongues and Joyce having a few select people following her closely so she wouldn't fall down in a drunken state, overcome by the power of God! No wonder people left!

‪ The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).

Yes, Yes and YES!  The leadership is Joyce Leiphon.  There are no elders, decons, or any accountability. Even in her inner circle, which I was part of, we obeyed her every word.  I have seen people not take jobs because it was too far away from her church and have seen families split apart, husband and wife, because she said so.  No shopping at Walmart or Goodwill, thrift shops as it was beneath our "Divinity" The threat of being cursed for touching the anoited of God.


‪ The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
‪ The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

Yes, Yes and YES!  When I left  LOTWC‪ I was told  "I thought you were one of us!"  To this day, that brother will turn his head when we meet on the road.  When someone left the church, we were to have nothing to do with them.  It was a US against THEM, and the THEM were other Christian churches!  We NEVER partnered with any other church in Ft Pierce.  Joyce Leiphon would tell us how this message of "Money Cometh" was unique and how we would become wealthy and we should be thankful that God chose her to teach us the way and that we were a remnant of believers to be RICH!