Facts

No point confusing people with facts! 

God loves you whether you believe it or not! 

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Forgiveness Talk

This talk on forgiveness was given by a friend of mine.  It is very pertinent to those who would like to look deeper into Godhood. 

Matthew16:9 Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  11 Give us this day our daily bread.  12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

We all have debts we owe, and debts to forgive, so let me talk with you about forgiveness of debt and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

We all have financial debts. We make minimum payments, in very small installments, when compared to the actual debt.  We also have spiritual debt. Not only are we are responsible for repaying our financial debts, but also our spiritual debts as well, and that is where the Atonement comes in.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Before we came to this earth, we made agreements with each other. Therefore, we became the creditor and debtor, before we were ever born. We had specific things we wanted to learn and accomplish in this life, so that our spirits could learn and grow. But, in order to do that, there had to be one willing to sacrifice and create opposition FOR YOU. So that you would be able to learn those lessons.

This is someone you loved… who agreed to come into your life and cause such pain, such grief, such heartache, such sorrow that you would have no other choice but to change and grow your heart, to be able to overcome it. Just like a seed that is planted in the ground, it had to go through such tremendous change and growth that it literally burst open, before it could become the beautiful flowering plant, or tender tree.

I’m sure this thing which we asked them to do was SO HARD, that they didn’t  want to do it. But, we begged and said, you have to do this for me… There is no one else who loves me enough to do this, except you.  And they agreed to do this very hard thing which would offend us, break our hearts, and tear us down. And in return, we agreed to love them and forgive them, unconditionally.

We come to earth with no knowledge of those friends and those agreements, but they come into our lives, just as they agreed. They perform their service to us, just as they agreed.

And We… Are hurt. We are angry. We curse them. We hate them. We shut them out of our lives and we talk about them behind their back. We gossip and speak poorly of this person… This friend who loved us SO MUCH that they came here and agreed to do this very hard thing, just for us.

Maybe this is why Jesus said:
Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  Luke 6:37 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Matthew 18: Jesus talks about a king and his servants. One who owed 10,000 talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay,   his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.   27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owes.  29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

Are we like him who receives forgiveness for our debt, and then turns to demand payment from another?

Matthew 5: 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

We have a responsibility to forgive ALL those who have trespassed against us, if we expect to be forgiven of the debts we have. Jesus said, I will forgive, who I will forgive. But of you it is required to forgive all men.

Maybe this is because HE knows of all those agreements that we made in our pre earth life.

Forgiveness is for the forgiver! It releases us from the spiritual prison we have created for ourselves with the bars and bricks of debt. Forgiveness is like taking the sacrament and truly putting the Atonement of Jesus Christ to work for us. It sets US free. It is the key to the open door, and all we have to do is walk through that open door, when we are ready.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

I stand before you today as a sinner, a beggar, a borrower, a thief. One who has outstanding debts to those who I have made agreements with, and those who have made agreements with me. But, I work every single day with the help of the Lord, to be made aware of those debts so that I can pay back the ones I can, seek forgiveness of the ones I can’t and trust in the Grace of my Savior Jesus Christ and the Atonement to cover the rest, after all that I can do.

Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Jesus said, Love one another. Forgive one another. Repay your debts. Go make things right with your brother. Repent, and I the Lord will remember your sins no more.

Now concerning those loved ons who came to us to provide us opposition in this life that we might grow and become who we desired to be while in this mortal existence. Imagine if you have not forgiven them. What will the Lord say to you when the day comes that you lay their debts at His feet and demand payment in full.

Who really owes the debt, unto whom?

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is in Mark 14
3 ¶And Jesus being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.  4 And there were some that murmured against her. 

6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her?             -8 She hath done what she could:

After all that I can do, when I stand before my Lord and Savior… There will be many who will stand as a witness against me. Those who will murmur against me, because of the outstanding debts which they have against me. They will seek payment in full, or vengeance of the wrath of the God against me, for all that I owe and have not paid.  And I, will fall upon my face and beg forgiveness from them and from Him.

I will plead the Atonement on my behalf. I will remember, and they will remember the agreements which we made with each other.  And I hope to hear Him say,

Why do ye trouble this woman? Let her alone… She hath done for you, all that she could.Her sins are forgiven, and I the Lord remember them no more.

In Jesus name, Amen. 

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The Deception Of The Window

The churches are like a window, looking into heaven.  The fly keeps beating his head against the window trying to get into heaven.  And no amount of trying to convince him to just go through the door will change his mind.  Because he can see heaven through the window.  He cannot understand to move back from the window to see and go out the door which is right beside the window.  And that is how the devil likes it.  He loves seeing all those dead flies in the window sill.  He loves for people to waste away their lives bashing their heads against the church windows wasting their lives and ending up dead in the end. 

Please go out the door into heaven!  The Lord is right there waiting for you!  💖  

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Us vs Them

At times, when we go through great challenges, often the Lord seems so far away.  At these times there may be a tendency to pray as if the Lord were distant; come help us, save us, we are trying so hard, etc.  This type of language stems from a deeper belief that the Lord is really distant, that He is doing His own thing, and that we are not really on the same team.  This type of belief and language hurts our Heavenly Father's feelings.  You are His work, you are His goal, your progression is the desires of His heart. 

Over Anxiety

"Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you." 
~ Jacob 4:18  

I have all too often seen a person struggling with something precious for them, praying to the Lord, struggling in the spirit, searching for the answer, but because the problem is so dear to them, they are unable to hear the answer.  They have, what Jacob refers to as, over anxiety.  This over anxiety is a great deal of stress, that impedes our ability to think clearly.  It makes it ever so difficult to hear the answers we so desperately seek, especially if that answer is about a dear friend or family member.  I myself have recently experienced this.  I have a dear friend that is going through a huge trial, and has asked me for my prayers.  I have approached the Lord, but because of my over anxiety of concern for my friend and our relationship, I could not hear all the answer, so I also asked a different friend for his prayers.  The Lord was so kind,so as to give the answer to my other friend, who in turn gave it to me, of which I prayed about, and can pass it on to the friend who requested it of me.  To work together, to let go of any and all pride, to love each other; is this not what it is all about? 

On another note, there is the pride issue: 

It is indulgent pride to believe that God will not speak to another person on your behalf.  To believe that the Lord will only tell you, and 'if He tells another and not you, then it must be false', is false.  The Lord loves all of us, and speaks to whomever will listen, and a person will not progress if he does not learn to accept information from the Lord, even if it comes through another.  Of course, the Lord expects us to ask Him for confirmation.  He wants to talk to all of His children.  This is how chaos is avoided, and how we will all eventually see alike. 

God never gives all gifts, nor all information, nor all revelation to just one servant.  He does love all of us and will bless us through others as well.  The sooner this lesson is learned, the sooner a person may progress. 

Let us all work together.  Let us all seek God together.  Let us all love each other with that Divine Love that God sheds forth on all His children.

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Progress

I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. 
~ TPJS pg. 331 

The Gospel is a gospel of progression.  We must be ever learning, ever progressing.  That means getting better.  We have a tremendously long way to go.  And when the Lord, or the Lord's servant, teaches you something that is against your traditions, then go to the Lord and ask for further light and knowledge.  Ask for that witness of the Spirit that is promised in D&C 9.  Break down the question into very small segments if you need to.  Then go back to the Lord and ask for confirmation.  Just keep going to the Lord. 

If the church knew all the commandments, one-half they would condemn through prejudice and ignorance. 
~ TPJS pg. 112 

There are many commandments.  The Lord says, that He will bless us with 'commandments not a few'.  Of course all those commandments come from the first commandment, to Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength.  But until we learn that type of love, the Lord in His infinite mercy, grants us more and more, until we come to a full understanding of that type of love. 

Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. 
~ TPJS pg. 309 

And how does this knowledge come?  Through our belief in correct principles!  The principles must be correct, in order that our faith may bear fruit. 

Section 9 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a great place to start.  Moroni chapter 10 also gives great insight.  Alma chapter 32 teaches us how to grow our faith, so that it may bear good fruit.  In fact, study the Book of Mormon prophets, and watch how they got answers.  Pay close attention to the converts of the sons of Mosiah!  They reached out, broken hearted, totally contrite before the Lord.  Completely willing to give up all their traditions.  Just copy them! 

And because of the knowledge of this man, he could not be kept from beholding within the veil: and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear: for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting; wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus, and he did minister unto him. 
~ Ether chapter 1 pg. 545  (BoM 1st edition) 

We can all progress to this point; the point at which we see Jesus.  What do you think this story is in the Book of Mormon for?  It is there because we can obtain it.  Why would the Lord put this process in the Book of Mormon if it was not for us to follow?  It is there for us to follow.  The Book of Mormon is a blueprint for us to follow to get to God.  Follow it! 

And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.  Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fullness of his glory.
~ D&C 84:21-24 

The fullness of His glory!  Moses was trying to get all of Israel into the very presence of God.  Not just one or two special guys, but all of them!!  But they turned him down!  They had their traditions.  Did they give the same excuses as we hear today?  To claim their traditions were all that mattered, that this was the way they always worshiped, that this was the way their ancestors worshiped, etc.  And that God would accept them.  Yes, it is true that God will accept them if they live a lower law; they will be accepted into a lower degree of glory.  They will never enter into the "rest" of the Father, which rest is the "fullness of his glory." 

If it was possible for the children of Israel to enter into His rest, then it is possible for us today to enter into His rest!  If God wanted it so bad, for His children to enter into His rest, so bad that He was "angry" when they chose not to, why would anyone think this is not still what God wants for us today???? 

There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. 
~ TPJS pg. 309 

The Father of all creation wants you in His very presence.  It is time to progress.  It is time to give up the world.  It is time to give up your traditions for what the Lord is teaching.  It is time to go to the Lord and ask Him.  Ask Him.  Embrace Him.  And never let go! 

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To Know God

A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. 
~ TPJS pg. 217 

But what is knowledge?  What does it mean to "know"?  What kind of knowledge is he talking about? 

"I want to ask this congregation, every man, woman and child, to answer the question in their own heart, what kind of a being God is?  Ask yourselves; turn your thoughts into your hearts, and say if any of you have seen, heard, or communed with him.  This is a question that may occupy your attention for a long time.  I again repeat the question -- What kind of a being is God?  Does any man or woman know?  Have any of you seen him, heard him, or communed with him?  Here is the question that will, peradventure, from this time henceforth occupy your attention.  The scriptures inform us that "This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." 

If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of a being he is, -- if he will search diligently his own heart -- if the declaration of Jesus and the apostles be true, he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle." 
TPJS pg. 137 

I submit to you, there is only one real way for anyone to know anything, and that is to actually, personally, have the experience for yourself. 

To know what salt tastes like, to know what fire feels like, to know what God is truly like, can never be known by simply reading the scriptures, nor by listening to all the firsthand experiences in the world, but can be only truly known by actual first hand experience ourselves.  

And then, at that day, before the Son of Man comes, the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, Ye know me not. 
Matthew 25:1-11  JST

Now is the time to get to know God.  This is the time to fill our lamps with oil.  This is the life in which we are to meet God in person.  Just like in the parable, those who wait, until the bridegroom comes, to fill their lamps with oil, or in other words, to experience being in the presence of God and learning His characteristics directly from Him in person, will find they are too late. 

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." 
John 17:3 

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