Drunkards Of Ephriam

There is a movement that seems to be taking off with speed.  It is the justification of not following the advice of the Word of Wisdom, so much so that some are using Sacrament scriptures to justify excessive drinking, especially of the Sacramental wine. 

 8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.

 9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. 

Being filled does not mean filled with bread and wine, but filled with the Holy Spirit. Then when filled, administer to others. So, how much it takes to be filled with the Holy Spirit is subjective, not to mention that the officiator must have true power in the priesthood to actually receive the full promise of the ordinance.  Then, once filled, stop and administer to others. 

This also introduces the concept that one must first gain the approval and authority from Heaven in order for the ordinance to have efficacy, so that those who partake can be cleansed and filled with the Holy Ghost. 

Those who administer should partake first, be filled with the Holy Spirit first, then when they are pure, administer to others. They do not partake first for any status reason, for they are to be the servants of servants, but to be cleansed first before administering to others, that they may perform their duties in righteousness.  If they partake first for any status reason, they are impure, they will not have the Holy Spirit, and cannot administer in righteousness.  They are to "wash their hands first", not because they are special, but because they don't want to contaminate the bread and wine that they serve to their children, they don't want to contaminate the souls of those to whom they administer. 

Turn to the Lord.  Perform His ordinances the way He says, and that which He promises will be given immediately according to His word. 

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We Must Accept The Truth

The wicked take the truth to be hard and won't accept it.  They argue with it, get angry with it, fight against it. 

The truth is that Jesus commanded us to be perfect.  Nephi said that the Lord gives no command unless He has also prepared a way to accomplish the thing which He commands.  So then, there is a way to be perfect.  So why argue about it.  Why not put into practice the entire gospel that Jesus taught; to repent, lay down our old life, and rise to a new life in Him; to get better; to keep progressing. 

I have had my challenges.  I grew up in a redneck home, subjected to abuse, and was taught all kinds of nasty things.  I fought very hard to get those things out of me.  And you know what?  There are still lots of left over challenges and ongoing consequences from those years.  I am not perfect; but I will not ever preach that there is no need to be!  I will never say something so anti-Christ like: "Nobody is perfect, and nobody can be, and God doesn't expect us to be." 

I say this is anti-Christ because it is exactly opposite to what Christ taught. 

I am not perfect, but I keep striving to get a little better every day.  And so many times I have failed.  But Jesus is there for me, and for you.  Don't settle for mediocrity in your morals just because you are not perfect.  Keep striving.  Keep progressing.  So what if it would take several lifetimes!  Keep progressing anyway.  It is not how perfect you have become that gains us entry into Christ's kingdom, but it is which direction we are consistently going.  Stand for Christ and preach what Christ taught, even if you are not perfect at it yourselves! 

Do not get upset or angry just because we are expected to keep all the commandments? 

I am not perfect, but I am not going to lie and say that we are not supposed to do what Christ taught.  But we must be constantly striving for it. 

I have made a lot of big mistakes in my life, and Heavenly Father knows this, yet because of the importuning of His son, Jesus Christ, He has forgiven me and let me come into His presence.  Does this mean that I have accomplished everything that I could of, had I not done those wicked things that I did?  No!  Yes, I have been forgiven, and by His grace have I progressed (I still have a long, long way to go!), but I will never have what I could have had, had I not done those things in the first place.  But there is hope.  There is always hope.  A person can repent, truly repent, and seek for the grace of Christ.  His grace is sufficient for all those who repent and humble themselves before him.  His grace is offered to all the penitent.  He loves all of His children, and wants them all to come home. 

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Bragging Is Not Repentance!

 43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

Sitting around a campfire, bragging about all the nasty things you used to do, is not repentance! 

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Different Types Of Visions

 There are many different types of visions, and they come in different forms.  Don't be afraid if the different types of visions have various new age names, like astral projection, etc.  There are many gifts of God, and it seems that most of the time they are symbolic.  The gift of prophecy must be accompanied by the gift of revelation.  The two go hand in hand.  Otherwise, how will one understand the prophecy if the meaning wasn't revealed?  The same goes for other gifts like speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues, faith to heal and the faith to be healed, etc.  And usually these complimentary gifts are found in two separate people.  Heavenly Father is a great believer in humility, eliminating pride, and having people work together seems to help accomplish that goal. :) 

About a week or two ago, I was hiking along a wilderness mountain trail when an omen crossed my path.  I stopped and prayed.  I prayed for my family, for those who will yet join my family, for my friends, and I prayed fervently, sending out energy, to any and all who would need help.  While I prayed I saw the scene before me and then backed away high in the sky, moved forward and zoomed back in to a new spot on the trail.  Some call this sort of thing a type of astral projection.  At this spot a big brown mamma bear came running down the trail at me.  She stopped, scuffed the ground, made growls and noises at me.  She walked to one side of the trail, then off to the other side.  Soon, she left the trail and I could pass.  Then I zoomed out and back to my current location. 

Don't be afraid of the gifts of God.  Pray for the interpretation.  If it is of God, He will provide the interpretation, either directly to you, or through another.  Remember, the Lord does like to share His gifts.  Don't turn away from a correct interpretation just because it didn't come through you!  Don't reject the interpretation just because it doesn't fit into your paradigm, or because you think it should mean something different.  Be humble before the Lord.  He will not forsake you.  Be humble and work together for the glory of God. 

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The Butterfly

The greatest testimony that I can bear, and the most powerful witness that I can share, is that of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What else could be as important as the atonement? The sacrifice that makes it possible for us to repent and return to the presence of God. 

God wants all of us to repent and return to Him.  His greatest joy is to see His children grow and progress and become as He is.

Jesus Christ came to preach repentance, to bind up the broken hearted, to show the way home;  And that way is repentance;  to completely turn away from the world, from our sins, and turn completely to God. 

God has said about those who repent and turn away from their sins and do them no more; "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the LORD, remember them no more." 

What an amazing promise!  "I remember them no more." 

I have often wondered how the Lord could, "remember them no more", especially when the temporal effects of my mistakes were still so prevalent in my life.

Recently, I read an analogy that described this phenomena perfectly; and I remember an experience I had as a child.

When I was a child, my parents had a couple of apple trees in their back yard. I loved to climb those trees and eat the apples that grew there.  But one year the trees became covered in some sort of nasty cobwebs. Upon closer inspection I found that the trees were infested with worms. Ugly little caterpillars were crawling all over our trees. And every time I went near those cobwebs I would end up covered in worms too. 

As the summer progressed, I found cocoons everywhere. But after a few more weeks, something magical happened. One morning I awoke to find the butterflies emerging from their chrysalis.

They stretched their wings to reveal beautiful new colours and patterns, as they warmed themselves and dried their wings in the sunshine. 

No longer did I see the ugly worms they once were. I only saw beautifully coloured wings, dancing on the breeze, floating gently from flower to flower. I was amazed at the metamorphosis which had taken place. 

This is how God sees each of us; that as we repent a metamorphosis occurs, wherein we turn into a new creation before Christ. No longer does God remember our old sins, but sees only the beautiful creature we have become, His very own sons and daughters, the sons and daughters of God.

May we follow the example of our Saviour, and no longer remember each other's sins and shortcomings.  May we only see the potential that each of us has as a child of God.  And may we treat each other accordingly, as we want Christ to treat us.  May we have as much patience with each other as we want Heavenly Father to have with us.  And may we view each other as Heavenly Father views us, of infinite potential. 

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Keys

I said that I would write a bit on Keys, so here it goes. 

There is no mystical power or meaning to the term "Keys".  The term key can be used synonymously with other terms such as; code, passcode, PIN, password, legend, method, knowledge, catalyst, etc.  Now, what do all these terms have in common?  They are all allow the user to actually use the product that they are associated with.  For example; a house key allows access to a house.  A password allows access to a computer.  A PIN allows access to a bank account.  A vehicle key allows a person to start and run a vehicle.  Etc.  And in many situations, there are several keys that are needed to produce a result. 

So the keys to the priesthood, are keys that allow a person to use the priesthood.  If they cannot use the priesthood as we are instructed to do by the Saviour (D&C 13-14), then they do not have the keys to the priesthood.  Just because someone has conferred upon them a certain level of the priesthood and ordained them to a certain office in that priesthood does not mean that they have the keys by virtue of that ordination.  They must apply the keys to be able to use that priesthood and function in that office.  Now, I know that this is very basic stuff, and that a simple reading of the first four books of the New Testament express this concept over and over again, but Jesus was spot on, and it still seems to be the best way to address this topic. 

Many people have the keys, but they fail to use them, I believe it is because some don't recognize the keys for what they are, and others, well ... they just don't want to apply the keys, preferring to hold to their wickedness. 

The keys to the priesthood are very simply knowledge of how to use the priesthood.  These keys are found in the New Testament, the D&C, the BoM, and basically repeated all through the scriptures, and there are only a few of them.  In fact I have often covered them in the posts on this blog.  So there is really no need to address them all individually again.  Therefore, just to cover the principle lightly; when we live according to the covenants of the priesthood, the anointings and endowments (all of them), actually applying these things inwardly, not just in outward actions, but both inward and outward, then we are applying the keys of the priesthood, and when we do anything in this state according to the will of God, it will be ratified by Heaven.  In other words; It will be done! 

The point is that in order to utilize the Priesthood, one must use the key.  If the key is not used, there is no power or efficacy in that ordinance.  We are told not to require miracles at God's hands, but we are commanded to heal the sick and cast out devils, etc.  So all priesthood holders should get themselves and their lives in tune with the Saviour, thereby utilizing the keys, and perform their priesthood duties in power and righteousness. 

In conclusion, all these people running around looking for someone who has the "keys" (due to the priestcraft teachings of our ancestors) to perform the saving ordinances are unfortunately missing the mark.  The "keys" are plainly manifest in a person who has them.  They are manifest in everything they do.  If a person cannot follow the command of God to heal the sick and cast out devils, etc. then they have no power to bless the sacrament, or name a child, or baptize, or perform any saving ordinance.  This is a heavy blow to their pride, but that is why we have the saying, 'many are called, but few are chosen'. 

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My Sheep Shall Hear My Voice

I am not a man who is skilled at writing, and even in attempting to convey the simplest concepts I find great difficulty.  And yet the Lord says, "My sheep hear my voice."  So I will continue to share those things which have brought me into the presence of God, in the hopes that someone may find a small morsel of value. 

To those who like to argue with my experiences and say all manner of evil against me:  I often do not feel the need to expound on doctrine, because I feel it is self explanatory.  It is my firm belief that those who argue over plain things have wickedness in their hearts, and no amount of expounding, sharing scripture, or persuasion will change their minds, so I will forgo and leave it to the Spirit to do the expounding. 

If you are truly concerned with one of the doctrines that I espouse, and want me to consider your point of view seriously, first find all the references that back-up what I have written, then present your point of view and I will consider it.  I do respect other people's points of view and their own life experience, yet it is my desire to help others get into the very physical presence of God, where they can see and touch and smell and hear and interact personally and experience and be taught by God himself in His very presence.  There are many of us who have stood in His very presence and been taught from His own mouth.  And on the things that we have been taught, we all agree.  It is also possible and does happen where Heavenly Father does appear to and talk to more than one person at a time.  Our Heavenly Father is very real, and wants so very much to know you and for you to know Him, in person and right now in this life.  Turn to Him.  He is right here waiting for you, ready to receive you. 

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