The Baptizm Of Fire

 It has been a while, since I last wrote on this blog.  There have been many exciting things occurring in the Church family which have required a great deal of time.  It is about time that I answer another question though, of which this topic is about.  Here is a short summary:

The Baptizm of Fire is when a person has repented of all thier sins, and the Holy Ghost purges them from all sin.  In other words, the person no longer has a desire for sin.  The recipient of the Baptizm of Fire no longer is tempted.  It is a clear sign of those who are baptized by fire, when they no longer struggle, but are constantly just going about doing well to people.

There are many things which people attribute to the Baptizm of Fire, which is not really the case, but the Baptizm of Fire is just as the Book of Mormon relates, to purge a person from all sin, and from all desire of sin.  (Of course, this process works in reverse as well!)

It is said:  Father dwells in Everlasting Burnings.  It is a good aim, to have the Baptizm of Fire with us constantly, just like Heavenly Father.

Entrance Exam

I have heard some talk, about receiving ordinances, and thereby being prepared for Godhood in the next life.  The concept being, that the ordinances hold some sort of magical power to secure their place among the pantheon of Gods.  This belief has led many astray, into the paths of sin, believing that the ordinance is all that is required.  The truth is, the ordinance should teach us something, should show us the way to live our lives in the service of our Saviour.  If we do not live our lives properly, then we will miss out on the promises contained in the ordinances.  A person could have an ordinance repeated a hundred times, and it would do no good, unless they changed their life!  And in reality, it will take a long time yet, even after this life, to reach the fulfillment of such a promise.

“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave”
~ Joseph Smith

This is a big project, and, for those interested in actually becoming like our Father in Heaven, there is a lot of work to do. Once we come to terms with this, we can let go of the foolish notions of punishments and rewards, a God of extortion, a respecter of persons, and we can get to work and develop ourselves into the type of God we want to be.

This earth is really more like an entrance exam, so that we can get into Godhood University. It will take a while yet!

This being the case, that Father is only looking for those who are willing to pass the entrance exam, then we do not have to worry about being perfect in everything, all we need to do is to show forth the traits: Faith; repentance; forgiveness; love, and we will get in! They will train us how to become Gods, in the University. Right now, all we need to do is to create the prerequisites to get in. How nice is that?

Godhood University entrance exam is a regular aptitude test that measures your aptitude in various areas such as faith, repentance, forgiveness and practical love. These tests are not designed to measure what you have learned in Sunday School; rather, they measure your potential to perform well in the future.

Church and Sunday School classes may help you prepare for these exams. However, these are practicum exams. Real-life practice is the only way to achieve the correct aptitude, and the only submission that Godhood University will accept for apprenticeship programmes.

And now, my beloved brethren, after that ye have got into this strait and narrow path, I would ask:  If all is done?  Behold, I say unto you: Nay; for ye have not come thus far, save it were by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in Him, relying wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save, wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
~ 2 Nephi XIII:5

There is more than just hope, there is a promise!

Personal Commandments

The issue of Personal Commandments has been floating around recently, and I would like to comment for the sake of the faithful disciples of Messiah.  

There are many dangers in this world, and many deceptions that are prevalent and even almost convincing, but we must remember why we are here:  To overcome the world!  This is what the Saviour taught us, to overcome the world, as He has done.  We are to follow Him.  

From the beginning, when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, the promise was made to them, that a Saviour would be sent to show them the way back into the presence of the Tree of Life.  This Saviour is Yeshua, chosen and annointed by the Father to show us the way back into the presence of the Father.  It is Yeshua that we are to follow, if we would ever like to return to our Father in Heaven!  

Yeshua, Son of the Father, came to earth to Walk the path of the Father, to show us the way back into the presence of the Father, so all who will, may proceed into the presence of the Father.  This path which Yeshua walked is the Strait and Narrow Path of keeping All the commandments of the Father.  Yeshua proved that a mortal man could, and did, keep All the commandments of the Father.  The Father witnessed to all creation that Yeshua was truly walking the correct way, by granting unto Him the Spirit and power of God.  

Yeshua fulfilled the commandments of God, and asked us to follow Him, in which we would also walk that same path, in keeping all the commandments of the Father.  Just because the Messiah told us that He had fulfilled the commandments, does not mean that we do not have to keep the commandments.  The commandments had an end in the Saviour, meaning he fulfilled them, to the end they were created, which was to walk back into the presence of the Father.  And accordingly, as we follow this chosen Saviour, in keeping all the commandments, fulfilling the law the same as the Saviour did, the commandments will have an end in us, or in other words, produce the same results for us:  We will walk back into the presence of the Father!  This is the promise of the Saviour, the fulfillment of the Promise of the Father to Adam and Eve, for them and their descendants.  

The danger presented to us, by those who have arrested the scriptures, is that we no longer have to keep the commandments, that God will give us only those commandments that are just for us, and that we can ignore the remainder of the commandments.  This of course is false, and is totally refuted by scripture multiple times, by multiple prophets.  Yet, the fallacy prevails.  

The Father giving personal commandments, is when He asks a person to go and do a job for Him, such as when He has sent out a prophet, or disciple, to go and do a specific work.  Personal commandments are not that the Father is telling anyone that it is okay to break any of the commandments.  In fact, keeping the commandments is a prerequisite to being called, and having the power of God manifested through a person. 

The Father does not contradict Himself, for He is the same today, as yesterday, and will be tomorrow.  It is still Yeshua Messiah, the Son of the Living God, which we are to follow in Walking the Strait and Narrow Path, back into the presence of the Tree of Life.  

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
~ 1 John 2:3-6

So, to the faithful Disciples of Yeshua, do not be discouraged, nor fooled, for Father will not be upset at you keeping all of the commandments.  You can maintain your standards.  You can maintain your integrity.  You can keep your honour.  May God bless you to continue to live in virtue, love, light, and truth!  


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Passover

The Feast of the Passover is an amazing celebration, probably the most important so far in the History of the world.  This is because it is the fulfillment of the Promise of the Father to Adam and Eve:  We will provide a Saviour for them, a Messiah who will redeem them, by showing them the way back into the presence of the Tree of Life.

Yeshua is that Messiah which was prophesied by Father.  He came to redeem His people.  He came to show us how to walk back into the presence of the Father!  This is why we celebrate Passover, to celebrate the triumph of the Saviour over the world, and over death itself!

Growing up in the modern Christian World, many understand the festival of Easter to have taken the place of Passover.  Easter being a time we hold in memorial the Lord suffering in Gethsemane; Being arrested, judged, mocked, and scourged; Crucified; and of course, We celebrate His Triumphant Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven!  This is Passover!  The Love Father has for His children, to actually condescend, to come here to rescue His children, to bring them Home!

Do You Care About Me?

"I do not care how much you know, until I know how much you care."

Years ago, I heard a speech that changed my approach to life. In the speech, the gentleman said an interesting phrase: "I do not care how much you know, until I know how much you care." 

This phrase has stuck with me over the past 30 years, and has served me well throughout my personal life, and throughout my career as well. 

The best way to teach anything is by example, and the best way to spread peace and love, is by actually living it. 

Let each action, word, thought, and emotion be consistent with each other in truly caring about others, and actually be the change you want to see in the world!

"I do not care how much you know, until I know how much you care."

Inasmuch As Ye Keep My Commandments

A man was talking about his shop, which has not been doing much business lately, and the conversation turned to being blessed for keeping the commandments of God. He did not think keeping commandments would help, since many other shops were also having difficulty since the pandemic began.

Why would a person want to have the same problem as others, when it is entirely possible to prosper and help others?

The Lord God of Heaven can do many miracles, including helping our businesses, even through the current pandemic.

Inasmuch as we shall keep the commandments, we shall prosper in the land;
But inasmuch as we will not keep the commandments, we shall be cut off from the presence of God.

The Voice Of The Lord

The strange thing for me is, sometimes people hear stories about me getting to the Lord, and then they want to ask questions, so that they can also get to the Lord. From time to time, people gather around to find out how I got to the Lord. I tell many amazing experiences, and how I did it, and the seekers are often amazed and motivated to also have those experiences, and they can, if they follow the process of how to get there. And this is where I usually lose them.  

For some strange reason, seekers can feel the Spirit of God when I tell of experiences, and they can even get an undeniable witness that it is true, they can even believe that I followed the method described in the scriptures to get to the Lord, but they get rather upset when I suggest that they can have the same experiences by following the same pattern. Then of course, for suggesting that they too need to follow the commandments, I get called all sorts of interesting names, fallen prophet, etc.

From time to time, I still do have experiences with the Lord, and I am still directed in doing the work I am asked to do. Even today, I have heard the voice of the Lord, and no matter what people say, I will not deny the method/pattern/process/programme/way/walk/road/gospel, or whatever way someone wants to describe it, of how to get to the Lord. Messiah taught us the programme, and it is Messiah's programme that works. Messiah's programme is the ONLY programme that will get to the Father!

It is an amazing experience to get to the Lord. And, I never know exactly what to say to seekers. In my best possible voice I say, the Lord's way works. Just humble yourselves to the Lord's way, and you will have the promises expressed in scripture; all those who humble themselves before the Lord's way, will receive not only the Lord, but the Father also. Those who fight against the Lord's way, will receive neither the Son, nor the Father, not in this life, nor in the next.