Friday, November 15, 2024

The Larger Story...Lock Eyes On Jesus

I don't want to write about politics but I have felt like it is necessary in order to say what I want to say.

Right now there are many people who are either very let down or others who are over the moon. I have a friend who told me they won't be going home for the holidays because of their anger toward their family for the way they voted. My heart is sad at the division. No matter where you stand, it's important to see that there is more than politics at play here.

Got some time for backstory? About 14 years ago before my husband and I were waking up we had another couple whom we became best friends with. My husband and the other husband both read a book, "Awakening to Our Awful Situation: Warning From the Nephite Prophets" by Jack Monnett. They would discuss that book all.the.time. It was a book about how our government has been infiltrated and corrupted by both sides and to awaken to the secret combinations - as the Book of Mormon tells us to do.

Listening to them talk about that book every time we got together filled me with unexplained internal anger. I'd never felt this before but I truly felt angry inside that they would talk about our government being corrupted and I felt what they were discussing was all lies. My husband would try to talk to me about the book and for the first time - I would cut him off and ask him never to talk to me about it. I can see now I was filled with a spirit that did not want to hear truth. Inside I felt like plugging my ears and closing my eyes and shouting, "I'm not listening! I'm not listening!"

One day I needed to get the garden weeding done and knowing it would take me some time, I found an old iPod our friend had given us. Coincidentally the only thing on that iPod was the book, "Awakening to Our Awful Situation". I was buuugged. But then...Lo! a thought! I had the idea to listen to a chapter so I could prove how dumb this whole book was. Brilliant. I selected a chapter on why the second amendment was important. And the more I listened, the more I felt my mind being cleansed. Truth was flooding in faster than I could comprehend it and in one moment my mind was baptized with truth and I could see.

Truly these scriptures are prophecy!!!

20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.

21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.

23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.




Next I am going to share a journal excerpt and also a conversation and then I'll tie it all together. Here is from my journal on January 9th, 2017. My then 10 year old child had a dream about the 45th President who had just taken office:

1-9-17


(Edit) said that they had a dream the night before and saw in the dream that (the President) was assassinated and then the world got really bad and in his dream he wished he could “just skip that part in time”. He said that the world was worried and thought war was going to break out. And then he said there was ‘darkness’. And I said, “What does that mean?” He said, “It was without God.” And he said he wanted to "just skip that part" because it was so dark.

Then this week my 16 year old had a dream. They said in the dream they were sitting at their computer doing some work when a message popped up that said, and I don't want to use his name but it's the incoming President's name, the message said: "(President) found dead at Mar-a-lago". Then they awoke.

I was texting with a friend who echoed the things I had received. They said that they were praying on election day and the Lord said to them that it would look as if things will get better in our country but it will be short-lived and that evil designs (beyond 'Left' or 'Right') are mounting to ruin America and its founding. The Lord told them to be at peace through this transition because this transition will turn so many lost souls back to Him and that it will be worth it.

It is my feeling that dark times are ahead for us. And if we trust in government to fix what ail's us - then we are being led into a false sense of security.

Jesus will provide everything you need.

Pray for allies and where two or three are gathered together in Jesus name - He has promised He will be in the midst of them.

Fear not to do good...for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap...fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail...Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen. (D&C 6:32-37)

If we try to set a timeline or an idea of what the future holds, we can unconsciously set our hearts upon that reality and when it crumbles or shifts our hearts may crumble and shift with it. There is nothing that is certain except the Rock - Jesus Christ. Set your eyes on Him and all will be provided.

I see people online telling their followers to, "prepare. Move if you can. Get your food storage bulked up!" If those are people you listen to then I would ask you to consider unsubscribing. Anyone that doesn't preach for you to lock eyes on Jesus and to seek and do His will isn't grafted into the True Vine.

Jesus will provide everything you need.

Ask Him what is the most important thing for you to do right now and then...do it.

In May of 2017 my husband was praying in the dark hours of the morning. As he prayed about the things on his heart he unexpectedly saw the Lord come and sit by his side. Here is his journal from that day: 
I asked him about the coming destruction and asked if my family would be protected. The Lord said “They are in My hand and I will do with them as seemeth Me good. Protection is not the goal, salvation and eternal life is the goal. So many people petition for protection when that is not what will save and exalt them. I have something greater in mind than you or others can imagine when protection is all that is asked for.” 
Getting connected to the Lord through repentance, worship, and praise...seeking to do His will and His will alone is the covering of protection all must seek after.

A few years ago as I was closing the garage I stood at the door to make sure that the garage went all the way down and didn't bounce back up again. While the door was rattling it's way down I glanced around the garage, taking note of all our emergency prep items. Then the Lord spoke to me and said, "All these things keep you from trusting in Me fully." My head dropped. I was humbled.

If there is anything you can't give away, then it owns you.

There is a bigger story at play and it goes beyond Democrats and Republicans. It is far older, far deeper and we must awaken to the larger saga. The story God is telling isn't about Trump or the left and the right. It's about the rescue of the hearts of men and women. That is what is on the horizon in the months and years to come. Watch the majesty of the Lord unfold. He came to rescue the heart and to bring it into oneness with His. All those that desire Him with all their hearts WILL find Him and none are lost that seek after Him (John 17:12).

John Eldredge has said:

Security is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of Jesus.

The heart is God's most magnificent creation, and the prize over which he fights the kingdom of darkness.

To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with all your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart.

An intimate encounter with Jesus is the most transforming experience of human existence. To know him as he is, is to come home. To have his life, joy, love, and presence cannot be compared. A true knowledge of Jesus is our greatest need and our greatest happiness.

You can't fight a battle you don't think exists.

There is something about human nature that just doesn't want to face the reality that we live in two worlds. We live in the physical, material world where we have jobs, read books, and go about our business. And we live in a spiritual world - and that is a world at war.
I was talking with a friend this week who recently got home from her mission. Her mission traumatized her and I try to connect with her to help her process the things she went through. She was praying about what to do next in her life and said she couldn't hear the Lord clearly. I pointed out to her that she was headed towards a path that would please her parents but may not be the path that God has in mind for her. I told her that perhaps the reason she couldn't hear the Lord clearly is because she was only allowing him to use the letters, "ABC&D" when He speaks to her and thus it gagged him from saying E through Z which would then make His message sound garbled and unclear. Many years ago I was praying about some scriputures that confused me and I said, "Lord, You are confusing!" And I heard back, "That is because you lean on what other people tell you of Me to try to understand Me. Let Me show you who I AM. Ask Me to show you who I AM."

Once you allow the Lord to have everything in your life and that nothing is off the table - then the full use of the alphabet of revelation is in play and He can ask you to do all things and revelation becomes very easy and clear because you are willing to do things that wouldn't come naturally to you if left to your own devices.

You may want to move but the Lord says, "Stay."

Okay.

You may want to beef up your food storage but the Lord says, "Trust Me."

Okay.

You may want to stop going to church but the Lord says, "Go".

Okay.

Whatever You ask of me Lord...that I will do.

I trust You.


God...please bless Your children to lean not to their own understanding. Bless them fulfill scripture that they seek no longer for a teacher but that they will ALL know YOU, from the least of them to the greatest of them. We know that if we ask for bread You will not give us a stone. You are a GOOD FATHER. Praise YOU! Bless You! Triumph in our lives LORD! We give You all of our hearts. You are GOOD. You are TRUE. You are FAITHFUL!!!

This song is for the prayer closet in your holy time.


Surrendered 
by
One House


4 comments:

  1. I usually read your posts and let them linger for a while before I post a comment, giving me time to digest the ideas in them (as we're told to not swim immediately after a big meal), but I am going to make an exception. I just finished reading this post and wanted to thank you for these words. They are inspired.

    I can corroborate that the principles in this post are true; they are ones I have received as well. (Of course, I don't want to draw illogical conclusions: the fact that we share the same witness does not necessarily mean it is right; it just means we are drinking from the same well. But strength in numbers, am I right?).

    I had a similar experience to Ryan's a few months after his, on September 22, 2017, when I was praying about the same thing: how to protect my family as a provider and father. The response I received was almost identical to his (which makes me suspect the Lord is seriously trying to get His message out to His children).

    He said to me, "My purpose is not to preserve the flesh but to save souls: for all shall die, but not all shall dwell with me in my Father's kingdom. Fear not the death of the body, but fear the captivity of the soul. Fruit cannot be preserved unless it is taken from the branch. Fruit is sweet when it is picked in season. Only I know when the fruit is ripe for harvesting."

    I understood from this that my zeal and focus on physical preservation was not aligned with the Lord's perspective on such things. But it is not easy to live fearlessly, faithfully. The counsel to "be prepared" is good, I think -- even in temporal matters -- but as you've pointed out, only as we're directed by the Spirit in faith and love and wisdom.

    Your words made me want to trust Him more. Because, as I think about it, we're all in the same awful situation. We're in this together, and we're not going to turn our backs on our families, friends, and neighbors. We're going to be just fine (whether in life or in death) thanks to the Lord's perfect providence.

    We shall be like Ishmael and Lehi who ventured into the unknown with their rowdy kids and a few tents, holding fast to the promises of God, come what may. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Humbling and amazing from your journal on Sept. 22 2017. Thank you for sharing that.

      Jesuuuus!!!

      I am thankful we coincided with similar thoughts today. I liked on your post when you said:

      "If you want to find God, go searching among those who you think are least deserving; look among the groups you believe to be furthest from Him; search in the midst of those you think warrant His wrath most.

      For what I have learned is that God awaits us ― "hidden" as it were ― where we least expect, among those we find most cringeworthy. That's the point. For, if we can find Him there (with "them"), then we can find Him in ourselves.

      Christ taught this principle by fellowshipping with publicans and prostitutes; He invited us to find Him in prison (Matt. 25:36) and among prodigals (Luke 15:20).

      Look for the Standard of Truth among those you believe to be in error; hoist the Title of Liberty foremost in your own heart."

      That gave me much to ponder...Lord...must I really hoist the title of liberty foremost in my own heart? The task to do so will be so challenging that the only way forward is with Him.

      Bless you Tim.

      Here is a link to Tim's post also published on the same day:

      https://www.owlofthedesert.com/blog/approaching-zion-the-destiny-of-america

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed your personal experiences. Consider this: The irrevacable division spoken of by Nephi is because of the word of God--between those who believe His words  and those who do not believe His words. His words are a double edged sword which cuts asunder those on the one hand from those on the other. Those who heed His words to love their enemies find peace in troubled times, but if they fail to give heed to His words to believe and repent, they will be on the side who did not believe His words. The answer is not loving, but repenting. But those who repent will be filled with His love, a fruit of their repentance.

    The Lord also associates this division with His great and marvelous work, either on the one hand or on the other. Those who believe His words on the one hand, and those who do not believe His words on the other.

    Zion will be made up of those who repent, those who hear His words spoken by the Lord’s latter-day servant. An exodus is always the means the Lord uses to save those who believe from destruction, which is why it is a major theme in the Book of Mormon. If you want to protect your children, teach them about the Lord's Great and Marvelous Work, to hear and believe the Lord's servant. Teach them they can be nursing mothers and fathers and assist in the gathering of the House of Israel. Teach them to feast upon His words and desire more of His words, so that when the Lord's servant brings forth hidden records, they will believe them.

    What is happening in America today and the fact that many Latter-day Saints are on the wrong side of history again (as they were in Nazi Germany), attests to the prophecy that these events come about because the Lord's people fail to repent. And if we really love them, we will waste our days warning them!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous18.11.24

    The Lird has been teaching me the same things. Thank you for your post.

    ReplyDelete