Return to the Father

Last time I wrote about God's Authority. The primary concern when seeking who has the authority, to me, should be the question - Do I have God's authority? The more direct translation of that question would be:

Do I have a relationship with the Lord? 

Authority comes from a relationship with the Lord. Just as a King would not put a stranger in charge of portions of his Kingdom, so the Lord would not give a person authority that did not have an intimate relationship with Him.

Your relationship with the Lord is your Priesthood. When you have a relationship with the Lord and you increase your talents (do his will/use your gifts to build the Kingdom of God see Matthew 35:21)...you increase in your Priesthood/Relationship/Authority.

If you want to know if you have God's authority - I recommend asking God to show you what your relationship with Him is like and ask Him how He see's you.

The adversary will seek to thwart this prayer or muddy the visions or words you might hear so persistence and an eye single to God's glory is key. If the adversary or a familiar spirit seek to get you off course - remind them of the parable Jesus told of the Prodigal Son and that your Father forgives you and loves you and is waiting for your return. 

Growing up LDS I always thought I was the "faithful son" who stayed at home but once I discovered my nothingness and that I was the prodigal - I knew the only thing I could do was to return home to my Father in prayer and tell Him how I'd strayed from Him and ask if I could be His servant. 

He is mighty to forgive and waits for your return with the finest robe, a ring, and sandals for your feet.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

As you seek to increase in your relationship/priesthood with the Lord - you must ask the Lord for the gift of Discernment. This gift is often overlooked and desperately needed by those who would be God's servants. It is a process that requires time and experience.

“Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity — thou must commune with God.” ― Joseph Smith

As you make this journey to increase in your priesthood/relationship with the Lord your greatest test with each trial will be where your heart is. It will test you to see if you seek the Lord or the things of this world. If you truly love the Lord with all your heart, might, mind and strength - you should take courage for the journey ahead.

As you grow in your association with the Lord and you increase in His Spirit to be with you - this can lead one to seek baptism of water as a sign to the Father that you have accepted Jesus as the Christ. For some of you - you have already been contemplating baptism and trying to remember back to when you were eight years old and what it was that you promised. Perhaps the need to be baptized is on your heart and mind. For others this is a new thought. Paul gives us great insight to the need for re-baptism in Acts 19 (NLT):

1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.

“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.

And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

4Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

5As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

I love those verses. Here's an LDS modernized way to say it:

 2“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.

“Kinda,” they replied, “we were baptized by custom when we were eight and had hands laid on us to receive the Holy Ghost but we are not entirely sure if we were baptized by fire.”

3“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.

And they replied, “The baptism of the LDS church.”

4Paul said, “The Church's baptism called for repentance from sin and to join their organization. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

5As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

 

As you contemplate baptism you would want to ask the Lord:

1. If you should be baptized 

2. Who should baptize you

These things take time and the answer may not come right away. Be patient and wait upon the Lord. He will answer.

As you get closer to the Lord - the gift of Discernment will take on a larger role for you. The closer you come to the Lord, the greater the increase in dark and familiar spirits and their mission to sidetrack you will increase. As you learn their tactics they will continue to try new ones. As you seek only the Lord and His will - He will always help you to see the difference between His voice and the familiar spirit.

“But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.” (D&C 46:7)

Familiar spirits know you intimately. They know your desires, beliefs, trusts, doctrinal views on almost everything. The Adversary can speak in a familiar and often righteous sounding way. The key will be to write down what you are hearing and see if it is appealing to your pride or your comfort. If you write what you are hearing you can see if it is harmful to the cultivation of an intimate relationship with the Lord. Remember - He is the Father in the Prodigal son. He doesn't condemn you so take confidence in His Goodness and move forward towards Him.

Despite our greatest efforts - we will still make mistakes and fall. If you're not okay with making mistakes, this path is not for you. We become strengthened in the process and our path becomes like that of a spiral sea shell - ever ascending and going up. You will learn how to identify these spirits as you seek the gifts of the spirit and as you learn to trust in the Lord. You will make mistakes. You will feel frustrated and embarrassed. That is all normal and part of the process when increasing in your relationship/priesthood with the Lord. And you're in good company with others who have gone this path before you. Any spiritual leader that doesn't share with you the mistakes they've made and the times they got it wrong shouldn't be considered for guidance. Those leaders that are concerned with your progress will be like one of my mission companions who said, "I'm going to teach you everything I know and all the things I did right and wrong so that you will be far better than I was."

Why do so few take this path?

Often it is because our emotions, fears, anxieties, and a host of other pressures can overwhelm us before we even get started. I shared with two friends recently an analogy of things that keep us from coming to the Lord. I'll share it here:

What if every time you walked into your bathroom the floor was wet and you slipped and fell? You mop it up and then the next morning - BAM! You slip and fall again. Water. So you mop it up again. And again - you slip and fall the next day. But what if you took a moment to discover where all that water was coming from? What if you discovered that the shower was clogged and each time the shower was run, it spilled the water onto the floor. And what if all you had to do was unclog the drain and then the water would flow freely?

The parallel to that analogy is that there is usually just one thing we need to fix in order to start getting closer to the Lord. We get overwhelmed or set up roadblocks that keep us from coming to Him because one area in our life is clogging the whole flow. Ask the Lord in prayer what that is and take a notebook and pen and write down what you hear. The clog may surprise you and not be what you think it is.

For me some of the weak areas I encountered on my journey back to the Lord were found in my desire to "bring again Zion" and be a part of the 144,000. I was led to diverse groups with people who shared visions and dreams and I was tossed to and fro as I listened to others "prophesy" and "receive revelation". It wasn't until I grew so weary and was beaten down spiritually that I let go of that desire and changed it to only desiring the Lord and doing what He asks of me. And I desired that alone with all my soul. That made all the difference.

People can be born with a propensity for certain spiritual gifts but it is the tenacious, those with the most desire, who reach great heights. If you are truly desiring to serve the Lord and be one with Him - you have to ask yourself - How much failure am I willing to endure to develop my gifts/talents?

The Lord will coach you each step of the way. Expect failure, but also in time, the ability to discern the Adversary will increase until he has no power over you. I have not arrived at that point yet and still receive the buffetings of Satan from time to time.

Moroni 7:10-26 tells you everything you need to know!

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

Do not be discouraged if you find that you have been deceived by the Adversary. We will all experience this to the end that we come to distinguish the good from the evil. If you are humble and seek the Lord's word, you will be led to the truth. There must be an opposition in all things and if you are given a deception by the Adversary - prepare to receive a powerful revelatory experience from above, the Lord will not leave you comfortless.

In the church we have come to misunderstand spiritual authority and power. A relationship with the Lord can never come upon us by passing a worthiness interview from a church authority or by years of scholarly study. It is not something you qualify for because of your gender or age. It is simply given to God’s humble servants because of their pure hearts and an eye single to His glory.

Your "level" of "priesthood" merely signifies your relationship with the Lord and is also what determines the level of spiritual gifts we are allowed to use. If we are disconnected from the Lord, our outward priesthood actions will be hollow and without power. 

“And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord; For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me; And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father; And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.” (D&C 84:35-39)

Please - the best thing you can do this month is to watch this movie. It shows everything! Pilgrims Progress

Soul On Fire

by 

All Sons & Daughters

https://youtu.be/i7lv9oMjv_0?si=iJpb4AbCc8Dj_2Cu

Behold, who hath the Ferrari?

In the last month I've had the great fortune to meet with people who are on this journey also. Being able to speak of the things of God with fellow Jesus journeymen is a great boon to my soul. In two of the conversations the topic of 'authority' was brought up. Blending the conversations here are some of their queries:

*Who has the authority? 

*The scriptures talk about authority - Jesus talks about authority...if authority is important, then they want to make sure that they either 1. Have authority or 2. Know who has authority. 

To that I ask - what is authority?

Really...take a minute to define it. 

To me - authority is like having the keys to a Ferrari. You can talk about the keys, you can shake them and say, "I have the keys to this Ferrari!" You can let others admire your keys and talk about how cool it is that you have the keys to a Ferrari...but if you don't have the actual Ferrari - your keys are worthless. 

Authority and Power are two sides of the same coin. In the church we have come to be in awe of the keys and the assumption that they are Ferrari keys and that if there are keys there must be a Ferrari somewhere. And we assume the Ferrari is being driven around somewhere - just not where anyone can see it. Probably they take it for a spin on Thursday mornings on the Temple race track. 

By their Fruit you will know who is of God and who isn't. 

Show me a person who has the Power of God and I will show you Authority. It is the Power of God which should occupy our attention and the thing we should really be questioning and talking about.

Authority (and Power) doesn't come by man - nor the will of man. It doesn't come by your father or your mother or something that happens given enough time passing/seniority. It only comes one way: By God directly. 

Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God (given authority), he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, It being after the order of the son of God; which order came, not by man, nor by the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God; And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name. (JST-Gen. 14:26-29)

I looked up every single scripture in the Old Testament and New Testament and Book of Mormon where it mentions "Authority". In the Old Testament it gives only two mentions: Esther 9:29 and Proverbs 29:2. I will cover authority that is mentioned in D&C in another post. 

In the New Testament I will include all applicable mentions of "authority" in my writings below but I will omit all the ones where they talk about people, "lording their authority" over others. 

It is important to make mention that the only people who were really obsessed with authority in the New Testament were the Pharisees. Likewise we see the same obsession with authority in the LDS church today. The two religions claiming authority from God, the Catholics and the Mormons, are both the richest religions on the planet. And both claim there is only one way back to God and it is their way via their authority. 

Mormon 8:

32 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your [tithing] you shall be forgiven of your sins [obtain a Temple recommend and go to the highest kingdom].

In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

What is the "fruit"? Is it a people full of wealth (i.e. things after the flesh) or is it a people after the Spirit of God (i.e. people who seek and act on Revelation from the Lord)?

Paul taught us in Romans 8 that, "...they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh (501c3); but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (rock of Revelation), they are the sons of God...For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God!!" (Rise up! Grasp hold of the iron rod and become the sons (and daughters) of God!)

Personally I'm not searching for who holds the authority anymore. I am seeking to align myself with God so that I am an extension of Him and then I can be of great use to Him. Then comes the power to bless and then I suppose I'd have God's authority. 

What you will find as you read these scriptures below is that the  "authority" Jesus spoke of was and is the ability to hear God's voice and teach others what He is saying. You also use that authority to bless and serve other people and to cast out dark spirits. If you take the sum total of all the things Jesus taught as recorded in the New Testament...100% of it wasn't about authority in the way that we think of it. He taught that authority is about turning back to God, seeking and doing His will, and loving your fellow men. 

Jesus asked His apostles who people were saying that He is. They give a few answers such as "some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 

Then Jesus says, "But what about you? Who do you say I am??"

This is an important moment. Who do YOU say that Jesus is? Not who President Nelson says He is, the 12, your family...but who do YOU say that Jesus is. And it's only when He asks that question that we see the power of God work through Peter to declare the Truth of ALL that matters. 

Simon Peter answers, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!" (this is the only place in the New Testament where that phrase was used)

Jesus must have had a big spiritual exhale here. Someone was finally in sync with the Lord and had received profound revelation. Jesus in the NLT says, "Simon, son of Jonah, you are happy because you did not learn this from man. My Father in Heaven has shown you this."

Then Jesus calls Peter, "Blessed" which is a title that comes with greater authority to serve others. It is upon that rock - the rock of revelation - which Jesus will build His congregation/church. And you will be happy once you receive this revelation because you did not learn about Jesus being the Son of God from man but by revelation from God to YOU! Then you will experience, to some degree, what the brother of Jared experienced. 

Ether 3:

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

Thus it is this "rock of revelation" to which we must be immovable upon to become part of the body of Christ. Otherwise you have what we have in Christianity today...the eye saying to the hand, "I have no need of you" and the head saying to the feet, "I have no need of you" (1 Corinthians 12). "For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord’s; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord’s; and thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord." (2 Nephi 28)

Psalm 62:2 says, “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” In Psalm 95:1 we read, “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.” Psalm 89:26 leaves us no doubt: “You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.”

When Peter recognized Jesus was the Son of the LIVING God - He received a revelation of the highest kind. The revelation from God to you that He is offering us salvation through His Son who is THE immovable rock and truly is the stone which will smite the image of "authority" and become a great mountain which will fill the whole earth (Daniel 2). 

His church is comprised of all people who seek and receive revelation from Him. If each person sought and did His will - we would be of one heart and one mind and the gates of Hell would not overcome the body (v. 18). Receiving this revelation will cause watchmen to lift up their voice and sing praises because they will all see eye to eye (Isaiah 52).

BUT! Ruth!! Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven - to bind on earth and in heaven and to loose on earth and in heaven. Now he has the keys to the church. Right?

I ask: what will he bind and loose?

When the apostles "bound" something, or forbade it on earth, they were carrying out the will of God in the matter. The authority to bind and loose comes with a responsibility to act in accordance with God's will and you do that by being a rock of revelation. This is the end summation of all who have an eye single to God's glory and to those who seek only to obtain and do His will.

Let's look at what the scriptures have to say about Authority...please read them. If you are really seeking to understand Authority - this will light the path. 

Matthew 7: (see also Mark 1:22)

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matt 21

23 ¶ And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
...
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. (see also Mark 11 & Luke 20)

Mark 1:

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. (see also Luke 4)

Luke 9:

1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Luke 19:

17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
...

26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (they didn't use their talent/authority to bless others aka. make an increase)

Luke 22: (This scripture below is FIRE about Authority!!)

24 ¶ And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

2 Corinthians 10:

7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, *which the Lord hath given us for edification*, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

Rev. 13

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

1 Nephi 10:

22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.

Words of Mormon 1:

17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people—

Mosiah 13:

5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord.
6 And he spake with power and authority from God; and he continued his words, saying:

Mosiah 18:

13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, ...

17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

...

26 **And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God.**

Mosiah 21:

33 And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God. And Ammon declined doing this thing, considering himself an unworthy servant.
34 Therefore they did not at that time form themselves into a church, waiting upon the Spirit of the Lord. 

Mosiah 23:

16 And now, Alma was their high priest, he being the founder of their church.
17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore he consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men.
18 Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness.

Mosiah 27:

14...for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.
15 And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.

Alma 5:

3 I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.

Alma 17 :

3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

Helaman 5:

18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them—

Helaman 6:

5 Yea, and many did preach with exceedingly great power and authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb.

Helaman 11:

18 And behold, the people did rejoice and glorify God, and the whole face of the land was filled with rejoicing; and they did no more seek to destroy Nephi, but they did esteem him as a great prophet, and a man of God, having great power and authority given unto him from God.

3 Nephi 7:

17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.

3 Nephi 11:

21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.

...

24 And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying:
25 Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

3 Nephi 12:

1 ...Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.

Moroni 8:

16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.

...

28 Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them. But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the Holy Ghost.

___________

Authority has been pounded into our heads by the LDS church our entire lives. When I first told others of my doubts about the church they mused, "where will you go?" because we are taught that the church is the only one who has the authority. This highlights our great mis-understanding of what authority is. When Jesus taught that His flesh was meat indeed and his blood must be consumed - many of his disciples left in dismay and no longer walked with Him. Seeing this Jesus asked His friends and Apostles, "Will ye also go away?" Peter responds (Ruth translation here), "Lord! Where in the world would we even go?? You have the words of eternal life. We believe You and we know that You are the Holy One of God!!" 

If you want to know who has the Authority - it's Jesus and the Father. They have it. 

If you want to know if you have the Authority to act in their name - you must ask Them. 

If you know you don't have it but you want it - then you must ask Them that too. 

D&C 88: 

47 Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these **hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.**

48 I say unto you, he hath seen him; nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended (do you comprehend this yet?).

49 The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him. (this happens as you increase in your Priesthood aka your Authority aka your...Relationship)

50 Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound.

...

62 And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—

63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;

65 And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.

66 Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; *and if it be in you it shall abound.*

67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.

70 Tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom.

...

73 Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.

74 And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;

75 That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.

76 Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in *prayer* and *fasting* from this time forth.

...

83 He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.

The veil has been torn from top to bottom. I pray you do not stitch it back up again. I hope you read all the scriptures and didn't skim them because they contain all the answers to what authority is and who has it. And D&C 88 says it best about where to go from here. You can either get on your knees and work out, "Whom do you say that I am?" or you can...

32 ... return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.

Lord, I pray that those who have awoken will now Arise. For what will it profit us if we awake only? We can not rejoice in the gift nor the Giver of the gift. Lord - let us Rejoice in YOU and You alone. Let us Hunger and Thirst after Your Righteousness all the days of our lives. 

I stand in Awe 

by Chris Tomlin and Nicole Serrano

https://youtu.be/xQ7L5wN6Rfs?si=vMUt3SHLnXcDaQBJ

Bastards or Sons?

Recently my husband got to listen to this conversation among friends:

One person talked about listening to the endowment in English versus his mission language and said that doing it in another language helps him to be alert and pay very close attention. This person said in jest and also in musing, "I wonder how much patrons have to pay attention to the endowment for it to be valid for the dead?"

Light debate and reasoning ensued and it was concluded that the spirit of the person who the work was being done for is in the room and that the patron could be fully asleep and/or not paying attention and because the spirit of the person is present - they will do all the important parts of the ceremony even if the person who is physically there isn't engaged.

One noted that in the baptistry witnesses are assigned to look for ANY mistake in the wording or even if a pinky toe comes out of the water - the volunteer will have to re-do the ordinance to perfection. They noted that in the endowment you can be asleep or thinking about all the things you need to do when you leave and it is still acceptable. You could even say the wrong name in your brain and pfffffft - yer fine. It counts. 

It is interesting to hear that conversation and think more deeply and ask, how does all this work for the dead actually work? And how do you know if a person is accepting it or not?

Have you ever said or heard this before? "I'm an endowed member. All I need to do is stay faithful to church leadership and endure to the end and I will receive eternal life. I am sealed to my family forever as long as I continue to keep my covenants."

If you feel this way, I ask you:

What does the endowment actually mean?
The signs?
Tokens?
Robes?
What is it exactly that you have received?

If you don't truly know the answer to those questions, consider that perhaps you haven't literally received your endowment after all. 

Everything in the Temple is preparatory. There is not one single ordinance offered or administered that is literal. Everything given in the Temple is symbolic of something that is available for you to obtain, if you will seek for further light and knowledge. (If interested in this blog about the temple, click here)

If you are at a place where you know nothing anymore except that God is real - this is the best place to be. Now you can be worked with. And perhaps this is where God was leading you all along...to strip away everything that was false so that only He remains. In Hebrews 12 it strikes like lightening: 

1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

...

 

5 ...My son (and daughter), despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

...


27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

 

I hope your faith has been shaken or that it is being shaken. So that those things which cannot be shaken - may remain. If there are things that shake you - good. May it drive you to your knees in agony and may you remain there until all you know is: Our God is a consuming Fire. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6)!

And lastly - if you are on this journey alone...take courage. As you ask the Lord for fellow laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 9: 37-38), He will send them. Though the numbers be few, the quality is most excellent.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7)

If you are married and your spouse is not on the same page - take courage. Today we had an angel come to our home (thank you for coming UB!!). He came to us through a great time of torment to my soul. If you've read my first ever blog post you will know that one of my best friends died of ALS and I was asked to pray at her funeral. At the funeral word had gotten back to our Stake President that we were, well...who knows what he was told we "were". But his actions indicated he felt we were unsafe. He asked the presiding Bishop to go and tell me that when I say the closing prayer I am, "not to teach" and to "keep it short". The blood drained from my face and the funeral was a blur. I had fasted for four days and felt strongly what to pray for. I decided to just say the prayer anyways and when it was over I sped off the podium to hide. 

UB was at the funeral that day. Today he came to visit and said that for years he held spiritual things in his heart that had been somewhat locked away and when I prayed at that funeral it allowed it to come flooding out. And a sweet and holy friendship was formed there after. He has kept us going with his love of Jesus. And come to find out - Ryan is related to him through polygamy! The day I said that prayer was such a difficult day and the days preceding after. But as UB told us today - that prayer allowed his heart to bring to the forefront those deeper spiritual things again. And I had to shake my head. I can't believe the Lord and His Mercy and Goodness. 

So if you're going through it right now, you're not a bastard! You're a beloved Son! A beloved Daughter! May you ever be shaken until that which can not be shaken - remains. JESUS.

And if you are on this journey with a spouse who isn't on the same page - I will share with you what UB taught us today. He blogs by the way and you can find his blog here. 

____________________________________________

My dear wife is going through radiation. It’s been hard. And yet this morning, lying in bed, she reached over, took my hand, and said:

“Can we go to the temple today?”

I blinked. That wasn’t in the plan.

But how could I say no?

She loves the temple. Always has. 

.....

But the system?

The way it’s all been packaged, polished, and controlled?

That’s where I ache.

I walk into the celestial room and look up at the chandeliers.

Polished marble. Gold trim. All of it… expensive.

And I wonder—how many poor could be helped with this?

The temple is 26 miles away. That’s gas. That’s time. And yet we go, because she loves it. Because to her, it’s sacred. It’s beautiful. It’s home.

And I love her.

So I go.

...

💍 A Covenant of Love

So today I’ll go. I’ll drive the 26 miles.

I’ll sit beside her. I’ll hold her hand.

And I’ll do it not because the church says to…

…but because the Lord said to love her.

To stand by her.

To walk with her—just like He walks with me.

And maybe that’s the real temple work.

____________________________________________

Jesus walked with you even when you weren't "awake" so maybe you could slow down a bit and stay at the same pace as your spouse. Walk with them - like Jesus walked with you. Be patient with them because...the Lord was patient with you. 

First Thing's First

by

Consumed By Fire

https://youtu.be/Q9ZkmMH7Ipk?si=p7NVBoe2zmON_MwN

To Lock, Or Unlock?

Ryan and I had a most wonderful conversation with fellow Jesus lovers yesterday. To be able to talk about Jesus and the journey with unexpected friends was like Christmas morning for us. They asked about teaching your children and the multiplicity of answers are likely endless. I offered some thoughts and wanted to share them here also. For me, the most important factor when teaching children is found in taking the Holy Spirit as your guide. I'm gong to tweak this scripture (D&C 45) a bit:

57 For (parents) that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.

58 ...And they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation.

59 For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 18: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Since Jesus has told us to become like children - we don't have to do much to teach them. In fact some times we get in our own way. The traditions of the Church seems to squash seeking after Spiritual gifts, visions, and dreams. This must be re-awakened and you hold a God-given parental key that can either lock or unlock heaven and earth for your little ones. Your children are already so believing. The seed is in them - so water it!! Acts 2:17 tells us: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men (all flesh) shall see visions, and your old men (all flesh) shall dream dreams."

Some ideas:

1. Develop a personal prayer and personal Scripture study life. It doesn't have to be fancy. Consider making a list of all the people and issues that need prayer in your life right now. (link) Pray with your spouse daily. 

2. When you teach, as often as possible - draw all things back to the excellency of Jesus Christ and how much He loves us.

3. Help them to develop their spiritual gifts. You and your spouse collaborate and talk about what gifts you see in them and then write them a simple letter telling them what gifts you see they came with. (do this for your spouse also!)

4. Hold quarterly interviews with each child and read that letter to them and give it to them. Talk about how awesome they are and pray with them - asking the Lord to bless them (the wife should bless also!).

5. Lot's of hugs. Go on walks, hold hands when you can or link arms. Foot massages.

6. Ask the Lord what weaknesses the child has and then become a prayer warrior on behalf of that child.

7. Pray as a family daily.

8. Pray as a family for the gift of visions and dreams daily. Help them to become visionary. Below is an exercise I read and have done that will help them to practice seeing in the spirit. Also - try doing this for your spouse before you do it for your children.

Receiving your Armor from the Lord: 

Pick a time in the evening when the sun is setting. Have it be on the Sabbath if that feels like the most calm day. Let them know earlier in their interview or sometime before that one day you are going to do a lesson on visualization to help cast their minds forward to that time.

Have lower lights in the house so the mood is more subdued. Consider playing low volume background music (suggested music video link here)

Ask them to get comfortable, sitting up, and ask that no one be touching each other. Ask them to close their eyes, keep them closed for the duration of the exercise, and take deep breaths, slowly exhaling and relax. You could do a 3 minute Pause from the pause app (more on that later).

You can read this:

Imagine you are in a dark room and you see a warm light coming down upon you. Everything is shadowy except the warm light that is covering you. (Pause for a few seconds)

In the distance you see a light, it is starting to come near you, it is a person. Watch them get closer as they move toward you. (Pause for a few seconds)

They are carrying something in their hands. Go and meet them. In their arms they carry your armor. (Pause for a few seconds)

The first thing they hand you is your helmet. Look at it, what does it look like? (Pause for about 20-30 seconds)

Next, is your breastplate that covers your chest. What does it look like? (Pause for about 20-30 seconds)

Now they hand you a sword, examine it. What does it look like? How heavy is it? (Pause for about 20-30 seconds)

Now they hand you a shield. Do you see anything unique about it? (Pause for about 20-30 seconds)

There are shoes for you to wear. What are they like? (Pause for about 20-30 seconds)

Stand in your armor. Feel the weight or lightness of it. What does it feel like to be fully dressed in your armor?

Thank the messenger. (pause)

This is the armor of God that you have been given to protect you from the Adversary. As long as you always keep yourself filled with light and love, it will be strong. If not, it will not help you, but nobody can take it away from you except yourself!

Now I want you to open your eyes!

Ask your kids one by one what they saw. Some may be eager to share. Some may feel embarrassed. Some may not say much. Don't worry - just listen and allow them to share what they feel comfortable with. They may share more later. 

Practice seeing in the spirit as a family. I can not emphasize enough how impactful this gift is to a family. I praise the Lord that the Wild at Heart ministry feels the importance of conversing with the Lord, face to face. They have developed different pause programs to help you and your family experience Jesus. They just came out with the pause, "Experience Jesus. Really." Consider taking this summer to do a morning and evening pause as a family - I promise this bears FRUIT!

Go to your app store and download the "Pause" app from Wild at Heart. Then select "Experience Jesus. Really." Then set an alarm on your phone for the most likely time in the morning and evening when most of your family will be together and then pray and ask for the Lord to help you do this program. If you are single, please do this also. You won't regret it.

Healing and Deliverance

"The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has aniointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengenace of our God, to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion. To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV

John Eldredge said, "There are few passages in Scripture more beautiful and more promising than this one. This is the very passage Jesus chose to announce his purposes as recorded in Luke Chapter 4. He stands in the synagogue to read. They hand him the scroll of Isaiah, all eyes on the incarnate God himself, and he selects this passage to declare his and his Father's purposes for the human race. For you, your humanity."

"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

He goes on to say, "Jesus is our Deliverer and our Healer. The two go hand in hand. Because it often takes lifting spiritual oppression to get us into deeper experiences of Jesus. And those deeper experiences are what usher in our healing. Deep experiential union with Jesus is not something that comes easily to most people - because it is opposed. Many of you know exactly what I mean. As John of the Cross reminded us, "the devil fears a soul in union with God as he fears God himself." Which means that our intimacy with Jesus, every precious experience with Him, is something that must be protected and often fought for.

"To make this clear, the metaphor of shepherd leading us to green pastures is used once in the Psalms - once - whereas the metaphor of war is used more than a hundred times. Ignorance of this reality is what keeps most people from deeply experiencing Jesus and, through Him, healing and deliverance. You live in a love story, but it is set in a very dangerous war. 

"Listen to Jesus as he describes our situation:

Matthew 10:16 NIV

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves."

""Sheep among wolves" is a very serious situation. If those sheep don't find shelter, they are going to get hurt. Which is why the mystics and all who would be like them seek to live a consecrated life. We don't want to give our enemy any opportunies in our lives, no open doors. And so we practice the simple and beautiful act of consecration and cleansing.

Romans 12 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.

"We are urged by God to present our bodies to him in an act of consecration. This is a good example of how we put ourselves into position to receive the wonderful experience of Jesus described in Isaiah 61. If we wnat to experience the victory of Jesus, the restoration of our humanity in a particular area of our life, we need to bring that part of our life deeply into his care, under his rule, and into his kingdom. Learning to consecrate things will become a very important part of your life in Jesus.

"Step one is to bring everything of your humanity back under his authority and into him, into Christ. Step two is to then cleanse your humanity with the blood of Jesus. Let's give this a try.

Lord Jesus, I belong to you. You have purchased my life with your blood, so I return my life to you. I rededicate and reconsecrate every aspect of my life to you. I consecrate to you my spirit, soul, and body; my mind, my thoughts, all my mental life; my emotions and heartaches, all my heart's life. I consecrate to you my will and this body, which is your temple. I cleanse myself with your blood. I cleanse my spirit, soul, and body, my heart, mind and will - all that is within me. Let your blood wash away every claim of the enemy. Let your Holy Spirit sanctify me through and through. I especially consecrate and cleanse our union, Jesus, and my ability to hear you, see you, and experience you.

"Now, is there any specific part of your life you need to cleanse and bring back into Jesus?"

If this speaks to you - there is so much more! To have our 9 year old wiping tears because they heard Jesus speak eternal words to them - can you imagine. 

https://wildatheart.org/apps/one-minute-pause/

This song (attached below) came to me supernaturally. I sleep with "brown noise" playing from YouTube on my phone on my nightstand (I know...I know, someone will protest that's bad but it is what it is). The brown noise is a 12 hour video and I don't sleep long so I don't ever come near to the end. Two mornings ago the brown noise turned off suddenly and began playing drums. I had already been awake and I laid there with my brows furrowed trying to understand the sound I was hearing. This song began to play and the tears came. What a way to wake up!! It came at a time when our oldest is in great decision period...with strong desires to join the military after they serve in an orphanage in Africa. They play the trumpet and were the leader of their marching band last year. They have dressed like the leader of the band since they were six years old and asked for that costume which coincidentally looks like a military uniform. 

JESUS!!! You are Awesome.

AWESOME GOD

by

Michael W Smith

https://youtu.be/sEZDuMGp3WY?si=naA6U2ZbDX3EX871

I Am Their Inheritance

I was reading about Paul and Silas preaching in Macedonia (Acts 16) when they came upon a woman who was possessed with a spirit of divination. She was likely a slave because it said she brought "her masters much gain (money)" by her soothsaying. Divination and Soothsaying is the ability to tell the future and she was raking in the dough for her masters. But then she hears Paul and Silas and she started following them and started crying out, "These men are the servants of the most High God, which shew unto us the way of salvation!!" She goes on to do this for "many days" and Paul finally stops and sensing she was possessed, said to the demon - "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And then...she was delivered!

When her masters see that her ability to predict the future was gone they became angry and they caught Paul and Silas and brought them to the marketplace and to the rulers and magistrates and said that they, "do exceedingly trouble our city". They must have been pretty good at whooping up a crowd because they got many to rise up against them and the magistrates start rending/ripping their clothes up (talk about watching demons in action) and then they started to whip Paul and Silas! And after they had whipped them significantly they threw them into prison and locked their feet into stocks.

Pause. 

Here Paul and Silas are doing a good thing - freeing this woman of demonic oppression and what does it lead to? Punishment and whipping and prison. 

That's going to happen to you, if it hasn't already. You will go about to bless others and things get worse. But the story doesn't stop there and we are lucky to witness, "mature faith" as my husband calls it. 

Paul and Silas are in prison instead of lamenting why God allowed this to happen them - we see that at midnight they pray and sing to God. Suddenly there is an earthquake so that the foundation of the prison is shaken and all the doors open and every single prisoner's bands are loosed! And the keeper of the prison wakes up and sees the prison doors open and draws out his sword to kill himself because he thought all the prisoners are gone! There must be a heavy price to pay for prisoners escaping if his first response is to go straight to suicide. But when Paul sees this he cries out with a loud voice and says, "Do thyself NO HARM! For we are all here." And then they bring a light and this guy who was about to kill himself is trembling and falls at their feet and says, "What must I do to be saved?!" And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." 

This illustrates mature faith. Just because you follow Jesus Christ doesn't mean you won't suffer or have loss or be cast into prison, spiritual or physical. If you can praise Him in the valley as well as on the mountain top, you are walking in mature faith. 

It's important to ask in prayer, "Lord, where is my faith in You needing to mature? Where am I reacting instead of acting in Your Goodness?"

Later in Acts Chapter 17 Paul and Silas come to Berea and go to the synagogue of the Jews and meet a special people. Paul said they were more "noble" than those in Thessalonica. What does noble mean? It is someone possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals. Someone who is...mature. 

Why were they more noble/mature in their faith? 

Because they received the words they were teaching them "with all readiness of mind" because they - "searched the scriptures daily" to know whether what Paul and Silas taught aligned with scripture.  

There are many groups that do not understand scripture, though religious people say they have the most correct scripture and other groups believe they have the most perfect and sound translations. It really doesn't matter what any group professes to have if they don't understand them. 

How can you tell if your church or group understands the scriptures or not?

When a preacher, a church or an offshoot group develops a handbook or puts forth requirements that are not found in the scriptures - that's your sign. Look at what causes conflict in the LDS church and/or offshoot groups. On which topics do people get divided? You may notice in each area the derision derives solely from the fact that the things their followers are upset about do not align with scripture in the first place. Distraction abounds and the end goal, which should be Jesus Christ, instead becomes obeying the rules and aim for Zion and becoming a Zion people so that Jesus can come and harmony can be achieved. 

Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they (the scriptures!) that bear witness about Me!!" (John 5:39)

Jesus is all you need. 

Learn from me - Jesus was not my focus, though I would have told you at the time that He was. Look at the group of people you spend your time with (outside of your family). Is Jesus the topic of their conversation? Or does it usually ebb to other things? When Jesus is what you wake up with on your lips and when you can pull weeds from your yard and find you whisper His name...when you sit at your desk to work and get stuck at an impasse and call out, "JESUS!"...when He is what you think about when you don't have anything to think about - you are on the path with Him.

That God that made the world, and everything in it....He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth. And He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands...and He is not worshipped with men's hands (or Temples, or more perfect scriptures or more detailed rules or another Conference...etc.). God made of one blood all the nations of men and women to dwell on the face of the earth and He has determined everything...that we should seek the Lord, "if haply they might feel after Him....and find Him....though he be not far from every one of us. For in Him we live, and move, and have our being....For we are also His offspring." (Acts 17)

Nothing extra you do will make God love you more or come to you more. He already loves you. He is already WITH you. Building Him another Temple isn't going to make Him happier - He already told you that you are His temple. Perfecting scriptures isn't going to please Him more. He already gave them to you and asked you to use them to come to Him (Luke 24:27).

Why do we, like Adam and Eve, insist on not believing Him? Making more rules about the priesthood or newer scriptures or more interesting conferences isn't going to make Him come any sooner. You are the only thing Holding Him back from being one with you. He's right here..." for in Him we live, and move, and have our being." Stop searching out there for the next thing and go in your closet and say "Abba - Father...Papa. I'm done with not believing Your goodness. I'm done believing that I need someone or something else to get to You. From the Garden to now I have doubted Your Goodness and that walking in the cool of the day with You was enough. Help me trust that You love me, right now, just as I am and there is nothing more I can do to make You love me more." 

Just as a smart man knows he is stupid, so the awake Christian knows that he/she is a scalawag. 

Brennan Manning said:

 "The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can't save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient. To the extent that we are self-made saints like the Pharisees or neutral like Pilate (never making the leap in trust), we let the prostitutes and publicans go first into the kingdom while we are in the background having our alleged virtue burned out of us. The hookers and swindlers enter before us because they know they cannot save themselves, that they cannot make themselves presentable or lovable. They risked everything on Jesus and, knowing they didn't have it all together, were not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.

"Maybe this is the heart of our hang-up, the root of our dilemma. We fluctuate between castigating ourselves and congratulating ourselves because we are deluded into thinking we save ourselves. We develop a false sense of security from our good works and scrupulous observance of the law. Our halo gets too tight and a carefully disguised attitude of moral superiority results. Or we are appealed by our inconsistency, devastated that we haven't lived up to our lofty expectations of ourselves. The roller cosater rise of elation and depression continues. 

Why?

"Because we never lay hold of our nothingness before God, and consequently, we never enter into the deepest reality of our relationship with Him. But when we accept ownership of our powerlessness and helplessness, when we acknowledge that we are paupers at the door of God's mercy, then God can make something beautiful out of us.

"The saved sinner is prostrate in adoration, lost in wonder and praise. He knows repentance is not what we do in order to earn forgiveness; it is what we do because we have been forgiven. It serves as an expression of gratitude rather than an effort to earn forgiveness. Thus the sequence of forgiveness and then repentance, rather than repentance and then forgiveness, is crucial for understanding the gospel of grace." 

"From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you (realize) salvation (comes) through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15)

Never forget...there is only One person that should occupy your adoration and it isn't President Nelson and it isn't the preacher you follow...God said: (Ezekiel 44:28)

 ...I am their inheritance...I am their possession.

I recommend singing this song out loud in your car or closet or wherever. Sing it to Jesus and if the tears come, let them come!

Me on Your Mind

by

Matthew West

https://youtu.be/BiUixue9cfs?si=_BsWorkwN3I7H6R5