I was reading 3 Nephi 13 today and came across these verses:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I was thinking about these verses with what I experienced this past weekend and what I believed growing up in the church. I know that this teaching is not only in the LDS church, but in other churches as well. The teaching is God will judge you by your works and as long as you are doing good, you'll be fine. There is some truth to this, but with this scripture it is a partial truth. If Christ had just gone about doing good things, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, raising the dead, casting out devils, etc., it would have been good. He would have blessed many lives and many would have still believed on His name, but He would not have been doing the Father's will. It is not enough to just do good works. It is not enough to just live in the way that you think is good. If we are not being led by the spirit in our daily lives, in the things that we do, how can we know that we are doing the right things. Sure we all want to help the poor, but what if the spirit whispered, not to? What if it told us to go into a bar, because there would be someone there that we could help? What if it told us to give our last $20 dollars to help another family? What if it told us to lay our hands on someone's head and heal them? What if the spirit told you to quit your job and learn to depend on the Father? The spirit can, will, and has asked people to do these things. Do we have the faith to follow? This past weekend I worshipped with some very beautiful families, who desire only to do the Lord's will. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had. We were moved upon by the spirit and led to pray for each other, bless each other, even do baptisms for healing. To feel the spirit move in such a peaceful way, was amazing. I am in awe at the way the Lord works. There was no judgement, no hard feelings towards each other at all. I was one of those baptized for healing by my husband, in a river. It was so peaceful, although cold. To feel that water wash over me 7 times was so cleansing. With God, I can do all things. I share this as a witness of the power that God grants to His children, independent of an organization. "Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, there will I be also" (Mathew 18:20). He was there. I am grateful for this experience. He wants us to follow the Father's will do that we can come closer to Him. When we are one with the Savior, we are one with the Father. John 17. The Father's purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39) and the way they chose to accomplish this was to build an earth whereon they could prove us, Abraham 3:25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them. We learn of God, by doing His will. Let us move forward in faith. May peace be with you!
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Are We Awake!
I am extremely excited about this. The spirit in it is so breathtaking and beautiful.
3 Nephi 16:3-20 3 But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.
4 And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer.
5 And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel.
6 And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father.
7 Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them.
8 But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles—for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by them;
9 And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss and a byword among them—
10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.
11 And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.
12 And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.
13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of Israel.
14 And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the Father.
15 But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father commanded me—that I should give unto this people this land for their inheritance.
18 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
19 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
20 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was to have the fullness of the Gospel. Joseph Smith was the restorer, but we have rejected the fullness, we have abandoned many plain and precious truths of the gospel. The church is in apostasy. In apostasy from truth, in apostasy from the fullness and in apostasy from God. If we do not repent we will not be counted among the House of Israel. They are awakening and it is time for us to awaken. Awake all you gentiles, Awake from your awful state. Listen to that Father who loves you, Listen to the Lord, who has bought you with a price!! If there be any among you who read this blog, who look to any man for guidance, please awake and arise!! Cast off your idolatry! Do not look to man, who cannot save. Look to God and live!!!! Look to the Savior Jesus Christ, who loves you, who cherishes you, who suffered for your sins, your heartache, your trials and weaknesses. He knows how to heal you, He knows how to comfort you, He knows your path and purpose more perfectly than any man on this earth can. Arise stand in your power, in your ability to connect with the Father and Son. Stand in your ability to receive revelation for your life, independent of what any man says. Do only the will of the Father, whatever that might look like for you. Let no man stand between you and the Father. There is no sin so great, that He cannot forgive.
Acts 22:1-21 1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Saul killed many who followed Christ. He didn't just kill them, he tortured them, but he was zealous for God. He thought that Christ was a false man, he believed that in torturing the followers of Christ that he was doing the will of the Father. He was raised to know the "laws" of the fathers. The law of Moses. Yet in his knowing the law and possibly, having read the scriptures, he did not understand them. He had men who taught him all that he knew. He did not have that personal relationship with God that many of us seek. So he believed in the teachings of his culture and the tradition of the fathers. Then one day Christ comes to him. He is changed and he believes in the Savior. He was called to be a witness of Christ. Because Christ came to him and spoke to him, he was called to be a witness, an apostle, of Jesus Christ, to witness of the divinity and that He lives. How many of us can say that we understand the scriptures for ourselves? How many of us can say that we have a personal relationship with the Savior and our Father in heaven? If Saul, who killed many, can come into the presence of the Savior, then why not us? Do not be fooled into believing that we need a leader, we need no leader. 2 Nephi 9:41 41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. He employeth no servant there. We will all stand before the Holy One of Israel. We will all answer for our own choices. There will be no stake president, no President of the church, and nobody else there to answer for our choices. There is only one advocate with the Father for our souls. Our Savior Jesus Christ. He and only He can take upon himself our sins. We are here to be proven, to see if we will do all things which the Lord commands. Are we? That is a question only our Savior can answer. Seek to Him. Like Enos, ask to know your place before the Lord, and if there be anything lacking, go with all your might to repent. Repent of that which keeps you from a personal relationship with the Father, with the Savior and from hearing the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Coma unto Christ and live!
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