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This post is addressed to those who sense something is missing, but don’t understand what it is. For those with a closed mind who are convinced we have it all, you would be better off not reading what follows. I used to mistakenly believe that the work symbolized in Daniel by the stone cut out of the mountain without hands was something that began in the past, with the restoration. The truth of the matter is quite a different story… Joseph Smith undertook to prepare a people for that work, but they failed and it was postponed until a future time. I have learned by personal experience that this time is upon us! The work Daniel foresaw, symbolized by the stone rolling forth until it consumes all nations is beginning to be realized. The stone is being cut out by God from among his elect and it’s beginning to move. A handful of Gods sons and daughters are waking up, shaking off the chains of false tradition and seeing through the deceptions of our time to behold the great and terrible reality that lies before them. In addition, some are being commissioned and empowered by God to perform assignments in this great work. I’m not talking about prophets by title only, but men and women who are being visited by God and commissioned by Him to share a message. I’ve learned that the only authority in any message from God is the witness He bears of it; what He commissions He supports. This is the power that will move the work of the Father forward in our day as foretold in The Book of Daniel. Daniel 2:44-45 The future is both great and terrible; Great for the few and terrible for the many. Our dilemma consists in finding out what is preventing us personally from fully accessing the saving power of the atonement. One of the greatest preventing obstacles we square off against in this mortal experience is false tradition. The worst religious traditions we overcome are the ones that convince us we have something which we really don’t. The Jews in the time of Jeremiah fell into this trap, as did the Israel of Christ’s day. It’s practically impossible to receive what you mistakenly believe you already have. Your false paradigm prevents you from obeying the laws upon which these blessings are predicated. For instance, many believe they have the Gift of the Holy Ghost but have never realized this upgrade to their soul, hence they feel no need to seek it. Most don’t even know what Calling and Election is, so it never occurs to them to seek and pray for it. We’re stupefied by correlated teachings, distorted history and blind guides. (2 Nephi 28:14) “They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.” Unfortunately, many in our day read the scriptures with rose coloured glasses when it pertains to the Gentile church. The truth evades them as it hides in plain sight.. We think Nephi, Moroni and Christ are speaking of another group of Gentiles when they speak of us. We are conditioned to view ourselves as more than we are. The church has collectively been under condemnation since before the death of Joseph Smith. D&C 84:55-56 Most are clueless as to the degree of this condemnation. We have become like the Protestants whom Joseph was told by The Lord had “a form of Godliness but deny the power…” Scripturally, wickedness is defined as a state that results from being entrenched in false tradition. If the Hebrew definition is correct, then many religious people today are in an awful state of wickedness. We have rejected the fullness and now persecute those who embrace the original teachings of our dispensation head, Joseph Smith. They are ex-communicated, dis-fellowshipped and criticized. We as a people are practically ripe for destruction and think the opposite. The paradox is ironic. If we will allow The Lord and not tradition, or man to inform us, then we avail ourselves of a new level of teaching. Only the Lord can guide us to a saved condition – there is no other way! Let him do his work with you so he can later do his work through you. If we learn to cultivate the ability to commune with God and receive detailed instructions and obediently follow, we will find out what the fulness is. As we do this and give our all to God he will be enabled to give his all to us. Yes, this means we will have to choose to abandon our idolatry which takes many forms, the worst of which is the praise and adoration towards men who supplant that precious place in our hearts that the Lord desires to posses, that He may more fully bless us. It’s good to be open and listen to differing views but we should only accept as truth what God confirms to us personally as being true. The Lord wants us to wait on His confirming voice before we accept anything as coming from Him. He will reward this conduct for he’s always willing reward those who whole-heartedly turn to and trust Him alone to guide their path. There’s great power in the fullness, if we can cease denying it through our embracing of incorrect, handed down “precepts of men”. Teachings which steer us away from essential saving knowledge. Nephi sought the mysteries, so did Abraham and so should we if we want to be counted with them as saved souls. If we think we can gain the blessings of Abraham in any other way than he did, we are sorely mistaken. The mysteries they sought consisted in obtaining saving knowledge from God through the Holy Ghost, angels and then eventually from Christ himself. This is the path to salvation through our Savior. I bet you never hear these teachings in Sunday school? Joseph taught these same principles clearly and openly. Why don’t we? Please do yourself a favor if you haven’t already, and do a little prayerful searching, and see if you can’t find the gems of understanding which were so closely held at the beginning, but which have slowly slipped away. This is your time to embrace all that is within your grasp. It’s a mistake to allow men to define what’s possible for you. If you let God inform you on these things, it will surprise you what he has in his heart and mind to give! Joseph Smith, at the beginning of this dispensation, in the Lectures on Faith and other discourses taught the path to receiving Christ and eventually the Father while in this life. In a nutshell, this is what the Gospel is intended to lead to. (D&C 93:1) “Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.” Joseph Smith:“The things of God are of deep import; and time and experience and careful ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. 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!” I think maybe Joseph is teaching that being saved is a little more involved than most realize. What do you think? Every person I know who attained this Has learned these very things?Another Joseph Quote:” The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching.” Does this sound familiar? Joseph Smith from “The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith”, pp 237-238: “President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel- said The Lord had declared by the prophet [Ezekiel], that the people should each stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish Church- that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls- applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints- said if the people departed from The Lord, they must fall- that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves…” Does this sound like a person who encourages others to follow himself or any man for that matter. He expresses a dire consequence for doing so. Would you ever hear that today. Joseph knew he was a week reed to lean on, for he was mortal. He desired others to lean on The Lord for all truth. Only believe what God witnesses to you is truth. If you can’t hear Him, do what others before have done and pray, fast, plead, consecrate and seek from Father in Christs’ name until His voice is clear. That’s the iron rod, not the words of men, unless those words are accompanied by the Lords confirming voice. This is why in Doctrine and Covenants 76: 98-100 we read: 98 And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world; What an interesting concept is being taught here. Is this saying that followers of prophets receive a Telestial reward? Do we encourage this practice today? You bet we do! And it’s a damning false doctrine! (2 Nephi 28:31-32) “Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precept of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost. Wo be unto the Gentiles…” We should receive every prophet witness that comes to us because of the Lords witness of that message, but never for any other reason. The Holy Ghost illuminates truth and if we are led by that voice from God, we will eventually behold Christs face. Over the many decades after Joseph died some incorrect precepts crept into the populace. Believe only what God confirms to be true. He wants His voice to be our liahona. The following statements were made by Joseph Smith and Brigham young with regards to their understanding of what would occur in the future of the Church. Brigham Young: “What a pity it would be, if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves if they are led by him…” Does this sound like a man who believes people should blindly trust in himself or any man for that matter. It’s obvious from this statement that Brigham believes it’s possible for this church to lead us to utter destruction, otherwise what would be the purpose for the statement! Brigham Young: “Brethren, this Church will be led onto the very brink of hell by the leaders of this people. Then God will raise one mighty and strong spoken of in the 85th section of Doctrine and Covenants, to save and redeem this Church.” ( The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young, Volume 4, pp 2478-2479). Speaking of the future day Joseph recorded this from The Lord (D&C 85:7) ” And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;” It’s obvious from these statements that Brigham believed it was possible for a leader of His church to lead its people to utter destruction, otherwise what would be the purpose for that statement! It would become redundant. Joseph Smith made the following comment: “You will live to see men arise in power in the Church who will seek to put down your friends and the friends of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many will be hoisted because of their worldly learning which they seem to be in possession of; and many who are the true followers of our Lord and Savior will be cast down because of their poverty.” (Mosiah Hancock journal, pp 19) It appears that both Brigham and Joseph had the same views about future leaders going astray. Is it possible that Joseph, Brigham and Book of Mormon prophets saw that not only did the Jewish Church that God set in motion in Moses day go into apostasy but that there would be an apostasy in their future as well? What do you think? “is everything well in Zion”, or no? Is the one mighty and strong who sets “in order the house of God” doing it because it’s in order, or because it’s out of order. I have a received a personal witness that Nephi was referring to the same future state of the Church as both Joseph and Brigham when he made the following statement: 2 Nephi 28: 12-14 Who do you think Nephi is talking to ,us, or some other group. In conclusion, I want to share that something very wonderful is happening. Zion is destined to rise from the Church but it’s happening in a different way than expected. This is a recurring situation from dispensation to dispensation. It’s one of the reasons Christ was rejected. They had something else in mind other than what they saw, so they rejected Him. Their false paradigm was a great stumbling block to their ability to see truth. Gods voice is still and small and false traditions have a way of obscuring it. The fullness coming back is a bottom up movement just as in Jeremiah’s, and John the Baptists day. Don’t be fooled into erring by what our culture believes about this movement. I personally know of people who are receiving angels and the personal ministry of the Savior and the Father. They have processed through the errors Nephi refers to in the above scriptures. They love, accept and forgive others. They strive to never judge, condemn or accuse anyone. Like the Brother of Jared they’ve followed the path to receiving the testimony of Christ in this life. Let me give a word of warning right now: if we don’t take seriously the invitation being extended by The Lord again this last time, we may well miss out on the really great stuff that’s coming. I seriously caution everyone to learn to hear the Lords voice in the messages which come from Him, whether it is directly or through His Servants; whether they be man, woman or child. The following scripture directly applies to those in our day who will not receive and believe the Lords words. 3 Nephi 21:11-14 3 Nephi 21:20-21 “For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel;
21 And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.” These scriptures aren’t referring to Joseph Smith’s day, for the remnant of Jacob having power over the Gentiles is yet future. This destruction is heading right for the people of our day, and if we don’t wake up and learn to be the Saviors sheep by cultivating, with His help, the ability to hear Him, we will be destroyed, just as the Nephites were before us. This destruction is literally at our doors. If this is true then God will be our witness if we ask it of Him in the name of Christ. After all, what greater witness can we have than from God? Why settle for anything less? I will leave you this one last quote by Joseph Smith: “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them…” (Discourses of the prophet Joseph Smith, p. 150-151) What are you waiting for? Shake off the chains that bind you and go get the fullness. His arms are open wide for you. There is nothing you have done or can do to separate yourself from His love. Your worth as a soul is in no way connected to your sins or mistakes. There is nothing you can do to alter your worth in His eyes. Approach Him with all confidence in this truth. He is the greatest teacher and friend we could hope for. Figuratively wipe your chalkboard clean and allow Him to write His law in your heart. You will be surprised at what He will teach you and lead you to receive. Allow Him to guide you and God willing you may be privileged to be a part of the continuing movement foreseen by Daniel. (Daniel 2:34) -By Dean T. |
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