Zion is Returning Soon!

Zion is much more than a topic and has been the primary focus of every prophet of God from the days of Adam down to today. As recorded in our scriptures, Zion has been established two times (Enoch, Melchizedek) on this earth since the time of Adam and a prophesied third time of Zion being brought forth and experienced during the last days, just prior to and preparatory for Christ's second coming.

God sent Enoch and Melchizedek as His messengers with an authorized message of repentance to the people. The people repented and the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart and one mind, dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them. In the latter days, God sent Joseph Smith with an authorized message of repentance and sought Zion. During the early 1800's, the people chose to not embrace and live according to God's message given through Joseph, failed to repent, rejected the restoration, and killed both Joseph and Hyrum on June 27, 1844. Since that day, the restoration has turned into an ever-increasing apostasy and confusion in the LDS church where doctrines such as priesthood, marriage, polygamy, salvation, and redemption has moved to and fro like shifting sand and ordinances such as sacrament, baptism, temple ceremonies, and the doctrine of Christ have been changed and taught differently than Christ instituted and the scriptures teach. 

Joseph Smith taught, “It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another…” (TPJS, 345) The Book of Mormon teaches that an individual enters the Lord's presence to be redeemed from the Fall (Ether 3:13), by the Redeemer Himself. Prophet after prophet in the Book of Mormon testifies of coming into His presence while in the flesh, while in mortality. LDS leaders today claim otherwise. Dallin Oaks said, "Of course, all of the righteous desire to see the face of our Savior, but the suggestions that this must happen in mortality is a familiar tactic of the adversary."
(Boise Rescue -  approx 54:15)   Joseph and the Book of Mormon are telling the same story, but Dallin seems to be telling quite another story. Interesting??? 

By April of 2014, the Lord concluded His work through the LDS Church. He has set His hand to begin something new, now underway.  The LDS church has sufficiently gone astray now that Christ has determined it best to order His house differently before His return (second coming).  In the latter days, God is choosing servants that He entrusts with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord?

Today, restoration has begun anew. Some are taking notice of the original restoration offered through Joseph Smith and the condemnation is being removed. Truth is returning again. Repentance is being preached. Authorized baptism is offered to all who desires to turn and face God. Zion is being sought and prayed for and a few sincerely seek to receive Christ's offering as He establishes a City of Holiness and peace upon the mountains and high places.

We are currently living in the last days, signs are being manifested in the heavens and on the earth, and a few are diligently seeking Christ and preparing for the Lord's second coming. Throughout history God has covenanted with, promised, and assured His chosen servants that in the last days God would indeed bring again Zion. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in His glory. This being the case, you may find it wise to take note of what is happening right before our very eyes. A group of individuals have diligently worked together and established a new and informative website that you may find worth checking out. 

Here is the link:  Zion's Return - The Heavens Are Open Again

This website is for all who believe in, seek to know more, or have doubts about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the mission of the prophet Joseph Smith. We humbly strive to preserve, promote, and practice the Gospel of Jesus Christ as originally restored by the Lord and to participate in His work now underway. These resources will assist those who are seeking to know more about how the Lord is working again among His people in preparation for His return.

Changes in doctrine and religious practice following the death of Joseph Smith are attributed to him or are claimed to be of divine origin by his successors. These changes have resulted in widespread confusion, loss of faith, and drift from the "fulness" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, because the Lord is loving and merciful, His hand is being extended again a second time among the inheritors of the Restoration. The word of the Lord Jesus Christ is being declared in our generation through an authorized servant who has stood in the presence of God, as did Enoch and Joseph Smith, in preparation for Zion’s Return and the gathering of God’s family from their scattered condition.

"In that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left" (Isaiah 11:11)

Our Divine Parents

I recognize God's hand writing in The Heavens. Truth and ordinances of God are being plainly manifested and recorded before our very eyes on the heavenly fabric in the sky, which is unalterable by men. The Heavens are open with much light and knowledge progressively coming from above and revelations are expanding with acceleration and power.

I am sincerely grateful to God for me being here on earth today participating in Our Dispensation during this last days time-frame. Just recently in March 2018, God saw fit to reveal much more and desired forthright declarations to be made concerning our Divine Parents (Father and Mother):  (Our Divine Parents)

Be Wise and Correctly Discern

Don't be solely impressed by the books you read, the nightly news you watch or what you hear someone talk about ... Unless it is enlightening and true and confirmed by God.

Rather, be impressed by the fruit that is produced, by the increasing revelation and light that emanates and by what is going on or not going on behind the scenes. After all, much is revealed by what a person or group chooses to do when they think no one is watching.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

“The world always mistook false prophets for true ones, and those that were sent of God, they considered to be false prophets and hence they killed, stoned, punished and imprisoned the true prophets, and these had to hide themselves "in deserts and dens, and caves of the earth," and though the most honorable men of the earth, they banished them from their society as vagabonds, whilst they cherished, honored and supported knaves, vagabonds, hypocrites, impostors, and the basest of men.” (TPJS, 205)

Wise men speak because they have already done the work, made sufficient sacrifice, know God for themselves, and have authority from a higher source to actually say something of value that points others to Christ.

Pretenders and fools, who have failed to do the work, teach and place themselves as a "required intermediary" between you and God, and prefer money, power, and priestcraft over the salvation of mankind and the establishment of Zion, tend to ignorantly speak on important subjects because they feel some sort of need to say something about that which they know nothing.

Be wise and correctly discern between truth and error, light and dark, restoration and apostasy. Take the upper road, despite opposition.

Joseph Smith's Revelations

"There is a passage often quoted from the D&C to support the idea that the president of the LDS church is entitled to have his teachings regarded as if they were God's word. The language is as follows:

"Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from my own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory." (D&C 21:4-6)

This revelation is referring to Joseph Smith. Period. Not to anyone who later happens to be elected by the vote of a group to become his successor. Doesn't apply and didn't apply to Brigham Young, John Taylor, Warren Jeffs, Ervil LeBaron, Rulon Allred or any number of other pretenders. It applied solely to Joseph Smith.

The revelation uses the personal pronouns "he" and "his" to refer to Joseph Smith throughout. If you want to put someone else into the passage above, then "he" must likewise heed all the requirements of D&C 21.

"Wherefore it behooveth me that he [Joseph Smith] should be ordained by you, Oliver Cowdery mine apostle; This being an ordinance unto you, that you are an elder under his [Joseph Smith's] hand, he [Joseph Smith] being the first unto you, that you might be an elder unto this church of Christ, bearing my name." (D&C 21:10-11) So "he" will then need to ordain Oliver if "he" is to be mentioned by the revelation.

It was Joseph Smith who "wept for Zion" (D&C 21:8). It was Joseph Smith who was "inspired to move the cause of Zion" forward (D&C 21:7). It was Joseph Smith whose "diligence I [God] know, and his prayers I have heard" (D&C 21:7).

Therefore it was Joseph Smith whose words we are required to "give heed unto" and it is the "commandments which he [Joseph Smith] gave unto us" we are now required to obey. When we do not do this, then the "gates of hell shall prevail" against us, as they most certainly have.

From the beginning, all the various off-shoots uniformly disobey this commandment. Not only do they all refuse to "give heed" to what God revealed and commanded through Joseph Smith, but they have compounded their error by allowing others to interpose their commandments "as if they were from God." The landscape today is exactly as it was when the Lord appeared to Joseph. We see churches who deny the power of God, and who teach for commandments the doctrines of men, having only a form of godliness, which heaven does not respect. The pretenders' lack of power is for our protection. If it were otherwise, we would be damning one another." (DS 7-22-14)

 

Missed the Boat

Unfortunately, at one time or another we have all had one of those "missed the boat" experiences, at least at some level. 

Lately, the Lord has revealed much anew, given instructions and directions, extended offers, and has much work currently underway. Therefore, this may be a good time to awake and arise, come unto God with a sincere heart of repentance and meekness, and more fully recognize what is presently before us and what God is offering today.

Hopefully, at this level of importance, those "missing the boat" experiences can be avoided.

Joseph Smith - The Prophet

Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God with a special mission and message to the world. As the dispensation head with authority directly given from God, Joseph Smith started the great restoration and sought for Zion, but as history manifests, not only did the restoration not get finished but apostasy ensued.

From the day Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed as a result of rejection of truth and the influence of his own people, even the believers began to neglect his teachings, forget the truths he restored, and began to lose light and memory of what God had previously revealed and restored through Joseph. Losing light, forgetting fundamentals, ignoring and changing ordinances, corrupting doctrine, and even re-creating and manipulating major parts of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ revealed through Joseph Smith has enlarged in error, accelerated in misunderstanding and confusion, and currently the preservation of the restoration is in serious jeopardy. With courage, we must face the challenges before us today by finding the truth despite deliberate efforts to hide history and alter the record. Once sufficient truth is found and the unfolding restoration is embraced, repentance is obviously required and turning and facing God and following His path is paramount.

Christ on the day of His resurrection said: “O Fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” Our challenge today is exactly that. It is the same situation that believers have faced each time a servant of God has appeared with a message and whenever God speaks through His chosen messengers. I believe it to be wise to give strict heed to the restoration that came through Joseph and the work of the Lord that is currently underway.

Here are a few words attributed to Joseph:

The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask it from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching. (TPJS, 191)

It is the privilege of every Elder to speak of the things of God; and could we all come together with one heart and one mind in perfect faith the veil might as well be rent today as next week, or any other time, and if we will but cleanse ourselves and covenant before God, to serve Him, it is our privilege to have an assurance that God will protect us at all times … Until we have perfect love we are liable to fall and when we have a testimony that our names are sealed in the Lamb's book of life we have perfect love and then it is impossible for false Christs to deceive us. (TPJS, 9)

In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn this way, we begin to learn the only true God, and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us. (TPJS, 350)

When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses … Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions--Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn. (TPJS 150-151)

Whenever men can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from God, there is the kingdom of God; but where these are not, the kingdom of God is not. All the ordinances, systems, and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of men, unless they are ordained and authorized of God; for nothing will save a man but a legal administrator; for none others will be acknowledged either by God or angels. (HC, 5:259)

Here is a message by another witness of God:

“Although Joseph Smith revealed many, previously unknown things, his ministry was devoted primarily to bringing others into fellowship with God. The ordinances, scriptures, revelations, and teachings restored through him were not intended to titillate, but to instruct on how to reconnect with God.

From his emphasis on the promise in James 1:5 (“if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God …and it shall be given him”) leading to the First Vision, to the promise of Moroni 10:4 (“I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and … he will manifest the truth of it unto you”), to D&C 93:1 (“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”), and in numerous other places throughout his ministry, Joseph reiterated both the possibility and importance of each soul coming directly to God.

This is the role of a true messenger. It is to bring others into harmony with God. Not to titillate them with new information, leaving them without knowledge of God. When someone delivers a new message that does not include knowledge about how the audience may come to God themselves, then the primary intent is always to make others dependent on the messenger. It is vanity. It is prideful. It is to call attention to themselves in an effort to place themselves above their fellow man, and interject themselves between the person and God. It is priestcraft.

The “welfare of Zion” consists of teaching others how to come to God themselves, and receive the heavenly promises directly from God. (See 2 Nephi 26:29)  Zion will be composed exclusively of those who can endure the presence of God. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to come up to the heavenly mount by their own repentance and remembrance of the Lord.

It is foolishness to separate information about the Lord’s doings from instruction on how to become redeemed. It is vanity to spread new, and personal revelation about the afterlife, God, man, prophecy, visionary encounters, and spiritual experiences if the primary reason does not focus on instructing how the audience can come to God themselves. It is also dangerous to trust teachings which fail to give you guidance on how you can find God for yourself. If all that is delivered is a message about some great experience, the experience was not intended for you. It isn’t important. It is the way to find God that will save you. Not someone else’s new, and exciting spiritual manifestation.

I’ve shared almost nothing of the things I have learned. But I’ve tried to share everything about how you can “come and see” (John 1:46). Still, however, there are very few who can detect the difference. Still there remain those who are tossed to and fro by the sleight of men. (Ephesians 4: 14)

Here’s how things really work:  New revelation for the church comes from the top. It is not binding upon anyone unless it comes through the correct channel, and then is sustained as binding upon the church. Whether you like that system or not, that is the system. HOWEVER, every church member is obligated to teach one another the doctrines of the kingdom.

Expounding, exhorting, teaching, and instructing is a common obligation imposed upon us all. Therefore, everything I have written, all I have taught, and the things I have testified about are confined to elaborating upon the established doctrines of the church, the revelations in the Book of Mormon, the other standard works, and Joseph Smith’s teachings. I’ve said almost nothing about my personal revelations because they were intended for me. They will not help you. They equip me to be able to preach, teach, exhort and expound, but just publishing what I know to the world will not aid any other person in their individual journey. 

Salvation for you is a journey exactly like the journey undertaken by Joseph Smith. Which is also identical to the journey undertaken by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Which was modeled upon the pattern coming down through Noah. Who was a contemporary with Enoch, both of whom undertook the same journey. Which originated with Adam, who came back into God’s presence three years previous to his death, and received “comfort” from the Lord (D&C 107:53-55). The Lord is the promised Comforter who will come to all of us on the same conditions (John 14:23, D&C 130:3). I was asked, and wrote a manual on that process in the first book, The Second Comforter: Conversing With the Lord Through the Veil. The purpose of the book has nothing to do with my own recognition or importance. Throughout the book my many failings are discussed. The book is about the reader, and how the reader can come to know God.

Still people will go to great trouble, and spare no effort to find someone who will only give a titillating peek behind the veil, but who will do nothing to instruct you on how you can meet God here, be redeemed from the fall of man, and come back into God’s presence. This is the purpose of the Gospel, and the definition of redemption. (Ether 3:13) Telling about personal experience cannot help another. Testifying to the process, however, is the burden of all true teaching.

I am a fool, and anyone who thinks otherwise is misled. My only relevance is the common obligation imposed upon us all to preach, teach, exhort and expound. I confine all I do to that obligation. The only thing I can offer anyone is to point them to the One who is filled with truth and light, which is intelligence. (D&C 93:36)  And still there are those who cannot discern between what and how I teach, and how others who are practicing only priestcraft do so. I am saddened, not particularly surprised, but saddened. These are the times we live in. (Isaiah 29:9-10.)

What more could have been done than the Lord has already done?  Is it not us, not He, upon whom the blame must be lain?

The Latter-day famine continues unabated still. Not because there isn’t something worth consuming, but because we crave only the weakest of gruel, which cannot sustain life. Therefore, let us all feast away and still become famished until at last we perish without hope, having wasted the days of our probation. We didn’t care much for Joseph’s message in his day, and we fail to even notice it in ours."  (Joseph The Prophet)

Kindly Treat One Another

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.” (3 Nephi 11:29)

"There’s a message up there. It was part of the gospel; it will be restored again. But right now, faith, repentance, baptism, and treating one another kindly and preparing to be the kind of people that are worthy of preservation is far more important than all of that ... What is going to happen is more affected by your repentance and your faith than anything else. And that’s really where the hard work gets done—in the hearts, in our own hearts, in our own lives, in how we treat one another." (Our Dispensation)

Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda

"Doing" something almost always supersedes and proves to be more effective than merely "talking" about it.

Doing the right thing when no one is watching seems like integrity to me.

For me, regret is far less concerning the things I've done than the things I didn't do when I had the chance.

The smarter you get the less you speak, the more you listen, and the more you do.

Don't be impressed by what you see someone post online or hear someone talk about. Be impressed by the fruit they produce and by what you become aware of them doing behind the scenes. After all, much is revealed by what a person chooses to do when they think no one is watching.

Wise men speak because they have already done the work, know for themselves, and have authority from a higher source to actually say something of value. On the other hand pretenders and fools, who have failed to do the work themselves and lack higher authority, tend to ignorantly speak on important subjects because they feel some sort of need to say something about that which they know nothing.

One of the hardest things to do in life is letting go of what you thought was real.

Doing it isn't the same as thinking or talking about it.

Christ's Birth and Resurrection!

“Very often it is easy to summon confidence in the Lord when something happens in your life to remind you. When some event gives you evidence He exists. For that moment you briefly feel close to Him. But as soon as the cares and troubles of this world interfere, the moment passes, and you begin wondering, "Is it all true? Am I just believing a myth?"

Jesus Christ came into the world unexpected, unannounced by man, unanticipated by His generation, but expected and announced by heaven. There were signs in heaven, but men were largely oblivious. When the shepherds keeping watch over the flocks by night were interrupted, it was not by an earthly herald. There was none among men. It was from beyond the veil. The Savior crept into the world with heaven noticing, but precious few of us paying attention to what was afoot.

It is so easy to overlook Him because of the cares of the world. I want to assure you He is real. He exists. He was a man, every bit of man as any of us. He had flesh, He had blood, He dwelt among us. Don't doubt that. Trust in Him, believe in Him, have confidence in His existence.” (Lecture 7 - Christ: The Prototype of the Saved Man, page 1)

Not only was Christ born and came into this world largely unnoticed, but died and rose on resurrection morning as many were missing the event and the eternal significance all together. So, what happened that special morning? Here is an eyewitness account and testimony of Christ's resurrection on Easter morning:  Resurrection Morning

Best Teachers

“And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments. 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.” (Mosiah 23:14,17)

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1-5)

"Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted. Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up." (2 Nephi 28:11-12)

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no man that hath seen God. Because he showeth himself not unto us, therefore there is no God. Behold, they are corrupt; they have done abominable works, and none of them doeth good. For the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, and by his voice said unto his servant, Seek ye among the children of men, to see if there are any that do understand God. And he opened his mouth unto the Lord, and said, Behold, all these who say they are thine. The Lord answered, and said, They are all gone aside, they are together become filthy, thou canst behold none of them that are doing good, no, not one. All they have for their teachers are workers of iniquity, and there is no knowledge in them. They are they who eat up my people. They eat bread and call not upon the Lord.” (JST Psalm 14:1-4)

C.S Lewis and Mark Twain left us some good sayings to enjoy:

God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn no other way.

Experience is a brutal teacher. But you learn, my God do you learn.

It is noble to teach oneself. It is still nobler to teach others.

You can't no more teach what you ain't learned than you can come from where you ain't been.

To do right is wonderful. To teach others to do right is even more wonderful, and much easier.

Children are natural mimics, who act like their parents, despite every effort to teach them good manners.

I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. You waste your time, and you annoy the pig.

Heavens are Opened for Business - Any Customers?

I can assure you today is once again a day of salvation, and He has set His hand again.

No matter how unlikely it may appear, no matter how much reason there is to be skeptical, no matter how many more signs you think may need to be fulfilled, I'm telling you He has set His hand again. The heavens are opened for business, and the question is whether you are interested in becoming a customer or not.

You may only achieve a limited amount of grace in this life, but to that limited amount of grace you must hold fast. You cannot receive more if you will not receive what is offered to you now. But if you will receive what is offered now, you will be added upon forever and ever. (Abraham 3:26) Or, in other words, you move up the ladder by how you conduct yourself in this cycle of creation, and in the next cycle you will have so much the advantage. (D&C 130:18-19) You can choose to move upward and be added upon, or you can choose instead to remain as you are, worlds without end. The scriptures speak of things that happened "before the foundation of the world" or "in the first place" or "from the foundation of the world". These statements make it clear what went on before this creation mattered and affected who you are now. In like manner what you achieve in this life through your heed and diligence will affect what comes after. The course we are on has been ordained by God and is "one eternal round".

God has been at this a long time. Christ has, likewise, been involved for many repeated cycles of creation.

Moses was told: “by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.” (Moses 1:32-33) It is endless and it is cyclical. “But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.” (Moses 1:35) This is God's great work. It has been going through cycles of creation, fall, redemption, judgment and recreation forever. It is endless.

God's works do not end.

You are the developmental work God has chosen as His greatest accomplishment. He intends to bring to pass your immortality and eventual eternal life. (Moses 1:39) How long that requires for any given individual depends upon how long it takes you to become like Christ, the prototype of the saved man. How long will you delay attaining to the resurrection is within your own control. I am hoping to awaken you to the great work lying before you. (See Lecture 7, pages 40-43)

Christ said of Himself in Ether 3:14: “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.” This is the way in which you also might become a son of God. As the One who redeems you becomes your Father, so that He who is the Only Begotten of the Father, in turn begets many sons and daughters Himself.

If you will receive it, faith in him comes by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Not by a pretender, not by someone guessing, not by someone offering up their theory of how the scriptures ought to be understood. Faith does not come by hearkening to someone citing you a bibliography. Faith comes only by hearing the word of God delivered as he would have it delivered, by whomever it is that he may choose to deliver it. (Romans 10:14-17)

If you receive God's word sent by someone He sends, then you might have faith, and that too in the Son of God. Then you also might receive Him. But if you will not, if you will harden your hearts, if you will blind your minds, if you will not receive what He offers from his mouth in your day, then you do not have faith in Him. You will fall short of that faith required to become His son and His daughter.

It is that way, it has always been that way, it will always be that way. There is no other test.

Therefore, either I am a liar and you ought to forget everything I have said, or I have been sent by someone greater than I am. If I have been sent and you reject and quibble over the things I declare to you, it is at your peril!

It ought to be that way. I ought to be damned if I'm a pretender, and I ought to be damned and rejected by God if I'm saying things about which I know nothing! But I bear witness to you I know what I'm talking about. I have no reason to lie to you. I have no reason to pay to reserve a place to speak to you, and ask nothing of you but to listen. It requires a sacrifice to do what I am doing. I have no other reason to do this than to tell you the truth. Joseph Smith testified to these things and I am come as a second witness. Therefore you now have two proclaiming the same doctrine.

He (Christ) was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Why did the world not know Him? The world did not know Him for the same reason people would not know a messenger when one is sent today.

Our Lord was so very ordinary in His time. He seemed for all the world to be just another itinerant preacher. There have been so many pretenders. If you want to find the Lord look for Him among the outcast, for it is only there you will find Him at work. (See Lecture 7, pages 49-51)

The real project in the labor needing to be done, will be by you. If you don't lay hold upon this, if you don't move this forward, if you don't rise up, I suppose he will find another people. But you ought to accept this invitation, and then come to the feast He offers us. You should want to be numbered among those who choose to have the Gospel live again.

Let me end by testifying to you that, however improbable or unlikely all of this may seem to those of you who spend any time at all thinking about this, it was just as improbable when John was baptizing. It was just as improbable when Christ taught. It was just as improbable when Joseph Smith said, "I have seen a vision, I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither did I do it." (JS-H 1:25) It may seem improbable. But it is true! (See Lecture 10, pages 39-40)

Parents and Children Being Taught

Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them good manners.

“But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.” (Mosiah 4:15)

“Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.” (Moroni 8:10)

“And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter.” (3 Nephi 26:14)

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28)

“And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized. And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. (D&C 68:25-28)

“Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;” (D&C 84:23)

“But if you do not honor me, nor seek to recover my people Israel, nor teach your children to honor me, nor care for the poor among you, nor help lighten one another’s burdens, then you have no promise from me and I will raise up other people who will honor and serve me and give unto them this land, and if they repent I will abide with them.” (Answer-Covenant, page 12)

God is Offering Much ... Take It or Leave It!

Today, God is offering us much, even a covenant. If we're not too stubborn to repent, love one another, and gratefully receive it, our needs will be met and our joy can be full.

"Now, hear the words of the Lord to those who receive this covenant this day: 

All you who have turned from your wicked ways and repented of your evil doings, of lying and deceiving, and of all whoredoms, and of secret abominations, idolatries, murders, priestcrafts, envying, and strife, and from all wickedness and abominations, and have come unto me, and been baptized in my name, and have received a remission of your sins, and received the Holy Ghost, are now numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel. I say to you:

Teach your children to honor me.

Seek to recover the lost sheep remnant of this land and of Israel and no longer forsake them. Bring them unto me and teach them of my ways, to walk in them.

And I, the Lord your God, will be with you and will never forsake you and I will lead you in the path which will bring peace to you in the troubling season now fast approaching.

I will raise you up and protect you, abide with you, and gather you in due time, and this shall be a land of promise to you as your inheritance from me.

The Earth will yield her increase, and you will flourish upon the mountains and upon the hills, and the wicked will not come against you because the fear of the Lord will be with you.

I will visit my house, which the remnant of my people shall build, and I will dwell therein, to be among you, and no one will need to say, Know ye the Lord, for you all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

I will teach you things that have been hidden from the foundation of the world and your understanding will reach unto Heaven.

And you shall be called the children of the Most High God, and I will preserve you against the harvest.

And the angels sent to harvest the world will gather the wicked into bundles to be burned, but will pass over you as my peculiar treasure.

But if you do not honor me, nor seek to recover my people Israel, nor teach your children to honor me, nor care for the poor among you, nor help lighten one another’s burdens, then you have no promise from me and I will raise up other people who will honor and serve me and give unto them this land, and if they repent I will abide with them.

The time is now far spent, therefore labor with me and do not forsake my covenant to perform it; study my words and let them be the standard for your faith and I will add thereto many treasures. Love one another and you will be mine, and I will preserve you, and raise you up, and abide with you for ever. AMEN." (Answer and Covenant Pages 11-12)

The Lord's offer, covenant and promises are open to all who believe and desire to participate and accept His ways. 

"It is not enough to receive my covenant, but you must also abide it. And all who abide it, whether on this land or any other land, will be mine and I will watch over them and protect them in the day of harvest, and gather them in as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. I will number you among the remnant of Jacob, no longer outcasts, and you will inherit the promises of Israel. You shall be my people and I will be your God and the sword will not devour you. And unto those who will receive will more be given until they know the mysteries of God in full.

But remember that without the fruit of repentance, and a broken heart and a contrite spirit, you cannot keep my covenant; for I, your Lord, am meek and lowly of heart. Be like me." (Answer and Covenant Page 7)

Faith ... A Principle of Work

The Savior says, (Matthew 17:19-20), in explaining the reason why the disciples could not cast out the devil, that it was because of their unbelief: "For verily, I say unto you," said he, "if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place! and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

Moroni, while abridging and compiling the record of his fathers, has given us the following account of faith as the principle of power: He says, in Ether 12:13, that it was the faith of Alma and Amulek which caused the walls of the prison to be wrent, as recorded in Alma 14:23-29; it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi which caused a change to be wrought upon the hearts of the Lamanites, when they were immersed with the Holy Spirit, and with fire, as seen in Helaman 5:37-50; and that it was by faith that the mountain Zerin was removed, when the brother of Jared spake in the name of the Lord. See also Ether 12:30.

In addition to this we are told in Hebrews, 11:32-35, that Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens; and that women received their dead raised to life again, etc.

Also, Joshua, in the sight of all Israel, bade the sun and moon to stand still, and it was done. (Joshua 10:12)

We here understand, that the sacred writers say, that all these things were done by faith—It was by faith that the worlds were framed—God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order, by reason of the faith there was in HIM. So with man also—he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions' mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in them.

Had it not been for the faith which was in man, they might have spoken to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, lions, the human heart, fire, armies, the sword, or to death in vain!

Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things: by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeably to the will of God. Without it, there is no power, and without power there could be no creation, nor existence! (Lectures on Faith #1)

Life Abundant, No Less

From the book, “I Have a New Name” by Hosanna Poetry, I copied the following:

LIFE ABUNDANT, NO LESS

In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (ESV)

“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (NLT)

“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (MSG)

Even though these versions translate the phrase differently, the Greek word each one is expressing to us is the same: perissós. This word means greater, excessive, abundant; beyond what is anticipated, exceeding expectation; going past the expected limit, more than enough, over and above, more than is necessary, and superadded.

Superadded? I straight up love that word. Who knew that was a real word? It makes me think of choosing toppings for my frozen yogurt, adding an excess of Oreos, cookie dough, granola, and sprinkles (yes, all of that, take your judgement elsewhere), and then—praise be to God—adding more on top of it. Excessive, sure. But delicious. Probably holy. Jesus’ main purpose was to give us a life that was extremely amazing, over the top and abundant, superadded, with all the excess toppings, more than we needed, past all limits, in colors we’ve never imagined, with joy we’ve never heard of, and overflowing with confidence, fullness, and exuberant joy that no one else can give us. Of course the Enemy would want to convince you to have a life that’s “good enough.” Of course the Enemy would want you to settle for “just passing.” Of course the Enemy would search through all his best ideas, attempt any strategy he could think of, and brainstorm any plot that could steal, kill, and destroy anything in your life that would give you such abundance because that abundance is the very thing Jesus came to Earth to give you. Put simply— every good thing that God wants to give you, the Enemy wants to snatch from you. 

Giving is a key to living a life of abundance and blessings.

Giving thanks for abundance is greater than the abundance itself.

When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.

Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.

The secret to having it all is believing you already do.

John Wrested Much; More Being Wrested Today ... Few Take Notice!

Today most believe and accept John the Baptist as one sent by God. We have scriptural records and history to back up this view, but it was not until further revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith that we began to more fully understood and take notice of the events and the great significance of it all.

Here is what was revealed through Joseph Smith:

“Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power.” (D&C 84:27-28)

The Greatness and Mission of John the Baptist:

(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Pages 275-276, emphasis added)

The question arose from the saying of Jesus--"Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." How is it that John was considered one of the greatest prophets? His miracles could not have constituted his greatness.

First. He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man.

Secondly. He was entrusted with the important mission, and it was required at his hands, to baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that? Whoever had so great a privilege and glory? Whoever led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in witness of that administration? The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.

Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom there was then on the earth, and holding the keys of power. The Jews had to obey his instructions or be damned, by their own law; and Christ Himself fulfilled all righteousness in becoming obedient to the law which he had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby magnified it and made it honorable, instead of destroying it. The son of Zacharias wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven, and these three reasons constitute him the greatest prophet born of a woman.

At the time John acted among the Jews, the great hidden effort behind the scenes required to bring to pass John the Baptist's mission went almost entirely unnoticed. Certainly, the Jews failed to pay adequate attention to John's mission and didn't even give thought about what he was doing right before their very eyes. As John, the son of Zacharias, wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, the bonafide religious leaders of the Jews were oblivious and unaware of the momentous events in motion that would cause overwhelming effects to them and their precious kingdom.

God's house is a house of order. He does it according to patterns. It is not God's purpose to abandon the restoration, but it is His purpose to preserve the restoration, which at this moment is in terrible jeopardy. The restoration itself must be rescued and preserved. If you cannot detect the terrible changes it has undergone and is now undergoing, then you are blind indeed. Shall God forget the work he began through Joseph? Shall this now universally downward course be permitted without His hand being bared again? Or shall a kind and merciful God take steps to give us a chance to preserve it with His assistance, if we choose to act?

What if the LDS church has, in fact, gone far enough astray from the restoration through Joseph Smith that God has now determined it best to order His house differently before His return (second coming)? What if God has already called a servant today that He has entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord? What if the servant He has called today is the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom here currently on the earth? What if the servant is holding the keys of power? What if the gentiles today have to obey his instructions or be damned, by their own law? What if God's servant has been ordained and received authority from God unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the gentiles (LDS church specifically), and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power? What if the servant of God today has already commenced his important mission? What if he has faithfully heeded the word of God and thereby wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the LDS church, gentile religious leaders, and the entire hierarchy of power, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven? What if the bonafide religious leaders of the gentile LDS church are presently oblivious and unaware of the momentous events in motion here and now that will cause overwhelming effects to them and their precious kingdom?

If this has indeed happened and proceeding forward under the direction of God, would your perspectives change? Would this cause you to reconsider your beliefs, actions, and focus? Would it be apparent to you and even necessary to repent, change and face God, and pay close attention to His word, declarations, and instructions as you hear His voice coming to you, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same”? Are the gentiles today much different than the Jews were two millennial ago? God ordered His house differently among the Jews preparing them for the coming of the Lord (first coming) and now He is reordering His house among the gentiles preparing for His second coming. Is this particular pattern of God plain and obvious to you now or do you suppose it is just by chance?

If you are interested in reading the words of the servant about this very issue, here is a link, from which this post is based and partially quoted:  

(Lecture #10 – Preserving the Restoration, Pages 6-8 … and more)

The Lord's Heart Today

The Lord is in control over the church, men, and all things. When He undertakes to accomplish something, "there is nothing that the Lord God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it." (Abraham 3:17)

Recently, the Lord has chosen to order things differently before His return and it is His authority and right to do so as He determines best. In the LDS church, humility and repentance has been greatly replaced by pride, money and power. When the heavens withdraw, which surely happens to those who quit listening to God, "Amen" to that portion of God's house, but the restoration through the prophet Joseph Smith will always remain.

It may be valuable for us to identify and hear the Lord's voice, recognize His word that often comes from unexpected places, reject false doctrines and agendas as we look around and see what is happening before our very eyes, and correctly identify what is in the Lord's heart today. May we more fully recognize His signs manifested in the heavens and on earth, know the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost, and be committed to His work that is now underway.

“The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee; while the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand.” (D&C 122:1-2)

Have a great weekend :)

New Year's Resolutions ... At This Time of Year???

Over three months ago on the 3rd of January, I sent a text to my children and a few others, approximately as follows: 

"I don't believe new year's resolutions are necessary, unless you sincerely feel a need to alter your behavior or begin a process of change on January 1st. If you want something changed, change it today instead of waiting for another 363 days for a new year to roll around again.

If you asked me for my new year's resolutions, I would say that happened two days ago and I am succeeding. If you asked me what my plan for now as of today is, it would be to receive answers to three questions from God Himself:

1) With detail and in the fullest sense, who I am?

2) What is my current state and standing with you, God?

3) And God, from your perspective, what is my next step of progression or assignment that would be most beneficial?

Benjamin Franklin is known to have said, "Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man." ... Or woman of course"

Sooo... Since new year's day (as of today) is approximately 102 days in the past and there are about 263 days before the next new year's day, would you find it wise to make a new resolution today, rather than waiting? If so, what is your new resolution, goal, desire, question, relationship with God, whatever? As of today, April 13, 2018, what do you want?

Better Options Offered

There seems to be at least two options: make progress or make excuses.

Sometimes my plans fail, but God always gives me better options.

It's better to keep your options open than your eyes closed.

Difficulties are sometimes blessings in disguise. They make you realize there were better options all along.

Life is full of options and choices. Every option that you choose to dismiss or receive makes a significant difference.

If you realize how powerful your thoughts are, you would never opt to think negative thoughts again.

Until you believe you have options, you will likely continue to feel stuck.

I think a person with many options is better off and generally happier than one with a lot of money.

A man is only as good as his awareness and use of his options.

Be wise and cease judging people for the choices they make when you don't know the options they had and recognized, from which to choose.

Information can make you aware of further options and more choices, which in turn brings power. Educate yourself about your options and choices. Never remain in the dark of ignorance.

Study the words of God and live according to the best you understand. Talk with God, ask Him questions, receive answers and live accordingly.  Sincerely seek and search for more options, ask God to reveal to you more options, receive them, try them out, and prove them. Ask more questions, receive more answers, obtain more options, and live accordingly again and again. He wants you to understand His ways and be aware of many more options.

Better options often appear and are regularly offered to you. If you are too blind to see, have too stiff a neck to turn your head and look, or are too busy to try something new, and end up believing the same things you have always believed and doing the same things you have always done, do you reasonably expect your results to be any different than what you have been receiving? New ideas, ways and possibilities may be worth considering … maybe even try them out, give them a fair test, and look at the fruits that they produce. You really do have the option to test possibilities, prove theories, change your ways, and break the molds ... Or remain the same.

"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other." (C.S. Lewis)

Life is Beautiful!

Perhaps, the two most important days in your life are:

1) The day you are born.
2) The day you find out why.

Do you feel it important to find out "who you are", "why you were born", and "what your purpose and mission are in this life"? 

After all, life is filled with a large variety of valuable experiences. People, who are sincerely seeking truth, improvement, and understanding are generally happier than those delaying perfection. May we always use our limited time in this life wisely.

The Law of Sacrifice

The sixth lecture contained in the Lectures on Faith by the Prophet Joseph Smith is enlightening and teaches the importance of sacrifice of all earthly things and how sacrifice is necessarily required to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. Here are the words of the sixth lecture:

1 Having treated, in the preceding lectures, of the ideas of the character, perfections and attributes of God, we next proceed to treat of the knowledge which persons must have, that the course of life which they pursue is according to the will of God, in order that they may be enabled to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation.

2 This knowledge supplies an important place in revealed religion; for it was by reason of it that the ancients were enabled to endure as seeing him who is invisible. An actual knowledge to any person that the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God, without which no person can obtain eternal life. It was this that enabled the ancient saints to endure all their afflictions and persecutions, and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing, (not believing merely,) that they had a more enduring substance (Hebrews 10:34).

3 Having the assurance that they were pursuing a course which was agreeable to the will of God, they were enabled to take, not only the spoiling of their goods, and the wasting of their substance, joyfully, but also to suffer death in its most horrid forms; knowing, (not merely believing,) that when this earthly house of their tabernacle was dissolved, they had a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1).

4 Such was and always will be the situation of the saints of God, that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds and faint; for such has been and always will be the opposition in the hearts of unbelievers and those that know not God, against the pure and unadulterated religion of heaven, (the only thing which ensures eternal life,) that they will persecute, to the uttermost, all that worship God according to his revelations, receive the truth in the love of it, and submit themselves to be guided and directed by his will, and drive them to such extremities that nothing short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven, and of their having embraced that order of things which God has established for the redemption of man, will enable them to exercise that confidence in him necessary for them to overcome the world, and obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God.

5 For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge: realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.

6 For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator, were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God.

7 Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.

8 It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him.

9 It was in offering sacrifices that Abel, the first martyr, obtained knowledge that he was accepted of God. And from the days of righteous Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of God, is obtained by offering sacrifice: and in the last days, before the Lord comes, he is to gather together his saints who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice. Psalms 50:3-5: Our God shall clime, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant unto me by sacrifice.

10 Those, then, who make the sacrifice will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of God, and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life, and will be enabled, through faith, to endure unto the end, and receive the crown that is laid up for them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this faith, because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to obtain this faith; therefore, they cannot lay hold upon eternal life, because the revelations of God do not guarantee unto them the authority so to do; and without this guarantee faith could not exist.

11 All the saints of whom we have account in all the revelations of God which are extant, obtained the knowledge which they had of their acceptance in his sight, through the sacrifice which they offered unto him: and through the knowledge thus obtained, their faith became sufficiently strong to lay hold upon the promise of eternal life, and to endure us seeing him who is invisible; and were enabled, through faith, to combat the powers of darkness, contend against the wiles of the adversary, overcome the world, and obtain the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls.

12 But those who have not made this sacrifice to God, do not know that the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight; for whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty is, there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time. So that persons whose minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence, and where unshaken confidence is not, there faith is weak, and where faith is weak, the persons will not be able to contend against all the opposition, tribulations and afflictions which they will have to encounter in order to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over them and destroy them.