One thing I must express gratitude for, is the opportunity I have to share all the amazing videos, books, teachers, and links I come across here on my blog and in my Happy Lady videos with all of you. Not only are the blog and YouTube channel, tools where I can share what I've been discovering but also a great source for all of you (my friends and subscribers) to share what you have been discovering. There are so many of you who are so kind to share in private emails and messages your sacred experiences, testimonies, suggested reads, materials & teachers, and I love returning the favor in my videos and blogposts. Links are always provided in the video description of each of my videos to a wealth of resources. I'm amazed at how many messages come through each day from all of you, and humbled by what you share.
A friend of mine and follower of the blog, referred me to this video yesterday. I must say how grateful I am to have been able to watch this. It's so refreshing to know that there are more LDS people out there who are on the same page as me. This is the message I have been feeling so strong lately, and conveying in my video messages here a little and there a little - and so you can imagine how excited I was to discover all of it one video presentation. Adam Miller sums it up so well - better than I can. This is exactly how I feel! We can meet the Savior in the flesh before He returns to the earth as prophesied. We can meet Him often, and there is no Near Death Experience required! We can and should be seeking this kind of relationship with Him. This is His will for us - all of us.
If you don't have time to watch the entire video, go to 41:08 and you will hear Adam confirm (in his own words) that he has had what I believe to be a Second Comforter experience. To hear someone speak so boldly and beautifully about a topic that has always been "hushed" over the years, and to hear them speak it at BYU and see that it was so well received, just had me doing a happy dance!
Mosiah 18:9 - Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life
Showing posts with label After Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label After Life. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Friday, December 1, 2017
Righteously Seeking God's Mysteries
A recent question was emailed to me this week, and I thought I would share my answer here on my blog, as it might be helpful to anyone else encoutnering the same question.
The question was in regards to my last video message, "When the Lord Knocks." The person expressed her concerns about seeking "outside the box" for spiritual growth. She added, "I do not have the gift of discernment, and I have learned that I am often wrong in what I feel are answers and promptings."
My Thoughts
One thing that is difficult for me, is being put in a position to where I am being asked to persuade someone. Unless it is to convince them to buy my children cookies for their school fundraiser, I generally avoid persuasion. I believe that the Spirit should do the convincing. If a person comes to me with doubts or confusion, I tell them to go to the Lord. Pray, ask for the Holy Ghost to be their guide, repent of anything that might be preventing them from feeling the Holy Ghost in their life, ask for wisdom, examine their faith - is it possible their faith is lacking and therefore the Lord is not answering them in the manner that they would like?
From past experience, I have had friends ask me for what I believe to be true about a certain matter, and then go to another person and ask the same, and then pit our answers against each other. That is not how the Spirit works. When I receive a certain truth from the Spirit, it burns so warm inside of me that I know it is true. When something does not feel right for me, I feel "troubled in the spirit" which is a sensation I feel in the pit of my stomach. I never feel torn, confused, unsure...etc. I just know.
Because the question that came to me was very sincere and came from a place of desiring to do the right thing, I decided to do my best to share the thoughts and feelings of my heart.
In my video "When the Lord Knocks" I talk about the importance of having an open mind and an open heart while on the journey of spiritual progression. I also stress that it is vital to have the gift of discernment while on this journey. You would never go on a lengthy hiking adventure into the deep mountains without a compass and a map (GPS). The Holy Ghost is our compass. If we struggle to feel the Holy Ghost in our daily lives, or we struggle to trust those promptings, as I mentioned in my video - it is much safer to walk the valley trails
Many times, I have used the Apostle Paul's analogy of milk and meat. In Paul's visit to Corinth, he addressed several church-related problems to the people in his first letter to the Corinthians. The main problem was a carnal one, and was evidence of the church members' spiritual immaturity. Some in Corinth had not only aligned themselves to certain teachers (Paul, Apollos, Peter), they were also causing contentions and divisions in the church by arguing which of these preachers was the most spiritual and best to follow (verses 3 - 23).
The heading to 1 Corinthians 3 reads: Milk comes before meat in the Church
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
The word "milk" in the above scripture (Greek gala, (Strong's Concordance #G1051) means the basic, elemental teachings of true Christianity first learned by new converts. The word "meat" comes from the Greek word Broma (Strong's #G1033) and means "the more solid, complete and deeper spiritual doctrines of the Gospel".
The apostle Paul felt that trying to teach the church the deeper truths of God would be a waste of time so long as they continued to indulge in petty debates over which teacher was the greater teacher.
I see this happening quite often lately on social media. Members of the Church squabbling over which blogs, podcasts, authors, and even church leaders are "on" or "off track". Through their differing of feelings and opinions they become exhausted and overwhelmed as divisions are created. People become consumed in "being right" or by their fears of "being wrong". The fear of being wrong is so powerful that many find it easier to avoid anything all together that is not from a conference talk or the Ensign.
In my video message and quite often here on this blog, I share a video from lds.org called "We Are Not Gods Only People" by Samuel Hislop. His message promotes having an open heart and open mind and being willing to learn from those who are not of our same faith. That they too, have experiences and words that can offer great value to our lives. But again, if you don't have the gift of discernment, how will you know which words, experiences, and teachers are going to enhance your journey? You need that gift to discern what is truth and what is error. What's important that the Spirit needs you to know pertaining to your individual mission and life experience, and what is going to be a waste of your time. Only you can know what the Spirit is telling you in regards to a green light or a red light. It might be the right timing in your life to learn some beautiful truths or mysteries, or you might not be ready and you are feeling something steer you away.
The awesome truth is, everything we need to know for our salvation can be found in the scriptures - there is great peace and comfort in knowing and believing that.The basics of the gospel that we get on Sunday, in church magazines, and from conference talks are powerful. The basics can even be life changing! The gospel is pure & simple and should never be complicated.The basics are essentially the milk. They are all that the Lord has allowed to reveal as a whole to His church at this time. We know that there is much more truth that can be and will be revealed ( ex. the sealed portion).
Elder Richard G. Scott said in October 2007 conference,
"The best way of finding truth is simply to go to the origin of all truth and ask or respond to inspiration. For success, two ingredients are essential: first, unwavering faith in the source of all truth; second, a willingness to keep God’s commandments to keep open spiritual communication with Him.
Try as I might, I am not able, even in the smallest degree, to comprehend the extent, depth, and stunning grandeur of what our holy Heavenly Father, Elohim, has permitted to be revealed by the scientific method...
... Were we to penetrate further into the mysteries of the most fundamental makeup of creation, we would come to the limit of our current understanding..there are yet more of Father in Heaven’s creations to be understood by the scientific method.
...The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, … and … gave I unto man his agency;
“… There are many worlds …, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.”
A knowledge of truth is of little value unless we apply it in making correct decisions. Consider for a moment a man, heavily overweight, approaching a bakery display. In his mind are these thoughts: The doctor told you not to eat any more of that. It’s not good for you. It just gives you momentary gratification of appetite. You’ll feel uncomfortable the rest of the day after it. You’ve decided not to have any more. But then he hears himself say, “I’ll have two of those almond twists and a couple of those chocolate doughnuts. One more time won’t hurt. I’ll do it just once more, and this will be the last time.”
The Lord knows if we are in a place to correctly and righteously apply the knowledge He gives us. This is known as wisdom. If we are not prepared to receive new knowledge and truth, and we lack wisdom, then it's for our own protection that we refrain. Instead, we should pray that the Lord grant us wisdom and help us prepare for further light.
John H. Vandenberg said in his April 1978 conference What is Truth,
"Jesus said, 'Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.' Those who are “of the truth” are those who sincerely seek after it. All of mankind should be seekers after truth for it is the supreme essence of their lives.
...“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
This reminds me of so many I know who want to seek but are afraid to find. They just don't feel confident in their discernment. Sometimes they catch wind of an interesting truth, but then go shopping for opinions about it. It feels good and right, but they are afraid to trust what they feel. They toss it around on social media or among family and friends to get their take and opinions.They become persuaded by whomever is the most convincing or credible.These members of the church seem to blow with the wind. They aren't tuning in to what the Spirit is trying to teach them. They prefer to be taught by the opinions of man.
In reference to righteous desires of God's children to seek the mysteries, Elder W. Mark Bassett said in October 2016 conference in his talk For Our Spiritual Development and Learning,
"Jacob’s words teach us that we cannot successfully “pry at the plates” or force the mysteries of God to be revealed unto us. Instead, the mysteries of God are unfolded unto us only according to His will and by the power of the Holy Ghost.
...In order to understand the mysteries of God, or those things that can be understood only through revelation, we must follow the example of Nephi, who said, “Being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father.”6 The Lord Himself further explained that Nephi had exercised faith, sought diligently with lowliness of heart, and kept His commandments.7
Nephi’s example of seeking knowledge included (1) a sincere desire, (2) humility, (3) prayer, (4) trust in the prophet, and an exercise of (5) faith, (6) diligence, and (7) obedience. This method of seeking is in great contrast to my “prying at the plates,” or trying to force an understanding of things meant to be revealed according to the Lord’s timetable and through the power of the Holy Ghost.
In this modern age, we have come to expect that knowledge can and should be obtained immediately; when information is not easily known or accessible, it is often dismissed or mistrusted. Because of the abundance of information, some unwittingly give more credibility to available sources with an unknown origin rather than relying on the Lord’s established pattern for receiving personal revelation."
If seeking the meat results in evaporating the milk, then we should not be seeking the meat. The milk goes with the meat. When this happens, we have lost balance in our lives. And when we lose balance we let go of what we feel threw us off. I have seen many people who are on this path right now. They sought the meat, while forgetting about the milk. They got carried away in the excitement of learning the mysteries and made that priority in their lives. Instead of asking the Lord what His will was concerning their journey of seeking, they bypassed Him altogether and sought anyways. When they realized their life was out of balance, they felt lost and became afraid and translated that fear into the need to avoid the meat all together. They used their personal experience and fears to translate a general message that all people should avoid seeking the meat for their own protection and safety.
I have not been a fan of this message. I believe with all my heart that what the Spirit teaches one, may not be counsel for another. We are all at different spiritual levels. This was even spoken about by Elder Oaks and Elder Ballard at the recent YSA Face to Face. They said that because all church members are at “different levels of spiritual intellect” they would try to find a middle ground with their answers as to not offend or confuse those who are at a lower level. They asked that the higher spiritual intellect members not be offended by their basic (milk) answers. I found that very interesting as I have not heard general authorities talk that way before.
I could attest to this. From my experience I have come across some mystery seekers who were easily offended by those who opposed their messages. That offense came from a place of fear and turned into a greater fear. Fear that they had made a mistake, or done something wrong…etc. The Lord doesn’t use fear. Fear is a tactic of the Adversary. The Lord gently guides us. The Spirit is a still small voice that beckons us. We feel compelled to learn something, share something, repent, or change, but not from a spirit of fear. We feel compelled out of love and humility. We keep our counsel from the Spirit personal – unless prompted to share with others. Our personal counsel is not meant to be counsel for all the members of the church. It is unique to our own weaknesses and shortcomings.
In my upcoming weekly video message I talk about a sister who contacted me and shared her notes from Elder Bednar who had recently spoken at her stake conference. She quoted Elder Bednar and wrote,
“New things will be revealed that have never been revealed in our time.” Twice during his talk he said, “For those that have eyes to see let them see, for those who have ears to hear let them hear.” Almost like he was commanding it while he was giving his talk.
Elder Bednar didn't appear to expand on how these new truths would be revealed but my spirit felt that we can always receive truth individually from the Lord if we ask and if it's His will to reveal it to us. Scripture teaches us that the greater truths have been kept hidden as the Lord's people are not ready for it (as a whole).
We know from scripture that anytime someone has prayed to know truth with righteous desires, God has always answered. Joseph Smith, The Brother of Jared, Nephi, Enoch, and many others have gone directly to the Lord and asked for more than just the milk. They desired the meat. The meat are the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. The gospel is the good news, the message that teaches us and prepares us to enter into and live in the Kingdom of God. The mysteries are the ways of the Lord and how His Kingdom operates. A wonderful knowledge to behold, but not essential for salvation.
Whether we learn them here in our life (through an NDE, a vision, or dream), or we learn them after we cross through the veil - eventually we are given that opportunity to receive the fullness of that knowledge. Not everyone desires that knowledge in this lifetime, and not everyone is prepared to receive it, and that is okay. If you are continually striving to learn from the milk - it will fill you with life. It is fear that causes digression and spiritual death. Fear of seeking, and learning. It's fear that overrides trust in the Holy Spirit. If we feel prompted to learn something, or seek something, but fear stops us - we are stunting our own growth, and for our own protection will no longer received those promptings if we are not being obedient to them.
That was the premise of my video message.Through the gift of discernment we can override fear and exercise trust. My blessing tells me I have been given the gift of discernment and that I will be in a position to bring many souls to my Savior. Through my videos and blog posts, the Spirit has been my teacher and shown me what to learn and what to share and what to avoid or not share. It has been a great blessing in my life. I've had the privilege of experiencing many souls come unto their Savior through what the Spirit has led me to learn and share.
My blessing also talks about the importance of moderation in all things. I believe that many fall short in this area. Many become obsessed with a certain truth or principal they have learned until it consumes them. They eat, sleep, and breath the mysteries and forget about the basics – the milk. They forget to serve, to love, be parents, and to magnify their church callings.
For the most part, people only know me through what they see in my videos or blog. But it's important for you to know that I don’t spend the majority of my day seeking the meat. I spend it playing with my kids, cooking, cleaning, working on fun projects, shopping, and living a normal life. That’s why I also have the family vlog videos, to show people who I am the majority of the time. I record a positive message for my Happy Lady vlog once a week, and its whatever I’m prompted to share. I type up my notes right before I make the video – but that is all the time I put into it. Just once a week. Because of this I find balance in my life and I feel joy and peace.
I feel I am on the right track as I feel so blessed and because what I have been guided to learn has only strengthened my testimony of what I already know to be true. It doesn’t take away from it, change it, or consume me. Many people fear expanding outside of the box because they fear their own weaknesses. They fear they will be led astray, or they will lose their testimony or they will become obsessed. Again those are fears, and fear will never accompany promptings. The Holy Ghost does not operate from fear. Fears and doubts may come later, and I have learned that is a common tactic of Satan. He watches as we receive promptings and new knowledge (line upon line) that will allow us to learn and grow. He always swoops in to put a stop to it by using fear and doubt. This leads to confusion. Confusion is a tool of the enemy. I talk about this is my new video this week.
God brings clarity. When something feels clear, it is of the Lord. When we hear truth, followed by loud doubts and fears entering our mind, we need to ask where that confusion, fear, and doubt is coming from. The Lord gives us clear answers. Yes and no. Move ahead, or stop. He never says “Wait. I’m not sure. Hold on. I’m confused.” He doesn’t change. He is firm. He is absolute. He is the same tomorrow, today, and yesterday.
In the YSA Face to Face, Elder Oaks talks about this. He addresses a question about how can we tell if something is our own thoughts or coming from the Holy Ghost. I highly recommend you listen.
It’s pretty easy to keep my messages positive. I try to bring peace, clarity and happiness into all my videos and posts. I don’t speak to a general audience because I feel that the Lord leads those who need to hear my messages to them. I cannot speak for others however, and something interesting I have noticed is that there has been a common occurrence happening among some recent vloggers and podcasters that has caused many of their listeners to say, "Wait...I am now confused."
These teachers/mentors are generally very emotional and passionate people by nature. One day they are passionate, emotional and in tears about something they believe to be a new amazing truth that has changed their life and then the next day, they are equally passionate, emotional and in tears about how that same truth was actually deception. It can seem very confusing. Strong emotions can easily be mistaken as the Spirit and therefore truth. This is addressed in the recent YSA Face to Face. When I feel the spirit teaching me truth, I feel peace and calmness and I really hope that translates into my videos.
In the October 2017 conference, Elder Bednar said in his talk Exceeding Great and Precious Promises,
"We easily can be overcome by the routine and mundane matters of mortality. Sleeping, eating, dressing, working, playing, exercising, and many other customary activities are necessary and important. But ultimately, what we become is the result of our knowledge of and willingness to learn from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; it is not merely the sum total of our daily pursuits over the course of a lifetime.
The gospel is so much more than a routine checklist of discrete tasks to be performed; rather, it is a magnificent tapestry of truth “fitly framed”26 and woven together, designed to help us become like our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, even partakers of the divine nature. Truly, we are blinded “by looking beyond the mark”27 when this overarching spiritual reality is overshadowed by the cares, concerns, and casualness of the world.
As we are wise and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide, I promise He will teach us what is true. “He will testify of Christ, [and] light our minds with heaven’s view” as we strive to fulfill our eternal destiny and become partakers of the divine nature."
The Lord gives us the basics but it's up to us to "knock and have it opened unto us". The Lord will not force knowledge upon us. The Spirit guides as to what to seek for and where to find it. Elder Bednar said, "But ultimately, what we become is the result of our knowledge of and willingness to learn from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;...we are wise and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide," What we become is our exaltation. What we are exalted to after making covenants with the Lord, is a glory based on the amount of Light we were willing to receive due to our obedience to the Holy Ghost.
Staying on the gospel path should always be our priority and focus. Just like I mentioned, you can't seek the meat when straying from the milk. You need both. The iron rod is the personal revelation in our life. It's the word of God for us individually. We have to be obedient to it. With our gift of discernment we can trust where the Spirit leads us. If there is something we are to learn that will really benefit us on our journey or confirm a truth, we must trust the Spirit.
The Spirit will not prompt us to learn the mysteries if we have strayed from the gospel path. We must hold tight to the iron rod, in order to receive those promptings. "Outside the Box" doesn't have to mean "outside the church" or "outside the gospel" or "outside the doctrine" - it simply means seeking and knocking with an open mind and open heart and moving higher and brighter line upon line. Trusting where the Spirit might lead you, wherever it may be. We can still move forward on the gospel path but do so from a higher perspective. Our comfort bubble keeps us lower to the ground, it puts limits on us and minimizes our perspective and view. Going outside the box is like putting on stilts and seeing further down the path from a higher perspective. We are still on the gospel path, but that greater knowledge has lifted us to a new perspective that enhances our view and and our experience while on the path.
An example of this in my own life, are the times I have purchased books from Deseret Book in which I learned mysteries not detailed in the scriptures or doctrine. However, they did not take away from the gospel or doctrine, nor teach anything contrary to it. They added to it. They confirmed what I already knew to be true.
A specific example of this that comes to mind was a collection of Near Death Experiences I bought in the early 2000's from Deseret Book. The NDE's were collected from people all over the world and from different religions and time periods. They spoke of beautiful things and beings that people saw in the spirit world. They spoke of how things operated in the Spirit wold. Things that would not be spoken of in a conference talk, over the pulpit, nor in a Sunday school or Relief Society lesson. However they did not discount the gospel or knowledge we have from the doctrine. They supported it. That was the premise of the book. How God can uses people's experiences outside of the Church to be an additional witness to the revealed truth we already have. One account from the 1800's spoke of three kingdoms of glory in the brightness of a star, moon, and sun. The man was not a Mormon and this was prior to the Church being restored. It was a beautiful witness. I was left feeling edified and peaceful from my reading.
God's mysteries are available to all who ask and are on the gospel path. He works in mysterious ways and a lot of time exceeds my own expectations. I've learned not to put limits on Him. If he sends me to a book, a YouTube video, a podcast, or a person - I've learned there is usually something in that He wants me to learn. Whether it's one sentence in a book, one experience shared in a video, etc. I feel the Spirit confirm to me what it is each time. We learn many beautiful things in the temple about truth being spread throughout the Earth and one day it being circumscribed into one great whole. The Holy Ghost (our compass) guides us to those truths that a spread abroad through our gift of discernment.
Lastly, concerning seeking the mysteries, I had been fasting for and pondering a couple days ago about many of the gifts I have been given and some of which have to do with my hands such as my gift of writing which involves typing, and other gifts etc. I was pondering on how I have relied on my gift of discernment to learn more about these gifts and how to righteously use them. I was also pondering on how to best share this message of it being okay to seek mysteries that are aligned with God's will for us.
While pondering and praying, I began to feel this powerful energy hit my hands and pulsate down through my elbows and back out through my hands. It pulsated back and forth and everything in my hands and arms tingled with warmth. This is the 5th time this has happened to me in the last couple years while pondering on this mystery.
I asked the Lord, what did this mean? How come every time I pondered on this topic, I feel this energy come into my hands and arms? Insomuch that my thumbs would lock to my fingers like magnets and I cannot pull them apart until the vibrating stops. Have I done something wrong, is there something wrong with me physically such as a mineral deficiency? Or, is this from the Lord. Is it something good? While asking, I felt peaceful about it and felt the Spirit tell me, "Have patience, and more will be revealed to you soon."
This morning I was awakened at 3:30 am. There was a bright light pulsating in my room. It lit up the entire room. I had this feeling that I needed to go into my prayer closet. So I did. Once there, I felt prompted to pick up where I had left off in my scripture reading. So I did. And as I began to read in Doctrine and Covenants Section 8, I received the answer to my inquiry from the Lord and the final and powerful summary for this blog post message.
The heading reads;
Revelation comes by the power of the Holy Ghost; Knowledge of the mysteries of God... come by faith.
I inserted my name into the scripture and read,
1 Lindsey you [shall] receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive...
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
7 Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
8 Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work of God.
9 And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.
10 Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.
11 Ask that you may know the mysteries of God... and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
12 Behold, it is I that have spoken it; and I am the same that spake unto you from the beginning. Amen.
I felt warmth cover me from head to toe as I read this. I felt the Lord say, "Have no fear my daughter. You are on the right track. Because of your faith and obedience, you will be given wisdom to prepare you for what I have planned for you. There is so much to learn and so much more good for you to do, but do not be in a hurry. In my own due time I will reveal to you according to your needs and desires, the things that pertain to the plans I have for you. It will continue to come line upon line and the Holy Ghost will continue to be your compass."
I believe that these words can apply to all of God's children. With righteous desires to seek, God will reveal to us according to His will. I believe it pleases Him when we desire the meat. It pleases Him when we ask. He has so much He wants to share.
I testify of this in Jesus' name amen.
The question was in regards to my last video message, "When the Lord Knocks." The person expressed her concerns about seeking "outside the box" for spiritual growth. She added, "I do not have the gift of discernment, and I have learned that I am often wrong in what I feel are answers and promptings."
My Thoughts
One thing that is difficult for me, is being put in a position to where I am being asked to persuade someone. Unless it is to convince them to buy my children cookies for their school fundraiser, I generally avoid persuasion. I believe that the Spirit should do the convincing. If a person comes to me with doubts or confusion, I tell them to go to the Lord. Pray, ask for the Holy Ghost to be their guide, repent of anything that might be preventing them from feeling the Holy Ghost in their life, ask for wisdom, examine their faith - is it possible their faith is lacking and therefore the Lord is not answering them in the manner that they would like?
From past experience, I have had friends ask me for what I believe to be true about a certain matter, and then go to another person and ask the same, and then pit our answers against each other. That is not how the Spirit works. When I receive a certain truth from the Spirit, it burns so warm inside of me that I know it is true. When something does not feel right for me, I feel "troubled in the spirit" which is a sensation I feel in the pit of my stomach. I never feel torn, confused, unsure...etc. I just know.
Because the question that came to me was very sincere and came from a place of desiring to do the right thing, I decided to do my best to share the thoughts and feelings of my heart.
In my video "When the Lord Knocks" I talk about the importance of having an open mind and an open heart while on the journey of spiritual progression. I also stress that it is vital to have the gift of discernment while on this journey. You would never go on a lengthy hiking adventure into the deep mountains without a compass and a map (GPS). The Holy Ghost is our compass. If we struggle to feel the Holy Ghost in our daily lives, or we struggle to trust those promptings, as I mentioned in my video - it is much safer to walk the valley trails
The heading to 1 Corinthians 3 reads: Milk comes before meat in the Church
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
The word "milk" in the above scripture (Greek gala, (Strong's Concordance #G1051) means the basic, elemental teachings of true Christianity first learned by new converts. The word "meat" comes from the Greek word Broma (Strong's #G1033) and means "the more solid, complete and deeper spiritual doctrines of the Gospel".
The apostle Paul felt that trying to teach the church the deeper truths of God would be a waste of time so long as they continued to indulge in petty debates over which teacher was the greater teacher.
I see this happening quite often lately on social media. Members of the Church squabbling over which blogs, podcasts, authors, and even church leaders are "on" or "off track". Through their differing of feelings and opinions they become exhausted and overwhelmed as divisions are created. People become consumed in "being right" or by their fears of "being wrong". The fear of being wrong is so powerful that many find it easier to avoid anything all together that is not from a conference talk or the Ensign.
In my video message and quite often here on this blog, I share a video from lds.org called "We Are Not Gods Only People" by Samuel Hislop. His message promotes having an open heart and open mind and being willing to learn from those who are not of our same faith. That they too, have experiences and words that can offer great value to our lives. But again, if you don't have the gift of discernment, how will you know which words, experiences, and teachers are going to enhance your journey? You need that gift to discern what is truth and what is error. What's important that the Spirit needs you to know pertaining to your individual mission and life experience, and what is going to be a waste of your time. Only you can know what the Spirit is telling you in regards to a green light or a red light. It might be the right timing in your life to learn some beautiful truths or mysteries, or you might not be ready and you are feeling something steer you away.
The awesome truth is, everything we need to know for our salvation can be found in the scriptures - there is great peace and comfort in knowing and believing that.The basics of the gospel that we get on Sunday, in church magazines, and from conference talks are powerful. The basics can even be life changing! The gospel is pure & simple and should never be complicated.The basics are essentially the milk. They are all that the Lord has allowed to reveal as a whole to His church at this time. We know that there is much more truth that can be and will be revealed ( ex. the sealed portion).
"The best way of finding truth is simply to go to the origin of all truth and ask or respond to inspiration. For success, two ingredients are essential: first, unwavering faith in the source of all truth; second, a willingness to keep God’s commandments to keep open spiritual communication with Him.
Try as I might, I am not able, even in the smallest degree, to comprehend the extent, depth, and stunning grandeur of what our holy Heavenly Father, Elohim, has permitted to be revealed by the scientific method...
... Were we to penetrate further into the mysteries of the most fundamental makeup of creation, we would come to the limit of our current understanding..there are yet more of Father in Heaven’s creations to be understood by the scientific method.
...The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, … and … gave I unto man his agency;
“… There are many worlds …, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.”
A knowledge of truth is of little value unless we apply it in making correct decisions. Consider for a moment a man, heavily overweight, approaching a bakery display. In his mind are these thoughts: The doctor told you not to eat any more of that. It’s not good for you. It just gives you momentary gratification of appetite. You’ll feel uncomfortable the rest of the day after it. You’ve decided not to have any more. But then he hears himself say, “I’ll have two of those almond twists and a couple of those chocolate doughnuts. One more time won’t hurt. I’ll do it just once more, and this will be the last time.”
John H. Vandenberg said in his April 1978 conference What is Truth, "Jesus said, 'Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.' Those who are “of the truth” are those who sincerely seek after it. All of mankind should be seekers after truth for it is the supreme essence of their lives.
...“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
This reminds me of so many I know who want to seek but are afraid to find. They just don't feel confident in their discernment. Sometimes they catch wind of an interesting truth, but then go shopping for opinions about it. It feels good and right, but they are afraid to trust what they feel. They toss it around on social media or among family and friends to get their take and opinions.They become persuaded by whomever is the most convincing or credible.These members of the church seem to blow with the wind. They aren't tuning in to what the Spirit is trying to teach them. They prefer to be taught by the opinions of man.
"Jacob’s words teach us that we cannot successfully “pry at the plates” or force the mysteries of God to be revealed unto us. Instead, the mysteries of God are unfolded unto us only according to His will and by the power of the Holy Ghost.
...In order to understand the mysteries of God, or those things that can be understood only through revelation, we must follow the example of Nephi, who said, “Being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father.”6 The Lord Himself further explained that Nephi had exercised faith, sought diligently with lowliness of heart, and kept His commandments.7
Nephi’s example of seeking knowledge included (1) a sincere desire, (2) humility, (3) prayer, (4) trust in the prophet, and an exercise of (5) faith, (6) diligence, and (7) obedience. This method of seeking is in great contrast to my “prying at the plates,” or trying to force an understanding of things meant to be revealed according to the Lord’s timetable and through the power of the Holy Ghost.
In this modern age, we have come to expect that knowledge can and should be obtained immediately; when information is not easily known or accessible, it is often dismissed or mistrusted. Because of the abundance of information, some unwittingly give more credibility to available sources with an unknown origin rather than relying on the Lord’s established pattern for receiving personal revelation."
If seeking the meat results in evaporating the milk, then we should not be seeking the meat. The milk goes with the meat. When this happens, we have lost balance in our lives. And when we lose balance we let go of what we feel threw us off. I have seen many people who are on this path right now. They sought the meat, while forgetting about the milk. They got carried away in the excitement of learning the mysteries and made that priority in their lives. Instead of asking the Lord what His will was concerning their journey of seeking, they bypassed Him altogether and sought anyways. When they realized their life was out of balance, they felt lost and became afraid and translated that fear into the need to avoid the meat all together. They used their personal experience and fears to translate a general message that all people should avoid seeking the meat for their own protection and safety.
I have not been a fan of this message. I believe with all my heart that what the Spirit teaches one, may not be counsel for another. We are all at different spiritual levels. This was even spoken about by Elder Oaks and Elder Ballard at the recent YSA Face to Face. They said that because all church members are at “different levels of spiritual intellect” they would try to find a middle ground with their answers as to not offend or confuse those who are at a lower level. They asked that the higher spiritual intellect members not be offended by their basic (milk) answers. I found that very interesting as I have not heard general authorities talk that way before.
I could attest to this. From my experience I have come across some mystery seekers who were easily offended by those who opposed their messages. That offense came from a place of fear and turned into a greater fear. Fear that they had made a mistake, or done something wrong…etc. The Lord doesn’t use fear. Fear is a tactic of the Adversary. The Lord gently guides us. The Spirit is a still small voice that beckons us. We feel compelled to learn something, share something, repent, or change, but not from a spirit of fear. We feel compelled out of love and humility. We keep our counsel from the Spirit personal – unless prompted to share with others. Our personal counsel is not meant to be counsel for all the members of the church. It is unique to our own weaknesses and shortcomings.
In my upcoming weekly video message I talk about a sister who contacted me and shared her notes from Elder Bednar who had recently spoken at her stake conference. She quoted Elder Bednar and wrote,
“New things will be revealed that have never been revealed in our time.” Twice during his talk he said, “For those that have eyes to see let them see, for those who have ears to hear let them hear.” Almost like he was commanding it while he was giving his talk.
Elder Bednar didn't appear to expand on how these new truths would be revealed but my spirit felt that we can always receive truth individually from the Lord if we ask and if it's His will to reveal it to us. Scripture teaches us that the greater truths have been kept hidden as the Lord's people are not ready for it (as a whole).
Whether we learn them here in our life (through an NDE, a vision, or dream), or we learn them after we cross through the veil - eventually we are given that opportunity to receive the fullness of that knowledge. Not everyone desires that knowledge in this lifetime, and not everyone is prepared to receive it, and that is okay. If you are continually striving to learn from the milk - it will fill you with life. It is fear that causes digression and spiritual death. Fear of seeking, and learning. It's fear that overrides trust in the Holy Spirit. If we feel prompted to learn something, or seek something, but fear stops us - we are stunting our own growth, and for our own protection will no longer received those promptings if we are not being obedient to them.
That was the premise of my video message.Through the gift of discernment we can override fear and exercise trust. My blessing tells me I have been given the gift of discernment and that I will be in a position to bring many souls to my Savior. Through my videos and blog posts, the Spirit has been my teacher and shown me what to learn and what to share and what to avoid or not share. It has been a great blessing in my life. I've had the privilege of experiencing many souls come unto their Savior through what the Spirit has led me to learn and share.
My blessing also talks about the importance of moderation in all things. I believe that many fall short in this area. Many become obsessed with a certain truth or principal they have learned until it consumes them. They eat, sleep, and breath the mysteries and forget about the basics – the milk. They forget to serve, to love, be parents, and to magnify their church callings.
For the most part, people only know me through what they see in my videos or blog. But it's important for you to know that I don’t spend the majority of my day seeking the meat. I spend it playing with my kids, cooking, cleaning, working on fun projects, shopping, and living a normal life. That’s why I also have the family vlog videos, to show people who I am the majority of the time. I record a positive message for my Happy Lady vlog once a week, and its whatever I’m prompted to share. I type up my notes right before I make the video – but that is all the time I put into it. Just once a week. Because of this I find balance in my life and I feel joy and peace.
I feel I am on the right track as I feel so blessed and because what I have been guided to learn has only strengthened my testimony of what I already know to be true. It doesn’t take away from it, change it, or consume me. Many people fear expanding outside of the box because they fear their own weaknesses. They fear they will be led astray, or they will lose their testimony or they will become obsessed. Again those are fears, and fear will never accompany promptings. The Holy Ghost does not operate from fear. Fears and doubts may come later, and I have learned that is a common tactic of Satan. He watches as we receive promptings and new knowledge (line upon line) that will allow us to learn and grow. He always swoops in to put a stop to it by using fear and doubt. This leads to confusion. Confusion is a tool of the enemy. I talk about this is my new video this week.
God brings clarity. When something feels clear, it is of the Lord. When we hear truth, followed by loud doubts and fears entering our mind, we need to ask where that confusion, fear, and doubt is coming from. The Lord gives us clear answers. Yes and no. Move ahead, or stop. He never says “Wait. I’m not sure. Hold on. I’m confused.” He doesn’t change. He is firm. He is absolute. He is the same tomorrow, today, and yesterday.
In the YSA Face to Face, Elder Oaks talks about this. He addresses a question about how can we tell if something is our own thoughts or coming from the Holy Ghost. I highly recommend you listen.
It’s pretty easy to keep my messages positive. I try to bring peace, clarity and happiness into all my videos and posts. I don’t speak to a general audience because I feel that the Lord leads those who need to hear my messages to them. I cannot speak for others however, and something interesting I have noticed is that there has been a common occurrence happening among some recent vloggers and podcasters that has caused many of their listeners to say, "Wait...I am now confused."
These teachers/mentors are generally very emotional and passionate people by nature. One day they are passionate, emotional and in tears about something they believe to be a new amazing truth that has changed their life and then the next day, they are equally passionate, emotional and in tears about how that same truth was actually deception. It can seem very confusing. Strong emotions can easily be mistaken as the Spirit and therefore truth. This is addressed in the recent YSA Face to Face. When I feel the spirit teaching me truth, I feel peace and calmness and I really hope that translates into my videos.
In the October 2017 conference, Elder Bednar said in his talk Exceeding Great and Precious Promises,
"We easily can be overcome by the routine and mundane matters of mortality. Sleeping, eating, dressing, working, playing, exercising, and many other customary activities are necessary and important. But ultimately, what we become is the result of our knowledge of and willingness to learn from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; it is not merely the sum total of our daily pursuits over the course of a lifetime.
The gospel is so much more than a routine checklist of discrete tasks to be performed; rather, it is a magnificent tapestry of truth “fitly framed”26 and woven together, designed to help us become like our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, even partakers of the divine nature. Truly, we are blinded “by looking beyond the mark”27 when this overarching spiritual reality is overshadowed by the cares, concerns, and casualness of the world.
As we are wise and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide, I promise He will teach us what is true. “He will testify of Christ, [and] light our minds with heaven’s view” as we strive to fulfill our eternal destiny and become partakers of the divine nature."
The Lord gives us the basics but it's up to us to "knock and have it opened unto us". The Lord will not force knowledge upon us. The Spirit guides as to what to seek for and where to find it. Elder Bednar said, "But ultimately, what we become is the result of our knowledge of and willingness to learn from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;...we are wise and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide," What we become is our exaltation. What we are exalted to after making covenants with the Lord, is a glory based on the amount of Light we were willing to receive due to our obedience to the Holy Ghost.
Staying on the gospel path should always be our priority and focus. Just like I mentioned, you can't seek the meat when straying from the milk. You need both. The iron rod is the personal revelation in our life. It's the word of God for us individually. We have to be obedient to it. With our gift of discernment we can trust where the Spirit leads us. If there is something we are to learn that will really benefit us on our journey or confirm a truth, we must trust the Spirit.
The Spirit will not prompt us to learn the mysteries if we have strayed from the gospel path. We must hold tight to the iron rod, in order to receive those promptings. "Outside the Box" doesn't have to mean "outside the church" or "outside the gospel" or "outside the doctrine" - it simply means seeking and knocking with an open mind and open heart and moving higher and brighter line upon line. Trusting where the Spirit might lead you, wherever it may be. We can still move forward on the gospel path but do so from a higher perspective. Our comfort bubble keeps us lower to the ground, it puts limits on us and minimizes our perspective and view. Going outside the box is like putting on stilts and seeing further down the path from a higher perspective. We are still on the gospel path, but that greater knowledge has lifted us to a new perspective that enhances our view and and our experience while on the path.
An example of this in my own life, are the times I have purchased books from Deseret Book in which I learned mysteries not detailed in the scriptures or doctrine. However, they did not take away from the gospel or doctrine, nor teach anything contrary to it. They added to it. They confirmed what I already knew to be true.
A specific example of this that comes to mind was a collection of Near Death Experiences I bought in the early 2000's from Deseret Book. The NDE's were collected from people all over the world and from different religions and time periods. They spoke of beautiful things and beings that people saw in the spirit world. They spoke of how things operated in the Spirit wold. Things that would not be spoken of in a conference talk, over the pulpit, nor in a Sunday school or Relief Society lesson. However they did not discount the gospel or knowledge we have from the doctrine. They supported it. That was the premise of the book. How God can uses people's experiences outside of the Church to be an additional witness to the revealed truth we already have. One account from the 1800's spoke of three kingdoms of glory in the brightness of a star, moon, and sun. The man was not a Mormon and this was prior to the Church being restored. It was a beautiful witness. I was left feeling edified and peaceful from my reading.
God's mysteries are available to all who ask and are on the gospel path. He works in mysterious ways and a lot of time exceeds my own expectations. I've learned not to put limits on Him. If he sends me to a book, a YouTube video, a podcast, or a person - I've learned there is usually something in that He wants me to learn. Whether it's one sentence in a book, one experience shared in a video, etc. I feel the Spirit confirm to me what it is each time. We learn many beautiful things in the temple about truth being spread throughout the Earth and one day it being circumscribed into one great whole. The Holy Ghost (our compass) guides us to those truths that a spread abroad through our gift of discernment. Lastly, concerning seeking the mysteries, I had been fasting for and pondering a couple days ago about many of the gifts I have been given and some of which have to do with my hands such as my gift of writing which involves typing, and other gifts etc. I was pondering on how I have relied on my gift of discernment to learn more about these gifts and how to righteously use them. I was also pondering on how to best share this message of it being okay to seek mysteries that are aligned with God's will for us.
While pondering and praying, I began to feel this powerful energy hit my hands and pulsate down through my elbows and back out through my hands. It pulsated back and forth and everything in my hands and arms tingled with warmth. This is the 5th time this has happened to me in the last couple years while pondering on this mystery.
I asked the Lord, what did this mean? How come every time I pondered on this topic, I feel this energy come into my hands and arms? Insomuch that my thumbs would lock to my fingers like magnets and I cannot pull them apart until the vibrating stops. Have I done something wrong, is there something wrong with me physically such as a mineral deficiency? Or, is this from the Lord. Is it something good? While asking, I felt peaceful about it and felt the Spirit tell me, "Have patience, and more will be revealed to you soon."
This morning I was awakened at 3:30 am. There was a bright light pulsating in my room. It lit up the entire room. I had this feeling that I needed to go into my prayer closet. So I did. Once there, I felt prompted to pick up where I had left off in my scripture reading. So I did. And as I began to read in Doctrine and Covenants Section 8, I received the answer to my inquiry from the Lord and the final and powerful summary for this blog post message.
The heading reads;
Revelation comes by the power of the Holy Ghost; Knowledge of the mysteries of God... come by faith.
I inserted my name into the scripture and read,
1 Lindsey you [shall] receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive...
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
7 Behold, there is no other power, save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.
8 Therefore, doubt not, for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works; and no power shall be able to take it away out of your hands, for it is the work of God.
9 And, therefore, whatsoever you shall ask me to tell you by that means, that will I grant unto you, and you shall have knowledge concerning it.
10 Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.
11 Ask that you may know the mysteries of God... and according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
12 Behold, it is I that have spoken it; and I am the same that spake unto you from the beginning. Amen.
I felt warmth cover me from head to toe as I read this. I felt the Lord say, "Have no fear my daughter. You are on the right track. Because of your faith and obedience, you will be given wisdom to prepare you for what I have planned for you. There is so much to learn and so much more good for you to do, but do not be in a hurry. In my own due time I will reveal to you according to your needs and desires, the things that pertain to the plans I have for you. It will continue to come line upon line and the Holy Ghost will continue to be your compass."
I believe that these words can apply to all of God's children. With righteous desires to seek, God will reveal to us according to His will. I believe it pleases Him when we desire the meat. It pleases Him when we ask. He has so much He wants to share.
I testify of this in Jesus' name amen.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Spiritual Warfare is Real
Over the past few weeks, I have received so many emails and messages from subscribers of this blog and my YouTube channel. They have all been positive and expressing much gratitude about the material I share - however, I couldn't help but notice an interesting pattern.
Many of the messages expressed how Satan had a stronghold in some way upon the person writing the message. Whether it was addiction, depression, denial, doubt, etc. there was something gripping the person writing the message and they were experiencing great obstacles and challenges in their life. They all expressed a strong desire to do what was right, but felt that they fell short because of these strongholds in their lives. My heart went out to them, as I know the struggle is real.
At the beginning of this year, I felt impressed to write a book about spiritual warfare and weapons of light. I've been working on it here and there when I have time, but when it's finally completed I have felt the need to make it available for free via PDF. If we had eyes to see what was really going on around us when we are in those dark moments, I think it will instill in us a stronger desire to develop a battle plan. It would also empower us to find confidence and strength in our Savior - and that He is mighty to save. The battle for our soul is real - but we must never forget that Jesus Christ already won the war almost 2,000 years ago around 33 AD. We can have confidence in that!
In this day and age, we can't afford to let our guard down even just a little. Though Christ won the war, the adversary still seeks to have our soul and will stop at nothing to afflict us with pain, torment, and suffering if we allow him to. So, how are we allowing him power?
Today someone posed a legitimate question about violent video games. She felt offended by them when her husband played them in her home. I replied, " Violence in any form is attached to the adversary. That's why you feel offended, because it offends the Spirit." From personal experience I have witnessed first hand the unseen realm of what happens when a violent video game or movie is played in your home.
We had a profound experience a few years ago when my husband watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in our basement. I felt prompted by the Spirit to refrain from watching it. Despite my efforts to convince my husband to find a different movie - he was not convinced. It might seem harmless especially since it's Disney, however in the movie there is a scene where a voodoo priest removes a man's heart with his bare hands. This graphic scene and other fear-filled scenes from the movie invited the demonic realm into our home. That night my children got very sick and over the next two weeks, sickness plagued my husband and my children. My daughter's eye became so infected that her eyelid looked like a swollen water balloon. Nearing exhaustion in trying to nurse them back to health, it was made to known to me and confirmed through the Spirit that the movie had opened a portal in our TV and invited the demonic realm into our home to afflict sickness upon my family. As soon as this was made known to me, I immediately cast out the evil, called upon the Lord to close the portal, and blessed our home. Immediately, all the sickness dissipated from our home, and our family was back to good health and good spirits.
This experience was a powerful lesson for my husband as he witnessed first hand how things that may seem "harmless" can wreak havoc on our homes and families. Back to the question that sweet sister posed about violent video games - I noticed that many members of the church were giving her very different advice. They assured her that it was harmless and actually a healthy and normal way for him to relieve stress. This is the same argument that many people outside of the church make about pornography. There were far too few of us sharing the truth with this woman about the real dangers that violence brings into the home and into a person's life. Many had found justification in the "delighting in shedding of blood". It's not real, it's just a game, it's just a movie, they are just actors, it's fake blood. This does not matter to Satan. I have shared an analogy before about how ocean photographers and marine biologists draw sharks near for study, research, and photos - through blood. The sharks sense the blood and they swarm in. It's no different in the demonic realm. When we speak their language and entertain their messages - that's their invitation into our life.
I have previously shared links from John Ramirez in my False Traditions video, and I feel that this interview really paints the picture of the tactics Satan uses to gain strongholds over our lives. John Ramirez teaches tactics of darkness because he used to be a former soldier and high priest for Satan. He later converted to Christianity and has made an effort and life mission to expose the tactics of Satan. In this video he shares those tactics and talks about how we unknowingly open up portals in our life and in our home. He confirms some powerful truths that many of us are aware of, and also reveals some not-so obvious ways that Satan makes himself at home in our lives. This is a MUST SEE!
Here is a video with some great points on this topic.
Many of the messages expressed how Satan had a stronghold in some way upon the person writing the message. Whether it was addiction, depression, denial, doubt, etc. there was something gripping the person writing the message and they were experiencing great obstacles and challenges in their life. They all expressed a strong desire to do what was right, but felt that they fell short because of these strongholds in their lives. My heart went out to them, as I know the struggle is real.
At the beginning of this year, I felt impressed to write a book about spiritual warfare and weapons of light. I've been working on it here and there when I have time, but when it's finally completed I have felt the need to make it available for free via PDF. If we had eyes to see what was really going on around us when we are in those dark moments, I think it will instill in us a stronger desire to develop a battle plan. It would also empower us to find confidence and strength in our Savior - and that He is mighty to save. The battle for our soul is real - but we must never forget that Jesus Christ already won the war almost 2,000 years ago around 33 AD. We can have confidence in that!
In this day and age, we can't afford to let our guard down even just a little. Though Christ won the war, the adversary still seeks to have our soul and will stop at nothing to afflict us with pain, torment, and suffering if we allow him to. So, how are we allowing him power?
Today someone posed a legitimate question about violent video games. She felt offended by them when her husband played them in her home. I replied, " Violence in any form is attached to the adversary. That's why you feel offended, because it offends the Spirit." From personal experience I have witnessed first hand the unseen realm of what happens when a violent video game or movie is played in your home.
We had a profound experience a few years ago when my husband watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in our basement. I felt prompted by the Spirit to refrain from watching it. Despite my efforts to convince my husband to find a different movie - he was not convinced. It might seem harmless especially since it's Disney, however in the movie there is a scene where a voodoo priest removes a man's heart with his bare hands. This graphic scene and other fear-filled scenes from the movie invited the demonic realm into our home. That night my children got very sick and over the next two weeks, sickness plagued my husband and my children. My daughter's eye became so infected that her eyelid looked like a swollen water balloon. Nearing exhaustion in trying to nurse them back to health, it was made to known to me and confirmed through the Spirit that the movie had opened a portal in our TV and invited the demonic realm into our home to afflict sickness upon my family. As soon as this was made known to me, I immediately cast out the evil, called upon the Lord to close the portal, and blessed our home. Immediately, all the sickness dissipated from our home, and our family was back to good health and good spirits.
This experience was a powerful lesson for my husband as he witnessed first hand how things that may seem "harmless" can wreak havoc on our homes and families. Back to the question that sweet sister posed about violent video games - I noticed that many members of the church were giving her very different advice. They assured her that it was harmless and actually a healthy and normal way for him to relieve stress. This is the same argument that many people outside of the church make about pornography. There were far too few of us sharing the truth with this woman about the real dangers that violence brings into the home and into a person's life. Many had found justification in the "delighting in shedding of blood". It's not real, it's just a game, it's just a movie, they are just actors, it's fake blood. This does not matter to Satan. I have shared an analogy before about how ocean photographers and marine biologists draw sharks near for study, research, and photos - through blood. The sharks sense the blood and they swarm in. It's no different in the demonic realm. When we speak their language and entertain their messages - that's their invitation into our life.
I have previously shared links from John Ramirez in my False Traditions video, and I feel that this interview really paints the picture of the tactics Satan uses to gain strongholds over our lives. John Ramirez teaches tactics of darkness because he used to be a former soldier and high priest for Satan. He later converted to Christianity and has made an effort and life mission to expose the tactics of Satan. In this video he shares those tactics and talks about how we unknowingly open up portals in our life and in our home. He confirms some powerful truths that many of us are aware of, and also reveals some not-so obvious ways that Satan makes himself at home in our lives. This is a MUST SEE!
Here is a video with some great points on this topic.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Who Wants Some Inspiration!
Here are two videos that have touched me in the last week. The first is a facebook link, so I could not embed the video. It's the beautiful message of man who passed away from cancer and wanted to be the last speaker at his own funeral. He recorded this video and surprised everyone!
https://www.facebook.com/SamuelGould/videos/1395760103844266/
The second video features new and inspiring and words and music about the Savior. As a songwriter myself, I appreciate beautiful, original Christian music. I hope you enjoy it!
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Resurrection Morning - The Part Less Talked About
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| RON DICIANNI – THE RESURRECTION MURAL |
Ever since Easter I have been wanting to write this post. As busy as life has been I knew if I didn't finally sit down and write it, it might escape my mind. So here we go :)
The Resurrection is a topic most celebrated around Easter, and maybe that's why I waited until May to write about it. It's a topic I seem to ponder quite often lately and some wonderful things have happened because of it.
When Easter rolls around each year, we can find plentiful movies available about Passover and the life of Christ. My favorites, are the films that depict the Resurrection. However, I have not been able to find a film that portrays what I would like to talk about today - and that is the Resurrection of all those who were resurrected along with Jesus on that beautiful Resurrection morning.
Can you imagine what that must have been like? The face expressions of all of those who did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, only to discover their deceased loved ones suddenly walking through town and greeting them on their doorstep? Their deceased loved ones, surely must have testified that Jesus was the Christ and because of Him they have Eternal Life. Think of all those who must have been converted to the Lord to have witnessed such an encounter!
This is the part of Resurrection morning that is less talked about. Wouldn't it be incredible to find the journals of those who experienced this? To read their words describing how it must have been to see graves open up, and the dead literally walking through town - no longer dead, but very much alive and well. Some probably unrecognizable being in a body that was now youthful and perfect. Oh, how I would love for someone to make a movie about this, focusing on the personal lives and stories of regular people, believer and non-believer. Showing their lives during His ministry. Maybe families who had never met Him, and families in other parts of the world who had never heard of Him. Maybe those who had heard of Him, but did not believe or were unsure. And maybe those who met Him and were followers, but lost faith when He was crucified. To see how that first Resurrection would have changed everything would be priceless.
In Matthew 27:52 we read,
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
This is the only account in the New Testament that speaks of the dead who were resurrected. It is very short with little detail. We learn that the centurion believed when he became afraid after witnessing these things.
I can't help but wonder, how could anyone NOT believe after witnessing the dead being resurrected? How could they not believe the testimonies of the disciples that Jesus had truly risen? After seeing so many others being resurrected and walking through town, testifying of Him, and ministering unto many, how could anyone NOT believe?
What did that look like? Did these resurrected sons and daughters perform miracles? How long did they stay? Where are these details? Were they recorded and lost? Were they destroyed? We can only wonder.
In the popular films that depict the Resurrection, we see the outrage of Caiaphas who learns that Jesus is no longer in the tomb, and anger towards the guards who believe He was resurrected. How could Caiaphas not believe? Didn't he too witness the graves opening and the resurrected dead ministering? How could any of this been kept under wraps? This detail is always left out of the movies. I can only imagine what it would have been like, had they had the internet during this time. Can you imagine people filming all of this with their phones and posting it to social media? The entire world would have been in awe.
So, the other day I was wondering to myself what it was like for the Nephites here in America during the Resurrection. Did they too, experience graves opening? I remembered all the other events and commotions happening but wondered about the graves. No sooner than I had that thought, it was as though the Spirit heard me. I happened to be reading in Heleman chapter 14 because that is where I last left off in my reading, when I came across verse 25;
25 And many graves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many.
Samuel the Lamanite is prophesying unto the Nephites about Christ's birth, death, and Resurrection. He tells them that in five years Jesus will be born and then gives them the signs to look for. A day and a night and a day with no darkness and a new star in the sky. He then gives signs of His death - three days of darkness along with the following;
21 Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost there shall be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up;
22 Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath.
23 And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be many places which are now called valleys which shall become mountains, whose height is great.
24 And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall become desolate.
25 And many graves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many.
Samuel explains in verse 17;
17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord.
We know this happened across the entire earth. How could anyone not believe? Those who didn't understand, didn't believe, or had not heard of Jesus must have been afraid and confused. We know that Jesus visited His disciples and ministered unto them for 40 days. He then came to America and visited the Nephites and ministered unto them. He explained to them that they were who He was referring to when He told His disciples in John 10:16;
That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (3 Nephi 15:17)
I wanted to learn more about the detail of the Resurrection here in America. As I searched I could not find anything. I saw that Samuel had prophesied of it, but where were the details? While writing this blog post the Spirit led me to this passage that sent the goosebumps all over my body :)
3 Nephi 23:9-13
9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?
10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.
11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?
12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
Wow! All I can say is "wow". It's as though Jesus knew my thoughts in 2017. He knew the importance of this, He knew the powerful impact it would have on future testimonies. He wanted this recorded. He wanted future generations to know about it.
I can't help but wonder how many other tribes and nations the Savior may have visited and shared with them the good news! How exciting it will be to one day have these records, when all the tribes have been gathered in. To read these other accounts.
I just love pondering about this, and can't wait for the day when He returns again to the Earth and we witness the graves of our loved ones opening up. We too see that incredible Resurrection power in action!
Alma Chapter 40 goes into great detail about the process of the resurrection. It is very much worth the read.
I know that Jesus is Lord and Messiah over the entire Earth, and Universe. Because of Him, by Him and through Him, we are saved and can have everlasting life. I love what He has done for me and you, and will eternally be grateful. Death has no power over us. I say this in His holy name amen.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Beautiful Testimonies of Unlikely Converts
Occasionally for fun, I love to hear and watch testimonies of people who label themselves as the most unlikely people to have joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church). I love to hear their conversion stories - I could watch these all day if I had time.
Here are two of my favorites! The second video connected with me because it was the husband and wife's love of Near Death Experience (NDE) books that led them to find the church. I own most of these same books (as you can see on the sidebar of my blog), especially the book that inspired them to get a copy of the Book of Mormon and read it. I love how these books testify of truths we already know. Such a beautiful story. Enjoy!
Here are two of my favorites! The second video connected with me because it was the husband and wife's love of Near Death Experience (NDE) books that led them to find the church. I own most of these same books (as you can see on the sidebar of my blog), especially the book that inspired them to get a copy of the Book of Mormon and read it. I love how these books testify of truths we already know. Such a beautiful story. Enjoy!
Monday, November 16, 2015
Update from Last Post
I forgot to mention another neat example in my last post. This happened last week.
I was looking out my back window noticing hundreds of birds swarming the neighborhood. They flew in large groups and were gravitating to one home in particular. Suddenly I had this thought to call upon the Hosts of Heaven in that moment to clear out our neighborhood of any darkness/evil. Not that the birds were evil or manifesting it, but I felt as though they would allow me to witness the reality of what happens when someone makes this request.
After asking for the Hosts of Heaven to come down and tear down all of Satan's operations going on in our neighborhood, I said amen. As soon as I said "amen" every single bird on the entire street seemed to be spooked. They all flew at once out of every back yard on the block, in a chaotic swarm as quickly as they could. They darted clear away from our entire neighborhood, out onto the main road and landed on a power line. I waited and watched - not one bird ventured back into anyone's yard. They continued flying away from our area. The rest of the day was very quiet and seemed to be free of birds.
Yes, I imagined what those birds might have seen. The loud supernatural sounds and sights of those fierce Hosts of Heaven coming down from the Heavens and into our neighborhood. It's even possible that they saw the darkness flee first. Maybe that's what spooked them. But one thing is for certain - those birds saw something!
I was looking out my back window noticing hundreds of birds swarming the neighborhood. They flew in large groups and were gravitating to one home in particular. Suddenly I had this thought to call upon the Hosts of Heaven in that moment to clear out our neighborhood of any darkness/evil. Not that the birds were evil or manifesting it, but I felt as though they would allow me to witness the reality of what happens when someone makes this request.
After asking for the Hosts of Heaven to come down and tear down all of Satan's operations going on in our neighborhood, I said amen. As soon as I said "amen" every single bird on the entire street seemed to be spooked. They all flew at once out of every back yard on the block, in a chaotic swarm as quickly as they could. They darted clear away from our entire neighborhood, out onto the main road and landed on a power line. I waited and watched - not one bird ventured back into anyone's yard. They continued flying away from our area. The rest of the day was very quiet and seemed to be free of birds.
Yes, I imagined what those birds might have seen. The loud supernatural sounds and sights of those fierce Hosts of Heaven coming down from the Heavens and into our neighborhood. It's even possible that they saw the darkness flee first. Maybe that's what spooked them. But one thing is for certain - those birds saw something!
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Finding Joy in the Last Days - Part 3
The day that we are living in is incredible! Most of us don't understand how profoundly powerful our day to day experiences can be. The doom and gloom headlines can really take their toll - if you let them. If witnessing the last days has you feeling powerless, it's because you are believing the lies.
The lies
- There is nothing you can do to make things better
- Things are too big and too out of control
- Stop all you are doing and just focus on you and your family
- This is the end so hang on for dear life
- Tribulation is here, so lock your doors and wait for things to play out
- You must spread the message of gloom and doom to wake others up
- Fly under the radar and hope that you'll be spared
- It's just going to get worse, our best days are behind us
- You are powerless against what is happening
The truth
- There is something you can do!
- Nothing is too big or too out of control for God to handle
- Focus on your family and continue dreaming, building and making a difference in this world!
- This is not the very end yet, there is so much more to be done
- Go out into the world and declare the gospel and all truth!
- There are messages of glad tidings to be shared (the atonement, resurrection, eternal life)
- Be proactive, don't hide your light under a bushel, shine it forth!
- Great things are in store because we are building the Kingdom of God!
- You are powerful and can rebuke all evil and darkness.
No more feeling powerless. We are to be empowered!
Okay, so let me just tell you that ever since I have changed my perspective on these last days, my life has been absolutely incredible! We are entering a new age in which we are to build, build, build. Build our self-esteem, our faith, confidence, testimony, talents, gifts, dreams and of course by building all of these things and centering them on Christ, we are building God's Kingdom.
Now let's talk about the Kingdom of Heaven. I think when many people hear "Kingdom of Heaven" they visualize a structural Kingdom such as a city, fortress, etc. But the Kingdom of Heaven is not just a literal Kingdom, or the people in it - it's also a way of life. It's the way things are in Heaven.
When I think about building the Kingdom of God on the earth, I think about the earth resembling the way things are in Heaven - the miracles, wonders, powers, beauty, peace, presence of and communication with Heavenly beings and angels. So, as we build upon the things above we are bringing Heaven to earth. We are helping portions of this earth become worthy and welcoming of Heaven.
Heaven is the only place where evil does not and cannot dwell. Heaven is, wherever evil is not. This can be our homes, neighborhoods, cities, school, states, and nations. Now fighting evil may seem like an overwhelming task but that is because we forget that we are not the ones who do the fighting. There is a group of Heavenly beings whom God created just for this purpose. They are mighty and fierce and have been training for battle since before the earth was created. They are the Hosts of Heaven. Fighting evil is their purpose and they are good at it! It is not much of a fight for them, because their power is so much greater. It's like putting a bee and a bear in a fighting match together. Unless the bear is allergic to bees, it's obvious who will come out victorious.
Did you realize that you have this great army at your fingertips? The reason you may feel hopeless at times is because you aren't asking for their help. Ye have not because ye ask not. When we try to battle the demons on our own and tell them they aren't welcome or wanted, sometimes it feels as though they are laughing at us and tormenting us even more. But when we don't even waste our time to mess around with them and simply call upon the Host of Heaven instead - the demons tremble and run.
This has been my experience and I'm about to share how to do this as well as some amazing moments that have happened to me over the last couple weeks. Here's where the post get's really good!
Let me first say, always make your requests in the Savior's name. Everything must be done through Him. If I am faced with something that needs quick attention I will raise my right hand to the square and command evil to leave through Jesus' name. Then, on days and in moments when I am wanting specific protection I will raise both hands Heavenward and talk to the Father. I ask for the Hosts of Heaven to come down to the specific areas in need whether it be around my home and property, neighborhood, ward or stake boundaries, my city, places of government, schools etc. I ask for them to tear down all of Satan's strongholds that are operating in those areas or nearby. I ask them to take the evil and bind them up and cast them into a place that was made just for them. I then ask for Guardian Angels to come stand guard around those areas to watch and protect. I ask for the light and love of my Savior Jesus Christ to fill all voids and spaces where darkness once occupied, and for a barrier of protection to be placed around those areas so that only light and love may enter in. I then ask that all the people in those areas be able to feel that light and love and remember who they are. If I am traveling, I ask for angels to go before me, behind me and to the sides of me to clear the path of the adversary and watch and protect.
The first day that I tried this, it came in to my mind to try something BIG. I asked for protection within a ten-mile radius of wherever I went that day. The first place I went, was into the busiest Walmart in the United States - the Layton Walmart. I avoid it like a plague if I can. My experience had always been stress and anxiety in that store. No parking, shoulder to shoulder shoppers at all times, shopping cart traffic jams on all aisles. no employees nearby to ask questions, and the shelves always being empty of what I need. On this particular day I needed to go to that store. I made my very specific Heavenly request and when we pulled in there was a parking spot available in the very front! When I walked in, I noticed a shift in the atmosphere. Everyone that walked past me, smiled at me. That was not typical at this store. people usually were in a hurry, or grumpy from their shopping experience, or grumpy because they too had to go in to this store. People always looked down at the ground or gave little eye contact, but not on this day!
Everyone I encountered was extremely polite and friendly. Shoppers stopped and cleared the aisle or scooted to the side wherever I went. I couldn't believe it! I received kind words and compliments from complete strangers on every corner. All the products I needed were stocked. The air was not heavy this time, it was light and cheerful. I could breath and relax. I actually enjoyed my experience and left happier than I was when I arrived. It wasn't until I drove away that I realized it was because I had made that request earlier that day. I was seeing my request in action.
I suddenly could see in my mind, angels going before me and making sure the things I needed were on the shelves before I even got there, they were able to reserve a parking spot for me and clear all darkness out of the air. All of those shoppers had no idea why they were feeling so happy. Without evil around them influencing them, they could suddenly feel the truth of who they really are and it felt good.
On another day when I did this with the kids in the car, we were on our way to a store in Ogden. The last time I had been to this store it was an interesting experience. The owner was there all alone and the store was very quiet and dark. The owner never smiled and hardly said a word and it wasn't a very welcoming feeling. It's in a very old and run down part of Ogden and the atmosphere outside matched that inside the store. Well, I did this very specific Heavenly request in the car while we were driving. Right when I finished I said to the kids, "You just watch, everyone that we encounter today is going to be so happy and friendly." Right after I said that, my 18-month-old began to point out the window up at the sky. He started shouting "Ooooohhhhh" over and over and his eyes were huge with wonder. We looked at the sky and all we saw were clouds but a strong feeling came over me that he could see the Heavenly Hosts coming down from the sky and battling. He did this the entire time on the freeway until we arrived at the store.
When we entered the store I was shocked to see the lights turned on very bright. I wondered if they replaced the light bulbs since I had been there last or if it really was the light of our Savior shining in there. There was very loud and upbeat music playing and there were many employees in the store. They were walking around dancing and singing to the music. The owner had smile on his face and was happy to talk to me. He smiled at me the entire time until I left the store. I was AMAZED!
We then went to a very popular ice cream store. Usually at this store, it is very busy and you have to take a ticket and wait for them to call your number. On this day, we were the only ones there. We got full attention and the kids got to sample all the flavors. Then a nice elderly couple entered the store and were so kind to my kids. I thought to myself, What if they are some of our angels?
It worked so well, we continued to do this. One day we did this for my husband's work. I asked for the Hosts of Heaven to tear down all of Satan's strongholds operating in that building and nearby offices, including the buildings of all of their clients. I asked that all darkness be removed so that all processes and communication could run smoothly. I asked that the operations of darkness be removed form all employees and anyone making any contact with them that day so that everyone could see the truth of who they really are and that they could have love and respect for each other and have a wonderful day!
Well, when my husband came home that night, I asked him how his day was. He said it was great! He then told me that he received a promotion! This promotion had been promised to him six months ago and it had never happened. He was beginning to feel defeated and had reached the point where he quit asking about it all-together. He was not expecting this and neither was I. You see, those awesome and fierce Hosts of Heaven cleared out all the darkness and people were able to see each other as they truly are. They saw worth in my husband and were able to appreciate him better. The communication was even better. I couldn't help but imagine some Divine guidance involved with someone whispering the thought to give my husband the promotion that day. The idea must have come into their head and they thought, "Yes, he is very deserving of this today."
He also mentioned many other big and wonderful things that happened that day, that he asked, I not share.
Anyways, I could share story after story of the amazing things we have experienced when we have done this. My kids love it and we have so much fun casting out darkness and calling upon our warrior friends to help make our world a better place. Just imagine what this world would be like if everyone did this for their cities daily?
Heart Attack
I know that Heaven was pleased with us for doing our part to make a difference and calling upon them to do what they LOVE doing. I know this because right away we began getting signs from Heaven. Yes, we started seeing hearts everywhere!
I finally started taking pictures of them and documenting them. The more I do this, the more they show up. I love how creative my angels are, as you can see from the pictures below.I hope you have fun reading about each picture and the story behind it. If anything, I hope that you feel inspired to start doing things differently in your life. Stop giving into hopelessness and helplessness and give into faith, hope and charity. Become empowered. Rise up to your potential as a child of God. Use that authority to call upon Heaven daily and wherever you go. No request is too small or unimportant. Keep those angels busy! They love you and our Heavenly Father loves you and nothing pleases them more than having you call upon them for help.
As we work with Heaven daily to change this world, it will change in monumental ways. It doesn't have to be slow or gradual it can be very quick as you saw from my stories above. Life is about to get very exciting! I hope you join me on this new adventure as we truly prepare this earth for the Savior's return. Start looking for signs of Heaven's love around you. I know they are there. Sometimes they are such small and subtle signs, that we wont notice them if we are in a hurry. When I find them, I immediately praise the Lord for them. That is key to receiving more.
I'd love to hear from you and your stories as well. Please comment below and share this with whomever you think needs to hear it :) Also, I post weekly updates on my Happy Lady facebook page @happyhappylady of all the signs that continue to come down from Heaven. It's been so wonderful to share.
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