Repentance vs. Constitutional Issues

With the popularity of the Tea Party Movement, some have asked why the LDS Church leadership isn't as vocal on government corruption and Constitutional issues like President Ezra Taft Benson or President J. Ruben Clark. With the 2012 presidential elections approaching the LDS Leadership faithfully releases the usual statements that the LDS Church does not endorse specific political parties or candidates but keeps itself politically neutral except when it comes to specific social issues like Protecting Traditional Marriage for example. in addition to realizing that the LDS Church is a world-wide organization and not just an American Church, I had the following thoughts on this issue with regard to some of the problems and challenges in America.

The first step in America's IDEOLOGICAL SUBVERSION was our DEMORALIZATION. Therefore, the only way to defend the Constitution is not to fight constitutional issues, put to fight SIN and to preach repentance and to encourage keeping Gods law. We must somehow REMORALALIZE America.

Remember our covenant with God according to the Book of Mormon, Inasmuch as we will keep the commandments of God we will be a free people on this continent. And inasmuch as we do not keep the commandments of God we will be cut off.

It's that simple. Preaching repentance is much more important than preaching against government corruption or individual constitutional issues. SIN is the root of the problem. if the LDS leadership were to preach about government corruption, 911, ect. They would open themselves up for being infiltrated by agent provocateur anarchists and for inciting anti-government and anti-American sentiments just as has been done with Islam.

Fighting the battles to "End the Fed" or "Legalizing Marijuana" or the "Police State" or whatever else Constitutional issue is just treating symptoms but not getting at the root of the problems in America. Yuri Bezmenov (ex-KGB? I think current) talked about demoralization resulting in ideological subversion but made the same mistake in telling America it needed to fight Constitutional issues and said nothing about repentance. But he was correct when he said a demoralized person can't even recognize truth until the boot of reality comes crushing down on their neck.

Ether 8:23 "Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins,"

Old Testament Type

The stories of the Old Testament are a type and shadow of the Last Days. First we see the higher covenant being given to Abraham. The covenant continues through Isaac and Jacob. However, we then see Joseph sold into Egypt. While in Egypt, Joseph serves to save the rest of the house of Israel from the famine. Safe in Egypt, it seems that Israel doesn't take long to fall into a period of apostasy. If Israel had remained faithful to the Lord, I am sure that God would have not suffered that His covenant poeple would fall into captivity. After a period of apostasy and captivity in Egypt, then we see the rise of Moses who leads Israel out of Egypt and promises to renew with them the coveants that God made with Abraham. However, the people rebell and are hard-hearted. Consequently, instead of renewing the higher Abrahamic Covenant, God gives Israel a preparatory Law of Moses which was to point them and prepare them to receive Jesus Christ who would later renew the Abrahamic Covenant to His people. lsrael would be required to wander in the wilderness in Sinai for 40 years, and then wait over one thousand more years for Christ's coming.

How does the Old Testament Story relate to the Last Days? In my mind, there is a clear parallel here. Abraham is a type of Christ. So, God's establishment of a higher covenant with Abraham is akin to God's establishment of the same higher covenant through His Son Jesus Christ. That covenant continues for a short time until the people quickly fall into apostasy. Hundreds of years later, God would raise up a Moses to save the people from spiritual bondage. In the Last Days, our Moses is Joseph Smith. However, like the Israelites at the time of Moses, the Latter-Day Saints needed some time to grow in faith and obedience. The Latter-Day Saints enjoy the blessings of the higher Abrahamic Covenant and the fullness of the gospel of Christ, but we were not strong enough to establish a perfect Zion society at the time of Joseph Smith. So, the Latter-Day Saints are wandering through a metaphorical wilderness awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ who will ushur in a thousand-year period of peace on the Earth. However, like Joseph in Egypt, we have and will continue to see the saving of the remnant of the House of Israel from spiritual famine by modern day Ephraim.

And, through the power of God and direct assistance of heaven, the LDS Church has been and will continue to lay the foundations of the Kingdom of God on the Earth. Isaiah likened Zion to a tent. His instructions for Israel to prepare for the coming of the Messiah was for Zion to "put on righteousness", "expand her boarders", and "strengthen her stakes." Modern spring-bar tents are set up by placing the poles first. However, when pitching a tent in ancient times, you started by driving in the stakes first before you placed the center pole. If you were to place the poles first in an ancient tent without first having placed the stakes, the center pole wouldn't have any opposing force to keep it standing and the the pole and tent would immediately fall. This is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints refer to groups of congregations as "Stake of Zion." Christ is the center pole, Zion or the Kingdom of God is the tent, and the LDS Church is rolling out and expanding the borders of the tent, and preparing and strengthening the stakes before the Second Coming of Christ when finally the Kingdom of God will be fully and gloriously realized.

Old Testament
Abraham
Egyptian Captivity
Moses
Law of Moses
Babylonian Captivity
Jesus Christ First Coming

New Testament
Jesus Christ
Great Apostacy
Joseph Smith
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[Babylonian Captivity?]
Jesus Christ Second Coming

Preach My Gospel: Lesson 5: Laws and Ordinances

Priesthood and Auxiliaries:
Priesthood is the power and authority given to man to act in God's name for the salvation of His children.
Ordinances of salvation
blessing of healing, comfort, and counsel.

God is all powerful and it could be said that He could do all the work himself without any of our involvement. But in God's plan, man is blessed to participate in His work. It is still His work, and he is still doing the work. But He allows us to participate, minister, and witness His power in the lives of others.

D&C 1:38 "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by Jesus Christ through apostles and prophts just as in Bible times.

Eph 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, and teachers; Forst the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"

So, when the Church leaders are telling us to reading our scriptures, and pray as a family, or warns us against taking harmful chemicals inside our bodies, its not men telling us what to do and how we should live our lives, but God telling us throught them.

Priesthood authority was restored in 1929 when John the Baptist and later Peter James and John appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. Peter James and John had received the Melchizedek priesthood from Jesus Christ.

Heb 5:4 "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron"
Tim 4:14 "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands fo the presbytery (Elders)."
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen, you, and ordained you"

Matt 16:19 "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be lossed in heaven"

A man can receive priesthood authority only by proper ordination by the laying on of hands by one who has the authority. Charles Wesley who was one of the greatest English poets and song writers ever and the brother of John Wesley criticized his brother for starting his own church and ordaining priests. Some of the Hymns in our LDS Hymnal from Charles Wesley include "Hark the Herld Angels Sing", "Rejoice, the Lord is King", "Jesus, Lover of my soul", "Ye Simple souls who stray", "Christ the Lord is Risn Today, "Come, Let us anew.".

"How easily are bishops made by man or woman's whim, Wesley his hands on Coke hath layed, but who laid hands on him?" - Charles Wesley

That said, the scriptures say that only a desire to serve God is enough to qualify us for the work. But the laying on of hands by the proper authority authorizes us for that work.
D&C 4:3 "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" Remember many are "called" but few are "choosen". Matt 22:14
D&C 63:57 "And again, verily I say unto you, those who desire in their hearts, in meekness, to warn sinners to repentance, let them be ordained unto this power".

Holders of the priesthood enter into a covenant and recieve callings and duties to serve others, help build up the church. Also to perform sacred ordinances, such as baptism, confirmation. (Here the power of God is manifest (changing peoples lives via the Holy Ghost). Priesthood power can only be used only in righteousness, love, and patients. No unrighteous dominion, and never by coercion but only by persuasion.

All priesthood comes from God, There are 2 priesthoods in the Church the Aaronic and Melchizedek. The Aaronic Priesthood administers ordinacnes such as baptism and sacrament (Lords Supper). Worthy males ages 12 and over recieve this preisthood soon after baptism and confirmation. This is a preparatory priesthood to prepare for the higher priesthood that Christ restored to the Earth. and that Peter James and John restored to Joseph Smith.

Worthy adult males will eventually receive the Melchizedek priesthood. Through this preisthood members receive many temporal and spiritual blessings. Worthy holders confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, ordain others to the preisthood as assigned, and anoint the sick with consecrated oil, and give blessing of healing and comfort. Fathers have give special blessings to spouse and children, and Home Teachers visit homes of the members and ccan care for and bless individuals and families.

Bishops and Stake Presidents are Judges in isreal and spend most of their time helping those who have sinned. Just like the Priests in the Old Testament, Bishops are not "preachers" but when you become unclean, you had to appear before the priest and he would determine that you should bathe in the river jordan 7 times, After doing this you would return to the priest and be declared ritually clean to return to the temple. in the same way Bishops today do the same work but are more concerned with inward purity.

As memebers of the church we have covenanted to stand as a witness of God in all times, all places. And we should want to share with others the truths that bring us so much hope, and joy. We have been commanded to preach the gospel of Christ to all peopel and give them a chance to accept or reject it. As we live the gospel we can be an example to others, we can also invite others to church, or other activities, or introduce them to the missionaries or give them a pass along card or video or book of mormon. We should pray for others, pray for missionary opportunities, and have have faith and be sure that the Holy Ghost will help us know what to say when we "open our mouths"


Great test of religion and the preisthood is this:
James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspottted from the world"

1 Cor 5:11 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"

Astrology

I was getting my hair cut last week, and I was making the usual small talk with the hair stylist. We were talking about work and family and I told this person that I enjoyed staying home and being with my family. She then asked me when Iwas born and what astrological sign I was. She commented how I must have been a "Cancer" because being a "homebody" was typical of those born under that sign. I told her that I thought it was good to know that there are many others who have the same type of temperment. She then asked me if I had ever looked up my birth chart to see how the planets were aligned. I responded by saying that I thought it was much more important how my life was aligned, then how the planets were aligned. For me, being in right kind of places, and doing the right kinds of things have made all the difference.

Capitalism = Capital Fascism

http://brainbender.blogspot.com/2011/09/capital-fascism.html?m=1