Blessed 2014 to All and may the Spirit of the Lord always be with you!
“Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.
And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”
As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”
He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.” [John 6: 49-71]
This is pure Sentimentalism ruling the day.
When you don’t have the Spirit:
1. You feel unhappy, depressed, confused, and frustrated.
2. You feel possessive, self-centered, or resentful of demands made on you.
3. You are easily offended.
4. You become secretive and evasive.
5. You avoid people, especially members of your family; and you are critical of family members and Church authorities.
6. You envy or resent the successes of others.
7. You don’t want to go to church, go home teaching, or take the sacrament. You wish you had another church job or no job at all.
8. You don’t want to pray.
9. You find the commandments bothersome, restricting, or senseless.
10. You feel emotions and appetites so strongly that you fear you cannot control them—hate, jealousy, anger, lust, hunger, fatigue.
11. You hardly ever think of the Savior; he seems irrelevant to your life, or worse, part of a confusing system that seems to work against you.
12. You get discouraged easily and wonder if life is really worth it.
Sorry, the above describes mormonism, which makes sense.
1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." NIV
1 John 4:2-3 2 "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." NIV
When angels appear to you, you do NOT worship them.
Rev 19:10 "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."" NIV
Here's another way to test spirits...do they produce good fruit?
Matt 7:16-20 "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." NIV
Feelings have very little to do with what's spiritual and what's not.
Thank you for offering a really excellent list of attributes.
I’ve been doing research into spiritual awakenings and mystics in all religions for about twenty five years, after a profound experience that changed my life.
While the attributes shown are correct if one is “filled” with the Holy Spirit, the process of filling is usually quite tumultuous. The battle between the higher energy of the Holy Spirit and the garbage we have created and hold on to within ourselves sometimes creates quite a wild ride.
The number one symptom is very similar to the symptom of bi-polar disorder as a person feels the attributes of the Holy Spirit that lifts them up in elation and then dives into the depths of despair to locate and remove the anchors and ballast that hinders our being “filled” with the Holy Spirit. This battle within usually causes one to question their own sanity.
There are many other attributes such as the increased energy that flows through the spine. The feeling that a rubber swim cap is being pulled down over your head as it flows into you; The tender bumps that appear on your head as your crown opens up. The unexpected outbursts of emotion, including a feeling of completeness or wholeness.
Other things begin to happen such as you see visions of what is coming in the future or know the thoughts of people around you in detail.
Often the body begins to shake, sometimes violently which is the reason the Quakers and Shakers are identified by this attribute.
The most profound attribute of the Holy Spirit is the feeling of “Love” beyond what you could ever imagine. While Satan can imitate many of the other attributes, Satan can not imitate the feeling of Love. I am not speaking of sexual love. Identifying the feeling of profound Love is the number one tool of discernment on your path. With that tool you can discern the impostors and tormentors from the angels as the words of wisdom of the Holy Spirit will flow through you when you need them.
I would also like to warn of the false “born again” experience that is experienced by many people, especially in charismatic religious groups. The true born again experience usually happens when one is alone in prayer. The difference, which the experiencer usually cannot identify at the time of the experience is that the false born again experience involves a horizontal surrender of authority of individual will to another person such as a pastor or evangelist while the true experience is by going within and surrendering directly to God through His Son.
One last point where I differ slightly from the author of the excellent article. Often you no longer feel the need to attend church or religious services as your connection to God is within and with you at all times. When you find you are slipping away from the connection, turning directly to the Bible and prayer will reconnect one to the Holy Spirit.
You may find that you can’t put the Bible down when you begin to read it. It becomes as addictive as the best book you have ever read. This leads to an increased understanding that often creates differences in understanding with religious leaders who preach based upon academic theory and experiences of others rather than first hand experience. Always turn directly to the Bible and search and pray for true meaning and guidance. You will be led to understand both perspectives(your experience and the words of others teaching you) and why they are described as written.
Elijah suffered from depression. One other item should be added: you know when you sin.
We are now entering the days described described by Peter when quoting the prophet Joel in Acts 2. Many people will unexpectedly be filled with the Holy Spirit. This will be a very interesting year!!!
That said, the list is a solid set of touchstones to help you figure out whether or not you are paying heed...
Because God says you do when you are born again.
Emotions and experiences are the absolute WORST evidence of the Spirit's presence in your life and the worst barometer of the Spirit's work in your life.
Experiences can be brought on by the flesh or the enemy and someone really needs discernment to determine the source of those feelings.
I see this as the single biggest weakness in the Charismatic movement, the dependance on experience and feelings. It leaves the door wide open for deception.
And that goes for any religion that teaches to depend on it instead of faith.
One of my favorites (among many) is in the Old Testament.
I Kings 19:11-13
11. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12. And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
That still small voice that speaks from within can guide and direct us, if we will not drown it out with the cares of the world and other stupendous expectations.
Christ taught the disciples about the comforter He would send them in the spirit. In John 14-16 there are great insights into it. I like those in John 14:
John 14: 15-17, 26-27Also, all of Christ's great intercessory prayer for His disciples is great, and Christ himself answers and defines what He and the Father being one is all about.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you
John 15:26
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost is perhaps the greatest gift we can have in this life, after the Atonement. It is a witness to our hearts and soul about Christ Jesus, and about His love for us. He guides us through those thoughts, impressions, and revelations He gives us through the Spirit.
It is a comforting spirit, a loving spirit, it testifies of Christ, it leas us to do good and to keep Christ's commandments, particularly about loving one another, treating others as we would be treated, and letting us know, despite all else, that Christ is with us, knows our lamentations and difficulties, and will be with us through all of it...because He has already taken all of it upon His worthy shoulders.
I testify that this is true. I have experienced it countelss times through life, and particularly was blessed with it as I faced the ravages and difficulties of cancer. Faith, prayer, and love...and God's will...spared me at that time, though it has left me disabled. But through the Spirit I was allowed to know that everything would be fine. I was comforted, I was let know od yet had work for me to do for a season...and so I have been able to come through better than I was before those difficult experiences.
This is the type of thing, in my experience, that the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, can do for us.
When you have the Spirit:
1. You feel happy, calm, and clear-minded.
2. You feel generous.
3. Nobody can offend you.
4. You wouldn’t mind everybody seeing what you’re doing.
5. You are eager to be with people and want to make them happy.
6. You are glad when others succeed.
7. You are glad to attend your meetings and participate in church activities.
8. You feel like praying.
9. You wish you could keep all the Lord’s commandments.
10. You feel in control—you don’t overeat or sleep too much; you don’t feel uncontrollably drawn to sensational entertainment, lose your temper, or feel uncontrollable passions or desires.
11. You think about the Savior often and lovingly; you want to know him better.
12. You feel confident and are glad to be alive.
When you talk to Him or ask for His help, does He answer?
1. You lack humility make outrageous boastful claims, like that you have more knowledge than all lawyers and doctors, and boasted no man (not even the Lord Jesus) ever did such a work as him in building and keeping a church. (Mormon “History of the Church,” vol. 5, p.289; vol. 5, p.467; vol. 6, pp.408-9).
The poor apostles. By such reasoning the devil can boast of his unity - in Hell, which Smith has joined.
You are those who engage in veneration of (fallen) "angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind," (Colossians 2:18) you
2. And thus claims to have had visitations by God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son, the angel “Moroni” (who is nowhere found in the Bible) John the Baptist, the apostles Peter, James and John, plus the Old Testament prophets Moses, Elias and Elijah? (Elias in the New Testament is simply the Greek rendering of Elijah, a fact Joseph Smith was ignorant of).
3. You disallow that God has preserved his church by condemning every one of them thru a vain vision, claiming that the angel “Moroni told you every single church, without exception, and their essential beliefs were corrupt (in which case the gates of Hell did prevail against His church, that of born again believers: Mt. 16:18; cf. 1Cor. 12:13).
“Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezek. 13:7, 8).
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 6:8).
4. You write a another "Bible by hiding an occultic “seer stone” in his hat and dictating words.
“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD” (Dt. 18:10-12)
5. You writes in the same book a fantastic and detailed tale of an immigration of Hebrews to South America, which supposedly formed a vast society. Later, after a tremendous civil war, one tribe of this fictitious people is said to have migrated to N. America, even to New York. And that Jesus Christ appeared to these Indians after His resurrection in Israel.
or all of which people and events (unlike the Bible) there is no real archaeological evidence (not even for their weapons). In addition, DNA and other scientific evidence actually refutes it, while the Bible makes it clear nothing of this sort took place (we are assured we have the full record of Jesus post resurrection appearances in the Bible, and in which Jesus went up to Heaven from Bethany, not to return until He comes in the clouds: Lk. 24:50; Acts 1:1-11).
God's covenant promised the land of Canaan (where Israel exists) to Abraham and his descendants, not America: “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gn. 17:8).
And last of all he was seen of me [the apostle Paul] also, as of one born out of due time: (1Cor. 15:8).
6. Teach that polygamy was acceptable to God and even desirable, and that took multiple wives for himself?
7. Teach that God the Father was once a man who achieved Godhood by being obedient to the “god” over Him? (A. of F., p. 132, 430)
8. Teach that God has a physical body and “celestial wives” through whom He begets “spirit children.” (LDS Apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 158, 172; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_cosmology#Pre-Mortality)
9. Teach that faithful Mormons will likewise achieve ”godhood,” and can perpetually have spirit children with their wives. (J of D, Vol. 11, p. 269, August 19, 1866)
10. You literally kick a man out of his house for insulting you and your work. And are much given to change, characteristically being intolerant to critiques or challenges by brethren, and not as if he were a Moses or the apostles, but "wage war after the flesh":
"And yet, although so social and even convivial at times, he would allow no arrogance or undue liberties. Criticisms, even by his associates, were rarely acceptable. Contradictions would arouse in him the lion at once. By no one of his fellows would he be superseded.... one or another of his associates were more than once, for their impudence, helped from the congregation by his foot.... He soundly thrashed his brother William... While with him in such fraternal, social and sometimes convivial moods, we could not then so fully realize the greatness and majesty of his calling." (Letter by Benjamin F. Johnson to Elder George S. Gibbs, 1903, as printed in The Testimony of Joseph Smith's Best Friend, pages 4-5) http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no88.htm
In the History of the Church for the year 1843, we read of two fights Joseph Smith had in Nauvoo:
"Josiah Butterfield came to my house and insulted me so outrageously that I kicked him out of the house, across the yard, and into the street." (History of the Church, vol. 5, page 316)
"Bagby called me a liar, and picked up a stone to throw at me, which so enraged me that I followed him a few steps, and struck him two or three times. Esquire Daniel H. Wells stepped between us and succeeded in separating us.... I rode down to Alderman Whitney... he imposed a fine which I paid, and then returned to the political meeting." (Ibid., page 524)
On August 13, 1843, Joseph Smith admitted that he had tried to choke Walter Bagby: "I met him, and he gave me some abusive language, taking up a stone to throw at me: I seized him by the throat to choke him off." (Ibid., page 531)
After he became president of the Mormon Church, Brigham Young commented, "if you had the Prophet Joseph to deal with, you would think that I am quite mild.... He would not bear the usage I have borne, and would appear as though he would tear down all the houses in the city, and tear up trees by the roots, if men conducted to him in the way they have to me." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, pp. 317-318)
More ;
Others may want to add.
This is a hard one to do sometimes, especially for men. Thanks again for highlighting it.
It's ALWAYA about FEELINGS with MORMONs!
You got a TR, Resty??
MORMON
ATTITUDES OF SUPERIORITY
1. I’m Superior; I have a special gift of the holy Ghost -- you don’t!
2. I’m Superior; I have God’s true priesthood power -- you don’t! 3. I’m Superior; I can go in God’s secret Temple -- you can’t! 4. I’m Superior; I’ve been Endowed with special Gifts and Knowledge -- you’re just normal! 5. I’m Superior; I’ll have my family with me in heaven -- you’ll be with strangers! 6. I’m Superior; I’m becoming a God -- you aren’t! 7. I’m Superior; My women know their place as servants of man and yours don’t. 8. I’m Superior; YOUR creeds are wrong because they come from man - mine comes from God (you can find each one printed in our Scriptures). 9. I’m Superior; I don’t HAVE a creed - I’ve got 13 Articles of Faith. 10. I'm Superior; I have 4 "Bibles"-- the standard works (5 if you count the JST) -- you've only got one: in as far as it is translated correctly. 11. I’m Superior; I can lie with impunity about such things as church membership, church growth, church doctrine, church history, church influence, etc. — -- You can’t. 12. I’m Superior; I am right (everybody knows) when I say 'evangelical' Christians are lunatics -- -- You’re a hideous narrow-minded bigot, who is persecuting me by practicing discrimination by saying I'm not a Christian.
13. I'm Superior; I have a testimony about a prophet -- you don't. 14. I'm Superior; I have a Scripture-producing Amos 3:7 prophet -- you don't 15. I’m Superior; I have a Living Prophet who talks to god every day -- you have a dim-witted hireling of Satan who only talks to himself. 16. I'm Superior; I have my calling & election made sure -- you don't. 17. I’m Superior; I have magic underwear to protect me from the bogey man -- you don’t. 18. I’m Superior; I have secret clasps and grips to give the angel so I get admitted to the celestial kingdom -- you don’t ;so you can’t. 19. I'm Superior; I know secret handshake codes for afterlife entrances-- you don't. 20. I’m Superior; I will see Joseph Smith setting on the right hand of GOD, when I get to Mormon heaven, and he will recognize me and judge me favorably -- You’re on your own; when you get to wherever you’re going! 21. I’m Superior; I’m going to hie to Kolob -- you’re going to who knows where. 22. I’m Superior; I get to have a harem and act like a celestial stud for time and all eternity -- you don’t. 23. I’m Superior; I have sun stones, moon stones, sky stones, cloud stones, Saturn stones, and the evil eye of Osirus guarding my temple -- You have nothing but a stupid cross.
24. I’m Superior; My church has billions in assets stashed away -- yours has taken a stupid vow of poverty. 25. I'm Superior; Last - we have the power to keep a whole race out of our priesthood if we wanted to reinsert our 148-year legacy (we ARE still keeping an entire GENDER at bay!) 26. I'm superior; I have the "higher law" -- everyone else "lives under the "lesser law' because I say so...(over and over). Revision 46.5
Semi-Official creed of the EXclusive club of Freeper Flying Inmans.
All rights liable to be abused.
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