The Establishment of Zion and doing the Works of Jesus Christ is the direct result of being endowed with the gift and power of the Holy Ghost allowing for the hearing of his voice, to walk and talk with him, and in this ‘assurance’, we will have the faith to speak in His name unto the performing the works of Jesus which is faith (and without these works “faith is dead”), even the bringing forth of and the establishing of Zion which is the Kingdom of God in these the Last Days.

Scriptures Pertaining to the Establishment of Zion-A Place Of Safety And Refuge In The Last Days

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. The Gift and Power of the Holy Ghost – Why is there a Holy Ghost (Document 1)
2. The Cause of Zion and the Everlasting Covenant – Celestial Law-The Pure Love of Christ-Charity-“All things common” as revealed in the scriptures below AKA A people of one heart one mind dwelling in righteousness with no poor among them AKA Zion the New Jerusalem of the Last Days AKA Enoch’s City
3.  Redemption of Zion by the Judgment of the Holy Ghost, the Endowment of the servants of Almighty God with the Holy Ghost, and the promised visitation of Jesus Christ in our midst. (Elder Whites Vision – Document 2 and my personal testimony – Document 3)
4. The Day of the Lord and the Judgment of God on this land. Vision given to Tom Beam by Almighty God. (Document 4)

This paper is for the purpose of understanding, knowing, and identifying the gift and power of the Holy Ghost and how we are to attain this gift as the endowment, as well as to understand the establishment of Zion in obedience to Almighty God and Jesus Christ through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.  Inasmuch as these are the Last Days and Zion is a promise of God, it is necessary that we as His Saints fully comprehend that which lies before us as revealed in the prophecies and visions given to us by God.

This paper is for the blessing and edification of the Saints such that they may more fully respond to God in a way and manner that is pleasing to Him such that they may be prepared for the endowment and the promised visitation of Jesus.  Praying over all that is presented and discussed is necessary in order to receive a witness of the Holy Ghost as to the truth of what is being shared as well as to know the source of that truth such that we can know of a surety that what we are learning is that which is pleasing to Almighty God and thus will allow us to be part of bringing forth and establishing the cause of Zion in these the last days.

The Judgment of the Holy Ghost and the Endowment will be a simultaneous event.  For those Saints that are ‘righteous’ in the sight of God, the experience shall be the Endowment.  For those that are ‘unrighteous’, it shall be the Judgment.

The Endowment is the filling of ones soul with both the Power and the Love of God with the Holy Ghost.  They go hand and hand.  They are not separate spiritual conditions.

The gift and power of the Holy Ghost allows us to walk and talk with God and to hear his voice.  Thus we then are able to do the “works of Jesus” based upon the ‘assurance’ of “hearing the voice of Jesus”, thus our faith is ‘knowledge’ of this fact that Jesus is speaking to and commanding us to do a ‘work of the kingdom’, so that when a servant speaks the word in the name of Jesus, the work of Jesus follows.  This is how Zion will be established. This is communion with Almighty God and how all the Prophets and Apostles head His voice and thus did his works!

This is what Jesus desires to teach us, show us, and have us practice once we are able to get Him in our midst.  This then will be the beginning of Zion for those that love and obey Him unto the blessing of all His children.

Jesus said “The works you have seen me do, ye shall do and greater” which is in the “Last Days” Zion…The New Jerusalem! Faith without these works is DEAD!

Scriptures Pertaining to the Establishment of Zion

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. Isaiah 1:27,28

What I have said unto you, must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; that wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered;that I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work. That men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God. [Sec 98:12d,e

Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves;

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall overflow the hiding place.

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; .  Isaiah 28:15, 18, 19; 33:14-17.

[Sec 1:1b] for verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape, and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated;

[Sec 1:1c] and the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow, for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed;

[Sec 1:1d] and the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days, and they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.

1. The Gift and Power of the Holy Ghost – Why is there a Holy Ghost –

Psa 39:1  I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

Psa 39:2  I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

Psa 39:3  My heart was hot within me; while I was musing the fire burned; then spake I with my tongue,

[Sec 8:1c] 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.

[Sec 8:2a] 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;

  [Sec 9:3a] Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought, save it was to ask me;

[Sec 9:3b] but, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind;

[Sec 9:3c] then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right, I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right;

[Sec 9:3d] but if it be not right, you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought, that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong;

[Sec 50:1a] Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the voice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth.

[Sec 50:1b] Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world: and also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you.

[Sec 50:6c] And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you, for he that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is least, and the servant of all:

[Sec 50:6d] wherefore, he is possessor of all things, for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life, and the light, the spirit, and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ, his Son;

[Sec 50:6e] but no man is possessor of all things, except he be purified and cleansed from all sin; and if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus, and it shall be done:  

And it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice, nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice, it did pierce them that did hear, to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn. 3Nephi 5:5  

And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Luke 24:31

Acts 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.  

[Gen 6:53] And he also said unto him, If thou wilt, turn unto me and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask it shall be given you.  

[Gen 6:69] And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying, Thou art baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost; this is the record of the Father and the Son, from henceforth and forever;

[Gen 6:70] And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.

[Gen 6:71] Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen.

[Gen 7:15] And so great was the faith of Enoch, that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them, and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command.

[Gen 7:16] And the rivers of water were turned out of their course, and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness.

[Gen 7:17] And all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.

[Gen 7:22] And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

[Gen 7:23] And the Lord called his people, Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them.

[Gen 7:34] And the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion.

Gen 14:26] Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.

[Gen 14:27] And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,

[Gen 14:28] It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;

[Gen 14:29] And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.

[Gen 14:30] For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

[Gen 14:31] To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.

[Gen 14:32] And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

[Gen 14:33] And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.

[Mat 5:4] Yea, blessed are they who shall believe on your words, and come down into the depth of humility, and be baptized in my name; for they shall be visited with fire and the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.

Mat 5:8] And blessed are all they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

[John 7:39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was promised unto them who believe, after that Jesus was glorified.)

[Acts 1:2] Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen;

[Acts 1:3] To whom also he showed himself alive after his sufferings by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God;

[Acts 1:4] And, being with them when they were assembled together, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

[Acts 1:5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

[Acts 1:6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

[Acts 1:7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

[Acts 1:8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

[Acts 2:1] And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

[Acts 2:2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

[Acts 2:3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it rested upon each of them.

[Acts 2:4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

[Acts 2:36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

[Acts 2:37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

[Acts 2:38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[Acts 2:39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

[Acts 2:41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

[Acts 2:42] And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

[Acts 2:43] And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

[Acts 2:44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

[Acts 2:45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

 [Acts 4:29] And now, Lord, behold their threatenings; and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word

[Acts 4:30] By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

[Acts 4:31] And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

[Acts 4:32] And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

[Acts 4:33] And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.

[Acts 4:34] Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

[Acts 4:35] And laid them down at the apostles’ feet; and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

[Acts 4:36] And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

[Acts 4:37] Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

[Acts 5:1] But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

[Acts 5:2] And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

[Acts 5:3] But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

[Acts 5:4] While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

[Acts 5:5] And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

[Acts 5:6] And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

[Acts 5:7] And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

[Acts 5:8] And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

[Acts 5:9] Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

[Acts 5:10] Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost; and the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

[Acts 5:11] And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

[Acts 5:12] And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

[Acts 5:13] And of the rulers durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them.

[Acts 5:14] And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women;)

[Acts 5:15] Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

[Acts 5:16] There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed every one.

[Acts 8:14] Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John;

[Acts 8:15] Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost.

[Acts 8:16] (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

[Acts 8:17] Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.

Mor 2:1  The words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples, the twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them.

Mor 2:2  And he called them by name, saying, Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this, ye shall have power that on him whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles.

Mor 2:3  Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it, and on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost.  

2. The Cause of Zion and the Everlasting Covenant

Commentary 

Zion IS a people who are filled with the gift and power of the Holy Ghost unto the demonstration of the Pure Love of Christ…even His charity for the POOR.  It is a state of ‘being born of the spirit’ such that the love of Christ in us calls us to meet the Spiritual and Temporal needs of the Saints which is being obedient to the Law of Christ…even the Celestial Law.

Zion was not redeemed in the early days of the Church because of the ‘evil’ among the Saints…even their unwillingness to obey Jesus in the taking care of the poor among them.  The Judgment of the Holy Ghost will be after the order of the judgment and example of Peter judging Annanias and Saphira in the Book of Acts. They disobeyed God’s Gospel by withholding their possessions from the Church…even the poor and thus lost their inheritance.

Elder White’s vision found in the book “Infallible Proofs” is a revelation of how God will redeem Zion by Judgment, even the Judgment of the Holy Ghost.  It should be noted that Peter was shown in this vision once again judging Annanias and Saphira as the example of God purging His Church of those who listen to Satan, even those who have not the pure love of Christ…His charity, for the poor among them.

Thus the “cause of Zion” is the establishment of the Kingdom of God for the poor.

[Gen 7:23] And the Lord called his people, Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them.

[Sec 77:1a] The Lord spake unto Enoch, saying, Hearken unto me saith the Lord your God, who are ordained unto the high priesthood of my church, who have assembled yourselves together,

[Sec 77:1b] and listen to the counsel of him who has ordained you, from on high, who shall speak in your ears the words of wisdom, that salvation may be unto you in that thing which you have presented before me, saith the Lord God;

[Sec 77:1c] for verily I say unto you, The time has come, and is now at hand; and, behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the storehouse for the poor of my people, both in this place and in the land of Zion, or in other words, the city of Enoch,

[Sec 77:1d] for a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause which ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who is in heaven, that you may be equal in the bands of heavenly things;

[Sec 77:1e] yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things;

[Sec 77:1f] for if ye are not equal in earthly things, ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;

[Sec 77:1g] for if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.  

[Gen 14:36] And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.

[Gen 14:37] And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God;

[Gen 14:38] Him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor.

[Gen 14:39] Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.

[Gen 14:40] And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him.  

[Sec 6:3a] Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, Keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion:

[Sec 70:3a] Behold, this is what the Lord requires of every man in his stewardship, even as I, the Lord, have appointed, or shall hereafter appoint unto any man.

[Sec 70:3b] And behold, none are exempt from this law who belong to the church of the living God; yea, neither the bishop, neither the agent, who keepeth the Lord’s storehouse; neither he who is appointed in a stewardship over temporal things;

[Sec 70:3c] he who is appointed to administer spiritual things, the same is worthy of his hire, even as those who are appointed to a stewardship, to administer in temporal things; yea, even more abundantly, which abundance is multiplied unto them through the manifestations of the Spirit;

[Sec 70:3d] nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld.

[Sec 38:4c] Therefore, be ye strong from henceforth; fear not for the kingdom is yours: and for your salvation I give unto you a commandment, for I have heard your prayers, and the poor have complained before me, and the rich have I made, and all flesh is mine, and I am no respecter of persons.

[Sec 38:4d] And I have made the earth rich, and, behold, it is my footstool: wherefore, again I will stand upon it; and I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise;

[Sec 38:4e] a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh; and I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you seek it with all your hearts:

[Sec 38:4f] and this shall be my covenant with you, Ye shall have it for the land of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children for ever, while the earth shall stand; and ye shall possess it again in eternity, no more to pass away.

[Sec 42:8b] And, behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate ALL thy properties for their support, that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken;

[Sec 42:8c] and inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me, and it shall be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the elders, or high priests, such as he shall or has appointed and set apart for that purpose.

[Sec 42:11a] And it shall come to pass that he that sinneth and repenteth not, shall be cast out of the church, and shall not receive again that which he has consecrated unto the poor and the needy of my church, or, in other words, unto me;

[Sec 42:11b] for inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me; for it shall come to pass that which I spake by the mouths of my prophets shall be fulfilled;

[Sec 42:11c] for I will consecrate of the riches of those who embrace my gospel, among the Gentiles, unto the poor of my people who are of the house of Israel.

[Sec 44:3] Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law, which ye have received. Amen.

[Sec 52:9c] And remember in all things, the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple.

[Sec 56:5a] Woe unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the days of visitation, and of judgment, and of indignation:

[Sec 56:5b] The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved!

[Sec 58:3b] Behold, verily I say unto you, For this cause I have sent you that you might be obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things which are to come;

[Sec 58:3c] and also that you might be honored of laying the foundation, and of bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand; and also that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor;

[Sec 58:3d] yea, a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may know that the mouths of the prophets shall not fail; yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.

[Sec 58:3e] Firstly, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble; and after that cometh the day of my power;

[Sec 58:3f] then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Behold, I, the Lord, have spoken it.

[Sec 81:4a] Therefore, verily I say unto you, that it is expedient for my servant… be bound together by a bond and covenant that cannot be broken by transgression except judgment shall immediately follow, in your several stewardships,

[Sec 81:4b] to manage the affairs of the poor, and all things pertaining to the bishopric both in the land of Zion, and in the land of Shinehah, for I have consecrated the land of Shinehah in mine own due time for the benefit of the Saints of the Most High, and for a stake to Zion;

[Sec 81:4d] therefore, I give unto you this commandment, that ye bind yourselves by this covenant, and it shall be done according to the laws of the Lord. Behold, here is wisdom, also, in me, for your good.

[Sec 81:4e] And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just;

[Sec 81:4f] and all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents;

[Sec 81:4g] yea, even an hundredfold, to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church, every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

[Sec 81:5a] This order I have appointed to be an everlasting order unto you and unto your successors, inasmuch as you sin not;

[Sec 81:5b] and the soul that sins against this covenant, and hardeneth his heart against it, shall be dealt with according to the laws of my church, and shall be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption.

[Sec 82:2b] And the storehouse shall be kept by the consecrations of the church, that widows and orphans shall be provided for, as also the poor. Amen.

[Sec 83:23a] And the bishop, Newel K. Whitney, also, should travel round about and among all the churches, searching after the poor, to administer to their wants by humbling the rich and the proud;

[Sec 85:4a] Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you, is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body is the soul of man.

[Sec 85:4b] And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul; and the redemption of the soul is through him who quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed, that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.

[Sec 85:4c] Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory; for after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;

[Sec 85:4d] that bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it for ever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created; and for this intent are they sanctified.

[Sec 85:5a] And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.

[Sec 85:5b] For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom, can not abide a celestial glory; and he who can not abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom, can not abide a terrestrial glory; he who can not abide the law of a telestial kingdom, cannot abide a telestial glory: therefore, he is not meet for a kingdom of glory.

[Sec 85:5c] Therefore, he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.

[Sec 101:2e] and, behold, this is the way, that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints;

[Sec 101:2f] that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low; for the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.

[Sec 101:2g] Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor, and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

[Sec 102:2a] Behold, I say unto you, Were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now;

[Sec 102:2b] but, behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I require at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh Saints, to the poor and afflicted among them, and are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;

[Sec 102:2c] and Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself;

[Sec 102:2d] and my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer.

[Mat 19:21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.

[Mat 19:22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

[Mat 19:23] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily, I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[Mat 19:24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

[Luke 14:16] Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper and bade many;

[Luke 14:17] And sent his servants at supper time, to say to them who were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready.

[Luke 14:18] And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it; I pray thee have me excused.

[Luke 14:19] And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.

[Luke 14:20] And another said, I have married a wife, therefore I cannot come.

[Luke 14:21] So that servant came and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servants, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring hither the poor, and the maimed, the halt and the blind.

[Luke 14:22] And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

[Luke 14:23] The Lord said unto his servant, Go out into the highways, and hedges, and compel men to come in, that my house may be filled;

[Luke 14:24] For I say unto you, That none of those men who were bidden, shall taste of my supper

James 2:2] Now if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

[James 2:3] And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool;

[James 2:4] Are ye not then in yourselves partial judges, and become evil in your thoughts?

[James 2:5] Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

[James 2:6] But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

[James 2:7] Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

[James 2:8] If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well;

[James 2:9] But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

[James 2:10] For whosoever shall, save in one point, keep the whole law, he is guilty of all.

But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich, they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures: wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also. 2 Nephi 6;62-64  

[Acts 2:36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

[Acts 2:37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

[Acts 2:38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[Acts 2:41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

[Acts 2:42] And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

[Acts 2:43] And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

[Acts 2:44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

[Acts 2:45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

[Alma 16:223] And now behold, my brethren, I say unto you, Do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance if ye have, to those who stand in need;

[Alma 16:224] I say unto you, If ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith;

[Alma 16:225] Therefore if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth,) and is trodden under foot of men.

[Mormon 4:47] But behold, Jesus Christ hath shewn you unto me, and I know your doing; and I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts.

[Mormon 4:48] And there are none, save a few only, who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquity;

[Mormon 4:49] And your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

[Mormon 4:50] For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

[Mormon 4:51] O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God?

[Mormon 4:52] Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ?

[Mormon 4:53] Why do you not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness, than that misery which never dies, because of the praise of the world?

[Mormon 4:54] Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick, and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?  

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall overflow the hiding place.

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report…

For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; Isaiah 28:15, 18, 19; 33:14-17.  

What I have said unto you, must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; that wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered;

that I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work. That men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.  D & C 98: 12d,e

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.Malachi 4:1; Joel 2:28-32.  

3. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. Isaiah 1:27,28

What I have said unto you, must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; that wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered; that I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work. That men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God. [Sec 98:12d,e

Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves; Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall overflow the hiding place.And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;Isaiah 28:15, 18, 19; 33:14-17.

[Sec 1:1b] for verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape, and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated;

[Sec 1:1c] and the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow, for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed;

[Sec 1:1d] and the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days, and they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.

4. Redemption of Zion by the Judgment of the Holy Ghost, the Endowment of the servants of Almighty God with the Holy Ghost, and the promised visitation of Jesus.

Commentary

The Judgment of the Holy Ghost and the Endowment will be a simultaneous event.  For those Saints that are ‘righteous’ in the sight of God, the experience shall be the Endowment.  For those that are ‘unrighteous’, it shall be the Judgment.

The Endowment is the filling of ones soul (body and spirit) with both the Power and the Love of God through the Holy Ghost. They go hand and hand.  They are not separate spiritual conditions.

The gift and power of the Holy Ghost allows us to walk and talk with God and to hear his voice.  Thus, we then are able to do the “works of Jesus” based upon the ‘assurance’ of “hearing the voice of Jesus”, thus our faith is ‘knowledge’ of this fact that Jesus is speaking to and commanding us to do a ‘work of the kingdom’, so that when a servant speaks the word in the name of Jesus, the work of Jesus follows.  No longer is faith just ‘guessing or speculation’ but knowledge based upon the fact one is truly hearing the voice of Almighty God such that we then have the ‘assurance’ of that which is hoped for and evidence of things not seen becoming a reality in the realms of time.  This then is how the powers of heaven are released in the realms of time and thus, how Zion will be established.

This is what Jesus desires to teach us, show us, and have us practice once He is in our midst.  This then will be the beginning of Zion for those that love and obey Him unto the blessing of all His children.  He states that He rewards those that diligently seek Him.

“This is Eternal Life (Zion), to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent”.  He is waiting for us to ask for His personal ministry and the Endowment of the Holy Ghost.

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. Isaiah 1:26-28

And it shall come to pass, they that are left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem;

When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. Isaiah 4:2,3

Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it be so that the fullness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire.  Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, They shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire. I Nephi 7:36,37

[Sec 34:5b] and the Scriptures shall be given even as they are in mine own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect; for they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep, and shall abide the day of my coming, for they shall be purified even as I am pure.

[Sec 38:2b] I am in your midst and ye can not see me, but the day soon cometh that ye shall see me and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day: wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared.

[Sec 67:3a] And again, verily I say unto you, that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent, and you shall see me and know that I am;

[Sec 85:18b] Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him: for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

[Sec 90:1a] Verily, thus saith the Lord, It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face, and know that I am, and that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

The following is from the vision given to Elder White as found in the book “Infallible Proofs”. Almighty God is very clear as to how Zion shall be redeemed and who will receive the endowment and who will be judged.

Elder Whites Vision-The Redemption Of Zion By Judgment A Vision/Revelation Given by Jesus Christ to Elder Alfred White

During the summer of 1885 my mind was very much exercised about the manner of the redemption of Zion, which was caused by the manifestation of the Spirit, both in tongues and in prophecy, given at several different times through the summer and through several different persons and all agreeing that the redemption of Zion was very near at hand, and some saying of it as “even at the door.”

I had been thinking of Z. H. Gurley and J. W. Briggs, and what they had done for the cause; and after all they had fallen, although they had occupied such high positions. This caused me to wonder how the weak ones of the Church could stand, if men who had received and borne such great testimony could be so shaken in their faith with regard to tithing, the doctrine of gathering and the redemption of Zion, as I knew that the Church had accepted these doctrines, as well as the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, in which they [were] taught. I had understood from reading Section 63, paragraph 8, of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that the redemption of Zion would be by purchase.

These things caused me to doubt whether the before-mentioned gifts were of God or not, as it appeared to me to be an utter impossibility for the Saints to purchase this land anywhere in the near future, because of the very high and rapidly advancing prices of all real estate in this region of country.

These things were a very great trial to my faith, because of the seeming impossibility for the land of Zion to be redeemed in the short time indicated through the gifts, without the intervention of the power of God.

These thoughts caused me to exclaim, “Oh, Lord, why suffer thy people to be tried so severely in this matter? Why not reveal unto thy people that which will relieve them of this great trial and let them know how the redemption of Zion shall be,” when I heard a voice (which I understood to be the voice of God) saying, “The time was when my people might have redeemed Zion, if they had kept my counsel, but now it has passed out of their power. I will redeem Zion in its time, and I will do it in this way.” Then I saw a narrow and very bright red ring, which enclosed Independence and a portion of the surrounding country, the center of which seemed to be a little southwest of where I was standing, on a high spot of ground. [(The Temple Lot is on a high spot of ground.)]

Then He said, “Do you see that ring?”

I said, “Yes.”

Then He said, “I have sanctified all of the ground inside of this ring, and I will not suffer any person to live inside of this ring except those who keep the celestial law. Now mine elders shall receive an endowment, and it shall be the same endowment that Peter had when he judged Ananias and Sapphira.” I was given to understand that only such elders received this endowment as were chosen by the Holy Ghost at this time.

“Now all written law ceases on the inside of this ring, but on the outside it shall continue as it is. Now my judgment commences inside of this ring which is the judgment of the Holy Ghost, that no sin may escape. By the written law and the judgments of men, many guilty ones go unpunished and many of the innocent suffer. You read in my word that Zion shall be redeemed by judgment. Many of my elders misrepresent me in regard to my judgment. They say it is storms, pestilence, earthquakes, etc., but this is not what I mean. I mean the judgment of the Holy Ghost, and as you see Peter yonder judging Ananias and Sapphira by the Holy Ghost, so shall the judgment be here. Death is laid at the feet of every person.

Then the vision opened to a very great distance, where I saw Peter judging Ananias and Sapphira by the Holy Ghost. Then looking back to near the center of the ring, I saw the judgment going on, yet at sufficient distance to prevent me from knowing anyone engaged in it. There were about ten or twelve men standing with their backs toward me, and about four or five feet to their right stood a man judging some person who was in front of them, yet hid from my sight by the other men. Immediately there was a very great excitement around where the judgment was going on, which soon extended to all parts within the circle, all seeming to know that everyone must immediately get out of the ring or come up and be judged by the Holy Ghost, which proved fatal to all whose consciences did not hold them guiltless; and I saw many hastening to get outside of the ring.

Some ran, some walked and others went in wagons, one of whom I noticed more particularly. After he had driven over the ring he turned toward me, so that I could see the tears running down his cheeks, and I was enabled to hear what he was saying to himself. He said, “Now I have lost this great blessing because I have not lived up to my privilege.” I was also given to understand that he could soon prepare himself by repentance and faithfulness to return and be able to abide the judgment, which he immediately sought to do.

I also noticed another one, on foot, who did not care for, or know, what he had lost, but seemed to be glad he had escaped the judgment, and showed no signs of repentance. I understood that both of these were Saints. I looked back to where the judgment had been going on, but it had all vanished.

Then I asked to know what degree of perfection would have to be attained to enable one to abide the judgment, and to have it manifested by pointing out someone that I knew. This He refused to do, but would tell me what kind of a character could abide the judgment and what kind of a character would have to go out. He said all those whose words had been just and true, all those in whose hearts there was no guile or deceit, can abide the judgment. He also told me that the following characters could not abide the judgment: All those that forgive with their lips, but not with their hearts; all those who have not spoken the true sentiments of their own hearts.

I had formerly believed that the land of Zion would comprise a great portion of America, which caused me to say, “If this is all the land of Zion, it is a failure, as I understand it.”

Then He said, “It is wisdom in me to sanctify but a small portion at a time, for you saw that many went out, and if I had sanctified a large portion there would so many have gone out that it would have left a great part of the land desolate and waste; but by sanctifying a small portion at a time there will enough remain on the inside with those who are on the outside who are prepared, who will be invited to come in immediately to build up and occupy the places that are going to waste; and when all of the land on the inside is filled up, I will move out the line and sanctify another portion as you read in my word, ‘The borders of Zion shall be enlarged.’ This is what I mean. It is wisdom in me to prepare my Saints in this way for my coming. If I did not prepare them, they could not abide my presence. If I should come unto them in their present condition, my glory would destroy them.”

I was given to understand that the time had now come that the gospel should go forth from this place to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, with signs following it; and should go forth by those who received this endowment and that they had power given them to smite the earth with all the plagues as often as they would—such as lightning, plagues, earthquakes, etc.

After I saw the foregoing vision I was very much exercised in my mind over it, as it was so different from anything I had ever thought of. I commenced reading and studying the Book of Doctrine and Covenants to see if it would corroborate any such idea, and immediately after I had finished it, which took about six months, I dreamed that I was telling the vision to some person, and told it all right until I came down to where I saw the judgment going on, and I said “He laid death at the door of every house.”

Then I heard the same voice that I heard in the vision saying to me in an emphasized tone, “Tell it as I told it to you. You have misrepresented me. I told you I would put death to the feet of every person” (italics added).

I said, “I see I misrepresented a little, but I thought it would not make any difference.”

He said,”It does make a difference, for this belongs to the vision I gave you and is a part of it.”

I awoke immediately after this. I never told the vision until I received the above dream. (Vision 30:3–4)

This vision was published in Autumn Leaves in 1890, Zion’s Ensign in 1901, and Infallible Proofs in 1930

.

The Gathering Out of Zion of the Wicked By The Judgement of the Holy Ghost As Shown To Elder White and Described by Jesus Christ as recorded in Mathew 13 Inspired Version of the Bible

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house. And his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man.

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked.

The enemy that sowed them is the devil.

The harvest is the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked.

The reapers are the angels, or the messengers sent of heaven.

As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world, or the destruction of the wicked.

For in that day, before the Son of Man shall come, he shall send forth his angels and messengers of heaven.

And they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them out among the wicked; and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

For the world shall be burned with fire.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matt. 13:35-45

Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves;

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the water shall overflow the hiding place.

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report…

For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. 

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; Isaiah 28:15, 18, 19; 33:14-17.

What I have said unto you, must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; that wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered;

thatI may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work. That men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.  D & C 98: 12d,e

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1;  Joel 2:28-32.

Tom Beems Vision From God Showing The Judgment On America! The Day of the Lord and the Judgment of God upon this land and why. The Coming War and Destruction Of America And The Salvation Of Zion (In Early 1988)

I had gone out to Lake Jacomo (south of Independence, Missouri) and I was sitting out there and praying about these “last days” and I had asked the Lord, “How will these things work? How will this really happen?” I have read all these scriptures and prophecies and I would like to know the mechanics of it. How are you going to operationalize this? How are you really goiing to make it work?”.

And as I sat there, I was given the closest thing to a vision I’ve ever had. I saw famine upon this land. It was a famine for food, water, heat and light, warmth, clothing…a want for every needful thing that the people could have. It got so bad that there were riots, race riots, multitudes of

Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, warring literally against each other for what few resources were there. People would be killed for the clothes on their backs. There were literally companies of vigilantes that had set themselves up to protect their neighborhood. And they went through the neighborhoods with guns to protect their neighborhood from others that would come into their neighborhood and take, and to protect their women and children.

And I saw paramilitary troops and there paramilitary troops were the ones who called themselves “survivalists”. And they were trying to break up the race riots and they were willing to just kill any body who was not white Anglo-Saxon. As a matter of fact, they were willing to kill any Anglo-Saxon that loved Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Orientals, or anyone else who wasn’t an Anglo-Saxon. And if you were willing to defend them, no matter how white Anglo-Saxon I was, they were willing to kill me because I was not one of them.

And I saw war and I saw two nations of this world. I saw China and I saw Russia invade the United States. They both came in through Canada on the north and from both coasts and they came in this way (using a blackboard, drew a map of the U.S.) And they kept working their way in and here is the Center Place right here (Independence, Missouri area). (Background remark…”…Similar to the vision of George Washington?”). I replied that I did not know about George Washington’s vision but I could see them coming in and nobody was left alive…NOBODY…not a man, not a woman, not a child, not even animals were left.

And every single city was demolished. And no human being and very few domestic animals were left alive…literally. And the paramilitary were in no condition to stand against them and our own defenses were off somewhere else in the world and no one was home to defend this country and there was no way to bring them back. And this whole country was laid to waste. And the invading armies of China and Russia moved right toward this Center Place.

Not only did i see war but I saw disease. I don’t know whether it was cholera. There was AIDS and all kinds of other disease. Disease was rampant all over the country and death was coming in on every side by every means. The only way for anyone to escape this invading force was to be gathered into this Center Place in Zion.

And I saw in this vision the city of San Francisco and the west coast. And I saw the Big Surr National Park and there was a Reunion Ground there. I don’t know if I have ever been to that Reunion Ground. And there were a couple of Missionaries there. I don’t know whether they were Apostles or Evangelical Ministers of some kind. They had been preaching and teaching the people and sending them to Zion.

And right before the invasion came, they had a vision and the Lord spoke to them and came to them and said, “Gather my people together at this Reunion Grounds”. And they immediately went out and gathered all the people together that had been remaining there, strengthening the people and preaching the Gospel and gathering them together. They remained in that place in secret.

And these warring forces of Chinese and Russian troops that had come in didn’t quite make it in to the coast line as quickly as you might have thought or as I would have thought. The people were thus able to gather and God would lead people to them at the Reunion Grounds. I saw a family of five or six, I can’t remember, and it was like a whole company of Chinese soldiers were right in front of them standing there. And they were looking at them and they realized all of a sudden that the soldiers could not see them.

There was a father and a mother and her children. They were huddled together and they were looking at these soldiers and the soldiers were looking at them. And they realized that the Commander of those soldiers was looking this way and looking that way as thought he knew they were there but they could not see them. And finally he told his whole Company to go that way and the family just stood there and realized they had not been seen. That Company of men left and they (the family) looked over here to the left and there was someone beckoning them and I realized it was an Angel of the Lord. He was beckoning them and guiding them and saying “Come this way” and they would follow in that direction. If they would stumble and they weren’t quite sure which way to go, he would beckon and direct them again. And the Angel was gathering people to this gathering spot of the Reunion Grounds. And when the time came that everyone would be gathered, I’m not talking just about Saints, I’m talking about people who were willing to repent if they heard the Gospel, they were gathered there.

When they had all been gathered before this Army came in, these missionaries led them up to Zion ahead of the forces. If ever at any time they were to come under attack, they would pray and a cloud of God would be over them and He would protect them and they would not be destroyed. And then they would move on, going up to Zion. God went before them and God was behind them and God was over top of them and protected them. And that was happening all over this Country for those that God was bringing His Zion. And I had seen these things happening. This was the most real experience I have ever had. I saw prophecies taking place.

“Noisome Beats”. What I had seen was a multitude of races warring against each other. Companies of vigilantes and running para-military troops. I said “Lord, those are beasts”…that is what you mean by beasts…what I saw? Is that the noisome beast…noisome…is that wild and deadly…wild and deadly beasts…these companies of vigilantes…multitudes of racial rioters and para-military troops running among the people?”.

I saw in this vision the border between Kansas and Missouri. This is the Missouri River. This is the North and this is Independence. This invading army came right to here to the banks of the Missouri River. What I noticed and what was completely visible in this was that when this invading force came, some people fled at the noise of the tumult. They were terrified. The reputation of this army and what had gone on before was well known such that the people who had been fleeing here who were not righteous, that when the Army came up to the banks of the Missouri River and up against the border of Zion, the people who were not righteous continued to flee. They were fleeing from before the Army, these who were not gathered. They had come here and thought they would be safe and that the Army would never come this far.

When the Army came this far, these people fled to the south where they thought there would be safety. They thought they could go south and there would still be safety but there was not safety. Everyone who fled out of this area was destroyed. (From audience…”I would like to confirm that my wife had an experience, a prophetic dream in which she saw that same thing. The Armies were coming in on the borders of the City and the bulk of the people ran into the arms of the invaders:. Tom stated…”What I saw was that they just ran south and as they ran south, they were closed in upon”.)

About Robert Murdock

      A minister on behalf of our Lord and Savior all his adult life, he died in April 1994, at the age of 70. Throughout his life, he was a man of constantly searching and questioning faith, having an intense commitment to knowing our Lord and Savior in the fullest manner possible to a person still in the flesh.  As an adult he still retained his childhood faith and expectation that the Father of Heaven and Earth, his Father, would love him and answer him in all his questioning, just as we so often see any innocent and trusting child asking of his or her earthly father.

His testimony concerning himself was that he experienced the presence and revelatory power of Jesus at a very early age. When 5 years old he was shown by his mother the workings of a new telephone being installed in his home. He related how incredible and mysterious this means of long distance communication seemed to his childish mind.  Out of a child’s faith and curiosity, he had occasion to wonder if one could talk to God in similar fashion. As though it had been a conscious prayer, he said the ceiling of his room seemed to disappear and he saw the hand of the Lord reaching down to him out of Heaven and heard the voice of the Lord speak to him, telling him he would one day have such communication with Him and that he, Robert, would serve God in his later years.

The man Robert Murdock was just that, only a man, with all the weaknesses and trials that flesh is heir to in this world. Yet those who knew him best will also tell you that he was a man of deep humility and faith in God. A man who loved people, finding his greatest joy in ministering to others.  And a man absolutely committed to searching after an ever increasing knowledge of God in all His ways.  He believed totally that it was both possible and reasonable to have clear and understandable communication with God, and that it should, in fact, be the commitment and duty of every believing Christian to search after such personal communion with the Eternal Father and His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Robert Murdock spent his entire life seeking to know our Lord, believing in and receiving inspiration, understanding, and revelation from God, as is the right of every believing son or daughter of God.  Bob would say, as do we, that this divine invitation and blessing is extended to the non–Christian, as well.  Because our Lord, in his love and mercy, desiring that all should come to a knowledge and understanding of Him while yet in this life, is willing to extend marvelous blessings of testimony and witness to convince the non–believer of the truth of His existence and His Salvation, as evidenced in Acts 10:1–4; 30–35; & 47. Though Acts 10 is one of the more spectacular examples, yet we believe firmly that God will bear appropriate witness to any who sincerely and diligently seek Him.

Taught From On High    [Back to Top]

The testimony of Jesus in our lives, as he seeks to reveal himself to us, should be of vital concern to each Christian. We rejoice together, not only in our own personal experiences, but also in the experiences of those around us. The testimonies of mankind recorded in scripture through the  ages  are profound and marvelous. As we read them, we begin to understand more fully the nature, greatness and love of God and Christ. This, coupled with testimonies given to many today, can provide each of us an assurance of the eternal nature of God and his constant efforts to draw all men unto him.

It is in this light that this compilation of experiences is being written. If even one soul finds strength and new hope to search more diligently for the revelation of God, then may God be praised!

We can learn many beautiful lessons from our experience with God. When we experience the revelatory process, we are filled with awe, enlightenment, and joy because of the truth received. More important, our souls are stirred with a desire that everyone may come and partake of the gifts of God so freely given. Even the great experiences of scripture are not complete until we have diligently shared them with everyone who will listen, inviting them to come into a like relationship with God. When the invitation is effective and many respond to God, the joyous result has been oneness; they see eye to eye and are of one spirit, one heart and one mind. This is called Zion. No one person can accomplish such oneness alone; but when many draw into such a Godly search and revelation, Zion becomes possible.

The experiences included here are consistent with the pattern of mans’ relationship to God. People respond to God’s effort to draw us to him, as well as to the testimonies of others. When we express interest toward God, his response is far beyond our fondest dreams and hopes. Then, as always, we seek with joy to share that which we receive. Those who hear are strengthened while others refuse to listen. Therefore, God is challenged to continue to draw those to himself.

To those who will listen and receive, these experiences are presented. They are offered with an open invitation to seek out this marvelous God for yourself. He waits to reveal himself to any who will call on him in faith.

In The Beginning [Back to Top]

The beginning of spiritual awakening comes at different times in our lives. My own personal awakening began early in life. As with many, I can say I was born of goodly parents. They instilled within me a belief in the reality of God and that he is the same yesterday, today and forever. I can never remember a time in my life when there was any unbelief in God. The reality of God to me was a fact unquestioned. I had many questions about him such as, “Where was he?” “Can I ever see him?”  “How do you talk with him?” I understood prayer was talking to him, but I questioned how could I hear him when he answers. Out of such a background, it was quite natural that my first experience with God and Christ should come early in life.

When I was five years of age, something which to me was new and marvelous was happening in our home;  our first telephone was installed. With curiosity and many questions, I watched this marvelous event. I could accept the idea of wires connecting phones and people speaking to someone unseen and a long way off. With the installation complete, it was with keen interest that I watched my mother use the new telephone. She called her friends to tell them of the exciting event. I knew from the conversation that it was real. I tried as best I could to understand how it was possible for people to hear each other over such distances and still talk so softly.

When my mother finished telling everyone she could, she left the room and continued her household chores in the kitchen. I stood there alone in thought, marveling at what had occurred. I questioned in my mind about God and how he talked to us. I knew there were no wires to heaven, but had accepted the idea he could still hear our prayers anyway. What I wondered was “How can we ever hear him?  How do we know when he answers and what he is saying?”  This weighed heavily upon me, and although I never knelt or entered into a formal attitude of prayer as I understood it then, nevertheless, I questioned with all the vigor and sincerity of my youth. Suddenly, I realized the ceiling had vanished and in place of the ceiling there was a hand and arm, bare to about the elbow, reaching down toward me. Somehow I knew it was Jesus and without hesitation or fear, I reached up to place my hand in his. As I did so, I was instantly aware of a voice that assured me I was to spend my life in serving him. In the latter years of my life I was to again place my hand in his and go forth serving him as he would direct me. He revealed that I would go forth under his direction and, with my free hand, would touch and heal those he pointed out to me to give such ministry.

As soon as this experience passed from view, I desired to share it with my parents. The results weren’t so good. Somehow they related the experience to a vivid imagination, stimulated by the installation of the new telephone. Therefore, I quickly learned not to confide such precious experiences too quickly or indiscriminately. They effectively shut me up. However, the experience was real and had a lasting, profound effect upon my life. Never again could anyone draw me into any form of unbelief concerning God or mans’ ability to communicate with him.

From Grace To Grace [Back to Top]

To everyone who earnestly seeks to understand God and to have a full effective relationship with him, there comes a lifetime of searching and finding. Jesus had to grow from grace to grace and so must we. Not one of us is able to equal or even nearly approach the ability of Jesus to grow in grace. Yet, as we seek him, God keeps his promise and rewards us abundantly. His love for us transcends all barriers and he blesses us out of pure love through Jesus Christ our Lord.

My life, too, was filled with searching. Sometimes I received marvelous answers in beautiful experiences with God. Other times I failed, and the discouragement slowed me down. Yet, praise be to God! With each experience I received greater understanding of God and his purposes in us. I had many experiences that enlightened, revealed, awed, transformed, humbled and yet filled me with joy and great desire to know more and more about this marvelous, loving God. By his own promise, he stands ready to reveal himself to all who will diligently seek.

A book could be written on these growing experiences alone. They are necessary in the lives of all who seek to know and serve him. To eventually know him is not because of our efforts, but purely a revelatory gift of God. He defines the terms of obedience and diligence for our seeking. He also determines the time, amount and extent of the revelation given. If we continue to respond and obey him, he continues to minister until we know him. He says this is life eternal.

Why is There a Holy Ghost? [Back to Top]

December 1981

The Scriptures from both continents speak of men who have said, “And my father taught me in all the ways of God.” Their lives demonstrated they had been well taught. They understood not only the organizational patterns of his church but all the ways of God concerning his Spirit and power, how to approach him and begin to know him. Because he loves us, God has promised that everyone who comes into the world shall have his Spirit to be with them, to teach them of the covenant. Those who accept Christ and enter the covenant shall receive a special gift, the Holy Ghost. It has many functions: a comforter, a teacher, a revealer, a power. It shall speak of all truth. By obedience and the Holy Ghost, all things are possible under the direction of God, the Father.

God promises that everyone who comes into the world is also to receive another gift as he wills. From the presence of God, there flows out a Spirit and power that fills the immensity of space. This Spirit is in all things and through all things, and is the power by which all things live and move and exist. This Spirit gives life and light and order to all things. It is the power by which the sun, moon and stars exist and give forth their light to sustain the lives of men. This same Spirit also enlightens the minds of men. When we respond to this Spirit of enlightenment, we are drawn to God. In the process, we also receive light and truth in matters pertaining to our lives and all that is around us. Intelligence, then, comes to us as a gift from God. To those who are obedient to God and hearken to his voice, he promises to eventually reveal all things. The revelation given is in proportion to the strength of our response to his Spirit. Therefore, some are very wise while others have less wisdom because they neither obey him nor listen to him.

There is opportunity in our lives to use and exercise the gifts of God as we please within bounds set by God. We can gain knowledge and understanding and use it for good or evil. It is God’s promise that if we use our gifts for evil, they will turn to our condemnation.  If we escape the consequences in this life, we shall not escape condemnation in the next life.

We are born into a condition where God set everything in order. Yet it is an environment where we can choose to grow and develop in righteousness or adopt the ways of evil and its expression. As far as we know, this is the only earth in the creation of God where wickedness and good are allowed to exist side by side. In this situation, we can learn to distinguish good from evil and see the full effects of each on the lives of men. We can choose, by our own volition, the pattern our life shall follow. Therefore, in this environment, we can misuse the things of God and appear to get away with it. God allows us this opportunity within the realms of time. When time no longer exists and eternity holds sway, this dual condition no longer holds true. We then serve whomever we have listened to: God or Satan.

Satan was cast out of heaven and placed in this environment with us. He knows the laws and workings of God well and can use them to suit his own evil purposes right here in our midst. If we listen to satanic powers and choose evil, we too are misusing the gifts of God for our foolish whims and so-called gain. In doing so, we call down upon our souls the punishment of a just God. The limits of power we exercise under Satan appear to be almost boundless, yet they are limited by God himself. The scope of these limitations is probably not known to man. Satan knows the powers and limits assigned to him and those who follow his voice. However, man is continually growing in his understanding and use of the powers of wickedness. By listening to Satan, wicked men are able to search for greater expressions of power to suit their own personal desires. God warns that their powers shall become so great as to perform miracles and great wonders. It has been written that, ultimately, they shall even call down fire from heaven in the sight of men to deceive and cause them to bow down and worship that which is evil.

In the presence of such powers that constantly surround us and whisper within our souls to “follow me,” we choose whom we obey, God or Satan. God provides many things for our benefit that can help us respond to him. Included in the list is the fullness of the gospel of Christ, the ministering of angels, his own voice out of heaven, dreams, visions and gifts of the Spirit. In addition, there is the gift of his Spirit that can speak into our hearts and minds. It brings a full revelation by the power of the Holy Ghost, testifying of God, Christ and all truth. Satan can also speak into our hearts and minds by way of a multitude of evil spirits. He will also use the voice of any who will serve him and promote his will among men through words and deceiving power.

We then have an enormous challenge and responsibility to determine within our souls the voice to which we will listen and seek with all diligence to understand: God or Satan. By obedience to God and Christ, we receive marvelous promises of understanding and truth. These blessings are delivered by his Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to teach us all knowledge of righteousness and truth as well as grant us all power expedient for our good. By disobedience, we are instantly left to the powers of evil, which may fill us with wonder, awe and even the assurances of power and glory for ourselves.

We then come to the problem of knowing for certain whom we serve. If we choose to serve God, what is his Spirit?  How do we know and understand it? How do we receive it fully into our souls for our deliverance, salvation and our blessing?  How do we receive it for the enlightenment of our mind and the working of Godly power for the blessing of all those about us? We know that by full obedience to God, we are promised the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by those in authority before him. This Holy Ghost speaks into our hearts and minds, ministering comfort to us with power and much  assurance that we may be able to perform much righteousness. However, Satan also has power to speak in much the same way and even to appear as an angel of light!  How, then, do we determine with certainty to which spirit we are listening?

God tells us he is eternal; the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. He speaks to us today by the Holy Ghost the same as he did to Adam and all holy men since then to our day. His voice, his Spirit, does not change. If one man identifies the Spirit of God and describes it, then it ought to be the same in all ages to all men. The Scriptures verify this to be true; always the same, nothing wavering.

The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, speak of this Spirit. However, a more concise and easily understood description of the Holy Ghost, its functions and the manner in which we detect its presence, is given in modern day revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants. In this book is given a plain and concise listing of the signs that serve as evidence by which we may identify his Spirit. The list of primary identifying elements includes:

1. Fills our souls with joy.
2. Enlightens our minds.
3. Burns within our bosoms.
4. Gives assurance or causes us to know the truth.

Other effects of the Holy Ghost may serve as evidences of its presence but are considered “fruits” of its presence. When the Holy Ghost rests upon us in power, we may have other manifestations of its presence. Some may cry and become unable to speak while others may be made beautifully free in their speech, thought and actions. Some may become weak, unable to stand, or even faint. At the same time others may be made exceptionally strong and stable. Many things may happen due to the emotional impact upon us. Even the more familiar spiritual gifts are given as God wills. They include faith, knowledge, wisdom, tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, healings and miracles. However, all Godly spiritual manifestations, except one, can be easily duplicated by Satan. The one exception is the combination of the four basic manifestations of the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost!  They are God’s mechanism and his alone by which he assures us of truth. Satan cannot fully counterfeit the testimony of the Holy Ghost. Again, the four elements are joy of soul, enlightenment of the mind, a burning within the bosom, and an assurance or feeling that the experience is true. These four together serve as evidence of his voice, power and Spirit in our lives. Any one element alone or any combination less than the four elements should cause us concern and cause us to give further prayerful consideration before we accept the experience as authoritative from God.

The Spirit of God is given to every soul that comes into the world. It is manifested primarily by joy within the soul and enlightenment of the mind. Obedience to God includes being baptized in water by those having authority from God. Following the water baptism, there is also a baptism by the Holy Ghost, again by the laying on of hands by ones having authority. Scriptures describe this baptism as being baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost. With obedience, the person baptized can expect the full testimony of God as represented by the four manifestations of the Holy Ghost. He or she may begin to expect not only joy within the soul and enlightenment of mind, but also the burning within the bosom and a feeling or a sure confidence of all truth. This full witness is given of God to bring the obedient into his very presence through the grace and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of the grace, mercy and love of our Heavenly Father, there are some who have the Holy Ghost to minister to them even before the covenant is made and this precious gift is bestowed. This occurs, as in Acts 10, only in response to very earnest seeking and as an isolated experience and cannot be expected to remain. After one is obedient and is baptized, then the Holy Ghost is received as an abiding comforter, a permanent gift, if we allow it to remain. If we ignore it by continuing in our old ways, it remains only as a little seed. If, at any subsequent time, we make a renewed effort to respond to God with obedience and prayer, it will begin to grow and manifest itself again. If we make no such effort, it will make itself evident only on occasion, which we then call a “mountain top experience.”  After having this kind of testimony, we too frequently fall back into our valley of complacence. Then the manifestation of the Holy Ghost returns to being a little seed within us. It will again wait for us to seek it out in study, prayer and searching. We must look within and, as God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” We must search and listen for the still small voice. It requires time and practice to identify and learn about it. Desire and diligence nourishes it to grow in beauty and holiness within us. In this way, we learn to have communion with our Heavenly Father by the gift of the Holy Ghost. This Spirit manifests all truth and speaks of all things pertaining to the Father and Son.

Jesus commands us to draw near unto him and he will draw near unto us. We are commanded to pray that we may have his Spirit to be with us at all times. We must seek, knock, ask and it shall be opened unto us. We must believe his word when he says he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. As we ask for his Spirit, it is granted so that we may live, move and have our being in him, doing always that which is pleasing to him as it is made known to us by the Holy Ghost. We may also, then, give thanks while in the Spirit for all that is received. As we grow in grace and in Spirit before God, we have the promise that the time shall come when we can ask whatsoever we will and it will be granted unto us. We are also told, “Know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask.” It should be with joy and anticipation that we draw near to God, learn of him, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and learn to hear his voice, for it is Spirit. We must understand well the identifying marks of the Holy Ghost, so that we can say with certainty, “I know he is with me,” confident that we are not deceived by any other spirit or wind of doctrine. God promises we can be so near to him that we may have his Spirit to teach us his will and that we may then receive anything we ask that is according to his will!  Why, then, should we not be an obedient, seeking people?   What excuse can we offer for not being a people who will learn of God and his ways so clearly and fully that we can rule out the deceiving powers. These evil powers  only seek to imitate our God and to destroy all righteousness. Beyond all question, the powers of deceit and all their marvelous counterfeit manifestations are being searched out and learned by men all over the world. They study, seek, learn, teach and master this opposing power. In order to confront this evil with a greater divine force, righteous servants must seek their Heavenly Father more diligently. They must join together in study, in seeking, in learning and teaching one another the ways of God and the identification of his Holy Spirit. He tells us that only in this way may we take his Spirit for our guide. By being so tuned to hear all God communicates, with the full assurance we shall not be deceived, his servants work the works of righteousness to the Glory of God and the blessing of all men.

Until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our main teacher and revealer is the Holy Ghost. This Spirit, the voice of God, speaks of those things which come from the Father. It bears record of all truth by manifesting the four elements of the Spirit. We should seek to know this Spirit very well and make it functional so that we become one with not only God and Christ, but with all others who seek to be one with them. Since the Holy Ghost is so important, we should look for its identifiable manifestations within our lives. By making it readily discernible and understood, we can walk and talk with our God and be his Saints and servants for the world’s sake. However, before his people can become a firm and endowed extension of the arm of God, the Holy Ghost must become a constant and identifiable Spirit abiding with them always. Only in this way can all the marvelous promises of God find fulfillment in our lives. If we are in his Spirit, we can ask for and receive anything expedient. Through diligent preparation and by this Spirit, we may have anything necessary for the moment. We can speak or prophesy of all things expedient for our good. We can receive light and truth from God until the light grows brighter and brighter unto beautiful perfection. Mysteries of the Kingdom of God can be revealed to us, even those that can be understood only when we are filled with the Holy Ghost. By this means, we can obtain the condition promised by Jesus when he said, “I no longer call you servants, but friends, for a servant knoweth not what his Master doeth.” This type of close communion with God and Christ is what it means to stop walking in darkness and, instead, walk in the light of God with knowledge and assurance.

This understanding of the Holy Ghost is the means by which we come to know God. We begin by learning how to identify and interact with the Holy Ghost in our daily lives. Our Heavenly Father can then speak to us by the still small voice of his Spirit and confirm it by the Holy Ghost. Then again, he may reveal light and truth or give us direction in any manner he chooses. The form of spiritual gift used is apart from the fact that he bears witness of the truth of the experience by the power of the Holy Ghost affirming that it is his word and will. In this way, he reveals to us and confirms from heaven, the light and truth that is expedient for us. He can also, then, reveal to us by the Holy Ghost that part of an experience which is truth and that which is not truth. Partial light and truth is often used by the evil powers to deceive. Thus, by the Holy Ghost, God can affirm what is truth and empower us to do those things which are his will to bless, heal and save all men.

We are told that we must have faith and that without faith we cannot please God. Through scripture, we understand that faith is assurance. Where our assurance comes from, then, determines largely our faith. Assurance can come from many sources. We may receive assurance from our parents, teachers, books we study, our friends, the church, our own thoughts and from Satan or any evil spirit. Many spirits of the adversary are  abroad in the land and can speak into our souls to deceive, yet attempt to assure us. However, the best assurance comes directly from the voice of God, the Holy Ghost. If we take his Spirit to be our guide as he asks us to do, learn it well and, by obedience, have his Spirit to be with us always, it will continually bear witness of truth. It will also give us the full assurance of righteousness. God has said there can be no greater assurance than this. When our response is directed by this divine assurance, our faith is pleasing to him. Both we, as well as those around us who believe, are blessed in righteousness. We are told that by faith many marvelous things can be done. Our faith must begin in small things and grow toward perfection in Christ until it becomes knowledge. The sooner we seek God and rely upon his word and the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, the sooner we receive knowledge, light and truth in a more perfect fullness.

We can choose from where our assurance comes. The written word of God is marvelous assurance to us. Testimonies, dreams and visions are also marvelous, but the most wonderful is the voice of God, his Spirit, for it bears witness of all truth. It will even bear record to us about some event in life at the very moment we are involved in the experience. This goes above and beyond all other assurances. God says that nothing greater will be given. This is the ultimate assurance, that which cometh from above.

An excellent example of faith by assurance is when Jesus walked on water toward his disciples while they were having difficulty in the storm-tossed boat. When Jesus identified himself, Peter asked the Lord to bid him come to him. Jesus responded by bidding Peter to come. On this divine assurance, Peter walked on the water, until he let his logical thinking bring fear into his heart. Then he began to sink. If he had kept his eye single to God and the assurance given by Jesus, the results would have been different. Jesus said, “Ye of little faith.” We must learn to trust in the divine. With diligent prayer, we can begin to really know our God and Christ, and learn to understand and identify positively the Holy Ghost which is our assurance. Then we must learn to listen to the assurance given to us and to put our trust in it just as Peter trusted Jesus’ assurance. Normally neither the elements will be stilled for us, nor the doubts of others about us. Yet in the midst of all this, we must turn from our traditional ways, learn to hear God and put full trust in him. As we do so, faith increases. Then our works become the works of God to his glory; the blessing of those about us as well as ourselves.

Our greatest example is Jesus Christ. He states emphatically that he did only that which his Father commanded him. He knew the will of God and did it in the face of all surrounding opposition and doubt. He tells us we can do the things which he did and even greater. However, we must first have communion with God and receive from him the assurance of what we should do. Then as we act upon this divine assurance, the results shall be as with Jesus. In scripture, Jesus states very emphatically that even if we have no more faith than that of a grain of mustard seed, we can move mountains and trees. He assures us that if we believe, we can pray for our desires and receive them. In latter day Scripture, he tells us we can ask and receive, but if we ask for that which is not expedient, it shall turn to our condemnation. Therefore, we must be sure we are asking according to the will of God, even as Jesus did. We must have the Holy Ghost with us, be familiar with it and, therefore, conversant with our God. This requires obedience, purification of our lives, and diligent searching for the things of God. Then come the rewards of enlightenment. We begin to receive our desires from him. Because our desires are based on God’s will, we begin to know him.

Jesus tries to warn us by telling us that, by faith, many things can be done. He says, “Whosoever has faith” and “Many shall come before me saying”. Yet he also warns us that not all who say, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter in. To some he shall say, “Ye never knew me,” or “I never knew you.” Therefore, where we place our trust and from what source we receive our assurance, make a difference of life or death. We are told that we have power within us to do much good. Many books have been written on the power of positive thinking; the powers within man, etc. Just how far man can go by having faith himself or by listening to “familiar” spirits is hard to say. However, it appears certain many shall go so far as to believe they are serving God; yet they shall not be. If we are familiar with God and the Holy Ghost, we shall know by divine assurance that we are with him and he with us. The Spirit also carries the promise and assurance of eternal life. With the assurance of eternal life and the faith that comes as a result, Jesus tells us all things are possible with God. Our potential growth becomes unlimited. We can eventually come into the presence of the Eternal Father, through the ministry and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until Christ comes, we are blessed and ministered to by the Holy Ghost, sent from the presence of God. We have this gift as obedient children. How vital it is that we seek for it and learn of it. We are told what to look for. We are given a divine description of this gift. We probably all experience a great outpouring of it on occasion and call it a mountain top experience. We can and must learn to so live that we are able to identify this Spirit in our daily lives, even at times when it is not in such power and force upon us. It must become an abiding experience, not an occasional one. When we seek diligently in our souls, then, according to the promise of God, we are rewarded. This Spirit becomes discernible, ever present with us and grows within us in assurance and daily power until we can say assuredly, “I know he is with me.” It begins as a little seed within our heart so small that we must pray and seek earnestly for assurance that it is even there. Once identified and nourished with obedience and prayer, it continues to grow and grow until it becomes very easily discernible. In this way, we can commune with our God both day and night. Then the great promises of latter day Scripture can come to pass. In Zion, everyone shall speak in the name of the Lord asking what they will and they shall receive. This truly testifies of communion and oneness with God. They will be obedient and know the Holy Ghost. We must come into such a condition because we are the children of the covenant. When we are obedient unto God, we receive the Holy Ghost. Now we must learn of it and make it useful in our lives to our salvation according to the will and grace of God.

As we become obedient before God in all things, including the laws of the land, we find the Holy Ghost beginning to make itself more pronounced in our lives. We feel greater joy entering our soul. Enlightenment of our minds becomes more evident. The seed swelling in our chest increases until we can readily recognize it as a burning within the bosom. And finally, assurance comes as an ever abiding experience. If we maintain our diligence through seeking, study, prayer and fasting, these four elements will continue to increase upon us. Eventually they reach a level, apparently set of God, that makes them easily discernible to us throughout all our activities. Then, to our joy, they become an abiding day and night experience with us. Through this gift, we find that we can begin to have real communion with our Heavenly Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, until it becomes so much a part of us that we truly walk and talk with God.

As we begin to learn to use the Holy Ghost to commune with God, probably the easiest way to start is to ask for a simple “yes” or “no” answer. If we ask of God for confirmation of anything we believe to be true, he will manifest the truth of it by the Holy Ghost. His Spirit burns within our bosom, and we feel, or know, it is right. Since we already have a burning in our heart, a “yes” answer is affirmed by an increase in the burning. If the answer is “no” or lack of confirmation, the Spirit ceases to burn within our bosom, and we are caused to forget the thing we asked about. Then the Spirit returns to the normal level we have become accustomed to as an abiding Comforter. By this same manner, he reveals the truth of all things we ask of him. When we grow to the point of receiving, he requires us to seek and study a question out in our heart and mind. This becomes more difficult, yet we learn to examine each thought, always seeking his Spirit for confirmation as we progress. If his Spirit continues to burn within us and we feel assurance, or even if it increases, we know we are right before God. If we watch closely enough, which we must learn to do, we can soon learn when his Spirit indicates we are wrong. It will begin to withdraw. Then we pray and study further until enlightenment and assurance come, then we go on. It makes no difference how the enlightenment comes: by our thoughts, by inspiration, by dreams, visions, the written word or the testimony of others. When truth is given to us in any manner or from any source, his Spirit bears witness!  With an expanded foundation of greater truth, we can continue our study under God until we reach the conclusion of our searching. Then, as a final testimony, we may ask of God and his Spirit will burn within to assure us of the truth of the entire matter. Then it becomes the word of God to us.

There may come a time when we become content to remain on a certain level. If this happens, we begin to lose our gifts. We must continue to grow before God to maintain this marvelous gift. Usually God will require that we ask him what is necessary in our lives in order for us to begin again to grow. Most generally, he will reveal a need to cleanse our lives more perfectly. He may require obedience in something we are lax in. It may be something as simple as being obedient to a 25 m.p.h. speed limit when we are in such a zone. If we then fail to be obedient and grow even this much, we lose our gift until we repent and ask forgiveness. As we labor in prayer, fasting, study and obedience, we continue to receive faith, power and the beauty of holiness before God and man. Light and truth become a continuous growth experience with our souls, until we realize that we have begun to think, act and speak more perfectly day by day as God has called us to do. Soon we realize a great truth, that we are friends unto Jesus!  We no longer walk in darkness, but all that is expedient for us is given for our good and joy and salvation.

Another characteristic of the Holy Ghost we will learn is that it ministers to the entire soul of man, both the spirit and the body. As we receive more and more from God, we can truly expect the mysteries of the Kingdom to be revealed if we ask. These experiences will often be given in spirit so that what we receive we “see” with the spiritual eye. As the Holy Spirit moves to give us enlightenment and understanding, we find that the effects are also felt and experienced in our bodies. Because this ministry affects our whole soul, not only does the light and truth touch our spiritual eye, but our body is also cleansed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Moses’ experience is typical for all of us. He was caught up and saw God with the spiritual eye, for he says he could not see God with the physical eye and live. After revealing many things to Moses, God informed him that was all he could show him if he were to remain in the flesh. The Father explained that no man can behold all the Glory of God and afterward remain in the flesh on the earth. The work of the Holy Ghost is to reveal and to bring us into the presence of God. We can be transfigured and see with the spiritual eye and, at the same time, our body is ministered to. The Spirit prepares our body for entry into the presence of God, which necessitates a change from mortal to immortal. That means death to us, whether it be in the twinkling of an eye or by burial and resurrection. Therefore, after such marvelous experiences, we find our body is affected after the manner of Moses. It took him several hours before he again received the natural strength of man. Most of us do not go that far in experience, but some of us do find our body is weakened for quite some time afterward. We can trust God to set the limits of our experience, so that after receiving ministry, we can perform necessary tasks at the time required. He always ends an experience in time for us to regain sufficient strength to perform necessary tasks when they need to be done.

As we search for understanding about the function and movement of the Holy Ghost upon us, we find God to be a marvelously loving Father. He is very concerned about our desire to know him and to find him. Especially in the beginning of our search, we find ourselves very doubtful and uncertain. We may even question the source of the spirit we receive and the identifying marks. We quickly learn that God loves us so much, we can ask for his Spirit over and over again. He patiently understands our need for repeated confirmations from him of any light and truth we receive until we gain faith and trust. He promises that his Spirit will not always strive with man. Yet he is so marvelously loving, patient, and kind to those who earnestly seek him, that we have little to fear from him. We can safely ask over and over again until we learn to trust and grow in understanding and the ability to receive. This is what God wants us to do and he loves us in our searching. To aid our understanding of how his Spirit works, we can ask for his help. He encourages us to experiment and make determinations for ourselves about many things that come into our hearts and minds. We can even make requests of him during an experience of power and glory under the Holy Ghost. For instance, we can ask God for understanding about what happens to us both spiritually and physically under the effects of his Spirit. God is so patient and loving, he will let us watch the Spirit grow within us until the effects are felt throughout our body. We find that the joy of our soul increases, light comes and the burning, cleansing power expands from the bosom to include all our flesh. It continues to increase until it penetrates the bones and their joints. Finally, the effect of the Spirit upon our body begins to distract from the enlightenment being given our spiritual eyes. Then, when we are transfigured before God, we see the full experience without the distraction of the physical. We can then appreciate the reason why we must be transfigured. In the natural body we cannot comprehend. In Spirit, we can see clearly, yet our bodies continue to receive ministry also. When the experience is over and we are again left to ourselves with the usual degree of his Spirit, we find our souls blessed. We discover we have received light and truth to our understandings, joy to our souls and a cleansed purified, yet weakened, body. We feel holy all over. Our strength of body rapidly returns and, with joy, we bear witness of such a loving God. He is very willing and anxious to teach and draw us unto him, if we only ask, seek, knock, study, fast and pray, and be as obedient to him as we know how. We find that our continued growth soon depends not only on our obedience to the laws and commandments, but even upon our obedience to his voice to us by the Holy Ghost. If he requires something of us by his Spirit, we must obey or find his Spirit withdrawing from us.

At what level the Holy Ghost will reside with us is difficult to describe. We have joy within our souls that is not common among men. We have our minds enlightened as need arises or as we feel to seek for it. We have assurance of truth and receive comfort in that assurance all the time. The burning within the heart or bosom is continuous. It remains centered in the bosom and increases until it spreads out to all the flesh, generally from the waist up, as a daily abiding effect. This includes the arms and hands. As ministers, we find the burning is detectable as a flowing power from us into those to whom we give ministry. It may be the blessing of a baby, a confirmation, a healing or an ordination. The Spirit flows from us to the one receiving the ministry. Sometimes we feel the Spirit flow in very small amounts, while at other times it may be very pronounced. Jesus spoke of feeling virtue flow from him as the woman touched the hem of his garment. This experience becomes familiar to those of us who have the Holy Ghost within us: recognizable and functional. We have been taught as ministers that we shall officiate according to the Spirit within us. It is very assuring to us, as well as all concerned, when we have the Spirit, know it, feel it and can impart it to others in a loving, blessing ministry. This burning quality of the Holy Ghost causes us to have much assurance for we know he is with us. It causes us to feel clean and whole. Until our body becomes accustomed to this new sensation, it is slightly uncomfortable because it is a distinct burning. However, we take joy in knowing we are mortal and yet we are privileged to have God with us always. We may become so busy in our daily lives and occupations that we forget the feelings of joy. However, at any moment day or night, we can be assured of his presence with us by the continual burning. When we know we can identify it at any moment, the full impact and joy of the Holy Spirit is instantly brought to our full attention and we rejoice before God.

We also find that the Holy Ghost, as it abides with us, assists and directs our use of the gifts and talents God has given us. It is not limited to this, but does work more easily and efficiently with us in our particular gifts. Thus, we always need the gifts of others to become one in Christ and to show the world the full nature of our God.

There is one other lesson most of us need to learn that will assist us in our growth, in our reception and understanding of the Holy Ghost. Jesus tells us we are to fast and pray often. He fasted forty days once. Many holy men of old also made great efforts in fasting. Since then, fasting has become less burdensome. In latter day Scripture, we are told to prepare our meals with singleness of heart, that our fasting may be perfect or, in other words, that our joy may be full. This is fasting and prayer or, in other words, rejoicing and prayer. Fasting, as we understand it, is to abstain from food, for the purifying of our souls. In conjunction, we should expend every effort to repent and be clean before our God. When we are rewarded for our efforts by receiving the Holy Ghost and blessings from above, the purpose of fasting is accomplished. Then we should continue in rejoicing and prayer because, to God, this is fasting and prayer, even rejoicing and prayer. Our goal of communion with God is achieved. We should then cease to afflict ourselves and begin to rejoice.

It would be marvelous if we each could order our lives to do as Jesus did; go out alone to search intently for God with whatever it takes to find him. Most of us find our efforts involve several efforts of shorter duration. This lengthens our need for fasting, purifying and perfecting our lives for the reception of the Holy Ghost.

After we attain some success, we find our souls occasionally slipping back. We find it necessary to fast again from food in an effort to become clean to receive. Also, we may find, at times, that it is necessary to grow more in power and understanding before God. Again we fast from food, until we receive. Then we rejoice and pray. Whether we fast from food or not depends, then, on what we are experiencing. If we are receiving from God and are rejoicing in the experience, we gladly refrain from eating or any other activity that would distract from such marvelous communion. However, when we are in touch with God and are rejoicing before him, we find that to abstain from food for too long a time causes the body misery, which, in turn, distracts from the beauty of the experience. Therefore, we should tell our loving God of our need. We may then prepare our meals with singleness of heart and eat them with temperance. Then we can return to our God refreshed and, in joy, find him waiting for us to continue in our rejoicing. Oh, the beauty and love of our Heavenly Father is marvelous to behold!  He loves us so much, he promises us life and that more abundantly through his Son, Jesus Christ. He requires sacrifice and affliction in our search to obtain, but when we prove ourselves before him, he rewards us with joy, peace and much assurance. This gives us freedom in him that does away with affliction and fills us with an abundant joyful life in him.

We must learn that he is a loving Heavenly Father. In our search for him, he wants us to ask, seek, knock, search and study. We must understand and be assured that to ask is pleasing to him. Walk and talk with God; he wants to share everything with us if, as a little child, we will only trust him, ask, seek, and receive from him. Everyone who comes to God partakes of the covenant and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. They then have this marvelous potential to come into the presence of God and to rejoice in communion with him. We are all made free and partakers of the Heavenly Gift.

Jesus tells us faith is required of us and that the fullness of the gospel includes many things we could consider props, which help us to increase our faith. We are stimulated by worship services and ordinances that symbolize before us spiritual implications for our lives. Such things as baptism or the physical burial of the old self, the laying on of hands for several purposes, the Communion Service with the emblems, are all ordered to help us see and comprehend our physical needs as well as the relationship to spiritual blessings given. As we grow in grace and holiness before our God, we are made free and we no longer need such props in order to develop our faith. Instead, we find ourselves in communion with him and rejoicing in a richer, more perfect experience. For healing, we know Jesus gave us consecrated oil as a symbol of his outpouring Spirit to bless us. It is a prop intended to increase our faith. We see and feel, then we compare and understand and, finally,  accept, rejoice and are blessed. However, there are some who still miss the point and put their trust, not in God or the ordinance or the priesthood, but in the oil. Their faith in the oil alone still brings them blessings!  They use consecrated oil for everything and seem marvelously blessed. They only need the priesthood to bless the oil. Jesus says without the priesthood and the ordinances thereof we cannot see God and live. By full obedience, we are not only healed, but our sins are also forgiven. If our faith is so misdirected as to trust in the oil, it apparently becomes a sufficient prop for our faith. Blessings are received in that people are healed, but there is no promise of the forgiveness of sin. Faith makes their bodies well. Only if our faith is centered in God, his will and ways are we made well and whole both in body and spirit. If priesthood are not available and we rely only on our faith and whatever props it takes, we may be made well, but we are not blessed.

We may have faith to do many marvelous things, but we are warned that except we have charity, the perfect love of God, we are as nothing. Again, the source of our assurance makes all the difference. If it is the oil that assures us, we may have faith, but where will it take us?  If we rely on God through the Holy Ghost and our faith is in his word as confirmed by the Holy Ghost, then our blessing is full and complete. God shall then confer joy and full salvation for our souls. We hope that some day everyone shall completely trust in God and be in close communion with him. Then all the props and even all the gifts shall be done away in our perfect freedom of trust and obedience to his voice, his word to us in personal communion. The priesthood are to be leaders and servants, ordained of God, for the perfection of the Saints. When the priesthood accomplish their task, both priesthood and members will be partakers in the freedom of God, together in joy.

Many holy men of old testified with gratitude that their fathers taught them in all the ways of God. Their ministry was of such nature as to affirm they were truly the servants of God. The people were so stimulated by their power and authority that they responded by establishing Zion and God was able to walk and talk with them. During other periods of scriptural history, people flocked to endowed ministers for healing. Some even healed by sending blessed objects to those in need. Some carried such power in their ministry that even having their shadow pass over someone was sufficient for healing. We are told that holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Because of obedience and the outpouring of that Holy Ghost, people saw eye to eye and became as Jesus commands us, one with God and Christ.

We still have the calling today to establish Zion even in the face of such wide spread division. How greatly we need the Holy Ghost to make us one so we can all see eye to eye!  This is our heritage and our commission. Zion is what God asks us to be about. We need to be taught as they were of old. Then we could grow in grace, power and understanding even as did they. Paul was taught by the best teachers of his time. Yet, when confronted by Christ, he spent years reorienting his thinking  to comprehend the ways of God rather than the traditions of men. Then he commenced a ministry that developed into a marvelous manifestation of power and oneness with God by the Holy Ghost. Schools were established to help those who sought earnestly the ways of God.

We, too, have the Holy Ghost. However, if we don’t know we have it, or how to identify it, or be obedient to it, of what good is it?  We perpetually wait for mountain top experiences or for the future endowment. We walk with the potential light and power of the gospel within us by the Holy Ghost and know it not. God is no respecter of persons. He will manifest himself by the Holy Ghost to any who will come seeking diligently for him. We are not taught about the four characteristics by which we can identify the Holy Ghost. We are not even taught to look for it in our daily experiences. The only exception might possibly be that, as we look back on our lives, we are able to say surely he must have been with us, because of that which has happened to bring us to where we are now. We have the right to expect to be taught and to have the opportunity to understand. In this way we can be blessed by the Holy Ghost as much as anyone in any age who has sought for God. Men of old recognized this and taught very effectively. We must also do that today. The Holy Ghost is given to many. Those of us who know and understand it, must teach others and help them to make this marvelous gift of God effective in their lives too. If we will learn of him, we can become of one heart, receive his choicest blessings, fulfill his will in all things and assist in bringing many unto God. All this because we choose to do so, not by force or coercion. We move to persuade in brotherly love and tenderness under God to his glory. Only in this way can his will and his righteousness be manifest in the eyes of all men.

The nature of God is love. Out of this love he grants to every person born into this world a portion of his Spirit. This guiding Spirit will teach right from wrong and lead that person to God, if he or she will only listen. He also tells us to see his hand in all things. He draws all mankind unto him. He seeks, by the Spirit given to each one, to lead, to teach and to draw men to him. In latter day Scripture we read that some men who came to the church had been blessed of him in their early lives. His Spirit had been with them as he promised to be with everyone. When they responded to the covenant and the fullness of the gospel, they received the greater reward. This included a greater measure of the power and gift of the Holy Ghost. Not all responded; some turned away. To those who turned away, God said he would do with them as he would. He still loved them and no doubt kept ministering to them. He continued to search after them and still tried to bring  them into his presence whenever they repented and responded. Since God does reach out to all men, we should not be quick to condemn. They may also be searching for him and slowly finding him. They may not be as advanced, but may be on the right road. We may recall the occasion when the disciples forbade one who was not of their number to minister. Jesus said to forbid him not. God will judge who is growing, whether they continue to grow, or if they stop and are satisfied with themselves. Unless we judge by the Holy Ghost, we cannot truly determine where others stand with God, for God is constantly working with them. If they speak in the name of the Lord and do mighty works in his name but know him not, they will face him in judgment. Therefore, we must, for their sakes, present the fullness of the gospel of Christ to them that they may have the Holy Ghost. Then, with full assurance and authority, they can speak and work in his name as they are directed by the Holy Ghost.

Satan also seeks to win all people to him and tries to get them to obey him rather than God. Where each man stands in obedience to Christ or to what extent he lets Satan deceive him, only God knows. In any event, God works with all men, even those we consider most uncivilized or primitive. Their response to his Spirit may appear too simple or foolish to us. We may feel that if someone is being led by God, it is unrecognizable under so much Satanic influence. However, we can be certain that God is trying and we must also.

We observe men from the most primitive to those ready to receive the gospel, who demonstrate power in many ways by preaching, teaching, healing, leading and helping their fellow men. Some of the most primitive appear to help others in ways that seem very strange to us, yet the influence of God’s Spirit is there. Satan can take light and truth from us by causing us to be disobedient to God and by teaching us false tradition. He can certainly have this affect on others who are attempting to minister.

The laws and power of God created us and sustain all we see about us. His Spirit is given to help us use the creation around us as it was designed of God to be used. At the same time Satan teaches us to use it his way. We see the ability of men to understand the laws governing the physical. We witness the use of atomic power for good according to God’s will or for evil as Satan suggests. In the realm of the unseen, this same principle holds true as well, to the extent permitted by God. Faith is a basic principle for all men to use. We can learn faith and apply it for good, as God desires, or use it to serve satanic ends. Satan knows how to use the laws of God for selfish, wicked purposes and does just that. He can put into our minds to do the same. If we listen to his voice, which is temptation, and we believe him enough, he becomes our assurance. When we respond on that basis, many marvelous things happen and we are easily deceived. We believe we are great and can even imagine we must be of God. However, we are not of God if we listen to Satan, any of his angels or any other spirit abroad in the land. It is difficult for us to say who is following God or the devil and who is following both to some degree unless we are shown by the power of the Holy Ghost. We are warned that, in the last days, those who serve Satan shall call down fire from heaven to deceive. Also, we know that righteous men shall serve God and do marvelous things as well. Therefore, to see the powers exhibited and judge them accurately will be very difficult. Moses faced a confrontation of spiritual powers and did all he could for God. The opposing forces were able to duplicate divine miracles up to a point and then they failed. However, under God, Moses found it was possible to do all things by the power of God and he continued. Today, Satan has put it into the hearts and minds of men to study, teach and join together in learning how to develop faith to perform works for their own desires. How far can they go?  God knows, but this much is certain. It will be much more difficult for a servant of God to face them today in the same way Moses did. The adversary has taken men a lot farther now. However, they are still limited by God while the servants of God can do all things by the Holy Ghost. How great is our need to know the Holy Ghost and to be sure in our knowledge!  How great is our need to be taught how to identify the Holy Ghost, follow it and thus serve our God in power and in all righteousness and holiness!  Only in this way may his glory be made manifest to all mankind and the powers of wickedness and evil be identified. Those of the world who are responding to God will come unto him. Those who allow Satan to deceive them and seek for self glorification and power will be content with what they have and see no need to come to the fullness of God. Maybe, if we listen to the Holy Ghost and let God use us as he wills, a few of those who are content may be moved to consider the ways of God and repent. God loves them and will seek in every way possible to reach them. However, his hands are tied to some extent if we continue to walk in darkness in the midst of the power and light of God granted to us in this heavenly gift. We have not sought to know or use this great gift as a blessing for ourselves or anyone else.

As children of God, we should be of one heart and one mind. Instead, we find ourselves divided, redivided and subdivided. We are weak, not powerful. We are of poor understanding, not full of the light of God. We have scripture withheld from us because we do not believe that which we have already received. The Holy Ghost is as a seed in us to be developed. May God help us to obey him, to seek him, to teach one another of his ways. May we recognize the Holy Ghost and learn how to become  Saints of God. May we learn how to be a friend to God and Christ. May we walk in the light of God and stand before the world as a true light, shining into darkness to help all men come unto God.

-Robert W. Murdock