Friday, November 15, 2013

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay




 

Zion and Jerusalem, November 15, 2013


Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not?  or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

(Old Testament | Isaiah 29:16)

Unveiling Grace us the tragic story of how Lynn K. Wilder and her hubby Michael Wilder and their precious  little children found their way out of the Mormon Church.  It is a great and terrible loss for us in the church of Jesus Christ, but a notorious victory to our GOD for his words do not return to him empty or without fulfilling what has come out of his mouth concerning the wicked and unfaithful or those who have not inquired of the LORD and have turned back from him as terribly recorded for our day in the book Joel and in the book of Zephaniah.  


These are in deed ominous days of cloud and thick darkness. As president Monson also prophetically stated in the later general conference time change but the truth persist. Unequivocally, It appears that we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past with the heartache, suffering and anguish.  Many, even some amongst our ranks prefer to yield to Satan’s enticements rather than to stand firm for truth.  What has happened to the above mentioned family is something doomed to be forgotten, nothing but one of many stories.  President Monson said: 

“Haven’t we the wisdom to obey Him who knows the beginning from the end—our Lord, who designed the plan of salvation—rather than that serpent, who despised its beauty?”



We Need Pioneers Today

 





“We forget how the Greeks and Romans prevailed magnificently in a barbaric world and how that triumph ended—how a slackness and softness finally overcame them to their ruin. In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted security and a comfortable life; and they lost all—comfort and security and freedom.

Do not yield to Satan’s enticements; rather, stand firm for truth. The unsatisfied yearnings of the soul will not be met by a never-ending quest for joy amidst the thrills of sensation and vice. Vice never leads to virtue. Hate never promotes love. Cowardice never gives courage. Doubt never inspires faith.

Some find it difficult to withstand the mocking and unsavory remarks of foolish ones who ridicule chastity, honesty, and obedience to God’s commands. But the world has ever belittled adherence to principle. When Noah was instructed to build an ark, the foolish populace looked at the cloudless sky and then scoffed and jeered—until the rain came.

Must we learn such costly lessons over and over again? Times change, but truth persists. When we fail to profit from the experiences of the past, we are doomed to repeat them with all their heartache, suffering, and anguish. Haven’t we the wisdom to obey Him who knows the beginning from the end—our Lord, who designed the plan of salvation—rather than that serpent, who despised its beauty?”


It is interesting to know also that many of our priests, more particularly those who have not inquire of GOD and have turned from the LORD,  did not learn to listen and much less did the listen to learn. They fall time and again in the same snares of the devil or in the grievous mistake that brought the fall of man upon this planet, which is to listen to the counsel of their wives rather than in the counsel of our heavenly father.  Michael Wilder reasoned with his wife and they chose to leave the church for the adulations of the wicked Christian world.  They yielded to temptation and now they enjoy the fleeting happiness of the corruption of the world.  I cannot but resent to have to speak boldly about what has and continues to take place for the sorrow of my soul and that is that this people both inside and outside the gates of the Kingdom of GOD are lead by women and children are their oppressors. Those that lead them make them to err and pervert the course of their paths.  So was with the people in ancient Israel with the people of Ancient America. And so it is with us now.  For this same cause Jerusalem or the church of those days was ruined; and the delightful people or Judah fell into mass apostasy.  The result was destruction by fire and by the sword, by famine, by pestilence and they went into captivity and to dispersion.  



As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.  O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.


(Old Testament | Isaiah 3:12)


For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it.  Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves!

 Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them!  And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.  O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 13:8 - 12)


NOW the LORD has a controversy with his people and he stands up to pleas with them with justice and with equity.  The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of his people and the rulers of the people for they have eaten his vineyard and the spoil of the poor is in their houses.  For the priest and the prophet or those that profess to know GOD and have not know him are our of the way. Therefore, hear the word of the LORD you scornful men that rule this people saying:


For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 28:10 - 13)



To the Secular Rulers of the people the LORD has said:





The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard and the spoil of the poor in your houses.

What mean ye?  Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts.

Moreover, the Lord saith:
Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched–forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet— Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon; The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers; The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the ear–rings; The rings, and nose jewels; The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping–pins; The glasses, and the fine linen, and hoods, and the veils. And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of sackcloth; burning instead of beauty. Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be desolate, and shall sit upon the ground.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 13:13 - 26)

 

Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 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 corner stone, 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 waters 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.

Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
 
Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?  doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 28:14 - 29)



And to the church or the Holy people, even the priest and the prophet, those that are out of the way and who have erred thru wine and strong drink the LORD has said:




And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. The priests said not, Where is the LORD?  and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

(Old Testament | Jeremiah 2:7 - 9)


The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us. And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD!  surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

(Old Testament | Jeremiah 4:7 - 10)

 

WOE to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine!  Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. 

In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 28:1 - 8)


Not many days ago, I dreamed a dream for I was anxious ready and willing to engage in a good work. I was searching for a place to sit down because I was anxious to serve the people but despite how much I tried, I couldn’t serve them because all tables were full of vomit, there was no place clean.  This people think that the LORD our GOD is a far sighted God and not a God of near that he is abstract from our doings.  We erroneously think that he will not punish us when we forsake to earnestly pray to enquire of him or if we turn back from him or apostatize. Many light minded, even within our ranks think that they can turn the hand of the LORD from one place to another so that he does not punish. In fact, people think it matters not to him now whether we be obedient or disobedient. To his laws and commandments. And that if we are disobedient, that he will beat us up with a few stripes and that since he is a longsuffering, loving and merciful GOD that at last we all are going to be saved in his kingdom.   They think that he will not do good or evil. And therefore, many instead of attending to their religious or otherwise duties, are instead seating on their lees, thinking that the LORD will not act in our softness and slackness.  This is why many of our brethren are also deserting us or apostatizing the true church of GOD like in ancient periods of apostasy right before their destruction.   These adulterous sign seeking souls want to know GOD with the carnal mind. Our religion no longer makes sense to them. And it is because they have not enquired of him to receive further testimonies of his work.  Nor do they have a firm testimony of his divinity; or a testimony of the restored gospel; or of the truthfulness of our church and of the prophets up until this day.  Many have grown too intellectual that the precepts of our religion no longer satisfy them.


But in this they are foolishly mistaken, they do not believe in the decreed consummation that awaits the wicked,  for concerning these latter days the LORD has saith:


20120701-192430.jpg
And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him


I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.  I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests. And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD:  the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

(Old Testament | Zephaniah 1:2 - 18)



If you were holy, I would  have written to you this day about holy things, but since you are not holy, it is expedient and my duty to tell you about the consequences of sin. Oh, the greatness and the justice of our GOD. I am here to remind you that he executes all his words as they have gone forth out of his mouth. And you and I know that his law must be fulfilled.  Blessed are the righteous among us, of which I am not one. I speak about those who believe in the holy one of Israel, even Jesus the bishop of our souls, out eternal judge.  Blessed are those who have endured the crosses of the world, who have been despised and rejected. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. Great is their glory and eternal is their reward.  And their joy shall be everlastingly full.  Oh, the greatness of the mercy of our God that delivers his saints from that awful lake of woe and misery which is the devil, death and hell.  Oh, the greatness of our God, for there is nothing that he does not know. And he has come into the world to redeem mankind or to save all men IF they will but hearken unto him thru the merits of his ministry, atonement, death and resurrection.  And for this and other reasons, as the prophets have time and again said, the LORD our GOD commands all men everywhere to repent if it is that they desire to be saved in his kingdom or be damned if they refuse to hearken unto his voice.  These are not my words but the word of the prophet Jacob thru whom the LORD spoke saying





O the greatness and the justice of our God!  For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled. But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.

O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel!  For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

 O how great the holiness of our God!  For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.

And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it. Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!

O that cunning plan of the evil one!  O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men!  When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.  And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

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.

And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish.

Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish also.

Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day.

Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.

Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall die.

Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust down to hell.

Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all devils delighteth in them.

And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.

O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one.  Remember, to be carnally–minded is death, and to be spiritually–minded is life eternal.

O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words.  Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel.  Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker.  I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.

O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One.  Remember that his paths are righteous.  Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.

O, my beloved brethren, remember my words.  Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of my salvation that he view me with his all–searching eye; wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with brightness before him, and am rid of your blood.

O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God who is the rock of your salvation. Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment, that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim: Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty—but I know my guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine; and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful misery.

But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things?  Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure?  Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin? Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.

Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.


Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.  Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night.  Let your hearts rejoice. And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh, but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.

 And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on the morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words.  Amen.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 9:17 - 54)



And my beloved brethren, this is the end of my errand for this day and the LORD willing I will preach to you again tomorrow. I truly do not know from whence I get the inspiration and the strength to write to you this day. Perhaps it comes deep from the love that is in my heart for you and your children. I have suffered much as a result of my own iniquities. I do not want you to suffer as I have suffered and continue to suffer.  I have repented of or from my sins and I have confessed them and forsaken them. This is why I work my salvation with fear and trembling because, like Alam Jr. and his companions, I fear to be cast out forever. And I have but little strength, perhaps enough only not to deny the name of My God which I have taken upon me.  And in his sacred name I declare these things, even in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Attentively yours from un unworthy servant in the hands of Christ,

Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez


1 comment:

  1. An Ex-Mormon Memoir That “Deserves” a Read!


    http://janariess.religionnews.com/2013/09/18/ex-mormon-memoir/


    "If you’ve read a fair number of ex-Mormon narratives (or ex-Catholic, or ex-Hobbit, or ex-anything), you’ll know that they tend to follow a familiar pattern. The memoirist:
    1. Gets sucked into the religion (or delves deeper into it, if she grew up in that tradition)
    2. Enjoys a (usually brief) honeymoon period with it
    3. Becomes disillusioned upon learning truths about the faith that no one had thought to reveal before
    4. Decides to leave
    5. Encounters resistance from others about her leaving, and
    6. Discovers truth, joy, and unicorns outside the evil cult that had robbed her of her best years.

    Although Lynn Wilder’s Unveiling Grace follows the same basic trajectory of other memoirs in its genre, I found it a cut above, and I hope active Mormons will give the book a fair hearing.

    However, it has a lot of obstacles to overcome if it is going to be taken seriously by Latter-day Saints.
    First off, its title will raise the eyebrows of any Mormon who studies history and knows that the world’s first-ever anti-Mormon book, the 1834 muckraker Mormonism Unvailed [sic], bore a similar title, and that that book was full of errors and outright lies.

    - See more at: http://janariess.religionnews.com/2013/09/18/ex-mormon-memoir/#sthash.jKo0DSwJ.dpuf

    ReplyDelete