Brigham Young
"What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually.“ (Journal of Discourses 9:151)
Brigham Young
"We do not want the people to rely on human testimony, although that cannot be confuted and destroyed; still, there is a more sure word of prophecy that all may gain if they will seek it earnestly before the Lord.” (JD 12:96)
Joseph F. Smith
"I would feel sorry indeed, if I had a friend or an associate in this life who would turn away from the plan of life and salvation because I might stumble or make a failure of my life. I want no man to lean upon me nor to follow me, only so far as I am a consistent follower in the footsteps of the Master.” (Gospel Doctrine, Pg.4, underline added. See also the Juvenile Instructor, 1915, Vol. 50, pp. 738, 739.)
Ezra Taft Benson
"Six of the original Twelve Apostles selected by Joseph Smith were excommunicated. The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon left the Church. Three of Joseph Smith’s counselors fell one even helped plot his death. A natural question that might arise would be that if the Lord knew in advance that these men would fall, as he undoubtedly did, why did he have His prophet call them to such high office? The answer is: to fill the Lord’s purposes. For even the Master followed the will of the Father by selecting Judas.
President George
"Perhaps it is his own design that faults and weaknesses should appear in high places in order that his saints may learn to trust in him and not in any man or men.” (Millennial Star 53:658, 1891) (An Enemy Hath Done This, Pg. 290. See also Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.89)
George Q. Cannon
"Do not, brethren, put your trust in man though he be a Bishop, an apostle or a president; if you do, they will fail you at some time or place; they will do wrong or seem to, and your support will be gone; but if we lean on God, He will NEVER fail us. When men and women depend upon GOD ALONE and trust in HIM ALONE, their faith will not be shaken if the highest in the Church should step aside.” (DW 43:322 [Mar 7, 1891]).
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
WE ARE LED BY FALLIBLE MEN
This is NOT the Catholic church. We are led by mere mortals - but we sustain them as Prophets, Seers and Revelators:
Elder Charles W. Penrose said, "President Wilford Woodruff is a man of wisdom and experience, and we respect and venerate him, but we do not believe his personal views or utterances are revelations from God; and when 'Thus saith the Lord', comes from him, the saints investigate it: they do not shut their eyes and take it down like a pill." (Elder Charles W. Penrose, Millennial Star Vol. 54 #12 p. 191)
ReplyDeleteJoseph Smith
"Search the scriptures--search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation. No; for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them." (TPJS, pp. 11-12)
Brigham Young
"How easy it would be for your leaders to lead you to destruction, unless you actually know the mind and will of the Spirit yourselves. That is your privilege." (Brigham Young, JD 4:368)
Some say that when the prophet speaks the debate is over. I disagree. When the Holy Spirit confirms to your soul that the mind and will of God has been spoken by the prophet of God then the debate is truly over. May we take the Holy Spirit as our guide and know the mind and will of God for each of us personally.
I will always follow the admonition of the presiding President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have total faith He is called of Jesus Christ and will be removed should he fall. Until that moment, he has my total trust and confidence and I sustain him in his calling and pray for him. The Lord will never allow the prophet to lead the Church astray and remain in his current position.
ReplyDeleteAnd YES, I do feel the Holy Ghost testify to me when I hear and see President Monson. I'm not a blind follower, the Lord doesn't expect that of me. But He does expect me to give heed to and obey the mouth of the prophet as if He had spoken personally to me Himself. As long as President Monson is prophet today, this minute, that I will do. The Lord is in control. He knows the future and would surely know what the prophet's intentions are before they occur and He will see to it that we are kept safe as we hearken unto HIS voice. Nuf said.
Amen!
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing out loud at the contradiction from 'anonymous ' writing above me.
ReplyDeleteDid you even read any of what Joseph Smith and others said? Or do their words not matter just because they're dead?
They tell you NOT to put your faith in man even if he is president, and though THE prophet said it (JS, in case you are wondering ), you still confidently and stubbornly state the prophet/president will never lead the church astray. What scripture do you read this from in the Book of Mormon? Are the pages regarding King Noah put in the BoM for no reason, not as a type and shadow?
Or did you rip those pages out?
Thank you Rudolph. Presidents of the church, like everyone else, have a right to their own opinions. President Monson is a prophet of God. That is absolutely true. But he stated publicly that he believed that we went to the moon. I know without doubt that we never went to the moon. President Joseph Fielding Smith testified that we never went to the moon and never would. That we were sent down to this earth to work out salvation. Just because President Monson honestly believes that we did go to the moon does not make him any less of a true prophet. It just means that he has a right to his personal opinion that we did. Joseph Smith The Prophet stated, "A prophet is a prophet ONLY when he acts as such." The New Testament states that scriptures come from holy men of God when they are moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost. We are required to question everything, whether if it is found in the manuals of the church or spoken from any and all pulpits, SLC included. Only by the power of the Holy Ghost can truth be confirmed to each and every soul, period. The wise virgins in the parable were different from the unwise virgins by taking the Holy Ghost as their guide, not anything that man says. Both virgins were faithful, temple worthy, temple attending members of the church. Only by taking the Holy Ghost as their guide kept the wise virgins from being deceived.
ReplyDeleteHey Ken
ReplyDeleteThanks!
By your admission that a prophet is only a prophet when he is acting as such, could you tell when did president Monson ever act like a prophet, seer, revelator or translator?
Lately, this has really started to make me stumped. If all prophets have had specific moments where their acts and saying became scripture, like Joseph Smith or the Biblical or Book of Mormon prophets, then i am wondering why do i keep saying 'i KNOW Thomas S Monson is a prophet '??
Do i simple repeat this vainly, because I've heard others say it? I am starting to really question this. Have i become like a Zoramite?
Every testimony sunday i have said this but i honestly have never seen him or any prophet ever deliver a revelation or new translation or make a prophecy. I have been going through records and in fact cannot find anyone, even president Brigham Young do anything like Joseph!
I am shocked that i have been calling these administrative brethren 'prophets '. I wonder if we'd call Joseph Smith a prophet if we took away the Book of Mormon and the revelations from his legacy. He'd be pretty lame without those pieces of evidence.
Why do we hold him to the standard of previous prophets in the scriptural record but not hold his successors to the same standard.
I'm going to have to rethink my position on the modern day brethren!
You're an apostate in embryo. A troll.
DeleteOne who has allowed the naysayers influenced by Satanic lies to take seed in the soul. An avid reader of Mormon Think exposed. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you and command you to be still!
Brothers and sisters do not listen to this and turn away from it. The CHURCH IS STILL HERE AND ALIVE AND WELL. OBVIOUSLY BEING SUSTAINED BY JESUS CHRIST AND VIA THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD ADMINISTRATED UNDER PROPHETS, SEERS, AND REVELATORS.
We don't know all that's being said and done behind the scenes under the Lord's direction. Missionaries are positioned according to revelation. Temples are placed under revelation. Changes in Church policy like changes in missionary age to serve to HASTEN THE WORK come under revelation. The CHURCH MOVES AS ONE UNDER REVELATION FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO HIS PROPHET.
DUH! Who do you think you're convincing here that the brethren aren't acting as prophets, seers, and revelators Rudolph?
Repent or be swept off. You're in danger of offending the Holy Ghost and kindling the anger of the God of Heaven. You're a wolf in sheep's clothing and will be dealt with by the God of Heaven who's piercing glance can cut you asunder.
In rebuttal to Ken and Rudolph
ReplyDeleteD&C 21:4-5
"Wherefore, meaning the Church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them walking in all holiness before me. FOR HIS WORD YOU SHALL RECEIVE AS IF FROM MINE OWN MOUTH, IN ALL PATIENCE AND FAITH." unquote.
Wilford Woodruff
QUOTE:
The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. (Sixty-first Semiannual General Conference of the Church, Monday, October 6, 1890, Salt Lake City, Utah. Reported in Deseret Evening News, October 11, 1890, p. 2.)
"Keep your eye on the prophet for the Lord will never permit His Prophet to lead the Church astray". (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Reports October 1966)
"Those who listen to and follow the counsel of the living prophets and apostles will not go astray........" (Preach My Gospel 2004, pg. 75)
Nephi 11: 34-36 read what it says about the character of and what happens to those found fighting AGAINST THE APOSTLES OF THE LAMB OF GOD.
D &C 1:38
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
UNQUOTE:
I said I AM NOT A BLIND FOLLOWER. This is why the Holy Ghost, when we are worthy, is our CONSTANT companion.
In defense of President Monson, he's lived a life so close to God that since he was called as an apostle on October 4, 1963 the Lord has had no cause to remove him from his place but has continued to SUSTAIN him in his daily walk and has continued to do so as he is now HIS PROPHET and MOUTHPIECE.
The Lord says to RECIEVE by PATIENCE and FAITH and to GIVE HEED. He DIDN'T say we are REQUIRED TO QUESTION EVERYTHING as you state Ken.
3 Nephi 12:1 Jesus Christ said, "Blessed are ye if ye SHALL GIVE HEED TO unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you and to be your servants." unquote
And as far as the moon landing Ken. What PROOF do you have we never landed on the moon. The world is waiting. Cough it up if you know so much. Bill O'Reilly would love to talk to you. And it would be nice if you could personally set President Monson straight on the Moon Landing issue so the Lord's prophet doesn't come off sounding like a dupe. Because if you know FACTUAL HISTORY ABOUT THE MOON LANDING BEING A LIE then opinion takes wings out the window, does it not? Pitting two prophets against each other? Not cool.
And THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE HARDER....The Lord will NEVER permit HIS PROPHET to lead the CHURCH as a collective ASTRAY. NEVER. NEVER NEVER NEVER. He won't wait for damage to be done and then have to be undone. He's perfect in everything He says and does especially when it comes to leading His sheep. He knows EVERYTHING from the end to the beginning and it will always be so.
You two are on dangerous ground placing doubts in the minds of Saints who follow the admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ to give heed to the words of His Prophet and His Twelve in patience and faith. They speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the Word of the Lord. Confirmation will be automatic if you're in tune with the Holy Ghost.
The Lord knows these men from pre-earth life and He chose them and ordained them as His rulers then and now on earth because He knows their past, present, and future at all times.
The LORD tells us to give heed with faith and patience in the words of His servants as they walk by holiness and faith before Him. As for me and my house, that's EXACTLY what we intend to do because that's EXACTLY what THEY are DOING.