When to Forgive
“Then came Peter to him, and said” Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? And Jesus saith unto him: I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” -Matthew 18:21-22
How much we should take when others push us? How much should we give when others only take? How much should we hurt and come back when others purposely or even go out of their way to hurt us?
Christ and the Spirit of Ubuntu
The following was originally posted March 17, 2018
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.” -John 17:22
The early Christians were different than what people see Christians as today. They were pacifists, they enjoyed communal living, and their focus was on love. One might say they embodied the spirit of ubuntu.
Taking the Book of Mormon at Its Word
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” -Joel 2:28
We, as Latter Day Saints, claim to be living in the last days. When we look at the life of Joseph Smith Jr., his visions and revelations, it does appear to be the case. Before, during, and after the translation of the Book of Mormon he received numerous dreams, visions, and revelations. And it wasn’t only him. Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith Sr., Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and other also received dreams, visions, and revelations. Truly the Spirit of God was poured out, and Joel’s prophecy was coming true! (See Joel 2:28)
Lo Here, and Lo There
“I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong, and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight: that those professors were all corrupt; He said: They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrines the commandments of men: having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” -Avahr 6:33-36
When Joseph Smith Jr. walked into the grove to pray, after reading James 1:5, he had a miraculous experience. We do not know exactly what occurred, but we do know that he had a revelation. The different versions of this vision or revelation may be studied in Appendix 1 of the Book of Avahr. The thing they all have in common is that he was told not to join any of the denominations he had explored. Why not? And does this revelation mean that all churches were evil? And if they were, are they still today?
Kabbalah and the Spiritual Path
One question I am often asked is how one can strengthen their relationship with God, particularly during periods of doubt or when one is feeling disconnected from God. As a Mormon Kabbalist, I generally endorse Kabbalistic principles. Kabbalah is the mystical arm of Judaism. Like Mormonism, it seeks to understand the truth of God and the universe. It incorporates a variety of spiritual practices, including prayers, meditation, and scripture. The idea is that anyone can achieve greater spiritual awareness and connection with the divine. Like Mormonism, Kabbalah places a strong emphasis on personal revelation and direct communication with God.
God Loves His LGBTQ Children
“ As to thy call, my Fellowship, to unite my people, I say: accept those that all others reject with hope, joy, and happiness. Worry not that there are those that judge others by the color of their skin, or their gender or sexual orientation, or in any way, for those who seek to hear my voice and heed my call must soften their hearts to these, my children. Homosexuality is neither a sin, nor a confusion, it is an eternal principle, for thus did I create them; and so too are my transgender children; therefore, exclude them not, hide them not, and forgo them not; for these are my children, and I say unto thee: bring these children unto me. Worry not what the world shall say unto thee for obeying my Law and my doctrine, but be thou obedient and thy tolerance shall be a light in the darkness; but know that this is my light, the very light of Christ, and the darkness shall comprehend it not; therefore, let my love and my light shine forth through the darkness that these, my children, shall no longer be lost, but be found in me and find a home in thee. This is my commandment to my Church and my Kingdom, yea even all my Saints that wish to fellowship in my name; so mote it be, Amen.” -Doctrines of the Saints 125:33-40
Editor’s note: This article contains topics of a more sensitive nature discussing sex and sexuality. Reader discretion is advised. This article was originally posted in July of 2019.
In the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship we fully accept the LGBTQ community. We will marry and/or seal same-sex couples for all time and eternity. The Fellowship fully supports all marriages based on unity, love, and a committed relationship with God. We encourage everyone to follow the law of Christ to the best of their abilities. In the Fellowship of Christ, all unions and marriages may be sealed for all time and eternity.
The Tradition of Mormon Kabbalah
While Nephi warned us against stagnation, he also taught the Kabbalistic idea of continuing ever forward in God.
Unconditional Love
“YHVH hath appeared of old unto me, saying: ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.'” -Jeremiah 31:3
What is love? Is there a difference between God’s love and mankind’s ideas of love? Does God ever stop loving us? There is an idea out in the world that God will only love us “if.” What must we do then to earn God’s love?
Friendship–Be a Friend Like the Savior is Our Friend
Good afternoon brothers and sisters. It is great to be with you today. Brother North reached out to me over a month ago about this talk and I have thought and prayed a lot about what I would share with you. The theme continues to be about friendship and love I am hopeful that the spirit will be here and touch your heart by some of the ideas and things I share.
A Father’s Love
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed are those that trusteth in Him.” -Psalm 34:8
One question people have asked for generations throughout time is, is God really good? Philosophers have struggled with what they call “the problem of evil” for as long as the art of philosophy has existed. It is easy to there is nothing to talk about, the scriptures say God is good, end of discussion. Yet the scriptures also say that God is fierce, and cruel; God is good, yet tells His people to murder women and children in cold blood. We see pain and suffering all around us. Why doesn’t a righteous God feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and end all war?
The Law of Love (Video)
“For ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another; for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” -Galatians 5:13-14
Thou shalt Love thy Neighbor as Thyself (Video)
“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD… But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” -Leviticus 19:18, 34