March 7, 2017
Immortals Among Us?
(Note: I wrote this for an alternative LDS group, but all readers here should find it interesting)
Joseph Smith gave an interesting, but little discussed method of detecting true and false messengers. He said:
“When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you. If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.
“If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear– Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message.
“If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him. These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.” D&C 129:4-9
This seems to be an interesting and somewhat cut and dried method of determining a true visitation. The strange thing about it is that I do not recall anyone in standard LDS literature who has claimed to apply this test since Joseph was here on the earth. I have encountered many associated with the church who have claimed to see Jesus, God, Joseph Smith, angels and other beings, but none have applied the handshake test.
Why do you suppose that is?
Several reasons. In many cases what is claimed to be a visitation was not a visitation at all but a vision seen by the inner eye of the beholder. You cannot shake physical hands with a vision or something from a dream state.
In other cases where the person does seem to be seeing a real visitation perhaps he is afraid to ask for a handshake. Seeing a spiritual being is good enough and the guy just doesn’t want to risk spoiling the experience.
Then there are lots of non Mormons who have spiritual encounters who have never read of Joseph Smith’s advice and the test does not even occur to them.
I have encountered a couple Fundamentalist types, way out of the mainstream LDS, who claimed to have claimed visitation from resurrected beings. I do not recall them saying they applied the handshake test, but they did claim physical contact.
One of them had writings so uninspiring that I figured his accounts were pure fiction and the other had a history of deception so I wrote him off as creative fiction. No prayer was necessary for these two, just studying them out in my mind was enough.
There are numerous accounts by non Mormons of encounters with physical immortals. One of the most popular ones is a set of books called Teachings of the Masters of the Far East. These explorers claim to have encountered numerous immortals in India, physically interacted with them and received numerous teachings that register well with the soul.
One can read these books free at this site:
Another interesting claim is found in he autobiography of Richard Kieninger called The Ultimate Frontier. He claimed contacts by several immortals who gave him numerous teachings and an assignment to gather people together to prepare for end times.
He only gathered a few and his apocalyptic predictions did not materialize
I found this character interesting because of some similarities to Joseph Smith, including a gathering to build a city in Illinois. For an interesting read, check out his book here:
Two others who claimed contact with physical immortals were Helena P. Blavatsky and Alice A. Bailey.
The depth of their teachings give evidence to contact of a high order of intelligence.
Then we have the story of a 5000 year old Immortal named Babaji brought to light in Paramahansa Yogananda’s work, Autobiography of a Yogi. In addition, other stories come out of India of supposed immortals there.
So we have numerous accounts of immortals on the planet which gives evidence that there may be much more going on in this planet than taught in Sunday School.
Scripture gives interesting evidence of this stating, “all are under sin, except those which I have reserved unto myself, holy men that ye know not of.” D&C 49:8
And who are these “holy men that ye know not of”?
Could they be immortals walking the earth unrecognized?
March 8, 2017
The Key to Manifestation
There are two approaches to seeking entrance into the highest spiritual realms. One that is popular these days in the LDS remnant movement is to seek some sort of personal visitation from Jesus as a sign their calling and election is sure.
If this approach has, as its main intent to receive a sign, then the seeker may be entering a problem area and be in danger of illusion. After all, Jesus spoke these words:
‘A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. Matt 16:4
When Joseph Smith had his first vision he was not seeking any sign, but merely asking for greater knowledge.
The seeking of greater knowledge is the real key to true spiritual manifestations, void of deception. After all, Joseph said that “a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge.”
Jesus gave an important key that needs to guide the true servant. He said.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” Matt 24:42-47
The word “watch” here comes from the Greek GRĒGOREŌ which literally means to “rouse yourself from sleep, or to be awake or aware.”
The accepted servant therefore must be eternally vigilant and seek to serve his fellow men and his God. And what should be his attitude?
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matt 16:24-25
Seeking a sign that you will be exalted in heaven is seeking to save your eternal life. Of course we all want that as well as to continue our physical life, but one who truly wants to be one with Christ and an accepted servant must not put saving himself first. He must put all things out of his mind except for serving his Lord, which in turn means serving his fellow men and women.
This quote gives the attitude required:
“If you follow the highest you know there will come a time when you will be visited by a Presence, either visible or invisible. It will come at a time that you least expect it and a time when perhaps you feel the least prepared spiritually, but it will come.
“To dream and wish for the experience will only delay the happening. But if you take the highest you know and go forward in the vineyard of the Master and serve with no end in sight, in season and out of season, in good times and bad. If you serve with love in the dark of night with the same strength as in the light of day, if you continue with loving service through the fiery darts of hate, malice and betrayal and above all if it appears that even your Master and your God seem to completely ignore you as if you do not exist…
“Through all this you will continue to serve with the highest you know. You continue even if God himself seems to be your enemy putting every obstacle possible in your path and laughing at you as you stumble and fall. You rise up and continue. The time comes that it will not seem to matter to you any more if friends, God or the Masters approve of you or not. It matters not if you are some great chosen one or are looked upon by the Master as the least and most needy of the brethren. You will now serve for the sake of selfless love alone because the need is out there and you sense the need.
“When this stage is reached in your being one of the Great Ones will take notice and speak: “Behold, the servant! He has become as one of us. Let us invite him into the circle of higher friendship, brotherhood and service.
“But even here the invitation comes not as you expected. All your expectations are shattered and soon replaced by newer ones and the groping in the dark is replaced by walking the path with vision. The reward for your selfless service is sight and as you see the path ahead your heart is filled with joy for that which you see is not what you imagined, but more than you imagined.”
This gift to the servant is best described in this scripture:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20
How this promise is fulfilled will be revealed in a powerful manner to those who are prepared to lose their life in service as guided by the Spirit.
Copyright by J J Dewey
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