this is one of my personal best ever

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sterling D. Allan" <sterlingda@...>
To: <davids_outcasts@egroups.com>
Cc: "Greater Things Newsletter" <Greater_Things@...>; "SDA
Friends list" <SDA_friends@...>; "SDA Biggies newsletter"
<SDA_biggies@...>
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 7:19 AM
Subject: Where are the revelations?

Brian,

I would like to invite you to post your gem to the Greater Things
forum, either under "miracles" (e.g. lack thereof); "gospel doctrine"
(e.g. where are the signs that follow the believer, especially
revelation?); or "visions, prophecy" (where are the prophets?);
or "Davidic Servant." I would recommend "visions, prophecy," but will
let you decide where you place it.
http://www.delphi.com/greaterthings/messages/

(by the way, when you post it, perhaps you could correct the opening
statement to read that all over my 'Greater Things' site [not DO] is
found the statement, "Would to God that All were prophets")

I have several things to say in response to your heart-felt
observations.

First, because the Saints (of which body we are loosely a part,
whether on paper or not) have become as salt that has lost its savor
for the most part, rejecting the fullness of the gospel, especially
the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, they are under
condemnation, which includes the withholding of the gifts of the
spirit, including the spirit of revelation that would enable one to
speak with the tongue of angels, speaking forth truth with power and
authority that stirs the soul.

No, these things are not entirely absent, for there are refreshing
examples both within and without the ranks of LDS membership. It's
just that they are significantly more difficult to come by as we
labor under this condemnation that rests upon the people. When we
finally repent in sackcloth and ashes and cry mightily to the Lord
(both individually and as a people -- probably under conditions
unfavorable enough to stir us up to such deeply felt remorse, though
not necessarily), then will that condemnation be lifted from the
children of Zion. The book I wrote, "A Mighty Change for a New
World" scripturally documents these points.
http://www.greaterthings.com/Books/MightyChange/

Second point: another reason for the general lack of revelation is
the "strong delusion" under which we are laboring as a people
generally, according to the prophecy in II Thes. 2 and its parallel
prophecy in Isaiah 66.
http://www.greaterthings.com/Parallels/Hybrids/Isaiah_66_par_2_Thessal
onians _2/index.html

Rather than do things the way the Lord would have us, we as a people,
nearly from the beginning of this restoration, have insisted upon
doing things our own way. And as the Lord did with the children of
Israel anciently, he is now again saying to us, "Fine, if you don't
want to do things my way, then we will do them your way, and you will
see what an awful situation it will bring you into -- then maybe you
will be ready to do things my way." See Ezekiel 22 triple parallel
(In PDF format)
http://www.greaterthings.com/Parallels/Bible/Ezk20-PAR.pdf

One of the primary deceptions the people have chosen is that THE
prophet, the president of the Church, is THE prophet, the one and
only to speak forth prophetically, and that he CANNOT and WILL NOT
ever, never, lead the people astray; hence we can trust him
explicitly as if he was the Lord, for, after all, he is THE Lord's
spokesman. That is the same curse the Lord gave the children of
Israel in placing Moses over them as a prophet, for they refused to
come into his presence but said to Moses, "YOU speak to God then tell
us what he says." And the Mormons think this is the best thing going.

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is what wrought the Lords "provocation" anciently, and is
precisely why the people of God today have evoked his provocation yet
again. "Would to God that ALL the Lord's people were prophets" -- not
just speaking in the name of the Lord, but in prophesying, healing,
and generally going about doing good.

Putting one man forward as the only one who can speak for the Lord is
spiritual socialism. It does not produce a nation of kings and
priests but of peons. Furthermore, placing trust in the arm of flesh
like that is sheer folly. Only one is a sure foundation, and that is
Jesus Christ, on whom we become anchored through the principles of
the gospel -- especially including the commencement on the path of
discipleship through the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.

The ultimate folly of this path this people has chosen will be
manifest in fulfillment of II Thes. 2 regarding the man of sin
sitting in the temple of God saying he is God, and Christ suffering
it to be so as part of the strong delusion HE (God) sends because
people refused to follow God's plan. Already, the Lord's people are
far down that path. See "Man of Sin Revealed"
http://www.greaterthings.com/Books/ManofSin/

The third point I would like to make is more on a positive note. I
would argue that to a certain extent there are many, many people
today on this planet who do receive revelation in their life, both
for themselves, and which are a blessing in the lives of others with
whom those revelations are shared. The heavens are not sealed. God is
faithful to answer all who come before him, often even when we don't
deserve it, or especially when we don't deserve it and we recognize
that fact with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Furthermore, I
am grateful that most people do not share their revelations with
a "thus saith the Lord" preface or conclusion, but let the Spirit put
that stamp on their words, or on the portion of the word that
deserves that label for us in our personal needs. I would further
argue that it is this very process that is nurturing a nation of
kings and priests, of queens and priestesses, as we each learn to
discern the Spirit of God for ourselves, rather than believing just
because someone said "God said so."

My fourth point is to disagree with your conclusion that if Joseph
Smith were alive to day that all we would need would be for him to
say the word and the debate would be over. That is precisely the sort
of "follow the prophet" paradigm the Lord is trying to wean us away
from. First of all, even if he did say, "thus saith the Lord," I can
promise you there would yet be many people who would disagree with
him. Second of all, I would also dare say that even because he
said "thus saith the Lord" would not necessarily mean that it was the
Lord who said it. That is something that would need to be confirmed
by the Spirit of the Lord to each person who received the word
through his instrumentality in that particular case. Third, just
because Joseph would say, "thus saith the Lord," would not mean that
we understood the words the same way the Lord impressed them upon
Joseph's mind. So even though a "genuine" prophet would be in our
midst would not remove from us the need to each receive personal
revelation on the matter.

Along these lines, I will be so bold as to say that the Davidic
Servant (and those called after that order) will not be one who
stands in the place of the Lord for the people, but rather he will
serve to point each person to develop their own line of communication
with the heavens. "Would to God that all the Lord's people were
prophets."

The chiasms and parallels and alphabetics word studies, are an
example of this order of instrumentality. They do not tell you out
and out what is what, but leave the reader to draw the conclusions,
letting them be the responsible one for receiving the revelation.
They are intended to be a tool to invite and catalyze revelation for
each who use them. They are modern parables for those who have eyes
to see to be able to see and ears to hear to be able to hear.

Finally, I will end with a prophecy in D&C 1:20 that the time will
come "that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even
the Savior of the world." The coming day after the condemnation is
lifted and the Lord's people have repented will be a day of each
individual being a prophet. It will no longer be said, "know ye the
Lord, for all will know him from the least unto the greatest of
them." (Ezek. 31:34.)
Thus saith the Lord. =_)

Sincerely, your servant in Christ,

Sterling D. Allan