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The Pattern the Holy Ghost Follows

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Within the Bible, there is a parable of the rich and poor man. Lazarus being the poor man and the rich man was unnamed. The parable is found in Luke 16:19–31.

As the parable goes, Lazarus was poor on the earth, he was a beggar and the other man was a rich man, enjoying the material things of life. Both died and the Lazarus went to paradise (some call heaven) and ended up in the arms of Father Abraham. The rich man was sent to spiritual prison, into torment (some call hell).

The rich man wanted Father Abraham to send him back into mortality so he can warn his brothers to avert their fall into the same torment. Father Abraham rejected his request telling him that to resurrect him into mortality, a spiritual event, would make no difference to his brothers who should have listened to God’s servants, the prophets.

The pattern God’s Holy Spirit follows is seen in that parable. First the appearance of God’s servants, then ones spiritually called to be missionaries, since the prophet was also a missionary, to preach the word of God and call us to Christ. As with the prophet’s of old, God’s written word is given for the people to read. Then comes requirement of faith toward God in order to receive a confirmation from the Holy Spirit.

What comes first is God’s servant. That is the beginning of God’s call to each of us.

When I saw that pattern, I reflected on my own life. How things manifested for me and what did I see? I saw the same pattern as depicted in the parable above.

I received the servants of God, his missionaries. They preached the gospel to me, gave me a copy of the scriptures, I read the scriptures, then called upon God in sincere prayer to confirm if this was his truth. I received the Holy Ghost and he led me into baptism by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pattern fulfilled.

Not only was this Church started by abiding the scriptures in the Bible ( James 1:5 ), it also depicts the manner and pattern of the Holy Ghost of how we are to receive God’s true word and his true Church. Combine this with James 1:5–7, in particular the warning it comes with in verses 6-7. Applied this to the pattern the Holy Ghost follows, that if any person receives God’s missionaries, receives a copy of the scriptures from them and tries to pray for confirmation, but waivers, as the scripture warns, then they will receive nothing because faith was lost.

This pattern is important. If a person rejects the missionaries, then he or she will receive nothing more until they return to that very same point and continue; or pray to receive his missionaries again. If a person received the missionaries and received a copy of the Book of Mormon, then go back and read the Book of Mormon intently and sincerely, then pray to God if what you read was from him. When a person has experienced any part of that pattern, return to that part you fell from and pick it up from there. If you had tried to pray, but fell from your real intent, then return to the Book of Mormon, read it earnestly and intently and pray sincerely with real intent, with true faith and you shall have your answer.

Since we are to believe in God’s word, then that parable is very important to our salvation. For those people who are wavering, then stop the “to & fro” in your faith and center your heart on God, pray earnestly for his servants to attend you. Read the scriptures (Book of Mormon) earnestly and sincerely, not to judge against them, but to seek truth from God, then pray sincerely if that is of God. Just as the prophet Moroni said in Moroni 10:4, to ask of God, with a sincere heart and real intent, having faith in Christ, that he, Heavenly Father will manifest the truth unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost.

…but waiver or deny your intent and desire by any “to & fro” of the mind and yea shall not receive anything.

What this all said to me is that God will communicate his call to people on this earth by his servants, the missionaries. Some may receive some inspiration from the Spirit of God prior to the arrival of his servants, but any prior inspiration will not circumvent this very pattern as depicted by the parable of the rich and poor man.

If you truly want to be with God,

Receive the missionaries and listen to them,

Receive the Book of Mormon from them, read it intently and earnestly,

Pray with sincerity and true intent to Heavenly Father if these scriptures are from him,

Then await the reply from the Holy Ghost.

That is the pattern, that is how the Holy Ghost will confirm the truth to you.

Amen.


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