July 14 – Who is King? Brigham’s Power Struggle after Smith’s Death Revelation 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
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Chaos reigns when the True King of Kings is dethroned. LDS history books are filled with events of the Saints’ confusion over leadership authority when Joseph Smith died. Instead of laying themselves at the feet of the Lord’s mercy, a power struggle ensued amongst the self-anointed, each with the claim God put him in charge.
The insight of Amy Carmichael comes to mind – “If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” – “If”, part 2, Calvary Love by Amy Carmichael
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Times & Seasons 5:618 “You are now without a prophet…but not without apostles…to build up the kingdom upon the foundation that the prophet Joseph has laid, who still holds the keys of this last dispensation, and will hold them to all eternity, as a king and priest unto the most high God, ministering in heaven, on earth, or among the spirits of the departed dead, as seemeth good to him who sent him.” – Brigham Young, August 15, 1844
Ever get the idea that church leaders then and perhaps today”s church leaders today, are a bunch of narcissists?
” And many shall follow their (church leaders) pernicious ways by reason of whom the truth (Bible) shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness (tithing settlement) shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you (serve the church or else) whose judgement now of a long time lingeeth not and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2 Peter 2:3,4)
Yes in fact I have. I think it’s a qualification they have to prove they have before they’re given their ‘job’.