c1986panther

Ray, keep in mind the original question: Did Jesus organize how Christians should worship? I suppose you could pray and ask God for a testimony or confirmation of what your best guess is. However, the Scriptures tell us about Jesus' life on earth. They ought to be our first source of information about such questions. Do you really disagree??? Ray would absolutely disagree. He believes that his prime and ultimately only source of information is God himself. Ray holds that each and everything he knows, he knows because God has revealed it to him. That includes knowing his name and the answer to the question What is 2 + 2. So for Ray, reading the Bible is almost an afterthougt as his knowledge comes from God, not some book. Go figure. What Snow said is absolutely true. I know what is true when God gives me His assurance, not by trusting what I read in some books. So my first source for information about God, is God, who has said and continues to say a LOT more than those writers did while they wrote what they wrote in their books. And if that still doesn't help you to really see what I am saying, try these words: The "book" of Matthew in the Holy Bible is a testimony of what Matthew said was true. And the "book" of Mark in the Holy Bible is a testimony of what Mark said was true. And the "book" of Luke in the Holy Bible is a testimony of what Luke said was true. And the "book" of John in the Holy Bible is a testimony of what John said was true. And I know God inspired them so they could know what was true by God telling me they told the truth. Do you want to know what else I know??? Ask God. I'm learning all that is true from Him. :) Ray, Amen... I don't think that I could say something better like that myself. Scriptures mean nothing in themselves, without the spirit who says that they are true. As you have said, the book of Mark is true to what he wrote and what he knew to be true. One cannot just base their religion off of just books...but to have inspiration and guidance of the Spirit. From God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost..... Modern Day revelation and those that he has chosen to be his servents and apostles! The same EXACT organization that existed in the primitive church. The only reason why I read them is 1) they are worth reading 2) the Prophets have said to read them 3) They have truth. 4) I find myself living off of the principles that they teach which I know are true, through praying to my father in heaven to know if that is what I need to be doing.

I think that is what Ray has been trying to tell you guys. You can't know for yourself if someone knows truth and speaks truth IF you do not ASK the one who knows! Read Alma 32 it talks about faith... plus every 6 months we are to sustain the leaders of the church in their callings durring General Conference.... I can't say that I do sustain them unless I pray to my father and get confirmation from on high from the one who knows all things if they truly are his servants and are placed there because he called them to those positions.

inactivetx....hey its good to see comments up here! I'm new at this myself haha! Anyway thats a good goal to have...I hope that you are having luck with reading the Bible.... You want to know what is really interesting about that whole thing. Sarah was actually the Daughter of Haran if I remember correctly....and Haran was the Brother of Abraham...in those days when a brother died, the other brothers would take his children and raise them as if they were theirs, or otherwise as in Abrahams position he married his neice... crazy huh?

To my understanding...the word Emmanuel means "God with us." He is the Mediator of all men. He is the Creator of this world... he is God the Father (Jehova) Check the Topical Guide.....under God the Father - Jehova....maybe that will explain it a little bit more. Jesus is the father in ways. As said in the scriptures, if ye know me ye know my father.... and many other things that it says concerning God and Christ being one, meaning one in nature. What does the word Father mean though? Life Giver...he created this world for us...doesnt that give him credit for him being a father of us? He gave us a place to live. Another was the Atonement that he maid for us. It talks in the scriptures that that Atonement had to have been an ETERNAL sacrafice...if he was a mere mortal do you think that he would have been able to do such a thing? He was like his father...and because he was able to atone for all of man kind he became like his father.....a God.... as it says in the D&C he will be crowned with glory in the last day and will reign as Lord of Lords over this earth....this Earth is his and all that lived/live upon it. This is just my thoughts and my opinion...dont take it as doctrine.... oh yeah..... 2 Nephi 2:27.....Christ is our Mediator with the Father....