What’s in a name?
Name /nām/
noun
1. a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place,
or thing is known, addressed, or referred to.
synonyms: designation,
honorific, title, tag, epithet, label
The power of a name and its value has long been immortalized
in prose, poetry, and religious ceremony. William Shakespeare’s character Juliet
soliloquizes, “"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet." Yet,
when one hears the word, or name, “Rose” an associated image of either a person
or a flower immediately enters one’s mind.
So what’s in a name?
It is after all just a way we define a person so that we can tell them
apart from someone else. Names are
simply arbitrary labels, yet everyone recognizes himself or herself by a name.
It’s the heart of the individual that we should be taking notice of and their
fruits whereby we may know them. These are the things that truly define a man.
Throughout scripture prophets, true messengers, even angels
are recognized by their name. These men
lived with purpose, determination, courage and criticism and loneliness. They
had such profound effect on their sphere of influence in this world that their
lives, and their names, continue to be known in history today.
Adam, Seth, Enoch, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch,
Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem (better known as Melchizedek), Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim. These men are
known as the Patriarchal Fathers. The
Fathers whom, as children, we need to turn our hearts to in order that the entire
earth will not be wasted at Christ’s coming. As we study their lives and their
teachings we come to know their hearts and their fruits. We can measure and
judge whether these men were pretenders or if they lived by every word that
proceeded forth from the mouth of God. These
“litmus tests” were not just given to us in order to judge men who are long
dead. We can use them in order to judge men who are currently living. It is our
responsibility and our right to choose if we want to be followers of greater righteousness
and who we turn our hearts to.
Today we live in a world full of pretenders yet God still
loves his children. Because we are all
wanderers in a lone and dreary world and because it is so easy to be deceived
by those who are willing to be paid to preach to us the philosophies of men
mingled with scripture it is imperative to seek for true messengers from the
Father to teach us. When we find someone
who claims to be a true messenger, we must test the message. It is our
responsibility to choose between truth and error. I believe that the Heavens
are open again today and that in order to help His children rise up God has
sent a “wild man”[1]
among us crying repentance, turning the hearts of the children to Christ and to
the (Patriarchal) Fathers, faithfully teaching the words Christ has given him
as His servant and bearing an unusual name.
His message has been given to him by Christ. If you will hear it you will hear the voice
of Christ.[2]
Yesterday this man boldly claimed on his website that he is
a true messenger, sent from the Father to teach us. I believe him. I have read every word this man has written
and listened to every lecture he has given and I have found his teachings full
of light and truth. I have found that I
am less judgmental and more loving. I
have found that I understand the scriptures more fully. I have found that I have more of a desire to
help the poor. I have a greater desire
to be connected to the patriarchal fathers.
And most importantly I have a greater understanding and desire to follow
the path that my Lord and Savior has set forth.
You can read Denver Snuffer’s claims here: http://denversnuffer.com/2017/02/opposing-christian-sects/
It has been said that if “you be noble, and if you are
faithful, and if you are true, and if you leave witnesses here among us, it
just may be that in some other day, when some other rough challenge like this,
is put to the test, and we are all asked, ‘Whom should the Lord send?’ That
some of us will look at one of you and say. ‘I trust him! I trust her! I know
that she will remain true and faithful. I know that he will do so likewise.’
Because it will be a great while after we have departed this life, before we
will have attained to everything that is necessary in order to rise up.” [3]
Let us all continue to pray for and seek true messengers from our Father to teach us that we may understand and know how to worship, and know what we worship, that we may come unto the Father in Christ's name, and in due time receive of his fulness. (paraphrase of Doctrine and Covenants 93:19)
