Admonition and Counsel through Pastor Jim Hobbs
Received June 23, 2008, Given at Waldo Restoration Branch July 13, 2008

Mine Erring Children Whom I Love:

My children, in the beginning of the coming forth of the Restoration I restored My authority, the fullness of My gospel and My gifts of the Spirit to the earth.

My sons lost sight of My purpose for the Restoration. I established My covenant with them. They took My covenant lightly and broke it. I removed mine erring children from the land of Zion, that they not pollute their inheritance. I gave them the gifts of the Spirit in 1833. They came to Far West and brought their errors with them. I allowed them to be removed from the state of Missouri: the wicked punishing the wicked. My children had the greater light and rejected it. In Nauvoo many of the errors were brought to light and My children separated.

In Doctrine & Covenants 45:4, My word says they, the early saints, rejected the fullness of My Gospel and the ripening of the Gentile times began. Most today are not even aware that the Gentiles, the early Restoration saints, rejected My Gospel and that is why I scattered them.

Although many did respond to My word and sought to keep it and did have My Spirit to direct them, there were those who sought for self aggrandizement and were lifted up in pride, especially among some of the leadership——which brought My judgment upon My children.

Those who allowed My Spirit to direct them did much good and the church grew because of their dedication. They have received their reward. But just as with Israel, one family took the idols and gold and hid them under their tent floor and Israel began to be defeated by their enemies. Many suffered because one broke my commandments. So many of the saints suffered because of those who would not obey My words.

You here, who have received and responded to My Gospel, have also accepted many false traditions that have been perpetuated by the Restoration.

The Gentiles have continued to reject the fullness of My Gospel, the Book of Mormon, because of the vain and foolish traditions of men. Many of you refuse to accept the truth which is in My word, but you accept the false traditions that have been handed down without putting them to the light of My scriptures. You worship your history, not knowing there are errors in it. You read My second witness, the Book of Mormon, without understanding it. You fall into the same errors many of the early saints fell into. The Jews have My law but reject Me because of their vain and foolish traditions. You, like the Jews, have the fullness of My Gospel, but do not understand it. You covet My law, but reject My grace. My law does not save you, but salvation is through My sacrifice I gave upon the cross. You were redeemed from the fall by Me. Now you stand responsible for your own actions, that is—— whether or not you accept Me as your Savior. Laman and Lemuel believed in My law—— but they rejected My grace, My love, Me.

Many of My children are as Laman and Lemuel; they only want to accept the traditions and sweet enticings of some of My Priesthood. Many reject My plain and simple gospel and in that you reject Me because you do not know Me. You have enjoyed the gentle caress of My Spirit from time to time, but you do not have an intimate relationship with Me. You have not experienced My hurt, My sorrows, My concerns for My children—— your brothers and sisters. You judge each other harshly, with no regard for their soul. You would cast each other off rather than labor with that diamond enmeshed in sin.

When you shake the hand of a red person—— the red does not rub off on you, or the black of a black person, or the yellow of a yellow person. Neither will the sin of a sinner rub off on you when you put your arm around a hurting sinner. I forgave an unclean woman in the temple. I allowed an unclean woman, Mary, to anoint Me with costly oil and spices and to wash My feet with her tears. She, a sinner saved by My grace, knew Me and My love—— and that love showed in her response to My word and My love. Simon and those sitting around would have cast them out, not caring for their souls. You are jealous of them like the brother of the prodigal son. You are jealous because they receive many spiritual blessings you covet, but do not receive.

I am the vine and you are the branches. You cannot bear fruit unless My 'sap', My Spirit, moves through you and lives in you. I would bless you beyond measure if you would allow My Spirit to live in you. That is, My Father and I will come and live in you—— that which My Apostle Paul calls a mystery: Christ in you. (Colossians 1:27) I want to perform My works, My strange acts through you. For that to happen, My Spirit must live in you. You must accept My love and My grace for yourselves, that My love may radiate through you to others.

All of you sitting in this congregation, have the ability and the authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, and raise the lame—— were you willing to submit yourselves to My Spirit, that is—— let Me live in you. You can be a blessing to this community, to this city, and those hurting and enmeshed in sin, desiring to be delivered. I can lead you to those who will respond. You know not the hearts of men, so you cannot choose wisely. The scriptures say I added to my church daily such as should be saved. You cannot add such to My church unless My Spirit, I and My Father live in you and direct you.

My apostles had their Pentecost (Acts 2). The Restoration had its Pentecost. Will you receive My Pentecost for you? Try Me! Test Me! See if I will not pour out My Spirit upon you. Will you lay down your traditions, your preconceived ideas, your agendas—— and set a date and time for Me to manifest Myself to you and in you? Will you come together with this one purpose in mind, united in heart to receive? I love you, My children, and desire to do great things through you. But if you cannot all unite in one desire and purpose to receive My Spirit, I cannot give unto you My Pentecost in one body as I desire.

I am reaching out to you; will you not reach out to Me? I reached out to the Jews and they rejected me and were scattered. Will you reach out to Me or, like the Jews, be cursed and scattered?

I tell you, before it happens, the economy of this nation is in the process of failing and civil strife will shortly be throughout the land. I will be your protection during this time but ——more importantly—— you will be a strength and support for others.

A great revival is soon to come forth among My children.

Will you, My Restoration people, be a part of it? Or will it pass you by, because of preconceived ideas? I call on you to bow down and humble yourselves, that I may involve you in My great and marvelous work——which is, even now, in the process of coming forth. Soon, you will be compelled to choose Me or mammon.

I poured out My heart in prayer for My disciples because they perceived not the great work I had for them. And I promised them another comforter to help them accomplish My work. You, too, perceive not the great work I have for you to do. And I now offer to you the same comforter I gave to My disciples—— if you will gather together as one, as My disciples did in the upper room. They were of one heart and mind in desiring My comforter. So you must come together in prayer and supplication as one, with one purpose, that is—— to receive My Spirit.

Acts 1:8, 14—— "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you; ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth…… These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren."