We interrupt the broadcast to give you this important message…. Not all revelation is from God. You may be experiencing hormonal revelation…
“One of the most important challenges of our mortal probation is learning to hear, recognize, and then follow the voice of the Lord.” Gerald N. Lund
If that is the case, then how much more important in the most important decision of your life, marriage. You’ll find a plethora of ideas on how to know if an impression is really from the Lord or if it is just your own emotions. It gets more confusing when you add hormones, emotions, spirituality, our own thoughts, wants and desires so be careful you don’t follow: HORMONAL REVELATION
(Carlfred Broderick, One Flesh, One Heart: Putting Celestial Love into Your Temple Marriage [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1986], p. 21).
There is an event in Joseph Smith’s early history where Hyrum Smith persuaded Joseph to inquire of the Lord about selling the copyright of the book of Mormon in Canada to pay for the printing. He received, what he thought was, a revelation and sent brethren to Toronto promising them they would sell it. Only later, and after failure, he find that the answer did not come from the Lord. (As told through David Whitmer. “Conquering Spiritual Evil, Douglas Mendenhall, pg. 331”)
“Some revelations are of God some revelations are of men and some revelations are of the devil. When a man enquires of the Lord concerning a matter, if he is deceived by his own carnal desires, and is in error, he will receive an answer according to his erring heart, but it will not be a revelation from the Lord.” Joseph Smith
Here are twelve simple questions to ask when you’re thinking about engagement. It’s the most clear and concise sermon on that eternally important marriage decision.
If you want answers to three personal revelation questions:
- What is the voice of the Lord like?
- How can I distinguish between true and counterfeit revelation?
- What can I do to enhance my ability to hear, recognize, and follow the voice of the Lord?
I commend a study of Gerald N. Lund or download “The Voice of the Lord”
The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all….
Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening.
Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, January 1983, p. 53
