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Who are you to speak?
--A Reply
From: "Sterling D. Allan"
<sterlingda@greaterthings.com>
To: "David's Outcasts" <davids_outcasts@listbot.com>
Cc: "SDA Biggies newsletter" <SDA_biggies@listbot.com>;
"SDA Friends list" <SDA_friends@listbot.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 4:23 PM
Subject: [888] Do not treat lightly
David's Outcasts - http://www.GreaterThings.com/OpenForum/Davids_Outcasts/
Brian says:
> Believe me Sterling...keeping a straight face
> with you thinking you're the Father God makes
> little old Stephen pretty small pataters.
Before you (or anyone else, for that matter) go using this against me so
lightly, as an ultimate put-down to me, I would ask you to take stock of the
following, lest you besmudge that which is sacred to the detriment of your
soul.
First, my slogan as found at the bottom of each page (1000 plus) of my
website, is "Would to God that ALL were prophets." In other words,
my heart's intent is not to lift myself up but to point all to achieve the
highest that is within them, for ultimately every single living soul can
achieve a fullness. So my motivation is not rooted in self pride, but in
selfless service. I gladly devote my life to the betterment of the world while
foregoing many of the relaxations available in our culture today.
Second, as you have clearly seen, I point to Jesus Christ as the author and
finisher of our faith, the only sure foundation upon which we can build. I
give deference to him, and acknowledge my own dependence upon him, as I
believe is fitting for all of God's children. My intent is to focus on him as
our Savior, not on myself.
Third, at the same time, I do believe that I, like anyone else born to this
planet, have a mission to accomplish while here that will help this place
improve and overcome the enemy of all righteousness. Also, I am not afraid to
believe that the prophetic statement given by Jesus Christ can apply to me as
well as to anyone else who will seek after it in righteousness: "these
things shall ye do, and greater also." We have a glorious day ahead in
which the Lord will make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations.
Fourth, while I do perceive in prophecy for these last days that particular
mention is made of one individual of a Messianic order, I do not see myself in
any regard as having some exclusive right to the best of gifts and the noblest
accomplishments. Rather, I view the "one mighty and strong" element
as a body of many individuals who are called after that order, who each, as a
portion of the body of Christ, have a particular role to accomplish in synergy
with the missions being accomplished by their brothers and sisters in Christ.
In other words, in no regard do I view this "Davidic Servant" as an
isolated one man show. This is a day for all who will to achieve a fullness,
not just for one person to show off.
Sixth, I do not believe that this Davidic servant individual is the only one
alive today who through previous faithfulness overcame all things and came
into that order that we call "God," who rules in heaven. This earth
is his footstool, which sure sounds to me like a place where you go walking
around in the flesh. Him and many of his associates who have likewise overcome
all things in previous times, can and do incarnate when and where it is
expedient in the great plan of happiness to facilitate the work of the kingdom
of God.
Seventh, I do not believe that anyone born to this earth, regardless of
previous station, is given relief from the rigors of mortality. Each has the
veil drawn when born, each must overcome anew. Each must come to an
understanding of his/her role in life and then faithfully execute that. Each
has the possibility of not accomplishing what they came here to accomplish. It
is not a robotic course they plod. Their agency remains fully in tact. In
other words, what one was before one was born is not the primary issue for
anyone. The primary issue is what one makes of this life. The prophecies speak
of this Davidic Servant as "tender branch," which metaphor point to
the young up-start element. He along with his associates is in process of
unfolding.
Eighth, though I have made reference to my belief regarding myself -- usually
heavily veiled -- in some of my writings found on my website, my purpose in
doing so is not to brag or lift myself up above anyone else. As I have stated
above, I do not believe this calling is about being a hot shot. Rather, my
motivation in doing so is to be faithful in reporting what I have discovered,
or what I believe the Lord has led me to discover. I have found that one of
the keys for receiving revelation is to record what one finds, and to share
with others who may benefit from that knowledge. Indeed, rather than being an
element of pride that spurs me to do it, I would argue that it takes more
humility than anything, considering what mockery and scorn is sure to follow
such declarations. The ego-driven person would shrink from putting such
information into writing for others to see. It is precisely the kinds of
things you just pulled in using this information as a point of mockery that
sends anticipatory cold chills up my spine when I weigh making such
statements. It is a desire to be faithful to the truth given that drives me,
not ego. It is these kinds of persecutions that we must be willing to bear.
Right or wrong in my beliefs regarding myself, I know what Joseph of old felt
like when his brethren threw him in a pit because of his
"presumptuous" statements regarding himself. I have tried to be
faithful to Jacob's admonition to "take up the cross and suffer the shame
of it."
Ninth, regarding my belief concerning my own particular role in this whole
wrapping up scene in these latter-days, I do not waiver from what I believe
even though on the face it is nearly impossible to believe, even for myself.
There have been too many witnesses of a wide variety that the Lord has given
me. I cannot deny these. I have presented many of them here and there on my
website. Some I hold to myself. Most I share somewhere or another. They are
not just in the chiasms and parallels,
though there are some powerful evidences there. They are not just in the alphabetics word codes, though there are
some astonishing correlations there. They are not just in the coincidences of
life that bespeak divine intervention, though there have been plenty of those,
from small to very large. They are not just in the revelations distilled
directly upon my soul by the Holy Spirit as it fills my entire being to ratify
a key point, though I have had a few of these sublime witnesses as well --
probably the biggest one being when it testified that indeed the work I was
doing was part of the "greater things" prophesied to come forth,
which witness came more than three years before I began a journal called
"Greater Things" back in '92. Nor is it just the incidences when
individuals have told me that they had received a witness of my calling,
though there have been a few of those also. Rather, it is a combination of all
of these, which together create a burning conviction that I cannot deny. I
must be faithful to it.
Tenth, I would hope that you would give me credit for not lying to you at
times when doing so would have been convenient to save face. When you have
asked questions, point blank, I have endeavored to reply in sincerity, though
it would have been much easier to try and twist things so as to not be made to
look like a fool, knowing full well that you could very well take my words and
use them to mock me like you just did.
Eleventh, as I chastise you for trampling upon my pearls, you probably will
turn around and say, "then what gives you the right to say the kinds of
things you did about Stephen." On this point, rather than give up my
right to speak clearly when I feel the need, I would prefer to risk that I
might be treated the same way, having faith in the assurance that in the end
it is truth that prevails.
Twelfth, and probably the most important point of all, is that I realize that
not only is there a possibility that I could be wrong in my perception about
my role in this wrapping up scene, but I can guarantee that my perceptions
WILL change, for this life is an ever-unfolding one. I will embrace truth as I
find it, and that almost always means revising past perceptions. So while I
cannot deny the possibilities as I have presented them, I am not going to say
that I am absolutely certain of who, what, why, when and where. Life unfolds
like truth -- one step at a time. I don't have it figure out completely, nor
will it be figured out until all is said and done, for the unfolding is part
of agency and mortality. I just try to do my best from day to day in being
faithful to what I believe, as others have to do, and as Jesus himself had to
do. He didn't know exactly what his mission would entail until it was done.
In closing, I would like to thank you, Brian, for being a catalyst, though you
are more of a thorn in the side most of the time. Getting this out of my
system has felt very good. I've needed to say this, and your riling me was
just the impetus I needed.
Sincerely,
Sterling D. Allan
Feedback
From: "L.M. Enterprises" <htrails@solve.net>
To: "David's Outcasts" <davids_outcasts@listbot.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: [888] Do not treat lightly
David's Outcasts - http://www.GreaterThings.com/OpenForum/Davids_Outcasts/
Sterling, what a wonderful, moving, heart-felt reply! Bear with me as I
take the risk of being a bit "mushy." But here goes. One, I have
appreciated your honesty, your Christ-like spirit, from day one. You truly
manifest the humility of our Savior in all you do. Anyway, that's been my
testimony regarding you and your writings.
Two, what a gutsy thing to do--to bear your soul and become vulnerable.
Vulnerability is, I think, at the pinnacle of love. You have demonstrated what
I refer to as the pinnacle of the Cross as you poured out your soul. There is
no greater love than transparency. Jesus had it on the Cross and you share it
in your letter. Thank you. That shows spiritual depth.
Three, I, for one, agree with your concept of latter-day corporeality. That
is, I too believe that in the endtimes Jesus Christ will manifest himself in
the Corporate Body, the Corporate DS, the Corporate...whatever. This is the
day of the joining of the head to the body. What a glorious day we live in! I
share your prophetic enthusiasm.
And four--thank you for making this list possible.
Lynn
See also "Fellow-laborers"
(another feedback message)
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