FrankForum (Frankness IS Forum)

Hi, just joined the frankforum. I was watching some of your vids and they were quite interesting and encouraging, but now I cannot upload youtube vids at the present time, have limited access.
Anyway, I saw that no questions were posted about Masons. I have a family history of Masons. My grandfather was 32nd degree, his father was a Mason too, along with other relatives. My grandma was Eastern Star as were aunts and great grandma. My great grandfather on other side was an odd fellow and he committed suicide by drinking acid.
This might sound crazy, but my Mom gave my sister her father's gold Mason ring. I told my sister to get rid of it but she felt guilty about doing so, but now says she is ready to get rid of it. I told her she could sell it and send the money to charity if it made her feel better. The reason I told her that is because a lot of bad things have been happening in her family. Two kids with anxiety and depression, a daughter having nocturnal seizures, other bad stuff too. Just seems like she can't get a break from one bad thing leading to another.
I found a pin up in my Mom's jewelry box with a #32 written on it and I threw it into my Mom's burn barrel, though I could not burn it as of yet.
Now I believe that Christ did pay for all the sins of the world and my sister is also a believer but I just have this nagging feeling to get rid of any Masonic items left over from my grandparents.
In our generation, one of my siblings was extremely rebellious and used drugs, one had bulimia and was suicidal and one had extreme crippling anxiety. I wondered if the Masonic activity in the ancestral line might have opened the door for it all.
Anyway, brainout and any others, would love to hear your thoughts on this.I am staying and caregiving for my elderly Mom and just got rid of that pin with the number on it today. Maybe I am crazy but had a bad feeling about it. Thanks one and all.
eirene

Here's what you do, and teach your family and friends to do: USE 1John1:9 like breathing. People suffer cuz they don't use it, once a believer. Masonic stuff per se has no power, but if folks get hooked on it or anything else such that it takes time away from learning God, then it's a snare. But getting rid of the Masonic stuff will do NO good if you're not using 1Jn1:9.

ANY Christian is authorized to teach about 1Jn1:9, AND getting under the right male-only teacher. These are survival doctrines, else you are punished, and keep on being punished. This is what's wrong with Christianity, folks aren't doing these TWO things.

So start there. Use it now, ask God to remind you if you need it. He will. Will take maybe 7 days for it to become a habit. Seriously, my mom died cuz she wouldn't use it, tho she taught me to use it. Same for others in my family, none of whom are Masons, so it's not about Masons but about not using 1Jn1:9.

Use the verse, ASK GOD who is your right (male-only) teacher, and get under him right away. That will protect the others while you grow spiritually, even if they won't listen or learn or use the verse.. okay?

Try it. Here's the video playlist for it if you want Bible backup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uezam0yABjk&list=PL61AE19EEF0544D3E

I do understand about naming my sins and make it a habit. I also have a pastor and take in the Word every day. My family are also believers and I frequently try to encourage them in the faith. Just talked to my Mom about 1 Jn. 1:9 and she started quoting the verse with me. I was happy to hear it. Right now I am in a new role, being her caregiver and living with her after my father died last fall and she came back from living with my sister.
Just wondered about all the Mason stuff and about getting it out of the house. BTW, her parents were Masons yet claimed to be believers. I don't know how you can be a high degree Mason and profess Christ too, but I hope I will see them in heaven some day.

Speculative Masonry is just a mash-up of various philosophies, and sometimes religious concepts too. The term Theosophy is often used to describe it. Personally, its not a subject I recommend exploring, as it tends to cloud the mind with useless, and often corrupted data.

Becoming a believer in Christ is as simple as believing that Christ Jesus died for our sins. By His knowledge, many are justified (Isaiah 53:11). So a believer in Christ can't lose their salvation regardless of what Theosophical junk they may choose to clog their minds with. It is a work of God, not man, so a believer can't even forfeit their salvation, even if they wanted too (Eph 2:8-9 and John 6:29).

I don't believe Masonic objects (rings, pins, books, etc.) really have any influence on our lives, other than the symbolism/meanings that we choose to assign to them. Good and bad things happen to us for a whole host of reasons. Sometimes its discipline for stepping out of line, sometimes its just designed to test the knowledge that we store in our minds, sometimes the problems are just a result of poor decisions. Its up to the individual to determine for themselves what the causes might be, but its always best to keep using 1John1:9 and talking it over with God. Only He can judge our minds and hearts (Rev 2:23).

Physical objects are never the issue. Its what kind of knowledge you choose to put in your mind that can cause problems. Every decision we make (consciously or subconsciously) is directly influenced by the knowledge we store in our minds. No believer can function spiritually, or properly integrate Biblical knowledge without the consistent use of 1John1:9. I'm not telling you to live in a psychological bubble, but just be aware of what you are learning and thinking.

So continue to use 1John1:9, continue to study the Word under the Pastor that God has provided for you, continue to encourage the believers in your family to do the same, and continue to talk to God about the challenges you face, in Christ Jesus' name (John 5:16). That's really all you can do, and it's a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

_________________
HEB 4:12
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Thank you both. Very sound and Biblical advice. I have been reading The Unfailing Love of God by Thieme and am quite encouraged in His love and grace.
eirene

If it helps, please know that everyone here knows what it's like to feel at the bottom with no hope. Sometimes I think we need to be in that place to truly depend on God rather than ourselves, but at other times the lesson is the desperate condition of those who don't know him, so we can empathize better rather than judging.

King David was at the bottom, often. So too Moses, and Christ. It's a paradigm.

Thieme did spend a lot of time at the bottom, too. It's something that's supposed to happen; that knowledge does not lessen the pain, but does encourage keeping on.

You're in my prayers.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Some things happened today and helped Mom to realize that she does need us, and she thanked me for helping her. It was my late father's birthday today and it was tough for her. One day at a time.