Shortly after His baptism Jesus went to the wilderness to commune with the Father. He went fasting, which lasted 40 days. Then came the devil tempting Him, asking Jesus to turn stones into bread to feed His body. Jesus responded, "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." Luke 4:4
This seems very relevant to this time of year that we celebrate how two very different peoples came together to break bread.
The problem that we face is that the many calories that we intake over the next few days do not last. Hours later the body craves more, we just cant get enough! We are never full for very long, but Jesus promised the people of His day, "I am the bread of life...I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:52-53
For those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are promised to be filled. Nephi teaches us how we are to move forward. He states, "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31:20
While celebrating the heroic act of the the pilgrims let us remember why many of them battled the seas, famine, and disease, to worship their God according to their conscience. While others came for a sense of success, and riches. The promise from the Word states that we can have all those things in Christ. Freedoms unknown and riches untold are ours!
Come feast upon the word. If we do this we will find ourselves invited to the feast and marriage of the Lamb. Where Jesus Himself stated, "Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Luke 12:37 Yes, He will serve us! Oh how I look to prepare myself for the society and the culture there. If we fail to do so, how uncomfortable will we find ourselves. For what will you speak about to the brother to your left or the sister to your right at the dinner table? The local sports team, or the newest fashion of shoes? Fortunately neither of those things are found there.
I invite you to feast now to prepare yourself for that great feast. This will be a real feast with real food, not some metaphor, but a real celebration. We are all invited.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Song Of Redeeming Love!
I have come to believe that sin not only keeps our Father from us but even more so it keeps us from Him. I say more so, because He is ever willing to help us along, even in the midst of temptation, if you pause to hear, you will hear His voice gently nudging you to stay clear of danger. Because of the attributes of foreknowledge and the ability to see the end from the beginning, He knows what we may become. While on the opposite hand sin clouds our minds and causes us to doubt His love, and our worth. This is the great danger! Have you ever broken a commandment, and then stopped praying, and reading and attending church? It wasn't because He left you, but you felt He could not love a sinner. That is the great lie, that is how Satan binds us until it is everlastingly too late. When you sin you need Him even more, these are the times when we should read more, and pray more, and fill our lives with things that invite the Holy Ghost.
In those moments when yet again we have failed to live up to the standard, I ask that we pause for a moment and ponder the fact that He already knew our failings, yet He still sent His Son. He knew we would be rebellious, thus He provided a way. If then He already knew, we must trust that in all our filth, He sees His daughter or son.
Sin keeps us from returning to Him because of what it does to our hope and faith. Without these two it is impossible to move towards Him. It destroys our faith in ourselves, then we hopelessly flounder trying to change ourselves, which cannot be done. It cannot be done to the degree that is needed to be ready for celestial glory.
The ancient prophet Alma asked the people of his day if their souls have had the privilege of singing the song of redeeming love. He then asked if they did have that great experience, if they still were able to do so. This is a soul searching question, that we should ask ourselves daily.
Before you retire every evening, you should ask yourself, "do I feel so now?" Let not a day go by where you do not seek to draw closer. Do not let the doubts of sin keep you from His love.
As always I speak these things by experience. I know how transgression and sin cloud judgment. I also know that the moment we decide to move forward, He is there to extend His arm of mercy. They both are extended, opened wide awaiting for an embrace. He needs no sleep, takes no vacation, and never turns from us.
I am convinced that because of the many mansions in my Father's house, there are not many of us who will not inherit a kingdom of glory. When you look around this day, week, this life, remember those are your brothers, and your sisters. We are literally children of a loving God who simply asks us to love one another, and to not judge, and to help one another in all of our trials.
In my sins and transgressions I remember that I have a redeemer, who paid the ultimate price for my eternal happiness, so I go on until either I am rejected or hear the words, "well done thy good and faithful servant..."
In those moments when yet again we have failed to live up to the standard, I ask that we pause for a moment and ponder the fact that He already knew our failings, yet He still sent His Son. He knew we would be rebellious, thus He provided a way. If then He already knew, we must trust that in all our filth, He sees His daughter or son.
Sin keeps us from returning to Him because of what it does to our hope and faith. Without these two it is impossible to move towards Him. It destroys our faith in ourselves, then we hopelessly flounder trying to change ourselves, which cannot be done. It cannot be done to the degree that is needed to be ready for celestial glory.
The ancient prophet Alma asked the people of his day if their souls have had the privilege of singing the song of redeeming love. He then asked if they did have that great experience, if they still were able to do so. This is a soul searching question, that we should ask ourselves daily.
Before you retire every evening, you should ask yourself, "do I feel so now?" Let not a day go by where you do not seek to draw closer. Do not let the doubts of sin keep you from His love.
As always I speak these things by experience. I know how transgression and sin cloud judgment. I also know that the moment we decide to move forward, He is there to extend His arm of mercy. They both are extended, opened wide awaiting for an embrace. He needs no sleep, takes no vacation, and never turns from us.
I am convinced that because of the many mansions in my Father's house, there are not many of us who will not inherit a kingdom of glory. When you look around this day, week, this life, remember those are your brothers, and your sisters. We are literally children of a loving God who simply asks us to love one another, and to not judge, and to help one another in all of our trials.
In my sins and transgressions I remember that I have a redeemer, who paid the ultimate price for my eternal happiness, so I go on until either I am rejected or hear the words, "well done thy good and faithful servant..."
Monday, November 12, 2012
Peace, Be Still!
Ever present in my mind is, what do I say to my children later in life? How do I help them to understand my inner most desires? How can I lead them to what I've come to know as happiness? So I write! I do this for them, this is what keeps me going in the daunting task. Especially when I invite others in on my inner most feelings and few take a peek.
This night when I awoke to see the clock reading 3:30, with all of the individuals on my mind that I care for, those whom I have been called to serve, and also friends and family, I sought to know how I can help. I opened my electronic scriptures to see what inspiration I could have in my desire, and my mind began to think of how 1 year ago I was also up in the middle of the night but last year the scene was much different. In fact just about every night I was up at 3am vomiting, crouched over a toilet in pain. Then I thought about the November before, and the same thing, and the November before that, way back to 6 years before.
I thought of how since 2006 I have had issues that should have broken my will to carry on, certainly at the time I was broken, yet here I am. I thought of how my loving companion has had to deal with my depression, and my hopelessness, my paralyzed mind, and the long hospital stays. How she had to deal with individuals whispering to her mind how she'd made a horrific decision in marrying me, and how that must have surly seemed so during this time, yet she kept the faith. Faith in me, in her covenants, and most importantly in Christ.
When she speaks of those times, in Ogden, Roy, Bountiful, and some of West Point, some of it I do not remember. We have named those years the "dark ages", for that is what they were. I do however remember the battles of dragging myself out of bed to get to work, and the crying, and the medications that held me hostage. I remember the pleadings with Heavenly Father to help me be able to get to church, to be able to go to the store without feeling threatened. It was a hell! I do remember the feeling of worthlessness, and the judgments, I remember that. I do have fond memories also of having opportunities to share the gospel. The times when I did feel the warmth of the sun. I took those opportunities because they were so rare, and they gave me hope.
I write this to remember, to remember how merciful the Lord has been to me. While we have struggled dearly, I realize there are others who have tread through much deeper waters, and remained much more valiant and faithful than I. I see the wisdom now in my suffering, it was to soften my heart, to be patient to those who likewise suffer. To lift the hands that hang down, to offer the example of my experience as a witness that we can still go on believing.
In all of this I wish to say that I struggled mightily with my faith, not in my testimony that Jesus is the Christ, but in my willingness to continue to follow Him. It was so hard to mentally be there when physically, and mentally I was in shambles, when I saw how my wife and children needed me and I could not help. In a time when education was to be obtained, and careers started, I lay on the floor completely at the mercy of circumstance.
In all of that though, here I am, fighting on, still bearing witness that in all of life's storms Jesus still is the master of the raging seas, and at His command doth the winds and the waves obey His will as He says unto them, "Peace, be Still."
So may it be in your life, let His words speak to your raging seas, "Peace, be sill!"
This night when I awoke to see the clock reading 3:30, with all of the individuals on my mind that I care for, those whom I have been called to serve, and also friends and family, I sought to know how I can help. I opened my electronic scriptures to see what inspiration I could have in my desire, and my mind began to think of how 1 year ago I was also up in the middle of the night but last year the scene was much different. In fact just about every night I was up at 3am vomiting, crouched over a toilet in pain. Then I thought about the November before, and the same thing, and the November before that, way back to 6 years before.
I thought of how since 2006 I have had issues that should have broken my will to carry on, certainly at the time I was broken, yet here I am. I thought of how my loving companion has had to deal with my depression, and my hopelessness, my paralyzed mind, and the long hospital stays. How she had to deal with individuals whispering to her mind how she'd made a horrific decision in marrying me, and how that must have surly seemed so during this time, yet she kept the faith. Faith in me, in her covenants, and most importantly in Christ.
When she speaks of those times, in Ogden, Roy, Bountiful, and some of West Point, some of it I do not remember. We have named those years the "dark ages", for that is what they were. I do however remember the battles of dragging myself out of bed to get to work, and the crying, and the medications that held me hostage. I remember the pleadings with Heavenly Father to help me be able to get to church, to be able to go to the store without feeling threatened. It was a hell! I do remember the feeling of worthlessness, and the judgments, I remember that. I do have fond memories also of having opportunities to share the gospel. The times when I did feel the warmth of the sun. I took those opportunities because they were so rare, and they gave me hope.
I write this to remember, to remember how merciful the Lord has been to me. While we have struggled dearly, I realize there are others who have tread through much deeper waters, and remained much more valiant and faithful than I. I see the wisdom now in my suffering, it was to soften my heart, to be patient to those who likewise suffer. To lift the hands that hang down, to offer the example of my experience as a witness that we can still go on believing.
In all of this I wish to say that I struggled mightily with my faith, not in my testimony that Jesus is the Christ, but in my willingness to continue to follow Him. It was so hard to mentally be there when physically, and mentally I was in shambles, when I saw how my wife and children needed me and I could not help. In a time when education was to be obtained, and careers started, I lay on the floor completely at the mercy of circumstance.
In all of that though, here I am, fighting on, still bearing witness that in all of life's storms Jesus still is the master of the raging seas, and at His command doth the winds and the waves obey His will as He says unto them, "Peace, be Still."
So may it be in your life, let His words speak to your raging seas, "Peace, be sill!"
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Economy of Heaven
The Mission Statement:
"To Bring to Pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man" (Moses 1:39)
There are peaks and valleys in this economy. The valleys are termed "apostasy", the rebounds would be a new "dispensation." We are currently in the final dispensation. This one was promised to be the most fruitful and richest. Those that would participate in this one would be responsible for accomplishing all that is needed for the King to return. That all things would be gathered in from all other dispensations, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him..." (Ephesians 1:10)
The currency is love and there is no scarcity of this resource, it is found in abundance and it multiplies as you share it. This is how the mission is accomplished, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
In this economy there is work for all, "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;...And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work." (D&C 4: 3,5) There is no room here for those seeking their own glory in this economy, but we work for the good of the whole. The qualities of those here are gentleness and humility. All those called into this economy are placed in positions of real responsibilities (caring for the souls of Father's children) according to their talents and are encouraged to obtain more talents. "And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more..." (Matthew 25:20-23) All are blessed by all, and thus we all go on to perfection.
This is much more sustainable. This is the way of Christ. He lives. Remember the currency is love. We are asked to pray for this love until we are filled with it. I love this work, it is much more rewarding and fulfilling.
"To Bring to Pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man" (Moses 1:39)
There are peaks and valleys in this economy. The valleys are termed "apostasy", the rebounds would be a new "dispensation." We are currently in the final dispensation. This one was promised to be the most fruitful and richest. Those that would participate in this one would be responsible for accomplishing all that is needed for the King to return. That all things would be gathered in from all other dispensations, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him..." (Ephesians 1:10)
The currency is love and there is no scarcity of this resource, it is found in abundance and it multiplies as you share it. This is how the mission is accomplished, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
In this economy there is work for all, "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;...And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work." (D&C 4: 3,5) There is no room here for those seeking their own glory in this economy, but we work for the good of the whole. The qualities of those here are gentleness and humility. All those called into this economy are placed in positions of real responsibilities (caring for the souls of Father's children) according to their talents and are encouraged to obtain more talents. "And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more..." (Matthew 25:20-23) All are blessed by all, and thus we all go on to perfection.
This is much more sustainable. This is the way of Christ. He lives. Remember the currency is love. We are asked to pray for this love until we are filled with it. I love this work, it is much more rewarding and fulfilling.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Proving...
Abraham was shown the planning stages of our existence here. He saw "One like unto God", our Savior. In that council the Savior explained that an earth would be made as a place of proving for all of Father's children.
It is obvious from this scripture that we were not yet good enough, that there was more that we needed to learn and to do. There is something to be said of experience, for we read in Alma 7:13 that, "Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance..." In other words, By the Spirit His judgments would be just but it was necessary for Him to come to know in the flesh, how to heal us, by experience.
We learn very early on, the doctrine that God knows all, then if all is known why allow us to leave to come here? Why not just judge us on that foreknowledge? I say it is because we are not proving to God, but to ourselves what we are capable of becoming. When faced with a temptation or flaw we are to work those issues out through the process of real change. We learn in Ether 12:27 that the Lord allows weakness to be in us so that we may be humble. When we come to Him in humility He transforms that weakness into strengths. This too is a process!
I think of the way a recovering alcoholic becomes a strength and mentor to others that are battling the disease. When they have tempered the habit they become strengths to others. When the repentant soul testifies of the power of Christ's healing power we are strengthened by those words. His word is verified in these things.
In seeking true change in this process we must seek to be an active partner in the transformation. It is not enough to simply ask for a weakness to become a strength, the Lord expects us to work at it also. One can not become physically strong without exercise, so it is spiritually. How is a flaw ever really overcome if He simply removes it with no effort on our part? What happens then with the next challenge arises, (for there will be many) and we have no experience or strength to draw from? It is essential that we overcome with Him, for we are taught that the power to do good is within us D&C 58:27-28.
This lesson is learned in the raising of Lazarus. John 11 Jesus asked that the stone which covered his tomb be removed, Jesus did His part as He called Lazarus forth. Lazarus responded and came forth, Jesus then proceeded to ask that his grave clothes be removed. Surely it would have been easier to command the stone and his burial garments to be removed by His word only, but He allowed others to assist in this great miracle. I say unto you a greater miracle is had when a son or daughter of God overcomes some lifelong challenge or character flaw.
It is obvious from this scripture that we were not yet good enough, that there was more that we needed to learn and to do. There is something to be said of experience, for we read in Alma 7:13 that, "Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance..." In other words, By the Spirit His judgments would be just but it was necessary for Him to come to know in the flesh, how to heal us, by experience.
We learn very early on, the doctrine that God knows all, then if all is known why allow us to leave to come here? Why not just judge us on that foreknowledge? I say it is because we are not proving to God, but to ourselves what we are capable of becoming. When faced with a temptation or flaw we are to work those issues out through the process of real change. We learn in Ether 12:27 that the Lord allows weakness to be in us so that we may be humble. When we come to Him in humility He transforms that weakness into strengths. This too is a process!
I think of the way a recovering alcoholic becomes a strength and mentor to others that are battling the disease. When they have tempered the habit they become strengths to others. When the repentant soul testifies of the power of Christ's healing power we are strengthened by those words. His word is verified in these things.
In seeking true change in this process we must seek to be an active partner in the transformation. It is not enough to simply ask for a weakness to become a strength, the Lord expects us to work at it also. One can not become physically strong without exercise, so it is spiritually. How is a flaw ever really overcome if He simply removes it with no effort on our part? What happens then with the next challenge arises, (for there will be many) and we have no experience or strength to draw from? It is essential that we overcome with Him, for we are taught that the power to do good is within us D&C 58:27-28.
This lesson is learned in the raising of Lazarus. John 11 Jesus asked that the stone which covered his tomb be removed, Jesus did His part as He called Lazarus forth. Lazarus responded and came forth, Jesus then proceeded to ask that his grave clothes be removed. Surely it would have been easier to command the stone and his burial garments to be removed by His word only, but He allowed others to assist in this great miracle. I say unto you a greater miracle is had when a son or daughter of God overcomes some lifelong challenge or character flaw.
This is the way of the gospel. To prove to ourselves that we will follow all of His commands, and overcome all thing with His loving help. He has promised in that same section of the D&C, "For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."
Jesus is our loving Christ!
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