Although there are many degrees of christian discipleship, there is a standard set forth in the Book of Mormon. When a person arrives at this standard, he has rent the veil of unbelief. So, where is the line between unbelief and faith, doubting and believing? I believe that as I apply myself himself in the development of gospel principles I lessen my unbelief and increase in faith. My doubt begins to dissipate and I become more and more steady in my faith. At some point I will rend the veil of unbelief.
I understand from my study that the sermon on the mount is a good test as to whether one is approaching or has already crossed the line into true discipleship. When I read the Sermon on the Mount, I ask myself whether or not I do the things commanded by the Lord. If so, do I do them with the right heart? Do I even agree with the Lord's philosophy? Does it even make sense?
Here are some of the things that I have discovered.
God prioritises and orders our personal growth.
1. As you ask for what you need to work on, he gives you something to do.
Attributes of a Believer. A true believer is working on the following.
Revile not
Giving freely of one's substance
Keep the commandments
The Dividing Line between Unbelieve and Believing.
1. Use Ether 4 verses about have a broken heart and contrite spirit.
2. There seems to be an attitude that all I have is God's.
3. Casting off all fear. The natural man fears letting go. What if I let go of all my sins and attitudes?
4. Faith seems to be tied to believing that if God said so, you ought to do it. For example, the natural man knows it is illogical to not fight back when we are malligned. But the gospel requires us to revile not when we are mocked or persecuted. We measure or spiritual development by the way we respond to negative things in our lives. These things can be thoughts, emotions or behavior. When we notice that we still responding as a natural man would, this is when we look to God and ask for His grace to overcome the weakness.
5. The dividing line of unbelief and belief. On the one side we fear changing. On the other side we abhor sin and feel a deep hope and love.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Financial Mormonism
I coined a new phase: financial Mormonism. This is where our American cultural has penetrated into the lives of members to such a degree that a belief develops that the richer you are the more blessed you are. It also is presented to the youth as the end all for the beautiful life. Since the humble follower of Christ goal isn't presented very clearly in the classrooms of the church, a replacement goal is modeled. The more financially set you are the more you are following the gospel. This isn't true and never has been. It may be true that a humble follower of Christ can be financially well off but it isn't true that well off Mormons are humble followers of Christ. What has caused this goal replacement? It is what we have been modeled for a 100 years. If there were many individuals (and I have met a few) modeling the life of a true believer, we would be seeing those ways more frequently and would be able discern it. We would hear their testimonies and feel their power. We would watch their actions want to be like them. Signs and miracles follow them that believe. The other group in the dingy just doesn't have as much respect as the large group in the ship. Of course, many of us are trying to climb the rungs of the ladder and are not stopping. More and more are rending the veil of unbelief and relying wholly on Christ's merits. I don't want to stop at financial Mormonism or Pharisaical Mormonism or zealot Mormonism or new age Mormonism. They all exist in the church. I want to become a true believer by word and action.
Monday, February 28, 2011
How does Christ's mercy extend to me even though I am a sinner?
How does Christ's mercy extend to me even though I am a sinner? This question has perplexed me my whole life. The born again Christians seem to believe that they are saved by declaring that they believe in Christ - as if something magical happens and they are able to gain Christ's mercy and salvation merely by confessing or saying that 'I believe'. My early training as a Latter-day Saint, taught me that obedience is where it's at and becoming perfect brings salvation (or exaltation).
So, here's what I believe: Each day as I sincerely strive to remember Jesus Christ, striving to keep the commandments, Christ takes up the slack regarding my imperfections. This quest for completeness or wholeness (perfection) may start at 99% Christ and 1% me. But, I grow from grace to grace, line upon line and each weakness (sin) becomes a strength unto me through His grace. I humbly know that I can't do this by myself. All that I can do is change from day to day, month to month and year to year. As miraculous changes in my character occur, I am humbled and acknowledge that the change has happened only through Christ's grace.
Heavenly Father cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. That's why we have a Mediator! We pray to the Father in Jesus' name because we cannot access the Father except through Christ. If we are sincerely striving to follow our savior, we have access to the Father because Jesus is taking up the slack regarding our failings.
All that we can do is put our trust in God, exercise faith and work on being obedient. God, through the Holy Ghost will order and prioritize our progression back to Him. Using a shotgun approach in perfecting my keeping of each commandment all at the same time has never worked for me. It becomes overwhelming. But, changing little by little each day as the Spirit directs is doable and rewarding. It is rewarding because I am blessed each time I make a little progress. This increases my faith. My God has no desire to overwhelm me.
This is what I believe is meant by being justified by the Spirit. As we do this process consistently over time we finally become just men made perfect. I have a sneaky feeling that during the process we are perfect in Christ and as we change and grow, we through His grace become perfected in Christ. We are then ready to be sanctified by the blood of Christ. We receive the Second Comforter.
So, here's what I believe: Each day as I sincerely strive to remember Jesus Christ, striving to keep the commandments, Christ takes up the slack regarding my imperfections. This quest for completeness or wholeness (perfection) may start at 99% Christ and 1% me. But, I grow from grace to grace, line upon line and each weakness (sin) becomes a strength unto me through His grace. I humbly know that I can't do this by myself. All that I can do is change from day to day, month to month and year to year. As miraculous changes in my character occur, I am humbled and acknowledge that the change has happened only through Christ's grace.
Heavenly Father cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. That's why we have a Mediator! We pray to the Father in Jesus' name because we cannot access the Father except through Christ. If we are sincerely striving to follow our savior, we have access to the Father because Jesus is taking up the slack regarding our failings.
All that we can do is put our trust in God, exercise faith and work on being obedient. God, through the Holy Ghost will order and prioritize our progression back to Him. Using a shotgun approach in perfecting my keeping of each commandment all at the same time has never worked for me. It becomes overwhelming. But, changing little by little each day as the Spirit directs is doable and rewarding. It is rewarding because I am blessed each time I make a little progress. This increases my faith. My God has no desire to overwhelm me.
This is what I believe is meant by being justified by the Spirit. As we do this process consistently over time we finally become just men made perfect. I have a sneaky feeling that during the process we are perfect in Christ and as we change and grow, we through His grace become perfected in Christ. We are then ready to be sanctified by the blood of Christ. We receive the Second Comforter.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
High Priest Group Lesson - January 2011
January 1, 2011 HP Lesson on Personal Growth
I am all about personal growth. I am not very good at it but I believe that we begin to faint when we are not growing spiritual.
I also believe that our personal growth or lack there of manifests itself in every aspect of our life. We are either bored about gospel or excited about it.
[Lec on Faith 6:4a] "Such was, and always will be, the situation of the saints of God, that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds and faint;"
[A hymn comes to mind regarding the subject of personal growth:
Be Thou Humble, no. 130
1. Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee,
Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee,
Shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares.
2. Be thou humble in thy calling, and the Lord thy God shall teach thee
To serve his children gladly with a pure and gentle love.
Be thou humble in thy longing, and the Lord thy God shall take thee,
Shall take thee home at last to ever dwell with him above.
[I believe that one of the fruits of personal spiritual growth is an increased ability to hear and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.]
[Brothren, be thinking of promptings, you have received in your life and have acted on, and the results of following the prompting]
(rhetorical Q) Do we view our callings as sacred and desire to be instruments in God's hands in the service of others?
Q: Do we view our life on this earth as a sacred time where we continuously strive to develope and maintain our connection with the true VINE?
READ John 15:1 I am the true avine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every abranch in me that beareth not bfruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cpurgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the avine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without bme ye can do nothing.
6 If a man aabide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye aabide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall bask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Do any of you remember what President Webb's talk was about in the first stake conference of 2010? Hint: he talked about learning a language.
What did he say about learning the language of the Holy Ghost? [we need to learn His language, He doesn't learn ours]
But, it all begins with our own desires to exert ourselves spiritually.
Q: What does it mean to you to exert yourselves in a spiritual way?
Common responses: go to temple, read scriptures, pray....
Q: Why do we want to become more spiritual beings?
2 Nephi 9:
2Nephi 9:42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
43 But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.
[The answer is having that happiness prepared for the Saints.]
President Henry B Eyring said is the last General Conference, “Whenever darkness fills our minds, we may know that we are not possessed of the Spirit of God. … When we are filled with the Spirit of God we are filled with joy, with peace, and with happiness, no matter what our circumstances may be; for it is a spirit of cheerfulness and of happiness. The Lord has given unto us the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is our privilege to have that Holy Ghost reign within us, so that from morning till night and from night till morning we shall have the joy, the light and the revelation thereof.” 8 . George Q. Cannon, in Brian H. Stuy, comp., Collected Discourses Delivered by President Wilford Woodruff, His Two Counselors, the Twelve Apostles, and Others, 5 vols. (1987–92), 4:137.
Elder Richard Scott said in the October General Conference: "When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power."
Q: Why do want to become more spiritual? (if necessary) We want to be spiritual beings because it transforms our lives in happy lives.
Read: work out your own salvation in fear and trembling...
Mormon 9:27
O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
Q: How do we become a spiritual being?
Read: all things added unto you. Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Read: Jacob 2: 18
Jacob 2:18
But abefore ye seek for briches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to ado good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
Q: Why does Jacob recommend that we first obtain a hope in Christ before we seek for riches?
Answer: Because he has reconciled himself to God. He heart has been changed by God.
Q: If we are bored or complacent about the gospel, where does the problem lie? If we just go throught the motions in our callings, especially our hometeaching calling, where do we need to start to remedy the problem?
Q: You know what I find to be invigorating about the gospel? What the Lord is going to tell me to do next.
EXPERIENCES - Brethren, I asked earlier to be thinking about experiences where the Holy Ghost has prompted you to do something. Would any of you like to share at this time?
{Your personal experience here.}
[Back in August, we talking about developing faith. Br Koresleski mentioned that we work on the hardest thing first and that would have the greatest impact.
The process of learning to follow the Spirit and growing spiritually is not supposed to be overwelming. We work on one thing at a time. How do we know what to work on? How do we know what that one thing is that God want us to do or change in our lives? We just ask our Heavenly Father in prayer, believing that we will receive an answer. When we receive the one thing, we don't disregard what we are told to do. God knows better than we do what we need to do. Let God order your spiritual growth.
If we really desire to follow God, the Lord is going to prompt us to do something. We will hear the prompting in various ways: the still small voice, in a dream, as we are meditating, reading the scriptures. The prompting will be small enough that it will be easy to reject at first. But, as we learn the language of the Holy Ghost, we will able to discern the prompting and recognize it. We then with a degree of urgency, perhaps immediately act on the prompting.
I believe that has we grow ourselves spiritual, hand in hand with Christ, we begin to cast off all doubt, we don't question the commandments the Lord gives us (either personally or from the prophets). We let Heavenly Father prioritize what we need to work on.
As we do this, our lives become more vibrant. We begin to feeling God's power flowing through us. Our hope become brighter. We start looking for ways to do our callings with greater zeal. We want to invite the Spirit by preparing. We expect the promptings to come.
Q: Why is important for each us to have the Holy Ghost guide us on a regular basis? Because God has not left us empty handed in the past. We now get it. We want to Spiritual Feast. We don't find it satisfying anymore to just go through the motions.
But, this requires that we make ourselves vulnerable to God.
Q: What do you think it mean to be vulnerable? Is our logic the same as God's?
Read about Melchezidek. What did he do? How are we like Melchezidek in our own personal callings?
Conclusion:
As we begin to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, the following quotation from the Lectures on Faith now make sense to us.
What should our new year's resolution be? The gospel and the priesthood are to be lived! Let's not have one foot in the gospel and one foot in skepticism.
Ponder your callings in life. Ask God, what He would have you do. Let the Lord priortize for you. Then, with His grace, He will help you change. But it will be one thing at a time. The Lord will guide you as you spiritually grow.
I am all about personal growth. I am not very good at it but I believe that we begin to faint when we are not growing spiritual.
I also believe that our personal growth or lack there of manifests itself in every aspect of our life. We are either bored about gospel or excited about it.
[Lec on Faith 6:4a] "Such was, and always will be, the situation of the saints of God, that unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in their minds and faint;"
[A hymn comes to mind regarding the subject of personal growth:
Be Thou Humble, no. 130
1. Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee,
Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee,
Shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares.
2. Be thou humble in thy calling, and the Lord thy God shall teach thee
To serve his children gladly with a pure and gentle love.
Be thou humble in thy longing, and the Lord thy God shall take thee,
Shall take thee home at last to ever dwell with him above.
[I believe that one of the fruits of personal spiritual growth is an increased ability to hear and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.]
[Brothren, be thinking of promptings, you have received in your life and have acted on, and the results of following the prompting]
(rhetorical Q) Do we view our callings as sacred and desire to be instruments in God's hands in the service of others?
Q: Do we view our life on this earth as a sacred time where we continuously strive to develope and maintain our connection with the true VINE?
READ John 15:1 I am the true avine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every abranch in me that beareth not bfruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cpurgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the avine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without bme ye can do nothing.
6 If a man aabide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye aabide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall bask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Do any of you remember what President Webb's talk was about in the first stake conference of 2010? Hint: he talked about learning a language.
What did he say about learning the language of the Holy Ghost? [we need to learn His language, He doesn't learn ours]
But, it all begins with our own desires to exert ourselves spiritually.
Q: What does it mean to you to exert yourselves in a spiritual way?
Common responses: go to temple, read scriptures, pray....
Q: Why do we want to become more spiritual beings?
2 Nephi 9:
2Nephi 9:42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
43 But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from them forever—yea, that happiness which is prepared for the saints.
[The answer is having that happiness prepared for the Saints.]
President Henry B Eyring said is the last General Conference, “Whenever darkness fills our minds, we may know that we are not possessed of the Spirit of God. … When we are filled with the Spirit of God we are filled with joy, with peace, and with happiness, no matter what our circumstances may be; for it is a spirit of cheerfulness and of happiness. The Lord has given unto us the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is our privilege to have that Holy Ghost reign within us, so that from morning till night and from night till morning we shall have the joy, the light and the revelation thereof.” 8 . George Q. Cannon, in Brian H. Stuy, comp., Collected Discourses Delivered by President Wilford Woodruff, His Two Counselors, the Twelve Apostles, and Others, 5 vols. (1987–92), 4:137.
Elder Richard Scott said in the October General Conference: "When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power."
Q: Why do want to become more spiritual? (if necessary) We want to be spiritual beings because it transforms our lives in happy lives.
Read: work out your own salvation in fear and trembling...
Mormon 9:27
O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
Q: How do we become a spiritual being?
Read: all things added unto you. Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Read: Jacob 2: 18
Jacob 2:18
But abefore ye seek for briches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to ado good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
Q: Why does Jacob recommend that we first obtain a hope in Christ before we seek for riches?
Answer: Because he has reconciled himself to God. He heart has been changed by God.
Q: If we are bored or complacent about the gospel, where does the problem lie? If we just go throught the motions in our callings, especially our hometeaching calling, where do we need to start to remedy the problem?
Q: You know what I find to be invigorating about the gospel? What the Lord is going to tell me to do next.
EXPERIENCES - Brethren, I asked earlier to be thinking about experiences where the Holy Ghost has prompted you to do something. Would any of you like to share at this time?
{Your personal experience here.}
[Back in August, we talking about developing faith. Br Koresleski mentioned that we work on the hardest thing first and that would have the greatest impact.
The process of learning to follow the Spirit and growing spiritually is not supposed to be overwelming. We work on one thing at a time. How do we know what to work on? How do we know what that one thing is that God want us to do or change in our lives? We just ask our Heavenly Father in prayer, believing that we will receive an answer. When we receive the one thing, we don't disregard what we are told to do. God knows better than we do what we need to do. Let God order your spiritual growth.
If we really desire to follow God, the Lord is going to prompt us to do something. We will hear the prompting in various ways: the still small voice, in a dream, as we are meditating, reading the scriptures. The prompting will be small enough that it will be easy to reject at first. But, as we learn the language of the Holy Ghost, we will able to discern the prompting and recognize it. We then with a degree of urgency, perhaps immediately act on the prompting.
I believe that has we grow ourselves spiritual, hand in hand with Christ, we begin to cast off all doubt, we don't question the commandments the Lord gives us (either personally or from the prophets). We let Heavenly Father prioritize what we need to work on.
As we do this, our lives become more vibrant. We begin to feeling God's power flowing through us. Our hope become brighter. We start looking for ways to do our callings with greater zeal. We want to invite the Spirit by preparing. We expect the promptings to come.
Q: Why is important for each us to have the Holy Ghost guide us on a regular basis? Because God has not left us empty handed in the past. We now get it. We want to Spiritual Feast. We don't find it satisfying anymore to just go through the motions.
But, this requires that we make ourselves vulnerable to God.
Q: What do you think it mean to be vulnerable? Is our logic the same as God's?
Read about Melchezidek. What did he do? How are we like Melchezidek in our own personal callings?
Conclusion:
As we begin to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, the following quotation from the Lectures on Faith now make sense to us.
What should our new year's resolution be? The gospel and the priesthood are to be lived! Let's not have one foot in the gospel and one foot in skepticism.
Ponder your callings in life. Ask God, what He would have you do. Let the Lord priortize for you. Then, with His grace, He will help you change. But it will be one thing at a time. The Lord will guide you as you spiritually grow.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Are We Willing to Believe?
I have been reading this book called The Second Comforter and encountered a part that I found to be very helpful. It starts on page 74. I hope these passages will inspire you as they have me, to view your world differently.
"How we perceive our challenges determines how we meet them. If we see God as the over riding influence in life's challenges, then we can trust God to help us through them.... It is always a battle between faith and skepticism. Do you see it as a fight between your own willingness to trust God to deliver you, or in merely physical terms. Does God care about your life's dilemmas? Will he help deliver you from your 'Goliaths'? Do you trust Him? Do you believe in Him? Do you believe He is interested and involved in your life? Will you accept the proof of His involvement as His word to you? Do you feel His proofs are not sufficient or substantial enough to have faith in them?
"Faith in a distant and unconcerned God may satisfy some Latter-day Saints. But that is not the God Nephi (or David) believed in. In Nephi's example we find a personal God involved in everyday life. We find a God who will give a challenge to us, and then walk beside us to see we succeed. Nephi is trying to teach us this is the way God operates in all of our lives. He is not distant. He is a part of each of our daily lives. We can ignore Him, or acknowledge Him. But whether we accept or reject His involvement, Nephi's view is that He is present and concerned.
"...You must accept Him as someone who cares enough about you that He will help you accomplish His commandments. You must be willing to accept the forms of communications He uses to facilitate this.
"...No Goliath in your life will destroy you. Rather, God will destroy the Goliaths for you.
"In the end, Goliaths are merely opportunities for you to demonstrate your faith. They will be swept away when they no longer serve any purpose. They are there only temporarily to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate faith.
"Those Goliaths you face are opportunities to see if you will proceed in faith to confront them. They are opportunities and blessings, not difficulties. They are mere illusions; here to test your faith. Face them with faith and with the confidence 'the Lord gives you no commandments save he shall prepare a way for you to accomplish the thing which he hath commanded,' as Nephi would put it. Until you are willing to do this, and actually begin to see life's challenges in this light, you are not ready to proceed further.
"You have to take the proofs, the feelings, the dreams and the insubstantial communications from God and bring them into the physical and material world in which you live. If you are not willing to bring these things from the spiritual into the physical realities by you faith, then the veil will remain in place....
"Nephi has an errand to perform. He accepts that errand faithfully and with confidence the Lord is going to help accomplish it. And he acts in this physical world consistent with faith in the unseen world. That is how we all need to act.
"We all have faith in something. And we act consistent with that faith. Whether faith is in God or in science or in philosophy, we all act consistent with our beliefs. Since that is invariably true, you may as well accept Nephi's view and promise of how things really are and try trusting God in that matter. The alternative is to stay as you are now, and not progress in spiritual matters.
[After multiple failures in getting the plates]..."Nephi's tenacity in approaching his assignment shows that even in dark and discouraging moments he remains committed to the Lord. Nephi's experience demonstrates that trials, setbacks or temporary failure do not mean the Lord has abandoned you. Nor does it mean the Lord has forgotten His promises to you, anymore than this setback meant that to Nephi. D&C 1:38... The upside is the He [the Lord] will not excuse Himself from the commitments made you....if you remain faithful (like Nephi) no difficulty will prevent ultimate success.
"A temporary setback in any Godly undertaking is for your benefit. If you were not given these changes to show faith, then you would fail to develop into the person God wants you to become. ... It requires persistence at almost certain failure. It requires you to look Goliath in the face and say he is God's problem, not yours. Your problem is to persist in faith. The result will occur, however unlikely they may seem at the moment, in the way God has promised.
"Though these things may seem vague and ill-defined or perhaps even chaotic, they are not. As you persist in keeping God's commandments you get an increasingly clear perception. There are concrete and tangible relationships. They are real. Following them will result in anyone, anywhere, from any culture or background, receiving the results.
"One of the necessary experiences through which you must pass is the experience of apparent imminent failure.... You must choose between the apparent failure of faith, and the desire to persist. Facing the end, you must retain hope. This is good for the soul, even though it is painful to endure. You must face the physical dilemmas and difficulties in life while viewing them in their true spiritual setting. You must rend the veil."
I will stop there. The book is awesome! These passages give me hope in my current dilemmas. I have never heard someone speak so plainly about what it means to exercise faith in the unseen in the physical world we live in.
"How we perceive our challenges determines how we meet them. If we see God as the over riding influence in life's challenges, then we can trust God to help us through them.... It is always a battle between faith and skepticism. Do you see it as a fight between your own willingness to trust God to deliver you, or in merely physical terms. Does God care about your life's dilemmas? Will he help deliver you from your 'Goliaths'? Do you trust Him? Do you believe in Him? Do you believe He is interested and involved in your life? Will you accept the proof of His involvement as His word to you? Do you feel His proofs are not sufficient or substantial enough to have faith in them?
"Faith in a distant and unconcerned God may satisfy some Latter-day Saints. But that is not the God Nephi (or David) believed in. In Nephi's example we find a personal God involved in everyday life. We find a God who will give a challenge to us, and then walk beside us to see we succeed. Nephi is trying to teach us this is the way God operates in all of our lives. He is not distant. He is a part of each of our daily lives. We can ignore Him, or acknowledge Him. But whether we accept or reject His involvement, Nephi's view is that He is present and concerned.
"...You must accept Him as someone who cares enough about you that He will help you accomplish His commandments. You must be willing to accept the forms of communications He uses to facilitate this.
"...No Goliath in your life will destroy you. Rather, God will destroy the Goliaths for you.
"In the end, Goliaths are merely opportunities for you to demonstrate your faith. They will be swept away when they no longer serve any purpose. They are there only temporarily to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate faith.
"Those Goliaths you face are opportunities to see if you will proceed in faith to confront them. They are opportunities and blessings, not difficulties. They are mere illusions; here to test your faith. Face them with faith and with the confidence 'the Lord gives you no commandments save he shall prepare a way for you to accomplish the thing which he hath commanded,' as Nephi would put it. Until you are willing to do this, and actually begin to see life's challenges in this light, you are not ready to proceed further.
"You have to take the proofs, the feelings, the dreams and the insubstantial communications from God and bring them into the physical and material world in which you live. If you are not willing to bring these things from the spiritual into the physical realities by you faith, then the veil will remain in place....
"Nephi has an errand to perform. He accepts that errand faithfully and with confidence the Lord is going to help accomplish it. And he acts in this physical world consistent with faith in the unseen world. That is how we all need to act.
"We all have faith in something. And we act consistent with that faith. Whether faith is in God or in science or in philosophy, we all act consistent with our beliefs. Since that is invariably true, you may as well accept Nephi's view and promise of how things really are and try trusting God in that matter. The alternative is to stay as you are now, and not progress in spiritual matters.
[After multiple failures in getting the plates]..."Nephi's tenacity in approaching his assignment shows that even in dark and discouraging moments he remains committed to the Lord. Nephi's experience demonstrates that trials, setbacks or temporary failure do not mean the Lord has abandoned you. Nor does it mean the Lord has forgotten His promises to you, anymore than this setback meant that to Nephi. D&C 1:38... The upside is the He [the Lord] will not excuse Himself from the commitments made you....if you remain faithful (like Nephi) no difficulty will prevent ultimate success.
"A temporary setback in any Godly undertaking is for your benefit. If you were not given these changes to show faith, then you would fail to develop into the person God wants you to become. ... It requires persistence at almost certain failure. It requires you to look Goliath in the face and say he is God's problem, not yours. Your problem is to persist in faith. The result will occur, however unlikely they may seem at the moment, in the way God has promised.
"Though these things may seem vague and ill-defined or perhaps even chaotic, they are not. As you persist in keeping God's commandments you get an increasingly clear perception. There are concrete and tangible relationships. They are real. Following them will result in anyone, anywhere, from any culture or background, receiving the results.
"One of the necessary experiences through which you must pass is the experience of apparent imminent failure.... You must choose between the apparent failure of faith, and the desire to persist. Facing the end, you must retain hope. This is good for the soul, even though it is painful to endure. You must face the physical dilemmas and difficulties in life while viewing them in their true spiritual setting. You must rend the veil."
I will stop there. The book is awesome! These passages give me hope in my current dilemmas. I have never heard someone speak so plainly about what it means to exercise faith in the unseen in the physical world we live in.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Faith and Demons
I have been thinking lately about my approach to faith and hope. Three things come to mind: the faith of Nephi, mellowing out, and the movie, 'A Beautiful Mind'.
First, the faith of Nephi, shows that many times God does not come through for a person that is exercising faith until after the tribulation has occurred. Nephi also demonstrates his faith by his steadiness. He has a firm hope, trusting in his
God, that their is a promised land to inherit.
Second, I believe that staying calm and mellowing out is a demonstration of faith.
Third, in the movie, 'A Beautiful Mind', the main character has to first become aware of and then master his demons. His demons were mental apparitions of individuals that feed his various fears.
So, how do these things help me with my life? At times, the Lord reveals to me what I need to do in advance, counseling me to take a specific action. This might be considered an errand of the Lord. Other times (or during the errand), the Lord doesn't give any direction (counsel or deliverance)until after the crisis has occurred. This is what is meant by the scriptures stating that miracles don't occur until after the trial of our faith. I may want to be guided and inspired so smooth sailing will always occur but this is not scriptural. So, what demonstrates that I have faith? That I can remain steady, calm and believing up to and during the 'fire'. Of course, keeping the commandments is a given.
But, how does one stay calm when things aren't going well? How does one not go into despair (unbelief, hopelessness)? Everyone has their own 'demons' that immediately manifest themselves when the going gets rough. Like in the movie, these mental demons can overwhelm us. The man in the movie has to first become aware of their existence and then learn to keep them at bay. He mastered the ability to keep them at a distance rather than letting them control him and his life. In the same way, we too must become aware of our personal demons (weaknesses, emotional states, etc.) and learn to keep them at bay. As we practice (exercising faith and maintaining hope) we eventually become masters at it.
But my tribulation is truly despairing! There is no way out of it! What you are really saying is that God really doesn't exist and cannot help you is this particular case. Your case is special. God helps other but not me. But the truth is that you haven't been granted to gift of seeing your demons. You believe that your particular demons are just part of your personality. They came upon you so fast, when the affliction or trial occurred, that you didn't even recognize what just happened. You believed in the demon (depression, fear, foreboding, paranoia, injustness, shame, jealousy, envying, coveting, anxiety, hatred, rage, apathy, judging, mocking, pride, self-condemnation, etc.) and gave it room in your inn and let it take up its abode inside of you.
Keeping your demons (negative emotions) from overwhelming you takes practice. It may require you to stop what you are doing and immediately reaffirm your faith in God, that the feelings that you are having are neither permanent nor useful. They may seem very real but they serve no useful purpose. My goal is learn to be aware of them coming upon me, keep them at bay, and give them no heed. All they will do is hinder your progress. Nephi had to leave his brothers outside the walls because they were complaining that the errand couldn't be done. We need to put despair and unbelief aside also. When Nephi and his brother were returning home with Ishmael and his family, Nephi wasn't delivered until after he was tied up and left to die. The Lord was testing and growing Nephi's faith by bringing him to the brink. This happens over and over where Nephi keeps the faith, stays calm, trusts in the Lord and stays optimistice (hopes all things).
Where do we start on our journey? The first step is just to believe. Believe you are worthy. Believe that God is aware of your problem. Believe that He will help. Believe that He will at times take to all the way to the edge to see if you will be steadfast in your faith in Him. Believe that faith preceeds the miracle. Be aware that the miracle that was waiting for you will not appear unless your faith is strong enough and that you will probably never realize what the miracle was if you fall into despair and unbelief.
So, stay calm, be believing, trust in God and wait on the Lord!
First, the faith of Nephi, shows that many times God does not come through for a person that is exercising faith until after the tribulation has occurred. Nephi also demonstrates his faith by his steadiness. He has a firm hope, trusting in his
God, that their is a promised land to inherit.
Second, I believe that staying calm and mellowing out is a demonstration of faith.
Third, in the movie, 'A Beautiful Mind', the main character has to first become aware of and then master his demons. His demons were mental apparitions of individuals that feed his various fears.
So, how do these things help me with my life? At times, the Lord reveals to me what I need to do in advance, counseling me to take a specific action. This might be considered an errand of the Lord. Other times (or during the errand), the Lord doesn't give any direction (counsel or deliverance)until after the crisis has occurred. This is what is meant by the scriptures stating that miracles don't occur until after the trial of our faith. I may want to be guided and inspired so smooth sailing will always occur but this is not scriptural. So, what demonstrates that I have faith? That I can remain steady, calm and believing up to and during the 'fire'. Of course, keeping the commandments is a given.
But, how does one stay calm when things aren't going well? How does one not go into despair (unbelief, hopelessness)? Everyone has their own 'demons' that immediately manifest themselves when the going gets rough. Like in the movie, these mental demons can overwhelm us. The man in the movie has to first become aware of their existence and then learn to keep them at bay. He mastered the ability to keep them at a distance rather than letting them control him and his life. In the same way, we too must become aware of our personal demons (weaknesses, emotional states, etc.) and learn to keep them at bay. As we practice (exercising faith and maintaining hope) we eventually become masters at it.
But my tribulation is truly despairing! There is no way out of it! What you are really saying is that God really doesn't exist and cannot help you is this particular case. Your case is special. God helps other but not me. But the truth is that you haven't been granted to gift of seeing your demons. You believe that your particular demons are just part of your personality. They came upon you so fast, when the affliction or trial occurred, that you didn't even recognize what just happened. You believed in the demon (depression, fear, foreboding, paranoia, injustness, shame, jealousy, envying, coveting, anxiety, hatred, rage, apathy, judging, mocking, pride, self-condemnation, etc.) and gave it room in your inn and let it take up its abode inside of you.
Keeping your demons (negative emotions) from overwhelming you takes practice. It may require you to stop what you are doing and immediately reaffirm your faith in God, that the feelings that you are having are neither permanent nor useful. They may seem very real but they serve no useful purpose. My goal is learn to be aware of them coming upon me, keep them at bay, and give them no heed. All they will do is hinder your progress. Nephi had to leave his brothers outside the walls because they were complaining that the errand couldn't be done. We need to put despair and unbelief aside also. When Nephi and his brother were returning home with Ishmael and his family, Nephi wasn't delivered until after he was tied up and left to die. The Lord was testing and growing Nephi's faith by bringing him to the brink. This happens over and over where Nephi keeps the faith, stays calm, trusts in the Lord and stays optimistice (hopes all things).
Where do we start on our journey? The first step is just to believe. Believe you are worthy. Believe that God is aware of your problem. Believe that He will help. Believe that He will at times take to all the way to the edge to see if you will be steadfast in your faith in Him. Believe that faith preceeds the miracle. Be aware that the miracle that was waiting for you will not appear unless your faith is strong enough and that you will probably never realize what the miracle was if you fall into despair and unbelief.
So, stay calm, be believing, trust in God and wait on the Lord!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wirthlin on Consecration
Joseph B Wirthlin in the following article makes it very clear that we tend to keep on spending and spending rather than thinking about our covenant to consecrate. He said the following in an article in the Nov 1990 Ensign:
Another temptation to detour us is placing improper emphasis on the obtaining of material possessions. For example, we may build a beautiful, spacious home that is far larger than we need. We may spend far too much to decorate, furnish, and landscape it. And even if we are blessed enough to afford such luxury, we may be misdirecting resources that could be better used to build the kingdom of God or to feed and clothe our needy brothers and sisters.
Jacob, the Book of Mormon prophet, warned us, “Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.” (2 Ne. 9:51.) And in even stronger words, he said:
“Because some of you have obtained more abundantly than … your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.
“And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you. …
“Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other.” (Jacob 2:13–14, 21.)
Pride and vanity, the opposites of humility, can destroy our spiritual health as surely as a debilitating disease can destroy our physical health.
The Savior taught clearly the proper value of worldly possessions in his conversation with the rich young ruler who asked what more was required to have eternal life; he had kept all the commandments from his youth. He asked the Master what he still lacked. Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor, and come and follow Him. But the man went away sorrowing, for he loved his possessions. (See Matt. 19:16–22.) How many of us would pass this test?
Many of us have made sacred covenants to live the laws of sacrifice and consecration. But when the Lord blesses us with riches and affluence, we may give little thought to how we should use these blessings to help build up his church.
Another temptation to detour us is placing improper emphasis on the obtaining of material possessions. For example, we may build a beautiful, spacious home that is far larger than we need. We may spend far too much to decorate, furnish, and landscape it. And even if we are blessed enough to afford such luxury, we may be misdirecting resources that could be better used to build the kingdom of God or to feed and clothe our needy brothers and sisters.
Jacob, the Book of Mormon prophet, warned us, “Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.” (2 Ne. 9:51.) And in even stronger words, he said:
“Because some of you have obtained more abundantly than … your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.
“And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you. …
“Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other.” (Jacob 2:13–14, 21.)
Pride and vanity, the opposites of humility, can destroy our spiritual health as surely as a debilitating disease can destroy our physical health.
The Savior taught clearly the proper value of worldly possessions in his conversation with the rich young ruler who asked what more was required to have eternal life; he had kept all the commandments from his youth. He asked the Master what he still lacked. Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor, and come and follow Him. But the man went away sorrowing, for he loved his possessions. (See Matt. 19:16–22.) How many of us would pass this test?
Many of us have made sacred covenants to live the laws of sacrifice and consecration. But when the Lord blesses us with riches and affluence, we may give little thought to how we should use these blessings to help build up his church.
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