Monday, December 27, 2010

Always

Imagine a good baseball coach who teaches a young boy how to swing a bat. While there are hundreds of coaching points that lead to the perfect swing, a wise coach does not overwhelm a boy by asking too much of him too soon; rather, he begins by building upon his students strengths and then builds upon those strengths as fast as the student progresses. He will move along a path of progression with the boy at a pace that does not confuse, frustrate, and lead to failure. Great coaches know how to pace progress; they know exactly when to challenge a student further and when to maintain current focus.

Now imagine being invited by the world's best coach to come unto Him and to be perfected in Him, not just to swing a bat perfectly, but to perfect your whole soul. That is exactly the invitation the Jesus offered to each of us. Moreover he commanded saying, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." As the Master of truth who cannot lie or deceive, He would not invite, nor would He command such unless He was sufficiently capable to coach, and guide us unto perfection.

As the Master coach He knows how to customize our progression in a manner that we can continually advance, stretch, and grow--without becoming overcome by frustration, failure, and despair. He asks much of us to be sure, and as we heed His voice we grow line upon line and we bring the power and influence of His Spirit from behind the veil into our physical world to help shape and mold us into His perfect image. Each step we take is designed by Him to enable us with greater light, knowledge, and faith until we attain sufficient faith and knowledge to lay hold upon eternal life, the greatest of all God's gifts.

The greatest decision we can make is to accept His invitation to be perfected in Him. We do this by choosing to live so that we can enjoy His perfect influence always. How do we enjoy his fellowship and influence always? In ancient Israel the Law of Sacrifice was introduced to help prepare Israel to enjoy continual fellowship with Jehovah. Then, the law of sacrifice included three types of blood offerings:
  • First, a sin offering of an animal was made to atone for a person's uncleanliness or sin. 
  • Second, burnt offerings of the flesh of animals were made every morning and evening and the smoke from these offerings ascended continuously to heaven. This continual offering symbolized complete surrender and total devotion to God, paralleling the process of justification and sanctification, or the process of always retaining a remission of our sins. 
  • Third, the peace offering indicates that the sacrificer of an animal was at peace with God and could therefore enjoy His fellowship.
The Sin offering preceded the burnt offering, and the burnt offering preceded the peace offering. This order symbolized the atonement, sanctification, and ultimate fellowship with the Lord.
    Christ became the last great sacrifice that called for the shedding of the blood of animals. All former blood sacrifices pointed to this last great sacrifice. On the eve before Christ offered Himself as the great sacrifice for mankind He instituted the Lord's Sacrament to replace blood offerings. He then taught that the sacrifice required of us today is not of blood but is an offering of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Let's review the covenants we make during the Sacrament that lead us to enjoy His Spirit and fellowship always which is the prerequisite to becoming perfected in Him:
    1. Remember: When He instituted the Sacrament, Jesus broke and passed the bread to His apostles and said, "This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me...." Then He passed the cup for each to drink and said, "This cup is the new testament (a new covenant with Israel) in my blood, which was shed for you" (Luke 22:19-20) The Sacrament is a time to ponder and remember with gratitude the life, teachings, atonement, and perfect ministry of our Lord. The bread is a reminder of His body and the physical suffering He endured for each of us upon the cross. It reminds us that through His mercy and grace we will be resurrected and are given the opportunity for eternal life. The water or wine is a reminder that the Savior shed His blood and suffered intense anguish for us. This began in the Garden of Gethsemane, which suffering led Him to say, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Mattthew 26:38). Submitting to the will of the Father, He suffered more than we can comprehend: Blood came from every pore, so great was His anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of His people. We covenant to remember His sacrifice and our indebtedness to Him. He suffered for our sins, sorrows, and pains, providing remission of our sins if we repent and live the gospel. Remembering Him obligates us to a life of goodness as we serve and bless others. It requires that we live without hatred, enmity, immorality, selfishness, drunkenness, jealousy, dishonesty, and that we ultimately become perfect as He is perfect--attribute for divine attribute. 
    2. Witness: As we partake of the Sacrament we witness to God our willingness to live the gospel and to take upon ourselves the name of His Son, even Jesus Christ, to surrender our will to His Son, and to live in such a manner that our thoughts, words, and deeds always reflect our covenant to be like His Son.  
    3. Obey: We covenant to always keep the commandments, including what is taught in the gospels, as well as what He asks of us through His Spirit in our daily walk, and it also includes our willingness to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. We covenant to obey Him whether it be directly through His voice or through His authorized servants.
    Christ commenced his earthly ministry with an ordinance--baptism--and ended His ministry with and ordinance--the Sacrament. Our personal reward for being properly baptized and for partaking of the weekly Sacrament with a sincere heart, with real intent, forsaking our sins, and renewing our covenants with God is the Lord Jesus provides a way whereby we can be forgiven from week to week of our sins and whereby we also discern those things which we need to improve. Simply eating the bread and drinking the water will not bring forgiveness or remission of sins, nor will it qualify us to enjoy the constant companionship of the Lord's Spirit. To maintain this sacred relationship, we must take time to examine our lives and strive with real intent to repent of our sins. As we approach the sacrament prepared and with His divine life ever in mind, we are to come before Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, which is caused by recognition of our dependence upon His power and grace to become perfected in Him. As we remember His tender mercies and the many gifts and blessings received at His hand, our remembrance leads us to love Him purely, which occurs best as we serve the real needs of others. As we do so we become even more purified through His attending Spirit until at last all impurity is overcome.

    Summary
    Similar to a young boy who needs a good mentor and coach, in order to obtain the ultimate prize of a perfected soul we need our Savior, even Jesus Christ. The weekly Sacrament is the path of spiritual rebirth through Christ that takes away our sins, and the stain of sins, as bit by bit temptations lose their appeal and we become holy as Christ and the Father are holy--attribute for divine attribute. His all-searching eye is upon us and He refines us as silver and gold until at last He can see His perfect image within us. As long as some vestige of sin remains within us and we retain some disposition to do evil we must continue to offer up our continual sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit and continue to recognize our dependence upon Him to guide and prepare us until we lay hold upon sufficient faith and knowledge to part the veil and to take up our abode with Him. Only then does He becomes our Second Comforter and as such He comforts, succors, leads, and finishes our faith by helping us become fully cleansed and made worthy to be introduced to the Father and to become a son or daughter of God's Eternal Family, which is the greatest gift of all. This is the entire meaning of receiving eternal life. We enter and remain on this path by "always" remembering Him.

    The Sacrament is a sacred key to this great process, because only through keeping our Sacramental covenants to always remember Him, to always be a witness of Him, and to always obey Him do we qualify to always enjoy His divine and perfecting influence, which is necessary if we are to successfully accept His invitation to be perfected in Him, and if we are to be made ready by Him to pass from faith to a perfect knowledge of Him and His Father. He is indeed, both the author and the finisher of our faith and only through Him  can we come to know the Father, to see His face, and to receive eternal life.

    Friday, December 24, 2010

    Fasting

    How would you like to overcome darkness and sin that binds you, to undo heavy burdens that you carry, to become free of oppression, to break every yoke that is upon you, to receive improved health of body and soul, to have your every prayer answered, to receive continual guidance in things both temporal and spiritual? How would you like God's Spirit and power to go before you, be with you, and also protect you from behind?  Would you like your life to become as a beautiful, watered, fruitful garden? How would you like to have God's grace flow to you continually like a spring of water whose waters fail not (see Isaiah 58:6-11)?

    The history of fasting includes receiving the gift to heal or to be healed; it includes examples of overcoming darkness such as alcoholism, addictions, poor character traits, and so forth. Many have overcome bondage and captivity through fasting, and countless people have received answers to prayer and have received direct guidance from heaven while fasting. By praying and fasting often a person can enjoy heaven's guidance and perfect influence always. Fasting is one of the greatest tools God has given man. God promises that even physical health will be greatly improved through fasting.

    Isaiah taught his people that God is no respecter of persons and that His promises are for every soul who learns to fast in an acceptable manner before Him. There are many examples in scripture of those who fast acceptably before God; some great blessings have occurred after as little as one or two days of fasting; others have fasted forty days or more. Moses fasted forty days before receiving the ten commandments from God and then commenced another forty day fast immediately after learning of the iniquity of Israel while he was upon the Mount with God. Christ fasted forty days before He commenced His mission. Gandhi fasted for twenty plus days on several occasions as he sought to establish greater freedom for his people from Great Britain. In every culture and every religion there are accounts of individuals who have gained great spiritual insights and power through fasting.

    There are both acceptable and unacceptable ways to fast. Fasting for selfish and self-righteous reasons has always been and will always be unacceptable to God. God neither responds, nor do His promises apply to those who fast in an unacceptable manner. How must a fast be conducted in order to receive the promises spoken of by Isaiah? Consider the following principles that are a part of an acceptable fast. When correctly applied these principles merit and result in God's promises toward the fast:
    1. Proper Attitude: It begins with the right attitude of work and obedience. We are never tempted above that which we are able to bear and with each temptation a way is made for our escape, that we may be able to bear it, but we must always do our part. A proper fast can enable you with greater power to overcome your temptations and sins and to lay hold of needed blessings. 
    2. Determine Purpose of Fast: It is important to determine and recognize the purpose(s) of your fast. This could range from being released from prison, to overcoming specific sins that beset you, to being enabled to meet your temporal needs, to overcoming oppressive relationships, and so forth. Only you know what you or others need and what desires underlie the purpose of your fasting. As you prepare to fast, determine your specific purpose or purposes for fasting. 
    3. Begin Fast with Prayer: The Lord is pleased when we reason with Him and present our needs and desires to Him in prayer. This is not to be confused with a demanding spirit; rather, we are to make a righteous offering that is described in scripture as a broken heart and a contrite spirit. With such a heart and spirit we are to articulate and share the purpose, reason, supportive logic, and need for our prayerful requests. God accepts our perfect offering as we express our desires and purposes to Him in faith and meekness. 
    4. Bless Others: Isaiah said: “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10) God's power and blessings are released more fully to us as we seek to lift the burdens of others. 
    5. Seek the Companionship of the Holy Ghost: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearguard” (Isaiah 58:8). "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am..." "And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought..., and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not" (Isaiah 58:9). How would you like to become filled with His Spirit, power, and grace--insomuch that your life becomes fruitful with goodness that fails not? 
    6. Subdue the Natural Man: There are changes that occur in the body during a fast. After certain energy reserves are depleted, body fat then releases fatty acids that form ketones, which are then used to produce energy in place of the more immediate energy reserves that are exhausted. Ketones have an effect upon our psyche that cause us to overcome hunger and to literally subdue the natural man. As your body enters into this state of fasting, it submits more fully to the spirit and as the spiritual man is victorious, we experience greater sensitivity to the influence of the Holy Ghost. Any person who becomes sensitive and fully responsive to God's Spirit is also prepared to receive His power and grace to become as a watered and fruitful garden or as a spring of water whose waters fail not. Goodness will continually flow from the lives of such individuals. 
    7. Use of Time: While fasting, during time you would normally spend preparing food and cleaning up, devote that time to studying scriptures, learning, teaching others, and writing in your journal. Pray and ponder deeply the purpose of your fast and become responsive to God's Spirit.
    8. Mighty Prayer: If we want the results spoken of by Isaiah, then we must combine prayer with fasting. Mighty prayer occurs as you ask God to help you remember His many kindnesses towards you. As you pause to ask and to remember His gifts to you, the Holy Ghost will fill your mind and heart with grateful remembrance. As you so remember you will feel pure gratitude, which is a natural expression of pure love toward God. This opens the conduit of the Spirit fully in your prayer and you will experience God's reciprocating pure love through the power of His Spirit. 
    9. Bear Pure Testimony: As the Holy Ghost becomes your constant companion, such as occurs when we become humble and meek through fasting, our testimonies of God's goodness are more easily, simply, and purely expressed and should be shared with others. 
    10. End Fasting in Prayer: There comes an appropriate time to end a fast. When that time arrives, end your fast in prayer. Reflect upon the purpose of the fast and how that purpose was served. 
    11. Covenant to Improvement: As you receive valuable insights from fasting, note each insight in your journal and make appropriate plans and commitments with God regarding those insights. Secure the Holy Ghost as your constant companion by covenanting with "real intent" to follow the guidance you receive during the fast. As you maintain your commitment by following through with your plans, God's Spirit will continue to bless and influence your efforts as you go forward. 
    12. Become Like Christ: The spirit of a fast helps lead us to increasingly think and act like Christ, and through regular fasting, repentance, and the continual remission of sins the attributes of the natural man slip away to be replaced by the heart and the mind of Christ. This is what it means, in part, to come to know Christ and God. Christ instructed us to become perfect as His Father in Heaven is perfect. We can talk about Christ, teach about Him, and so forth, but until we become like Him through repentance and through a continual remission of sins, we can never come to truly know Him. Coming to know Him is a gentle process of grace that occurs through the gift of His Spirit that attends our fasting, repentance, and a continual remission or our sins; through this process He helps us to become like Him, attribute for divine attribute. Fasting catalyzes this process as we take the insights received while fasting and immerse ourselves in them more fully. 
    To realize the promises of the fast described by Isaiah fast in an acceptable manner before God, as described above. As a principle of power fasting changes lives. When the flesh submits to the spirit we gain the insights, strength, and grace needed to subdue the natural man and to become as Christ. He purges and refines us as silver and gold until His perfect image can be seen within us. That image is best reflected through our kindness and actions toward each other and toward the hungry, the poor, the homeless, the naked, the widow and the fatherless, the stranger that comes into our gates, and to our own families and children in their needs. Therefore, to become as Christ and to obtain the promises of the fast, let our souls be drawn out in fasting and in mighty prayer continually and throughout our lifetimes.

    Thursday, December 16, 2010

    Charity

    Do you remember what it is like to have your body vibrate at the speed of love, joy, wonder, and accomplishment, or how you felt and how easily you accomplished things when you knew little to nothing of resentment, criticism, guilt, and fear? Did you know that every thought you create is real substance that goes out into the universe to create your future? What you send out, you will get back, both good and evil, and your environment and situation are merely a looking glass of what you have chosen to attract into your life. It is exciting to contemplate that by shaping and molding our thoughts as we desire, we also shape and mold any future we desire. How important is a future filled with pure love?

    Religion and science demonstrate that maintaining love and inner peace is more important than diet, exercise, or sleep when it comes to maintaining good health and longevity. Those who possess a loving and peaceful state naturally outlive those who tend toward worry, restlessness, anger, and other forms of stress. From the gospels we learn that love is not evil, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. A person filled with love and peace carries no extra burdens to weigh down the spirit or the body. Moreover, love is light, and darkness flees from light. And, the more love you give to others, the more love comes back to you. Even the darkness of disease often flees a body that is filled to overflowing with light!

    From a scientific standpoint, love and peace enable an ideal balance within the autonomic nervous system and within each cell of the body, which leads to longer, healthier, and happier lives. By comparison, chronic stress caused from worry, anger, restlessness, hatred, hopelessness, nervousness, ingratitude, contention, and negative attitude each over-stimulate the fight-or-flight response system. Mental and spiritual disquietude are linked to heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidental death, cirrhosis of the liver, suicide, accelerated aging, and to all degenerative diseases. How can we foster and attain a peaceful and loving state? The short answer you can do today is to go about doing good continually. Let’s look at vital steps you can take toward a long-term solution:
    • First, pray to recognize the Lord’s hand in your life and His love for you. As you sincerely ask to know of God’s pure love for you, His Spirit will bring to remembrance your many blessings and your eyes will open to see how He is aiding you in every walk of life, and then you will experience gratitude, which is a pre-requisite for being able to recognize and feel His deep love for you. Ask, pause, reflect, remember, and feel deeply. 
    • Second, as you remember and feel the Lord’s love for you, pause to express divine gratitude for each blessing brought to your awareness. Expressing your gratitude is how to return pure love to God. As you so come to know the Lord, you will discover an intimate, sacred relationship built on trust and will come to know that He understands your burdens and will always respond to you with compassion. It is not enough just to know that God loves you; you must pause in gratitude daily to feel His deep love for you.  
    • Third, the Lord’s response to us is always filled with love and motivates us to become like Him through repentance and through a continual remission of sins. Through the gift of His Spirit that attends our repentance, He helps us to become like Him, attribute for divine attribute. For example, through repentance we strive to become kind; through His Spirit and grace we transcend mere striving to be kind, to become kindness as He is kindness. With the new gift given, our desire to become like Him increases and we receive more grace (or goodness) for the grace we return to Him through expressing our deep-felt gratitude for the gift of kindness. As God's Spirit invites us to receive other attributes or gifts from Him, the process of striving (repenting) and becoming through grace is renewed again. And as we seek other gifts or characteristics of Christ, we are to immerse our thoughts in that characteristic and convey our feelings to God, self, and others. Righteous feelings generated by obedience toward any godly attribute and expressions of gratitude to God precede the increase of those feelings from the Spirit. As we are obedient and grateful, a magnified portion of the gift or attribute we seek will return to us from the Spirit. By His Spirit, we are taught more perfectly through feeling and thought regarding each gift or attribute we seek. 
    • Fourth, as we consecrate the refinement of God-given attributes to Him through loving service to others, we prepare ourselves more fully; and when He does appear to us, we will be like Him. As we magnify any gift or attribute from God we receive a new heart, a pure heart. As we increasingly think and act like Him, the attributes of the natural man will slip away to be replaced by the heart and the mind of Christ. We become like Him as we truly receive Him. (See “Holiness”.) As we become like Him, our attentions turn to the welfare of our fellowman. The way we treat others with patience, kindness, a gentle acceptance and a desire to play a positive role in their lives becomes the indicator of how we are progressing as His disciples. 
    Summary

    Deep within the center of our beings there is an infinite well of love. As we come to know Christ through a continual remission of sins, the attributes of the natural man will slip away to be replaced by the heart and the mind of Christ. This unlocks the pure and infinite source of love that is within us to flow freely to the surface and to touch all that we see, think, feel, and do. This pure gift of charity is given only to those who seek it, only to those who earnestly pray for it, and only to true disciples of Christ. As we walk this path and overcome ego through loving service, consecration of our refined attributes, and by refusing to compare ourselves to others, we experience true happiness, love, and peace. As we pray daily, study His word, and follow His voice, we remain unencumbered through loving service to others. As His disciples, we restore charity’s circular love as we go about with unfailing compassion, patience, and mercy doing good to the poor, afflicted, and distressed. We love others because He first loved us. This is the reciprocating cycle of charity that never faileth. It is available to anyone who will enable the process described above to see, think, feel, and act as Jesus Christ.

    Postscript: Imagine what will happen within our circles of influence as each of us cherish, watch over, and love one another as we want to be loved! Each utopia that has existed upon this earth, where man lived to the age of a tree or was translated, occurred through the process described above. Wherever a critical mass of disciples of Christ truly walk this path, Zion or Utopia is there established, and this is the only process by which it is established. It is not a stretch of the imagination to desire, seek, and receive the pure gift of charity, or to receive the other perfect attributes of Christ. By so doing you will enjoy greater health, happiness, and longevity. You will also help to establish the long-awaited Zion and will enjoy a spirit of peace and love throughout your lifetime. Most gloriously, by so doing you will qualify to meet the fountain of infinite pure love and to see His face, whilst you live!

    Monday, December 13, 2010

    Eternal Life

    When by faith we heed and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we render the veil to bring God's Spirit and power from behind the veil into our physical world. This is the process for enabling God's perfecting influence to help shape important outcomes and events in our lives.

    For example, in faith the young shepherd boy David acted with God's power to slay the bear and the lion while protecting his father's flocks. This experience led to certain knowledge, that when one acts under God's influence and power, all things are possible. This knowledge led to greater faith and when David later was moved upon by God's Spirit to confront Goliath, he acted with certitude and in faithful obedience to that spirit. By so doing he rendered the veil yet again to enable God's power and divine influence to shape a victorious outcome for Israel.

    Similarly, each time we exercise faith to act upon God's Spirit in our lives we achieve at least two outcomes. First, we render the veil to bring God's Spirit and power into our physical world to shape important events and outcomes. Second, increased knowledge is always a by-product of acting faithfully upon revelation. Thus, as the Lords Spirit leads us along, He helps us grow line upon line in the knowledge we need to become redeemed.

    Every saint must attain a fullness of knowledge if they are to be redeemed, and the path required to attain this knowledge is the same for saints of each dispensation. It is marked by faithful obedience to God's Spirit. Faith acted upon today is always rewarded by increased knowledge that leads to even greater faith tomorrow. It is a step-by-step process that yields sufficient faith and knowledge necessary to lay hold upon salvation.

    Whenever we fail to heed the Lord's voice or to keep His commandments, our faith grows dormant and and the Lord ceases to reveal Himself further to us until we repent, forsake our sins, and covenant with "real intent" to follow Him. Our journey in added faith and knowledge renews only as "real intent" to follow Him renews. As we follow Him with renewed faith our knowledge continues to grow, line upon line, until one day we lay hold upon sufficient faith and knowledge that the veil is parted and we are permited to see His face and to take up our abode with Him.

    The path to the Father and to become an eternal member of God's Family is through Jesus alone. As we exercise the faith necessary to see and know Jesus, and to take up our abode with Him, He then finishes our faith, introduces us to the Father, and by so doing becomes the author and finisher of our faith.

    Why do we need a Second Comforter to finish our faith? As we take up our abode with Christ it is for one purpose; it is to provide the succor and comfort we will need as we face a critical test of faith. As our Second Comforter, Christ prepares and succors us to help enable us to pass this customized and ultimate test that qualifies us to be made clean every wit and to be introduced by Jesus to the Father.

    Each step of faith we take in life is greater than the previous; therefore, every step is as if we are starting all over again. We experience doubts and fears and must find our way through them as we have done previously in order that we may act in faith, render the veil, and gain further light and knowledge.

    The path doesn't ever become easier; rather, each step is designed to help us grow further in faith and knowledge. We therefore must remember, as we seek to overcome doubts and fears, that as we act with certitude all Goliaths become mere illusions. Why? Because every time we act in faith and obedience to God's Spirit, we render the veil and bring his Spirit and power into our physical world. As we do so, whatsoever the Lord asks of us becomes possible to us, until we lay hold upon eternal life.

    Thursday, December 9, 2010

    Courage

    Jesus said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus whom thou hast sent." As any soul approaches and calls upon the Lord with "real intent" to follow Him, the Lord's voice comes to him and teaches what he or she must do. Jesus leads His sheep from grace to grace, as they obey His Spirit. This is the path to truly know God and Christ and to eternal life.

    As we follow Jesus and act according to His voice the faith we exercise leads to knowledge; line upon line we come to know Him through obedience. As we prove an unceasing intent to follow Jesus, we earn higher levels of trust. Our communications then change in nature from seemingly insubstantial feelings to hearing his voice from time to time, and then to enjoying two-way dialogue with Him; as we continue in faith we earn more trust and receive angelic messengers and ministrations from celestial beings to help us even further along the path.

    Each step of the path of redemption is as the first; when we hear His voice, whether through insubstantial feelings, or in our hearts and minds, or through angels and celestial beings we must overcome our doubts and fears yet again, and through faith continue to follow Him. By so doing we lay hold upon greater light and knowledge, and we earn greater trust until at last we lay hold upon sufficient faith and knowledge that we can no longer be held within the veil; Christ then reveals Himself to us and we see His face and take up our abode with Him. Christ then becomes our Second Comforter to finish our faith and prepare us to be introduced to the Father. Each step we take in this pathway is marked by greater faith that yields greater knowledge, light, and truth--through obedience.

    To know God and see His face, we must have courage to look neither to the left hand nor to the right hand as we do all things to become as Christ; rather, we must look to Him alone. As we do so, He will not leave us alone, fail us, or ever forsake us. Rather, He will go with us and before us and His promises will not fail; and, as we turn neither to the right nor to the left, but continually do as His voice commands, we will prosper no matter where He may lead us.

    We must not cleave unto anything that is unholy, for if we turn to the left or right of the Path of Holiness, God dispossesses and curses us. We are to be of strong faith, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. As we associate with others of the covenant, their faithfulness will encourage us, and similarly, our faithfulness will encourage them. And as we are true to what God asks of us and entrusts to us, our trust increases in God and leads to sufficient courage to go on in so great a cause and to go forward and not backward along the Path of Holiness; thus we go on to victory, which is to know (be as) our Lord, to see his face, and to receive eternal life.

    Those who take Christ's name upon themselves encounter opposition from time to time. Similarly, Jesus was despised and rejected of the world. What are Christians then to do? They are to find opportunity in opposition to better serve God. For example, Alma was discovered and converted during opposition that drew attention to Abinadi and afforded Abinadi an opportunity to present truth to those whose attention was directed toward him, as was Alma's. Abinadi remained focused upon the welfare of others and upon teaching the "King's Priests" according to God's Spirit, rather than becoming distracted by the attacks of his accusers. Conversion only occurs through God's Spirit and power. As Alma was taught according to God's Spirit, God's power and Spirit rested upon him and converted him.

    Should we always seek to convert others amidst opposition? When Lehonti came off his "high ground" to meet with Amalichiah he died for his troubles. Christians must remember that their time and lives are sacred. Seeking to convert unholy swine, who will only turn and rend you, when God's Spirit has not asked you to do so, or when His Spirit is not present, leads to no good. Christians are never to turn from the right or the left of what God tasks them to do, but are to always remain on high ground, which is the customized path God gives to each and every Christian--through His Spirit.

    Rather than leave the high ground when God does not ask one to do so, Christians should follow the example of the Jewish prophet Nehemiah, who while rebuilding the protective city wall of Jerusalem, refused to meet his accusers on the open plains. He turned neither to the right, nor to the left of the task God had given him; rather, he chose to value his time, his life, and the work he was engaged in over the solicitations of false and unholy men.

    And this is the promise to every soul who will forsake sin to walk the Path of Holiness: "For behold, again I say unto you, that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show you all things what ye should do and will bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveith, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

    If you would know God and Jesus and have eternal life, then forsake every sin, come unto the Lord; call upon His name; obey His commandments, heed His voice, and accept and do all which He tasks you to do--turning neither to the left, nor to the right. Press forward in faith filled with Christian Courage until at last you see His face and know that He is!

    Saturday, December 4, 2010

    Gratitude

    Because of my joyful youth on the farm, I have a special appreciation for the words of Timothy Dexter, “An ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns, but never looking up to see where they come from.” Do you pause to look upward and to remember, or do you forget as swine or even as one of the nine lepers who remembered not to give praise and thanks for great and even miraculous blessings?

    “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.“ While some never forget the gracious hands, which have preserved them in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened them, others vainly imagine that their blessings were produced by their own superior wisdom and virtue.

    Intoxicated with unbroken success, we can become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, to proud to pray to the God who made us. Let us never be guilty of failing to praise and acknowledge God when we accomplish some useful purpose, or become instrumental in some part in helping others. Rather, let us in all things acknowledge our gratitude to our kind, merciful, and wise Creator who extends to us blessings of life, breath, and opportunity.

    Gratitude is to the soul, as the gentle air is refreshing to the body; simple beauties do not escape its notice. Grateful souls that pause to look up bask in the stars by night and sing praises as the sun rises at dawn; such souls trace beautiful landscapes of sunsets into minds and hearts, simply because they pause to remember to look upward and to behold!

    A man from East met a man from West. Asked East, “Please sir, describe to me the grandeur of the Grand Canyons—of the great Seven Wonders of the World; I am traveling far to see them.” Replies West, “I cannot, for I have never seen the Grand Canyon, though it be but a few miles from where I live.” West then asks East, “Tell me I pray thee, how does Lady Liberty inspire thee?” “I travel far to see her.” East replies, “I’ve lived in Manhattan for much of my life, yet have never seen her.” East and West parted, none the wiser… The apostle Paul said, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Surely the greater wealth then is contentment with what one has.

    Gratitude is one of the deepest and purest expressions of faith; it is one way we fulfill the command to acknowledge God in all things. By comparison, ingratitude renders every gift we receive profitless to us, as the Grand Canyon was to West and Lady Liberty to East. Ingratitude can be overcome by learning to look up and to see. Thankful and heartfelt expressions are universally accepted and understood from culture to culture. As with any muscle, the blessings of gratitude ebb and flow by diligent efforts to recognize, remember, and express gratitude and thanks.

    They are happiest who live in thanksgiving. To sacred holy writers a thankful state is described as the secret to opening wide heavens gates. It enables the faith in us to be made clean every wit. The ability to feel gratitude for God’s goodness, mercy, and forgiveness is the seed to the very faith that moves mountains and raises the dead.

    Gratitude expressed to God brings a calming peace to our souls; it brings a peace that helps us to overcome the pain of adversity and failure. It is recognition for what we have now, without reference to past or future. When we express gratitude, not only for the good things in life, but for opposition and adversity, we recognize that all that occurs to us is gauged for our best good and eternal growth. We put our lives in God’s hands, trusting Him completely, and feeling and expressing our true gratitude through our faith towards Him.

    Do you adequately remember? My mother, who was raised without running water and who had to leave the warmth of the house in wintertime to sit upon a cold outhouse seat, is forever grateful for indoor plumbing. A generation later, most fail to adequately remember to be grateful for what to often become entitlements to us.

    How grateful are we when we receive a new suit or dress? Do we remember our gratitude for long, or do we too easily shift from what we have received to what we want but do not yet have? When Israel too easily forgot her blessings—flocks, herds, lands, and lives were often lost. Great difficulty restores memory to most, but we are far better off to choose to remember, rather than to be reminded in such a manner.

    How do we remember? Jesus taught that the Holy Ghost shall teach us all things and will bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever we have previously received or learned. As we exercise faith in our sweet hour of prayer--to remember, whether our circumstances are favorable or unfavorable, the Holy Ghost restores God’s sweet kindnesses and tender mercies to our remembrance. As we so pause and reflect, we can experience a flood of memories, as well as healing and enriching gratitude. We begin to see the Lord’s hand in our life at every turn, and our faith in Him grows upon a sold foundation.

    Remembrance is the seed of gratitude, and gratitude is the seed of generosity. Gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity, the pure love of Christ, which bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all saints shall dwell with God.” Oh then, remember!

    The requirements for receiving prosperity are to obey God’s commandments and to live in a state of thankful remembrance and gratitude. Let us remember and write in our hearts—our songs of praise and gratitude. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord, for he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of the earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more…

    Let us become as the noble ancient ones who wept for their great blessings and with loud voices shouted for joy… Praise the Lord with singing, with dancing, with your harps, and with your trumpets, and with your instrument of ten strings; and with a prayer of praise. For surely the Lord looketh from heaven to behold the sons of men; and as a righteous man marrieth a virgin and looks after and cares for her, so will the Lord be a bridegroom to those who praise him and keep His commandments. And they who remember Him in all things shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord: and shall become a city not forsaken, even Zion.

    Health, peace, prosperity, and redemption is the banquet reserved for the Grateful!

    Friday, December 3, 2010

    Priestcraft

    The Lord speaking to our day said that His entire vineyard has become corrupt and that even the very elect do err because of priestcrafts. What is priestcraft that causes even the very elect to err? How does it gain influence? How far do the tentacles of priestcraft reach, and how do they affect the current thoughts and beliefs? What can we do about known priestcrafts that have gained power over our lives and how can we shield ourselves effectively from the errors that creep slowly but surely into our counsels and decisions? Some would argue that such a negative topic isn't worthy of discussion; yet, when the Lord warns us of the very source of corruption that reaches "all" of us, we are wise to pause and learn.

    Priestcraft is defined as "Setting oneself up (or setting up an entity) as a light unto the world, for the purpose of getting monetary gain." In other words, a person or entity sets themselves up to be recognized as the authority on a particular subject(s). They do not recognize God as the true authority on the subject, nor do they point others to God as being above all, omniscient, and the true master of the subject, one who does not and cannot lie and who does not make mistakes or vary in His thoughts and counsels regarding a particular subject. Rather than successfully pointing people to the true source of all light and truth, those who practice priestcraft set themselves up as an "Authoritative Light" for the purpose of getting monetary gain. They do not recognize God's authority but rather they jealously guard their "authoritative money-making status."

    When a nation becomes full of priestcraft, as our nation is today, truth's influence on any subject becomes corrupted and weakened. Why? Because if truth is not convenient, or if it is not expedient, or in unprofitable, then liberating truth is sacrificed for high-level, profit-making schemes. Just as Babylon anciently rewrote scripture and history falsely in a manner that even now influences our thoughts, politics, and economy, so today's priestcrafts also corrupt our society within the realm they operate, and the Lord's vineyard is also affected and even corrupted to a degree.

    To step out of the forrest to see us for what we have become is to recognize a nation who has too often forgotten God for profit. If we as a people will choose to be God's people and to live God's laws we have the resources to be the freest and happiest people on the face of the earth and a nation that could bless the entire earth. Only few societies have ever achieved this utopia and each has had to first overcome priestcrafts.

    As they have done so, one of the first things they overcome is the need for money. Rather, they receive and give God's gifts freely, as an entire society, each lending their own gifts and talents to make a more beautiful and happy community. This is the life God intends and purposes for man and is the life that will be enjoyed by those who honor Him and who patiently call upon the Lord and recognize His hand in all things.

    Consider Some Common Examples of Priestcrafts
    My father was an incredible physician; he used the best knowledge he had; he studied daily to add to that knowledge, and often while working with a patient, he would excuse himself to his office to supplicate the Lord in behalf of his patient. He did not consider himself or the profession in which he worked as the supreme authority in health matters. He was merely a public servant doing his level best to help others. To best serve the public, he stayed current with science, he used good deductive reasoning, and he recognized his limitations and his need for divine help. Many physicians I have had the privilege to know are similar in this regard. Yet, most would agree that their freedom to make sound decisions is often limited by the dictates of the AMA.

    The AMA, who granted my father and other physicians legal status to practice medicine, has set itself up as the authoritative light in all health matters. They jealously guard their "legal status" as the "authoritative light" and do not teach physicians how to successfully turn their patients to God in matters of health. Rather, as the medical institution progresses in its abilities to offer profitable solutions, they often overlook and even dismiss the simplest and purest solutions. Unfortunately, even though this truth is well-documented, profitable solutions continue to be peddled over God's simpler and freer solutions.

    In any emergency room today, you will note computers and medical software that dictate the protocols that may be used for any given symptom. When I contemplated pursing medicine, my father warned that the utopia he enjoyed as a physician no longer exists. Dad was able to deliver babies, perform myriad surgeries, set bones, reattach severed body parts, and essentially use his divine gives to help mend bodies. Now even physicians are limited to very narrow focuses and are not allowed the freedoms my father once enjoyed.

    Once a saddle-bronc rider was carted into my dad's clinic. His pelvis was split in two from having landed on the saddle horn while breaking a horse. No protocols existed for such and injury and Dad retired to his office in prayer to discuss the matter with God. He then called the local beam plant and asked for a very large C-clamp. With the C-clamp he pushed the pelvis back together. After an x-ray and a few more adjustments and another x-ray, the bones proved to be in place so that optimum healing could take place. Dad then casted the entire pelvis area including the C-Clamp. Six weeks later the cowboy was as good as new. Those were the days when docs could turn to God instead of the AMA.

    This is merely an example of how priestcrafts not only set themselves up to get gain, but conspire in ways until it becomes impossible for an individual to follow God's counsels over the dictates of those who have assumed authority. The problem is that priestcrafts are so rampant, we don't even recognize them for what they are anymore; rather, we just think it is the way it is and must be, which of course is hogwash. The further we have driven God out of our conversations, the more priestcraft has taken over in nearly every area of our lives. In nearly every instance, legislation protects the economic viability of those practicing priestcrafts, rather than protect your freedom and rights as an individual.

    Waste management, energy management, pest management, and nearly every aspect of our lives has been corrupted through priestcrafts, by those who seek to get gain and power over others. From Food Safty Acts that strip your rights to purchase the heirloom quality seeds you want in order to grow the foods you desire, to every facet of freedom, priestcrafts are enjoying an unprecedented heyday. Today, all an entity must do to become enriched is lobby and pay legislators to grant and legalize "authoritative" status. We've become so conditioned to this reality that most can no longer even see this has happened to us and so we accept it as normal and okay. We used to be one nation under God; today we are one nation under the AMA, or one nation under Monsanto, or one nation under the food industry, the dairy industry, and so forth, each who is protected through legislation to force us to do things their way.

    True Americans vs. Those Who Practice Priestcrafts
    Anyone who teaches truth and points others to God as the supreme authority and master of that truth, while at the same time doing their level best for the student, is a good and correct teacher. While teaching their level best, any rationale teacher will recognize their utter foolishness compared to God and the need for God's perfecting knowledge and influence on a subject. That's what makes great doctors such as my father and great teachers who are not controlled by the state, the feds, the unions, and so forth. This article veers a little toward politics, yet priestcraft is the art of wielding politics for personal gain.

    This nation has been lifted up above all nations on earth; yet, if we do not root out and overcome priestcraft we will surely fall. As prophesied by the ancients concerning our day.

    Summary

    It is difficult to put our lives into context amid the errors that influence all of us and the way we think. As Babylon wrongly influenced the entire world, our present history in which we now live dominates our thoughts, perceptions, interpretations of the Lord's word, and our daily decisions. It is almost impossible to disconnect from these immediate influences in order to become self-correcting and to overcome error, even for humble seekers of Christ.

    We are born into the current flow that molds and shapes us. It is rare when any person awakens and acts independent of the contemporary "current and flow." Yet, there has never been a Saint in any dispensation who has been redeemed and seen God's face, without having first recognized and made independent decisions that removed him or her from the "popular flow" in order to flow perfectly with God rather than man. Christ Himself recognized that the authorized and rightly ordained "Priestly Class" of his day had parted from pure doctrine and saving truths.

    As the ancient "priestly class" we too often succumb to preaching vain, false, and foolish social doctrines and hold them up to be God's pure saving doctrines when they have no such power, regardless of popularity. We must wake up to our present history and to the "current and flow" that shapes us today. And, as we awaken, we may find we are often at direct odds with the prevailing culture and even the hierarchy of our day. Be warned that anyone who so awakens can look to the Savior for an example of the path he or she must follow. As occurred to Jesus, we too may discover there is little tolerance for anyone whose views differ from today's "accepted views." What then can we do if we desire to help preserve our nation?

    Become aware of priestcraft and how it affects your every thoughts. Do you think of Zion; do you seek to build Zion; can you even conceive of a society that uses no monetary exchange, or does such a concept seem utterly unrealistic to you? You were born in a time when no one you know has ever lived in or even properly conceived what Zion truly is. To conceive it, we must first become perfect, which we cannot do until we awaken to priestcrafts and then reject and shun them from our lives. As other saints of all ages, we too must separate ourselves from that which corrupts and influences improperly.