God has been good to us during our marriage as we have striven to hear and obey his voice daily and as we confess our weaknesses and express our needs to him. He succors, teaches, lifts, edifies, and provides sufficient that we may follow Him.
For Colleen and I on that day it was impossible to feed ourselves, but with God, all things are possible and we were saved from our hunger. From that day forward we determined that if we were to be saved, then our security and trust relied upon accepting the Savior’s invitation, “Come, take up the cross, and follow me.” He has promised that by so doing we will be blessed with an inheritance and He will supply our temporal needs, He will bless us with and eternal posterity forever and ever, and He will protect us from our enemies forever and ever. And, if He should ever ask that we lay down our lives for Him or make any other our sacrifice, His promise is that our loss will be restored to us even an one hundred fold.
Consider more carefully the call to take up our cross and to follow the Savior:
St Mark Chapter 10:17 - 30
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
There are many points to consider from this exchange. First, it isn’t sufficient to keep God’s commandments alone if one would inherit Eternal Life. Those who “trust” in riches rather than the call to take up the cross and follow Jesus will have great difficulty inheriting Eternal life (verse 24 above). Why?
What does it mean to “trust” in riches? We come into this life and need food, shelter, and clothing to survive and to secure our existence. We are reminded of this daily as the mortgage and other bills become due and as we need to acquire food to eat or clothing to wear. As an outgrowth of this never-ending pressure, we desire to attain sufficient “security” so that we will never be without.
We are faced with two choices to “securitize” our existence, Satan’s socio-economic plan or God’s socio-economic plan. The following words describes Satan’s invite to security, “You can buy anything in this world you want for money.” He subtly implants fear into us by causing us to ask, “What will become of me without money if I lose my employ in Babylon?” Hence we learn to survive in the world of “compulsion” where we must sweat to “earn” every dollar if we are to survive.
It isn’t any wonder that we may begin to place our “trust” in accumulating wealth. In fact the more the better, for it guarantees the “security” we each desire. We learn to trust in our real estate holdings, accumulations of cash and other financial securities, as well as reserves of food, clothing, and shelter.
What is it about placing our “trust” and “security” in such things that inhibits our ability to inherit Eternal Life? Was this test for the Rich Young Ruler also a literal test for each of us, and if so, what is the true nature of the test? And if we are not to “securitize” our lives in such a manner, wherein are we to place our “trust?” Is their an opposite to this false approach to security, which also leads us to Eternal Life? Where are we to place our trust that will ensure us that we can eat, clothe, and shelter ourselves?
We know that Satan’s “false socio-economic plan” is described by the prophets as Babylon -- an economic system that at some point in the future history of the earth will fail and perish in “one” hour -- according to the apostle John and to the prophet Isaiah. We also know that those who have entrusted their hearts, to this “false socio-economic model” for “security” will perish with Babylon. Therefore, not only Eternal Life is contingent upon trusting in a higher way to securitize our lives, but even the very lives of those who live when Babylon perishes will depend entirely upon trusting rightly for security.
Every truth has its opposite and a fullness of truth requires that we understand Heaven and Hell’s plan for security -- if we are to gain sufficient knowledge regarding the laws upon which “security” are predicated. To the extent we understand and obey these laws we become “self-reliant” and “independent” now and in the eternities. Do you want to make a mortgage payment and pay taxes by the sweat of your brow for eternity, or do you want your dominion to flow unto you forever and ever -- without compulsory means?
What then is God’s plan for securitizing our lives and how is it different from what we’ve all come to know as we dwell in Babylon? Upon what principles does God’s “socio-economic plan” operate? How does He “securitize” himself and what is His invitation to us that we too may become secure?
Jacob provides a hint in Jacob 2:17 wherein he teaches to, “think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like you.”
What does it mean to be rich? Does Jacob point us to the higher law that teaches us how to be perfect and how Israel is to qualify to enter into God’s presence. Is Jacob suggesting that “Eternal Security” is predicated upon our learning to love our neighbor as ourselves? How does thinking of our brethren and becoming familiar with all and free with our substance enable us in matters of love or, even more pressing, how does giving all we have and all our living to others create security?
Consider the following in Mark chapter 12:41 - 44:
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
What trust motivates one to casts in all she has, even all her living? Has she discovered a truer source wherein to place trust? How then does such a woman “securitize” her life toward having adequate food, shelter, and clothing that is sufficient for her needs if she gives all? What is the nature of the “trust” that enables her to meet basic needs for subsistence with such a counterintuitive display of faith? Is giving one's "all" practical, foolish, or is it the "straight gait" by which one enters a very narrow pathway that leads to heaven? What is it to love God with "all" your heart, might, mind, and strength, and what is it to love a neighbor as you would love yourself? In giving her "all" Did this widow act with such love? Does giving with such love somehow enable us to live the higher laws upon which "true security" is predicated?
Consider further the prophet Elijah who asks the widow for the last of her food, or her "all." The widow obliges and then she prepares herself and her son to die? But they did not die... Are higher laws of security therefore enabled when we act free with our substance in order to secure the life of another? What precisely is the law that enabled the “higher security” received by the widow wherein her container of oil and of flour never failed her again? Similarly, by what law did the prophet Elijah act that caused Ravins to later bring food to him for a period of the three years as he weathered out the sore famine? How do we become the Lord’s servants and qualify for “like” security?
Is perfect love of god and neighbor the true fountain of security, and as we learn to truly love God with all our hearts and to do His will in all things, is such love the key to “Eternal Security?” Is love, therefore, more powerful than a seemingly endless supply of money? If we are to become heirs to Eternal Life, then what is it we must come to understand about true and false security? What is it we are to understand regarding our trust and attitude toward riches so that entering the Kingdom of Heaven may be made possible. Didn’t Peter retain money, sufficient for his needs? In giving our "all" are we to "hold back" sufficient for our needs? These are important questions to ponder and to ask God.
The lesser law was given to teach Israel how not to sin. Forsaking sin is a pre-requisite to being able to walk the path of the “higher law,” which was given to perfect us and prepare us to enter the Lord’s presence. What does the higher law then help us achieve? It leads us to become filled with “charity,” or “perfect love.” It enables us to put off the natural man and to become perfect in Christ.
The laws of abundance which govern the universe are all predicated upon perfect love. Becoming free with our substance to all and taking sufficient interest in our neighbors that we help them become “rich” like unto ourselves is the only pathway to “endless security.” King Benjamin warned that perhaps we might be tempted to say, "The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just." Then he reminds us that we are all beggars before God and are to "never" harbor such foolish thoughts. Such thoughts are not aligned with the "narrow way" of perfect love. Giving "all" we have then is counterintuitive to receiving without measure and therein lies the answer to why so few will ever truly discover the gateway and will walk the narrow path to Eternal Life?
In the Sermon on the Mount we are taught that we only become children of our Father as we love everyone, including our enemies. We are reminded that both the sunshine and the rain are given to everyone by God and in like manner are we to love everyone. Allowing our bowels to be filled with "charity or perfect love" towards "all" men enables with a pure understanding of saving doctrine, it enables us with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, and it enables us to make the shift from "security" that is based upon compulsion to establish an everlasting dominion without compulsory means that will flow to us forever and ever (D&C 121: 45 - 46).
Here we are taught how to obtain the “security” we so desire, and also wherein we must place our trust if we are to inherit Eternal Life. To act with such love was counter-intuitive to the rich young ruler’s sense of self-preservation and saddened him, causing him to go away, rather than to follow Jesus. He could not bring himself to provide the promised inheritance to the poor and to the meek or to make them rich like unto himself.
Satan’s socioeconomic plan disinherits the Lords true servants, such as the widow who had only a mite. By asking us to make our neighbor rich like unto ourselves, or to sell all we have and give it to the poor, the Lord is asking that we give to the poor an inheritance that they too may be made like us, that they too might receive their bread daily as they “work” their inheritance. Consider the people of Ammon and the land of Jershon. Did not the people of this region entirely give up what they possessed so that the people of Ammon might receive an inheritance whereby they might subsist. Now consider the sacrifice of the Nephites and how it blessed them more than one-hundred fold. The people of Ammon who inherited Jershon produced the mighty warriors who ultimately saved their nation during its darkest hour.
Perhaps as we so choose to love, those we help from low to high will become the very people who one day preserve us when the storms fall upon our lives. Perfect love, what an amazing law; it even enables the doctrines of the priesthood to distill upon our souls as the dews from heaven, that we may come to understand the very laws upon which we may become “secure” forever.
We must come to this knowledge through faith. In faith the widow gave the last of her food to the prophet Elijah and then prepared herself and her son to die. She obtained a brighter knowledge through that act of faith and learned that “sanctified sacrifice” and “perfect love” leads to a flow of abundance without compulsory means forever, or in other words Eternal Life or God’s perfect way of life.
We remain under condemnation as believers so long as we “hear only” and fail “to do” or to walk in accordance with the covenants we have already made. Perfect Zion awaits only our faith to walk according to what we have already covenanted to do through the New and Everlasting Covenant, the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, and the Law of Consecration, which are designed by the Master to lead us to become filled with God’s perfect love.
Colleen reminded me of the Savior’s teachings within the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 7:12-17, and continuing with King James version of Mathew 7:9-12:
12 Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
13 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
14 And then said his disciples unto him, they will say unto us, We ourselves are righteous, and need not that any man should teach us. God, we know, heard Moses and some of the prophets; but us he will not hear.
15 And they will say, We have the law for our salvation, and that is sufficient for us.
16 Then Jesus answered, and said unto his disciples, thus shall ye say unto them,
17 What man among you, having a son, and he shall be standing out, and shall say, Father, open thy house that I may come in and sup with thee, will not say, Come in, my son; for mine is thine, and thine is mine?
(continue in King James version)
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
The Lord provided Colleen and I fish so that we could live, which helped to turn our “trust” more fully to Him and to take up our cross and follow Him. What steps may we take in our lives to insure that we successfully take up our cross to follow the Savior more perfectly? D&C 93:1 provides the Lord’s own formula for success.
- First, in D&C 93:1 we are instructed that we must forsake all of our sins. Until we forsake sin and recognize and confess our weaknesses before God and give up all our sins to know God, we cannot properly tune our hearts into the “frequency” by which the Lord can communicate directly with us. Consider a child who seeks to hide his/her wrong-doings. That child is seeking to be comfortable in her own skin, even though a violation of integrity has occurred and she cannot be “truly comfortable” until she becomes whole again. True healing, therefore, cannot occur until we recognize and confess our weakness to God, wherein He can then begin to heal us. To hear God’s voice we must come unto him and call upon his name with a heart and mind that is perfectly attuned to “hear,” “receive,” and “obey” Him.
- Second, we are to come unto the Lord and call upon his name with true power, or in other words, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We must become as a well-broken horse that submits to every command and cue of its rider. Our hearts are similarly broken as they yield perfectly to subtle and insubstantial communications of the the Lord, as well as to His direct voice, or to a messenger that He may send to us.
- Third, we must obey his voice or communications to us, which is to act in faith according to his will. He is the perfect judge of our capacity “to do today.” As we seek to obey his voice or to do his will “today,” we are guaranteed that the added light and knowledge we will receive today is in accordance with our capacity to receive it. And, we are to ask in faith for whatsoever we need to accomplish His will, believing we shall receive.
- Fourth, we must keep His commandments without exception if we would continue to qualify to hear his voice and understand his perfect will and thereby receive the added knowledge and light that He can offer us today. Justification for sin is “self-defeating” in the same manner that a child sins and then seeks to “hide” her sin from a parent. The parent’s loving influence is of no effect until the child’s heart and mind is ready to learn and grow and receive influence.
- Fifth, as we do these four things faithfully, we will come to see his face. It is important to note here that the first four steps in the above process are to be repeated daily. This process is a daily “walk in faith” that is rewarded by our receiving ever-increasing light, knowledge, faith, hope, and love. Where does this ever-increasing path lead us? His promise here is that we will “see his face and know that he is.” We must understand exactly what he is offering here. Christ as offered to be both the author and finisher of our faith. As we place sufficient faith in Him to forsake sin, to keep the commandments, and to come unto Him and call upon His name, He will give us “daily instruction” through the voice of His spirit. As we obey his voice it leads us to acquire further saving light and knowledge. Through daily obedience to his will we pass from faith to greater light and knowledge. Only as we so continue our lives do we at length lay hold upon sufficient knowledge and faith to enter His presence, “see” his face, and “know” that he is. This is a literal promise and formula for taking up our abode with Christ, as did Enos, the Brother of Jared, and so forth. The light and knowledge we gain through applying this formula in our lives leads us to put off the natural man a day at a time and to become as our Savior. This process and its outcome is not reserved for “ancient or past prophets,” rather, it is the one and only true path that every saint from every dispensation has followed to Know the Lord and to receive Eternal Life.
God taught ancient Israel to “trust” and “securitize their lives by freeing themselves from sin, by coming unto Him and calling upon His name, by obeying His voice, and by obeying His commandments. As they walked more rightly according to his statutes and covenants, they received his everlasting promises. As they ceased to so do, condemnation fell upon them and they were ultimately overrun by their enemies and were scattered throughout the earth. This is a type and shadow for modern Israel. As we make and keep covenants, we too secure everlasting promises. However, as we do not keep sacred covenants, we forfeit the Lord's promises to us.
Ancient American prophets have stated that the same promises and condemnations will be ours today, unless we repent, come out from under condemnation under which we now labor and take up our cross to follow Jesus according to the covenants we have made. As we do so, we come to receive the gift of charity, which is a gift that operates upon the highest laws of heaven and upon the highest laws that pertain to receiving heaven’s abundance and protection without compulsory means.
If we “trust” God sufficient to so live today, then all that we need and want is promised unto us. An inheritance and everlasting flow of temporal blessings, an everlasting posterity, and protection from our enemies. If we would come out from condemnation so that we may not be run upon, smitten, and scattered, then let us “do” and not “hear and say only.” Let us forsake the darkness that is upon us because we have “trusted” ourselves to Satan’s “false socio-economic plan,” and let us embrace and “trust” his holy order of perfect love forever -- which is the Lord's own socio-economic plan for His people. Let us learn to love God with all our hearts, might, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors and we love ourselves.
As a young farm boy, I would often end a hard and sweaty day's work by retiring to a lake near my home where I could catch fish. I would bait my hook and cast in my line and wait for a fish to bite; then I would set the hook and reel the fish in with great compulsion until I landed it and then secured my catch into a "holding bag." By tricking the fish with bait and using compulsion to land the fish, I could enjoy food to eat. Years later as Colleen and I were unhungered and secreted ourselves together upon the bank of a river beneath falling water, we were given a glimpse of what it means to "receive" and to have what we need flow to us without compulsory means.
The Lord gave an everlasting promise to ancient Israel, that if they would "trust" Him by walking in strict accordance with every covenant they had made with Him, He then would not only provide them with an inheritance of land, but would ensure the continual flow of temporal blessings, and would protect them from their enemies. All was contingent upon not only "hearing" and "saying" the Lord's word, but by "doing" as the Lord asks of them. Let us retire the condemnation from under which we labor by "doing" as we have covenanted to do. Let us become sanctified and consecrate "all" we have to establish Zion and to build God's Kingdom by learning and doing the Lord's will each day that we live.
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