Next Sunday (September 5th) is Fast and Testimony Sunday, when the only speakers in sacrament meetings throughout the Church are those who are prompted to stand and bear testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.
Most members stand and affirm that they know the Church is true. It is. The Church and all it stands for is from on high and is true; it is the Church of Jesus Christ, restored by Him and by angels sent by Him to reveal keys to organize and take forward the work of the kingdom prior to His Second Coming.
In a real sense we the members are the Church, since it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this sense, the Church is true to the extent that we are true . . . true to our covenants and to Him.
More appropriately, a testimony will affirm that the restored Gospel is true and that its sweet, life-changing effect in our lives has confirmed it to be so. This kind of testimony will necessarily focus on the Savior whose Gospel it is, and on His atoning sacrifice which provides the power for such change and joy, as we confess Him as the source of our survival and comfort and growth amid the trials and difficulties of life.
But most often our public testimonies go off in a different direction than any of this, centered on relatively trivial matters and barely mentioning Him except in closing. We often bear thin testimonies indeed, for we are caught up in the thick of thin things, as President Monson said in April general conference. Consider a few enlightening statements in this area:
"If we are not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner, our spirituality is not increasing in depth" (Harold B. Lee). . . . We shall hear a lot of thin testimonies next Sunday. Reading the scriptures is not yet the daily habit of most of us. We tend to avoid them.
Hugh B. Brown hits the nail on the head with this statement:
"I am impressed with the testimony of the man [or woman] who can stand and say he knows the Gospel is true, but what I would like to ask is, 'But sir, do you know the Gospel?' I say it is one thing to know the Gospel is true and another to know what the Gospel is.
"Mere testimony may be gained with but perfunctory knowledge of the Church and its teachings as evidenced by the hundreds [now tens of thousands] who are now coming into the Church with but bare acquaintanceship. But to retain testimony and to be of service in building up the Lord's kingdom requires a serious study of the Gospel and a knowing of what it is."
All of this begs the question, So what is the Gospel? What is it we need to know "to be of service" in the kingdom beyond a mere social gospel? And how do we retain, then boost, and grow in that principle of light and truth? Is it possible that the enemy is more interested in keeping us separated from the scriptures, and from the Spirit that can emanate from a serious study of them, than we realize?
Recall that in the war in heaven we fought under Michael against this enemy, Lucifer, and we prevailed there. How did we prevail? "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but kept the testimony even unto death" (Revelation 12:11, Joseph Smith Translation).
We cannot prevail here in mortality with thinner testimonies. We battle here "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). Paul goes on to write in verse 17 that our chief weapon is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
So, what is the "word of God"? What is the Gospel, even the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ? What is it that will give us and our families power over the adversary and win the battle?
For many of us the restored Gospel is the best-kept secret in the Church. We focus our attention on lesser things, on trivia, on ethics and the social gospel, and the power in the restored Gospel goes unknown and unclaimed because we neglect the weighty matters that "cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring forth" (see D&C 135:6).
Can we pursue this question together again? Are you keenly interested to discuss what is the Gospel?
Again your comments and insights are valuable. Please leave one in the Comments box below so that all may be edified.
Be of good cheer, and have a lovely Sabbath.
Steve
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sabbathought: Ordinary pebbles
A traveler in a strange land had lost his way. He saw at the side of the road an old man, so he asked for directions. The old man told the traveler how to get to his destination and added this: When you come to the river, fill your pockets with whatever you see lying around; if you do so, by nightfall you'll be both glad and sad.
This made little sense to the traveler, but he thanked the old man and continued on his way. Sure enough, at midday with the sun high in the sky he came to a river. Remembering the urging of the old man, he looked around to see what it was he was to fill his pockets with. All he could see were ordinary pebbles, bleached and scorched in the sun. He stooped down and thrust a handful of pebbles into his pocket and continued on his way.
At nightfall he lay down to rest but could not get comfortable for the pebbles in his pocket, so he sat up to take them out. And there in the moonlight he saw that the ordinary pebbles had changed into precious stones---gems and jewels. And he was glad.
Then he became sad that he had not filled both pockets full, . . . and his backpack, . . . and his socks. . . !
What has this to do with us? What is the application for our journey in this strange land of mortality?
President Gordon B. Hinckley some years ago urged, "If I were a bishop or stake president today, what would I do? I think that I would try to put my major efforts into building the spirituality of the people. I would work as hard as I knew how to work in building their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in God our Eternal Father, in the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of this work and what it means and what it is all about.
"I would encourage my people to read the scriptures, to read the Book of Mormon, to read the New Testament. I would urge them with all the capacity I have to read quietly and thoughtfully and introspectively, if you please. I would urge them to read the 'Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'" (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 608).
Think of Naaman the leper being told by a prophet of God to bathe in the River Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5). Ordinary river . . . ordinary pebbles . . . ordinary advice and counsel.
Many years ago the elders quorum president in our ward said to me, "You are always urging scripture study. . . . I'm not even living up to everything I already know without adding more to the list of what I should be doing."
I was a little taken aback. I said, "Rob, is that how you see the scriptures, as a burden? Have you ever considered that there may be something in them that will give you the courage and help and inspiration to see a way to do what you should be doing?" He confessed he had never looked at it that way. That brief exchange changed his life.
President Ezra Taft Benson urged us to see the scriptures as a marvelous privilege and a blessing, not as a burden laid upon us by the Lord. Your answers are in them, he urged.
President Hinckley said, "Reading the scriptures is not for me the work of scholarship, but rather a love affair with the work of the Lord."
When I taught my seminary students I would urge them to fill their pockets full of the ordinary pebbles they found in the scriptures, with the promise that they would change into precious gems of testimony and help when nightfall came. It is so for all of us.
Is this helpful? Is it important? Is it urgent? Look back on the number of times we see this ordinary pebble in today's Sabbathought: the word "urge".
The scriptures use the word "betimes", and we most often think of that word as meaning "sometimes". It actually means "before it is too late" (see Webster's [1828]).
Hope you have a lovely Sabbath.
Steve
This made little sense to the traveler, but he thanked the old man and continued on his way. Sure enough, at midday with the sun high in the sky he came to a river. Remembering the urging of the old man, he looked around to see what it was he was to fill his pockets with. All he could see were ordinary pebbles, bleached and scorched in the sun. He stooped down and thrust a handful of pebbles into his pocket and continued on his way.
At nightfall he lay down to rest but could not get comfortable for the pebbles in his pocket, so he sat up to take them out. And there in the moonlight he saw that the ordinary pebbles had changed into precious stones---gems and jewels. And he was glad.
Then he became sad that he had not filled both pockets full, . . . and his backpack, . . . and his socks. . . !
What has this to do with us? What is the application for our journey in this strange land of mortality?
President Gordon B. Hinckley some years ago urged, "If I were a bishop or stake president today, what would I do? I think that I would try to put my major efforts into building the spirituality of the people. I would work as hard as I knew how to work in building their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in God our Eternal Father, in the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of this work and what it means and what it is all about.
"I would encourage my people to read the scriptures, to read the Book of Mormon, to read the New Testament. I would urge them with all the capacity I have to read quietly and thoughtfully and introspectively, if you please. I would urge them to read the 'Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'" (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 608).
Think of Naaman the leper being told by a prophet of God to bathe in the River Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5). Ordinary river . . . ordinary pebbles . . . ordinary advice and counsel.
Many years ago the elders quorum president in our ward said to me, "You are always urging scripture study. . . . I'm not even living up to everything I already know without adding more to the list of what I should be doing."
I was a little taken aback. I said, "Rob, is that how you see the scriptures, as a burden? Have you ever considered that there may be something in them that will give you the courage and help and inspiration to see a way to do what you should be doing?" He confessed he had never looked at it that way. That brief exchange changed his life.
President Ezra Taft Benson urged us to see the scriptures as a marvelous privilege and a blessing, not as a burden laid upon us by the Lord. Your answers are in them, he urged.
President Hinckley said, "Reading the scriptures is not for me the work of scholarship, but rather a love affair with the work of the Lord."
When I taught my seminary students I would urge them to fill their pockets full of the ordinary pebbles they found in the scriptures, with the promise that they would change into precious gems of testimony and help when nightfall came. It is so for all of us.
Is this helpful? Is it important? Is it urgent? Look back on the number of times we see this ordinary pebble in today's Sabbathought: the word "urge".
The scriptures use the word "betimes", and we most often think of that word as meaning "sometimes". It actually means "before it is too late" (see Webster's [1828]).
Hope you have a lovely Sabbath.
Steve
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sabbathought: As the worm knows, without revelation all is guesswork
Last week we saw in this terse sentence from the LDS Bible Dictionary the absolute need for revelation from God to man: "Without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion" (page 762).
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of man's origin.
Natural man, unaided and unhampered by light from heaven, has come up with the notion that mankind's origins were in primordial swamps, that man has risen and progressed from this beginning to his present enlightened and advanced state, never to return to the swamps. This idea exalts man in the minds of some, and makes him more noble and great. Some variation of it is the official teaching on the subject in schools throughout the land.
The truth of man's origins is the exact opposite of this theory. Revelation "from God, who is our home" (Wordsworth) shows that in fact man has fallen from the presence of the Gods, in contrast to his having risen from the swamps. The two views could not be more opposite.
Ironically, it is this latter view that truly exalts man, that teaches him his glorious potential to become as the Gods from whence he came. Earth life is the lowest point of mankind's existence.
Another illustration of man's vital need for revelation, for insight and guidance from a Higher Source: One of the papyrus documents in the Dead Sea Scrolls was found to have a hole in it when the scholars opened it up to translate. A tiny worm had found the papyrus tasty enough to eat a hole through the scroll at crucial points in the narrative (the folded papyrus had holes at various places from the worm's feast).
The scholars were left with no option but to guess from the context of the surrounding writing the words that would best fit in the damaged portions. Some time later they found another document of the same narrative, this one with no worm holes. They compared the two documents. How many times do you suppose the scholars, the experts, had made an accurate guess at the text when compared with the pristine version of the same narrative?
Exactly zero.
We are not saying that the archeologists and scholars should have sought revelation on the translation. We are simply using the incident as an illustration of the need for the real story from the source. Otherwise, as the scholars found, "all is guesswork, darkness, and confusion."
Natural man's best guess on the things of eternity will be hopelessly inadequate without revelation from the Source.
Who can receive such revelation, and how does it come? It may be well to explore this later.
Thanks to all of you who replied to the request for feedback on the Sabbathoughts.
More later. God bless.
Steve
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of man's origin.
Natural man, unaided and unhampered by light from heaven, has come up with the notion that mankind's origins were in primordial swamps, that man has risen and progressed from this beginning to his present enlightened and advanced state, never to return to the swamps. This idea exalts man in the minds of some, and makes him more noble and great. Some variation of it is the official teaching on the subject in schools throughout the land.
The truth of man's origins is the exact opposite of this theory. Revelation "from God, who is our home" (Wordsworth) shows that in fact man has fallen from the presence of the Gods, in contrast to his having risen from the swamps. The two views could not be more opposite.
Ironically, it is this latter view that truly exalts man, that teaches him his glorious potential to become as the Gods from whence he came. Earth life is the lowest point of mankind's existence.
Another illustration of man's vital need for revelation, for insight and guidance from a Higher Source: One of the papyrus documents in the Dead Sea Scrolls was found to have a hole in it when the scholars opened it up to translate. A tiny worm had found the papyrus tasty enough to eat a hole through the scroll at crucial points in the narrative (the folded papyrus had holes at various places from the worm's feast).
The scholars were left with no option but to guess from the context of the surrounding writing the words that would best fit in the damaged portions. Some time later they found another document of the same narrative, this one with no worm holes. They compared the two documents. How many times do you suppose the scholars, the experts, had made an accurate guess at the text when compared with the pristine version of the same narrative?
Exactly zero.
We are not saying that the archeologists and scholars should have sought revelation on the translation. We are simply using the incident as an illustration of the need for the real story from the source. Otherwise, as the scholars found, "all is guesswork, darkness, and confusion."
Natural man's best guess on the things of eternity will be hopelessly inadequate without revelation from the Source.
Who can receive such revelation, and how does it come? It may be well to explore this later.
Thanks to all of you who replied to the request for feedback on the Sabbathoughts.
More later. God bless.
Steve
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sabbathought: Our first priority
In a funeral sermon for his close friend Ephraim Marks in April 1842, the Prophet, even though he felt the occasion was "a very solemn and awful time", so filled with grief was he, taught, "Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 215--6).
Truly this counsel echoes the first and great commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, might, mind, strength, and soul. The second is like unto it, but it is a serious oversight to get the order of these two great commandments mixed up.
When Elder Boyd K. Packer was called by Harold B. Lee to head up the work of the Church Educational System in the early 1960s, he was counseled by Elder Lee to be sure he faced the Presiding Brethren and the Lord, not the teachers, students, and administrators in the system. This is an illustration of the same principle the Prophet Joseph was urging.
What then is the work of God upon which we are to place our affections and energies? We are all clear that "this is my work and my glory," as the Lord said to Moses, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).
How do we make sure our work in the kingdom is consistent with and supportive of this grand purpose and objective? The scriptures make clear that "it must needs be done in mine own way" (Doctrine and Covenants 104:16), "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8).
How do we ensure we conform to the Lord's ways of doing His work? Remember what Paul taught, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14), and "natural man" is the default condition of all mankind from day to day unless we consciously seek the Spirit of God daily.
Therefore, the only answer to these compelling questions is revelation, personal revelation to our spirits through the Holy Spirit. Consider with me the wisdom of these words from the LDS Bible Dictionary on "Revelation" (page 762): "Divine revelation is one of the grandest concepts and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for without it, man could not know of the things of God and could not be saved with any degree of salvation in the eternities. . . . The principle of gaining knowledge by revelation is the principle of salvation. . . . 'The Holy Ghost is a revelator,' said Joseph Smith, and 'no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations' (HC 6:58). Without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion" (emphasis added).
Again we say, such revelation is not automatic with the gift of the Holy Ghost; it must be sought and nurtured in hungering and thirsting after righteousness (see 3 Nephi 12:6).
A final thought: the house of the Lord---the temple---is a house of prayer and of revelation. "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:3, emphasis added).
In these ways our affections will be firmly placed upon God and His work more intensely and appropriately than on any other thing or person or place.
"When your priorities are out of order, you lose power" (Elder Gene R. Cook).
Please---leave a comment to let me know you have come this far with me. Thanks.
Steve
Truly this counsel echoes the first and great commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, might, mind, strength, and soul. The second is like unto it, but it is a serious oversight to get the order of these two great commandments mixed up.
When Elder Boyd K. Packer was called by Harold B. Lee to head up the work of the Church Educational System in the early 1960s, he was counseled by Elder Lee to be sure he faced the Presiding Brethren and the Lord, not the teachers, students, and administrators in the system. This is an illustration of the same principle the Prophet Joseph was urging.
What then is the work of God upon which we are to place our affections and energies? We are all clear that "this is my work and my glory," as the Lord said to Moses, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).
How do we make sure our work in the kingdom is consistent with and supportive of this grand purpose and objective? The scriptures make clear that "it must needs be done in mine own way" (Doctrine and Covenants 104:16), "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8).
How do we ensure we conform to the Lord's ways of doing His work? Remember what Paul taught, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14), and "natural man" is the default condition of all mankind from day to day unless we consciously seek the Spirit of God daily.
Therefore, the only answer to these compelling questions is revelation, personal revelation to our spirits through the Holy Spirit. Consider with me the wisdom of these words from the LDS Bible Dictionary on "Revelation" (page 762): "Divine revelation is one of the grandest concepts and principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for without it, man could not know of the things of God and could not be saved with any degree of salvation in the eternities. . . . The principle of gaining knowledge by revelation is the principle of salvation. . . . 'The Holy Ghost is a revelator,' said Joseph Smith, and 'no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations' (HC 6:58). Without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion" (emphasis added).
Again we say, such revelation is not automatic with the gift of the Holy Ghost; it must be sought and nurtured in hungering and thirsting after righteousness (see 3 Nephi 12:6).
A final thought: the house of the Lord---the temple---is a house of prayer and of revelation. "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:3, emphasis added).
In these ways our affections will be firmly placed upon God and His work more intensely and appropriately than on any other thing or person or place.
"When your priorities are out of order, you lose power" (Elder Gene R. Cook).
Please---leave a comment to let me know you have come this far with me. Thanks.
Steve
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sabbathought : God is a Person, not just an idea or a concept
We spoke some weeks ago---and it has been a regular theme or thread in all these Sabbathoughts---that unless we become like God we will never be permitted to dwell with Him. That is the central idea of all true religion, and the Sabbath Day is the time when we yield to His ways and learn of Him (see Isaiah 58:13--14), not just in our Sunday meetings but at home too.
What is God like? We need to know or we shall not be able to be like Him. "And this is life eternal [God's life, living with Him and like Him], that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent" (John 17:3).
If there is one thing the devil would want to distort it is the true concept of God and what He is like. The Savior warned of false Christs in the last days, and a false idea of Christ is a false Christ (see Joseph Smith---Matthew 1:22, 37). Even the elect according to the covenant may be deceived by these false ideas, He said, but "whoso treasureth up my word shall not be deceived".
Truly, Jesus Christ, who is God, the Son of the Father, is the Lamb of God; and He is the Lion of Judah. He is Justice, and He is Mercy; He is the Prince of Peace, and He is the God of battles. There is no contradiction in all of this. We do Him and ourselves a great disservice when we focus on only one side of His Godly nature.
Elder Mark E. Petersen of the Twelve taught: "---studying all the difficulties that face us in the world today, [it is clear] that we are really living in the last days. I believe that now and in the years to come we will need a stronger testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ than ever before. Every one of us must do as the Presidency of the Church does, and that is to treat God as a person and not as a concept or an idea of any kind. He is a person, and we need to deal with Him that way. We must realize that He has feelings, and we can offend Him or we can please Him, depending on our attitude" (1 Sept. 1983).
Many of us reject the host of scriptures that speak of the fear of God, so wrapped up are we in the love of God. When the scriptures speak of fearing God, they mean fear, as President Monson has taught. Surely we understand that "our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).
But here is an interesting paradox: "Generally speaking, those who feel too sure of their salvation are farthest from it. Soren Kjerkegaard has expressed this thought in the following quaint paradox: 'If you fear, then fear not; but if you do not fear, then fear'" (Smith and Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p. 114).
Angus M. Cannon had this vision: "I did hear a voice which said--Angus, it is your privilege to appear before the Lord and I immediately looked and beheld Him, apparently about 30 rods distant. . . . I undertook to arise and go to Him but dared not approach Him and said, 'My God! Who can appear before Him!' I imagine He would say: How have you used my name and what use have you made of my Priesthood? When I thought of my many light speeches and the manner in which I had striven to embellish my remarks, in addressing people as His servant, circumlocuting [speaking] around the truths given of Him . . . , I was unable to go to Him."
Do you have the impression we each have quite a bit of preparation ahead of us? And that it must start today? He said, "Learn of me, and listen to my words; . . . Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness? Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide? Or canst thou be humble and meek, and conduct thyself wisely before me? Yea, come unto me thy Savior. Amen" (D&C 19:23, 39--41).
Please feel free to post your comments below.
God bless us all.
Steve
What is God like? We need to know or we shall not be able to be like Him. "And this is life eternal [God's life, living with Him and like Him], that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent" (John 17:3).
If there is one thing the devil would want to distort it is the true concept of God and what He is like. The Savior warned of false Christs in the last days, and a false idea of Christ is a false Christ (see Joseph Smith---Matthew 1:22, 37). Even the elect according to the covenant may be deceived by these false ideas, He said, but "whoso treasureth up my word shall not be deceived".
Truly, Jesus Christ, who is God, the Son of the Father, is the Lamb of God; and He is the Lion of Judah. He is Justice, and He is Mercy; He is the Prince of Peace, and He is the God of battles. There is no contradiction in all of this. We do Him and ourselves a great disservice when we focus on only one side of His Godly nature.
Elder Mark E. Petersen of the Twelve taught: "---studying all the difficulties that face us in the world today, [it is clear] that we are really living in the last days. I believe that now and in the years to come we will need a stronger testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ than ever before. Every one of us must do as the Presidency of the Church does, and that is to treat God as a person and not as a concept or an idea of any kind. He is a person, and we need to deal with Him that way. We must realize that He has feelings, and we can offend Him or we can please Him, depending on our attitude" (1 Sept. 1983).
Many of us reject the host of scriptures that speak of the fear of God, so wrapped up are we in the love of God. When the scriptures speak of fearing God, they mean fear, as President Monson has taught. Surely we understand that "our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).
But here is an interesting paradox: "Generally speaking, those who feel too sure of their salvation are farthest from it. Soren Kjerkegaard has expressed this thought in the following quaint paradox: 'If you fear, then fear not; but if you do not fear, then fear'" (Smith and Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p. 114).
Angus M. Cannon had this vision: "I did hear a voice which said--Angus, it is your privilege to appear before the Lord and I immediately looked and beheld Him, apparently about 30 rods distant. . . . I undertook to arise and go to Him but dared not approach Him and said, 'My God! Who can appear before Him!' I imagine He would say: How have you used my name and what use have you made of my Priesthood? When I thought of my many light speeches and the manner in which I had striven to embellish my remarks, in addressing people as His servant, circumlocuting [speaking] around the truths given of Him . . . , I was unable to go to Him."
Do you have the impression we each have quite a bit of preparation ahead of us? And that it must start today? He said, "Learn of me, and listen to my words; . . . Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness? Or canst thou run about longer as a blind guide? Or canst thou be humble and meek, and conduct thyself wisely before me? Yea, come unto me thy Savior. Amen" (D&C 19:23, 39--41).
Please feel free to post your comments below.
God bless us all.
Steve
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