Today's lesson was on the Priesthood and some thoughts stuck out to me as to what is the Priesthood. For those of you who don't know, the Priesthood was given to man as a way of doing the Lord's work such as baptisms and healing the sick. Its an authority thats given from God and can only be used for God. Its sort of like a paycheck that can only be spent on others, if you try to use it for your own selfish reasons then it won't work. The Priesthood is a resevoir of power that is unlocked by our faith.
This priesthood must be given to you from someone who has it. You can't make your own priesthood. Its not something you can buy or sell but its something that enables you to calm the storms of life of life (Mark 4:39) and help the sick and afflicted (Mark 6:13). As Elder Dallin H. Oaks explains "Miracles happen when the authority of the priesthood is used to bless the sick. I have experienced these miracles. As a boy and as a man I have seen healings as miraculous as any recorded in the scriptures, and so have many of you.
"There are five parts to the use of priesthood authority to bless the sick: (1) the anointing, (2) the sealing of the anointing, (3) faith, (4) the words of the blessing, and (5) the will of the Lord. (Healing the Sick).
Another thing I learned about at Church today was Pride. I always keep a note pad with me in case I feel the heavens open up a bit and am able to see inside. This is what I jotted down:
"The basic goal of any life should be to try to give more than take. We're surrounded by opportunity to seek this goal, though its impossibility is apparent. We still should seek this horizon."
I get the sense more and more that giving freely is the only way to live our lives but its nearly impossible to live and not take something. There are so many ways in which we are just in endless, infinite debt to God but we have salvation in that which we consecrate to God. If we consecrate our hearts and our actions unto God, He will receive them and bless us.
Often I feel the pull between looking at service as a chore and opportunity. Sometimes when I'm weak I feel like I try to do just enough to get by but don't give entirely of my portion. We will be held accountable for that which we were given.
In the end, no amount of righteous accomplishment can justify our misdeeds, as in the case of Solomon who was so very wise and close to the Lord but then fell away and got into terrible debt to the Lord. We can't build our vain shrines of our righteousness and expect them to save us because only Christ will save our humble, meek, contrite spirits and broken hearts. We can't talk our way into heaven, for "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."Just like the Prodigal Son's brother who felt the tinge of pride when he was so faithful but yet the celebration for the return of his brother was so great. The Prodigal Son missed out on a lot of blessings but the main thing that was important was that he had a change of heart and gave up his pride. Alma explains this quite eloquently and Alma 5:
26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?
28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.
29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?
31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!
Pride will always be our wedge between ourselves and God.
Another thing I've been thinking about was mercy and sin. They're a bit similar in this way: both when used lets the person have something they don't deserve. When you have mercy you're given something that you didn't do anything to merit and sin is taking something that you're not entitled to. The difference is taking versus receiving. Our pride says that we are entitled to much for nothing. Our humility says that we are grateful for everything because we don't deserve it. Its much easier to take whatever you want versus waiting for everything you need to come upon you but the easy way puts you in debt and eventually the judgment of God will bring you into having to either pay for that debt or seek Christ's ability of getting you off the hook.
Doctrine and Covenants clears up some understanding on the use of the Priesthood of God and avoiding that wedge of Pride that comes between ourselves and the power of God:
36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.
37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.
39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.
40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.
41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—
43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.
Another thing that comes to mind when thinking about our role as instruments of God is that what you have becomes vain if it is left in your hands. Whatever God entrusts into your care, you must use and seek to magnify it's potential and purpose. We need to seek to consecrate our times and talents unto God, if we wish to seek their full fruition and potential. Vanity is the great tool of Satan to try to make us waste our lives. We must seek the Lord for our completion of selves and not anything else. We can't be whole doing that which is ungodly or that which is wrong. "Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10).
Makes me think of that scripture in Kings 8:61 which says " 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day." And this is repetitive but the only way to be "perfect with the Lord" is to "walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments" which is to say that we put the Lord first and are willing to sacrifice all else, an absence of attachment or devotion for any worldly vanity. Just as Abraham was willing when asked to sacrifice his only son, we must be willing.
When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our hearts, it should be a caution unto us not to set our affections too firmly upon others, knowing that they may in like manner be taken from us. Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings. -Joseph Smith
Solomon did a lot of great things but then fell into the pride and vanity of the world, even making his house greater in size and cost than that of the Lord's house, the temple. I've realized today something about the price we pay for such extravagantly beautiful temples. Surely, there are many things we could use the money we spend to build them on giving to the poor or needy. But, here is a story that illustrates why such beautiful temples are justified in their cost:
It was a practice in the hot, dusty land of Judea to wash the feet of travelers, and one time after Martha had served a meal to Jesus and his disciples, Mary anointed His feet with spikenard, an expensive ointment. Then, showing her great love for Him, she used her long hair to wipe His feet clean. Judas Iscariot, seeing this, complained that such costly ointment should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Judas, who later betrayed Jesus, was not really concerned about the poor; instead, as keeper of the disciples’ purse, he probably wanted the money for himself. Jesus told Judas, “Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. “For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.”
The first and greatest commandment is "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and the second is to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:37,39).
It wasn't money that build the temples but faith and love for God. Money comes and goes, the poor will always be there but the faith and love for God must always abound and then all else will be taken care of.
Notes:
Matthew chapter 6
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
