I've learned that the greatest teachers are:
Professor Experience, Dr. Patience, Mrs. Opposition, Sir Failure, and Mr. Lacking.
These teachers give us a chance to learn by application and error. The greatest motivators are Dr. Love and Professor Faith along with Hope.
28.11.10
27.11.10
For What Sakes?
You know I find myself being distracted a lot. Every article on the current state of the average human experience always mentions how many distractions we have. News, texts, calls, TV, music, Twitter, Facebook, sports, etc. Yep, this is definitely a time with more voices and things to think about than any other time.
Satan is called "The Destroyer" but also I think he is "The Distractor" who uses things to busy us with trivial matters so as to ignore the pivotal. In fact, thats a great definition of sin- making the pivotal trivial and the trivial pivotal. When the vain becomes the highest priority we are in deed in the grasp of Satan.
Its always interesting to see how the double edged sword that is the word of God divides the truth from error. There are significant distinctions that require spiritual pondering and spiritual promptings to understand. I think as we strive to study and learn the Lord makes things known to us where we are off balance and need more prioritizing to His will.
Nowadays I am convinced of the necessity to do a job right, as the old saying says, for sake of doing it at all. I know its easy to write off somethings because it seems pointless or stupid but I know the Lord delights in our best efforts, even if the task at hand holds no impact on the world at large. I'm reminded of those that built the Salt Lake Temple with great detail that might have seemed mundane at the time but held tremendous importance in glorifying the Lord.
I think of the stupid jobs I had that really weren't fabulous or glorious and the shoddy work I did. I know now that they were dumb but what was important was that the Lord expected me to honestly and diligently work hard. By small and simple things does the Lord bring to pass great things and if we are able and skilled then He can better use as as instruments for His will.
Not all work is worth it, but I do think the Lord expects us to not shirk responsibility or to shrug sweating in the brow and we have a great opportunity to work each day for the Lord's sake.
Satan is called "The Destroyer" but also I think he is "The Distractor" who uses things to busy us with trivial matters so as to ignore the pivotal. In fact, thats a great definition of sin- making the pivotal trivial and the trivial pivotal. When the vain becomes the highest priority we are in deed in the grasp of Satan.
Its always interesting to see how the double edged sword that is the word of God divides the truth from error. There are significant distinctions that require spiritual pondering and spiritual promptings to understand. I think as we strive to study and learn the Lord makes things known to us where we are off balance and need more prioritizing to His will.
Nowadays I am convinced of the necessity to do a job right, as the old saying says, for sake of doing it at all. I know its easy to write off somethings because it seems pointless or stupid but I know the Lord delights in our best efforts, even if the task at hand holds no impact on the world at large. I'm reminded of those that built the Salt Lake Temple with great detail that might have seemed mundane at the time but held tremendous importance in glorifying the Lord.
I think of the stupid jobs I had that really weren't fabulous or glorious and the shoddy work I did. I know now that they were dumb but what was important was that the Lord expected me to honestly and diligently work hard. By small and simple things does the Lord bring to pass great things and if we are able and skilled then He can better use as as instruments for His will.
Not all work is worth it, but I do think the Lord expects us to not shirk responsibility or to shrug sweating in the brow and we have a great opportunity to work each day for the Lord's sake.
22.11.10
Opposition
"From Church history we read:" 'Certain residents of Hiram, Ohio, vented their personal feelings with mob action directed against the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon. Stimulated by whiskey and hidden behind blackened faces, a gang of more than two dozen men dragged Joseph from his bed during the night of March 24, 1832. Choking him into submission, they stripped him naked, scratched his skin with their fingernails, tore his hair, then smeared his body with tar and feathers. A vial of nitric acid forced against his teeth splashed on his face; a front tooth was broken. Meanwhile other members of the mob dragged Rigdon by the heels from his home, bumping his head on the frozen ground, which left him delirious for days. The Prophet's friends spent the night removing the tar to help him keep a Sunday morning preaching appointment. He addressed a congregation that included Simonds Ryder, organizer of the mob' (James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard, The Story of the Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1992, p. 81)."Ryder was a convert who turned away because the Prophet Joseph had misspelled his name, apparently concluding that a prophet was one who had to be a perfect speller."Later, the Saints in Missouri found out in a tragic manner how the armies of the enemy may assemble.. . . "In the midst of all these trials, Joseph said: 'Hell may pour forth its rage like the burning lava of Mount Vesuvius, or of Etna, or of the most terrible of the burning mountains; and yet shall "Mormonism" stand. Water, fire, truth and God are all realities. Truth is "Mormonism." God is the author of it. He is our shield' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 139)."
-M. Russell Ballard, "Anchored by Faith and Commitment," Ensign, July 1995, 15–16
-M. Russell Ballard, "Anchored by Faith and Commitment," Ensign, July 1995, 15–16
21.11.10
We're All On a Spiritual Downward Escalator
I hate when people go inactive or leave the church. Even though I have done it myself. Perhaps its the whisperings that we hear when we put off going to the gym. A slow leaving of the church is more common than a quick dissent.
We are always growing and going in one direction or another.
Often in the Christian world you'll hear stories of salvation coming from a single prayer of devotion. Which is good but not entirely the recipe for salvation. So many times throughout the scriptures the Lord tells us to keep the commandments and repent of our sins. The Lord makes it clear that He wants all that we can give Him, not just a few breaths of prayer. But, even if a few sincere breaths of prayer is all you can give Him then He'll take it and redeem you.
To gain salvation we have to remember that we are on a downward escalator and must walk up it. If we stop then we slowly go down. If we just take a few steps here and there then we might remain stagnate but eventually will succumb to going down. If we are mindful of our position on the downward escalator then we should not hesitate to see what else we can do to walk up or in other words continually repenting and seeking ways to be more like Christ. Salvation is always 6 inches in front of your face and we have to keep striving to get it. We have to continually be willing to give up something as a sacrifice to the Lord as He may ask for it. For it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23).
We are always growing and going in one direction or another.
Often in the Christian world you'll hear stories of salvation coming from a single prayer of devotion. Which is good but not entirely the recipe for salvation. So many times throughout the scriptures the Lord tells us to keep the commandments and repent of our sins. The Lord makes it clear that He wants all that we can give Him, not just a few breaths of prayer. But, even if a few sincere breaths of prayer is all you can give Him then He'll take it and redeem you.
To gain salvation we have to remember that we are on a downward escalator and must walk up it. If we stop then we slowly go down. If we just take a few steps here and there then we might remain stagnate but eventually will succumb to going down. If we are mindful of our position on the downward escalator then we should not hesitate to see what else we can do to walk up or in other words continually repenting and seeking ways to be more like Christ. Salvation is always 6 inches in front of your face and we have to keep striving to get it. We have to continually be willing to give up something as a sacrifice to the Lord as He may ask for it. For it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23).
20.11.10
Humility is the Way to God
I think having a blog gets exhausting because who really cares what I have to say? And I'm not trying to be pitiful or asking for pity but sometimes you just need to shut up and listen for a while. Not necessarily because you're wrong but because learning requires intimacy with different ideas and concepts, it requires you to realize kicking against the pricks leads to nowhere. The learned proud and the rich proud have the hardest time following counsel from God because they have no reason to doubt themselves or they're way of thinking. Mostly because they choose not to look at the things they could learn from God.
Sometimes I find myself going down a wrong path. Sometimes out of ignorance but either way once on a wrong path it takes humility to return, not justification of defending the poor decision to avoid admitting wrongdoing or foolishness. Once I realize I'm on the wrong path, I choose humility and then I feel peace again and can then return to the path of righteousness.
There is only one way to peace, happiness and everything else of value in this world and its Jesus Christ. We must follow His example and be humble. There is no other way to God but by faith in His righteousness. There are no shortcuts and nothing to be gained by going off the path.
As the prodigal son returned to himself and was humbled, he returned to his father. His brother had been faithful and felt a bit jealous of the celebration of his brother's return, but I'm sure that the prodigal son felt jealous of his brother who had kept the commandments from the beginning and had been blessed all his life for it. This is just a parable but how true it is that if we stray we do not gain, only in humility are we blessed and come closer to our God. We will have trials but the traps by Satan will be avoided if we heed the words of God.
Sometimes I find myself going down a wrong path. Sometimes out of ignorance but either way once on a wrong path it takes humility to return, not justification of defending the poor decision to avoid admitting wrongdoing or foolishness. Once I realize I'm on the wrong path, I choose humility and then I feel peace again and can then return to the path of righteousness.
There is only one way to peace, happiness and everything else of value in this world and its Jesus Christ. We must follow His example and be humble. There is no other way to God but by faith in His righteousness. There are no shortcuts and nothing to be gained by going off the path.
As the prodigal son returned to himself and was humbled, he returned to his father. His brother had been faithful and felt a bit jealous of the celebration of his brother's return, but I'm sure that the prodigal son felt jealous of his brother who had kept the commandments from the beginning and had been blessed all his life for it. This is just a parable but how true it is that if we stray we do not gain, only in humility are we blessed and come closer to our God. We will have trials but the traps by Satan will be avoided if we heed the words of God.
2.11.10
Our ability to choose is awesome but so worthless if we don't choose the right.
Every society in the Book of Mormon was prosperous when they kept the commandments of charity and service to God. Once the people started serving their own gratification, they lost the spirit and society fell into class warfare, pride, greed, and war which lead to death and despair.
This is the way to live in the society that God will truly bless- worship God with all your heart, might, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemies, pray for those that abuse and persecute you.
So, the choice is up to us. Just as those that don't read have no advantage over those that can't, we have no advantage with our agency if we don't choose the right.
This is the way to live in the society that God will truly bless- worship God with all your heart, might, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemies, pray for those that abuse and persecute you.
So, the choice is up to us. Just as those that don't read have no advantage over those that can't, we have no advantage with our agency if we don't choose the right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)