Independance

Look for what the Lord wants for His Church.

14 That through my providence, notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world

Doctrine & Covenants 78:14

Through God’s providence, the Church has become independent from the World in just about every way possible:

•      Educationally: Seminary and Institute programs of the Church, BYU-Provo, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, LDS Business college, Perpetual Education Fund.

•      Economically: The Church does not work in debt and has its operating funds set aside for far into the future.

•      Media: Deseret News, Deseret Book, KSL, BYU Broadcasting, The Ensign, New Era, Friend, lds.org, Mormon.org, Mormonchannel.org, and more.

•      Food and clothing: The Church welfare farms all across the country to provide for Bishop’s Warehouses and charities worldwide. Also Deseret Industries.

The question is how are you and your family doing in these four areas? Are you getting the education you need? Are you staying out of debt and laying aside for a rainy day? Is your home full of uplifting media? Have you set aside food and clothing for challenging times?

Today’s Takeaway: Look at those four areas and decide what is the next step for you. Make a plan how to take the next step in becoming independent of the World, so you can better serve God. 

"If The Savior Stood Beside Me"

Look for something here that might be hard to believe.

But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me;

Doctrine & Covenants 38:7

What a sobering truth! At this very moment, the Lord is right next to you as you are reading this.  He is omnipresent and watching.  Doctrine & Covenants 88:41 clarifies things by saying:

He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.

So should knowing the Savior is there with you change anything? I have a favorite Primary song called, “If the Savior Stood Beside Me” by Sally DeFord.  The first verse goes:

        If the Savior stood beside me,

        Would I do the things I do?

        Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?

        Would I follow His example?

        Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh,

        watching over me?

         

But then the last verse concludes with the realization:

        He is always near me, though I do not see Him there,

        And because He loves me dearly,

        I am in His watchful care,

        So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be

        If I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

Today’s Takeaway: Try to walk through today staying aware of the Lord’s caring eyes upon you.  Strive to live today in a way that would make Him proud.  Try to live in a way that would be pleasing to Him.  The Savior really is there and watching over us with His perfect love and concern.

What Sends A Person To Hell?

Anything surprising in this list of those who will suffer for their own sins, and then inherit Telestial Glory?

 103 These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.

Doctrine & Covenants 76:103

Note that those who do those things, and remain unrepentant, will suffer for their own sins in Hell, and then be delivered up to Telestial Glory (see D&C 76:105-106).  Were you surprised that dishonesty got mentioned twice? Does that make dishonesty worse than you thought it might be?  Many wonder what a “whoremonger” is.  It is those involved in sexual perversions such as prostitution; so sexuality outside of the bonds of husband and wife is mentioned twice also. One definition of a sorcerer is someone who is involved in activities that invite evil spirits.

So we should all take a moment and consider how we are doing in those three areas.  How honest are you? How could you become even more honest? Are all sexual thoughts and feeling committed to only your spouse? Do you maintain your defenses in those areas? Are there books, movies or music you participate in that invite an evil spirit in your home?

Today’s Takeaway: Evaluate the questions above and decide at least one thing you can do to be less Telestial, and more Celestial.

Between Terrestrial and Celestial

Look for what made these people Terrestrial rather than Celestial.

79 These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.

Doctrine & Covenants 76:79

Did you see the key word “valiant”?  So does that mean those Terrestrial people just were not good enough to make the cut?

Let’s consider the word valiant in another context.  What would make someone a valiant basketball player on a team? Could you have a valiant member of the team that is not on the starting line up? Yes. The valiant team member is one of those trying their best; first one at practice, last to leave.  The valiant players always give their best even though they might not be the most talented players on the team.  Could you have the opposite, someone on the starting lineup that's not a valiant member of the team?  Sure; they are the kind people that their half effort is better than another’s total effort.  They are just naturally good.  So we see that valiant is not a measurement of how good a person is, but rather what kind of effort they are putting into it.

That can give us all great hope.  I don’t have to be as good as Brother or Sister ______.  To the Savior, I only need to be trying my best; even if my best isn’t nearly as good as someone else’s best. When I fall down, I get back up and keep trying. All of us who are honestly striving to follow the Lord are going to make it no matter how imperfect we are.

Today’s Takeaway: If you are sincerely trying to grow and follow the Savior, take comfort that you are going to make it to Celestial Glory. One step in front of the other.

The Power of Pondering

Look for a formula for personal revelation.

 19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.

Doctrine & Covenants 76:19

Great revelations happen when men and women study the scriptures and then ponder. This is a pattern all through the ages.  This is what Joseph and Sidney were doing when they received this great revelation. When Joseph F. Smith had his vision of the Spirit World, he said “I sat in my room pondering over the scriptures” (D&C 138:1). You will see the same in Joseph Smith-History 1:8-12, Moroni 10:3-5, Helaman 10:2, and more. In my margin I wrote the simple formula:

Scriptures + Pondering = Revelation

Today’s Takeaway: When is the last time you pondered and meditated over some verses in the scriptures or some words of the Prophet? Today find a particular verse in the scriptures and take some time to ponder and chew on it.  Ask the Lord how He would want you to apply it to your life. 

An Engaged God

As Joseph and Sidney saw the Lord, why did they end this verse with an “!”?

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

Doctrine & Covenants 76:22

Of all things Joseph and Sidney could have expressed after seeing the Lord, why did they want to say, “He lives!”?  Did Joseph just want to point out to all the atheists that they were wrong? Was Joseph not 100% sure prior to this?  Perhaps it is the tense of the verb that Joseph is trying to get across. We have an active and engaged God that we worship.

In the hymn “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” it repeats the phrase “He lives” over and over again, but then says what He lives to do.

He lives to...     bless me with his love.

                        plead for me above.

                        my hungry soul to feed.

                        bless in time of need.

He lives to...     grant me rich supply.

                        guide me with his eye.

                        comfort me when faint.

                        hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to...     silence all my fears.

                        wipe away my tears.

                        calm my troubled heart.

                        all blessings to impart.

I had always been taught, what Jesus did for us: He lived a perfect example, completed the atonement so we could repent.  And I had been taught what He will do for us: He will come again, save us, resurrect us, be our judge, and give us a wonderful kingdom of glory. But I had never really considered what this song was saying.  I had never considered all that the Lord does for us.  I understood the Savior in the past tense, and the future tense, but never really considered the Lord in the present tense; a Lord who is trying just as hard to save us today, as he did 2,000 years ago in Gethsemane and on the Cross. 

Today’s Takeaway: In that hymn, look at all the Savior seeks to do for you every day.  Thank the Lord and seek to receive those things.  Try to make the Lord an active part of your life each day. 

Discouragement

Look for how perfect a Celestial person needs to be:

69 These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.

Doctrine & Covenants 76:69

Have you ever wondered if you were Celestial material? Ever just feel like you didn't have what it takes? Just not good enough? Well did you see how perfect we need to become to go to the Celestial Kingdom?  One hundred percent perfect!

The trick is that we are made “perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32). Satan goes around discouraging us saying we aren't good enough, and he is right.  Of ourselves, we will never be good enough.  But through covenant, Christ shares His perfection with us.  No matter how flawed, broken, and imperfect we are, in Christ we are “perfect”.

Did you see in the verse how good we need to be? “Just men” and women.  I take that to mean good and honorable people trying to follow Christ.

Today’s Takeaway: Recognize and accept that you are not good enough, of yourself. It is only through our covenants and relationship with the Lord that we are good enough to return to the presence of God. So today, try to focus on the Lord and thank Him for His goodness He shares with you.