An Important Promise

[Avatar4321]

I was reminded of this on Dr P's blog. Been there a bit more than usual today. But it seems very applicable at the moment.

“Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4–5.) There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’ (D&C 21:6.)” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 152.)

[sdc999]

I knew a young lady once who, although she seemed to be doing everything right, bad things just kept happening.  She just couldn't understand.  "Why me? she would implore.  She attended church regularly, read scriptures, participated in youth temple trips.  She began to think of herself as the modern day female version of Job.  Hell seemed to be prevailing against her at every turn.  Darkness was in front of her everywhere.  What could she do to find favor in the Lord?   She finally broke down and counseled with her bishop.   After much discussion and weeping, the young lady, at her bishop's request, removed her second set of earrings that President Hinckley had warned about.  The heavens opened and she lived happily ever after.    

Moral stories are the best.

[Buckeye]

I knew a young lady once who, although she seemed to be doing everything right, bad things just kept happening.  She just couldn't understand.  "Why me? she would implore.  She attended church regularly, read scriptures, participated in youth temple trips.  She began to think of herself as the modern day female version of Job.  Hell seemed to be prevailing against her at every turn.  Darkness was in front of her everywhere.  What could she do to find favor in the Lord?   She finally broke down and counseled with her bishop.   After much discussion and weeping, the young lady, at her bishop's request, removed her second set of earrings that President Hinckley had warned about.  The heavens opened and she lived happily ever after.    

Moral stories are the best.

 

Wait, so if we live the commandments perfectly nothing bad will happen to us? The high counselor assigned to my ward has a baby with severe health issues. Surely a sign that they have a concealed sin. Moral stories really are the best !

Edited November 10, 2015 by Buckeye

[KevinG]

Methinks too many Saints confuse eternal blessings with earthly ease and lack of opposition.  I was never so relived as when I saw the Ensign start publishing stories of those who retained faith through trials, even when the trials kept going.  This was in the early 90's when I started to notice the trend.

 

In my family we have dealt with:

- Recovery from abuse

- Chronic Illness

- Loss of a child in pregnancy

- Sending a child to war

- Loss of a son-in law shortly after marriage

- Sin and weakness

- Loss of employment and poverty

- etc.

 

Yet we do not blame God, but see His hand in helping us continue through the trials and progress towards eternal rest and joy.

[theplains]

I was never so relived as when I saw the Ensign start publishing stories of those who retained faith through trials, even when the trials kept going. 

 

I wonder if one could use the example of those Latter-day Saints who remained in Missouri in contrast

to those who left for the Salt Lake Valley. From reading the D&C, Utah was never the land of promise.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Duncan]

heck even Jesus was lead to the wilderness by the spirit, right after his baptism and he was tempted by Mr. Devil himself. I don't know why we think we'd get a pass

[Teancum]

I was reminded of this on Dr P's blog. Been there a bit more than usual today. But it seems very applicable at the moment.

“Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4–5.) There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’ (D&C 21:6.)” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 152.)

President Uchtdorf:

“The invitation to trust the Lord does not relieve us from the responsibility to know [truth] for ourselves. This is more than an opportunity; it is an obligation – and it is one of the reasons we were sent to this earth. Latter-day Saints are not asked to blindly accept everything they hear. We are encouraged to think and discover truth for ourselves. We are expected to ponder, to search, to evaluate, and thereby to come to a personal knowledge of the truth. Brigham Young said: “ I am… afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security. … Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates.” “So we continually seek truth from all good books and other wholesome sources.” (Salt Lake City, Utah January 14, 2013)

[Teancum]

I was reminded of this on Dr P's blog. Been there a bit more than usual today. But it seems very applicable at the moment.

“Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4–5.) There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’ (D&C 21:6.)” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 152.)

“And none are required to tamely and blindly submit to a man because he has a portion of the priesthood. We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark, that they would do anything they were told to do by those who presided over them, if they knew it was wrong; but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A man of God... would spite the idea. Others, in the extreme exercise of their almighty authority have taught that such obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the saints were told to do by their presidents, they should do it without asking any questions. When Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience as to teach them to people, it is generally because they have it in their minds to do wrong themselves.”

- Apostle Charles W. Penrose, Millennial Star, v. 14, no. 38, pp. 593-595

[Avatar4321]

No one mentioned blindly doing anything.

[Thinking]

I knew a young lady once who, although she seemed to be doing everything right, bad things just kept happening.  She just couldn't understand.  "Why me? she would implore.  She attended church regularly, read scriptures, participated in youth temple trips.  She began to think of herself as the modern day female version of Job.  Hell seemed to be prevailing against her at every turn.  Darkness was in front of her everywhere.  What could she do to find favor in the Lord?   She finally broke down and counseled with her bishop.   After much discussion and weeping, the young lady, at her bishop's request, removed her second set of earrings that President Hinckley had warned about.  The heavens opened and she lived happily ever after.    

Moral stories are the best.

 

Moral of the story: God cares more about earrings than anything else.

[The Nehor]

Moral of the story: God cares more about earrings than anything else.

Or as one stake president once remarked to a man justifying his coffee habit and arguing that God would not damn him for coffee:

"No, I do not think he will damn you for a cup of coffee but he probably will because you defy him and his commandments and try to exempt yourself from obedience to God."

[Zakuska]

Or as one stake president once remarked to a man justifying his coffee habit and arguing that God would not damn him for coffee:

"No, I do not think he will damn you for a cup of coffee but he probably will because you defy him and his commandments and try to exempt yourself from obedience to God."

Except in this particular case it wasn't a commandment at all. Until a new revelation comes with a "thus sayeth the Lord" the wow is just good council. Not withstanding that it magically becone a commandment when no body was looking during the conservatives running umock during the prohibition. Edited November 13, 2015 by Zakuska

[ksfisher]

Except in this particular case it wasn't a commandment at all. Until a new revelation comes with a "thus sayeth the Lord" the wow is just good council. Not withstanding that it magically becone a commandment when no body was looking during the conservatives running umock during the prohibition.

Is there any scriptural support for the idea that a revelation must begin with "thus saith the Lord?"

[The Nehor]

Except in this particular case it wasn't a commandment at all. Until a new revelation comes with a "thus sayeth the Lord" the wow is just good council. Not withstanding that it magically becone a commandment when no body was looking during the conservatives running umock during the prohibition.

I actually have faith that those who hold the Priesthood Keys are led by revelation and believe the President of the Church authorized to use all Priesthood Keys can declare new doctrine and as multiple Presidents have declared it to be mandatory I go along with it.

If that makes me a radical then I am okay with that.

[The Nehor]

Is there any scriptural support for the idea that a revelation must begin with "thus saith the Lord?"

Nope, in fact we have prophets saying it is not necessary.

[ksfisher]

Nope, in fact we have prophets saying it is not necessary.

Ah, but did they say the magic words "thus saith the Lord" before they said that I wasn't necessary to say "thus saith the Lord?" Otherwise we wouldn't know that it was a revelation.