Listening to the Prophets

[coolguy]

In Acts 7:35-37, we are told a story about how Moses led the people out of the bondage they were experiencing in Egypt. Many of the of people were doubtful at times, as discussed in the scripture. They even wouldn’t call upon him. The scripture reads: “35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.”

 

Thinking about these few verses, I found a principle that I have been applying to myself. When we listen to and apply the words of the prophets, we are listening to and applying the words of God himself. I figure that lots of times in my life, I have kind of brushed off the words of the apostles because I think I am above the principles they are preaching about. But realistically, they are indeed for us.

 

What are some things that we can do to follow the council of the prophets more in our lives? Well, one thing that I am doing is I am listening to one conference talk a day. Even if I am super busy with work and school, I listen to a talk as I get ready in the morning, eat lunch, or do homework, etc.

 

If studying the scriptures needs some variety, then you could also study written talks given from the prophets as well. Reading them and highlighting them will help you pull out multiple principles that are very applicable to your life and they will help you.

[consiglieri]

I am glad you find insight and application in reading General Conference talks.

My experience has been that studying the scriptures has been more beneficial to my spiritual progression.

[CV75]

35 minutes ago, consiglieri said:

I am glad you find insight and application in reading General Conference talks.

My experience has been that studying the scriptures has been more beneficial to my spiritual progression.

And some have found spiritual progression in studying the scriptures as a result of the insight and application in reading General Conference talks! And some have found spiritual progression in reading General Conference talks as a result of the insight and application in reading the scriptures!

The world is full of plenty to be glad about!

[JLHPROF]

1 hour ago, consiglieri said:

I am glad you find insight and application in reading General Conference talks.

My experience has been that studying the scriptures has been more beneficial to my spiritual progression.

 

Scriptures are just the words of previous prophets (except of course when it is God or Christ speaking directly).  They are imbued with no more mystical accuracy than any other prophetic teaching, except of course when they are the words of Christ or God.

All things being equal when they were speaking or writing under the influence of the spirit, Peter, Paul, James, John, Alma, Moroni, Nephi are no more doctrinally reliable than those of Joseph, Brigham, Wilford, Heber etc.  Only difference is canonization.

The Epistles in the New Testament are no different than the Journal of Discourses in the 1800s or the Ensign today.  They've just been accepted as part of canon longer.

Quote

When we had held a two hour meeting, then Hyrum would get up on the stand to speak on the Word of Wisdom. He was a positive man; and I have know him to talk an hour and a half and two hours on the Word of Wisdom, when I did not see any particular utility in it. At this meeting in Joseph's house Hyrum worked hard. He took the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and said he, "That is the law which God has given us by which to build up His Church and Kingdom in the last day and anything more than these is of man, and is not of God." When he sat down, Brother Joseph, with his hands still over his face, and nudging me with his elbow, said, "Brother Brigham, now come, get up." I got up, and previous to getting up I had become pretty well charged with plenty of powder and began. My lungs were not so weak as they are now. I could talk then so as to be heard a mile. I felt like a thousand lions. I took the books and laid them down one by one beginning with the Bible, and said, "there lies the Bible, there the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the revelations God has given through Joseph for the salvation of the people in the 19th Century, yet I would not give the ashes of a rye straw for these three books so far as they are efficacious for the salvation of any man, that lives without the living oracles of God.  - Brigham Young

 

[Ahab]

1 hour ago, coolguy said:

 

 

What are some things that we can do to follow the council of the prophets more in our lives? Well, one thing that I am doing is I am listening to one conference talk a day. Even if I am super busy with work and school, I listen to a talk as I get ready in the morning, eat lunch, or do homework, etc.

 

If studying the scriptures needs some variety, then you could also study written talks given from the prophets as well. Reading them and highlighting them will help you pull out multiple principles that are very applicable to your life and they will help you.

Listening is good,  but doing what they say to do is better.  And as they say we each need to learn from God that what they say to do is good to do because God has also told us as well as them what we should do.

[theplains]

27 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

The Epistles in the New Testament are no different than the Journal of Discourses in the 1800s or the Ensign today.  They've just been accepted as part of canon longer.

Is Ensign considered canon?

Thanks,

Jim

[JLHPROF]

2 minutes ago, theplains said:

Is Ensign considered canon?

Thanks,

Jim

Of course not.  But it contains many canonized teachings and even the occasional teaching that probably should be canonized except we are correctly gun shy about adding to canon.

[theplains]

13 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

Of course not.  But it contains many canonized teachings and even the occasional teaching that probably should be canonized except we are correctly gun shy about adding to canon.

Have you detected any false teachings in Ensign?

Jim

[St. Bookmark]

The way I look at it is in this order

God

scriptures

prophets

apostles

church handbooks or anything sponsored from the church

commentary book

harry potter books

anything else

And if I find something that does not agree I go with what is higher on my list.

[thesometimesaint]

3 minutes ago, theplains said:

Have you detected any false teachings in Ensign?

Jim

No. Just things that haven't been canonized yet.

[JLHPROF]

15 minutes ago, St. Bookmark said:

The way I look at it is in this order

God

scriptures

prophets

apostles

church handbooks or anything sponsored from the church

commentary book

harry potter books

anything else

And if I find something that does not agree I go with what is higher on my list.

God

Prophets (when speaking as prophets)

Scriptures

That's all.  CHI is purely administrative in my opinion.

[JLHPROF]

20 minutes ago, theplains said:

Have you detected any false teachings in Ensign?

Jim

If you mean things I don't think are correct, of course.
But everyone has their own beliefs on things.  We aren't a hive mind.

[consiglieri]

38 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

 

That's all.  CHI is purely administrative in my opinion.

Except that the new policy was received directly from God by prophets.

Does that change things?

 

[JLHPROF]

8 minutes ago, consiglieri said:

Except that the new policy was received directly from God by prophets.

Does that change things?

 

It does.  Many revelations in the D&C are about administrative items.  We'd be silly to think God is never consulted concerning administrative policies too.  Still doesn't make them gospel doctrine.

Take D&C 137:3 - a nice little piece of administrative detail tucked in amongst some doctrinal items.
Or D&C 20:63.  Or D&C 120.

Edited January 15, 2016 by JLHPROF

[St. Bookmark]

When it comes to revelation I aways use the scriptures to measure it since the scriptures are the rule.

also scriptures help to bring forth more scripture.

 

a little quote from my desk

i find those who do not study the scriptures on a regular basis, also don't pray as much as they should, and miss the grand knowledge the lord had in store for them.

 

[JLHPROF]

40 minutes ago, St. Bookmark said:

When it comes to revelation I aways use the scriptures to measure it since the scriptures are the rule.

also scriptures help to bring forth more scripture.

 

I agree with this.  But my personal canon of scripture includes a little more than the official Church canon.  "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith" I revere just as highly as any scripture.  The temple endowment I revere just as highly as any scripture.

My scripture in my life is not limited to the 4 canonized standard works.

[Ahab]

The canon or "standard" works are a standard measuring tool to measure up to anything else we read or hear.

It's a tool for measuring scripture. Not a collection of all scripture.

Too many people don't know what a canon is.

[St. Bookmark]

On January 16, 2016 at 5:32 PM, Ahab said:

The canon or "standard" works are a standard measuring tool to measure up to anything else we read or hear.

It's a tool for measuring scripture. Not a collection of all scripture.

Too many people don't know what a canon is.

That is true, everyone should know that a canon is a big gun.😏

my collection of scripture is the standards and all the institute manuals and my personal journals

[The Nehor]

On 1/15/2016 at 2:40 PM, theplains said:

Is Ensign considered canon?

Nope.

[6EQUJ5]

On 1/15/2016 at 0:44 PM, JLHPROF said:

Of course not.  But it contains many canonized teachings and even the occasional teaching that probably should be canonized except we are correctly gun shy about adding to canon.

Every word spoken by modern prophets is scripture, end of story.

Canonization has nothing to do with anything.

[6EQUJ5]

4 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Nope.

The Ensign is scripture.

[The Nehor]

Just now, 6EQUJ5 said:

The Ensign is scripture.

Parts of it.

[rodheadlee]

On 1/15/2016 at 10:57 AM, consiglieri said:

I am glad you find insight and application in reading General Conference talks.

My experience has been that studying the scriptures has been more beneficial to my spiritual progression.

So, you're saying it would be better to listen to you, instead of the prophets and apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

[JLHPROF]

1 hour ago, 6EQUJ5 said:

Every word spoken by modern prophets is scripture, end of story.

Canonization has nothing to do with anything.

1. Every word?  Nope.
2. Inspired words?  Sure.
3. Canonization has nothing to do with anything?  Agreed.  It doesn't make something true or false.
 

1 hour ago, 6EQUJ5 said:

The Ensign is scripture.

Only as much as the Journal of Discourses would be.  So, not scripture but much inspired prophetic teachings.
 

[6EQUJ5]

4 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

Only as much as the Journal of Discourses would be.  So, not scripture but much inspired prophetic teachings.
 

Not really.  The Ensign contains the words of living prophets.  The JoD contains the words of dead ones.

Ensign trumps JoD.