Why us family so important to those who understand and believe in eternal purpose? Because family is the catalyst and context in which we will become like God.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
False gods we worship
Pr Pope shared powerful excerpts from Spencer W. Kimball's talks the last day of class, and then just a few days later I first saw the "Warlike People" billboard on I-15. Reflecting on this information that God has graciously exposed me to has helped me to think about what I want to make of my life.
Pr Kimball talks about the earth and its abundance, and that we need to use our time and efforts here productively and beautifully, both spiritually and physically. I often think of Anthony and his work with minerals and natural resources. It is a "rape and pillage" program I believe, but I wonder if gaining experience there would help me learn and prepare to do something meaningful in the world as far as allocating resources more rationally and responsibly. I almost feel like working in RE in Boston would be a safe, good choice. But, working with Anthony and then leveraging into unexpected avenues would be the world-traveling, TED-talking, world-expert, better choice that Alyssa and I have envisioned we would do.
Because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying onthings more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer histrust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages when men havefallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put in itsplace a hope in the “arm of flesh” (D&C 1:19) and in “gods of silver, andgold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know”(Dan. 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme in the OldTestament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most ishis god; and if his god doesn’t also happen to be the true and living Godof Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.
The resources that have been placed in our power are good, and necessary to do our work here on the earth. But I am afraid that many ofus have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they havepower over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith canstand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of aself-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investmentportfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like toguarantee carnal security throughout, they hope a long and happy life.Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources in our families and quorums to build up the kingdom of God—to furtherthe missionary effort and the genealogical and temple work; to raise our children up as fruitful servants unto the Lord; to bless others in every way,that they may also be fruitful.
If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
We believe that the way for each person and each family to prepare as the Lord has directed is to begin to exercise greater faith, to repent, and toenter into the work of his kingdom on earth, which is The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. It may seem a little difficult at first, but whena person begins to catch a vision of the true work, when he begins to seesomething of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to faroutweigh the cost of leaving “the world” behind.
Pr Kimball talks about the earth and its abundance, and that we need to use our time and efforts here productively and beautifully, both spiritually and physically. I often think of Anthony and his work with minerals and natural resources. It is a "rape and pillage" program I believe, but I wonder if gaining experience there would help me learn and prepare to do something meaningful in the world as far as allocating resources more rationally and responsibly. I almost feel like working in RE in Boston would be a safe, good choice. But, working with Anthony and then leveraging into unexpected avenues would be the world-traveling, TED-talking, world-expert, better choice that Alyssa and I have envisioned we would do.
Because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying onthings more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer histrust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages when men havefallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put in itsplace a hope in the “arm of flesh” (D&C 1:19) and in “gods of silver, andgold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know”(Dan. 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme in the OldTestament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most ishis god; and if his god doesn’t also happen to be the true and living Godof Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.
The resources that have been placed in our power are good, and necessary to do our work here on the earth. But I am afraid that many ofus have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they havepower over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith canstand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of aself-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investmentportfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like toguarantee carnal security throughout, they hope a long and happy life.Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources in our families and quorums to build up the kingdom of God—to furtherthe missionary effort and the genealogical and temple work; to raise our children up as fruitful servants unto the Lord; to bless others in every way,that they may also be fruitful.
If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
We believe that the way for each person and each family to prepare as the Lord has directed is to begin to exercise greater faith, to repent, and toenter into the work of his kingdom on earth, which is The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. It may seem a little difficult at first, but whena person begins to catch a vision of the true work, when he begins to seesomething of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to faroutweigh the cost of leaving “the world” behind.
My feelings are simple. I must more diligently and purposefully make God's will my first priority in life. By putting him first I will see that he is able to prosper my life and bless my family far beyond what I would be able to do on my own. I should not unduly stress about maximizing my tax deductions and raising my B to a B+. I should seek these good things, but not at the cost of spending time in communication with my Heavenly Father and taking time to learn from him. I know that he will then make available all the success and happiness and riches that I need in this life and give me
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