Not Ashamed

Walking in the Light

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship on with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:5-7

Carrie (Church) Thomas’ hymn “In the Light” is among my favorite restoration hymns. From its opening stanza “What a glorious thing to be, In the Light” to its closing “We shall live and with him reign,” it speaks of the brilliance, beauty and power of the restored gospel. My spirits are lifted each time it is sung. But I’m often challenged by the thought of what it means to “walk in the light.”

C.S. Lewis offers an illustration from his life experience that is worth pondering in this regard: “I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The sun was shining outside and through the crack at the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From where I stood that beam of light, with the specks of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black. I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it. Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no beam. Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the branches of a tree outside and beyond that, ninety-odd million miles away, the sun. Looking along the beam, and looking at the beam are very different experiences. “

Prophets have been restored, God has spoken from on high and through revelations holy light, the darkness has fled away. The restoration of the gospel is a blessing and a beam of bright light shining in a darkened world. David H. Smith penned “the darkness and the holy light we see.” To those of us that know about and see the glorious beam of the gospels light we are called to more than standing outside of it and admiring its striking presence. We are called to walk within it. When we stand in or walk in the light our lives our illuminated by its brilliance and the glory of God is revealed.

Jesus makes it clear that he and he alone is the light of this dark world: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. “ (John 8:12)

Walking in the light means we consider Jesus as the only true light in this dark world, and we walk in that light through the illuminating presence of his Spirit in our lives, following his precepts, living in his power, and growing from grace to grace becoming “heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all; being filled with the fullness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.” (Lectures 5:2)

No more in darkness need we walk. Let us not stand outside in dark world and admire the light, let us follow Jesus and walk in the light of God.

The Finished Work of Christ …

The last words of Christ on the cross were; “Father, it is finished, thy will is done” and with these words he yielded up the ghost and died for all mankind. In his great High Priestly prayer recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John he expressed to the Father; “I have glorified thee on earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, where he bore our sins and absorbed God’s just wrath that was rightly reserved for each of us thus redeeming us, is his finished work. But what does the finished work of Christ mean for each of us in our daily lives? Our moment by moment reality must be based on his finished work, but do we fully comprehend how the finished work of Christ applies to our Christian life? In our day to day struggle, living the Christian life is living in light of Christ’s finished work. It is living in the reality of what Christ has already accomplished. It is living with a deep awareness that Christ’s finished work is the only thing sufficient for our salvation.

We also know that our baptisms (water and spirit) are a necessary condition of our salvation which the Book of Mormon teaches as “the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 13:32). There is a wonderful teaching in the Bible in Romans 6 that if we are baptized into Christ, then we are baptized into his death (verse 3), our old man is crucified with Christ (verse 6), we are freed from sin and live with Christ (verse 7) and we are dead to sin (verse 11). If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor 5:17). Whosoever is born of God does not repeatedly, continually commit sin, for his seed remains in him, and we cannot continue to sin, because we are born of God (1 John 3:9, a wonderful Inspired Version emendation and the literal translation of the Greek).  We are no longer servants of sin, but servants to righteousness (Rom 6:17-18).

In the light of Christ’s finished work (the gospel) and as a covenant people, this is how we should live and Paul does an excellent job in his letter to the Romans explaining how the just should live by faith. Throughout his letter, he systematically unpacks his monumental statement found in versus 16-17 of the first chapter: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed through faith on his name; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” eloquently explaining our dilemma, its solution and how to live.

A generation ago Romans was studied in American law schools in order to teach students the art of presenting an argument. Under the direction of the spirit, Paul addresses our relationship with God, giving real answers to real questions. Without the correction and reproof found in God’s word, we would inherit foolishness in all the central areas of life and this generally begins at the place of what we believe about God. There are many, many examples in our world today of foolishness based on incorrect views of God.

We are finishing a study of “that which is to come” and how we should prepare our lives for the day in which we live. To further our preparation for Christ’s eminent return, we will next study the first eight chapters of Romans as elucidated by the Book of Mormon and latter day revelation to understand how the just live by faith. It is critically important in our day that the finished work of Christ, accomplished on the cross, is rooted deeply in our souls and drives and motivates our choices and actions. Your own prayerful study and contemplation of these eight chapters will enhance our collective study of them.

Perhaps to assuage his guilt, it was with insolence and arrogance that Cain asked God: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” From Cain’s day to ours, this question is asked again and again. We know the answer because Jesus makes it clear that we do have a responsibility to one another:

“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee; or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” — Matthew 25:36-41

King Benjamin also proclaimed:

“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives, and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how had ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have, one to another? … for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God, I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and administering to their relief, …” – Mosiah 2:36, 42-43

Huge numbers of the global population are forced to eke out an existence in conditions we can scarcely imagine. I’ve seen it personally. There are no words that can describe their circumstances. Our average annual income is greater than 99% of the rest of the world. Many live on less than $1.25 per day. We do not recognize our prosperity … but when compared to the majority of the world, we are very rich.

The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ and what was done for us at Calvary. That good news should stir us to action. Joseph Smith Jr. lectured that faith is “the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness” and “the moving cause of all action in them.” We demonstrate our faith through our actions. (James 2:15) Sharing out of our prosperity with those that stand in need is a wonderful expression of our faith – especially when it is done out of our love for our fellow man. Being a member of Christ’s Church requires such demonstrations – not in a legalistic sense but as a natural response to the message of the gospel as it has taken root in our lives.

We cannot ourselves take care of all the needs in the world today but we do have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of 38,000 members of the household of faith in Haiti. They, like we did so many years ago, have stepped out in faith but are now cut off from their primary sources of income and stand in great need. Eighty percent are unemployed.

God can add the increase and multiply our loaves and fishes. There is plenty that we can give up to provide food and drink and clothing to those in need. Latter day revelation encourages us to “carry into active exercise the principle of sacrifice and repression of unnecessary wants; … “ (Section 130:7d) Please give prayerful consideration to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti. You can make a difference.

Prepare ye, prepare ye, for that which is to come ….

These words, when ever we read them or ponder them, stir our souls. The holy spirit not only bears witness to their veracity, but also conveys to us a sense of urgency. It must have been something to have been at the special conference of November 1831 when these words fell from the lips of Joseph Smith Jr. How did they respond? How did they react to the news that the Lord was near, his anger kindled, his sword bathed in heaven and his arm soon to be revealed and that they were to prepare for his coming? What did they do? Were they ready? Are we?

When we look at the Church today we might come to the conclusion that the nearly 183 years since these words were given to the church have dulled the urgency felt by the early saints. Why should that be? God has spoken from on high and his word will not return to him void.

It is clear that some will be caught unaware at the Lord’s coming. The math of the parable of the ten virgins suggest to us that 50% of the church will not be ready. Peter made it known that in in our day there would even be scoffers that would question the promise of his coming.

We know well when a storm is coming. We feel the weather change, the clouds thicken, the wind picks up, then we here the sound of thunder and so on. Is is easy for us to discern the face of the sky. We know it well and react in appropriate ways. As we sing in “Redeemer of Israel,” the tokens do already appear, the signs of his coming are evident.  How are we responding to the impending judgements soon to be poured out? Do we discern well “the signs of the times?” Are we ready?

Doug Trahern is going to take a few weeks to teach us about the “Case for Christ,” an important and timely topic to help us better arm our witness against the growing voices who want to discount his divinity, nature and purpose. We must stand firm in our belief and strong in our testimony for surely he is coming to gather the faithful.

After Doug finishes we will take up, in real and practical terms, how we as a people can and should prepare for his coming. There are spiritual and temporal aspects to our preparation and we will consider both. We encourage you to join us in our Sunday School hour for these two important and timely topics.

We want to be among the wise at his coming. Those who will abide the day and have the earth given to us for an inheritance. Those who will multiply and wax strong, whose children will grow up without sin unto salvation because the Lord will be in our midst, his glory upon us and who will be our King and lawgiver.

In many different ways, the Lord is hastening his work. Let us be ready.

… Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments; (Section 81:4c)

Beauty is something that we all understand. It is not something that we have to teach our children. It is woven into our nature. We all know it when we see it. It seems universal. It doesn’t generate argument or debate. It is just appreciated and we feel blessed when we encounter it. You would be hard pressed to find someone that is not moved by the grandeur of the mountains, a sunset on the seashore, or the splendor and array of the autumn colors. But beauty is not limited to what we see in nature. Beauty comes in many forms. Perhaps the most wonderful expressions of beauty are the ones found in our fellowship with each other. We had a wonderful example of that beauty when our friends from the Church of Jesus Christ visited in late October.

I was touched by brother Buffington’s quote and use of Isaiah 52:7 “And then shall they say, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that publisheth peace;  that bringeth good tidings unto them of good, that publisheth salvation;  that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Abinadi explained the meaning of this verse in the eighth chapter of Mosiah and made it clear that those in any day that publish peace are beautiful: “… how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and for ever!” Brother Buffington came to our branch to bring good tidings, to publish the peaceable things of the kingdom, to say unto us that God reigneth! … it was touching and beautiful. We were blessed. So what can we learn from our weekend together?

Latter-day revelation tells us that we (Zion) are to put on our beautiful garments. That, of course, is figurative language. There is no special suit of clothes that we are to make and wear. What then are the beautiful garments that we are to put on? Our garments are simply who we are. They are our nature and our character. Beauty is not represented in filth. The sinful nature that we inherit by reason of the fall clothed us in filthy rags. They must be washed clean and that can only be done in a special way. Jesus came and died that our garments may be washed in his blood and made white and beautiful. Oh what a blessing!

But it doesn’t end there. Our garments must be kept clean. Our fleshly nature and selfish desires will spot our garments if we do not actively seek to live righteously. We must save ourselves from this untoward generation and hate garments spotted with the flesh. (see Section 35:2b, Jude 23) Repenting and forgiving are spiritual soap and water.

Righteous living begins with love. There are no formulas for righteous living. Love must reign supreme in our lives. We have all come to a knowledge of the glory of God. We know of His goodness and have tasted His love and experienced great joy in our souls. We must always remember what great things He has done for us, humble ourselves, call on His name daily, and stand steadfast in our faith. If we do we will always rejoice and be filled with His love and we will not have a mind to injure one another but we will want to live peaceably. (See King Benjamin’s great discourse in Mosiah 2.) If we love one another and live peaceably, we demonstrate a beauty that cannot be described … only experienced … much like we did over a special weekend just a short time ago.

All of mankind appreciates and is attracted to beauty. The greatest witness of God and His love that He expressed through the gift of His son is the body of Christ. You and I. If we put on our beautiful garments, the world will see God. So let us arise and bring good tidings to others, let us publish the peaceable things of the kingdom, let us declare that God reigneth!, let us “live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:12), let us put on our beautiful garments. Let us display the beauty, splendor and grandeur of God by the very lives that we live.

How beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her groom with His light in her eyes
How beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live

How beautiful, how beautiful
How beautiful is the body of Christ

(From Twila Paris’ How Beautiful)

Kingdom Builders …

“Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.” – Matthew 6:11

For much of Christendom “going to heaven” has been the object of the gospels; “sin” is that which keeps us from getting there; so the cross is about dealing with sin so that we can leave this world and go to a much better place.

There is no question that Jesus came to deal with sin. His cruel death was the only sacrifice that could be made for our transgressions. “While he was on the earth, he offered for a sacrifice his own life for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 8:4) Unique to the restored gospel is the belief that a necessary condition for salvation is baptism (both of water and spirit) by the hand of one with the authority to do so. Our access to his propitiating sacrifice is through the waters of baptism. There we are made clean. It is part of our creed and is framed nicely in our Epitome of Faith and Doctrine:

We believe that through atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.

We believe that these ordinances are, first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Holy writ rightfully tells us that Jesus is the embodiment or incarnation of Israel’s God and much of our teaching, preaching, and proselyting is about who Jesus was and what he did for each at Calvary. While true, our message often ends there.

Yes, Christ’s mission on the cross was all about paying the penalty for sin, but it was also about the coming of the kingdom on earth as in heaven. He died not to rescue people from the world; instead he came to rescue people for the world. His mission was not just to form a creed about “how to have your sins forgiven” or “how to get to heaven” but a mission where forgiven people are put to work, addressing the evils of the world in the light of the victory of Calvary.

Also framed nicely in our Epitome of Faith are words about God’s kingdom on earth:

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes, that Zion will be built upon this continent, that Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaic glory.

Jesus inaugurated His kingdom through the cross. It is for this world and Jesus will be its King. The wonderful words penned by Parley P. Pratt, “Come, O thou King of kings!” ought to ring loudly in our souls. We should yearn for the kingdom on earth. Our purpose, our aim should not just be to “get into heaven” but to have heaven on earth. The mission of the church, restored in these the latter-days, is to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified and also be a moving force against the powers of darkness; to prepare a bride and a place.

Let us give to God our all and our best and seek first the kingdom of God on earth. Let its realization be what drives and motivates our every, thought, action, word and deed.

“Behold, the field is white already to harvest, therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God; yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God; … Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion.” — Section 12:2-3a

Finishing the Race …

“… for blessed is he that endureth to the end.” – Alma 18:2

Some may remember the final moments of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. The closing ceremonies had been completed. All were preparing to leave the stadium when the announcer asked them to remain in their seats. Police sirens could be heard and many could see motorcycles with their flashing blue lights encircling someone making their way toward the stadium. Whoever it was, they were moving slowly.

By the time the police escort arrived at stadium, the public address announcer said that a final marathoner would be making their way into the arena and around the track to the finish line. Confusion was evident among the crowd. The last marathoner had come in hours ago. The medals had already been awarded. What had taken this man so long? But the first sign of the runner making his way out of the tunnel and onto the track told the whole story.

John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania, covered with blood, hobbled into the light. He had taken a horrible fall early in the race, hurt his head, damaged his knee, and endured a trampling before he could get back on his feet. And there he was, nearly 25 miles later, stumbling his way to the finish line.

The response of the crowd was so overwhelming, it was almost frightening. They encouraged Akhwari through the last few yards of his race with a thundering ovation that far exceeded the one given the man who, hours earlier, had come in first. When Akhwari crossed the finish line, he collapsed into the arms of the medical personnel who immediately whisked him off to the hospital.

The next day, Akhwari appeared before sports journalists to field their questions about his extraordinary feat. The first question was the one any of us would have asked, “Why, after sustaining the kinds of injuries you did, would you ever get up and proceed to the finish line, when there was no way you could possibly place in the race?” John Stephen Akhwari replied: “My country did not send me to start a race. They sent me to finish one.”

John Akhwari remained faithful to the task that he had been given and it required personal sacrifice and a determination to the very end. Paul encourages us to no less using our Savior as the example:

“… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

We must come to a point in our commitment to the gospel and our conviction of its truth that our response to whatever challenges that commitment is predetermined. Our testimony of this work and His church isn’t a hypothesis in science, which may be supported by evidence one day and destroyed the next. It is a conviction based on the evidence of things not seen – it is a conviction based on the assurance of things hoped for. It is grounded in faith. The just live by faith.

At times we may have to endure suffering for the sake of the gospel. Paul tells us that there have been many that the world is not worthy of that have been stoned, sawn asunder, slain with the sword, destitute, afflicted, wandered in deserts and in dens and caves of the earth but through their sufferings they were made perfect and our faith is strengthened knowing that God provided better things for them through their suffering.

It is not enough to just know where the finish line is; we have to be prepared and willing to crash through the quitting points we encounter on our way to it. Paul personally understood what it meant to remain faithful (endure) to the end no matter the trial, suffering or difficulty. He also understood the reward as he wrote to Timothy:

“… I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:6-8

It is hard to say how John Stephen Akhwari must have felt when he crossed the finish line. Physically, he had nothing left. All his might and strength had been given in keeping his commitment to the task he had been given to represent his country in arguably the most demanding event of the Olympics. In his soul though, he must have rejoiced knowing he endured to the end.

Let us remain true and faithful to the task we have been given, personally and corporately, no matter the cost. The tokens already appear. The sirens are blaring around us. The finish line is in sight — but the last mile is the most difficult. May God be with us as we press forward, keeping our eye single to his glory, feasting upon his words and enduring to the end. Our prize will be great for:

“… thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” – 2 Nephi 13:30

The Great and Marvelous Work ….

It really warmed my heart recently to revisit the experiences of our caravan to church historical sites a couple of Summers ago. As I wrote a short remembrance for a “memories” book that Shannon was putting together I recalled with fondness the abundant and rich testimonies from that trip. To see the very places where Joseph knelt in the grove, where the Book of Mormon plates were delivered to him, and the home where the church was organized made this latter-day work come alive again for me. Worshiping at the Kirtland Temple and in David’s Chamber in Nauvoo are experiences that will not soon be forgotten. It must have been marvelous to see and experience first hand the very beginnings of this latter-day work.

To have fresh from the lips of a prophet the word of the Lord ushering in this great and marvelous work surely was an experience like no other. Even today, the word of the Lord as it fell from Joseph’s lips carries with it the witness of the Spirit.

“Wherefore I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jr., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments, and also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets;” (Section 1:4a-b)

The manifestations of the Spirit were great and gave the saints of a former day much assurance. Their faith was strong. Their dedication to the task of promulgating the gospel and building up the kingdom unshakable.

But anyone who is a student of early church history understands that the early church had it struggles too. The Lord addressed their difficulties in the very first revelation to the Church. His purposes on earth could not be frustrated by the foolishness of men.

“The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God, cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught, for God doth not walk in crooked paths; neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; therefore his paths are straight and his course is one eternal round.” (Section 2:1a-c)

While we are long removed from the beginnings of this latter day work, we, perhaps, will have the privilege of seeing its culmination. And while the struggles of the early church are well chronicled, we too have our difficulties. But rest assured, the Lord will culminate his work through the vehicle of His Church on earth because what was true for the early church remains true for us today, “the designs, and the purposes of God, cannot be frustrated.”

And like a former day, God will pour out his Spirit in great measure at the culmination of His work. An endowment of power from on high surely will come because our own strength is insufficient.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, … And they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” (1 Nephi 3:230-231)

It was marvelous to “look back” on a former day but, dear Saints, it is with great anticipation that I “look forward” to what yet lies ahead of us. The “times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21) is before us. Let us be faithful and trust in God. His promises are sure.

Having a “Be” Attitude

“And he opened his mouth, and taught them … ” – Matthew 5:2

How precious is the word of God because we “shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” (Luke 4:4) The word is a wonderful seed that when planted in our soul and nourished by the spirit, transforms us into His very image and countenance.

Jesus taught us what manner of people we ought to be in word and in deed. Arguably, his greatest discourse regarding the character of mankind is found in the sermon he preached “on the mount” as well as to those on this continent as recorded in third Nephi.

In this short sermon we find eight principle marks of Christian character, two metaphors of salt and light that indicate the kind of influence we should have, what our attitude should be toward the moral law of God, how to be sincere in our religious devotion, how our ambitions toward material things should be expressed, how we should relate one to another, and where our commitment should be.

But the Sermon on the Mount is a description of character and not a code of ethics or of morals. It is not to be regarded as law or a kind of new ‘Ten Commandments’ or set of rules and regulations which are to be carried out by us – but rather as a description of what we Christians are meant to “be.” It relates to our living life in the presence of God, in active submission to Him, and in entire dependence upon him.

Before we can do anything we must “be”come something. Our actions are determined by our character and our character must be forged by the word of God and the transforming power of His spirit through our humble submission to both.

The gospel places all its primary emphasis upon “be”ing, rather than doing and it puts a greater weight upon our “attitude” then upon our actions. Its main stress in on what you and I essentially are rather than on what we do because what we are determines what we do.

Our Savior died to enable us to live the Sermon on the Mount. That he might “purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” and nothing shows the absolute need of a new birth, and of the Holy Spirit and His work within, so much as the Sermon on the Mount. The “be”atitudes ought to crush us to the ground. They show us our utter helplessness and help us understand that were it not for a new birth, we would be undone. There is nothing more fatal that for the natural man to think that he can take the beatitudes and try to put them into practice. Only a new man can live this new life.

Yes, Jesus taught. But he did not come to just teach a new ethic. He came to inaugurate God’s kingdom — an entirely new and different kingdom — and in His sermon he gave us a glimpse of the character and nature of the citizens of God’s kingdom.

May our “attitude be” to become the sons and daughters of God through submission to the transforming power of His spirit and grace.

Choose Ye This Day

“And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice will we obey.” – Joshua 24:24

It must have been a grand scene that day in Shechem when Joshua gathered together “all the tribes of Israel” including “the elders of Israel, … their heads, … their judges, and … their officers; …” He recounted in their hearing their long storied history and the rich blessings that had come to them as a chosen nation including being given a land that they did not labor for and cities that they did not build. It must have been sobering and humbling for them to understand fully the providential hand of God that had brought them to that day.

Joshua then challenged them with words that now adorn many beautiful plaques, wall hangings and Christian artwork; “choose you this day whom ye will serve … as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Much like the children of former day Israel, latter day Israel has journeyed long and hard and our generation has inherited a choice land, a promised land to which many have gathered, and yet we too like Israel in Joshua’s day need to be reminded of the providential hand of God that has brought us to this point in our history.

How he stirred in the hearts of the Reformers, Puritans and Pilgrims and brought them to this land which he redeemed by the shedding of blood … how he raised up wise men to establish the constitution and then in this crucible of freedom brought forth the gospel out of obscurity and darkness “clear as the moon and fair as the sun” (Sec. 3d) … its purpose to “open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf,” (Sec 83:11d) and “to be a light to the world.” (Sec. 45:2d) How he restored the priesthood long since lost, and commissioned them to declare this good news “unto the ends of the world.” (Sec. 1:4e) And by so doing prepare a place for the coming king.

And much like former day Israel, we too need to be humbled with the remembrance of God’s almighty hand and be challenged with the words “choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Perhaps for all of us “the time has come for a day of choosing” (Sec. 102:10c) Will we continue to serve the gods of our day or the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

During this upcoming month a special call will be made to the saints to enter into a 40 day period of fasting and prayer. Specific guidance has come to the church that we do so which will be shared with all soon. We each will need to choose if we want to participate. The more that are willing participate, the greater the blessings. Saints from all branches of the Restoration will be invited to join. If we are willing, the time has come for healing in the body of Christ.

We will be scheduling a few additional prayer services on Sunday evenings during this time and will take time in our adult church school class to consider this specific counsel of the Lord and our response to it. We have already begun the process of exploring repentance so if you have not been to church school in awhile, please consider coming.