It’s Time

Blog #62 July 18, 2023

Growth requires diligence. In the world today many have become painfully aware of that important axiom. Born in 1953 I am a part of the populace born in the post World War II "Baby Boom". We boomers thought basic computer skills to be useless and unnecessary, but we were wrong. Unless things change drastically our chosen ignorance will become an increasing burden on society as a whole. If we open our eyes a little we will recognize an identical lack of diligence towards growth in the churches of the world. Once again choosing ignorance increases the burden on all involved. 

Psalms 119:33-35 
119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it to the end.
119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

This is the attitude of joy God seeks for all of His children. Just such an attitude is found within the expression of our humility to God's Holy Spirit. If we but face God's Spirit with humility in our hearts we will grow, and in this growth we will find joy in the Lord.

Humility prompts us to go beyond obedience requiring only the strength of man. In human strength we can attain a system of worship based God's laws, man's traditions defining those laws, and rituals that causes us to obey those laws whether we believe them or not. We can set in our pews every Sunday, debate the ways of God in Sunday School, sing songs, and listen to a sermon, We can end the 11 o'clock hour feeling either condemnation or sorrow for those not here, but for us bring the Kingdom of God to this world we need more. Christ needs a gathering of people willing to be God's Kingdom here on earth, or He will never come.

Genesis 9:22-23
9:22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
9:23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.

What we offer Him now is just not sufficient. We need help. Without God's Word, we will fail. Without His Holy Spirit to help us understand His word, we will fall short of our goal. Without a gathering of people seeking to establish a unity of oneness with God, we will fail to mature in the fullness of understanding God seeks for His children. Remember, God will not force us to become His Kingdom. We must choose it.

Genesis 7:40 And in the garden of Eden gave I unto man his agency; and unto thy brethren have I said, and also gave commandment, that they should love one another; and that they should choose me their Father.

What we seek is here right now and available for us to have, but we must choose to allow God and His Spirit into our hearts or we will never know the joy of laboring with God.  

Psalms 51:10-12 
51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not continue in sin; for the Spirit of God remaineth in him; and he cannot continue in sin, because he is born of God, having received that holy Spirit of promise.

To the covenant believer the Holy Spirit within is our most important internal organ. God seeks that we allow His Spirit to become more than just a teacher of righteousness. It must become our source for sustenance (that which we need) and purpose (that which we strive for). 

2 Nephi 14:6 For behold, again I say unto you, that if ye will enter in by the way and receive the Holy Ghost, it will shew unto you all things what ye should do.

With only a temporal understanding of God and His ways the world is quite willing to accept man's interpretation of what we should do and how we should grow. Look to the churches of the world and understand why man is not our source. Churches led by men have committed some of the greatest atrocities in history. What then do we do? What path do we seek? We must seek out the Spirit of God within us. It will teach us how to reach out to the Father and receive the hope we seek and help we need. 

2 Nephi 3:61-66 
3:61 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee for ever.
3:62 I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh.
3:63 Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm.
3:64 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.
3:65 Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss: therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness.
3:66 Behold, my voice shall for ever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Consider that in the eyes of God we are sinful man, and there is every chance that our own understandings lack all of the truth they need to have. Realize that we are growing and our growth requires us to constantly seek out the light of God. Think about the grass in your lawns. Compare those areas in full sun to those in the shade. One is thick, healthy, and full. The other is sparse to bear in spots. As it is in nature, so it is in our growth toward God. Only the fullness of His light and truth can cause within us the growth we seek.

2 Nephi 13:4-5 
13:4 For my soul delighteth in plainness: for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.
13:5 For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding: for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding.

Light and truth are only valuable if they bring understanding. We need to remember this as we reach out in our labor for the Kingdom. Yes we need to spread the word, but it needs to foster understanding. It would be convenient if the student could experience a fullness of growth using only words that said plainly what they meant, but with the human animal that is not always possible. Many times the wisdom we need comes through the process of pondering and discussing a confusing concept. Sometimes it is the voice within our heart, which brings understanding. Sometimes it is the voice of fellowship that fosters wisdom. In both cases it is the work of God's Holy Spirit and our humility to that Spirit that opens our life to the growth needed. 

God knows that for the Kingdom to be a viable entity within the world our growth requires more than just the mind of a person. In its fullness growth requires both the heart of a person and the heart of a people. Such is the need for the parable. 

Matthew 13:8-9
13:8 Then the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
13:9 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
 
It would seem that Christ wants His disciples to feel different from the rest of the world, and He does, but not in the way the world imagines. The world sees this effort as the imparting of elite understanding to Priesthood. This understanding caused the churches of the world to forever separate Priesthood from the people. They are afforded a place within the church that reflects this difference. They have been deferred to as superior to the common member and closer to God. In this they are kept away from the membership, honored above them, and forever made different and special. The differences vary from sect to sect and are as ordinary as a different form of dress and as drastic as forced celibacy. 

Genesis 7:23 And the Lord called his people, Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them.”

Where in this statement do you see room for a group that is different or superior? This is the way of man not the way of God. In God's Kingdom Priesthood are charged to be humble to the needs of the membership and to lead them ultimately, to God's Spirit as the source of all their growth.   

Genesis 6:63-65
6:63 For, by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified; and by the blood ye are sanctified.
6:64 Therefore it is given to abide in you, the record of heaven, the Comforter, the peaceable things of immortal glory, the truth of all things, that which quickeneth all things which maketh alive all things, that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgment.
6:65 And now, behold, I say unto you, This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.

Spreading the Gospel is not an attempt to make truth a commodity. Priesthood is not a crack sales force attempting to convince the world of a new and improved product. We must choose. Each of us must choose freely in our heart to seek understanding unto redemption. To we who have chosen to covenant with the Lord, this choice becomes critically important. Our growth requires diligence. We must be diligently humble to the Spirit. We must be diligent in our search for God. We have been given eyes that can see. We must use them. We have been given ears that are quite capable of hearing. We must listen. To do so is a choice. To be lax is a choice, also.

Psalms 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

It is time brethren that we gathered together as a people ready and anxious to bring God's Kingdom into our hearts and through us to the world. It is time brethren that we throw away those misconceived ideals that separate us and gather together holding up a banner that says, "In The Name Of Jesus Christ". Is it a flag we wave for all the world to see? It could be. But, it is way more affective if we allow it to be the life we live, how we live it and the way we live it "In The Name Of Jesus Christ".

Yes, we have Priesthood and they may very well be an army, but "In The Name Of Jesus Christ" they stand alone if we fail to be a people of God united for the cause of Zion. "In The Name Of Jesus Christ", we need to foster among ourselves a common understanding what the Kingdom is and how it must live in our hearts. "In The Name Of Jesus Christ" each day we live must be filled with righteous labor worthy of the Kingdom. "In The Name Of Jesus Christ" we must cry out to the Lord seeking His strength and His direction. "In The Name Of Jesus Christ", we must learn how to allow God's Spirit to be both our source and our purpose. 

1 Peter 3:14-15
3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer with meekness and fear to every man that asketh of you a reason for the hope that is in you:

Yes brethren, it is time. It is time we threw away our petty differences and learned to cling to God and the purpose of God. It is time that we allowed our hearts to be uplifted by God's Spirit and led in the ways of the Kingdom. 

Before we leave this discussion I would like to share with you a thought that might help us understand together humility to the Holy Spirit. My favorite phrase is "Thank You", because every time I say it someone has just done something personal for me that pleased me. Think about it.

FRED