Blog #102 July 26,2025
God grows in all who follow Him. To that end we must recognize that many different groups of people experienced a time when they were recognized as a people dedicated to God and His purpose. Too often the sense of urgency that defined their gathering and the open loving fellowship they enjoyed just, went away. They thought they had finally arrived and were ready to wait on Christ to come, the Kingdom to appear, and sit back and teach everyone else the proper way to become God's children. What a disappointment it was when it finally dawned on them that for all they had achieved the best that could be said is that they were finally ready to begin. To most that moment is devastating. Priesthood has no answer for the dilemma and Membership just seem to wander off walking down the road kicking cans. Been there twice and both times it was nearly too much to accept. Solomon must have been a part of just such an event, because what he wrote about it has too much truth to be just supposition.
Proverbs14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
If we uphold the thought of the woman representing Christ Bride or the Church we find God speaking to us of His Church. It is then that we must open our minds and understand the truism that even as a gathered and organized Church, we are a still people. For all the holiness that got us where we are today, we are still a people of choice. We can choose to revere the instructions of God or foolishly turn away from them, and ignore His wisdom. Like Eve we can use our free will to turn away from God and His ways.
Romans 1:21-22
1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
In the face of persecution from the sons of Mosiah, God sent to the earth an angel that cried out to the people the very truth that separates man from God and His Kingdom. In this one statement, God defined the true nature of covenant as well as the church. This true nature can be our greatest strength or a devastating weakness. It is we as a people, and our choice as a people that will determine the outcome of our efforts for the Kingdom of God.
Mosiah 11:166 For the Lord hath said, This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.
The church is a construct designed by God and built by the hands of man. In that, it is a type and shadow of our covenant with God. Like our covenant is just as strong or just as weak as we chose to make it. We must understand that covenant does not make the Church, nor does the Church determine the strength of covenant. It would be closer to say that each reflects the other and together they testify to the world the overall dedication of all involved. A strong and directed church witnesses to the gathering of a people unified in the purpose of God.
DC 1:1a-1d
1:1a Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say, Hearken ye people from afar, and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together;
1:1b for verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape, and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated;
1:1c and the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow, for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed;
1:1d and the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days, and they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them.
From its very inception in the latter days, the church has been a place of purpose. When that purpose is recognized and acted upon, the covenant, the church, and the people of the church grow in wisdom and strength. When we falter in our dedication to the covenant labor our testimony of the Christ’s Church becomes vague and unreliable. Our ability to act upon our beliefs determines all that the Church is. We seek to tell the world of God's true nature as a Father full of love. If those words are to ring true in the hearts of the people we seek, our temporal lives must witness daily of the spiritual truth that guides us. If we say a Father full of love leads us, we must be filled with that same love. If we claim that God is a God of mercy, our lives must echo that same mercy. If we claim that God is there to lift us up in times of trial, we must be that temporal hand reaching out to lift up the world. If we chose to lack dedication to our covenant and the testimony it brings to our lives, the church will be a lie.
Psalms 19:7-10
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
19:8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
19:9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Living as a people in the ways of the Lord lifts up God's truth that the world might see, understand, and believe all that we offer them. Such was the purpose of Christ's ministry that all might come to believe in the love of the Father. As it is Christ's labor, so it is ours too.
3 Nephi 12:33-34
12:33 Now this is the commandment, Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.
12:34 Verily, verily I say unto you, This is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do, that shall ye also do;
The Church and its place in God’s war against unrighteousness create a temporal gauge for the spiritual conviction we have in our covenant with God. If we as His Church strive daily to live within the bounds of the charge from 3 Nephi, we live within the wisdom of God. If we flag in our efforts, we suffer from foolishness. We are capable of both. We must choose one.
Alma 16:9 For thus saith the scripture, Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.
Genesis 6:35 Say unto this people, choose ye this day to serve the Lord God who made you.
Our covenant with God is designed to open our hearts that we might have fellowship with Him. The gathering of believers in fellowship with God becomes a Church that we might have abundant fellowship with the Father and labor as a people with Him in His purpose. God designed it, we will build it, and within God's design is a promise that we will retain either our free will to live as we please or our agency within God to be one in the labor. Within that prevision is our own ability to lift up the Kingdom or foolishly destroy everything that has been built. Take to heart the charge and the promise given to us in Alma and Genesis. It is His charge and His promise. It is our choice.
Joshua 24:14-15
24:14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Proverbs 14:2-8
14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
14:5 A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness will utter lies.
14:6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.
These seven statements taken individually are seven very accurate temporal truths. Taken together they form very important spiritual instruction: "A tree is known by the fruit it bears". We determine the house we build and the testimony it brings. Is this not the reason we gather?
Luke 6:44-45
6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is good. And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
We seek to build a Church that will be the foundation for Zion. It must be both complete in all the aspects of righteousness and full of truth. Its testimony will create the society that will grow to be the Kingdom we seek. It must be full of those who at first feared the Lord and then grew to a mature love for all God is and all He seeks.
1 John 5:1-4
5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
5:2 by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love god, and keep his commandments.
5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.
5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
If we allow pride to guide us, it will place in our mouths a rod of iron that will guide us as surely a bit guides a horse. It will make of us no more than beasts of burden. Led by pride we will soon convince ourselves that if we do nothing, we do nothing wrong. Instead of the Kingdom, we will become a nation of idlers monumentally wrong in our lack of diligence. Led by the pride of man, we will do nothing and we will fail in our covenant. Led by humility to a loving Father, we will be judged by the testimony we create.
DC 75:1b-1c
75:1b Behold, I say unto you, that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle, but labor with your mights, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, proclaiming the truth according to the revelations and commandments which I have given you,
75:1c and thus if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.
The Labor for the Kingdom brings wisdom to all who labor for the Kingdom. We will seek to know and because as we seek we will grow. As we grow, we find that the labor itself has its own rewards. The man that drives 1,000 nails comes to understand what it takes to join two pieces of wood together. In God, all labor becomes a righteous offering to God, and the labor itself becomes a prayer of thanksgiving, a psalm of hope, a praise for the one in whom we labor. By this righteous labor our nature is changed, and we become a people of one heart, one mind, one purpose, wiling to be led by the rod of iron, which is the word of God. That which was once the bit in the mouth of the beast of burden is now a guiding light for those that labor freely, filled with hope, and full of joy full of joy.
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
The fullness of God in our hearts and the ways of God in our lives opens this world up to God's Kingdom. We have the ability to give this world a gift so righteous and pure that it will stand for a thousand years as a testimony of God and His love for His children. Do we have the heart to make this dream a reality? Many have thought they did, but as you can see......................No Zion.
Psalms 24:3-5
24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Brethren it is time we quit playing church
And took steps to make His Dream our reality.
It's worth both the time and the effort.
FRED
Create With me Our Testimony of God at Work in the World of Man.