I've mentioned what I'm about to talk about before in my "miracles" post. I was trying to describe the feelings that I have and the knowledge that I have received that has opened my eyes to the things of eternity. I was relating trying to describe this like trying to explain the color blue to someone who doesn't understand color. Why it is that you can't give anyone else the oil you have in your lamp because it can only be earned one drop at a time.
I have been studying the Old Testament for a year and a half now and I would say one of the major themes is the worshiping of false idols....another would be the importance of making and keeping covenants. Pretty soon into my study I noticed this and started marking everything that had to do with idols in green (the color of greed)....there's a whole lotta green in my old testament now.
Well, I came across an article in the June Ensign by president Spencer W Kimball that said perfectly everything I have been trying to articulate.....that would be why he was a prophet, and I am not :0) I have been trying to describe what exactly the study of the old testament has done to me. What it has made me "see." Good news, you no longer need to try and decipher anything that I may say on the subject, you can look to this article and it will tell you everything you need to know to start on your journey of knowing "the color blue" or like he says at the end of the article:
"It may seem a little difficult at first, but when a person begins to catch a vision of the true work, when he begins to see something of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to far outweigh the cost of leaving "the world" behind. Herein lies the only true happiness, and therefore we invite and welcome all people, everywhere to join in this work. For those who are determined to serve the Lord at all costs, this is the way to eternal life. All else is but a means to that end."
I can add my testimony to his, that I have caught the vision of the true work, and it is exciting. It is hopeful. There is pure joy in that vision. It is something beyond description. I can say whole heartily that it is worth any cost, and cost it does! There is a saying that anything worth having comes at a price. But, as he says, the blessings far outweigh the cost and I know this to be true. It is something that I have to remind myself of constantly because anytime you are being molded and shaped into something new, it hurts! But, take great faith in whose's hands you have placed yourself in and then share with everyone you know the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.
Below is the great article where president Kimball does not mince words :o)
ps, I also like how this article ties into what I was talking about with Habakkuk (in an earlier post- I think it was lamentations); temporary success verses permanent success.
Worship the True and Living God
Spencer W Kimball from Ensign June 1976
We learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of
faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying
on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended
to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in
all ages when men have fallen under the power of Satan
and lost the faith, they have put in its place a hope in the
“arm of flesh” and in “gods of silver, and gold, of brass,
iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know”
(Daniel 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a
dominant theme in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man
faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying
on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended
to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in
all ages when men have fallen under the power of Satan
and lost the faith, they have put in its place a hope in the
“arm of flesh” and in “gods of silver, and gold, of brass,
iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know”
(Daniel 5:23)—that is, in idols. This I find to be a
dominant theme in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man
sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god
doesn’t also happen to be the true and living God of Israel,
that man is laboring in idolatry.
It is my firm belief that when we read these scriptures and
try to “liken them unto [our]selves” (1 Nephi 19:24), as
Nephi suggested, we will see many parallels between the
ancient worship of gravenimages and behavioral patterns
in our very own experience.
try to “liken them unto [our]selves” (1 Nephi 19:24), as
Nephi suggested, we will see many parallels between the
ancient worship of gravenimages and behavioral patterns
in our very own experience.
The Lord has blessed us. … The resources that have been
placed in our power are good and necessary to our work here
on the earth. But I am afraid that many of us … have begun
to worship them as false gods, and they have power over us.
Do we have more of these good things than our faith can
stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the
service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks,
bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings,
automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security. …
placed in our power are good and necessary to our work here
on the earth. But I am afraid that many of us … have begun
to worship them as false gods, and they have power over us.
Do we have more of these good things than our faith can
stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the
service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks,
bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings,
automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security. …
Our Assignment
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 further the 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. Instead, we expend these blessings on our own
desires, and as Moroni said, “Ye adorn yourselves with that
which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy,
and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you,
and notice them not” (Mormon 8:39).
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. Instead, we expend these blessings on our own
desires, and as Moroni said, “Ye adorn yourselves with that
which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy,
and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you,
and notice them not” (Mormon 8:39).
As the Lord Himself said in our day, “They seek not the Lord
to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own
way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the
likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol,
which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon
the great, which shallfall” (D&C 1:16;emphasis added).
to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own
way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the
likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol,
which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon
the great, which shallfall” (D&C 1:16;emphasis added).
A Poor Exchange
One man I know of was called to a position of service in the
Church,but he felt that he couldn’t accept because his investments
required more … of his time than he could spare for the Lord’s
work. He left the service of the Lord in search of Mammon, and he
is a millionaire today.
Church,but he felt that he couldn’t accept because his investments
required more … of his time than he could spare for the Lord’s
work. He left the service of the Lord in search of Mammon, and he
is a millionaire today.
But I recently learned an interesting fact: If a man owns a million
dollars worth of gold … , he possesses approximately one 27-
billionth of all the gold that is present in the earth’s thin crust alone.
This is an amount so small in proportion as to be inconceivable to
the mind of man. But there is more to this: The Lord who created
and has power over all the earth created many other earths as well,
even “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33); and when this man
received the oath and covenant of the priesthood (see D&C
84:33–44), he received a promise from the Lord of “all that my
Father hath” (D&C 84:38). To set aside all these great
promises in favor of a chest of gold and a sense of carnal security
is a mistake in perspective of colossal proportions. To think that
he has settled for so little is a saddening and pitiful prospect
dollars worth of gold … , he possesses approximately one 27-
billionth of all the gold that is present in the earth’s thin crust alone.
This is an amount so small in proportion as to be inconceivable to
the mind of man. But there is more to this: The Lord who created
and has power over all the earth created many other earths as well,
even “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33); and when this man
received the oath and covenant of the priesthood (see D&C
84:33–44), he received a promise from the Lord of “all that my
Father hath” (D&C 84:38). To set aside all these great
promises in favor of a chest of gold and a sense of carnal security
is a mistake in perspective of colossal proportions. To think that
he has settled for so little is a saddening and pitiful prospect
indeed; thesouls of men are far more precious than this.
One young man, when called on a mission, replied that he didn’t
have much talent for that kind of thing. What he was good at was
keeping his powerful new automobile in top condition. … All along,
his father had been content with saying, “He likes to do things with
his hands. That’s good enoughfor him.”
have much talent for that kind of thing. What he was good at was
keeping his powerful new automobile in top condition. … All along,
his father had been content with saying, “He likes to do things with
his hands. That’s good enoughfor him.”
Good enough for a son of God? This young man didn’t realize
that the power of his automobile is infinitesimally small in
comparison with the power of the sea or of the sun; and there
are many suns, all controlled by law and by priesthood, ultimately
—a priesthood power that he could have been developing in the
service of the Lord. He settled for a pitiful god, a composite of steel
and rubber andshiny chrome.
that the power of his automobile is infinitesimally small in
comparison with the power of the sea or of the sun; and there
are many suns, all controlled by law and by priesthood, ultimately
—a priesthood power that he could have been developing in the
service of the Lord. He settled for a pitiful god, a composite of steel
and rubber andshiny chrome.
An older couple retired from the world of work and also, in effect,
from the Church. They purchased a pickup truck and camper and …
set out to see the world. … They had no time for the temple, were
too busy for genealogical research and for missionary service. He
lost contact with his high priests quorum and was not home enough
to work on his personal history. Their experience and leadership
were sorely needed in their branch, but … they were not available. …
from the Church. They purchased a pickup truck and camper and …
set out to see the world. … They had no time for the temple, were
too busy for genealogical research and for missionary service. He
lost contact with his high priests quorum and was not home enough
to work on his personal history. Their experience and leadership
were sorely needed in their branch, but … they were not available. …
If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for
ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
Forsake the Things of the World
In spite of our delight in defining ourselves as modern and our
tendency to think we possess a sophistication that no people in
the past ever had—in spite of these things, we are, on the whole,
an idolatrous people—a condition most repugnant to the Lord.
tendency to think we possess a sophistication that no people in
the past ever had—in spite of these things, we are, on the whole,
an idolatrous people—a condition most repugnant to the Lord.
We are … easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for
the coming of the Lord. … We forget that if we are righteous, the
Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us … or He
will fight our battles for us (see Exodus 14:14; D&;C 98:37,
to name only two references of many). …
the coming of the Lord. … We forget that if we are righteous, the
Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us … or He
will fight our battles for us (see Exodus 14:14; D&;C 98:37,
to name only two references of many). …
What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take
the Lord at His word and exercise a particle of faith in Him?
Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world
as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in
faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer
be our enemies.
the Lord at His word and exercise a particle of faith in Him?
Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the world
as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in
faith; to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer
be our enemies.
Exercise Greater Faith
We must leave off the worship of modern-day idols and a reliance
on the “arm of flesh,” for the Lord has said to all the world in our
day, “I will not spare any that remain in Babylon” (D&C 64:
24). … 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 to enter into the work of His kingdom on
earth, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It may seem a little difficult at first, but when a person begins to
on the “arm of flesh,” for the Lord has said to all the world in our
day, “I will not spare any that remain in Babylon” (D&C 64:
24). … 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 to enter into the work of His kingdom on
earth, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It may seem a little difficult at first, but when a person begins to
catch a vision of the true work, when he begins to see something
of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to far outweigh
the cost of leaving “the world” behind.
of eternity in its true perspective, the blessings begin to far outweigh
the cost of leaving “the world” behind.
Herein lies the only true happiness, and therefore we invite and
welcome all people, everywhere, to join in this work. For those
who are determined to serve the Lord at all costs, this is the way
to eternal life. All else is but a means to that end.
welcome all people, everywhere, to join in this work. For those
who are determined to serve the Lord at all costs, this is the way
to eternal life. All else is but a means to that end.
If we insist on spending all our time and resources building up for
ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
When a person begins to see something of eternity in its true
perspective,the blessings begin to far outweigh the cost of
leaving “the world” behind.
perspective,the blessings begin to far outweigh the cost of
leaving “the world” behind.
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