Gospel Message Day 292

Jesus - Creator, Part 3

Another scripture to share. Someone shared it in Sunday School yesterday, and I felt I needed to include it in this topic. Especially as I only shared scriptures from the Doctrine & Covenants.

3 Nephi 9:15 -
Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

All things. It astounds the mind to think of all the things there could possibly be that were created. Our Lord is most capable, but I don't think He did it alone. Not that He couldn't. But I think He wanted all of us to be a part of creating the world we would live on, and be tested on. I think (and this is not doctrine) that He wanted us to feel a stronger connection to the world. To have deeper meanings and joys with certain creations--able to find the beauty in them more easily than we do in other things. My friend had a teacher who once suggested they had a part in a creation, and she is sure she helped to create dolphins because she loves them so much. I've often wondered what I helped with, which things I love so much here. Seahorses? Turtles? Roses? I'll never know in this life, but it doesn't fully matter to me--as I find the greatest joy and fulfillment in the beauty of landscapes, clouds, rainbows, various weather, and more.

While I may speculate on our role in the creation, I do not speculate in the fact that we had one. For  it is backed up by the scripture in the Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 3:24 -
And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

Gospel Message Day 291

Gratitude - Revisited

After the last couple of weeks, I have had my head put back on straight. I have so much to be grateful for, and I am ashamed of the petty worries and concerns I've been fretting over the last month or more. Thus I have chosen to focus outside of myself--to look outward. It's how the Savior lived, it's how I should.

So I've been trying to seek out more ways to serve to show my gratitude for all the Lord has blessed me with, and to share it with God's other children. Today I went to a service project I enjoy. I found myself going to "the background"--over the years I think that's where I'm most comfortable because I have often found myself there. (Possibly hiding from a video crew, too....) But today I was able to do the second 1/2 of the service, which I've never been able to before because of choir obligations. The second part truly is the best, because it immediately brings everything back in to perspective and focus. On my way home, I had to sing a prayer to my Father, because I have never felt this song to be more true and fitting and applicable and right.



But two other songs also came to mind this evening as I think on tonight and very much look forward to next week's service project.

First, there is this hymn arrangement which I first sang in Junior High choir:

Then there is, of course, Josh's fabulous song. I wish I could post my own music video of it. But copyright for his song, etc. So this will have to do. (Someone else posting it!)

Gospel Message Day 290

Jesus - Creator, Part 2

I think on this topic, and scriptures come to mind. There are, of course, the Genesis scriptures. But there are passages in other books of scripture that refer to this topic. I have always loved the Doctrine and Covenants. It is full of revelations, and often they are written as they were received. As Christ is the one who gave these revelations (mostly to Joseph Smith), they are Him speaking. When we read "I" and "me" and "myself," those mean our very Savior Himself. I love reading His direct words.

Doctrine & Covenants 38:3 
I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.

Doctrine & Covenants 29:31
For by the power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things both spiritual and temporal—

Doctrine & Covenants 117:6-7

For have I not the fowls of heaven, and also the fish of the sea, and the beasts of the mountains? Have I not made the earth? Do I not hold the destinies of all the armies of the nations of the earth?

Therefore, will I not make solitary places to bud and to blossom, and to bring forth in abundance? saith the Lord.

Isn't that one fabulous? A reassurance that if our Redeemer is powerful enough to create the Earth and all things on, above and beneath it, then He has the power to take care of us and to bless us.

Doctrine & Covenants 88:6-13

He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;

 7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.

 8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;

 9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;

 10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.

 11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;

 12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

 13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.

In this we read a testimony of Joseph Smith concerning the Savior--beautiful words full of power and surety.
Doctrine & Covenants 76: 19-24

And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.

And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness;

And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.

And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

Gospel Message Day 289

Jesus - Creator

Our Savior has many titles, each reflecting one of the roles He had/has. So when we call Him Creator, it's because He created the Earth. Heavenly Father was the orchestrator of the Plan, which included the Earth's creation, but Jesus was the one who executed the Creation. He brought us down to help Him form the seas, and the mountains, and the valleys, and the plants, and the flowers, and the animals. After each day, He reported to our Father what work was done. And our Father, each day, praised the work that it was well.

That is the extremely simplified version of the Creation story. One has to only truly and fully look around them at the wonders the world possesses to know that the Creation was an intricate, detailed work of love for each of us and for our Father.

Gospel Message Day 288

Death of Christ

We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tend to talk more about the Atonement and the Resurrection of Christ than the event in the middle of the two--His death. I know I've spoken of all 3 during this year-long challenge. But I probably didn't focus as much on the death. We do not generally focus on His death, because we find such great healing, hope, promise, and joy in His Atonement and His Resurrection.

But His death was a very vital part of His work and purpose on Earth. It also overlapped with the Atonement, since on the cross He suffered through all the pain and agony that He did in Gethsemane. And there are other things related to His death that are important for us to know and to remember.

*The events that led up to His death show just how unjust his trial and sentence were. He was innocent. His death couldn't have been more wrong, despicable, or tragic.

*The actual events of His death fulfilled prophecy. Such as no bones being broken. Crucified people typically had their legs broken. But this was not the case for our Savior.

*His death was not a quick, painless one. Now was it a quick, painful one. It was a very long, agonizing method of killing him, full of pain. There was no backing out of it once in it. And there was even more time (after all of that time during Gethsemane and the trials, etc) for Christ to remember why He was hanging on that cross, and for whom He was there. Each of us was present during His death, for I believe we were on His mind as He suffered for us.

*I think the most important thing to remember--Christ was the one who had the power over His death. He only died when He gave up the ghost. He could have held on to His spirit as long as He wanted. He was born part-God, and had the ability to hold on to His immortality. He let go when He knew His work was finished, and because He knew that His death was a part of that work.

Gospel Message Day 287

Lord's Covenant People, Part 2

I will be honest--I need more help with this. It's a topic I know of. And I believe in it. But I don't know how to talk about it. Or how to put it in my own words. All I know to say is that a covenant is a 2-way promise between a person (or group of people) and the Lord. The Lord promises blessings which will be fulfilled if we are obedient to His commandments.

But as for the people, not really sure what to say. So I'm going to look at the Gospel Principles manual, the chapter on this topic, and see if it gives my mind more ideas. And today I will probably add quotes from the manual.

"The people who covenant with the Lord and with whom the Lord makes covenants are known as the Lord’s covenant people. Members of the Church are part of the Lord’s covenant people."

The manual points out that we make more than one kind of covenant. Baptism is a covenant. So is the sacrament. All of the temple ordinances are us making covenants with Heavenly Father.

The manual continues to mention that the Lord has made particular covenants with groups of people. I think that's where my confusion of what to say comes from. I hear the phrase "Lord's covenant people" and I immediately think about a group of people, like the Israelites. The manual refers to the Abrahamic covenant:

"Because of Abraham’s righteousness, the Lord made a covenant with him and his descendants.

The Lord promised Abraham that he would have numberless descendants. He promised that all of them would be entitled to receive the gospel, the blessings of the priesthood, and all of the ordinances of exaltation. These descendants, through the power of the priesthood, would carry the gospel to all nations. Through them, all the families of the earth would be blessed (see Abraham 2:11). God further promised that if they were righteous He would establish His covenant with all generations of Abraham’s children (see Genesis 17:4–8)."

Then there is, of course, the members of the Church. Considering the covenants I mentioned before, that would definitely make LDS Church members a covenant-keeping people.

So what I'm learning is that the Lord's covenant people means, basically, anyone who covenants with the Lord. But I think more importantly, it is anyone who is diligently trying to keep those covenants.

Gospel Message Day 286

Lord's Covenant People

Wow. What a topic to draw. I have only one idea right now how to begin this. I saw the topic and immediately thought of the scriptures I read over and over again in the Book of Mormon when the Lord talks about them being His covenant people. I know there is more than that, and I hope it will come to me in the next day or two.

• 3 Nephi 20:29

• And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people; and I have covenanted with them that I would gather them together in mine own due time, that I would give unto them again the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land unto them forever, saith the Father.

• • • Mormon 7:10

    • • And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.
      • • 3 Nephi 21:4

          For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel;
        • We tend to think of the covenant people as the Jews. Those of the House of Israel. But this scripture reminds us that people can be adopted in to the House of Israel. The inhabitants of the ancient Americas are a branch of the House of Israel, and one of the covenants the Lord made with them was that if they were righteous, they would be blessed and prosper in the land. With members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being adopted into the House of Israel, the covenant holds true for us, too--if we are obedient and keep God's commandments, then we will be blessed and prosper in this wonderful land.