3/15/2017 - D&C 1:39

March 15-16, 2017

Section 1:7-39

Judging, Growth and Learning, Gospel Education, Power in the Scriptures. Follow the Lord, Protection, Commandments For Our Good, Missionaries The Lord’s Developmental Plan,

V 10 states the ‘judge not that ye be not judged’ in different words: “…the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.” This makes me want to be very gentle in my judging of others.

There is a harshness in these verses. It reminds me of some of the harshness of the Old Testament. I thought of the children of Israel being led out of Egypt, when the Lord watched as His children were so quick to slide into evil ways and so slow to remember the great miracles that He had performed to help them when the Egyptian army was almost upon them and the Red Sea divided, when they needed water and Moses struck a rock and water flowed, when they were hungry and manna appeared…. This preface was given in 1831. The new saints were a varied group. Some embraced the gospel fully, some found it easy to find fault with each other and some of the Lord’s revelation, some left the Church completely. “For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken my everlasting covenant; 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…” (v 15-16)  Many of them were as weak as the children of Israel, and like them fell back into old patterns. How frustrating that must be to Christ, who has re-established his gospel on the earth. He states emphatically in v 17, “…I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments …. (v 21) That faith also might increase in the Earth. (v 22) That mine everlasting covenant might be established; [the temple & its ordinances] (v 23) That the fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world….(v 24)Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding”.  Christ goes on in to say that when they erred, it would be made known—that when they sought wisdom, they would be instructed—that when they sinned, they would be chastened that they might repent—that when they were humble, they would be made strong and blessed and receive knowledge from time to time.

The early leaders of the Church were trying to figure it out. Sometimes they stumbled. But isn’t that how we all learn in life? And hopefully, every stumble will give us a chance to seek the Lord and to right ourselves and go forward again with increased resolve and greater understanding and deeper humility. When the Joseph Smith ignored the Lord’s instructions and giving the 116 pages to Martin Harris who lost them, the Lord told him that He would have “extended His arm” and helped him against the temptations. The leaders of the Church can go through the same growth  patterns that we do. Often times we do well and go forward. Sometimes we fail to seek the Lord in all we do, or our faith flickers and we decide to follow a more worldly path, or we become impatient with ourselves, others, or even the Lord and because of that we may fall short. The important thing is to get back up, and start again but this time on the right track. In today’s world we give our children 18-21 years to ‘grow-up’, and all that time we are supporting them, tutoring them, helping them in every way we can as they learn vital lessons. We don’t throw our little ones out of the house because they spilled the milk. We help them to clean it up. We teach them better ways to do things. And sometimes we have to teach them to simply wait until they have more strength.

The Lord is tutoring us all the time. Our job is to pay attention to our tutor and to learn. Our job is to also provide a positive learning environment for those around us who are also being tutored. The Lord is telling us in the section that He knows what is coming, and he is giving us the way to prepare for that which will surely come to pass. He did that in Old Testament times and in New Testament times and in Book of Mormon times, and now in our times. My desire is to not repeat what we see happened so many times in the scriptures when individuals, or societies, ignored His teaching and preparation. I want to complete my preparation. And if I am here when He comes again, I want to welcome that event gladly with wonder, and worship and joy.

My prayer is to help me be understanding of the weaknesses of others. Help me to be understanding of my own weaknesses. Help us all to follow Thee and overcome our weaknesses. I love v25-28 for they show how we grow. The Lord, in speaking of His commandments said in v 24 that they were given to us so that we might come to understanding:  “And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known; And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed. And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; and inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.” That is not harsh…that is a parent teaching His children so that they will live happy and profitable lives.

And then the Lord ends His preface to this book of scriptures with the essential advice: v37 & 39 “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.    For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen” 

Do we really need any other directions than this? If we seek the Spirit always, our understanding will be opened at the proper time and our steps will be guided. We just need the courage to follow the Spirit in humility, always giving thanks to Heavenly Father for His plan and His gifts that are so readily available to us…IF we make the sincere and consistent efforts.

Dec 31:2020: D&C 1

In verse. 30, the Lord gives us very interesting information. As He has spoken the last days to prepare us, and has spoken about the importance of the revelations He has given, and has emphasized the importance of keeping His commandments—he then states: “I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually.” (v30) He knows that there is great variation in the way each of us follow him. He is doing all he can to help us all live up to our potential. He also knows there are times when we will fall short of our potential. But for those times he reminds us once again in v 32: “Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.” But His very next statement explains one of the reasons we are to keep those commandments: “And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man…” (v 33) The light we receive and feel from Heavenly Father is based on our degree of working to come close to Him.

Jan 1, 2021: D&C 1

In this ‘Preface’ to the D&C, we find counsel, and warnings, and prophecies and promises. These are the things I want to pay attention to—for it is the same throughout this entire book. The Lord prompts us to do just that very thing in v 37: “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.”

In v 33 the Lord speaks of having the Spirit in our hearts and minds. And then in v 34 he assures us that this is a possibility for us all: “And again, verily (truly) I say unto you, O in habitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh.” And then comes a serious warning: “…the day. Speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion. And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst…” (v’s 34-35) I read that and remind myself that it’s up to me to pick my side, and let my thoughts and actions prove which side I have selected to be on. 

The Lord is trying to make it easy for us. His final plea to us in this section is: “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.” (V 37)

Jan 2, 2021: D&C 1

I’m trying to read a bit of church history to see what was happening in the daily life of the saints as these revelations were received. Today I read about what was going on with the leaders of the church as they tried to decide whether to publish the revelations Joseph had received or to keep them more private. There were several of the men who were hesitant to publish because they were “embarrassed that the word of the Lord had come to them filtered through Joseph’s limited vocabulary and weak grammar”. (Minutes, Nov 1-2, 1831, at josephsmithpapers.org) Evidently, the Lord did not share their worries. In this preface (D&C 1), the Lord stated that the revelations came from Him, and that they were given to His servants “in their weakness, after the manner of their language.” (v 24) Then, to help them understand the revelations came from Him, the Lord gave a new revelation, challenging this council to select the wisest man in the room to write a revelation like the ones Joseph had received. And if the man selected for the task was unable to do it, everyone in the room would know that the Lord’s revelations to Joseph were true…despite their imperfections. Those chose William McLellin, who was pretty confident in his own education, but when he finished and read his work to the council, he and the other men in the room knew that what he had written had not come from the Lord. So that council resolved that Joseph should review the revelations he had received, and “correct those errors or mistakes which he may discover by the Holy Spirit.” (Minutes, Nov 8, 1821, Joseph Smith Papers) 

It’s so interesting to me to see the ways the Lord chooses to teach us. And it’s interesting, as I read His scriptures, to me to realize that the Lord often asks us to REMEMBER…remember my faith, my deep, spiritual experiences, and the sweet calm that comes over me when I ask for His help.