What Lack I Yet?
Be Wise
Go and Do
Prepare to Care
Be Wise
Go and Do
Prepare to Care
Sep 2012 Wise Doers – Teaching Emergency Preparation /rdd
What Lack I Yet?
The scripture that prompted Joseph Smith to seek further guidance, 'If any of you lack wisdom ..' in James 1:5 is excellent advice. Later in the same chapter he exhorts us to 'be doers of the word and not hearers only' (James 1:22). 'What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?' was asked of the Savior, His answer: “Keep the commandments!” How am I doing? “What lack I yet?” (Matt 19:16-20). Pray and listen for your answer. 'Fill in the blank' .. the most important commandment for me is the one I am not completely keeping now. The answer will come as prompted by the Spirit. What comes to mind will be different for each person, but will be the most important commandment for you to focus on at this time. Is it being a better home teacher, holding regular prayers, having more consistent personal scripture study, building a family food storage, preparing your 72 hour kits, or other personal emergency preparation? The item of concern that first comes to mind is the area to focus on.
Be Wise
Jacob's final instruction to his people, and to each of us, is to 'be wise, what can I say more?' (Jacob 6:12). In the old world and repeated again in the Americas for our benefit, Christ taught that 'by their fruits ye shall know them' (Matt 7:20 and 3 Ne 14:20) and gave a parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock. Those who 'hear and do' are wise. Those who 'hear and do not' are foolish. Helaman teaches further that the Rock we are to build on is the Christ (Hel 5:12) He is the 'foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall'. Will we be ready for the rain or the floods or the wind? Are we wisely 'founded upon a rock'? Moroni instructs us to learn from the scriptures .. to 'learn to be more wise than [they] have been' (Mormon 9:31). We have all the commandments before us, we know what we should be doing. Are we doing it now? By your [canned] fruits ye shall know them.
Go and Do
Nephi's example to 'go and do the things that the Lord has commanded' (1 Ne 3:7) is one we would be wise to follow. D&C 41:5 teaches that we can only be true disciples by receiving the law and doing it. D&C 82:9-10 informs us that we receive 'directions [commandments] on how to act [what to do], that it may turn to [us] for [our] salvation', but that we have 'no promise' unless we actually do what he says. From a jail cell in Liberty we are encouraged by a latter day prophet [Joseph Smith] to 'cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed' (D&C 123:17). No matter where we are at now, we can improve our situation by trusting in the Lord and doing as he commands. His yoke is easy. His way is the path of salvation and safety. If we 'went and did' what the prophet asked us to do (as in Hel 9:37) we would find that 'his words .. are true'. If we are prepared, we shall not fear ..
Prepare to Care
“Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. We encourage members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve.”
(from www.lds.org/topics/food-storage emphasis added).
What Lack I Yet?
The scripture that prompted Joseph Smith to seek further guidance, 'If any of you lack wisdom ..' in James 1:5 is excellent advice. Later in the same chapter he exhorts us to 'be doers of the word and not hearers only' (James 1:22). 'What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?' was asked of the Savior, His answer: “Keep the commandments!” How am I doing? “What lack I yet?” (Matt 19:16-20). Pray and listen for your answer. 'Fill in the blank' .. the most important commandment for me is the one I am not completely keeping now. The answer will come as prompted by the Spirit. What comes to mind will be different for each person, but will be the most important commandment for you to focus on at this time. Is it being a better home teacher, holding regular prayers, having more consistent personal scripture study, building a family food storage, preparing your 72 hour kits, or other personal emergency preparation? The item of concern that first comes to mind is the area to focus on.
Be Wise
Jacob's final instruction to his people, and to each of us, is to 'be wise, what can I say more?' (Jacob 6:12). In the old world and repeated again in the Americas for our benefit, Christ taught that 'by their fruits ye shall know them' (Matt 7:20 and 3 Ne 14:20) and gave a parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock. Those who 'hear and do' are wise. Those who 'hear and do not' are foolish. Helaman teaches further that the Rock we are to build on is the Christ (Hel 5:12) He is the 'foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall'. Will we be ready for the rain or the floods or the wind? Are we wisely 'founded upon a rock'? Moroni instructs us to learn from the scriptures .. to 'learn to be more wise than [they] have been' (Mormon 9:31). We have all the commandments before us, we know what we should be doing. Are we doing it now? By your [canned] fruits ye shall know them.
Go and Do
Nephi's example to 'go and do the things that the Lord has commanded' (1 Ne 3:7) is one we would be wise to follow. D&C 41:5 teaches that we can only be true disciples by receiving the law and doing it. D&C 82:9-10 informs us that we receive 'directions [commandments] on how to act [what to do], that it may turn to [us] for [our] salvation', but that we have 'no promise' unless we actually do what he says. From a jail cell in Liberty we are encouraged by a latter day prophet [Joseph Smith] to 'cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed' (D&C 123:17). No matter where we are at now, we can improve our situation by trusting in the Lord and doing as he commands. His yoke is easy. His way is the path of salvation and safety. If we 'went and did' what the prophet asked us to do (as in Hel 9:37) we would find that 'his words .. are true'. If we are prepared, we shall not fear ..
Prepare to Care
“Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. We encourage members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve.”
(from www.lds.org/topics/food-storage emphasis added).
RSS Feed
