Divine Women

     One of the many topics members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints frequently discuss in their various meetings is the divinity of women.  Women hold a special place in the hearts of Latter-day Saint members.  We recognize they hold a special role in the Plan of Salvation that brings us home to our Heavenly Father.  This role, along with the role of the man, can be found in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”.  This precious document was given to the world by God through revelation.  It reads:
      "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.  Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.”
      One can’t help but marvel at the simple brilliance of this plan.  Men and women are naturally different in many respects.  Men are typically stronger and more capable of physical labor.  This is why they are charged with providing the necessities of life and protection for their families. 
     Women, on the other hand, typically have a softer and gentler touch.  They naturally tend to know better how to conduct the finer arts of love, charity, and compassion.  These magnificent women tend to exhibit faith in the Lord Jesus Christ easier.  They find it easier to live His teachings, as well as teach them to others.  Is it any wonder women would be charged with the most important mission anybody could hold, that of nurturing, raising, and teaching children?
     Why is this such an important mission?  It is so important simply because the future of humanity depends upon success.  Think about it.  All that you learn about who you are you learn from your childhood home.  You learn your self-worth.  You learn your values.  And you learn social responsibilities and skills.  Nothing will bring about degradation of societal values and spiritual strength than failure in raising children to know and trust God.  This is why this most sacred responsibility is given primarily to the most noble of God’s creations:  women.  No other creation, including men, is as capable of successfully performing this function.
     In my life I have been blessed to know many strong women who love God.  I have watched as these divine women have exercised their faith to move mountains of pain, sorrow, and anguish.  I’ve witnessed the power of their faith as it has uplifted the weary, cheered the downhearted, and nurtured the weak.  I’ve marveled as they have born their powerful testimonies through words and actions. 
     These wonderful examples of faith can be found in the scriptures and in my life.  I want to dedicate my next few blog entries to these marvelous women.  I will start next week with the woman who is most precious and dear to me:  my wife.
     For today let me close with my testimony of the power of the faith of women.  Men who exercise their faith can do so just as well as women.  But in my experience women are more likely to do so.  Women are incredibly humble and divine.  They are the biggest key to the success of the Plan of Salvation, in my opinion, because of their ability to exercise faith.  I am very glad there are so many women who value their divine calling and perform it so admirably.  To all of you, I wish to say thank you.  We need you.

Revelation

                Last week’s post brought up the scripture James 1:5-6:  “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”  The first part of this scripture, prayer, was the focus of last week’s blog.  This week I would like to focus on the second part:  revelation.
                There is a story about this subject of which I am particularly fond.  One of the general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (I can’t remember which one, but I think it was Elder Robert D. Hales) was having a discussion with a friend.  The discussion was about whether or not God communicates with man.  Both accepted The Holy Bible as true, as I do.  I will assume you, the reader and possibly commenter, do as well.  Accepting The Holy Bible as true meant both accepted that God communicated with man anciently.
                The general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knew God still communicates with man.  However, his friend did not.  So He asked how one could believe in modern revelation.  The response was that only one of three reasons could make it possible for God to have communicated with man anciently and not now.  The two concluded none were possible and therefore God must communicate with man today.  I believe these points can prove God has always communicated with man.  So I want to address them.
                The first point I wish to address was that God has lost the power to communicate with man.  For this blog it will be expanded that God never had the power.  Yet we know this can’t be so.  Past blogs have demonstrated that God is omnipotent.  He has power over all that is in the earth because He created it.  What, then, could prevent Him from having the ability to communicate with man?  The answer is nothing.  He has always had the ability to communicate with us.
                The second possibility is that God does not want to communicate with man.  This is also not possible.  God is our creator.  He has a vested interest in our success because He wants us to return to His presence.  He loves us more perfectly than any mortal father loves his children.  And just as a mortal father wants to communicate with his children, God wants to communicate with us.
                The final possibility is that we don’t need to talk with God.  But be honest with yourself.  You know you need God.  Look at the troubles in your life.  Perhaps, like me, you are uncertain about what your future holds and where you need to look to find it.  You need direction from Him as to what to do.  Or perhaps you have a child with a big problem.   You need direction from God on the correct way to help your precious one.  Or maybe your heart has been broken and you need to know your Heavenly Father loves you to lift your spirits.
                It doesn’t matter what the problems are, you have them.  And you need direction.  And no one in this world is immune.  Just consider the problems of our world and you will know it’s true.  We have starvation throughout the world.  Drug lords, terrorists, and oppressive monarchs rule many parts of the world.  Economic collapse has crippled many countries in the world, including the United States.  Hatred rages in the hearts of many.  And overall morale collapse is claiming the societies of the world.
                How can anyone claim that we don’t need God.  Look into your heart and you will know we have always needed Him.  Not only have we always needed Him, we need Him more now than at any other time in the history of our world. 
                So, God has the power to communicate with us, He has the desire, and we have the need.  What other possible reason is there for why God wouldn’t communicate with us? 
                I know that God can communicate with us and He does.  This is what we call revelation.  When we exercise our faith and pray to God, God will answer us through revelation.  I know this is true.  I’ve had the privilege of having revelation bless my life and the lives of my family.  You, too, can have this blessing in your life.  Therefore, practice the admonition of James 1:5-6.

Faith to Pray

                An important scripture in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is found in the New Testament under James 1:5-6.  This is the verse Joseph Smith, Jr., read that inspired him to pray to Heavenly Father for guidance.  In response he received what we affectionately call the First Vision.  In addition, the books we recognize as scripture contain multiple verses similar to this one, giving the same guidance that can be found here.  This indicates the importance of what this scripture teaches.  So in the next few blogs I want to focus on this passage of scripture.

                The passage reads:  “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

                There are really three parts to this passage of scripture.  The first is the directive to ask of God.  Second is the promise that we will receive an answer.  Third is the instruction that we must ask in faith, nothing wavering.

                The first part, the directive to ask God for the wisdom we need, is the one I wish to focus on today.  Another scripture valued by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Alma 33, lets us know we need to pray for any needs we have.  Many other scriptures support this claim. 

                These are important directives.  Think about what it is really telling you.  There is an omnipotent being who organized your spirit.  Then this being directed the creation of your physical bodies and the union of your physical and spiritual bodies as a soul.  This is your Heavenly Father, as previous blogs have mentioned.  These scriptures tell you that you can communicate with Him.  Isn’t it wonderful to know that through prayer you can communicate with the Omnipotent God? 

But it takes faith to pray.  After all, why would God worry about you when He has so many other concerns?  Yet another beautiful scripture helps address this concern.  Luke 12: 6-7 reads:  “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not therefore:  ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

This, along with many other scriptures, promises that we are not forgotten.  God knows us and is mindful of us.  He will listen to our prayers.

When you think about it, it also makes sense that He listens to our prayers.  Think of parents.  Do they not listen to their children’s concerns, pleas, and requests?  There are some who don’t.  But those who love their children are mindful of what their children have to say.  If we who are imperfect are mindful of our children because we love them, God who has perfect love would be mindful of His children because He loves them.

I know our Heavenly Father hears our prayers and listens to what He has to say.  He has asked us to pray to Him because He loves us and wants us to communicate with Him.  Don’t hesitate.  Don’t think yourself beneath Him.  He is mindful of every sparrow, and you are more valuable than many of them.  You are not beneath Him.  So, have faith you will be heard and turn to Heavenly Father in prayer.

Faith And Works

     For today’s blog I want to focus on the subject matter of The General Epistle of James chapter 2, found in The New Testament.  I want to particularly focus on verse 14.  This verse reads, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?  can faith save him?”  The rest of the chapter focuses on answering this question.
     I love this question.  It’s an excellent question.  My blogs have focused on faith:  faith in God, faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, faith to raise a family, and other such topics.  So what exactly is faith?
     In the Bible Dictionary used by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, faith is defined as “hope for things which are not seen, but which are true”.  (This conclusion was drawn from Hebrews 11:1 and Alma 32:21.)  So our faith is hope:  hope that God is real, hope that we once lived with Heavenly Father and can live with Him again, hope the Savior redeemed us from our fallen state, hope in the promised blessings of the family.  All of these hopes, and the multitude of others, are great hopes. 
     But what good are they without works?  How can our faith help us if we refuse to act on our faith?
     For example, consider the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  If we have faith in the Atonement but choose not to forsake our sins, do we receive the blessings promised by the Atonement?  We cannot be cleansed of our sins because they are still there.  We cannot gain life like God without forsaking our sins because we couldn’t abide His presence.  So our faith was useless in this case because we chose not to act.
     Consider the possible outcomes of faith.  We can have faith in truth and choose to act according to that faith.  As we do we start to see the fruits of our labor becoming reality.  Our faith is strengthened as we learn it really works.  We believe more and choose to act accordingly.  As a result our faith grows into knowledge that what we believed is true.  We learn more of Jesus Christ until we see Him and receive the blessings He has promised us.  Our family becomes stronger and grows into a happy family united for time and all eternity.  We gain what we hope for and have faith in.
     We can have faith in that which is not true and choose to act.  In this case we start acting according to our faith only to find the desired results don’t come about.  We learn our faith is not founded in truth, so we turn away from this faith and focus on others.  Our knowledge grows as we learn what is not true.
     We can also have faith in that which is not true and choose not to act on it.  Sadly we never learn we are mistaken and never have the opportunity to learn what really is true.
     Finally, we can have faith in that which is true and choose not to act.  In this case we don’t help that which we hope for to become reality.  Because of this we never learn it is really true and never gain the knowledge of it.  We lose our faith as we never see the promised blessings. 
     So what good is faith without works?  It isn’t any good at all.  What good is faith with works?  It teaches us reality and gains us what we hope for.  So when you place your faith in anything, find out what action is required to bring about the desired outcome.  Then act.

Faith to Have a Family

     I had intentions of writing a blog entry to conclude the posts on the Savior Jesus Christ.  I've typed it a couple of times only to have it deleted both times through seemingly impossible means.  So I spent a little time praying and asking for help and direction on this blog and realized I needed to focus this blog on a different subject.  This blog entry needs to focus on the family.
     The family is the most vitally important organization to the plan of our Heavenly Father.  No church, no charity, no school, and no employer can match the strength families have to fulfill the purposes of God.  His children come to earth through birth into a family of some kind.  There they are supposed to learn the ways of God and who they are.  In fact the family is the most important place to learn our identities and our morals.
     Unfortunately, in today's world the family is under heavy assault.  And why shouldn't it be?  Doesn't it make sense Lucifer and his minions would want to destroy the most vitally important organization to the plan of our Heavenly Father?  Of course it does.
    Lucifer has many tactics for attacking the family as well.  Careers mistakenly take the place of families as the number one priority in the lives of so many men and women.  Too often we allow our toys (boats, trucks, cars, video games, electronics, etc.) to get in the way of raising families.  Pride builds us up to a point of finding fault with our spouses, blaming them for all our problems, until we decide the only possible solution is divorce.  Pornography infests our minds and our homes, destroying trust and faith in each other.  Media mocks and scorns the institution of marriage by degrading husbands, making light of the beauty and strength of the most respectful career choice of motherhood, and teaching children to be disobedient and disrespectful to their parents.
     In addition, the sacred nature of intimacy has been destroyed in a society that believes intimacy should take place whenever and wherever you feel like it, with no regard as to who your partner in the act is.  We are taught there is no need for marriage beforehand.  Our most sacred gift and power, that of procreation, has become an act of selfish pleasure and animalistic passion.
    Is it any wonder that in today's world it takes great faith to seek after the promised blessings of families, prolonging our days of physical gratification until marriage?  And it is an act of faith to seek the family life.  It takes a great deal of faith to promise yourself to one person for the rest of your life.  It takes great faith to believe you will be okay financially when those children come.  It takes great faith to trust your ability to teach those children, and to actually do so.  It takes great faith to forgive our loved ones when they wrong us.  It takes great faith to face the death of a loved one, one of the most difficult times of mortal lives that we must all face.
      Yet it can be done. Let me tell you of some dear friends of mine who have exercised this faith.  Years ago this couple exercised faith to get married.  She was terrified.  He was excited.  They trusted in each other and were married for time and all eternity.
     She had dreams of being a successful writer.  Yet she put these dreams on hold because the first baby came.  Then another one came.  Then another.  And now the fourth is on the way.  And through it all she has watched as her dreams became a more distant possibility.
    His dreams also suffered.  He has been forced to put school on hold many times in order to support the family.  Sometimes the family life has even stepped in the way of his jobs, forcing him to choose family over money.
    This couple isn't wealthy when it comes to money.  They don't have a big fancy house with expensive cars, fourwheelers, and boats out front.  They don't go on vacations to the Bahamas and other exotic locations every year.  And at times they find getting presents for birthdays and Christmases can be a challenge. 
    But this kind of wealth dwindles and pails in comparison to the wealth these two friends of mine share.  Their wealth is in the family.  They have three boys who love them dearly.  Soon they will have a fourth boy to share it with.  This couple has had the joy and privilege (and, yes, the frustration) of watching their children grow up, learning new skills and talents.  Now that I have a child I can attest to the fact their is no greater pleasure in the world than watching your children learn and grow.
    In addition, these two get the privilege of little hands wrapping around their neck and giving them a hug, or little lips touching their cheeks in loving kisses, or pleasant whispers of "Mommy/Daddy, I love you."  These precious moments carry a value that will outlast the shine of a brand new car or the gleam of diamonds and jewelry. 
     My two friends my not have much in the ways of the wealth of the world.  But I can tell you they are among the most wealthy people I know, for they have the joy of having a family.
     If you have chosen to forsake family for a career, it's time you recognize your mistake and reconsider.  If fear of failure, rejection, or any other kind of fear has prevented you from having children or from getting married, overcome it and take the most satisfying plunge of your life. 
     If you are partaking of the pleasures of the flesh before you have married, oh how I feel sorry for you.  Stop it and find someone you can share your life, your dreams, and your children with.  Seize to look at pornography if you have started.  Avoid it like the plague if you haven't.  It will only destroy families and prevent you from finding that joy.
    And most importantly, remember that worldly pleasures are momentary.  Spouses and children can be an eternal pleasure.