Tag: Power

A Promised Land for All Who Serve the Lamb of God

~ Richard Rowley

Lehi and his descendants were blessed by God to inherit their promised land in the Americas. As the angel – sent as God’s messenger — continues to teach Nephi, he is told that the Americas will also be a promised land to the Gentiles who choose to live by the fulness of Jesus Christ’s gospel as contained in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and all other words of direction Christ will extend through the restored Priesthood in the last days.

“…If the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall no longer be brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel will no longer be confounded.” (1 Nephi 14:1-2)

-How has Jesus Christ manifested himself in word, power, and deed in our time? See the following posts for examples:

Latter-day Prophets, Seers, and Revelators:

“This great American nation the Almighty raised up by the power of his omnipotent hand, that it might be possible in the latter days for the kingdom of God to be established in the earth. If the Lord had not prepared the way by laying the foundations of this glorious nation, it would have been impossible (under the stringent laws and bigotry of the monarchical governments of the world) to have laid the foundations for the coming of his great kingdom. The Lord has done this” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 409).

Cursed Be They Who Hide Not Their Treasures unto Me

~ Richard Rowley

Treasures secured for any other reason than to serve God are cursed (and a curse upon those who secure the treasure without deference to God).

“…I will, saith the Lord, that they hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure…” (Helaman 13:19)

Questions:

-Is the following statement true? Part of the reason why those who, outside the intent to serve God, amass great wealth are cursed is because their tainted wealth also affects others negatively (often on a large scale due to the wide-ranging influence of their ungodly power and riches).

-Do the sophisticated, atheistic, and agnostic wealthy (i.e. those who have no deference to God) tend to see themselves as filling in for a God that they see as missing or non-existent?

-Is playing God with the lives of others, where the will of a few overrides the will and agency of the many, ever end up being a good thing?

-What does it look like when a righteous person amasses wealth to serve God?

-How likely is the above-mentioned righteous person to be a well-known influence peddler and high-profile benefactor rather than an anonymous or low-profile benefactor?    

The Devil Will Not Support His Children

~ Richard Rowley

Mormon, the prophet who compiled and abridged the record of the Nephites (which was translated as the Book of Mormon), pauses to teach an important truth about Satan.

“…The devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.” (Alma 30:60)

Questions:

-Is it possible to gain power and gratify the lusts of the flesh in this life by being a child of the devil (e.g. rejecting God’s commandments and applying selfish, calloused, and ungodly means to obtain one’s desires)?

*Does Satan goad souls to take this route because he enjoys seeing the selfish pleasure they obtain for a season?

*Or, does he do so because he relishes the awful depths of eternal remorse and pain that they will sink into when, after being brought into God’s presence for judgment, they come to a full and agonizing realization of the consequences of what they have done.

God Has All Power, All Wisdom, All Understanding, and Is a Merciful Being

~ Richard Rowley

Ammon teaches about God’s characteristics.

“…[God] has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.” (Alma 26:35)

Questions:

-Why is God merciful?

-Does mercy guide how God exercises His endless and perfect power?

-Can power be perfectly exercised without perfect wisdom, perfect understanding, and all-encompassing comprehension?

-Does God ever use His power to force people to do what is good and right?

-Does God allow us to choose between giving our individual wills to Him and withholding our wills from Him?

-Since God is merciful, in addition to all His other perfections, is there any difference between God’s will for us and what is best for us?

Teachings of Latter-Day Prophets, Seers, and Revelators:

From Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

“Some have sincere faith in the existence of a God but not necessarily in a revealing and omniscient God. Other sincere individuals question God’s omniscience, wondering, even though respectfully, whether even God can know the future. But an omniscient and revealing God can at any present moment disclose things future. This is possible because ‘in the presence of God, … all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord’ (D&C 130:7). Thus God ‘knoweth all things, for all things are present before [his] eyes’ (D&C 38:2). He told Moses, ‘There is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all’ (Moses 1:6).

“No qualifiers on the scope of God’s knowledge appear in holy writ. Instead, we read: ‘O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.’ (2 Nephi 9:20.)” (If Thou Endure It Well [1996], 46).

The Priests Were Not to Depend upon the People for Their Support

~ Richard Rowley

Those who led the congregations of Christ’s people among the Nephites were not paid monetarily or with physical goods for their service. Rather, they supported themselves and their own families, and then also labored to serve the Lord and His people. This separation of financial incentive from spiritual service increased the grace and Spirit of God in their lives and they were able to teach with greater power and authority for the benefit of their followers.

“…The priests were not to depend upon the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God.” (Mosiah 18:26)

Questions:

-Can you see how mixing financial incentive and church (or synagogue) service could easily dilute the spiritual power of those who lead congregations?

-How many are willing (or able) to serve for the grace of God and forgo financial reimbursement for their service?

The Son Reigneth and Hath Power over the Dead

~ Richard Rowley

Jesus Christ is our wholly benevolent and righteous King who has power even over death!

“…O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people; for were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished. But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.” (Mosiah 15:18-20)

Questions:

-What does it mean to align one’s life to be in harmony with the Founder of Peace?

-Would many that chafe at the thought of having an earthly king be willing to receive their Heavenly King?

-Will anyone not receive their Heavenly King when a full consciousness of what He has done, and the love He extends, is obtained?

A Seer Can Know of Things Which Are Past, and Also of Things Which Are to Come

~ Richard Rowley

Ammon describes the special powers given by God to a seer.

“…A man may have great power given him from God. But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.” (Mosiah 8:16-18)

Questions:

-Are there seers on the earth today?

-If so, do they serve as a great benefit to their fellow beings?

-Does God limit what they proclaim based on how ready the world is for truth?

There Shall be no Other Name Given nor Any Other Way nor Means Whereby Salvation Can Come unto the Children of Men

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin teaches, in no uncertain terms, that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.

“…There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.” (Mosiah 3:17)

Questions:

-What does it mean for Benjamin to refer to Christ as the Lord Omnipotent?

-Did Christ create the earth (i.e. everything that we have)?

-Is there anything that Christ hasn’t gained power over?

-Has He ever used his power for anything other than good?