steps of faith + big decisions!

Sometimes we see the future and it looks scary!  Change is hard.  We can't comprehend how things will work out the way they are suppose to or how they were promised by God to turn out.  Being forced, or prompted, to make a change can be nerve wracking. 

Let's look at a bible story to help us trust in God.  Let's look at Moses.  He is a strong man and leader.  The Children of Israel where slaves to the Egyptians and were freed from their grasp after God allowed 10 plagues to come.  These plagues soften the Pharaoh's heart and Pharaoh let the Children of Israel go.  After Pharaoh allowed them to leave, Pharaoh questioned why he allowed them to leave!  So he sent 600 Chariots to go after them and destroy them or force them to come back and be their slave. 

When the people got to the Red Sea they turned and looked and saw the chariots coming after them and began to be afraid.  Because all they could see what the sea in front of them and the chariots coming behind them.  They begin to plea with Moses and ask him why he would bring them out here if they were only going to die?!

Moses says:
"Fear ye not, stand still,
and see the salvation of the Lord,
which he will shew to you to day:
for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day,
ye shall see them again no more for ever. 
The Lord shall fight for you,
and ye shall hold your peace." 
Exodus 14:13-14

Then Moses, in his great faith asks God what to do and God tells him to lift up his arms and part the Red Sea.  Then the Children of Israel walked through on dry land, and all the chariots were destroyed.

In life we sometimes feel like the Children of Israel.  We are not sure of the future and the past is trying to drag us back down into misery.  It is HARD to change.  But as we come closer to God and strive to change for the better, we have the promise that Moses gave that the Lord will fight for you, so stand still.  Know that you are making a great choice, and even though we may not see the outcome, God knows it and will provide for it to come to pass if we rely on him with full faith. 

A couple of scriptures that I repeat in my head to help me through big trials or facing big decissions. 

"If God be for us,
who can be against us?"  Romans 8:31

"I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me."  Philippians 4:13

If we have the Bible, why do we need the Book of Mormon?

I have heard this question a lot of times!  Why would we need more if God has already given us this much?  Well, first off, this life is ALL about progression.  God wants us to continue to learn, grow, develop, and become more than we are today.  So, He teaches little by little.

Isaiah 28:10
"For precept must be upon precept, line upon line, Here a little, and there a little." 

So God wanted us to learn step by step.  He feels that we have learned what we have needed to learn from the Bible and is ready to give more.

Another struggle is that people have changed those important things in the Bible and now the Bible is not complete.  The Bible has even predicted this. 

Isaiah 24:5
"The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant."

Well, God is a God of order and great knowledge and understanding.  So he knew that this would happen and so he had people in the Ancient America's keeping record so that He could bring it forth when it was time to bring the fulness of the gospel back.

Christ said,
"Wherefore, 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."
"And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased..."  (D&C 1:17, 30)

God has prepared the way for the gospel to come back to the earth and to have those sacred things restored to the earth.  The time for this to happen is now.  The time is called the "fulness of time."

Ephesians 1:10
"That in the dispensation of the
fulness of times
he might gather together
 in one all things in Christ,
 both which are in heaven,
 and which are on earth; even in him." 

We live in the fulness of time, and God has brought the gospel of Jesus Christ through the man who was called as a prophet of God, Joseph Smith.  The Book of Mormon clarifies and refines the doctrine of God and what we have to do in order to return to God.

I know that this is true.  The Book of Mormon does not take away anything from the Bible, it only clarifies and helps us understand who Jesus Christ is, what we need to do, who we need to become, and how we gain peace and happiness in this life.

EASTER!

Hey everyone, there is a special event going on for Easter on the mormon.org website.  They want as many people as possible to go on to this site below and write what their testimonies are of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  I would invite ALL of you to do this!  It will be an amazing experience and also a great support for yourselves to read other's testimonies of Jesus Christ.


www.mormon.org/easter

Baptism

Why do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints put such an emphasis on being baptized?  What's the big deal!?

Well, Christ told us in John 3:5

"Jesus answered,

 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 

Except a man be born 

of water and of the Spirit, 

he cannot enter into the 

kingdom of God." 

So we HAVE to be baptized to enter in the kingdom of God!  Everyone should want that.  To be able to live with God again, what a blessing!  But Christ himself said that we have to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God to be able to live with God again.  We desire EVERYONE to receive this blessing.  THAT is why we want EVERYONE to be baptized so that they can live with God again. 

And once we are baptized we are cleansed from all sin.  We will be held

"guiltless before my 

Father at the day 

when I shall stand 

to judge the world." 3 Nephi 27:16  

Because  

"no unclean thing can 

enter into his kingdom." 3 Nephi 27:19 

we need that cleansing power that comes from being baptized and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost to be found 'clean' to enter into God's kingdom!

Two people desired to show God that they were willing to obey His commandments and to follow the example of Jesus Christ and were baptized this weekend.  They both said how clean they felt and how happy they are!  There is only one way in this life to feel this way, and it is through baptism!  

Stephanie Dobbins                Justin Marquardt

Waiting

I just wanted to leave these scriptures that I have found this week.  

Isaiah 40:31

"But they that 

wait upon the Lord  

shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 

they shall run, and not be weary; 

and they shall walk, and not faint."

D&C 98:1-3

"Verily I say unto you my friends, 

fear not, 

let your hearts be comforted; 

rejoice evermore, 

and in everything give thanks;  

Waiting patiently on the Lord, 

for your prayers have entered 

into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, 

and are recorded with this seal and testament

-the Lord hath sworn and decreed 

that they shall be granted. 

 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, 

with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; 

and all things wherewith you have been afflicted 

shall work together for your good, 

and to my name's glory, 

saith the Lord."

"Be still and know that I am God."  D&C 101:16