Reading: Alma Ch. 6 (8:30-32/U) "they could not be confined in dungeons"

“And it came to pass that Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost; and they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could not be confined in dungeons; neither were it possible that any man could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power until they were bound in bands and cast into prison. Now this was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.  And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach and to prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and power which the Lord had given them.” Alma Chapter 6 (8:30-32/Utah)

Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Be not rash with thy mouth..."

"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart by hasty to utter any thing before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."
Ecclesiastes 5:2

Reading: Mosiah Ch. 11 (27:14/U) "Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people"

“And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.” Mosiah Chapter 11 (27:14/Utah)

Reading: Alma 17 (37:32-36/U) "teach them to withstand every temptation of the Devil"

"And now my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you: trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity; preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves, and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the Devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart: for such shall find rest to their souls. O remember my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of god; yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest, let it be in the Lord; yea, thy thought be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever."
- Alma Chapter 17 (37:32-36/Utah)

Reading: Jeraneck 9:18: "the spirit moved Misamaneck to stop him from taking the record"

"Now when Hadjaneck and his brothers had looked around the great library they knew that it would take many years to read all that was contained with its walls but Hadjaneck went to take a record and as he was about to do this the spirit moved Misamaneck to stop him from taking the record and when Misamaneck took hold of Hadjaneck, Hadjaneck was shocked and Shiznar said unto them that these records were not for them but for the servant of the Lord in the last days of the world." Jeraneck 9:18

Reading: James 4:7-8 "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
- James 4:7-8

Reading: "...because thou hast been faithful..." (2 Nephi Ch. 1/1830)

"Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever. Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with the seed of my son."
- 2 Nephi Chapter 1 (1:31/Utah)

Sermon: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (10 June 2012)

Sermon by The Prophet Matthew Gill

10 June, 2012

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that we need to know “that the course of life we are pursuing is according to the will of God” (Lectures on Faith: - Third Lecture, Section 3) having confidence that we are pleasing God is a way for us to exercise our faith in him, and it becomes a motivating force toward righteous living.  This provides us with the hope of eternal life. Faith is a gift of God based upon our personal righteousness and the knowledge that God lives. Thus, the greater our obedience to the gospel principles, the greater will be our faith, and the greater or faith, the greater will be the hope and knowledge we posses.

We are told in the scriptures that “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17).  We need such faith as this. We cannot see the future. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. Its takes faith, unseeing faith, for young people to proceed with their responsibilities in the face of such hard financial uncertainties that we have today, it can be hard to focus our faith and understanding when faced with such trying times, but it is that faith that will see us through. It takes great faith for a young women to raise a family instead if accepting employment, especially when she can see how hard times are for her young husband.

It takes great faith to observe the Sabbath when you could be working, when profit can be made, when merchandise can be sold. It takes great faith to pay tithes and offerings when funds are scarce and demands are great as is the case to often these days. It takes great faith to fast and have family prayers and observe the word of wisdom. It takes faith to do our teaching assignments, missionary work, and other service, when sacrifice is required. But remember that all these are the planting, while faithful, devout families, spiritual security, peace, and eternal life are the harvest.

Moroni taught that when miracles cease among the children of men it is because people have dwindled in unbelief and do not know God (Mormon), In the Book of Jeraneck the Prophet Hadjaneck exercised faith and the Lord bore him up to speak to the people and in doing so, he said this about his faith: “It is only through his power and the faith of my heart that I am able to stand here today….The Lord has promised though revelation that if we his people are faithful and obedient the we shall become one with him” (Jeraneck  5: 9-10) We, too, can show faith just as Hadjaneck and stand with God, having faith, and God will bare us up unto the end just as he did with one of his ancient Prophets.

One of the great blessings of having faith in the Saviour is hope of eternal life. Hope grows out of our faith and knowledge of Christ, enhanced by our assurance that we are sons and daughters of God and can become like him. Hope is earned through obedience to the commandments and gives us substance and focus to ones faith. No one need doubt the reality of eternal life. Having faith, we are given hope that we can enjoy eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

Let this be clear to us all: we do not mean to say that those of us who die in the fellowship of the Lord, and are true and faithful un to him, must be perfect in all things when they go and journey onto the next sphere of existence. There was and is only one perfect person, the Lord Jesus Christ, whose Father is God.

Now what we are saying is that when the followers of God, his saints, do as commanded, when they are obedient to the commandments, when they gain a sure testimony of the truth and divinity of the Lord and his work, and they depart form this mortal world, though they have not become perfect, they shall gain eternal life with God in his kingdom and then they shall be perfect with God in his Kingdom, standing with the Father and the Son.

It is therefore important that we study the scriptures, put into practise the principles learned, heed the counsel of his servants and pray always to gain a greater knowledge of God’s existence, personality, and purpose.

Reading: D&C 7:38/8:123-124 - "See that you love one another..."

“See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires. Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.”
- Doctrine & Covenants 7:38 (8:123-124/Utah)

Reading: Jeraneck 5:9-10 "...if we his people are faithful and obedient the we shall become one with him..."

“It is only through his power and the faith of my heart that I am able to stand here today…The Lord has promised though revelation that if we his people are faithful and obedient the we shall become one with him”
- (Jeraneck 5: 9-10)

Scripture Reading: Jeraneck 5:14-19 "And out of the Heavens there came a man unlike any man they had seen before."

"And so it was that as Sharaneck was about to tell the people what Lord had blessed him with, the Heavens opened. And out of the Heavens there came a man unlike any man they had seen before. And he stood in the midst of them and said, “I am he who will bleed for you at my first coming. I am he who will be born to a virgin pure and clean. I am he who is the only begotten of the Father. I am he whom your Prophets testify of. I am the Saviour, the very Christ."
- Book of Jeraneck 5:14-19

Scripture Reading: Moroni 10:4-5 "...I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ..."

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal  Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in  Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the  Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of  all things."  

- Moroni Ch. 10 (10:4-5/Utah)

Scripture Reading: Mosiah Ch. 2/4:30: "...if ye do not watch yourselves..."

"But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."
- Mosiah Ch. 2 (4:30/Utah)