Official Statement: New Church Triple Scriptures

The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ is pleased to present ‘The Triple’. The Triple is a volume of three official church scriptures in one combined book. The Triple includes The Book of Jeraneck, The Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. All of the scriptures contained within The Triple are the officially recognised church editions scriptures. Copies  of The Triple are available for sale on our church website.

Sermon: Examples To All

We all have times in our lives when we need an example to follow. When we are children, it is usually a character in a book or a super hero off the TV. In my youth it was reading the books of Paul brickhill, such as The Great Escape and Reach for The Sky that I found a lot of my hero’s and examples of heroic acts and leadership.

As we move forward in our experiences of life new exemplars of life emerge more lasting and more close to hand.  My father, my elder brother, and as I moved forward and found my faith I developed a strong love of characters in scripture. Characters like Moses, Abraham, David, Nephi, Helaman, and Captain Moroni.

In first Peter verse 21 it reds “For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” 

The story of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37 is so very powerful. The Prophet had a pretty tough life. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. His father was told that he was killed by a wild animal. He was framed by his boss’s wife because he refused to sleep with her and was thrown into prison. He interpreted the dream of a prisoner who was released and restored to his position, but the guy forgot about him. In the end, though, Joseph became the leader of all Egypt–second only to the Pharaoh himself. When there is a famine, he is then able to save his family from starvation. He tells his brothers when he sees them again that, though they meant harm, God orchestrated the events to put Joseph in a position to save them. Leaders have a vision that sustains them through difficult times.

Great leaders rule by example rather than command as is the case many times in the scriptures. In Joshua 24, after leading his people into a new land, Joshua offers the Israelites the option to either A:- serve the God who they had always served, the one who had brought them into the land or B:- serve the gods of the surrounding lands. “But as for me and my house,” he says, “We will serve the Lord.” The people answer in unison that they will pledge their allegiance to God. Because they believe in Joshua’s leadership, they follow Joshua’s example. He doesn’t have to threaten them; he merely inspires them by his example.

When we are doing what the Lord requires of us born out of knowledge acquired by study, we too can be an inspiration to others. We must separate ourselves from the worldly enticements around us as we see from the example of the early life of Daniel. In Daniel chapter one, we find that Daniel and his three young friends remained true to their God despite being taken captive and subjected to pagan beliefs and practices. They were strangers in a foreign land who found themselves separated from their families and friends. They had every opportunity to begin enjoying the sinful, worldly attractions and entertainment that surrounded them in the land of Babylon, for there were no Godly adults to tell them what to do or what to refrain from doing. Yet they refused to defile themselves with the pleasures, foods and amusements of the pagan Babylonian lifestyle. Why? Because their convictions were their own. Other young Israelites were also taken captive, but they gave in to the pressures to conform to the wicked Babylonian lifestyle. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did what was right because they were young people with personal conviction. God rewarded them for their separation from the world. Their behaviour and lifestyle remained exemplary throughout their captivity. We need to remember this account of Daniel and his three friends when it seems as though it is impossible for us to be different from the world or even from fellow Christians who are following the world.


In the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen

Elder Philip A. Gill

Sermon: Gods Creation

As a child living in London I would always be looking up at the night sky. I would wish I could visit the moon, planets, and stars. I would wonder if there was life on them, and what they looked like. I saw photographs of the Milky Way, and galaxies. However living in South London limited my ability to see some of these objects. However when I spent several weeks holiday in a village called Gellilydan in North Wales. I was able to see the sky with no light pollution. I was able for the first time to see into the Milky Way, there were millions of stars. The whole of my being told me, there is a God out there, and I tried to reason how I fitted into the scheme of things. Later in life when people would say to me "there is no God" I would reply. "Have you looked at the night sky lately?"

In the book of Mormon there was a person called Korihor. He was an antichrist. Korihor is directly referred to in The Book of Mormon as an Anti-Christ; because he claimed that there would be no Christ. Korihor was able to preach his views to the people because of the land's freedom of religion. These teachings alarmed the clerical government in Zarahemla, who felt that his views were dangerous to their society, as people had begun to ignore the laws of the land (which were based on the religious beliefs of their society). Korihor attempted to preach to the people of Ammon, but the residents had kicked him out of Jershon. He also tried preaching in Gideon and he was arrested. Before a high priest, during a hearing for his apparent blasphemy and for causing social discord, Korihor offered a speech in his own defence. Korihor was turned over to a higher authority and later got into an argument with the chief judge and governor, Alma regarding the existence of God. Alma responded to Korihor's arguments, stating that all things testified that there is a God. Korihor finally demanded that Alma show him a sign from God or he, Korihor, would not believe in God. This culminated in Korihor being miraculously rendered deaf and mute, upon which Korihor confessed, in writing: - “I always knew that there was a God. But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say”. (Alma 30:52-53)

Korihor begged for forgiveness, but Alma, sensing that Korihor would go back to his wicked ways, cast Korihor out. Korihor became a beggar and was later trampled to death by the Zoramites, a group who had separated themselves from the main Nephite society. We Read in Alma:-

"And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words. But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and ^call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator. And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me a sign. And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed. But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldest be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people any more". (Alma 30: 43 - 47)

Jesus Christ has always been associated with light. Sometimes that association seems symbolic of the idea that light is good and evil is darkness, and the message of Christ is referred to as the gospel of light (2 Cor. 4: 4-6) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4 - 6)

Other times it seems more literal. For example, the Saviour said that he is the "light and life of the world," (John 8:12, 3 Nephi 9:18,) and later "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).

I pray that as we turn on the lights in our homes, as mentioned in my last sermon and now as we look to the sky, and see the sun moon, and stars. We are looking at God’s creations. We can look to God, His eternal plan, and live.

Amen.

Elder Peter C. Barber

Sermon: Our Place in the End Times

This week we have remembered those that died in the First World War. To lots of people it was a conflict many years ago, so long ago indeed that for many it can’t be recalled or indeed should never be so. Through the losses of life and the social changes that accompanied it we must remember it, it is a fact we can’t escape. While generations of families from all Social strata’s where effected with many of their loved ones never returning from this conflict, children left without fathers wives struggling to bring up children on their own.  We read in Psalms 27:3 ‘Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war should rise against me, in this am I confident’

Today we are fighting still, we are fighting against all forms of evil, tyranny, terrorism, inequality, all made to afflict man, all this used to great effect by Satan in his battle against righteousness. We need to protect our selves by wrapping our souls in the love of our lord. We put him at the head of our lives. Again we read in Psalms 29:1-2 ‘Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord Glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness’

In these end times we need to heed the teachings of the gospel and promptings of the Holy Ghost, being steadfast in prayer and fasting. In the D&C 88: 21 we read ‘Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting this time forth. And I give unto you a commandment, that you shall teach one another, the doctrine of the kingdom’

The war with Satan through his disciple the Anti-Christ in these end times will indeed make all conflicts in the past pale into insignificance. The Devil will be in much greater honour in the end times amongst the mass of the earth population, who will embrace the teachings of the Anti-Christ. The great positive in these end times to followers of the Saviour will be that we know the second coming of our Lord is imminent, and will usher in a thousand years of peace and love. In Revelation 19:16 and Revelation 20:1-2 we read ‘And he hath on a vesture, and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords…And I saw an Angel come down out of heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years’

Finally The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ is lead prophetically, using revelation coupled with scripture. In the Doctrine and Covenants 124:13 we read ‘And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto My name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein, unto My people, for I deign to reveal unto My church, things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to dispensations of the fullness of times’

Our Prophet Matthew Gill is a man with whom God has chosen to talk to and to give guidance and direction through, for his people and his church. My plea today to all those who will read this address, would be to come follow us especially those who are in other Mormon sects, come listen to a Prophets voice take heart in these end times, learn from a Prophet still receiving revelation from the Lord where our future lies.

Amen.

Elder Philip A. Gill

Sermon: Power in the Priesthood

In this world we are living in today with all the environmental issues relating to the consumption of energy whole new fields of science have developed in energy, and power. We hear experts speaking about its conservation. Chemical power, electric power, wind power, nuclear power. All these types of energy are all under intense experiments for development. The integral of power over time defines the work performed. Because this integral depends on the trajectory of the point of application of the force and torque, this calculation of work is said to be path dependent.

The same amount of work is done when carrying a load up a flight of stairs whether the person carrying it walks or runs, but more power is needed for running because the work is done in a shorter amount of time. The output power of an electric motor is the product of the torque that the motor generates and the angular velocity of its output shaft. The power involved in moving a vehicle is the product of the traction force of the wheels and the velocity of the vehicle. The rate at which a light bulb converts electrical energy into light and heat is measured in watts the higher the wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit time.

On the cutting edge of technology scientist are researching into a fusion reactor for commercial use. All these energies and power sources are a great blessing for us here on earth. The human body when examined from a power and energy perspective is a wonderful creation by our Father in heaven.

In the scriptures we learn that Satan sought to have God’s glory (His power) by the plan he proposed, but was rejected and Jesus Christ’s plan accepted. We are informed that one third of the heavenly host followed Satan, and were cast out, unable to advance any further.

(JST Revelation 12:6-9.)

6 And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought against Michael;

rev. 12:87 And the dragon prevailed not against Michael, neither the child, nor the woman which was the church of God, who had been delivered of her pains, and brought forth the kingdom of our God and his Christ.

rev. 12:98 Neither was there place found in heaven for the great dragon, who was cast out; that old serpent called the devil, and also called Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth; and his angels were cast out with him.

rev. 12:109 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ;

rev. 12:1010 For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

rev. 12:1211 For they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but kept the testimony even unto death. Therefore, rejoice O heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

rev. 12:1212 And after these things I heard another voice saying, Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, yea, and they who dwell upon the islands of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

In the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ we make reference to the power of the Melchizedek priesthood.

Doctrine, and Covenants 1835 107:37

"The Melchizedek priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power, and authority over all the offices in the church, in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things."

Without the spirit, power will corrupt, as we see in governments, legal systems, professional bodies, to name a few. So when we drive our cars, turn on a lights, cook our meals, walk, and run. This energy and power is given to us from above.

We pray we can use our energy, and power in ways that our Father in heaven is pleased as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By Elder Peter Barber