Sunday 21 February 2016

Sunday's Sermon: Recognising Our Personal Guidance of The Spirit

A serious difficulty that we experience in our desire to receive guidance of the spirit are as to our thoughts, impressions, and opinions are generated by our own thoughts or from the Holy Ghost.
 
Most of us do not receive great visions, or visits from angels. So the question is how can we know for certain when we are being guided by God. We can find an exceptional example of personal revelation from an experience by Oliver Cowdery. Two important revelations, and counsels were revealed to him in April 1829.
 
1 Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which has been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit. Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
 
2 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. (D&C 8:1-2)
 
The second revelation to Oliver defines a very clear format, or structure.
 
3 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me. (D&C 9:3)
 
Another example is found in Acts. Philip was travelling along the road to Gaza and passed by a chariot of a high Ethiopian court official. The spirit said unto Philip go near and join thyself to this chariot.
 
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
 
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
 
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
 
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. (Acts 8 26-29)
 
There are three specific physiognomies to understand any message by the Holy Ghost. A definite message; a definite purpose, and a persistence until they are either accepted, or rejected. There is a physical sensation connected with these revelations from the Holy Ghost. A burning in the bosom and a feeling that the inspiration, decision, or instruction is correct. As we read in Luke 24:32
 
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:31)
 
In closing Moroni taught that the testing process can only be carried out in faith, and without doubt as we read in Mormon 9:49-51
 
49 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth. And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ?

50 Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish. O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need.

51 Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
 
In closing we can experience the blessing of personal guidance, and have these feeling of Certainty, joy and happiness, peace, calmness, and security, fearlessness, an attraction, and a heavenly feelings.
 
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Apostle & Third Elder Peter Barber

Sunday 14 February 2016

Sunday's Sermons: Be happy With Yourself A Body Principle & Doing What Is Right Again and Again


Be Happy With Yourself
A Body Principle

The prophet Joseph Smith stated  “we came to the earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom”.  Our spirits will be united with our body that is the great principle we are taught. D&C 88
 
Joseph taught that Satan’s punishment for open rebellion is that he shall not have a mortal body and without this he cannot progress.
 
The natural man is led by his bodily passions. To control these is important just as it is important to control our spiritual passions. We must not forget that before our mortal probation and before we came to earth and gained a body we were still capable of sin, hence the third of hosts who followed Satan.
 
The doctrines of many modern religions maintain that the spirit is immaterial and therefore only the spirit is immortal. At death accordingly, the body ceases to be: The resurrection is of the spirit only. After death our immortal selves will be spirit only. Modern day revelation states we will receive a uniting of the body and the spirit, only God the father is of spirit only.
 
Amulek taught that in the resurrection men are raised “from the first death unto life. That they can die no more: their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided …. They can no more see corruption (Alma 11.45)
 
D&C 88-4 states “the spirit and the body are the soul of man” The famous theologian James Talmage wrote “it is peculiar to the theology of followers of Mormonism that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul…. Nowhere outside of our faith is the solemn and eternal truth taught. The apostle Paul spoke of the glory of the body when he asked the Corinthians, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God” (1cor. 3:16) the Lord often brings the holiness of our bodies to our attention. Read section 93 of the D&C. Having a body is a blessing. It is a gift we received for following the plan of salvation and keeping our first estate. It is fundamental to our theology that the process of sanctification involves. Not only the spirit but the body as well. The Lord promises “your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
 
To be truly in tune we need an eye single to the glory of God our Heavenly Father. He is a being who has through obedience to the laws that govern our very existence become deity an exalted entity that does not need a physical body, we however not only need it but it is our duty to understand we will be resurrected to have both. It is a wicked teaching that says our Father has a body of flesh and bone, our Prophet Joseph Smith never taught this as a law. And so I proclaim that this doctrine taught by the prophet Joseph Smith and re-taught by our living Prophet Matthew Gill will remain as it is an eternal truth and one that will follow us from this life unto the next whatever kingdom we achieve.
 
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Apostle Elder Philip A. Gill
 
 
 
Doing What is Right Again and Again
The first cordless phone was made by God. It was the model called Prayer. It never loses its signal. The recharging is done by the holy spirit and sending text through the scriptures. When we spread His word around the world, we're not only smart, we also shine brighter than the sun!! Use our resources of prayer to connect with God.
 
"Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we". (GK Chesterton).
 
“No sight so sad as that of a naughty child," he began, "especially a naughty little girl. Do you know where the wicked go after death
"They go to hell," was my ready and orthodox answer.
"And what is hell? Can you tell me that?"
"A pit full of fire."
"And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there for ever?"
"No, sir."
"What must you do to avoid it?"
I deliberated a moment: my answer, when it did come was objectionable: "I must keep in good health and not die.” (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre).
 
My Brothers and sisters. I love the gospel and I love God and I love prayer and speaking to God and as long as I live I will always do it repeatedly over and over again until the day I die so that I may be in good standing with God when I meet him in the world to come. Although it may be hard and sometimes it may feel as if the phone line is busy, keep calling because God is always listening he never forgets. let us remember that he asked us to pray unto him in secret and promised that he would answer all prayers. With this sure knowledge that God our Father does answer prayers we should strive all our lives to pray and offer our supplications unto him in a and through the name of our saviour Jesus Christ. I know prayer works I have seen it in my own life many times ands o I bear witness that it is a true principle and something that is right and we should be doing what is right again and again.
 
In The Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Priest Sister Alyson Gill
Church Compassionate Service Provider

 

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