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)

SERMON: Satan and His Powers

A Sermon by Matthew P. Gill

In the life of everyone here comes the conflict between good and evil, between Satan and the Lord…Evil and good influences will be ever present. We must all decide what we are going to choose. The scriptures say in The Book of Mormon in Second Nephi “Wherefore, men are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself”

Many of you read newspapers, many of you watch television, some of you these days might still listen to the radio, still some others of you read books and magazines. Much of this media is imbedded into your consciousness, and its only aim is to lead you astray.

Don’t forget that a lot of what you read is scurrilous. It is designed to tempt you. You are all intelligent beings of the Father omnipotent. You have learned in infancy what is right, now you must make your own decisions in determining if it is right or wrong. Let us not forget that if our life decisions are to be responsible and of sound base, we must be prepared and armed with the knowledge concerning Satan’s plan and purpose, his past performances, and his ongoing designs.

With this in mind, our first steps in combating Satan and his evil influence is to recognise that Satan is real - that he actually exists. We live in an age where men not only depersonalise God but also the devil. Their so-called sophistication and error have allowed them to do this. Under this misguided concept, to them Satan is a myth; useful for keeping people straight in less enlightened times, but outmoded and outdated in our supposedly “educated” and “intellectual” age.

But be warned, nothing is further from the truth or reality. The scriptures say in Chapter 12 of the Book of Jeraneck, “A warning I give that all those that stray from the paths of the Almighty Lord of Heaven are in the grip of the evil one and he is waiting to drag you down to hell” (12:48)

Let us not be fooled, Satan is very much a personal, individual personage of spirit, but he does not posses a mortal body. His desire to steal each of us and take us to his own personal eternal kingdom is no less ardent in wickedness than our Heavenly Father’s desire to attract us to his by His righteousness.

However, since Satan’s unsuccessful attempt to rob man of his agency, in the grand council in Heaven, Satan has been, “Going to and fro in the earth, and…walking up and down in it” (Job 1:7) We must remember that at the commencement and opening of every dispensation, he has made a frontal attack against the advent of truth. Let us remember that it was he who led one third of the hosts of Heaven astray and turned them against the Lord, and they are now part of Satan’s unrighteous following even today (see D&C 10:10 (1835)/39:36 Utah version.)

Fortunately for us, the Spirit and our knowledge of truth both help us recognise Satan and his workings. Regardless of Satan’s positive scriptural identification, “the general acceptance of Satan’s declaration, ‘I am not the devil, for there is none’ (2 Nephi) accounts in large measure for the decadence in our deteriorating society today.

As Latter Day Mormons we need not be, and we must not be, deceived by the sophistries of men concerning the reality of Satan. There is a personal devil, and we had better believe it. He and a countless host of followers, seen and unseen, are exercising a controlling influence upon men and their affairs in our world today, this is no time for Latter Day Mormons to equivocate.

Jesus taught, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). We know that to qualify us to prevail against Satan and his wicked hosts, we have been given the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that the spirit of Christ and the power of his priesthood are ample shield to the power of Satan. We know that there is given to each of us the gift and companionship of the great comforter, the Holy Ghost,  it is this great power of revelation which embraces the gift of discernment by which we may unerringly detect the devil and the counterfeits he is so successfully foisting upon this lost and gullible generation.

Therefore, we must not allow ourselves to be led astray by Satan’s deceptions. We have the gospel of Jesus Christ, the strengthening influence of prayer, and the all powerful priesthood of God. With these as our allies we can avoid Satan’s influence. As we resist Satan, his influence in our lives weakens, and we grow stronger in Christ.

Matthew Gill

Scripture Reading: D&C 36:4 (1835) "wo be unto him that lieth to deceive"

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.”
Doctrine & Covenants 36:4 (10:28/Utah)

Scripture Reading: Book of Jeraneck 16:123-124 "...For the people had been warned..."

"I returned to the great temple, and I went unto the holy room of the temple and I cried unto the Almighty. And while I was crying unto him for the sake of my people, the Spirit came upon me and it bore witness to me that the Almighty Jesus the Lord would stretch forth his hand in an instant and save us, but the people would not listen and they would not return to him; and because of this, he is bound by the Almighty law to fulfill that which he had revealed to his many Prophets concerning the destruction of my people. For the people had been warned that if they left the paths of righteousness they would be wiped from this sacred land."

- Book of Jeraneck 16:123-124

Click HERE to learn more about the Book of Jeraneck and the People of the Light!

Scripture Reading: Book of Jeraneck 15:29-32 "...I decided to kneel and ask the Almighty for answers..."

"I, Jeraneck, being thirteen years of age, was led by the spirit of the Lord into a valley and from that valley into a great forest; and while I was in this forest my mind became centred on the things of the Almighty in so much that I desired to know of many things. And it was while I was wondering in my mind that I decided to kneel and ask the Almighty for answers to all the things that I wondered after. It was while I was pouring out my heart unto the Almighty that a great light gathered and I beheld in that light a parsonage and I became afraid and I was about to get to my feet and run when the personage spoke to me and his voice was like thunder and it shook me to my very soul and I stayed kneeling upon the ground and I listened to the personage and he said unto me. ‘Jeraneck, behold I am the Almighty, the Lamb, the Holy One of Heaven.'"

- Book of Jeraneck, Ch. 15:29-32

Click HERE to learn more about the Book of Jeraneck!

Scripture Reading Jacob 2 (2:18-19) “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."

“But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good - to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.” - Jacob Chapter 2 (2:18-19 Utah) 

Scripture Reading Book of Jeraneck 14:55-56 "“Now the followers of Christ who were arrayed on the other side of the valley were indeed righteous."

“Now the followers of Christ who were arrayed on the other side of the valley were indeed righteous.  For it was through them that a record of this great war was preserved and it was through them that the records of the people were kept from destruction and it is thanks to them that I do now compile this record, for it was through them that the ways of the Almighty were preserved upon this land.  The armies of Christ were arrayed in great armour and they had weapons. Their weapons were also great and they were met to do battle.”

- Book of Jeraneck, Chapter 14:55-56

On the Value of Honesty: A Statement by the Prophet Matthew Gill

     "We Believe in being honest..." 
- Article 14, Articles of Faith of The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ

On the Value of Honesty

A Statement by the Prophet Matthew Gill

Honesty is the glue that holds our civilization together. It helps us remain true to ourselves and makes us men and women of integrity. Honesty builds trust and character in ourselves and in our dealings with others. And it is the thread that, when unraveled, tears human beings apart from one another, destroying families and individuals alike.

In scripture, we learn of many powerful examples of honesty that illustrate honesty's importance and its ability to make our lives more whole and meaningful. The Lord Jesus Christ taught that those are with "an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it," will "bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15)

How, then, can we be less than honest, if the Lord commands it?

Heavenly Father tells us that He considers a lying tongue to be "an abomination" (Proverbs 6:19) and that the lips that tell truth are "established forever." (Prov. 12:19)

In ancient Israel, God’s chosen Prophets often spoke honestly to warn of dangers - those that were hazards to both the moral and spiritual well being of God's people.

The people of Nephi, the Book of Alma says, were "numbered among the people who were of the church of God." They were said to be "perfectly honest and upright in all things." (Alma 27:27 Utah)

As Latter Day Mormons, we believe that God has never left us without Prophets - men of God who were tellers of Truth to God's people. These men told the Israelites, the Nephites on the American continent and the People of Light in the British Isles the Truth about God, and the need for God's people to be truthful.

In the Book of Helaman, Nephi said he was an "honest man" sent "unto you from God." (Helaman 9:36 Utah) “And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of God. And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I am sent unto you from God.” The Book of Mormon Helaman 9:36)

To the Gentiles in the Ancient Roman world, the Apostle Paul urged men to hold fast to honesty and honest dealings with men, saying, "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” (2 Corinthians 13:7) “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” Hebrews 13:18) “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” Romans 13:13)

The Latter Day Prophet Joseph Smith, in Doctrine and Covenants, calls upon us to seek honesty in our dealings with others, and to seek out honest men with which to associate.

The Prophet Joseph calls for us to "let every man deal honestly, and be alike among this people, and receive alike, that ye may be one, even as I have commanded you.” (D&C 51:9 Utah; 23:2 1835) And: “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.” (D&C 98:10 Utah; )

Today, in these latter days, I urge you to heed the Prophets and Apostles of old to provide  for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men (2 Corinthians 8:21) and to reflect upon their holy words about the sacredness of honesty.

All things of value are wrapped in honestly and truth. Those who tell the truth revere Heavenly Father and His Prophets. Those who shun truth shun God Himself. Be honest for the sake of Heavenly Father and His people, and blessings will be upon you.

Matthew Gill

Prophet, Seer and Revelator,

Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ