Faith and Repentance--
We are so blessed to have such great teachers in R.S. If you miss a lesson, you miss out. Each one is so inspirational and makes us want to do better. And that's all we can ask for is to try to do better every day. Do better than we did yesterday.
Chapter 5--"What we need in the Church, as well as out of it, is repentance.. We need more faith and more determination to serve the Lord." President Joseph Fielding Smith.
President Smith in his travels was encourage to tell the saints that now is the day of repentance and to remember their covenants, the promises they have made with the Lord, to keep his commandments, and follow the teachings and the instructions of the elders of Israel, the prophets of God.
President Smith told a congregation why he spoke with a warning voice. "Who is your friend, or who loves you the most? The person who tells you all is well in Aion, that pros[perity is around the corner or the person who warns you of the calamities and difficulties that are promised unless the rpinciples of the gospel are lived? I want you to know that I love the members of the Chruch, and I do not want one of them to point an accusing finger at me when we pass beyond the veil of mortal existence and say, "If you had only warned me I would not be in this predicament."
1. The first principle of the gospel is FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ.
By faith we come to God. It we did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if we had no faith in Him or in His atonement, we would not be inclined to pay any heed to His commandments.
2. Faith means action.
Faith is the moving cause of all action. Read James 2:26 The mere desire to obtain faith will not bring faith any more than the desire to be skilled in music or painting will bring proficiency in these things withou intelligent action. There is where our trouble comes.
Rochelle talked about a story that she had read about someone that did something that they thought they could never do!! The book--The Faith Experiement. Great story.
She also referred to the article in the most recent Ensign on the Faith and Fortitude of Women in the Old Testament. Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah, and Deborah. Great examples of faith and determination. With each story comes with a lesson and What Can I do? It would be great to read it. Lots of thought.
3. Repentance is the second principle of the gospel and is essential to our salvation and exaltation.
Read 2 Nephi 28:7-9. There is no place in Zion for the wilful sinner. There is a place for the repentant sinner, for the man who turns away from iniquity and seeks for life eternal and the light of the Gospel. We need repentance, and we need to be told to repent!!
4. In the principle of repentacne , ther mercy of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is made manifest.
What a dreadful thing it would be if there were no forgivness of sin and no means for the remission of sin for those who are hubly repentant!! We can only imagine in part the horror that would overtake us, if we had to endure the punishment of our transgressions forever and ever withou the hope of any relief. How is the relief obtained? By whom may it be obtained?
5. Repentance includes sincere sorrow for sins and complete turning from sin.
It includes a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
Repentance is a gift of God. Our conscience and the scriptures tell us what to live by--and they tell us what habits we should change for our eternal welfare and progress.
6. The time to repent is NOW!!
7. We owe it to the world to raise a voice of warning!! We do owe it to the world to raise a voice of warning, and especially to the members of the Church D&C 88:81
GREAT LESSON!! WE ALL NEEDED TO HEAR IT!! Thanks Rochelle for doing such a great job!!!
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