The Epistle of Christ

The Epistle of Christ

Paul puts forth a beautiful metaphor in his second letter to Corinth when he states that the people are Christ's epistle or letter.  Those who live as Christ would have them live and do as Christ would have them do are a testament to the rest of the world showing by example what Jesus would do.  We are better missionaries in our actions than in our words.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Nothing and Yet Everything

My 16 year old step-son was asked "How do we reconcile the ideas from the Bible that we are nothing in this world and yet everything to our Heavenly Father?"  This was his answer:

"In our hearts there is good and bad.  Whether we act on the good or bad intentions is our own decision.  When we act on the good and pure intentions, God sees us as His children and the worldly man sees us as nothing.  When we act on the bad and evil intentions God sees us as nothing because we are moving away from him and closer to Satan.  When we sin the worldly man accepts us and sees us as important."

In the great scheme of things, when we consider the vast universe, we are nothing.  One of my favorite quotes is from the movie Tombstone when Wyatt Earp's brother Morgan says, "Look at all the stars.  You look up and you think, God made all this and He remembered to make a little speck like me."  But to Heavenly Father each one of us is important.  He knows us 'from our Mother's womb' and has counted the hairs on our head.  We are each a part of His intricate plan.

We are nothing...
Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, tiill thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

And yet Everything to Him.
Matthew 10:29-31  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Basics of the Gospel

Important Basics of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

1. Follow Christ.
2. Be Baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost by one with authority.
3. Receive the Holy Ghost in the laying on of hands by one with authority.
4. Repent of wrongdoing by recognizing sins, feeling sorrow, making amends where possible, confessing if necessary and not doing it again.
5. Keep the Commandments (the most important being to love God and love our neighbor).
6. Endure to the end. 

"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."  Doctrine and Covenants 121:8

I Have Sinned

"I have sinned", I admit with much remorse, as I kneel before thee with my head bent and eyes welling with the salt of the earth, walked upon by many, knelt upon by few.  "Wipe the slate clean so that I may exist another day, only to sin again and to ask again for forgiveness."  'Tis the way of men and will always be the way.  We are born into sin and in sin we shall die.  But God's gift is the forgiveness of these daily sins so that we may some day be righteous with the Lord. - me

Thank you Prayer

This is a prayer I wrote after we moved to our new house that I love so much.
Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for spring. It always lifts my spirits. Thank you for the daffodils, the hyacinth and the pear trees. Thank you for the floral scents and the beautiful colors. Thank you for green grass, warmer temperatures and yellow sunshine. Thank you for longer days, blue skies and cool water. Thank you for a new start, for new growth, new life.

Thank you also for our new home. For the new carpet in the bedroom, for central air and heat. Thank you for the deck and the bay window. Thank you for the landscaping, the neighbors (with all their quirks) and new friends. Thank you for a house with no mice (as far as we know), for doors that lock and neighbors that wave when they drive by.

Thank you for family, for my Mom and Dad who have always supported me. For the kids who have become such a big part of our lives. For my husband, even when he is in a mood, he is still a great man.

Thank you for friends who I know would do anything for me. Thank you for too many blessings to mention. And, oh I almost forgot but then I heard the 'click-click' of his toe nails on the new pergo floor. Thank you for my dog, he means the world to me.

I pray thanks for all my many blessings in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ. Amen