What should we be doing while we live on this earth?
I Will Show Them Their Weaknesses
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
"Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me the fountain of all righteousness." (Ether 12:27,28)
In these passages we learn three important perceptions that are connected to us as mortals.
1 - That weaknesses are given to mankind on purpose through God.
2 - To those that humble themselves before God, will God reveal what their weaknesses are.
3 - If they will obtain faith, hope, and charity, God will help them to overcome their weaknesses, where they will no longer be weaknesses, and that person will become strong in those areas.
The First Perception
To explain the first perception.
What is a weakness? In regards to the subject that is meant, weakness pertains to a variable in a person's character, be it an emotional or a psychological issue.
To elaborate even further, a weakness may be a failing in a person's ability to reason in a given situation, or that they lack in fortitude to resist a certain circumstance or problem.
In essence, every person born to this world, has set in them a challenge in which they must overcome.
In a degree it is a gift from God, that in the effort to overcome it, a person is brought low in their perception of themselves.
That they are able to struggle with this intricate complication, and in so doing are able to be humbled in their state of being.
To be humble means a mental state of lowliness, of which means that they feel limited in their abilities, talents, courage or some facet of their character that they may see as a strength in others.
The reason that I say may, is because most people allow a weakness or weaknesses to continue in themselves, and never truly attempt to overcome them.
Therefore, all of mankind has weaknesses, and that it is a blessing from God to help them in this world if they desire such.
The Second Perception
Thus we come to the second perception as taught by the scripture.
To those that humble themselves before God, will God reveal what their weaknesses are.
The second phase is that of humbling oneself and in so doing, God will bless that person to learn his or her weaknesses.
In order to receive the blessing of being shown your weaknesses, what must a person do to humble themselves? To truly humble oneself, it is to have a true perception of one's actual character, abilities, attributes, or disposition.
The Savior presented a technique in being able to humble oneself.
" And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? " (Matthew 7:3)
This method of introspection is the best manner in which to become humble.
To look at ones self sincerely, dissecting one's failings, behavior, or character.
But to do this, a person must do it with a sincere intent, with the attitude that they desire to learn their imperfections, so that they can overcome them.
To seek one's failings sincerely, will create an emotional disruption. It will cause one to become sad, dejected, with a feeling of ineptness, or even morose.
As a person commences this process of learning their weaknesses, they must remember to do so with the intent to be a true vessel unto God, unto His glory and His will.
"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
"Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will." (D&C 88:67,68)
That the whole program is to organize the children of the Gods to develop them to a greater level of righteousness, to serve God more proficiently.
Prayer
To accomplish this activity the process is to be accomplished with much prayer.
The prayers need to be a supplication wherein that they may lead to a knowledge of their weaknesses.
As one does so with prayer and fasting, concentrating on the spiritual impressions, thoughts, and recognition of their actions or others may come to their notice.
Thus they will be able to recognize what their weaknesses are, and to be open to overcoming them.
Third Perception
The first part of this next perception is thus -
If they will obtain faith, hope, and charity; that through this, God will help a person to overcome their weaknesses.
These three variables in a person helps them to be able to overcome the weaknesses they learn about in themselves.
Faith
The first, is that of faith.
Faith is action according to a belief, wherein that they are led to this belief by the evidence of things of a spiritual nature, but are true and of God. In essence they learn to overcome things through the assistance of spiritual entities.
With an understanding of one's weaknesses, and their attempts to overcome them, that through faith a person can receive help through the spirit.
This comes through the spirit who brings to remembrance their goal to overcome their weaknesses. To be able to concentrate on not failing in the weaknesses. Remember that a weakness is like the eating of a steer. In one sitting it cannot be done, nor in a few sittings.
Yet, if one concentrates on the task, they will eventually eat away the weakness.
It is also given to know that relapses, or allowances of a weakness, are like a renewal of the weakness. One must resist strongly the desire to continue in the weakness, or they will lose ground to it.
Hope
The concept of hope is the moving force in which faith works.
One receives direction of a certain thing, and that hope in the obtaining the blessing is the moving force to do it.
A person can be told to go on a journey, and that at the end of it is a reward. Wherefore, a person goes on the journey not because of the directions, but a hope that it is true, and that he will be rewarded in his fulfilling the journey.
Thus the hope for the reward is essential to the program of the development of faith.
Charity
Last of all there is charity.
What is charity? Charity is the payment for the reward.
In essence, God requires payment for the assistance of the revealing of the weaknesses of the person, and of helping them to overcome them.
That charity, or the activity of selflessness, love towards your fellow beings, and mercy, are the payments required.
Wherefore, through faith, one receives assistance to overcome the weakness. With hope, they are moved to continue to endure through the times of trial. And with charity to their fellow beings, they pay the price for the assistance from God.
Weaknesses Become Strengths
The final part of this promise, is that your weaknesses are to become your strengths. This increases the reward, for in its promise, God says that He will help you beyond its measure, even to that of the weakness becoming a strength, no more to be a temptation.
With an understanding of overcoming weaknesses, then can a person become righteous before God, and to which they are able to act in His behalf to a greater measure.
This is part of the process of becoming holy, and thus being able to be sanctified through the spirit unto the renewing of their body, and spirit unto a perfect being.
This is the manner to overcome weaknesses, and to be able to be increased in their abilities to have faith.
Thus, through faith in God, Christ and the Holy Ghost can all of this world be blessed.
Amen.
I Will Show Them Their Weaknesses
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
"Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me the fountain of all righteousness." (Ether 12:27,28)
In these passages we learn three important perceptions that are connected to us as mortals.
1 - That weaknesses are given to mankind on purpose through God.
2 - To those that humble themselves before God, will God reveal what their weaknesses are.
3 - If they will obtain faith, hope, and charity, God will help them to overcome their weaknesses, where they will no longer be weaknesses, and that person will become strong in those areas.
The First Perception
To explain the first perception.
What is a weakness? In regards to the subject that is meant, weakness pertains to a variable in a person's character, be it an emotional or a psychological issue.
To elaborate even further, a weakness may be a failing in a person's ability to reason in a given situation, or that they lack in fortitude to resist a certain circumstance or problem.
In essence, every person born to this world, has set in them a challenge in which they must overcome.
In a degree it is a gift from God, that in the effort to overcome it, a person is brought low in their perception of themselves.
That they are able to struggle with this intricate complication, and in so doing are able to be humbled in their state of being.
To be humble means a mental state of lowliness, of which means that they feel limited in their abilities, talents, courage or some facet of their character that they may see as a strength in others.
The reason that I say may, is because most people allow a weakness or weaknesses to continue in themselves, and never truly attempt to overcome them.
Therefore, all of mankind has weaknesses, and that it is a blessing from God to help them in this world if they desire such.
The Second Perception
Thus we come to the second perception as taught by the scripture.
To those that humble themselves before God, will God reveal what their weaknesses are.
The second phase is that of humbling oneself and in so doing, God will bless that person to learn his or her weaknesses.
In order to receive the blessing of being shown your weaknesses, what must a person do to humble themselves? To truly humble oneself, it is to have a true perception of one's actual character, abilities, attributes, or disposition.
The Savior presented a technique in being able to humble oneself.
" And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? " (Matthew 7:3)
This method of introspection is the best manner in which to become humble.
To look at ones self sincerely, dissecting one's failings, behavior, or character.
But to do this, a person must do it with a sincere intent, with the attitude that they desire to learn their imperfections, so that they can overcome them.
To seek one's failings sincerely, will create an emotional disruption. It will cause one to become sad, dejected, with a feeling of ineptness, or even morose.
As a person commences this process of learning their weaknesses, they must remember to do so with the intent to be a true vessel unto God, unto His glory and His will.
"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
"Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will." (D&C 88:67,68)
That the whole program is to organize the children of the Gods to develop them to a greater level of righteousness, to serve God more proficiently.
Prayer
To accomplish this activity the process is to be accomplished with much prayer.
The prayers need to be a supplication wherein that they may lead to a knowledge of their weaknesses.
As one does so with prayer and fasting, concentrating on the spiritual impressions, thoughts, and recognition of their actions or others may come to their notice.
Thus they will be able to recognize what their weaknesses are, and to be open to overcoming them.
Third Perception
The first part of this next perception is thus -
If they will obtain faith, hope, and charity; that through this, God will help a person to overcome their weaknesses.
These three variables in a person helps them to be able to overcome the weaknesses they learn about in themselves.
Faith
The first, is that of faith.
Faith is action according to a belief, wherein that they are led to this belief by the evidence of things of a spiritual nature, but are true and of God. In essence they learn to overcome things through the assistance of spiritual entities.
With an understanding of one's weaknesses, and their attempts to overcome them, that through faith a person can receive help through the spirit.
This comes through the spirit who brings to remembrance their goal to overcome their weaknesses. To be able to concentrate on not failing in the weaknesses. Remember that a weakness is like the eating of a steer. In one sitting it cannot be done, nor in a few sittings.
Yet, if one concentrates on the task, they will eventually eat away the weakness.
It is also given to know that relapses, or allowances of a weakness, are like a renewal of the weakness. One must resist strongly the desire to continue in the weakness, or they will lose ground to it.
Hope
The concept of hope is the moving force in which faith works.
One receives direction of a certain thing, and that hope in the obtaining the blessing is the moving force to do it.
A person can be told to go on a journey, and that at the end of it is a reward. Wherefore, a person goes on the journey not because of the directions, but a hope that it is true, and that he will be rewarded in his fulfilling the journey.
Thus the hope for the reward is essential to the program of the development of faith.
Charity
Last of all there is charity.
What is charity? Charity is the payment for the reward.
In essence, God requires payment for the assistance of the revealing of the weaknesses of the person, and of helping them to overcome them.
That charity, or the activity of selflessness, love towards your fellow beings, and mercy, are the payments required.
Wherefore, through faith, one receives assistance to overcome the weakness. With hope, they are moved to continue to endure through the times of trial. And with charity to their fellow beings, they pay the price for the assistance from God.
Weaknesses Become Strengths
The final part of this promise, is that your weaknesses are to become your strengths. This increases the reward, for in its promise, God says that He will help you beyond its measure, even to that of the weakness becoming a strength, no more to be a temptation.
With an understanding of overcoming weaknesses, then can a person become righteous before God, and to which they are able to act in His behalf to a greater measure.
This is part of the process of becoming holy, and thus being able to be sanctified through the spirit unto the renewing of their body, and spirit unto a perfect being.
This is the manner to overcome weaknesses, and to be able to be increased in their abilities to have faith.
Thus, through faith in God, Christ and the Holy Ghost can all of this world be blessed.
Amen.