What are the most common verses of scripture? What I mean is, what verses have you heard or read more than any other? First Nephi 1:1? Maybe John 3:16? I am willing to bet that the most common verses to you are the sacrament prayers. I’m sure you have heard them hundreds and hundreds of times more than any other verses. Perhaps you have been hearing them every week, for as many years as you have been alive; that is a lot. So what do the prayers say? Could you quote them? Ok, maybe not, but could you say the promises you make that are stated in the sacrament prayers? The promises you are supposedly recommitting yourself to each week since you were baptized?
This brings us to the second part of the last blog post about how we can find greater power in our lives through the gospel ordinances. If you remember, we talked about those silly Israelites who finally learned to perform the outward aspects of the ordinances, but had forgotten the inward things that are to happen. Are we any better with the way we participate in the ordinances? What I mean is, what was going through your mind during the sacrament on Sunday? I know it can be difficult to concentrate. I’m sure my family has been responsible for distracting more than a few through the years. But what were you thinking about? When the sacrament prayer was prayed, was your mind engaged or on an autopilot stupor?
Again, what are the three promises we make? Take upon us His name, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. On Sunday when you took the sacrament, did you think about those things or just go through the outward motions of worship? Were there motions without emotions?
How do you think our Heavenly Father feels about the sacrament if we are just going through the outward actions of worship, without our hearts being engaged? On the other hand, how would He feel about the following thoughts while the sacrament was being passed, “Lord, I know I was far from everything I should have been this last week, but help me to do better. Please help me to act more like the Savior this week. Help me to keep my thoughts more on Him more. And help me to overcome my struggles with…” How would God feel about such a prayer? With such a prayer, do you think the sacrament would bring more power into the life of such a believer? Instead of just one, what difference would it make in our wards and stakes if every one of us, every week, was consciously pleading for the Lord’s help to be better that week with the three promises of the sacrament? Would it not transform with power, our lives and our wards and stakes?
This power isn’t just with the sacrament. When you see a baptism or do baptisms for the dead, are you also trying to put to death your old natural man, and coming forth in a newness of life (Romans 6:4; D&C 20:37)? When you see the Gift of the Holy Ghost given, do you also recommit yourself to “receive the Holy Ghost” in your own life? When you go to the temple, do you inwardly reconfirm those beautiful promises with yourself? If you do, then there is power there.
In carefully doing these inward aspects is where the Power is to live the lives we should; when both the inward and outward of the ordinances are happening properly. This is when lives are transformed with God’s power. So when will you be participating in the next ordinance? How will you be worshipping?
Official Holidays & Observances This Week
May 30th - June 5th
Monday Memorial Day
Tuesday What You Think Upon Grows Day
Wednesday Say Something Nice Day
Thursday National Running Day
Friday Donut Day
Saturday Drawing Day or Pencil Day
Sunday
This brings us to the second part of the last blog post about how we can find greater power in our lives through the gospel ordinances. If you remember, we talked about those silly Israelites who finally learned to perform the outward aspects of the ordinances, but had forgotten the inward things that are to happen. Are we any better with the way we participate in the ordinances? What I mean is, what was going through your mind during the sacrament on Sunday? I know it can be difficult to concentrate. I’m sure my family has been responsible for distracting more than a few through the years. But what were you thinking about? When the sacrament prayer was prayed, was your mind engaged or on an autopilot stupor?
Again, what are the three promises we make? Take upon us His name, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. On Sunday when you took the sacrament, did you think about those things or just go through the outward motions of worship? Were there motions without emotions?
How do you think our Heavenly Father feels about the sacrament if we are just going through the outward actions of worship, without our hearts being engaged? On the other hand, how would He feel about the following thoughts while the sacrament was being passed, “Lord, I know I was far from everything I should have been this last week, but help me to do better. Please help me to act more like the Savior this week. Help me to keep my thoughts more on Him more. And help me to overcome my struggles with…” How would God feel about such a prayer? With such a prayer, do you think the sacrament would bring more power into the life of such a believer? Instead of just one, what difference would it make in our wards and stakes if every one of us, every week, was consciously pleading for the Lord’s help to be better that week with the three promises of the sacrament? Would it not transform with power, our lives and our wards and stakes?
This power isn’t just with the sacrament. When you see a baptism or do baptisms for the dead, are you also trying to put to death your old natural man, and coming forth in a newness of life (Romans 6:4; D&C 20:37)? When you see the Gift of the Holy Ghost given, do you also recommit yourself to “receive the Holy Ghost” in your own life? When you go to the temple, do you inwardly reconfirm those beautiful promises with yourself? If you do, then there is power there.
In carefully doing these inward aspects is where the Power is to live the lives we should; when both the inward and outward of the ordinances are happening properly. This is when lives are transformed with God’s power. So when will you be participating in the next ordinance? How will you be worshipping?
Official Holidays & Observances This Week
May 30th - June 5th
Monday Memorial Day
Tuesday What You Think Upon Grows Day
Wednesday Say Something Nice Day
Thursday National Running Day
Friday Donut Day
Saturday Drawing Day or Pencil Day
Sunday
RSS Feed
