Judged by our works

I am going to write today on a topic that I myself must heed and listen to as I read, and when I  studied this the realization came that through the power of the Holy ghost i am to be taught  that I must take a look at myself and ask the question.

Are my intentions really sincere? 

Do I do my utmost best to carry them through?

And most of all what will I say when heavenly father asks “did you do good works?”

Brothers and sisters we must also take a look at ourselves for none of us are perfect none of us can say with assurety that we are ready for that question when we return to our heavenly father, we all fall short sometimes but we can rectify this situation now by changing who we are for the better.

Elder Sterling W. Sill
of the First Quorum of the Seventy – New Era July 1983

We are going to be judged by our works, not by our intentions, and it may seem pretty empty then to hear the old cliché that “the path to hell is paved with good intentions.”Too frequently we don’t let the left hand of intention know what the right hand of activity is actually doing. We plant a great ideal in our minds and then make so many deviations that the exception tends to become the rule.

The obligation we all have to serve in our communities and do good works is in reality an opportunity given by our Heavenly Father. When we approach it in the right spirit, with the right principles and goals in mind, we will bring blessings into the lives of others and enrich our own lives as well.

·      Approach service in your community with no thought of any particular benefit or personal opportunity except to make your city, area or the lives of someone else better.

·      Assess your own talents, abilities, interests, and time, and then volunteer to serve where you believe you can make a contribution.

·      Let your works prove your commitment; let your consistent, dedicated service speak for itself. Be patient if it takes time to build credibility, to prove you’re not there simply to do missionary work.

·      Reach beyond your friendships in the ward or branch when you socialize and serve. Help dissipate untrue impressions that Latter-day Saints are a closed society and do not enjoy friendships outside the Church.

·      Learn the pure joy of giving anonymous service. When you thoughtfully, sensitively, and prayerfully consider your course, your actions can change lives for generations, especially the lives of those who are embarrassed or reluctant about seeking or receiving help.

·      Approach your own labours with diligence and joyful love of Christ.

·      Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great”

I am going to share with you a parable that was impressed upon me in a dream

The story begins when a couple go to stay over with a friend, the friend lives in a very spacious home with a very large living area that has a very large set of stairs leading to the second floor.

After a very tiring day the couple retire to the master bedroom to sleep and as they are sleeping they are awakened by the sound of howling, they turn to each other and say “well,  it is outside we are safe in here”. So they turn over and go back to sleep.  Just as they are getting into a deep sleep they are awakened again, this time by the sound of their friend screaming for help.  As the man turns to get up he is confronted by a wolf on the bed staring down at him snarling and bearing its teeth.

Now this presents a problem, their friend is screaming for help but the man is too afraid to get up and help as he is being prevented from doing so by the wolf.

What should he do? Or we should ask what would I do?

At this time I am wondering and have pondered the meaning of the first part of the story the significance of the large home and the large living area and stairs, I will ponder this more but maybe you could ponder this yourselves and ask what does it mean to me or my family and possibly what does it mean to us as latter day saints in general.

We can liken this story to our intentions of doing good works but never carry them out, we, like that man can sometimes have every good intention but when we are faced with our own wolves trying to stop us we back off and never continue with the course that leads to blessings and Celestial glory.

But remember as I have said Good works should never be carried out with the thought that we will receive a blessing for it is true yes we will receive a blessing for doing so but we should be mindful that we should do it with love and compassion for others that Christ showed us and that it can give us strength spiritually to carry out church callings and to carry forward the work of Christ.

The prophet Mormon wrote in Mormon 3:20

: “Ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil”

Brigham young understood the power of good works and what it can do for us as latter day saints.

Although farming wasn’t easy, Brigham liked working hard. He understood that he would be judged by his good work and deeds. Not being afraid of hard work helped Brigham fulfill his calling as the second President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

All too often we offer our services in some project or event and when we do it we do it with every intention of carrying it out but when the time comes we simply say oh I wish I had never said I would do that, how can I get out of this? Or some such question we pose ourselves that is not showing the pure love of the act.

We all remember the story of Nephi when Heavenly father commanded him to take his two brothers Laman and Lemuel to return to Jerusalem and retrieve the brass Plates. Nephi wanted to do that which was commanded but when he impressed upon his brothers what had to be done his brothers murmured and could do nothing but look for a way out of it.

When faced with a project or chance to do good works do we do as Nephi? Or as Laman and Lemuel?

Elder Keith Crockett
of the Seventy

Laid out some principles for us to remember:

1.Remain Humble

2.Call upon the Lord Daily

3.Stand Steadfast

Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.”  Brother Crockett also went on to say “Brothers and sisters, these blessings can be ours if we will apply these same three principles in our lives. Those Saints in King Benjamin’s day were promised that if they would do this, they would always rejoice and be filled with the love of God. This gave them power in retaining a remission of their sins. They were promised that they would grow in the knowledge of the Lord and in the knowledge of that which was just and true. They would have no mind to injure one another but would live at peace with one another. They would discipline their children with love and teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness. They would love one another and serve one another. They would impart of their substance to care for the poor, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to take care of the sick. They would administer relief to their fellowmen both spiritually and temporally. What greater blessing could we ask for?”

As brothers and sisters of Christ we must stand for all to see that we are indeed a marvelous people striving to do all that is required of us and spreading love, joy, peace, Charity and the ability to carry out marvelous works wherever we go.

As a young man I was just taking on the job as supervisor in a retail store, one piece of advice my manager gave me was to lead by example, if I was to do that then asking others to do whatever I asked would not be difficult as they would see that I was not afraid of hard work, I took this advice and applied it and found that it was the simplest but greatest advice I could receive.

I have tried to apply this to my personal life just as I did my work life and found that it does indeed work, If we set the example for our children or indeed onlookers that we are not afraid of hard work or to do that which Heavenly Father wants us to do then they indeed will walk in the same light and live the way we would hope they would. It can be difficult sometimes to do so but if we ask for strength from Heavenly father we will surely be blessed and find it easier to do so.

Remember the three principles:

1.Remain Humble

2.Call upon the Lord Daily

3.Stand Steadfast

I myself know I have much to do before I can stand before Heavenly Father and say “Yes I did good works, and I did it with a joyful heart and singing praises unto thee as I did so”. The love and joy that comes from the gospel can be positive in many ways I have come to realise this. The savior showed pure love to me and in turn I hope to show pure love to him and our fellowmen by living that which I have learnt.

The prophet is and was Joseph smith and Thomas S Monson is a true Prophet of the lord called to do a marvelous work among us through the gift bestowed upon him by our heavenly father. I know the church is true I have never doubted that and I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it was given to us by the hand of Moroni for our learning to bring to pass the eternal life of man thorough its words.

In the name of

Jesus Christ. Amen.

Tags: Judged By Works

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