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The word 'gospel' means good news. There are four gospel accounts in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The first three gospels are sometimes called the 'synoptic' (same view) gospels. This is because they each cover teaching and miracles by Jesus that are also covered in another account. John, writing later, recounts Jesus' other words and miracles that have a particular spiritual meaning. All four gospels present Jesus as both the Son of God and son of man. They all record His baptism, the feeding of the 5,000 from five loaves and two fishes, Mary's anointing of the Lord Jesus, His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal, trial, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. However, each writer does so in a slightly different way, recording additional details or emphasizing one aspect more than the others. Matthew was one of the first twelve disciples of Jesus (Matthew 9:1; 10:1-4) and therefore an eye-witness; he records more of Jesus' teaching concerning God's heavenly kingdom than the other writers, for example the entire Sermon on the Mount. Mark was Peter's son (I Peter 5:13, possibly spiritual son), who wrote down what Peter said about who Jesus was, what He did, where He went and what happened; Mark's gospel is therefore Peter's account, an eye-witness account, written down by Mark. Luke was a doctor and a co-worker with Paul (Colossians 4:14; Philemon v24). Because some spurious stories about Jesus were circulating, Luke decided to interview local eye-witnesses and people who had followed Jesus closely. Luke collated all the interviews into a single account, recording details not mentioned elsewhere, for example regarding the conception and birth of Jesus and Mary's extended family, as you might expect of a doctor. John was one of the first twelve disciples of Jesus and therefore an eye-witness (John 19:35); John brings out the spiritual significance as well as recording the practical aspects of Jesus' works and words. John lived to be older than any of the other writers. It is therefore likely that he was familiar with their accounts and wanted to supplement theirs with additional teaching and miracles by Jesus which had a bearing on the situation towards the end of the first century AD.
Tags: Gospel Doctrine Truth
Choose the Right . . . .
By Brother Keith L. Brown The following Sacrament talk was delivered to the congregatiom of the Severna Park Ward on Sabbath Day morning, 20 July 2003. Choose the right road . . . . the road that leads to life eternal “God had decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. What is the damnation of hell? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands.” – Joseph Smith (TPJS, p.198.) In Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 we are taught, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of the world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” What is obedience? President Boyd K. Packer once said, “Obedience is a powerful spiritual medicine. It comes close to being a cure-all.” (Ensign, November 1977, p.60.) [ Also read "The Holy Temple" by President Boyd K. Packer.] President Joseph F. Smith taught, “Obedience is a requirement of heaven and is therefore a principle of the gospel.” (JD, 19:193.) No one is compelled to do anything. . . Sometimes because of our membership in the Church, we are called upon to do difficult things or to make hard decisions. Each of us has been given the agency to make those choices or decisions for ourselves. What is this agency? President Joseph F. Smith answered the question in this manner: “God has given to all men an agency and has granted to us the privilege to serve him or not, to do that which is right or that which is wrong, and this privilege is given to all men irrespective of creed, color or condition. The wealthy have this agency, the poor have this agency, and no man is deprived by any power of God from exercising it to the fullest and in the freest manner. This agency has been given to all. This is a blessing that God has bestowed upon the world of mankind, upon all his children alike.” (JD, 24:175.) Therefore, no one is compelled to do anything in the Church and Kingdom of God. "When the Lord commands, do it." However, because of our understanding of the doctrine of agency and obedience, we know that our true peace, happiness, and power come only when we subject our will to the will of the Father, and exercise faith unto consistent obedience to the commandments of God and to the counsel of His prophet. President Lorenzo Snow taught, “Let us be like little children, ready and willing to do as we are commanded by the powers that we should obey. Let us be obedient to the voice of truth, and ever be found in the path of duty; and there let us continue.” The prophet Joseph Smith summed up this matter when he said, “I made this my rule, ‘When the Lord commands, do it.’” (HC, 2:170.)
“. . . . I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded. . . .” -- 1 Nephi 3:7 Your agency. . . .use it wisely. . . . God granted each of us the gift of free agency as a part of His eternal plan as we are taught in Moses 4:1-4 where we read these words: 1 AND I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
We have all been given the gift of free agency. The question is how will we use it? – To obey God or disobey God? With our agency, we have the right to choose whether we will obey God’s laws or not. The freedom to choose is inseparably tied to the consequences associated with that choice. When we choose to obey, blessings follow. If we don’t, we do not put ourselves in a position to receive those blessings. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that, for agency to be in effect, the following 4 principles must apply: 1. Laws must exist – laws ordained by an Omnipotent power, laws which can be obeyed or disobeyed;
2. Opposites must exist – good and evil, virtue and vice, right and wrong – that is there must be opposition, one force pulling . . . the other; 3. A knowledge of good and evil must be had by those who are to enjoy the agency, that is, they must know the difference between the opposites; and, 4. An unfettered power of hoice must prevail. (Mormon Doctrine)
These principles are taught clearly in the Book of Mormon. Lehi taught in 2 Nephi 2:11-13: 11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first–born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. 12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God. 13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away. Helaman expressed these principles as follows in Helaman 14:30-31: 30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. 31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you. Consistent obedience is required of all who receive baptism (Mosiah 18:10), the Sacrament (D&C 20:77), receive the Priesthood (D&C 84:44), or the blessings of the Temple. However, this obedience is not “blind”. Elder Packer wrote: “Those who talk of blind obedience may appear to know many things, but they do not understand the doctrines of the gospel. There is an obedience that comes from the knowledge of the truth that transcends any form of external control. We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see.” (Ensign. May 1983, p.66.) Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught, “Obedience is the first law of heaven, the cornerstone upon which all righteousness and progression rest.” We are obedient to God’s commands because we have faith, we love the Lord (John 14:15), and because we have committed to do so. This is our offering to Him. The words of 2 Nephi 9:41 sum up this discussion appropriately: O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. I do solemnly testify that as we choose to obey the commandments of God and the counsel of a Living Prophet we will be showered with blessings. I leave you this testimony in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Tags: Agency Decisions Doctrine Truth
Member of the Annapolis Maryland Stake High Council
Be it known to all men, let it be proclaimed by the very trump of God, let angelic choirs sing of its wonders and glory, let all the hosts of men stand in awe as the voice from heaven declares that God has in these last days restored the fullness of his everlasting gospel. Let every eye see, every ear hear, every heart be penetrated – for the voice of God is heard again. Angels again are coming from the courts of glory to declare eternal truths to mortal men. The gift of the Holy Ghost is being poured out upon the faithful, and thousands again shout praises to the Holy One of Israel. (Ensign, November 83.) – Bruce R. McConkie
The following Sacrament talk was delivered on Sabbath day morning, 18 May 2003, to the congregation of the Annapolis Maryland Ward of the Annapolis Maryland Stake of Zion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Power in the priesthood, the power to bless and guide and teach, the power to forgive and forget, the power to give positive direction to a family. . . .comes through righteousness. The laying on of hands we all received is not enough. Priesthood power comes to those prepared to receive it as a result of the righteous patterns of their lives.
(Ensign, November 1982, p.43.) – H. Burke Peterson
Good morning Brothers and Sisters. I bring you love and greetings from our Stake Presidency and wish to express their sincere love and appreciation for all of you and all that you do as you humbly serve in this Stake of Zion. It now becomes my privilege this morning to speak with you for just a few moments about the Restoration and the Priesthood.
It was J. Reuben Clark, Jr. who once said, “The Church is the organized Priesthood of God, the priesthood can exist without the Church, but the Church cannot exist without the priesthood.” Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated, “The doctrine of the priesthood is known only by personal revelation. It comes, line upon line and precept upon precept, by the power of the Holy Ghost to those who love and serve God with all of their heart, might, mind and strength.” (See D&C 98:12; D&C 121:45.) (Ensign, May 1982, p. 32.) Elder McConkie further stated, “Priesthood is power like none other on earth or in heaven. It is the very power of God himself, the power by which the worlds were made, the power by which all things are regulated, upheld, and preserved. It is the power of faith, the faith by which the Father creates and governs. . . . Faith and Priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood.” (Ensign, May 1982, p. 32.)
With those few thoughts in mind, I now invite you to turn back the pages of Church history with me for just a moment to the date of May 15, 1829. That date is a day of celebration in the Church, for it was on that day that a marvelous event occurred. That event was the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.
Imagine if you will, what a wonderful experience this restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood must have been for Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery when John the Baptist spoke to them. Here, standing before them, was a man who had lived upon the earth more than 1,800 years earlier. He was speaking in English to two young men while he held his hands upon their heads. His was a resurrected body. Theirs were mortal bodies. They felt his hands and understood the words that he spoke. This tells us that resurrected beings are tangible, that they can move and act, and that they can speak and be understood.
Among other things, he told them, that while the authority that he had given them authorized them to baptize, it did not include the authority to bestow the Holy Ghost. He indicated that another order of the priesthood was necessary for this, and that it would subsequently be given them by Peter, James, and John.
That marvelous event did take place when the Melchizedek Priesthood [the greater priesthood] which was titled the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God was restored. We do not know exactly where the event took place, but we learn from the description given in Doctrine and Covenants 128:20, that Peter, James and John appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery “in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna County, and Colesville, Broome County, on the Susquehanna River.” We do not know the exact date that this event took place; however, by piecing together various accounts and bits of history, we may assume that it occurred in June 1829. In section 27 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 12-14 we are given some insight concerning this greater priesthood. We read these words, “And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them; Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; And also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world.”
The Priesthood was restored upon the earth, and today we all have the privilege and the opportunities to partake of the many blessings of the Priesthood, but what of the night before the dawn of these marvelous events of the restoration? What happened when the Gospel sun went down and the priesthood was taken away? Elder Bruce R. McConkie describes these events as follows in his address given during the April, 1978 General Conference. I will quote just a few brief excerpts from that address. He said:
When the gospel sun went down almost two millennia ago, when the priesthood was taken away and a dreary dusk descended in the congregations that once had known light, when light and truth no longer shone forth from heaven, and when those on earth no longer were taught and directed by apostles and prophets, then spiritual darkness reigned. Darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. (See Isa. 60:2.) The dark ages had their beginning, and the light of heaven no longer dwelt in the hearts of those who professed to worship Him whose we are.
The vision of all became as the words of a book that is sealed. (See Isa. 29:11.) The prophets and seers were silenced; the holy scriptures were no longer made available to the masses of men; none could see the way to perfection; none knew the way back to the Eternal Presence. Earth’s pilgrims, walking in and by forbidden paths, were lost in the blackness of the night.
True, the heaven still teemed with stars, an uncounted host of them, for there were many wise and good people who reflected forth to others such light and truth and goodness as they had. And month after month a new moon arose to reflect such of heaven’s truths as came by instinct and from reason. . . . .But the light of heaven no longer shed its rays on the strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.
The dominant religion of the day was one of fear, ignorance, and superstition; it was a religion, imposed by the sword, which denied the agency of man.
It was a long, dark night. There were jackals in the shadows, wolves in the forests, coyotes everywhere. Lions roared and the fangs of the serpent sank again and again into human flesh. The black plague swept Europe. Wars were everywhere. Morality and decency had few supporters. The terrors of the night were real and the night was long—long and dark and black.
In Germany and France and England and Switzerland and elsewhere groups began to break away from the religion of centuries past. A few rays of light were parting the darkness of the eastern sky.
When the set time had fully come—when the day for the promised restoration of all things was at hand—the Lord in heaven, in his infinite wisdom, mercy, and goodness, sent from the courts of glory that eternal spirit whose foreordained mission it was to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Joseph Smith began his mortal life. It was December 23, 1805. The sun was then just hidden by the mountain peaks.
Then one glorious day in the spring of 1820—our tradition says that it was on April 6—the sun arose to view. The great God with the Lord Jesus at his right hand came down from heaven; stood personally in a grove of trees in western New York; called young Joseph by name; commanded him to join none of the churches of the day, for they were all wrong; told him that all their creeds were an abomination in the sight of heaven; and said that the professors of religion were all corrupt, that they drew near to the Lord with their lips, but their hearts were far from him, that they taught for commandments the doctrines of men, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. (JS—H 1:19.)
From that moment the stars no longer shone; the moon hid her face. Their reflected glimmerings were no longer needed to pierce the blackness of the night. The dispensation of the fulness of times was about to be given from God in heaven to man on earth.
("The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee", Bruce R. McConkie)
(Bruce R. McConkie, "The Morning Breaks; the Shadows Flee," Ensign, May 1978, 12)
President Hinckley commented on one of the Lord’s reasons for endowing mortal men with this authority:
In a revelation given in 1831, which has become Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants and is known as the preface to that book of revelation, the Lord set forth one of the great purposes for the restoration of the gospel in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. He said that, among other reasons, the gospel was restored so that “every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world.” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:20.)
It does not say that every man shall speak in the name of God the Lord. The meaning is that every man may speak, provided he is worthy and receives the priesthood.
(Gordon B. Hinckley, "Priesthood Restoration," Ensign, Oct. 1988, 69)
President Hinckley further commented on Priesthood authority when he said:
What is this remarkable gift and power that has come to us with no price other than our personal worthiness? The Prophet Joseph Smith described it on one occasion in these words: “The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will [exist] to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years.” (History of the Church, 3:386.)
It is veritably the power of the Almighty given to man to act in His name and in His stead. It is a delegation of divine authority, different from all other powers and authorities on the face of the earth. Small wonder that it was restored to man by resurrected beings who held it anciently, that there might be no question concerning its authority and validity. Without it there could be a church in name only, lacking authority to administer in the things of God. With it, nothing is impossible in carrying forward the work of the kingdom of God. It is divine in its nature. It is both temporal and eternal in its authority. It is the only power on the earth that reaches beyond the veil of death. Said the Lord to His chosen Apostles: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19.)
It includes the right to receive of the things of God. It carries the responsibility to instruct. It holds the authority to govern. It grants the power to bless.
(Gordon B. Hinckley, "Priesthood Restoration," Ensign, Oct. 1988, 69)
What are the end result, blessing and goal of this priesthood restoration? President Lorenzo Snow once stated, “The object of the priesthood is to make all men happy, to diffuse information, to make all partakers of the same blessings in their turn.” (JD, 9:22.) President Brigham Young stated, “The priesthood of the Son of God is the law by which the worlds are, were, and will continue forever and ever. It is that system that brings worlds into existence and peoples them, gives them their revolution—their days, weeks, months, years, their seasons and times by which they are rolled up as a scroll, as it were, and go into a higher state of existence.” (JD, 15:127.)
I will conclude my remarks this day reading the words of a letter from the Prophet Joseph Smith to the Church at Nauvoo as recorded in D&C 128:20-24:
20 And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!
21 And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!
22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
23 Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!
24 Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
Brothers and Sisters, a dispensation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is now established with prophets, seers, and revelators. The Church and Kingdom of God has been established, and the inhabitants of the earth “may receive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth.” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:5) May we reflect on the wonder of that which we have and may we exercise it in righteousness and faithfulness. This is my humble prayer this day, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
"The Devil knows that if the Elders of Israel should ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the gospel. Therefore, the Devil has concentrated , and to a large extent successfully, in neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to sleeping giants." President Ezra Taft Benson
Tags: Apostacy Restoration Gospel Priesthood
Posted by Keith on Mar 21, '08 7:17 PM for everyone The Influence of Music in Our Lives By Brother Keith L. Brown
“Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.” – 1 Chronicles 16:9 “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” – Psalm 95:2 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” – Ephesians 5:19 “After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” – Aldous Huxley 
Scripture Lesson: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him.” – Colossians 3:16,17 Definition of terms used:
1. Psalm – a portion of Scripture that is put to music
2. Hymns – Christian songs that praise God
3. Spiritual Songs – songs of personal testimony, relating to spiritual truth
4. Grace – may also indicate the need for Christians to sing with thanksgiving and gratefulness
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” What a very profound statement that is. Where spoken words may not be able to convey a message, the sounds of music often times can. Music has been a part of human existence since man’s earliest days on earth.
1. Exodus 15 – musical festivals of Israel after the people miraculously crossed the Red Sea.
2. Music accompanied men into battle and celebrated victories in war.
3. Songs and dance honored kings at their coronation.
4. Music soothed troubled minds.
5. Music accompanied prophesying.
6. Music expressed personal sorrow.
7. David described personal emotions as well as praise to God in the Psalms. All of us have various tastes in music. Music has a very powerful influence upon our lives. When we are feeling down and depressed, certain types of music have a way of lifting us up and making us feel joyous once again. Music can also have negative influences on our lives. Certain songs can actually bring us down and make us feel depressed, lonely, unwanted, unloved. Therefore, we must learn to be discerning about the types of music that we listen to. In December 1970, the First Presidency stated: “Through music, man’s ability to express himself extends beyond the limits of the spoken language in both subtlety and power. Music can be used to exalt and inspire or to carry messages of degradation and destruction. It is therefore important that as Latter-day Saints we at all times apply the principles of the gospel and seek the guidance of the Spirit in selecting the music with which we surround ourselves.” (Priesthood Bulletin, December 1970, p.10.) Music can invite the Spirit into our homes – or drive it away. In an article in the November 1990 Ensign, Ardeth G. Kapp made this statement concerning music: “Music has a very powerful and wonderful influence in establishing feelings and moods that can lift and elevate your thoughts and your actions. But because it is so powerful, it is clearly used by the adversary to stimulate your thoughts, feelings, and moods, to pollute and poison your mind and cause you to do things you would not otherwise consider doing.” In an address to Brigham Young University on September 26, 1967, Elder Boyd K. Packer stated “music is one of the most forceful instruments for governing the mind and the spirit of man.” Ask yourself these questions concerning music: - How much time do I spend listening to music?
- Why do I listen to music?
- What type of music do I enjoy listening to?
- Does the type of music that I listen to invite the Spirit into my home?
- Have I felt a change in spirit while listening to this music?
- Are the lyrics words that I would comfortably speak to my family and friends?
- Does the performing group promote standards that are similar to my own?
- Does the music cause you to think, act, or feel contrary to the teachings of Christ?
The Scriptures clearly warn us of guarding our hearts and minds from evil influences:
1. Deuteronomy 4:9 – “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thou soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;”
2. Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
3. 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” President Spencer W. Kimball said, “It is obvious to remain clean and worthy, one must stay positively and conclusively away from the devil’s territory” (Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, page 232). As Christians, we represent Christ at all times – wherever we go, whatever we say. The music that we listen to, like every other area of our lives, should honor God. We should focus on what our Heavenly Father has done for us and express praise to Him out of gratefulness. In conclusion, here are a few standards to follow when choosing what type of music to listen to:
1. Does this music honor God and His ways? (1 Corinthians 10:31)
2. Does this music help me think on what is right and true? (Philippians 4:8)
3. Does this music reinforce my faith? (Romans 14:22,23)
4. Does this music approve what God condemns? (Proverbs 19:27)
5. Do the words of the songs displease God? (Ephesians 4:29)
6. Can I listen to this music in the name of the Lord Jesus? (Colossians 3:17)
7. Do my parents approve of this type of music? (Colossians 3:20)
8. Will listening to this type of music offend the Holy Spirit Who lives within me?
(1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
President Hinckley has given us this wise counsel concerning music: “Let there be music in the home. If you have teenagers who have their own recordings, you will be prone to describe the sound as something other than music. Let them occasionally hear something better. Expose them to it. It will speak for itself. More of appreciation will come than you may think. It may not be spoken, but it will be felt, and its influence will become increasingly manifest as the years pass.” (Be Thou An Example [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981] , p.56) May we be challenged to listen to music that will be pleasing to our Heavenly Father. This is my humble prayer. In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Tags: Music Life Choices
We Give Thanks unto Thee Subtitle: Making Every Day a Day of Thanks Giving The following Sacrament talk was delivered to the congregation of the Annapolis Maryland Ward on Sabbath Day morning, 20 November 2005. I would like to begin my remarks this morning with a story. A long time ago in a faraway village lived a man who everyone did their very best to avoid. He was the type of person who believed that there was only one competent person in the world, and that one person was himself. Consequently, he was never satisfied with anything. His shoes never fit right. His shirt never felt comfortable. When his food wasn’t too cold, it was too salty, and when it wasn’t too hot, it was too bland. If a field wasn’t sowed by him, it was not sowed well. If he didn’t close the door, the door was not closed properly. In short, he made a career of frowning, lecturing, criticizing, and mumbling about the incompetence of every other person in the rest of the world. The man was married, which for him, made matters all the worse. No matter what his wife did, in his eyes it was wrong. No matter what the unfortunate woman cooked, sewed, or cleaned—or even when she milked the cow—it was never satisfactory, and he let her know it. She tried very hard to be a good wife, but it seemed the harder she tried, the less she pleased him. Finally, one evening she could take no more. “I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” she told him. “Tomorrow I will do your chores and you will do mine.” “But you can’t do my chores,” the man replied. “You don’t know the first thing about sowing, hoeing, and irrigating.” But the woman was adamant. And on top of that, she was filled with a righteous anger that frankly astonished and frightened the man to the point where he didn’t dare disagree. So the next morning the wife went off to the fields and the man began the domestic chores. After thinking about it, he had actually convinced himself he was looking forward to it. Once and for all, he would demonstrate to his wife how things should be done. Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan. In fact, nearly everything the man touched turned into disaster. He spilled the milk, let the pig get into the house, lost the cow, burned the dinner, and ultimately set the house on fire, narrowly escaping with his own life. When his wife returned, she discovered her husband sitting on a pile of ashes, smoke still rising from his clothes. But the woman wasn’t the type to rub things in. She helped him up, wiped the soot from his beard, fixed him a little something to eat, and then prepared a bed of straw for them to sleep on. From that day forward, the man never complained about anyone or anything else for as long as he lived. What do we learn from this story? First, it teaches us that those who complain make not only their own lives miserable, but the lives of those around them miserable as well. The story is also a good lesson on humility. It reminds us of the words of Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” It also teaches us that we should not judge others until we have walked a mile in their shoes. The story also illustrates a quality that the Roman orator Cicero claimed was “not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others” (Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pro Plancio, 54 B.C.). The virtue of which Cicero spoke is gratitude. If I were to ask you this morning to define the word gratitude, each of you could probably give me a definition that best describes what being grateful means to you. That definition might include some of the things that you are most grateful for – for health and strength, for your employment, for family, for friends, for the Church, for Temples – and the list could go on. We all have things for which we are grateful and how we express that gratitude may be different for each one of us. President David O. McKay taught that “Thankfulness is measured by the number of words; gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions.” (CR, October 1955, p.4) James E. Talmage once said, “Gratitude is the twin sister to humility: pride is a foe to both. The man who has come in close communion with God cannot fail to be thankful; for he feels, he knows, that for all he has and all he is, he is indebted to the Supreme Giver: and one would think that that there is no need of commandment in the matter of thanksgiving. Yet we find that because of man’s propensities toward forgetfulness and selfishness the Scriptures abound in admonitions to render thanks unto the Lord.” (Sunday Night Talks, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1931, p.483) In Doctrine and Covenants 59: 5-7 we read, “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not steal; neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it. Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” The Psalmist declared in Psalm 30:12, “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” In Psalm 35:18 he declares, “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.” And in Psalm 119:62 the Psalmist declared, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.” There are some who refer to Thanksgiving as a “season for giving thanks”. However, Thanks Giving knows no season. It is not an annual event like the celebrating of a birthday or a wedding anniversary – that once it is over, it is forgotten until the following year - but Thanks Giving should be an integral part of our lives. The Lord has made it abundantly clear that Thanks Giving is an attribute He commands of all who would find favor in His sight. In Doctrine and Covenants 59:21 we learn, “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.” Take careful note of that little word “all”. From these verses we learn that it is imperative that we remember our Heavenly Father in all things. It is He who is responsible for all of creation. It is He who is the giver of all life. It is He who woke us up this morning, enabled us to dr |
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