Category: Priesthood Power

Missionary Work: Part Two

The Good News of the Gospel

One day we were solicited by a salesman. We liked the product and let him in to share more. During the presentation we also discussed the Latter-Day Saints, and how we are members of this church. He asked some questions, and with the short time we had I bore my testimony of the first vision and The Book of Mormon. He felt the Holy Spirit.

Because he was a supervising salesman, he was able to lower the price for us without getting special permission. He asked us to make a reasonable offer of what we could afford for a down payment and a monthly payment, which would have been on a three year payment plan, unless we were to pay more into the monthly payments.

He accepted our offer, and then gave us another option which would have been better for him. It was for one-third more a month, and a higher down payment. At that time I had offered him a Book of Mormon, and told him that to me this was worth more than any money could be, and that if he would read from it, I would accept his second offer. He honestly gave his reluctance to do so, and I reassured him that it was up to him, and that to help him we would take the higher price.

He had been impressed with us, and we with him. What he didn’t know, was that this higher price would make it more difficult for us financially, especially it being an obligation for the next 3 years, unless we used our next season’s tax refund to finish paying it off, which would be a while away.

It’s in my prayers, that because we were sacrificing at such a price financially to help him, that he take the opportunity to read The Book of Mormon, and learn the truth for himself.

In my mind came the urgency from Christ and His ministry, “If I have paid such a high price for you to save your soul, ought not ye with the same such urgency, share the gospel with all these My brethren, of whom I have paid so high a price for?”

Please, please, I urge you – share the gospel! Live it, love it, and rejoice in it with all your heart, mind and fellow Saints! Be open minded for the Lord’s desperate pleadings for you to follow His holy will, and share his loving, saving gospel, atoning sacrifice and care for all! Desperate is the need, urgent is the call!

Shane

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Melchizedek Priesthood: The Correct Pronunciation

Sounds Have Value – Even in every fallen language

There is priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is the Lord’s priesthood. The lower or lesser priesthood is called the Aaronic Priesthood, after the Levitical order. The higher priesthood is called:

The Melchizedek Priesthood

This priesthood is named after the same Melchizedek who was the king of Salem (Jerusalem), who was referred to as The King of Righteous, or Peace. This priesthood is named such, so as to avoid the too repetitious use of the name of the Son, “The Holy priesthood after the order of the Son of God.”

Most people in the church and world miss-pronounce it. It is actually pronounced:

Mel(k) – iz – eh – deck

Shane

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Calming the Storm: Part One

There Is But One God

The Lord boarded the ship with the Twelve apostles on their way to minister and preach. The apostles were new to their call, learning much from the Lord about who He was, and what His church should be made of.

It was easy for them to have disputes common among them, about the words Jesus taught to them in private, intimate gatherings with Him. Often, the Father would use object lessons to help them with their learning, as Jesus did His part to minister and teach them.

On this occasion, as they sailed to the shore of their destination, Jesus, weary from His constant travels and travails over His learning disciples, lay down for a brief respite. It wasn’t long however, before His disciples disputed among themselves, concerning the many teachings they were receiving, most of which we do not have in the sacred Bible text. Teachings difficult to understand, without the proper worthy aid of the Holy Spirit.

As the disputes turned to anger and contention one with another, the Father used a lesson of urgency, to enlighten the duly called twelve apostles, who were to be charged to take the gospel to all the world.

Their actions and tempers were not appropriate, and were then reflected in the actions and tempest of the climate around them. As apostles they were not to behave this way. When they finally gathered their wits about them, by way of need, and feeling guilty about their unruly quarreling, they awoke the Lord, whom they knew was their only source of help for anything.

It was at this time, that the Lord, following through with the Father’s lesson, told them, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”

These words reflect the message they were to learn. “Ye can only understand His words by obedient faith.” Shane R. Brown

The words spoken by our Lord in love and chastisement, were meant to encourage and refine His disciples, with His perfect love and understanding.

Shane

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Ones and Zeros: Part Two

Where There is Light

In our first post in this series, we talked about the two forces of power and no power, to show a balance. Light and darkness, or an opposition in all things, which causes growth. In this post, the source of these two forces will be looked at more closely, namely, Christ as the light, and Satan as the dark.

We know that every good thing comes from Christ, so everything righteous, edifying and godly, is from Him, whether or not we as individuals acknowledge this. Whether it’s the fact that we have this earth life time (our probationary state to prove ourselves), or something specific, such as an answered prayer, it’s all from Him. Even the sustainment of our lives is from Him.

The backdrop of all of this then, would be that opposition, or dark, is a necessary part of God’s plan. We need to have both light and dark, to have balance and a proper order. A way to move forward and grow. Christ is the One, and Satan is the Zero. As the scripture states:

41 …for there is One God and One Shepherd over all the earth. 1 Nephi 13:41

It is with the atonement that we have the workings between both righteousness and sin. Our agency is defined, only as the ability to do good. It is not simply choice, but the ability to choose good out of our choices. Lucifer has put himself in a position where he cannot do good. Therefore he has no agency. He fought against it, therefore, he got what he wanted. Satan may not have agency, but he does have choice. He chooses how he carries or his plans every moment.

To have happiness and exquisite joy, we must choose good, and repent of our sins. It is not just that we repent to become like our Savior, but it is in the repentance process, that we become like Him.

As Christ has said, “…sufficient is the evil to the day thereof…” We must not look for evil or excuse sin, but acknowledge Christ in all things. We must strive to become better, and give ourselves to the Lord in completeness, so that we can become one in Him, even as He is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

We must accept and live Christ’s gospel, and all of the ordinances, priesthood power, and truths found therein. Then, we can be ready to enter into the Heaven Christ has prepared for us, even the Celestial kingdom.

Shane

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A Type and Shadow of Things That Never Change

Turn Not Unto The Right, Nor The Left

One of the great comparisons in life I like to look at, are the power of God, and the influence (false) “power” of Satan. For example, let’s look at the power and energy of light as we know it. For as the semblance of everything denotes there is a God, and as in each thing there is a blueprint, or example of God, we too can take a look at, and study the concept of God, seeing Him and His power in all things.

In light is the essence and matter of all the colors in the color spectrum which we have in our planet’s sphere. So when light is shining on an object, the only color that the object does not “absorb,” is then reflected back to the eye, and it appears as that color. It is the object then, which determines which color not to, “accept,” which is then seen by our eyes, and then interpreted back by our brain, to what the color’s representation is.

One of the great comparisons in life I like to look at, are the power of God, and the influence (false) “power” of Satan. For example, let’s look at the power and energy of light as we know it. For as the semblance of everything denotes there is a God, and as in each thing there is a blueprint, or example of God, we too can take a look at, and study the concept of God, seeing Him and His power in all things.

In light is the essence and matter of all the colors in the color spectrum which we have in our planet’s sphere. So when light is shining on an object, the only color that the object does not “absorb,” is then reflected back to the eye, and it appears as that color. It is the object then, which determines which color not to, “accept,” which is then seen by our eyes, and then interpreted back by our brain, to what the color’s representation is.

When light is broken

When light is broken down, you can see that it’s combined complexities, consist of all the colors of the rainbow in one. The result is, a brilliant and ennobling pure white light. Every color combined in and through the power of God, creates and gives order and structure to the world we know around us.

Let’s look at the adversary’s false, or self said, “power,” which he tries to use to convince others he has. He can only take of the things which God has created, and try to use them for harm, or against that for which they were intended or created. He cannot create anything.

For example, let’s use a metaphor, to illustrate in these physical terms. Satan will take of the products of God’s creations, such as in this case an artist’s paint.

He will take of the pigments of each color, in an attempt to deceive and counterfeit God’s efforts, by trying to manipulate them in a way to cause something, or the paint to become something pleasing, good or desirable. However, he cannot deliver, nor does He ever want to. By very nature of the way Satan uses and abuses what God has created for his own cunning design, he cannot ever deliver, the “promised” result.

Satan is not capable one bit of telling the truth, and he can do no good thing. He will take of the colors, put them all together, and get black.

Only God can create, put His colors together, whether in light, paint, shading or creation, and get a bright and glorious manifestation, in which life, warmth, peace and meaning are all given. Let’s look to God in all things, and acknowledge Him in all we see.

Shane

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