EASINESS AND WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE

As I was searching chapters five and six of the book of Helaman in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ I was forcibly struck with the words Nephi and Lehi (who were given these names by their father Helaman in remembrance of their forefathers Lehi and Nephi) used when recording the results of their preaching 25 years before the birth of the Savior and 58 years before His crucifixion.

And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words. (Helaman 6: 36)

The great irony of these words is that they were referring to the Lamanites, who for centuries, with the exception of the Anti Nephi Lehies, had rejected the word of God; while the Nephites who had over and over again been greatly blessed, had become wise in their own eyes and rejected the teachings of the Living Prophets.

This seems to be one of the historical certainties repeated during almost every dispensation of the gospel.

The dispensation of Adam turns wicked and comes to an end because of tempestuous destruction which ushers in the dispensation of Noah.

The dispensation of Noah comes to a corrupted human sacrificial end and ushers in the dispensation of Abraham.

The dispensation of Abraham ends in divided familial chaos and slavery and ushers in the dispensation of Moses.

The dispensation of Lehi ends in inhuman cannibalism and blood thirstiness and then the remnants must await the restoration of the gospel in the Latter Days to usher in the dispensation of the Fulness of Times .

The dispensation of Moses ends with its political and religious leaders becoming lights unto themselves ushering in the dispensation of Jesus the Christ.

The dispensation of Jesus the Christ ends in apostacy, everyman believing according to their own thoughts and nations waring against nations.

The dispensation of the Fullness of Times…

The apostle John’s book which he wrote while he was on the isle of Patmos, which bears the name of Revelation in the Holy Scriptures prophesies that the dispensation of the Fulness of Times will end with a third of the earths inhabitants being destroyed because of having chosen the path of evil rather than righteousness ushering in the Millennial dispensation of Jesus the Christ.

Besides these many historical witnesses, we who are living in the dispensation of the Fulness of Times have The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ as a testimony outlining the probable events leading up to the Second coming of Jesus the Christ.

In these same chapters five and six of Helaman, Nephi and Lehi record the characteristics of those on the path of evil and those on the path of righteousness.

BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM:

Characteristics of those who choose to tread the evil path.

Stiffnecked, choosing not to be governed by law nor justice.

Work to corrupt laws for personal benefit.

Do works to be seen of men that they might boast of their own strength.

Believe all they possess has come to them as a result of their own strength and intelligence.

Seek to destroy the servants the Lord has sent to declare good tidings to them.

Set their hearts upon riches of the world.

Seek to be lifted and honored by others.

Do secret works of darkness; murder, adultery and all manner of wickedness.

Turn their hearts to the author of all sin.

Secret combinations abide and abound among them.

Have the Spirit of the Lord withdrawn from them and are left to struggle in the shadows of their own miniscule light.

Characteristics of those who strive to tread the path of righteousness.

Humbly attempt to follow just laws.

Seek to have laws which are equally administered among rich and poor.

Attempt to live ministering lives, striving to be of service to their neighbors.

Seek the reassurance of the Holy Spirit to verify the words of the Lord’s servants.

Recognize their nothingness, never ceasing to recognize the greatness of God.

Give all glory and acknowledgement to God.

Work in the brightness of noon day that all may see the light of God which they hold up.

Turn their hearts to the word of God.

Seek to have the Holy Spirit with them at all times.

Strive to walk on a path lighted by the glory of the Son of God.

May we be wise, after the many dispensational testimonies we have been given, to think those thoughts, say those words and do those works which will stand as a witness that we have indeed chosen to tread the path of righteousness.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

❣️THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO ➡️ GENTLENESS + KINDNESS + CARING + GENEROSITY ➡️ HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE ➡️ INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY❣️ = 💞THE GOOD LIFE💞