REMAINING RIGHTEOUS DURING PERILOUS TIMES

Some years ago Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that as the Second Coming of the Savior nears, the gulf between the righteous and the unrighteous mortal children of our Heavenly Parents would become greater and greater. As we read chapters 2 through 4 of Third Nephi it is not difficult to believe that since he was an ardent student of the scriptures, he was probably influenced in his teaching by the example of what took place with the descendants of Lehi and Sarah as the First Coming of the Savior became eminent.

I do not find it needful to rehearse the description of the evils which were prevalent among Lehi’s descendants during the last few years before the birth of the Christ Child since we are constantly bombarded with then in our 21st century daily walk.

I have no idea if the righteous of the last days before the Second Coming of the Lord will live their days filled with the treat of extermination, but I feel it is beneficial to read the description of those who were preserved by the Lord in righteousness found in verses 29 – 33 of chapter 4 of Third Nephi.

May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth.

And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice, saying: May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they shall call on the name of their God for protection.

And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

As I was reading these words penned so many centuries ago I was reminded of the many things about which the Living Prophets of our day have asked us to pray.

That religious freedom will be protected and upheld.

That our hearts will remain pure and protected from the evils of the world.

That we will be led and guided about to whom and how we can be ministers.

That our lives will be defined by spirituality.

That the work of the Lord will go forth and fill the whole earth.

That we might become living witnesses of Jesus the Christ.

That we will have the strength to stand in holy places.

That our daily walk will be led by inspiration.

That we will live worthy of personal revelation.

That we will become sensitive to and hear His voice.

That we will walk with a perfect brightness of hope.

That our homes will become a refuge from the world.

As I was compiling this list from the teachings we received from the last General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a prayer went through my mind that our prayers should also include a plea to the Lord that we might be saved from the atrocities which befell the righteous descendants of Lehi just before the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem.

The scriptures bear testimony that the only way any of our Heavenly Parents children will have a happy ending to our time on earth is if we incorporate all the characteristics and attributes taught to us and demonstrated in the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

May the Lord bless us and sustain us in our righteous attempts to be worthy of His Eternal Grace, Mercy and Love.


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💞