SO GOOD! When I teach the youth in seminary and in my calling, I always quote President Nelson when he said our 3 most important "identifiers" are that we are children of God, children of the Covenant, and disciples of Christ. The youth understand the 1st and 3rd , but we spend time with the 2nd. As children of the covenant we are given a name, a place, and a responsibility. The name is the name of Jesus Christ. The place is here in the kingdom of God on earth and in the kingdom of God eternally. The responsibility is to help everyone know about the covenant and our Savior Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to have a living prophet who wants us to be covenant conscious and covenant literate. YOU HAVE BLESSED US with greater understanding of this covenant relationship with the Lord. Thank you!
Another spiritual banger! The dynamic duo strikes again. I love the imagery of the sacrament being explained to the people. All roads point to Jesus! Keep em coming!
Very perceptive about the pre-1830 church. I agree and was kind of feeling the same way. Regarding the connotation of “name “ it makes you wonder what it means when Adam gave names to all the animals… like perhaps he assigned them a role or ability and didn’t merely come up with an arbitrary term
I was hoping for comment on parting of our substance to beggars - ch 4 v 22. Giving to panhandlers is a concern of mine but I also dislike ignoring them. What are your thoughts on the subject? Think of those at the mall entrance holding cardboard signs.
This is a complicated subject. I (Mike) see issues in both sides of the discussion about homelessness and panhandling. I personally have purchased meals for those asking, yet there are many locations that ask people to not give money to panhandlers for various reasons. Drugs and addiction are a plague on our modern society, and many (but not all) have serious issues in this area. Obviously the problem persists despite the great treasure spent on attempting to “fix” the problem. I think the best advice I could ever give here is to be aware, listen to the promptings you have, and be generous with your time and money in helping less fortunates.
As a professional who has spent a long career working with marginalized populations in the mental health field, I endorse using caution when giving money to panhandlers. However, King Benjamin's people didn't have the infrastructure or systems to meet the needs of the poor that currently exist in our modern society (shelters, treatment centers, etc). So it makes sense that he would encourage his listeners to be generous with their resources. King Benjamin's message reminds me of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar (Luke 16:19-31) - both seem to address our attitudes and beliefs (judgement, condemning, material wealth, and status) than on the condition of the poor. We are all nothing more than dust in God's eyes rich, poor, beggar - the playing field is level - all are alike. "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight". Luke 16:15 (NIV).
I think if the spirit tells you to give then give. The thing is knowing if it's the spirit or being guilted into giving. I think its an individual thing. But redirecting panhandlers to the church is also giving. And giving as much as you can to the church humanitarian organization and/or to a charity that you feel impressed to give to is important. If you give as much as you can to others you are giving to "beggers". Some of my favorite things to give to are church humanitarian organization, Fast offerings, homeless shelters, salvation army, adopting a child through world vision, light to the world etc etc. Give what you can. There's no shortage of people to give to. And sometimes I give to pandhandlers if I have cash but most of the time I don't have cash. And giving time and prayers as well as money is equally as important.
One of the biggest problems homeless have is losing toes when it's cold. Give them warm socks. Give them your warm jacket. Buy an extra burger or two or a pizza for them. Grab a six pack of water. Take some trash bags and clean up after them. Give them your hat. Tell them Jesus loves them. Most already know. Look how many of the Prophets lived and dressed and don't underestimate the faith of these people.
You blow right through the salvation passages without even realizing there is a contradiction between this and LDS doctrine. The salvation passages of both King Benjamin and Abinadi sounds more aligned with Protestant salvation. There are only 2 places - heaven and hell. There are only two kids of people - good and evil. It does not mention any ordinances and does not leave any room for additional details - “and there are no other conditions” - in fact, King Benjamin declared them under covenant and born again without any baptism! Can you please explain this? In fact even this conversation sounds like a mainstream Christian conversation. I don’t see anything they’d argue with, except maybe the part about “always abounding in good works.” Then at the end, you totally acknowledge that other Christians are good to go! Do we need ordinances or not? You can’t have it both ways. You might say “well they’re on the path and they will receive their ordinances eventually” but that contradicts King Benjamin and Abinadi! There is a big problem in the church when we say things and quote the BOM without even realizing we are contradicting our own doctrine. But of course our own doctrine is so confusing and contradicts itself.
I (Mike) would respond to this with the simple invitation to explore the nuance of these scriptures. There is WAY more layers to this than even Bryce or I discuss here, and I would contend that nuance exists here.
SO GOOD!
When I teach the youth in seminary and in my calling, I always quote President Nelson when he said our 3 most important "identifiers" are that we are children of God, children of the Covenant, and disciples of Christ.
The youth understand the 1st and 3rd , but we spend time with the 2nd.
As children of the covenant we are given a name, a place, and a responsibility.
The name is the name of Jesus Christ.
The place is here in the kingdom of God on earth and in the kingdom of God eternally.
The responsibility is to help everyone know about the covenant and our Savior Jesus Christ.
We are so blessed to have a living prophet who wants us to be covenant conscious and covenant literate.
YOU HAVE BLESSED US with greater understanding of this covenant relationship with the Lord. Thank you!
Thanks!
Awesome as always, thank you!!
Another spiritual banger! The dynamic duo strikes again. I love the imagery of the sacrament being explained to the people. All roads point to Jesus! Keep em coming!
Thanks!
“Spiritual banger!” I don’t think these two understand how much of a compliment this is but I do and I agree!!!🤣😂🤣
Thank you for this uplifting message, and encouraging us to come unto the stream!
Excellent! Thank you! Inspiration unto understanding is flooding my mind & heart
I'm 52 years old & I have never understood this, this way. Thank you for the new understanding.
Thanks for listening and the kind words!
Love this!! Thank you!!❤❤❤
Great lesson
Thank You Thank you Thank you for sharing your knowledge of the scriptures. I feel the Heavens have open & I can see God's plan for all of us.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
There is no other stream!!
31:57 Amen amen amen. Follow the light you have, with real intent, and you can't find your way to Jesus. _There is no other stream ..._
Very perceptive about the pre-1830 church. I agree and was kind of feeling the same way.
Regarding the connotation of “name “ it makes you wonder what it means when Adam gave names to all the animals… like perhaps he assigned them a role or ability and didn’t merely come up with an arbitrary term
I am 74 years old and a member all my life. I knew I had two sets of parents but did not totally understand that Christ was my third parent. 😅
I was hoping for comment on parting of our substance to beggars - ch 4 v 22. Giving to panhandlers is a concern of mine but I also dislike ignoring them. What are your thoughts on the subject? Think of those at the mall entrance holding cardboard signs.
This is a complicated subject. I (Mike) see issues in both sides of the discussion about homelessness and panhandling. I personally have purchased meals for those asking, yet there are many locations that ask people to not give money to panhandlers for various reasons. Drugs and addiction are a plague on our modern society, and many (but not all) have serious issues in this area. Obviously the problem persists despite the great treasure spent on attempting to “fix” the problem. I think the best advice I could ever give here is to be aware, listen to the promptings you have, and be generous with your time and money in helping less fortunates.
As a professional who has spent a long career working with marginalized populations in the mental health field, I endorse using caution when giving money to panhandlers. However, King Benjamin's people didn't have the infrastructure or systems to meet the needs of the poor that currently exist in our modern society (shelters, treatment centers, etc). So it makes sense that he would encourage his listeners to be generous with their resources. King Benjamin's message reminds me of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar (Luke 16:19-31) - both seem to address our attitudes and beliefs (judgement, condemning, material wealth, and status) than on the condition of the poor. We are all nothing more than dust in God's eyes rich, poor, beggar - the playing field is level - all are alike. "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight". Luke 16:15 (NIV).
I think if the spirit tells you to give then give. The thing is knowing if it's the spirit or being guilted into giving. I think its an individual thing.
But redirecting panhandlers to the church is also giving. And giving as much as you can to the church humanitarian organization and/or to a charity that you feel impressed to give to is important. If you give as much as you can to others you are giving to "beggers". Some of my favorite things to give to are church humanitarian organization, Fast offerings, homeless shelters, salvation army, adopting a child through world vision, light to the world etc etc. Give what you can. There's no shortage of people to give to. And sometimes I give to pandhandlers if I have cash but most of the time I don't have cash.
And giving time and prayers as well as money is equally as important.
One of the biggest problems homeless have is losing toes when it's cold. Give them warm socks. Give them your warm jacket. Buy an extra burger or two or a pizza for them. Grab a six pack of water. Take some trash bags and clean up after them. Give them your hat. Tell them Jesus loves them. Most already know. Look how many of the Prophets lived and dressed and don't underestimate the faith of these people.
Love to listen to you both...what about, the new name, we got in the temple...whats the meaning?
You blow right through the salvation passages without even realizing there is a contradiction between this and LDS doctrine. The salvation passages of both King Benjamin and Abinadi sounds more aligned with Protestant salvation. There are only 2 places - heaven and hell. There are only two kids of people - good and evil. It does not mention any ordinances and does not leave any room for additional details - “and there are no other conditions” - in fact, King Benjamin declared them under covenant and born again without any baptism!
Can you please explain this?
In fact even this conversation sounds like a mainstream Christian conversation. I don’t see anything they’d argue with, except maybe the part about “always abounding in good works.” Then at the end, you totally acknowledge that other Christians are good to go! Do we need ordinances or not? You can’t have it both ways. You might say “well they’re on the path and they will receive their ordinances eventually” but that contradicts King Benjamin and Abinadi!
There is a big problem in the church when we say things and quote the BOM without even realizing we are contradicting our own doctrine. But of course our own doctrine is so confusing and contradicts itself.
I (Mike) would respond to this with the simple invitation to explore the nuance of these scriptures. There is WAY more layers to this than even Bryce or I discuss here, and I would contend that nuance exists here.
Thank you so much.... you touch my heart so much.