: ~Chapter 7~ Choose Discipleship Behold, this is my doctrine: Whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church; And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. Doctrine & Covenants 3:16a-17 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:2
Meditation Thoughts The voice of God is Calling The voice of God is calling Its summons unto men; As once He spoke in Zion, So now He speaks again; Whom shall I send to succor My people in their need? Whom shall I send to loosen The bonds of lust and greed? I hear My people crying In cot and mine and slum; No field or mart is silent, No city street is dumb; I see My people falling In darkness and despair; Whom shall I send to shatter The fetters which they bear? We heed, O Lord, Your summons, And answer: Here are we! Send us upon Your errand, Let us Your servants be; Our strength is dust and ashes, Our years a passing hour But You can use our weakness To magnify Your power. From ease and pleasure save us; From pride of place absolve; Purge us of low desire; Lift us to high resolve. Take us, and make us holy; Teach us Your will and way; Speak, and behold! we answer; Command, and we obey! The Voice of God Is Calling. # 312 THE HYMNAL, Copyright 1956, Ninth Printing, November, 1971, HERALD PUBLISHING HOUSE, Independence, Missouri 2
Choose Discipleship ~Chapter 7~ Doctrine & Covenants 3:16a-17: Behold, this is my doctrine: Whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church; [16b] whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore, he is not of my church. [17] And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Before we begin, please refer to the page in your lesson titled Put Off & Put On follow the instructions at the top of that page. Doctrine & Covenants 3:16a-17: Behold, this is my doctrine: Whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church; [16b] whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore, he is not of my church. [17] And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. To choose discipleship is to choose to be a disciple for Jesus Christ. By definition, a disciple is a person who embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ and assists in sharing those teachings; an active adherent of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. In modern day revelation we are told that the times are portentous (of momentous significance, miraculous) and demand faithful adherence to the faith and work of the church. (Doctrine & Covenants137:6a). Please finish this scripture and fill in the blanks from : mankind will be by and find in those religiously and which have been imposed as a great task of achievement. The Lord instructs us that Only in the of and the of those caught up in the spirit of can the work of the be accomplished. To this task let the church its. (Doctrine & Covenants 136:3c) Here we learn that if we combine the faith and work of the church as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, we will make a significant difference. This divine task of achievement, Zionic Redemption, is the task to which the church must devote its energies. Please note that only in familial peace and unity can the work of the Lord be accomplished. The promise is that mankind will be blessed. 3
In our text, Brother Stuart, says, The greatness of life is dependent in large measure upon the quality of the purposes in which it is spent. No greater cause has ever been set for man than the cause of the church - to build the world into the likeness of heaven. In scripture we read... that all things may have their likeness, and that they may accord one with another; that which is earthly conforming to that which is heavenly, as Paul hath declared. (I Corinthians 15:46-48) (Doctrine & Covenants 110:13b). What is the work we must do? What are we seeking? What is the cause? In the New Testament and the Book of Mormon we are told very specifically that we are not to seek the things of this world, however we are told what we should seek first. Please fill in the blank on the following scripture Matthew 6:38. Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to up the of, and to His, and all these things shall be added unto you. (also see 3 Nephi 6:11) Cause /Work Keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of. Behold, I speak unto you, and also to all those who have desires to bring forth and establish this ; Doctrine & Covenants 6:3a, 10:3a, 11:3b-4b Doers of the Work In the New Testament James encourages us to be doers of the word, doers of the work. He clarifies this in the following scripture, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the vices of the world (James 1:22-27). We know that it is important to keep the Lord s Day Holy (Doctrine & Covenants 119:7b-c, Psalms 42:4). It will help us be unspotted from the world yet prepare us to live a pure religion. We are given instruction regarding this in Doctrine & Covenants 59:2d-3b. Please fill in the blanks as you read this scripture. [2b] Thou shalt the Lord thy God in all things. [2e] Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness; even that of a and a. [2f] And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt to the of and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day appointed unto thee to from thy labors, and to thy unto the Most High; Scripture also instructs us to meet together often (3 Nephi 8:53, Moroni 6:6). Brother Stuart gives us these thoughts, Through all that we do as a congregation should run a sense of the divine. Each member s life should be a spearhead of the kingdom. All church activities should contribute in some measure to the bringing forth of the Kingdom of God. We know that as disciples of Jesus Christ we must seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:38 & 3 Nephi 6:11). Jacob 2:22-24 helps us understand what this means with eight elements of being a disciple. Please read these supporting scriptures: 4
1. Do not think of yourself as better than or beyond others? Be humble and full of love. Doctrine & Covenants 11:4b 2. Be familiar with others so you know when they are in need. Participate in and develop opportunities for worship, scripture study, prayer, visiting, and fellowship. Know when others have burdens, are mourning, need comfort, need a witness or testimony of God s goodness. Mosiah 9:39-42 3. Be a good steward, sharing what you have freely. Offer your tithes and offerings. Psalms 98:7-8, Alma 1:40, Malachi 3:10 & 3 Nephi 11:13 4. Seek the Kingdom of God so your discipleship is from the heart. Doctrine & Covenants 59:2a 5. Do good. Doctrine & Covenants 58:6d-e 6. Give to the poor: clothe them, feed them. Matthew 25:35-41 7. Liberate the captive: physically and spiritually. Isaiah 58:6-7 8. Administer relief to the sick and afflicted: physically and spiritually. Mosiah 2:43, Isaiah 58:10, 1 Timothy 5:10, Psalms 82:3-4 Fill in the following scripture from 3 Nephi 8:52-55: in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed. And behold, ye shall, and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you, and forbid them not; But ye shall for, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft, ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name; therefore hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up -- that which ye have seen me do. Think about ways you can incorporate the following into your life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:1-6 asks us to: 1. bear one another s burden s, 2. communicate the Word, 3. sow in the Spirit, 4. not be weary of well doing, 5. do good to ALL We are to do good to all. How often we are to do good? Please read Alma 19:78 & Moroni 7:11 for the answer. We are often reminded, You don t stumble onto righteousness, you have to foster it in your home. When one thinks about it, if we are only concerned about the word, the work, the cause for one hour every Sunday, we would have been involved in the work for just two and a half days out of 365 days in the year. Doctrine & Covenants 52:2g encourages us to do more. nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on days, and at times; Brother Stuart states, We must try our best to demonstrate our faith by the kind of lives we live and then search for opportunities to bear testimony and invite others to come and see. We are 5
encouraged in Doctrine & Covenants 117:12 Behold, if my servants and my handmaidens, of the different organizations for good among my people, shall continue in righteousness, they shall be blessed, even as they bless others of the household of faith. Therefore, let your light so shine before this world, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:18). THE PROMISE Here is a promise of eternal life for those that choose to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Doctrine & Covenants 80:1g-h: Wherefore, be, in the office which I have appointed unto you, the weak, up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees: and if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father. Behold, and lo, these are the words of Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Amen. Medication Hymn of Discipleship: 1. Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in endless praise. Take my hands, my feet, my love, At thy impulse let them move; Take my voice and let me sing, Always, only for my King. 2. Take my silver and my gold, Naught of thine would I withhold; Take my heart, my mind, my will, Let them be thy servants still. Take my love, my Lord, I pour At thy feet its treasure store; Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for Thee. Amen Take My life And Let It Be The Hymnal (Grey) The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Herald Publishing House and Hymns of The Restoration (Blue) Restoration Hymn Society. 1985. Assignment: Read Chapter 8 of the study book beginning on page 8 of this lesson. Answer the questions at the end of the chapter. 6
Put Off & Put On ~ Christ is the Key Mosiah 1:119-120: For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been, from the fall of Adam, and will be, for ever and ever; But if he yields to [chooses to obey] the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man, and becometh a saint, through the atonement of Christ, the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. DO THIS: As you read your lesson, identify [write down] those things that do not allow the enticings of the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. PUT OFF those habits of THE NATURAL MAN and PUT ON or yield to [obey] the enticings of the Holy Spirit, the attributes that becometh a saint [see scripture above]. Make a PLAN OF ACTION to become THE SPIRITUAL MAN IN CHRIST. THE NATURAL MAN Choose the Enticings of Holy Spirit THE SPIRITUAL MAN PUT OFF PUT ON PLAN OF ACTION 7
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