Pers. Prog. Faith - pg. 14 V.E. #2.
What qualities does one need to teach faith to their children? I have been watching my sweetheart Laura for about 15 years now, and her quiet faith has always impressed me. I believe that the unassuming faith that most women seem to come by naturally is one of the main reasons why The Lord chooses his daughters to principally nurture the children, and not His sons. The more men and women I come to know, the more I am convinced that The Lord knows what He is doing with the family roles of each. Don't get me wrong, there are some impressive men in the world, and even more so in The Lord's Kingdom, but Father's Daughters generally have a simple, quiet, patient, enduring faith that I don't see as readily in myself and a majority of the men I know. Laura, and many other sister's I know seem to have a corner on the market when it comes to charity, kindness, compassion, humility, patience, virtue, and endurance. Little wonder why they are the ones principally entrusted with the nurturing of the faith of children. I believe this is why it is typically the tender hands of a woman that can produce the prize winning garden; nurturing is the key. I am glad that my Father in heaven has placed so many incredible women in my life to teach me how I can be more like Him by observing them.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
(New Testament | Matthew 15:28)
Hope On!
For my personal scripture study I have decided to work along side my oldest daughter on the Young Women's Personal Progress program. The first value I have been studying is Faith. I have recently learned that faith really can't be exercised unless there is some sort of promise attached to it. Abraham was able to offer his son because he was completely assured in the promise God had given him that his son would live and carry the covenant into the future. He knew that somehow God would let Issac live, even if that meant raising him from the dead.
Check out these scriptures looking for the connection between faith in promises and in the promise giver:
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
(New Testament | Romans 4:13 - 16)
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
(New Testament | Romans 4:19 - 21)
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the claw, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(New Testament | Galatians 3:12 - 14)
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
(New Testament | Galatians 3:22)
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of clove, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(New Testament | Hebrews 6:10 - 12)
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
(New Testament | Hebrews 10:22 - 23)
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
(New Testament | Hebrews 11:11)
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
(New Testament | Hebrews 11:13)
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
(New Testament | Hebrews 11:16 - 19)
16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.
(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:16 - 17)
21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer be kept without the veil.
22 And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the promise that these things should come unto their brethren through the Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus Christ.
(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:21 - 22)
19 And for this very purpose are these plates preserved, which contain these records—that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to his people;
20 And that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved. Amen.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 3:19 - 20)
52 That by keeping the commandments they (those who inherit Celestial Glory) might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
53 And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.
55 They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—
56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:52 - 56)
I am convinced that to often we focus on the works that faith requires and forget to talk about the great promises given to those who live in faith, and the greatness of the one who has offered those promises.
One of the requirements for the Faith value in the Personal Progress Program is to improve the diligence and quality of ones personal prayers for several weeks. I have done this and have learned A LOT! Among other things, I have have learned that the pattern of "spiritually creating" my day with The Lord during my morning prayers is WONDERFUL! I find myself including Him more in what I am doing and thanking Him more for His hand in my daily activities. Also, after studying the parables of "The Friend at Midnight" and "The Importunate Widow" I have come to see the kneeling posture of prayer as more that just a show of respect to The Lord, but more as a reminder that I am a beggar before Him, a true "11th hour laborer" who needs Him more than I need anything.
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:41)
The promise giver ALWAYS comes through.
The promises are assured.
So...
Hope on!
Last night we had a live and local performance by Kurt Bestor at our stake center. His daughter is one of my Institute students and I have been asking her for about a year if we could ever get her dad to come and do a concert for us. Since I had a lot to do with this event happening they asked me to conduct the meeting which was a great honor. Brother Bestor is a gifted man indeed. It did my heart good to sit for an hour and listen to his music. I think our spirits need "down time" like this once in a while. I would close my eyes and envision the pictures that his music creates, from a woman bearing a torch to herald the birth of Christ to the majesty and soft magic of the sun gradually cresting the horizon. I found myself feeling a quiet joy as I listened which was only heightened as I looked around and saw many members of the audience having the same experience. It was a great evening and has re-confirmed the commitment that Laura and I have to make to the gift of music a priority in the rearing of our children. I think that there must be something pre-mortal about music that makes it resonate deeply in our spirits.
1 O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the crock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
(Old Testament | Psalms 95:1 - 3)
Hope On!
