All the saints may prophesy

Moses once proclaimed, "would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29)  And Joel later prophesied, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)


In these last days prior to the coming of the Lord, we may well expect Moses's wish to be fulfilled as Joel prophesied.  We have been counseled in recent years to learn how the Holy Spirit speaks to us and to cultivate a closer relationship with the Spirit of the Lord in preparation for His coming.  

"But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost." (President Russell M. Nelson, April 2018, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives)

"I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.

"Doing so will help you know how to move ahead with your life, what to do during times of crisis, and how to discern and avoid the temptations and the deceptions of the adversary." (President Russell M. Nelson, April 2020, Hear Him)

I forsee a day when we won't be able to rely on meeting together as regularly as we do now.  The structure of the church is changing and the burden of religious practices is shifting to the family.  We need to become more active in seeking the Lord and more confident in acting on promptings.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cultural Saints or Covenant Disciples?

Image
More and more people are entering the covenant path—and they come from all walks of life. Not all are polished or “white collar.” Some have walked hard roads, carrying the weight of past mistakes. But when these brothers and sisters truly come unto Christ, their loyalty runs deep. We saw this in the Book of Mormon with the Lamanites.  "if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee" ( Alma 22:18 ) "as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away" ( Alma 23:6 ) These “newer” members—those with rougher pasts—often bring a fierce devotion and a hunger for righteousness. Their zeal is not just emotional; it’s rooted in deep gratitude and transformation. Consider how the Lamanites responded to the threat of the Gadianton robbers, a gang who had sworn to uphold secret combinations in order to get gain: Lamonites "And it came to pass that the Lamanites ...
Read more

When Persecution Comes from Within

Image
3 Nephi 12:10–12   (See also Matthew 5)  "And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake; For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you." These verses from the Savior’s sermon in the Book of Mormon echo the Beatitudes of the New Testament, promising joy and eternal reward to those who endure persecution for righteousness’ sake. We often imagine such persecution coming from outside the faith—from those who do not understand or accept the gospel. But what happens when the persecution comes from within our own community of Saints? This is a harder truth to face. Yet, from personal experience and scriptural precedent, I have come to understand that sometimes the most painful reviling, judgment, o...
Read more

Silver Seam: Lessons from Two Winters

Image
Stanza 1   I walked two winters with a quiet mouth,   the days folded thin and softened at the edge.   In hush I found a lantern, small and south,   its scripture-light a slow and steady pledge. Stanza 2   I kept my voice like coins beneath my tongue,   and watched the small cruelties lengthen, spread.   Regret sits with me now at every sun:   I should have spoken sooner, called for stead. Stanza 3   Silence taught me how loneliness tastes cold;   it taught me how the world can look the same.   Yet from that hush a different music rolled—   a faith that bends to mercy, not to blame. Stanza 4   I learn to read the lines that once were dim,   to let the verses light the path I tread.   Each wound becomes a map, each lesson hymn;   the hurt is soil where gentler wisdom’s fed. Stanza 5   I will not b...
Read more