D&C 4:5 (Faith)

"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work."

*Faith*

(Bible Dictionary)

• to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true
• so many things we can't see- Christ, Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost- yet I know they are there
• must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation
• salvation is granted to us under Christ's atoning sacrifice if we but believe in Him and have faith that as we live our lives according to His will, we will be saved in His kingdom
• to have confidence in something or someone
• It's interesting to look at it this way. Do I have confidence in my Savior? Do I have confidence that Joseph Smith truly saw God the Father and Jesus Christ? I guess when I say I know these things to be true, I am most certainly confident in the reality of the things I profess to believe.
• The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him without reservation.
• One of my favorite scriptures has always been Proverbs 3:5 & 6. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I have always been painfully aware of my imperfections. I am prideful, selfish, rash, easily offended, and so much more. This keen awareness of my lowly state makes it so easy "to place confidence in him without reservation." I KNOW that Heavenly Father is perfect, He sees all, and He loves me! What better guide could I possibly have to help me maneuver this life and the many obstacles that Satan places in my path? I may THINK that I know what is best for myself, but Heavenly Father KNOWS what is best for me.
• kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith
• First, we gain our testimony by hearing others bear theirs. Second, once we have gained our own testimony, it is our responsibility to bear it to others, thereby spreading faith throughout the world.
• not produced by miracles
• Laman and Lemuel saw an angel. Immediately after the light had faded from that glorious vision, they began to complain once more. Sometimes I think it would be nice to see Christ; to feel of His love so close and to be reassured that I really can do this. Yet even without that blessing, I know that He is there and I don't have to see Him to know that.
• strong f. developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; i.e., comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one's f.
• Now obedience is where faith is truly nurtured. When we are obedient and receive the blessings from that obedience, our faith grows and our desire to be even more obedient increases. When we are blessed to be either a recipient or a witness of a miracle, our faith is validated.
• a principle of action and of power
• Action! We cannot have true faith without action. Faith is also the foundational power of the priesthood.
• by it one can command the elements and/or heal the sick, or influence any number of circumstances when occasion warrants
• It is humbling to realize how frail my faith is when I realize its full potential. I feel like I have a great deal of faith until I realize that faith can even move mountains. Very humbling.
• by f. one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God
• It's interesting to think of faith as a requirement for forgiveness. I guess we would have to have faith in Christ's atonement if we are to truly be clean and forsake our sins.
• must be based upon correct knowledge or it cannot produce the desired results
• One cannot have faith in a false prophet or false doctrine and expect to see miracles.
• F. in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel
• Faith is the foundation of our testimonies. It is the starting point. It is the key to all gospel knowledge and the gateway to the path that leads us back to our Father.
• more than belief, since true f. always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action
• This is where much of today's Christianity is lacking in truth. It is impossible to claim true faith without action. If I truly believe in something, I will act upon it.
• carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for
• I hope to one day stand before Heavenly Father and my Savior and be pronounced clean and worthy to live with them forever. Faith gives me the assurance that this desire will one day be a reality.
• a lack of f. leads to despair, which comes because of iniquity
• Even when we are saddened by the actions of others or discouraged by a wicked world, as long as we are righteous, we can hold tight to our faith and dispel despair.
• a gift
• We must continually pray for this gift.
• must be cultured and sought after until it grows from a tiny seed to a great tree
• Faith needs to grow. It is not just something we get and that is the end of it. We must be obedient and act, thereby continually increasing our faith.
• the effects of true f. in Jesus Christ include:
• (1) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is acceptable to the Lord
• This is a humbling thought. I feel like I am so weak and unworthy at times. There are moments when my weaknesses threaten to overwhelm me and drag me down once and for all. Yet when I look at it in this light, I do know that despite my weaknesses "the course of life [I am] pursuing is acceptable to the Lord". I am trying to be a good mother, a good wife, a good visiting teacher, a good YW leader. I am working on my scripture study, personal prayers, FHE, and temple attendance. I pay an honest tithe and attend church every Sunday. I yearn for spiritual experiences. Yes, I know that I am headed in the right direction. I am just grateful that I have a lifetime to get there.
• (2) a reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life
• The Lord is anxious to bless us in this life, not just in the world to come. Happiness is possible right here and now.
• (3) an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come
• I know that Heavenly Father has the power to save me from my sins.
• these three effects mentioned involve individual and personal testimony, guidance, revelation, and spiritual knowledge
• We must seek after personal revelation and spiritual knowledge. They will help us grow and keep us always on the right path.
• where there is true f. there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that he gives to his saints
• Again, true faith has great and powerful potential for mighty works, if we can but nurture it and allow it to grow.
• obstacles to f.: pride/seeking for glory of world, spiritual blindness, hardheartedness
• Yep, this is where my weaknesses shine through. I must continually seek to dispel my pride and forsake the glory of the world.

D&C 4:4

In the verse synopses, it says "Valiant service saves the Lord's ministers." What a wonderful program. When we serve the Lord we are so blessed in so many ways. First of all, we become more like He is- unselfish, hardworking. Second of all, we receive joy when we serve others. There is something so uplifting and edifying about service. We step out of ourselves for a moment in order to give to others. Our own problems become small while we are helping to make other's burdens light.

"He that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul."

There is that word "might" again. Heavenly Father is promising us that when we give of our strength and energy in His service, we will secure salvation for ourselves- the blessing of living forever with the Father and the Son and all of our eternal families. We cannot be weary in well-doing. We must press on and on and on. Never ceasing, never tiring.

D&C 4:2

Serve God with all your heart, might, mind and strength...

*Heart – desires, purpose, intentions, the very center of our soul, the source of all emotion

• Good: humility/broken heart, pure in heart, Zion- hearts knit together in unity/one heart, conversion- change of heart, sanctification of heart (which cometh of yielding heart unto God), Spirit- causes heart to burn/prepares heart, understand in heart, ponder in heart, prayer in heart, Lord speaks to the heart, song of the heart- prayer unto God, soft heart, glad heart


• Evil: hardhearted, stubbornness of heart, heart set on riches/vain things of the world, Satan- gets hold upon the heart/rages in the hearts of men/puts it into heart


• Definitions (from Webster): 3 a: personality, disposition b: obsolete : intellect 4: the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature: as a: generous disposition : compassion b: love, affections c: courage, ardor 5: one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations 6 a: the central or innermost part : center b: the essential or most vital part of something

*Might – power, strength (physical)

• Definitions: 1 a: the power, authority, or resources wielded (as by an individual or group) b (1): bodily strength (2): the power, energy, or intensity of which one is capable 2dialect : a great deal

*Mind – the intellect; the decision-making, reasoning capacity of a human

• Definitions: 2 a: the element or complex of elements in an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and especially reasons b: the conscious mental events and capabilities in an organism c: the organized conscious and unconscious adaptive mental activity of an organism3: intention , desire 4: the normal or healthy condition of the mental faculties5: opinion , view 6: disposition , mood 7 a: a person or group embodying mental qualities b: intellectual ability

*Strength – all the force of which one is capable

• Definitions: 1: the quality or state of being strong : capacity for exertion or endurance2: power to resist force : solidity , toughness 3: power of resisting attack : impregnability 4 a: legal, logical, or moral force b: a strong attribute or inherent asset 5 a: degree of potency of effect or of concentration b: intensity of light, color, sound, or odor c: vigor of expression6: force as measured in numbers : effective numbers of any body or organization 7: one regarded as embodying or affording force or firmness : support


• I love the definitions of strength!
  § Capacity for exertion or endurance: This life is a mighty test that requires sustained effort and endurance in order for us to be victorious over Satan and to become like our Father.
  § Power to resist force; power of resisting attack: Satan is raging an all-out war against us and our families. We must exert the strength necessary to resist his evil forces and relentless attacks in the battle for our souls.
  § Moral force: In an increasingly immoral world, we must be a powerful moral force.
  § Intensity of light: Light is symbolic in so many ways. Christ is the light of the world. We are commanded to let our lights shine. Light is symbolic of good, whereas darkness portrays evil. To have an intensity of light is a powerful image.
  § Force as measured in numbers: As followers of Christ, we have the ability to be a powerful force for good in the world.
  § One regarded as embodying…firmness: We must be constant and firm in keeping our covenants and standing firmly for that which is right- no matter what.

*Conclusion: It is not enough to have a casual relationship with God and an occasional interaction with the Spirit. Heavenly Father specifically noted "heart, might, mind, and strength" when teaching us how to serve Him- for a reason. Every fiber of our being should be employed in serving our Father if we are to become perfect as He is. In our search for this perfection, we will find the true and lasting happiness that all mankind is seeking for.