spiritual stuff from the "Today" document

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Monday “We are weak, but Thou art able…” recognize what is happening, acknowledge weakness and ask for help


During his final visit to BYU, Elder Neal A. Maxwell quoted lines of verse given him by Professor John Sorenson. The verses describe
a great stallion at full gallop in a meadow, who—
at his master’s voice—seizes up to a stunned but instant halt. . . .
. . . only the velvet ears
prick forward, awaiting the next order.
[Mary Karr, “Who the Meek Are Not,” Atlantic Monthly 289, no. 5 (May 2002), 64]
Said Elder Maxwell, “Do you see a new picture of meekness being at ‘full gallop’ but with ‘velvet ears’?” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Blending Research and Revelation,” remarks at BYU President’s Leadership Council meeting, 19 March 2004).
A fourth quintessential existential dilemma: How do I distinguish between promptings of the Spirit and my own personal feelings? In this month’s Ensign, Elder Dallin H. Oaks reminds us humility precedes inspiration (see “Humility Precedes Inspiration,” Ensign, March 2007, 61; quoted from Oaks, “I Have a Question,” Ensign, June 1983, 27).
Humbly seeking inspiration while fully obeying all the commandments will help us determine if we are attracted to that cute girl or guy by spiritual prompting or as a response to a Madison Avenue perfume or aftershave. It can help us know when we are giving or receiving a priesthood blessing that what we are saying or hearing is not only what our own heart may earnestly want (or not want) but is in fact the will, mind, word, and voice of the Lord (see D&C 68:3–4).
A little inspiration for the day:
If you love, you will be loved;
If you respect people, you will be respected;
If you serve them, you will be served;
If you give a good account of yourself toward others, others will act likewise toward you.
Blessed is the man who loves and does not desire to be loved for it;
Blessed is he who respects others and does not look for respect in return;
Who serves and does not expect service for it; who acquits himself well of others and does not desire that they return the grace.
Because such things are big, foolish people do not rise to them.
~ Brother Giles
Alysm@earthlink.net

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

DC 88: 63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Have I believed that the only way I can be happy is by having earthly circumstances be the way I want them to be. People to be nice to me and do what is right. No trials… Somewhere along the way ( in my childhood I imagine) I adopted the belief that I have the right to think ill of people. I have the desire to order my life in an attempt to keep hurt away from me. As if that is how I have peace and healing. Ugh.
The healing power of Christ, found in the doctrine of going the second mile, would do wonders to still argument and accusation, fault-finding and evil speaking.
It is not always easy to live by these doctrines when our very natures impel us to fight back. For instance, there are those who have made it the mission of their lives to try to destroy this, the work of God. It has been so from the beginning of the Church, and now, in recent times, we are seeing more of it with evil accusations, falsehoods, and innuendo designed to embarrass this work and its officers. A natural inclination is to fight back, to challenge these falsehoods and bring action against their perpetrators. But when these inclinations make themselves felt, there arise also the words of the Master healer, who said:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:43–44.)
Most of us have not reached that stage of compassion and love and forgiveness. It is not easy. It requires a self-discipline almost greater than we are capable of. But as we try, we come to know that there is a resource of healing, that there is a mighty power of healing in Christ, and that if we are to be His true servants we must not only exercise that healing power in behalf of others, but, perhaps more important, inwardly.
I would that the healing power of Christ might spread over the earth and be diffused through our society and into our homes, that it might cure men’s hearts of the evil and adverse elements of greed and hate and conflict. I believe it could happen. I believe it must happen. If the lamb is to lie down with the lion, then peace must overcome conflict, healing must mend injury.
Jesus of Nazareth healed the sick among whom He moved. His regenerating power is with us today to be invoked through His holy priesthood. His divine teachings, His incomparable example, His matchless life, His all-encompassing sacrifice will bring healing to broken hearts, reconciliation to those who argue and shout, even peace to warring nations if sought with humility and forgiveness and love.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, ours is a ministry of healing, with a duty to bind the wounds and ease the pain of those who suffer. Upon a world afflicted with greed and contention, upon families distressed by argument and selfishness, upon individuals burdened with sin and troubles and sorrows, I invoke the healing power of Christ, giving my witness of its efficacy and wonder. I testify of Him who is the great source of healing. He is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, “The Sun of Righteousness,” who came “with healing in his wings.” Of this I humbly testify in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Healing Power of Christ,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 52

JEF
Our temples are places of peace and tranquillity. In these hallowed sanctuaries God “healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Our sacrament meetings should be worshipful and healing, restoring those who attend to spiritual soundness. Part of the healing process occurs as we worship through music and song. Singing our beautiful, worshipful hymns is food for our souls. We become of one heart and one mind when we sing praises to the Lord. Among other influences, worshiping in song has the effect of spiritually unifying the participants in an attitude of reverence.
Spiritual healing also comes from bearing and hearing humble testimonies. A witness given in a spirit of contrition, thankfulness for divine providence, and submission to divine guidance is a powerful remedy to help relieve the anguish and concerns of our hearts.
I doubt that sincere members of this Church can achieve complete spiritual healing without being in harmony with the foundation of the Church, which the Apostle Paul stated is “the apostles and prophets.” It is also essential for us to be found sustaining our bishops, branch presidents, and stake and district presidents.
Recent information seems to confirm that the ultimate spiritual healing comes in the forgetting of self. A review of the accounts indicates that those who survived best in prison and hostage camps were those who were concerned for their fellow prisoners and were willing to give away their own food and substance to help sustain the others. Dr. Viktor Frankl stated: “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” 11 The Savior of the world said it very simply: “And whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” 12
Of all that we might do to find solace, prayer is perhaps the most comforting. We are instructed to pray to the Father, in the name of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Ghost. The very act of praying to God is satisfying to the soul, even though God, in His wisdom, may not give what we ask for. President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) taught us that all of our prayers are answered, but sometimes the Lord says no. 13 The Prophet Joseph taught that “the best way to obtain truth and wisdom is … to go to God in prayer.” 14 Prayer is most helpful in the healing process.
Wounds inflicted by others are healed by the “art of healing.” President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) stated, “But the healing of a wound is an art not acquired by practice alone, but by the loving tenderness that comes from universal good will and a sympathetic interest in the welfare and happiness of others.” 15

Facing the Giants
So far, football has been just about us- how we can look good, how we can get the glory. The more I read this book (the scriptures) the more I realize that life’s not about us. We’re not here to just here to get glory, make money and die. God put us here to honor Him (and to learn how to do that and to do His will) Jesus said that the most important thing that you can do here on this earth is to love God with everything you are and lobe others as yourself. So if we win every game and miss that, then we’ve done nothing. Football then means nothing. So I’m here to present you a new team philosophy. I think football is just one of the tools we use to honor God.
So you think God does care about football?
I think He cares about your faith. He cares about where your heart is. If you can live your faith on the football field, then yes God cares about football because He cares about you. He sent His Son Jesus to die for us so we could live for Him (find out what they mean).
It’s not just on the football field. We’ve got to honor Him in our relationships, in our respect for authority, in the classroom, and when you’re at home surfing the internet. I want God to bless this team so much that people talk about what He did. But that means we gotta give Him our best in every area. And if we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him. Either way, we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes.
So I’m asking you, what are you living for? I’ve resolved to give God everything I’ve got. Then I’ll leave the results up to Him. I wanna know if you’ll join me.

Your attitude is like the aroma of your heart. If your attitude stinks, it means your heart’s not right.