Declaration of the Word

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

As we continue to reflect on this season of gift-giving, we pause and express gratitude for the declaration of God’s Word.  The phrase can mean many things including declaring that Jesus is the Christ.  It can refer to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It can also refer to the preaching of the gospel.  This is the season when we ponder the significance of all three – Jesus, His gospel, and the preaching or declaring of His word.

I have a good number of friends who have accepted that Jesus is their Savior, that His gospel has been restored upon the earth, and whose souls resonate when the doctrine of Christ is read or heard preached.  However, salvation – the kind we call exaltation is not found by just reading, just hearing, or feeling.  It comes by doing and persevering.

Having our name upon the rolls of the Church brings neither the fullness of salvation nor the fullness of grace.  It is only when our names are written upon that Sacred Scroll known as the Lamb’s Book of Life that we are assured of such salvation and grace. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”  Revelation 20:12

We can think of no better season to give the gift of our complete submission to Christ, to His gospel, His grace and His offer of salvation through grace - after all we can do to receive of His covenants and ordinances.  There will be no better time than now - for the signs and wonders are all around us.  The final Scrolls are being prepared. This week’s meditation ask each of us, “Is my name to be found?”

  

Declaration of the Word

And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written. Amen.

                                                                                               Book of Mormon   Alma 6:8

Revelation declares God’s word

That Christ’s atonement may cleanse

My inner self, that grace be conferred

And redeem me from my sins

Declared by revelation of truth

That which God has spoken

To wayward adults and willful youth

And all who accept the gospel token

Declared by the spirit of prophecy

As a sacred anchor to my soul

A divine beacon that I might see

The light and a saintly life unfold

Declared by the testimony of Christ

Who came to rescue and redeem

If I will repent and pay the price

And His laws and ordinances esteem

Declared by the Holy Order’s power

Even the Holy Order of Priesthood

God’s authority to bless and empower

Me to redemption and sainthood

And thus is the declaration spoken

Recorded in my heart and soul

Covenants never to be breached or broken

And recorded upon the Sacred Scroll

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

The Great Giveaway

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

As we approach this season of giving and thanksgiving, we pause to reflect on blessings and gifts both received and bestowed.  This season has the tendency to both measure our gratitude and to take the measure of our willingness to part with our substance.  It challenges us to take inventory of our commitments to God and our fellow men. 

In this week’s meditation we reflect that it is often easier to part with our worldly goods, than to give up, give away, or abandon unworthy parts of our character.  We recall the story of a king who hears a missionary’s gospel message of eternal life and salvation through Christ.  The king then says that he will give away all he has, even his kingdom to know God.  The missionary then speaks to him of the need to worship God, have faith, and to abandon a life of sin. 

Then, in a poignant and sincere prayer to Heavenly Father, the king says, “I will give away all my sins to know thee.”    In doing so, the king accurately sets the mark necessary to know Heavenly Father.  He also sets the example for how we can better come to know God.  To know Our Father in Heaven we must engage in the great giveaway of those parts of our mortal mask which are not consistent with the image of His son, Jesus Christ.  In other words, we must be about a process of constant change and refinement known as repentance.  As we enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas season may we consider giving away other things than those of tangible substance and worldly value?

This week’s meditative verse asks:

Am I ready to give away all my sins

And know Thee and Thy atonement

This place where my eternal life begins

Where God and I attain our at-one-ment

The Great Giveaway

And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy….But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.  And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:  O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were dead.

Book of Mormon  Alma 22:15, 16-18

“Who has the price to purchase my sin

Is there no one with treasure to pay

I’ll abandoned them now, or my life will end

O God, if there is a God, take my sin away”

Such are the pleadings of rulers and kings

Who would give away treasures, kingdoms and all

For the joy of redemption the atonement brings

Through repentance and heeding the Savior’s call

One day our sins will be weighed in the balance

And then our prayers will be loud and fervent

As we plead our case and our cause advance

Whether we be a sovereign, a peasant or servant

Am I ready to give away all my sins

And know Thee and Thy atonement

This place where my eternal life begins

Where God and I attain our at-one-ment

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Be Ye Separate

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

There appears to be an ever deepening divide among the world’s inhabitants.  We see it in our own country, but also elsewhere.  The division can be described in many ways – the divide defined by light and darkness, good and bad, war and peace, love and hate.

 

In recent years Churches and their members have been called upon to “draw a line in the sand” as to where they stand on many value-laden issues.  My own church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of those leading the way in drawing such lines. 

One of our Church leaders once said, "The Church is pulling away from the world at a rate that would be noticeable even if the world were standing still in its standards. But the world is pulling away even from standards it once held. Thus the Church and the world are parting company like two speeding cars going in opposite directions." (Deposition of a Disciple, Neal A. Maxwell, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976, p. 63.)

 There is an ancient prophecy that appears to reflect the conditions of our day.  "For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people…." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 30:10)  This separation is likewise discussed in the Old Testament in Malichi 3:18 wherein it speaks of discerning “between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” 

This week’s meditation calls out to us while also calling us out to “Be Ye Separate” as we become more guarded and discerning of those with spiritually destructive and deadly motives.  There is a time and place to reach out to those who are not exactly like-minded – to befriend them – to agree to disagree – and to maintain trusting friendships with those with whom our values coincide but our creeds differ.  However, there is also a time to clearly discern the hearts and minds of others who have been, are, and always will be bent on our ultimate destruction.  We can and must unite with the first group and fight the efforts of the second group when required.

“Be ye separate,” requires that we know where we stand, and what we stand for.  It requires courage, commitment, and vigilance in the war that started long ago.  “7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9  And thus the war continues here and now.  Hence our charge,

Be ye separate from the wicked

- A stern and impassioned plea

 For those spiritually conflicted

With laws designed to keep us free.

Be Ye Separate

And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;

                                                                                               Book of Mormon   Alma 5:57

Be ye separate from the wicked

 - A stern and impassioned plea

For those spiritually conflicted

With laws designed to keep us free

Be ye separate, touch not the unclean

Nor the sinful, unworthy, and debased

Or risk being expunged - never to be seen

A name unnumbered, blotted and erased

Be ye separate and set apart

From worldly pursuits and pleasures

Spiritually strong of mind and heart

In pursuit of holy and eternal treasures

Seek the Good Shepherd and follow His ways

Be numbered among His faithful sheep

Obey Him and give Him glory and praise

And all His covenants keep

Be ye in but not of the world

Seek a more exalted destination

Free from earth’s temporal whirl

Worthy of a heavenly habitation

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Our Portion

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

Ever wonder what limitations there might be to us receiving more light and truth - a greater fullness of inspiration and revelation?  In a world where many pervert the truth, and where it is sometimes hard to understand things as they really are, we are reminded of Isaiah’s warning, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20.  Apparently, this condition has always been present.  It just seems more so today as we find our way in the world and raise children to find their way.

However, we are not left without guidance and inspiration about these things.  Indeed, we have received a grand and glorious promise. “I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:4-5

It appears that to “know the truth of all things,” certain requirements must be met.  We must have a sincere heart, have real intent, and have faith in Christ.   To this doctrine we might also consider that some truths will be revealed to us only on the condition that we keep them to ourselves.  To His trusted servants, God will reveal great and marvelous things, which the world is not ready to receive, for they are not ready to abide certain truths.  The Lord has called that revelatory communication of truth given to us, but not to the world, as “our portion.”

This revelatory contract of trust is explained by a modern prophet who said, “Just as fast as you will prove before your God that you are worthy to receive the mysteries, if you please to call them so, of the Kingdom of heaven—that you are full of confidence in God—that you will never betray a thing that God tells you—that you will never reveal to your neighbor that which ought not to be revealed, as quick as you prepare to be entrusted with the things of God, there is an eternity of them to bestow upon you.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p 93)

This week’s meditation explores and instructs us regarding those personal revelations of God’s truths known as “Our Portion.”

Our Portion

And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.  And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.  And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell.

Book of Mormon   Alma 12:9-11

God’s mysteries may be known

By those laid under strict command

Not to impart the knowledge shown

Beyond the portions granted unto man

This according to the diligence and heed

Which they offer to God and His anointed

To receptive hearts greater light is decreed

To harden hearts less truth is appointed

When our heart remains hardened and closed

Less light is given and some may be taken

Until our knowledge is vacant and foreclosed

And we are captured, chained and led away by Satan

May we honor the trust given us as receivers

Of mysteries the Lord will or has revealed

Personally and privately to us as believers

With the constraint that they be concealed

To be trusted with mysteries in their fullness

We must be honest and loyal with all our heart

Having a confidential and trusting mindfulness

Of our portion that the Lord will then impart

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Devices of the Devil

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com             

We live in a day when stories in the daily news headlines vie for which is the most awful and terrible.  With few stories that portray us humans as kind and generous and honest, we can easily be persuaded that there is diminishing  good in the world. Certainly, stories that show us at our best rarely make news or reach the headlines.

 Such observations have been foretold millennia before. 

“20 For behold, at that day shall he (Satan) rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

23 Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion” (Book of Mormon - 2 Nephi 28:20-24)

These revelatory and instructive words would suggest that we be vigilant and not “be at ease” with all that is going on around us.  It would suggest, as this week’s Meditation counsels that we ensure that,  “We avoid the snares and deceitful devices of the Devil.“ Proactively we must see that “truth is asserted and proclaimed by voices strong, full of faith and humble.”

Devices of the Devil

Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they (Judges) received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might get money according to the suits which were brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people against Alma and Amulek.  And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good…

 Book of Mormon   Alma 11:20-21

Those were terrible days and times

When they who governed and ruled

Allowed and even committed crimes

Upon people whose souls were fooled

 Experts in trickery and deception

In the Devil’s schemes and devices

Subverting good without exception

Evil for hire at affordable prices

Trickery, perjury, mockery, and lies

All Satan’s devices and schemes

A mask of piety is his disguise

Deceit reigns and nothing is what it seems

Beware of these devious devices of deceit

Be strong of mind and heart and will

Discern right from wrong and how to meet

 God’s expectations and His covenants fulfill.

For the Devil’s devices crumble

When truth is asserted and proclaimed

By voices strong, full of faith and humble

Crushing his head and leaving him maimed

May we avoid the Devil and his devices

And be safe from his traps and snares

As he tempts, seduces, and entices

May God be our protector and we His heirs

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Song of Redeeming Love

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

There are sacred sanctifying moments wherein we experience the lifting and removal of a heavy burden from our lives.  It matters not the nature of the burden, whether it be the weight of sin, the pain and suffering of disease, recovery from financial pressures, or reclaiming the loss of a damaged relationship.  

In these moments, not only is the burden lifted, but with the lifting, we too are lifted up, filled with the Spirit – sometimes to overflowing.  In such moments we feel to sing what others have called the “Song of Redeeming Love.”  In such moments of personal salvation we often feel an overwhelming desire for the welfare of others.  We want them to feel what we feel, to experience what we experience.  We want them to “sing” the chorus with us.

These redemptive experiences change our heart, expand our mind, and enlarge our soul.  Our senses are magnified and multiplied so that we feel more deeply and our thoughts are lifted upward toward God.  Would that these occasions might be more frequent, more constant, and last longer.

In truth, the music is always playing.  It is of celestial origin.  It is only when we attune ourselves through the atonement that we can hear the music and feel inclined to give voice to redemption’s song.  In this sense, the “a-tone-ment” becomes a process by which we attune ourselves to hear redemptive tones and lend our voice to the “Song of Redeeming Love.”  We do so because we become willing to attune our heart, mind, and soul so that they resonate to the celestial tones of faith, repentance, covenant living, and the voice of the Spirit.

This week’s meditation encourages us to get ourselves in tune with the message of God’s word and receive God’s redeeming grace that we may all sing together the “Song of Redeeming Love.”

Song of Redeeming Love

And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever…. Chapter 26: 12-14 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?   Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

Book of Mormon   Alma 5:26; 26:12-14

With a mighty change of heart

We sing the song of redeeming love

   Ready, willing and eager to impart

Glory and praise to God above

The power of His word in us

Gives hope and reason to rejoice

When in Him we place our trust

We give redemption’s song a voice

In His strength we can do every thing

Even mighty miracles can be wrought

When the song of redeeming love we sing

His blood redeems and we are bought

Let us the bonds of sin’s captivity sever

For Christ has loosed the chains of hell

May we sing His redeeming song forever

And in His kingdom forever dwell

Larry Doyle Crenshaw

Wages

By Larry D. Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.blogspot.com

Over the years I’ve had many interviews with youth who would argue that they were or wanted to be free from the influence or control of others. Often parents or teachers would be mentioned. I’ve had similar conversations with adults who, likewise felt they were independent of everyone and that they directed the course of their own lives.

Upon closer examination of their goals, plans, and motivations, we would ultimately discover that they were nearly always under the influence of some set of beliefs obtained from others. Such beliefs were absorbed from or being dictated by popular culture, influential friends, or the individual was simply rebelling and moving purposefully in the opposite direction of what they were being told or counseled to do.

In short, it seems that we are ALWAYS being led, motivated, prompted, and influenced by a set of beliefs we have learned and accepted from others.  The question is, “From whom have we obtained our beliefs and which set of “voices” do we listen to or obey?”

This week’s meditation couches the discussion in terms of employment and the wages we receive from those we “listeth to obey.”  The question is, “From whom do we receive wages?”  Which voices do we listeth to obey – those to the right, or left, or front or behind?  For there are always voices calling to us – trying to enlist us – influence us – and some voices are even trying to seduce and capture us. Our meditation suggests that one of the purposes of this life is to learn to recognize and bend our will to the voice of the Spirit- a still and peaceful and enlightening voice that will lead us in the way of truth.  May the Lord be the voice whom we listeth to obey.

Wages

And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one.  For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth….

Book of Mormon   Alma 3:26-27

“How much do you earn?” is oft a query

Of those nosey and meddlesome of mind

But there may be a more vital inquiry

When asking questions of this kind

“From whom do you receive your wages?”

May be more probing and concerning

When heaven's angels and prophet-sages

Ask, "From whom are you earning?"

By whom am I engaged and assisted?

Who is my benefactor and employer?

In whose cause am I recruited and enlisted?

Is the Holy Spirit or a nether-spirit my payer?

We receive wages for our toil and labor

From the employer we listeth to obey

Misery to suffer or happiness to savor

Are the wages our employer will pay

Such wages are earned by everyone

Of him whom we worship and listeth to obey

Whether Satan’s minions or God’s Begotten Son

Depends on to whom we listen and to whom we pray

May we work for wages pure and holy

May such an income be our righteous reward

Whether our station be high or lowly

May our true employer be the Lord

Larry Doyle Crenshaw