Taking the Lord's Name in Vain

What is vanity?
Is saying, "O my G_D!" taking the Lord's name in vain?
Is that what it's talking about in the scriptures or is it something more?


Over the past few years the Lord has been teaching me about this.
I was really shocked to find out from the Lord that I have been taking the Lord's name in vain.
I told him, "what...what?, But I haven't ever said, O my G_D? and I have been very careful with how I say the name."




So one Family home Evening I gave a lesson about this and what the Lord had been teaching me. I closed my lesson with just a simple Amen.


How do most people close their talks, lessons, primary talks, testimonies, ect? We usually close by saying- "In the NAME of Jesus Christ, Amen."


But are the words and messages we give actually from HIM? Or do we just close that way because we were taught to do that and that's just what we do? This was HOW I was taking the Lord's name in vain.


I understand more clearly now about the parable of the wheat and the tare. One has fruit and the other is hollow (empty) inside.


We are told in the scriptures, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

Murmuring- Another Way at Looking at It

I had to chuckle a little tonight as I was on the phone with a dear friend of mine as she said right before hanging up the phone to NOT forgot to do it. (I quickly thought to myself- do what again?) Then it came to me- O yeah the blog post I just told her I was to do, then realized I had already put it out of my mind trying to procrastinate this blog post.

Basically I was murmuring about doing THIS murmuring post. In my minds eye I could see the Lord chuckle at me too.

Now I am NOT applying that murmuring is a joke or to be laughed at.
Rather it can be serious as it leads one on a descending path of disobedience.

Years ago I read a General Conference talk on murmuring and it stuck with me. I wrote down part of it and made bookmarks out of it. I realize that over the years I have done ALOT more murmuring then I ever realized, when I use the following to describe murmuring. It can be so much more than the regular "whining and complaining".

                          
First-I begin to question- (dispute/doubt/debate) the instructions that I have been given from the Lord.
   feel to exercise my own judgment upon the instruction given by the Lord
      
      Second- rationalize, justify, and excuse myself from doing what I had been
                      instructed to do.
             Making an excuse for disobedience ( I have been really good at this one)
                
                Third- slothful in following the commandment(s) of the Lord.
                           I have been SLOW in following. Yet other words can describe this.

According to the 1828 Webster's dictionary Slothful=inactive; sluggish; lazy; indolent; idle
Inactive= not active, not diligent
Sluggish= slow
Lazy= disinclined to action or exertion, slow
Indolent=indulging in ease. Indisposed to labor
Idle=useless, vain

*The promptings I get from the Holy Ghost and/or from hearing the voice of the Lord are my personal commandments from him. *

Just last week I realized that I had slipped into this and needed to STOP and repent (turn back to the Lord) and rededicate myself with Full Purpose of Heart yet once again.

The more we have faith in Him the more we will trust him. Until we trust him COMPLETELY.

Mosiah 7:33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.

2 Nephi 2:22  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.

Proverbs 3:5 ¶Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

May you be wiser then I have been in following the commandments of the Lord.
Let us all be quick to observe and obey. Harken unto the Lord.
I just looked up the definition of harken in the 1828 Webster dictionary.

HE'ARKEN, verb intransitive h'arken.
1. To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered, with eagerness or curiosity.
The furies hearken and their snakes uncurl.
2. To attend; to regard; to give heed to what is uttered; to observe or obey.
Hearken, O Israel, to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you. Deuteronomy 4:1.
3. To listen; ; to attend; to grant or comply with.
Hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant. I Kings 8:30.

That's all I need to share for now. So until next time.......

 

Beware of Satan's 1/2 Truths!

It has been a long time since I have posted here. A lot of change as well, including a newborn in our house. He truly is our miracle baby. There will be an upcoming post that will include the whole journey of this past pregnancy and labor and delivery. It's all about hearing the voice of the Lord and obeying. He truly does provide a way for you to do the things he commands you to do. I am learning to trust him COMPLETELY!

So for today's post I am to share the following dream that I found in one of my notebooks.

                                          Excerpt from Journal-Fall 2010

I was stuck in a shopping mall. There seemed to be no way out. One of the shops was a movie theater. They had advertised the following: We guarantee you can escape this place after staying for the whole movie. It was a Mario's Bros film.

I told the young women who was the manager behind the concessions counter I wanted out of this mall. She assured me that I could do that if I went to the show, then I could get out. I knew they had exits to the outside world through their movie theater. It was then that I asked very specific questions/ statements like:
"I want to leave this building (the mall) intact-physically leave by walking out through the "Tangible Exit Doors" with my whole soul. With my mind, body, and spirit intact. I wanted to see their policy."

She pointed to a poster way above her head. It was tiny fine print. I asked her for a copy of it, normal print. On the back of the counter she had a huge stack of the papers/policy. I had read the form. I was the first one EVER to ask for one. I knew that by going to watch the whole movie was a bigger trap. It was very clear to me. I refused to go into the theater itself, knowing that at the very end of the 3D movie, ALL the viewers get swallowed up into the movie like Tron. There had to be another way. I was trying hard to return to my 3 boys.

End of that dream
__________________________________________________________                                 
We are major cheese eaters in our home. We love our cheese.
This goes along with the following dream I also had on the same night as the dream up above.

"A lady was going to share her homemade cheese. Takes 4 years to sit and age before it's ready to eat. Well by the time it came our way it changed into a sweet potato pie. It was very good but it was NOT her cheese."

Peacebreaker, Peacekeeper, or a Peacemaker? Part 1

About a month ago the Primary lesson was on being a Peacemaker

The Lord taught me things that I didn't know about being a Peacemaker or rather my understanding and  definition of what a "peacemaker" was or should be was not necessarily the same as how he saw it.

I bet we have all heard the statement "Peace at any Price!" but is that really peace?

On that Sunday morning I was told by the Lord to go look it (peacemaker) up on the internet. So I typed it up and was immediately drawn to a specific post that was on a Baptist Minister's page. ( I have since tried to relook it up so that I can give the source- as much of what I will be sharing comes straight from what he shared.) But atlas, I have tried and cannot find it.

So I will put all his words or when I am directly quoting him in (italics) and keep my insights, comments in regular print.

The Baptist minister gave 6 Principles of a Peacemaker and the 2 that struck me the most or rather it just clicked into my heart and brain was the following:

Principle #3- A Peacemaker is a meddler
Principle #6 -A Peacemaker does not seek 'peace at any price'

I guess I am a peacemaker after all!

But I might be getting ahead of myself.
It's always good to define things and make sure everyone is on the same page so backing up a little bit.

First off- What is Peace?

Peace is more than the absence of stress, worry, anxiety

Peace is a combo of trust, assurance, well-being, calmness and joy, EVEN in the face of evil circumstances and evil people.

What about being a Peacemaker?

"In the wild west, a peacemaker was a colt 45 revolver.

Blessed was the man who had the quick draw.

200 years later, the US has a nuclear missile called the Peacemaker.

BUT peace in the heart comes from the presence of Jesus in the heart and the Holy Spirit filling the life" -

He gives the following principles of being a peacemaker.


Principle #1-You can't be a peacemaker if you don't have peace.
You can't give away something that you don't have. Ding ding ding.

Peace is a Gift of God. There is NO peace until you have peace with God.

Bottom Line- because I am a bottom line person-

Peace is the byproduct of a right relationship with the Lord.

Fruit of the spirit is peace.

**If you want peace you must have your Baptism of Fire/Be born again, you must come to the cross and be washed in the blood of the Lamb, you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.**

Principle #2: A Peacemaker leads others to make peace with GOD

If it is only in Jesus Christ that we find true peace- then the gospel of Jesus Christ must be given out/shared with others.

Principle #3- A Peacemaker is a Meddler-Let me explain

You can't be a peacemaker and mind your own business- you can't stay out of it- you must get involved.
Don't forget to plan your meddling.

**The key is to be a Holy Meddler** A peacemaker needs to be not only holy, but HUMBLE, WISE as a serpent and filled with the Spirit , a man or women of mighty prayer. Boldness helps too! Because a peacemaker must be willing to confront

^This is something I never understood before^

I always thought if you were a peacemaker then you just had to yield to others and keep your mouth shut. NOT SOMETHING I DO. If I see something that needs addressing, I open my mouth and speak up. Sometimes my own love ones might see that as me stirring things up.

Being passive aggressive does NOT = being peaceful.

A peacemaker is one whose spirit has been broken by the Holy Spirit (broken heart).
He/She has grieved over his/her own sins.
He/she has taken on the meekness and the mercy of Jesus/Yeshua.
He/she has hungered and thirsted after righteousness.
He/she has allowed the Lord to purify his/her heart.

Now this individual is ready to be a peacemaker.

Principle #4 Don't Gossip

There is nothing like a gossip and tale bearing to fan the fires of strife and tension.

Proverbs 26:20 "Without the wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Principle #5 Don't be quarrelsome

Something I keep reminding myself-

To be quick to listen and slow to speak.

A favorite quote of mind comes to mind-"Don't sweat the petty stuff and never pet the sweaty stuff!"

Don't argue about picky things or create controversy over things that don't really matter. (Keep an Eternal perspective)

Like the fighting couple over the ironing board. She used the pointed, narrow end to iron her clothes. He used the wider, straight end. She continuously criticized him for not ironing right.
What's the difference?

Principle #6- A Peacemaker does NOT
seek 'peace at any price'

Biblical truth and Scriptural convictions CANNOT be Compromised-

not for the sake of 'getting along'

not for the sake of getting together

not for the sake of ecumenicism (I had to look up that word no clue what that meant)-

not for the sake of anything

Martin Luther's testimony at the Diet of Worms settled this once and for all.

A peacemaker- any true Christian is never a compromiser. One preacher said, "Peace that is won by compromising godly principles is NOT peace at all. it's cowardice. It's treason to the conscience. It's anarchy toward the courts of heaven. If we've won peace through compromising the standards of righteousness, we don't really have peace at all. We have apostasy"

And it's apostasy-peace that forms the basis of the coming of the new world order and the one-world government.

Jesus was called the Prince of Peace but let us know what He thought of compromise when He went into the temple with a whip in His hand & flames in His eyes, overturning the tables of the money changers, sending goats, cows and people running for the gates.

Growing up I was a peacebreaker. I love causing contention, pushing peoples buttons- especially my brothers. I loved to quarrel-
to be RIGHT!

Bottom line, I didn't have peace.

This happened as I had a personal relationship with Father and his son Jesus Christ.

When I was Baptized by Fire and the dross was burned out and Charity was filled inside me,

I was given that inner peace that comes from the Prince of Peace himself.

God's peace passes all understanding. I might not understand this terrible situation I'm in. I may not understand why that person is making life miserable for me all the time; But God's peace passes all understanding. When I have Jesus, I have his peace. If Christ is in your life, His peace is in your life.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

In part 2 I will finish with what the Baptist ministered shared on his one post along with insights that I have learned from the Lord.

This is already long enough so I will end for now. Until then...your Sister in Christ-Sally

My Ongoing Love Affair

Yep, it's with my Lord and Savior-Yeshua

May he be the Lover of your soul as well, if he isn't already!


This hymn about sums it up for me- ALL 5 verses
(in the LDS hymn book we only have 2 vrs)

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.

Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall—Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.
                            ^^Charles Wesley^^

Are you really listening?

 Dream from 3/8/16

In the Relief Society Room. One of the Russian Hughes girls at the piano. She said she was going to share her great gift (from God) with them. She started to sing and play. People were expecting this amazing voice. Many were disappointed when they heard her. She sang good, but not amazing, or dynamic.

As I continued to listen, I was amazed at what I heard! I couldn't see them but could hear them! She had angels singing with her. An alto and then during the melody a high soprano singing her thing on top. It was so beautiful! The Hughes girl sang the song of Angels or rather, the gift was Angels singing with her.

I got up to say what a powerful gift and it's not what you think it is! I asked others starting with my friend Andrea. They were talking vague, general about the gospel, as her gift. I redirected them and said, "No, what specifically was the gift she (Hughes girl) was sharing with us?" I then told them what that great gift was. I was the only one in the room that could hear them. (I was listening with my Spiritual ears, not just my physical ears. That was the key.)

As I woke up and pondered this, I realize the importance of really "hearing/listening". I am learning to "hear/listen" first and then the "seeing" in the spirit WILL come.

Orange Sticky Note and The Rest of the Hymn

I had my scriptures open during Fast and Testimony Mtg this past Sunday and noticed the orange sticky note once again that I stuck in my scriptures a long time ago. It was written 12/21/14. It has been on my mind since Sunday. So I will be putting an excerpt of what I wrote down on that little orange sticky note-

In this dream(I)spoke of the Prophet Joseph Smith in front of a group of people (LDS). I believe mostly men. I said, "By their fruits you shall know them. He (JS) was chosen before the foundation of the world. Called to bring forth records." I asked the men, "What fruits do we have now?"
....
I told the crowd God gives us weakness. My big weakness was the lack of music-how he is using that weakness. He (Yeshua) is teaching me by using music and lyrics by his other children.
^end of excerpt

This brings me to -The Rest of the Hymn.

On radio I used to love hearing Paul Harvey share-"The Rest of the Story".

 So this is my version of that. But with the hymns.

I have discovered that there are more verses to some of  them (the hymns) then what we have in our Green LDS Hymnals. I love playing games and this had been a cross between Hide N' Seek and a Scavenger Hunt between the Lord and myself. He really does have a playful nature and I have been discovering this for myself.

My daughter's favorite song to sing is -Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.
Did you know how it came into being and that although our children's songbook has 2 verses to it, the original has 4 verses?

vrs 1-Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.

Refrain/chorus

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.

vrs 2-Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy
His little one can be.

Refrain/chorus

vrs 3-I will ask Jesus to help me
To keep my heart from sin,
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.

Refrain/chorus

vrs 4-I’ll be a sunbeam for Jesus;
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live with Him on high.

Refrain/chorus

---

*" The words come from Nellie Talbot. Rack­ing her brain for ma­ter­i­al for her Sun­day school class in rur­al Mis­sou­ri, she thought to her­self, “How can you say there’s no­thing to teach about when you have the sun and the sky and the trees and the flow­ers!” Hence the theme of this song."

^taken from Cyber Hymnal