1. "...charity is the pure love of Christ..." (Moroni 7:47)
2. Nephi defines charity as, "...love God and all men" (2 Nephi 31:20)
3. Alma defines charity as, "...having the love of God always in your hearts..." ( Alma 13:29)
JESUS SAID: "Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him." (D & C 59:5)
APOSTLE PAUL COUNSELED: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it." (Romans 14:4-6)
MALACHI defines the righteous from the wicked: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Malachi 3:18)
The best way to love Heavenly Father with all our hearts is to serve Him all day long. Those individuals who have made the decision to do all activities throughout the day for Him, have found that it was easier to feel the Holy Ghost, the were happier, able to handle the stresses of the day better, and they felt Heavenly Fathers love. How did they do it? They look at their "to do list" and committed to using it for spiritual growth. They viewed each item as a stewardship assignment to be carried out on Heavenly Fathers behalf, to glorify Him. By praying over each activity, they sought for wisdom, and the strength to do it well.
Apostle Paul's comment on esteeming one day above another comes from a temporal focus. That is, one day is better than another, depending on what the world throws at you. When one esteems every day alike, he is now spiritually focused. That is, he uses every event, every activity of the day for spiritual growth. When he picks up the laundry, he sees the person behind the counter as a son or daughter of God, born and reared in the courts of glory. He is able to now create good feelings for that person. His feelings for other people are no longer based upon how he is treated by others. The results match the prophets definition of what will occur when one has charity in his heart.
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;...' (I Corinth 13:3-5)
As one does a project for his boss, he prays about it, and seeks insight and help. Why? Because this is how one becomes spiritually centered. This is how one overcomes the world. This is how one puts God first in his life. This is how one becomes one with Christ. This is how one qualifies for the gift of charity.
JESUS SAID: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
NEPHI COUNSELED: "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performances may be for the welfare of thy soul."
(2 Nephi 32:9)
ONE CAN GET HIS DAILY PERFORMANCES IN THE BOOK OF LIFE! HOW?
-By doing all his activities out of the love he has for Heavenly Father & the Savior. When he pays the bills, mows the lawn, shovels the snow in the driveway, changes diapers, or prepares a meal, he does these things for Them. Why? There are several reasons:
1. You become spiritually centered.
2. You have the shield of faith up, which will help you to handle the enticements of the world.
3. You are learning to "pray always" which is a must in order to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. (D & C 19:38)
4. You are using all activities of the day for spiritual growth, which is the main reason of our being on this earth.
5. Your RIGHTEOUS WORKS will be recorded in the book of life, by the Holy Ghost.
("...the scriptures indicate that a heavenly record is kept of the faithful, whose names are recorded, as well as an account of their righteous deeds." LDS bible dictionary, p. 626) (D & C 132:7)
6. For the same amount of effort you can multiply the results by 100 times, yea more. That is, when you prepare those meals, change diapers, do them for Heavenly Father & the Savior in love. Pray for His guidance, enlightenment, and enjoyment.
The SAVIOR says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in His own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer,
1. for I will lead you along.
2. The kingdom is yours and
3. the blessings thereof are yours, and
4. the riches of eternity are yours.
And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." (D & C 78:17-19)
WHY DO OUR WORKS GET MULTIPLIED 100 FOLD WHEN WE PERFORM OUT OF THE LOVE WE FEEL FOR HEAVENLY FATHER & THE SAVIOR?
Because this is how one qualifies for the grace of Christ. The prophets hath said that what we do is 'nothing' & if we served Him with our whole souls we would still be 'unprofitable servants." But when we seek to do our 'to do list' out of the love we feel for Him, we now qualify for His divine grace, and therefore, for the riches of eternity. It is not so much a question of greater effort, as it is of a higher spiritual focus.
7. And finally, that which one does out of the love he feels for Heavenly Father & the Savior is inspired of God.
"...wherefore, everything which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve Him, is inspired of God." (Moroni 7:13)
Our Father in Heaven is grateful when we seek to serve Him our of the love we feel for Him. No act is too small, nor of little consequence to Him that rules the heavens. For even the hairs on our head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30)
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