Elder Gene R. Cook a Seventy, is called "Receive Divine assistance through the Grace of the Lord".
He starts by saying that perhaps some of us have not received or or don't know how to use the "great gift of grace that Father has given us through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ". In D&C 88:33 it says: "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?". Many times we try to carry our burdens alone, without asking the Lord for His help. Often times we find ourselves asking, Why won't God answer my prayers, or help me in my trials? When we are sick or afflicted or having a miserable time, we feel alone, like God has left us. But the truth is, He does not leave us. He is always there. In 1st Nephi 21:16 it says: "Behold, I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands". "And He will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which binds his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." Alma 7:11-13
To withstand the trials that we are going to have in this life, we must center our lives, hearts and mind in the Lord Jesus Christ. Alma 33:11 it says, "And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of Thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto Thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of Thy Son". When we do all we can, He will help us. We need to have hope, that even though we are weak, unworthy but we are doing ALL that we are capable to do, the Lord will help us and provide for us what "we may lack". He will make up the rest! This is what grace means. Grace is "divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ" (Bible dictionary).
Elder Cook says that "the doctrine of the grace of the Father and the Son and how affects us is so significant that it is mentioned over 200 times in the standard works".
Elder Cook says that "If we can obtain the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that divine enabling power to assist us, we will triumph in this life and be exalted in the life to come." I want to triumph in this life and I want to be exalted with my family! I am so thankful that I have this knowledge, that I can, with the help of the Lord, because I can't do it alone, endure all the problems, illnesses, afflictions, infirmities etc. etc. and live with Him again. That is the gift that The Lord has given us through His atonement. He knows each and everyone of us individually. He suffered my afflictions, He knows how I feel everyday.
To obtain GRACE, there are 5 principles we must apply.
FAITH
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ IS the first principle of the Gospel. Grace is accessed by faith. When the apostle Peter doubted and took his eyes off the Savior, he severed himself from the power of Jesus Christ that had sustained him on the water. I wonder how many times, when I have prayed for help, but because of doubt or fear, I severed myself from the power of God and could not obtain grace. I do this a lot and I wish I did not. I have felt alone and that He wasn't listening to me. But that is not true. In D&C 6:36-37 it says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold thy wounds which pierced my side, and also my prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."
REPENTANCE
Elder Cook says "The grace of the Lord through the Atonement can both cleanse us of sin and assist us in perfecting ourselves through our trials, illnesses, and even "character defects. We are both sanctified and justified through the grace of the Lord."
The effect of grace in our lives is conditioned upon repenting of our sins. Helaman 12:23-24 Blessed are they who will repent.... And may God grant in his great fullness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works. " A repentant heart and good works are the very conditions required to have grace restored to us. When someone pleads fervently in prayer for an answer, the answer may be more conditioned on repentance of personal sins that on any other factor." D&C 101:7 it says: They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
HUMILITY
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
We must be humble to obtain grace. I need to remember that these trials and weaknesses are for our good, we become stronger for having gone through them. I have been through some pretty hard things, but the Lord has helped me and looking back I am grateful for them and the lessons I have learned from them.
DOING ALL IN YOUR OWN POWER
Elder Cook says, "Yes, by works alone, cannot bring that divine gift, but they are key condition upon which the gift is received." 2 Nephi 10:23-24 Reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. 2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
Unless I have done my part, everything in my power, I cannot expect the grace of God to be manifest. Elder Cook says something I really like; "What a glorious principle to understand: the Lord's assistance to us-whether we have strong faith or weak faith:whether a man, a woman, or a child-is not based just on what we know, how strong we are, or who we are, but more upon our giving all that we can give and doing all that we can do in our present circumstance. Once one has given all he can, then the Lord, through His grace, may assist him." Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS
D&C 93:20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fullness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father, therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.D&C 93:28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
We don't need to be perfect to obtain grace, but we need to be keeping the commandments of God as best we can and then the Lord may allow us to receive grace.
Moroni 10:32-33
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness: and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
Elder Cook closes by saying, "Let no trial or affliction, ever separate us from the love of God and the true love of Christ."
One of my favorite scriptures is: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I came to this earth to gain a body and to prove that I can return to my Heavenly Father. I knew before I came to earth what it would be like. I chose to come down and to follow Jesus Christ's plan of happiness. I am blessed to have all this knowledge. I can't imagine not having this knowledge. This is what keeps me going, it gives me hope and purpose in life. Having faith in Jesus Christ's Atonement gives us hope that we can be forgiven, and receive the gift of grace.
Elder Cook says that "the doctrine of the grace of the Father and the Son and how affects us is so significant that it is mentioned over 200 times in the standard works".
Elder Cook says that "If we can obtain the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that divine enabling power to assist us, we will triumph in this life and be exalted in the life to come." I want to triumph in this life and I want to be exalted with my family! I am so thankful that I have this knowledge, that I can, with the help of the Lord, because I can't do it alone, endure all the problems, illnesses, afflictions, infirmities etc. etc. and live with Him again. That is the gift that The Lord has given us through His atonement. He knows each and everyone of us individually. He suffered my afflictions, He knows how I feel everyday.
To obtain GRACE, there are 5 principles we must apply.
FAITH
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ IS the first principle of the Gospel. Grace is accessed by faith. When the apostle Peter doubted and took his eyes off the Savior, he severed himself from the power of Jesus Christ that had sustained him on the water. I wonder how many times, when I have prayed for help, but because of doubt or fear, I severed myself from the power of God and could not obtain grace. I do this a lot and I wish I did not. I have felt alone and that He wasn't listening to me. But that is not true. In D&C 6:36-37 it says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold thy wounds which pierced my side, and also my prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."
REPENTANCE
Elder Cook says "The grace of the Lord through the Atonement can both cleanse us of sin and assist us in perfecting ourselves through our trials, illnesses, and even "character defects. We are both sanctified and justified through the grace of the Lord."
The effect of grace in our lives is conditioned upon repenting of our sins. Helaman 12:23-24 Blessed are they who will repent.... And may God grant in his great fullness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works. " A repentant heart and good works are the very conditions required to have grace restored to us. When someone pleads fervently in prayer for an answer, the answer may be more conditioned on repentance of personal sins that on any other factor." D&C 101:7 it says: They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
HUMILITY
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
We must be humble to obtain grace. I need to remember that these trials and weaknesses are for our good, we become stronger for having gone through them. I have been through some pretty hard things, but the Lord has helped me and looking back I am grateful for them and the lessons I have learned from them.
DOING ALL IN YOUR OWN POWER
Elder Cook says, "Yes, by works alone, cannot bring that divine gift, but they are key condition upon which the gift is received." 2 Nephi 10:23-24 Reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. 2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
Unless I have done my part, everything in my power, I cannot expect the grace of God to be manifest. Elder Cook says something I really like; "What a glorious principle to understand: the Lord's assistance to us-whether we have strong faith or weak faith:whether a man, a woman, or a child-is not based just on what we know, how strong we are, or who we are, but more upon our giving all that we can give and doing all that we can do in our present circumstance. Once one has given all he can, then the Lord, through His grace, may assist him." Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS
D&C 93:20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fullness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father, therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.D&C 93:28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
We don't need to be perfect to obtain grace, but we need to be keeping the commandments of God as best we can and then the Lord may allow us to receive grace.
Moroni 10:32-33
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness: and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
Elder Cook closes by saying, "Let no trial or affliction, ever separate us from the love of God and the true love of Christ."
One of my favorite scriptures is: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I came to this earth to gain a body and to prove that I can return to my Heavenly Father. I knew before I came to earth what it would be like. I chose to come down and to follow Jesus Christ's plan of happiness. I am blessed to have all this knowledge. I can't imagine not having this knowledge. This is what keeps me going, it gives me hope and purpose in life. Having faith in Jesus Christ's Atonement gives us hope that we can be forgiven, and receive the gift of grace.
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