Greetings brothers and sisters!
This message is reaching you today to ask you to join a general day of fasting and prayer as we, as fellow believers in Christ, seek His guidance and revelation on "preparing every needful thing" in advance of a command to build a temple. This day of fasting and prayer will be held on June 27.
Lately, Denver Snuffer has spoken on more than one occasion about the need for preparing for a temple. For example, in the podcast entitled, Temple, Part IV he said:
I do believe that when the command [to build a temple] is given, that the command to build the temple is not going to give us decades to respond. I think that when the command is given, we’re expected to act with some dispatch to accomplish what has been requested of Him. And so, I am personally grateful that there is no command out there at present to do so, because I don’t know how we would accomplish it. We’re not supposed to do it in haste, but we’re supposed to prepare every needful thing. And preparing every needful thing— we might be in a time when it’s far more convenient to accomplish it now than it will be later, under more pressing circumstances.This appears to mean not just to save money (and it certainly means that), but also to literally prepare. But, prepare what? In the absence of a command to actually build or construct a temple, how can we know what to prepare?
Perhaps guidance can be had in the answer the Lord gave us regarding the Guide and Standard that was presented for his acceptance: "What have you learned? What ought you to have learned?" These questions are followed by a parable. Interestingly the parable is framed from the standpoint of constructing a "house" for a "master." How often have we heard the temple described as the "House of the Lord," or a "house" where our "master" can come, dwell and teach us?
In the parable, we learn that the very first thing that the servants did, when commanded to build the house, was to divide into groups that "reasoned among themselves" how to solve several obvious obstacles to the construction of the house. Some gathered, some hastened, some bickered and quarreled. Eventually the house was completed, and the efforts of all were honored by the master. However, he did chastise them, and it seems that the master was telling his servants that the effort was far more difficult than it needed to be: "There is but need for one house," said the master. "When I ask you to labor, do so wisely."
How can we be "wise?" According to the Glossary in our new scriptures, "Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Nothing in this world is more desirable than acquiring wisdom--understanding and putting knowledge to wise use. Zion will require the wisdom to use pure knowledge in meekness, humility and charity."
The same Glossary states the definition of "Knowledge" simply: "To have been visited by the Lord."
In the parable referenced above appears a reference to our future need to construct a temple. It is possible that the lesson we ought to have learned is not to reason among ourselves in splintered groups, making the task much harder than it ought to be. Perhaps what the lesson we ought to have learned is to seek knowledge first. To ask, as a people, the Lord about what he would have us do. Without knowledge, we cannot act wisely.
Let us, as a people, come together, and ask the Lord, in fasting and prayer, what it is he would have us prepare while we are in a season where we can make preparations? While we can prepare the needful things? Please join us as we hold a general fast and prayer day, in which we express our united desire to prepare every needful thing, and ask the Lord identify for us, be it as individuals or through his servant Denver Snuffer, what He would have us do.
Love and Blessings to you all!
In case a few are not aware, the date set for this day of Fasting and Prayer is on the 175th anniversary of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum.
ReplyDeleteI knew it was an anniversary but I didn't know it was such a unique amount of years. I think that's such a powerful witness to the fast!
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