2.203 Prompted? Do It

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends, it's great to have you with me.

Today let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. Prompted? Do it.

I have very much enjoyed reading Doctrine and Covenants sections 81 through 83 this week. I know we're only a couple of days into the week and yet I'm very much, I wish actually that I could spend like the next three weeks doing a verse by verse by verse on Doctrine and Covenants. I didn't know there was so much inside of there that I just wanted to dive into and it's been awesome for me to spend some time inside of it.

We're also reading this week Alma chapters 34 through 38, which we will get to as well. One of my favorite chapters inside of Alma coming up in that reading. Our verse for today comes out of Doctrine and Covenants section 82.

We're getting inside of here. These are the revelations that revolve around the United Firm. It was an interesting piece inside of here because we see inside of 82 that this is meant to be an eternal command from the Lord and yet we know that the United Order kind of failed significantly with the early Saints, and so whether one day that comes, whether it, you know, around the corner or whatever it may look like, we know that this in 82 is the way the Lord is encouraging us to live.

And even maybe, I might even say further than encouraging, is commanding us to live. And so that's why 82 is such an interesting appeal to me as I dive into it. Every verse is like a chance for me to kind of be like, 'Man, what does that look like in my life?

What does that one look like in my life?' And this time, while verse 3 stood out, and it's certainly one that we quote often or we've heard, right? Much is given, much is required. I didn't want to go down the Spider-Man direction on that one.

Instead, what we're going to do is the next verse for our verse for today. It's in Doctrine and Covenants, section 82, verse 4. It says, Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you.

And inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings which I give unto you, ye become transgressors. And justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law. Now, there seems to be like a heavy piece on that side of things, right?

I think about being prompted to do something and in those moments that I don't follow through with that prompting, this is a heavy hand here with the Lord saying, 'Look, you just transgressed and there's justice and judgment assigned to that. There's a penalty affixed unto that.' So, my friends, it made me pause and kind of think about the different ways that we seek for inspiration from the Lord. Whether we're asking for revelation in our prayers, whether we're seeking to be counseled in our scripture study.

And here he's telling us, here, it's really interesting for me at least, that he's saying, 'Look, you're asking for revelations. I'm giving them to you, and you're not doing them. Therefore, you're transgressing.' It's made me think about times where we, let's talk to me.

Let's not say we, let's say, let's be honest. This is about Allen's assessment of himself and a chance for you guys to do the same for you. But there's moments where I think about promptings I've had.

And in order to continue having promptings from the Spirit, we've got to continue doing the things we're prompted to do. This goes into early on with the First Vision even, the Lord tells Joseph, 'There are a lot of people out there that say that they draw near unto me, right? They draw near unto me, but their hearts are far from me.' And we see this throughout scripture, these moments where the Savior has said, 'Look, you said you loved me,' but you didn't do the things I asked you to do.

You didn't keep my commandments. And then he gets just blunt in the Bible itself and says, 'If you love me, keep my commandments.' So, my friends, here's an opportunity for us to not just say that we are trying to do the... we're going to do the best, or not just express our desire for more revelation. Here is an opportunity for us to back it up with action.

Here's a chance for us to show others. It makes me think of a story with Coach Wooden from UCLA, one of the greatest coaches of all time. If you're not a sports person, don't worry, I won't go too much into coaching.

And he talked about how often his players as he was recruiting. And I love that example because it's a chance for us. Hear what the Lord's saying, right? 'You're asking for revelation.

I'm giving you revelation. You're asking for promptings. I'm giving you promptings.

Now you've got to go do them because if you don't, you're just transgressing. You're not paying attention to the promptings I've given you.' For me, it's a chance to sit down and reflect on the things I'm asking specifically from the Lord. And then it's putting that lens on and saying, 'Allen, what are you doing about the promptings that you are receiving?' That's a chance for us to put on the lens of action and show the Lord that we're receiving the promptings and we're doing the things he's asking and telling us to do.

That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice. Cleave unto the covenants you have made and together we will be savory salt. For more information, visit us at www.fema.org.