The Church of Christ with the Elijah Message Blog

^{Mark 12:28-34}

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Love is the basics of everything. If we love god and love each other we will enjoy God’s blessings. People get caught up with rules and traditions and they forget all they have to do it love. Love is following Christ’s teachings, being kinds to all of mankind, and putting you last. Love is basic.

Message 91:27

They that are filled with bitterness and contempt, charity hath no hold on them.

Don’t be filled with bitterness and contempt. If you are you are not capable of love. To be full of God’s love we cannot have bitterness or contempt.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 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; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Love is everything. Without love there is nothing. It does not matter what you do, if you don’t have love it means nothing. Love is the key. Paul uses all kinds of words to describe love: long suffering, kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things ,and never faileth. Love is all these things. It is complex and simple all at the same time. Love is everything.

Message  40:3

Let all come together in the services of the Lord, and the Lord will meet with them in the hour of their humility revealing the things of the Kingdom, for all have a work to do. Let love fill your hearts that it will be said: ‘See how they love one another.’

When people outside of the church see us they need to see the love of Christ. If we cannot even show love between the members why would people think we could show love to non members. I know it sounds really basic, but it is. Love the key and the foundation of following Christ.

Matthew 5:43-45

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Once again we learn that Love is important to our Lord. Let God deal with the evil of this world, let us love one another.

Message 92:5-6

Where is that great love and the Spirit that mellows the heart, is it still among you? I say unto you, yea, let it do greater work. Qualify to be leaders of men. Do good to all mankind. Love always, hate and bitterness is not your mission. He that loveth the brethren, loveth God also. The Lord will uphold him and make him a blessing.

We find another verse that tells us that Love is so important to our Lord. We must conduct ourselves with Love in everything we do. Love is the most important thing. Without love we have nothing.

3^rd Nephi 12:43-48

And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy; But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun

to rise on the evil and on the good. Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all fulfilled. Old things are done away, and all things have become new. Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

We should love everyone in the world. All humans are children of God. Hate has no place in our lives if we follow Christ. We should only have love in our hearts. I challenge you this year to show Christ’s love not the hate of this world.

James 2:1-6

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

All men are created equal under God. We cannot judge them by their appearance, race, or sex. There is not hatred or mistreatment that is allowed by God. God loves everyone, so we need to try to do the same. Let us do our best to bring the love of God to all of mankind.

Matthew 19:4-6

And he answered and said unto them,  Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

The unity of two people in marriage is a powerful thing. The two become one. God blesses those who keep him in their marriage. Our marriages between people on earth are symbolic of the one between Christ and his church. Will you be ready for the wedding?

From Brother Norm.

2^nd John:8

“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”  The Apostle John wrote unto us a short letter in second John (the three small books in the back of your Bible. Among the things he told us was in verse 4, “I rejoiced greatly that I found thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.”  Of course he was not only referring to truth of the world in general, but more specifically in the commandment to love one another.

It is such a simple commandment, yet at times so difficult to accomplish is it not? We can easily love those who love us in return, but loving those who we know not, or even more our enemy is even is often a mountain we fail to climb. Yet the commandment is still there. Consider the things we do, that we lose not.

Mormom 9:1-4

And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ. Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God? Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of your guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.

At point will you believe? If you are questioning the truthfulness of the word, know that you will know at some point. It is better to learn about it now when you have a chance to change your life than latter when you meet Christ on judgment day.

Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

God is all things. He created all things. He can do all things. No matter how powerful God might be, he still loves and cares for you. He will never stop loving you, no matter what. Will you love him back?

Message 56:3

Read the messages I have brought from time to time; study them. Moreover, heed the warning that is given, abide by the doctrine of Christ, teach it to all people, be ye united in your work. He that will heed the warning will gain thereby. Those that heed not will lose in the end. Be at peace with all men for the Lord will gather his elect and they shall have peace with him.

We need to keep learning about Christ’s words. No matter how much we study, there is always more that we can learn about living like Christ. Once we have learned about Christ we need to go out and teach it to others. We must teach it in a loving way that shows the love of Christ. Those that are looking will hear and be saved.

Matthew 6:19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

God does not want a monetary rich people. He wants us to use our money for the help of those who need it. It is important that deposit our treasure into our heavenly bank account. We do this by following the words of God and by letting his love shine through us.

Matthew 6:14-16

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

To truly believe and follow the teachings of Christ we have to forgive others of things that they do to us. Love is what allows us to do this. If we don’t have the love of Christ in us it is difficult to forgive others. On the same token, the true act of forgiveness is a great way to show the love of Christ.

Jacob 3:2

O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

God will never leave us. Let us be reassured that he will love us forever. He will pour out his blessing to us if we only just love him in return.

1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Love is the basics of the teachings of Christ. The people who talk about love but don’t show it are not of Christ. All true believers love others.

Alma 34:17

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye might begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, which is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those which are around you. And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those which stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites which do deny the faith.

We need to remember to pray to the Lord always. He will give us the strength we need to live our lives. He will give us the comfort we need when we need comforting. He will bless us and most of all he will love us. In return we must love him and do his work on earth. The means we must love others.

Matthew 22:36-40

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

As it has been said before and will be said many times again, love is what matters. We are supposed to love our Lord and each other no matter what. We cannot let things of this world cloud our judgment on this issue.  God loves everyone, and so should we.

Romans 12:19

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

With the news that has come out in the last 36 hours about the death of Osama bin Laden it is important to remember that the Lord is the one that will serve justice. We should not celebrate the death as a victory, but as a loss. That is just one more person who never found God. Let us pray for everyone, even the ones that don’t like us for our race, our country, or our beliefs that God will touch them and show them his love.