Commands and Invitations from Authority

I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation. Alma 5:62

When Alma says this, it may sound like he is trying to coerce those in the church. I do not believe this is so.

Rather, he is instructing, stating that under the terms of his stewardship there are consequences that he is in charge of administering upon disobedience. There are also some beyond his administration, but due to covenants made by those in the church, Alma is acting as mouthpiece for God who will administer them. That is, they will be held accountable to God for their maintenance of their covenants with Him, and Alma is authorized to command on God's behalf. (See verse three.)

To those outside his stewardship, there may be consequences, but the administration of such is beyond his authority and stewardship.

This is why parents have authority to instruct their children when they are being raised under their care.

Bishops, as judges in Israel, have this same authoritative stewardship to instruct or command. Prophets today do the same.

What makes the command different than the invitation is stewardship and accountability -- both, however, are best extended from a way of being of love and a desire to inspire rather than manipulate.

Manipulations and Inspirations

After the battles and devastation due to Amlici, we read the following verses:

Now it came to pass in the sixth year. . .the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain
. . .and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.
And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized. . .and it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized.
And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud
. . .And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church. . .yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

From this example, and I anticipate there are others much similar to it, it seems that the impetus for change here was effective in the short term, but not in the long term.

In other words, when someone believes the judgments of God are upon them, it may motivate them to righteousness, but only long enough to get out from underneath those perceived judgments.

Thus, this belief seems to create a manipulation of behavior that only maintains its effect while the manipulation is in place, not an inspiration of behavior that can change a heart for a lifetime.

Conferring Keys

I was struck this morning in my scripture study when I read the following verses.

And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church. Mosiah 25:19
Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. Mosiah 26:8 

I read these and thought -- wait, what? Since when does God's church get authority from a government of men? Why did Alma need authority from the king to ordain priests and teachers, or to have authority over the church, etc.?

Then it occurred to me that Mosiah had been the prophet-king, just as his father before him had been! Alma didn't need authority from the King, he needed authority from the current leading prophet!

It's as in the old testament wherein there were multiple prophets at the same time!

What King Mosiah was doing here was conferring whatever prophetic office he held to Alma. I don't mean to say I think Mosiah was giving up his prophetic role. Rather, it's like a Bishop getting released -- the Bishop remains a Bishop, though his keys are no longer exercised as another takes the active calling.

Thus King Mosiah essentially creates perhaps the first official separation of church and state of the Nephite era.

This is totally a thinking out loud here (as are all my posts on this blog). I have *no* idea if this is doctrinally accurate, but it's one possibility for now.

Unbelief creates a lack of understanding

And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. Mosiah 26:3

This verse intrigues me. What do I not understand because of my unbelief? An express causal relationship is portrayed here.

Now this doesn't imply that every lack of understanding is caused by unbelief, but that unbelief is indeed a cause of a lack of understanding.

Unbelief creates lack.

The thirteenth article of faith teaches "we believe all things." I've never thought that to imply gullibility. At the same time, the word used is all.

I've oft pondered what could be meant by this. I have a number of thoughts, none of which I am completely confident on, but I want this post to be short and sweet, so perhaps another day.

The Principle of Stewardship

I believe that we are stewards, not owners, of resources on this earth.

I am not saying I don't believe in private property ownership -- I certainly do. From a secular standpoint, we are owners; from an eternal perspective, we are stewards.

In the words of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:

We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.

Okay, so we're stewards. So what?

Well, lets look at just a few implications of that.

If we are stewards, then all that which we have is not ours, but the Master's.

A successful steward uses the resources entrusted to him (or her, but I've grown weary of writing him/her all the time) to create not just sufficient for the master, but also sufficient for himself and his family. Otherwise he becomes a burden to the master rather than an asset.

A wise steward does not hoard his master's possessions in fear they may be lost; that is the way of the slothful servant who buried his master's talent in the earth.

A wise steward also does not squander his master's possessions on his own gluttony; that is the way of the unjust steward.

Note that both lost their stewardships!

A wise steward uses his resources (including but not limited to his labor) to provide a good or service and generate an increase.

As a master may ask for a reckoning at any time, a successful steward stands in need of generating a continual flow of resources.

As Chris Miles states so well:

Money follows value and exchange creates wealth.

Providing value for an exchange means we use our resources to serve!

Let's consider the text of another brief parable for a moment:

And [Jesus] spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Parables have many meanings and I make no intent to claim interpretive rights, so with that said, may I translate this parable into my view of modern culture?

The job of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What do I do with all this money? For I don't know how to manage it!
And he said, I know what I'll do: I'll hoard it all up in different accounts, and there will I put all my money.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much money laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

The following verse reads:

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

I believe we are surrounded by a social epidemic of accumulation mindset.

Modern day retirement planning has been marketed in ways that promote this mindset.

Lest I be misinterpreted -- I'm not knocking any specific investment. It's not the vehicle so much as the mindset and intent.

Some questions to consider:
Am I using my resources to provide a valuable good or service?
Are my resources creating a continual, flowing return?
And perhaps the most important, am I providing a return for the Master?

Stewards do not hoard or squander, they administer their resources to create flow. And isn't that what a master does with his stewards? Is not a steward a master-in-training?

We are stewards and our resources are meant to be used.

I believe in the principle of stewardship.

Vision, Trust, and God : Beliefs, Productivity, and Values

Gratitude builds Contentment.

Humility builds Clarity

Contentment and Clarity invite Vision


Integrity and Intent build Character

Expertise and Results build Competence

Character and Competence establish Trust


Charity invites Relationships

Faith invites Miracles

Relationships and Miracles? Well, what did He do for you?

I could end there, but one further insight calls to me. I hope it adds, not detracts.


We call how we see the world our perspective. Our perspective is built upon the beliefs we have adopted throughout life. Generally we are good observers, but poor interpreters. Gratitude and humility help us analyze the belief windows through which we see, i.e. our perspective.

When you feel something is crucial, that it just has to get done, who will you ask to do it? Someone who you perceive as both competent and of good character? Or someone who is lacking in one or both of these areas? Confidence or trust is the key ingredient to lasting, and even most short-term, productivity.

What are your core, fundamental values? What or whom do you love purely and completely? Wherein or in whom do you place ALL your trust? What would you risk life for? Even more, what would you dedicate your life for? "Dedication is a whole lot tougher than risking, because it takes time." --Hryum W. Smith


You see, when you get all these three:

1. Your perspective is aligned with Truth and reality 
2. You have a deep sense of self trust 
3. Your thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with what you value most 

Then, you will find yourself filled with inner peace.


#3gaps #gratifuel #speedoftrust #arbinger #prophets #scripture

Think About Your Cans

If a number is not positive, we often say it's negative.

If something is not good, we often say it's bad.

If something is not red, we often say it's... um... wait what?

Well, these don't quite work.

If a number is negative, then true, it's not positive, and if something is bad, it's certainly not good, but the converse is not necessarily true.

Take zero, for example. Zero is neither positive nor negative, so to say that a number that's not positive must be negative is not quite right.

Or money. Money is neither good nor bad, and not being one does not imply that it is the other! Money just... is.

Colors? Well shoot, there's a whole spectrum!

I got thinking about this concept with a few other words: can, can't, will, won't.

Can't makes will or won't moot, while can makes will or won't a choice.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right" said Henry Ford.

Of course, this is bound by natural law, but how much of natural law do we understand, and how much do we just think we understand? I'm pretty sure most physicists could show us a think or two that would make us second guess some of our understanding of natural law! But I digress.

What I noticed here is that focusing on what you can't do limits your options, while focusing on what you can do makes options and choices available to you.

Could it be that just focusing on what you can do will open doors for you? Yes, I believe so.

So any time you're tempted to tell yourself I can't, try asking yourself this question: what can I do? What options do I have?

We're here on earth to learn to be more like our Heavenly Father. I don't think He goes around thinking "ah, I can't do that." I mean the idea of it is just beyond silly!

Now I fully recognize that no, we're not Him, but I do think He likes it when we think more like Him. I mean, we're His children, you know?

So what can you do? Don't talk or even think about can'ts; talk and think about your cans.