Primary 58 - The three P's


We (meaning Brother Bingham) got ahead of ourselves in our lessons so we are backtracking a little.

Brothers and Sisters, 

Abraham was introduced in the last lesson. We had Lot and Abraham who were righteous men who sought the Lord. The scripture says about Abram...

"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers."

Abraham 1:2; highlight put in for emphasis.

He, Abraham, sought a greater and greater relationship with Jehovah. He, in the course of his trials, was asked to sacrifice so much. He left home, family and wealth. He was given the priesthood ("P" number one) but he did not see the promise of land ("P number two) or children or posterity ("P" number three). 

The Lord had planned though, through the course of his trials and vast travels he gained the wealth of Egypt and a promise of all of Canaan. He gave knowledge of God and the power of the priesthood showing how He fullfils promises.

Still, there was the trouble of a promised hier that would live and govern all of Canan. One night the Lord asked Abram (as he was called at the time) to prepare a cutting covenant. Because the Hebrews we big on token covenants, a cutting covenant is explained like this; both parties cut covenant animals in half and create a strait and narrow path with the animals. The two parties walk towards each other, meeting and swearing an oath or covenant and swear also that should they break the covenant, they should be cut in two like the covenant offer. Abram spent all day waiting on the Lord chasing anything attempting to eat the offering.
Eventually, Abram fell asleep only to wake to see the Lord walking the whole path of the offering. Brothers and sisters, what that means is one party, Jehovah, was going to give all the reward of the covenant to Abram and if He failed to deliver he would die or cease to be God if he failed. We know that Abram received a son and we know that covenant was a similitude of what the Savior gave to Abram and his descendants, power of the priesthood, property (the Celestial kingdom), and eternal progression and posterity, a promise Jesus, the Redeemer, died to keep. Abram was given a new name, a son, a promised land and so much more. 

Another moment we failed to note was when Sodom and Salem came to Abram after saving his nephew from five kingdoms. Abram delivered his family from an enemy that armies could not. Children, when the Lord comes with an army nothing can stand against Him. When it was over, Sodom and Salem came to him. Sodom offered the wealth of the world and Abram refused. Melchizedek took tithes as the high priest and blessed Abram with the blessings of heaven. We are blessed this day to know the difference between Sodom and Salem; Babylon and Zion. We need to remember that. There will always be a fake to the real thing.

Brothers and sisters, heaven watches us these last days before the second coming of the Savior. The promises to Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham Isaac, and Jacob are being fulfilled. You and we are part of that fulfillment, we are Abraham's descendants. The promises made to Abraham and Sarah are sure. Many faiths (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) call the two of them our parents. Be faithful and tell others of your blessings. We are going to spend the next few days studying the family of Abraham and Sarah. We promise to help the Holy Ghost to enlighten you through the Come Follow Me study guide this year so that you will see the tender mercy of our Father in Heaven that He is given to all the generations of men from Adam to the present. We evoke the prayer that Moroni asked...

"23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all these people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast gave them;…
26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;"
(Ether 12:23, 26)

God loves all of us and will help us and temper us so that we will be fit for the Kingdom of God. Have a great week. We love you.

Challenges 
1) Read Genesis 24-27
2) How has the Lord strengthened you. Pray, think, and write about it this week.

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