Primary 139 - Growth in the Mysteries

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Children, 

The servant doesn't know the masters will but the son or daughter is led to know the will and secrets of their Father. Children, the prodigal son was not made a servant or slave but kept as a son because he is meant to know the fathers will so that he like the father can govern like the father. We must realize that things are revealed a little at a time. Like a baby goes from milk to milk toast to meat. It's a little at a time.

I like this quote that says, "Every testimony starts with a test, every question starts with a quest." -John Bytheway. John wanted to point out that by coming here to earth we had questions that needed to be discovered for ourselves. God could of told you the answer but what would that do with no experience to seal that answer in our souls. Books, songs and poetry are written because we are expressing both the questions and the answers. Also what is more thrilling? Hiking and seeing that sunset everyone talks about or just seeing a slideshow?

When I look at love when I first married to now, I didn't know love. The same is my conversion. At eight I thought I was converted. Each drop of experience enhanced my understanding of the things I taught to understand. I have been married for over two decades. In that time my understanding of love has changed evolved and strengthen. The same can be said for my faith, my character, my desire to serve, etc.

Another good example would be, I don't know salt but I know how it changes food. The same can be said, I don't know love, faith, or the gospel is, wholly, but I know how it changes me.

Now I am going to change the subject a little. Said CS Lewis,...

“Regarding the debate about faith and works: It’s like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important.”

Grace and works are like armor. You need to for both defense and offense. One shows the tender mercy that protects the soft tender parts of the soul while at times we need to push the line with truth and faith. The Apostle knew that comparing attributes of the soul would give a clear visual to the reader. Protecting thoughts, emotions passions, having a sure footing, truth to decide fact from fiction and faith to double the protection.

When we are faced with trial, we must say "Lord, what is it for" and not "why did this happen to me". When we learn that all things are for our good (Romans 8:28) we then begin to understand the purpose of God in the experiences we have. For Paul, he had a lot of outward trials and they solidify his testimony but perhaps for you the inward struggles, your wrestling with the Spirit is the change you need. 

The mystery of men and women, husbands and wives, sons and daughters are all part of the experience of the mysteries of God. We cannot expect to understand the role of son, daughter, husband, wife, mother, or father unless we experience it. We cannot understand loss or gain, rich or poor, etcetera without having it part of the thread of our tapestry. When we say, "sisters are a mystery" or we look at our brothers and say "boys" with an eye roll, we are being shown a mystery that otherwise would not be shown.

 Sometimes we need to experience them and sometimes it is someone we know that has the trials. Like reading a good book we should not be so hasty to race to the end but like the reader to a book enjoy our own twists a turns that God gives us. Each of us will navigate our own mistakes the way we know how and mysteries will be revealed along the way. 

God has a time and place for everything. The term, "In his good pleasure" means that a mystery's answer will come when you are ready. All things have a revelation timing. No one drives at the age of 8, right? We don't expect a four-year-old to go to college. It comes in its own due time.

Let's explain it this way. Mystery novels engage you. It nurtures a mystery over a course of the adventure, chapter by chapter; paragraph by paragraph. So are the mysteries of Christ. Like the book we are meant to reach the end and understand all the twist and turns we went through and we will just not now. We are in the middle of the adventure. During that time we are given armor by our Creator, a loving Father in Heaven.

The armor of God protects your decipleship. The scriptures start with the heart, the chest plate (Ephesians 6:4; D&C 27:16). For some of us it's the plate now forged by mother and father via nourishing words but underneath we are forging ringlets, chainmail to reinforce that plate by experience and testimony so that the slings and arrows cannot get past the nooks and crannies that might otherwise be exposed.

The sword of truth cuts. It's both a defense and offense. It is vitally important to listen to the Holy Ghost and remember the words of our captain Jesus Christ so as to know when to strike and when to just hold the line and defend. At times we must defend against lies and half truths, especially in the Gospel.

Next is the helmet or head plate (as some call it). This protects our thoughts and like the chest plate there might be also some chainmail underneath. Our mind is like a barn. If we let the rats and sparrows of wicked thoughts get in, they can take over. We must protect it.

The Greeks knew what the term feet shood meant. At times we may think it was about shin guards but it was more then that. We must be wearing cleats that insure a sure footing. The gospel of peace can be taken away if when are not guarted against being knocked over. Do you remember the dream of Nebuchadnezzar II? The footing of his awesome dream creature of gold and silver was taken down because the feet were clay. If our foundation is weak, we cannot guard our mind and heart as well on our backs as on our feet. Remember that. 

Finally, the shield of faith. All of the armor is great but protecting your mind and soul is doubly so when you allow faith (having a belief of things hoped for with no evidence)  allows Heavenly Father to strengthen you all the more. The shield may be large or small and that doesn't matter. It's knowing that your shield locks with your fellow saints to creat a bigger defense, strengthening your faith and testimony allowing you to protect the fallen to arise again and reestablish their footing because the adversary knocked them down, reaffirms that the Lord is your shield. He is every part of your armor.

I almost forgot. Girt your loins. It means to tie down or bridle. How often we have been told to bridle our passions?  A horseman doesn't allow the horse to control him but bridles the beast. We must do the same. Bridle the beast within us. Those passions that now might be light, believe me, they will grow like a colt to a horse and I admonish you to learn to control them now then later. There will be a time and place to let the horses go free but now is not the time. Also know a horse that has been conditioned will be more inclined to turn away from temptation because it knows the will of the master. If your passions are the Lord Jesus Christ's then when tempted by sin, you will be able to follow promptings because you know the safety of it.

I know that's a lot to remember. I give no apologies for it and hope that it helps you my dear friends. Remember, God is with you in this journey called morality and your teachers and Savior love you.

Brother Bingham

Challenges

Read Phillipians and Colossians

Think about all the little lessions that have built your armor