Let Your Hearts be Full

Alma 34:27 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 who are around you.

In Chapter 32 and 33 Alma tells the Zoromite poor that they don't need a physical church to worship God. It doesn't matter that they were kicked out. In fact, this is perfect since they need to learn to be humble. An offence has occurred. They helped build the place of worship but now they can't enter. They are in a perfect place for God to bless their life! In fact, the worst think you could do is, "...revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them." The blessings from God come through "...patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions". (v.40)

We can worship our God continually, everyday by letting our hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually. This is what we would call having a prayer in your heart. It might be what the words in our sacrament prayer mean, "that we always remember him". We do this at all times - during the good and bad times. We shouldn't start remembering the Lord only when we are forced to be humble - because it feels hypocritical to feel after the Lord only in rough times.

So one of the messages that I get from these verses is that the tough times are good. If we have been exercising faith, then these times are when the miracles occur, when we can expect God to bless our lives. Can I stay humble, trusting in God when an injustice has occurred? Will I complain and murmur and believe that God has forsaken me? Can I continue to believe and be believing. This is the message of the gospel. We can have peace in our hearts in the hard times. Don't despair. Stay planted in the gospel sod!

Understanding the Mercies of the Lord

The prophet Zenock said, "thou are angry, O Lord, with the people because the will not understand thy mercies, which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son."

So, its all a lack of understanding! Mercy is extended but don't get it. Throughout the scriptures the Lord says that he is merciful to those that believe. Do we really believe that He is there and will take of us as we have faith in him? Sometimes our faith has to be tried. The mercy doesn't come until have the trial of our faith.

There is a God. He is merciful. We don't have to go it alone in this life. We must cast off our unbelief and begin to believe in an unseen God. The blessings and miracles won't come unless we do this. In fact, we will not know that His arm was extended because we didn't take it.

The first principle of the gospel is to have faith (believe in His words and give them place in your heart). We will then begin to understand how merciful the Lord really is.

Alma's Church - No Inequality (Alma 16:16)

After the Ammonihah mess, the word of God is preached throughout all the land. The church became general throughout all the land (v.15). Remember, the word 'church' in Alma's day had a strong economic aspect to it which I have discussed in previous blogs. In verse 16 of Alma 16, it says:

'And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—'

Some people might define 'no inequality' as some superficial or symbolic equality where we all pretend to have a similar social economic status but it really isn't so. I believe we wrest the scriptures when we think this way. When people became members of church of God in Alma's time, one of the tenants of their belief in Christ, was to help the needy and the poor. This meant to them that those that were prospering took what they needed and willingly gave their surplus to be redistributed to the poor and the needy. It demonstrated their faith in Christ. How? Well, it sure isn't a natural man thing to do! From a natural man perspective it just isn't fair! Christ isn't about fair (the law of Moses is a good example of fairness). The natural man just doesn't believe that a higher power will take care of him (and the society in which he lives) if he will cast off his unbelief and give the law of the gospel a try.

There's a verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that speaks very clearly what will happen when a society decides to follow Christ more fully with regard to temporal matters.
It is found in D&C 78: 5-6. It says,'That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;'

And in in D&C 70:14 we read, 'Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld.'

There are great blessings from heaven when a group of people are equal in temporal things. When we are not, the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit are withheld.

One last verse in D&C 49: 20: 'But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin.'

Is it really sin when we possess that which is above another? Our society definitely doesn't see it that way. Do you?

In conclusion, the equality exhibited in church established by Alma brought down the blessings of heaven and many were able to enter in His rest (v.17). This was the state in which the righteous portion of the Nephites were in when Lamanite wars began in earnest. They were prospered temporally, prospered spiritually and prospered with protection and strength beyond their own.