Building the Faith to Create and Protect Zion
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Discovering and Unlocking Our Full Spiritual Potential In the pre-mortal existence we chose God’s plan as presented to us all by the Savior. This included coming to this planet for the opportunity to gain physical bodies. It would be necessary to develop our faith in an environment where we could not remember having lived with God prior to this life, a faith essential for strengthening our knowledge and personal relationship with him through the experiences of mortality. These experiences are not easy. We are faced with the stresses of preparing for careers, surviving the trials and tribulations of raising children, fulfilling church callings and trading our time on a daily basis in exchange for money needed to support our families. Like Achan, some of us get our priorities confused. Sometimes we identify too much with the world in terms of who we are and why we are here on earth. We also focus on our activities or our degree of performance in these activities. For example, I’m a Sunday school teacher, a bishop, and a home teacher. I’m a corporate executive. I’m an Olympic swimmer. I’m an A, B, or C student. As separate and individual roles become our identity, our vision is narrowed. Often these roles and our activities and performance in them become the purpose of our existence. They become the source of our security, governing the way we use physical resources and our energy and our worldly wealth. The Lord clearly identifies the basic problem that causes us to improperly establish priorities in life. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not?" (Isaiah 55:2). The Lord refers to the "bread of life," which has the power to completely satisfy our soul. He suggests that we must follow him and place him as the source of our security, the center of our lives, of our thoughts, of our hopes, and of our aspirations. He invites us to come unto him. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. . . . Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live (Isaiah 55:1-3). Let us not forget that there is a war going on inside each of us that will continue for as long as we live in mortality. The war is with the temptations and influences of Satan who fights diligently to keep us from coming to Christ. The evil and distracting forces that struggle within us to pry us away from appropriate priorities are the same as those that cause our vision to be narrowed and that influence us to increase our involvement in the meaningless and empty activities of the world.
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About the Book
We often become entangled in habits and attitudes that limit us from achieving what we want in life. Within the pages of this book, readers will find keys allowing them to gain dominion over weaknesses and trials and to receive power to unlock their full spiritual potential. They will discover how to make goals leading to success and increasing closeness to the Lord. Faith in Christ will be fortified so the "mountains" preventing progress can be controlled. Although written through the lens of the LDS Church, the principles taught transcend all boundaries of individual doctrines.
About the Author
Dr. Joseph C. Taylor has served as a religious teacher, counselor and leader of youth and adults for over twenty-five years. He served three times as a bishop of both all-English and all-Hispanic congregations and twice as a member of Stake Presidencies with direct supervisory responsibility of training other Bishops and overseeing youth programs in rural and urban geographical areas. Dr. Taylor taught four years of early morning seminary to youth, as a missionary (six years), and as a District Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America (six years).