----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Francis Harper
Francis Harper Message for 6/19/2020
“This One Thing I Do . . .”
(Philippians 3:13-14).
“. . . This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 3:13-14).
“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). He was not deterred by his knowledge of that which awaited him there.
We need to have the word FOCUS imprinted upon our minds and beware of
all of the distractions and attractions of the world that may cause us
to drift off the pathway to the kingdom. I will never forget my first
flight to Europe, how after flying through many hours of darkness, at
sunrise, our plane landed safely, on a small island in the Azores. I
wondered how our pilot had located such a small island in such a big
ocean? I thought of how any deviation along our flight path, if it had
not been corrected, we would have missed the tiny island by many miles.
We need to keep our eyes singled [focused] on the purposes of God in
our lives. “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies
shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and
that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore
sanctify yourselves that your eyes be single to God, and the days will
come that you shall see him: for he will unveil his face unto you, and
it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his
own will” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:18-a-b).
Jesus had much to say about staying focused on the GOAL and remaining
faithful until it is reached. He also demonstrated it. He could say:
“It is finished” (John 19:30). He cautioned those who hastily made
commitments to follow him without counting the cost of
discipleship. “. . . a certain man said unto him, Lord, Lord, I
will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, the
foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of
Man hath not
where to lay his head” (Luke 9:57-58).
At another time Jesus said: “Settle this in your hearts, that ye will
do the things which I shall teach, and command you” (Luke 14:28).
Jesus was saying, in other words, before you make a commitment to keep
all of my teachings and commandments, take some time to think about it.
Count the cost of discipleship. Ask yourself; will I be able to be his
disciple, relying upon the Lord’s assistance and the support of other
dedicated followers of Christ?
“For which of you intending to build a tower, setteth not down first,
and counteth the cost, whether he have money to finish his work? Lest
unhappily after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish his
work, all who behold, begin to mock him, saying, this man began to
build, and was not able to finish. And this he said, signifying there
should not any man follow him, unless he was able to continue” (Luke
14L29-31).
Nearly all of us are guilty of putting secondary things first in our
lives. One said to Jesus, “Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go
and bid them farewell who are at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No
man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God” (Luke 9:61-62). Who then can say, I am fit for the
kingdom of God?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Ones,
Far too many of those who enter the waters of baptism do not keep their
baptismal covenant which is to “come with broken hearts and contrite
spirits, witnessing before the church that they have truly repented of
all their sins and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus
Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly
manifest by their works that they have received the Spirit of Christ
unto the remission of their sins . . .” (Doctrine and Covenants 17:7).
Nephi described the covenant of baptism in these words: “My beloved
brethren [and sisters] I know that if ye shall follow the Son with full
purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but
with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father
that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ by baptism: yea,
by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according
to his word, behold then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi
13:16).
Nephi warned: “But behold, my beloved brethren [and sisters], thus came
the voice of the Son unto me, saying, After ye have repented of your
sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my
commandments by baptism . . . and after this should deny me [in word or
deed], it would have been better for you, that ye had not known me (2 Nephi 13:18).
Then he added: I know this, that unless a man [or woman] shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved” (2 Nephi 13:21). See also Mark 13:13.
Nephi continued: “And now my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten
into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I
say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far, save it were by the
word of Christ, with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the
merits of him who is mighty to save; Wherefore ye must press forward
with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of
hope, and a love of God and of all men [black, white or brown].
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold thus saith the Father: ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 13:27-30).
Dear Ones, I fear that in our eagerness to add to the membership of our
Restoration Branches we may have failed to sufficiently warn, those we
have baptized, of the consequences of not faithfully keeping their
baptismal covenant to the end of their lives.
Likewise, those who accept a call to priesthood, should be warned:
“Therefore all those who receive the priesthood receive this oath and
covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved;
but whoso breaketh this covenant, after he hath received it, and
altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this
world nor in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:6-g-h).
Please join me, even now, in the presence of God and each other; “This
one thing I do . . . I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Amen
My Love to All,
High Priest Francis Harper
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