How are you following the counsel to set in order your house?
"40 But I have commanded you to bring up yourchildreninlightand truth.
41 But verily I say unto you, my servant Frederick G. Williams, you have continued under this condemnation;
42 You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction.
43 And now a commandment I give unto you—if you will be delivered you shall set in order your own house, for there are many things that are not right in your house.
44 Verily, I say unto my servant Sidney Rigdon, that in some things he hath not kept the commandments concerning his children; therefore, first set in order thy house.
45 Verily, I say unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., or in other words, I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me—
46 I called you servants for the world’s sake, and ye are their servants for my sake—
47 And now, verily I say unto Joseph Smith, Jun.—You have not kept the commandments, and must needs stand rebuked before the Lord;
48 Your family must needs repent and forsake some things, and give more earnest heed unto your sayings, or be removed out of their place.
49 What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place.
50 My servant Newel K. Whitney also, a bishop of my church, hath need to be chastened, and set in order his family, and see that they are more diligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their place." (Doctrine and Covenants 93: 40-50)
And here's the beginning part of the commentary entitled: “Set in order your own house.” :
"The command to “set in order your own house” (verse 43) isn’t about organizing cupboards and closets but about teaching—and learning—“light and truth” (verse 42). Consider how you are trying to follow this counsel. What challenges do you face? Which truths in Doctrine and Covenants 93 can help?"
Trying to follow this counsel is challenging for parents, as I have seen while I was growing up. My own parents did their best to follow this counsel. Though they are not perfect, they would teach us, their children, "light and truth" by their words and example. If my own children have arrived in this earthly life, my husband and I would also teach them "light and truth" as much as we can.
What blessings are you enjoying as you consistently choose to walk in God's light?
"You make better choices when you can see things clearly. That’s why light is so important: light makes it easier to see the right path. Heavenly Father has given you access to heavenly light—the gift of the Holy Ghost—to help you see clearly what is good and bad, right and wrong.
Eternal truths
At baptism you enter a joyful covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. In the temple, you will make additional covenants that can strengthen that relationship. Each week during the sacrament, you renew your covenants. You express your willingness to keep the commandments, and the Lord blesses you with the opportunity to have the Holy Spirit as your constant companion. It is one of His greatest gifts to you.
Making good choices improves your ability to feel the Spirit. There are many good and wholesome things in this world. Just as your body is affected by what you eat and drink, your mind and spirit are profoundly affected by what you read, watch, and listen to.
Invitations
Make time for the Lord every day. Learn of Him. Always remember Him. Pray to your Heavenly Father. Study the holy scriptures and the words of living prophets. Then strive to live by what you learn.
Seek that which uplifts, inspires, and invites the Spirit. As you make choices about what to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, think about how it makes you feel. Does it invite good thoughts? Stay away from anything that mocks sacred things or that is immoral. Don’t participate in anything that dulls your judgment or sensitivity to the Spirit, such as violence, alcohol, and harmful drugs. Have the courage to turn off a video or game, walk out of a movie or a dance, change your music, or turn away from anything that is not consistent with the Spirit.
Use social media to uplift. Social media can be a powerful communication tool. If you use it, focus on light, faith, and truth. Don’t compare your life to what other people seem to be experiencing. Remember that your worth comes from being a child of heavenly parents, not from social media.
Seek wholesome experiences and real and lasting relationships. Be careful that your use of technology and media does not replace spending in-person time with family and friends. Social media and other technology can take much of your time without giving a lot of value in return. Take a break from the virtual world, and connect with people in real life.
Promised blessings
You can have the Spirit with you always. The Holy Ghost will bear witness to you of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He will comfort, guide, warn, and sanctify you. He will help you recognize truth and see the good in the world." (Walk in God's Light, For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices)
And here's the end part of the commentary entitled: "The glory of God is light and truth." :
"Consider searching “Walk in God’s light” (For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, 18–21) to find out what you can do to obtain light and how the Lord promises to bless you. The videos “Light and Truth, Part 1” and “Part 2” (Gospel Library) may provide additional ideas.
I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has given me access to Heavenly light, the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It's truly been helping me see clearly that I'm able to discern what is right from wrong, what is good from bad.
I'm so grateful for being able to choose to put God first in my life and have all my thoughts directed unto the Lord. I know it's the Holy Ghost who's been helping me to do this. I know it's the Holy Ghost who's been guiding me so I would choose to do what is right. I've been able to follow Jesus Christ more through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. I've been able to wake up a great while before day (3:35AM this morning, 4AM usually) consistently every morning. I've been able to study the word of the Lord and share them consistently through writing this blog. And I've been able to make many more good choices like guarding the door of my mind so that all my thoughts always directed to the Lord.
What will you choose to do to be able to continue obtaining truth and light knowing the fulfillment of the Lord's promises depends on your choice of keeping God's commandment?
"20 For if you keep mycommandmentsyou shall receive of hisfulness, and beglorifiedin me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receivegracefor grace.
22 And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
34 And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.
35 The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple." (Doctrine and Covenants 93: 20, 22, 28, 33-35)
And here's the second part of the commentary entitled: "The glory of God is light and truth." :
"You might also make note of promises about your eternal destiny in verses 20, 22, 28, 33–35. What is the relationship between these promises and obtaining light?"
The promises about my eternal destiny are:
You shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father.
Ye shall receive grace for grace.
Ye shall receive fulness of joy, when your element (the tabernacle of God) and spirit become inseparably connected.
The fulfillment of these promises depends on whether I am obtaining truth and light by keeping God's commandments.
"1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul whoforsakethhissinsand cometh unto me, andcallethon my name, andobeyethmy voice, and keepeth my commandments, shallseemyfaceandknowthat I am;
2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;
3 And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—
4 The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men.
5 I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest.
6 And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed.
7 And he bore record, saying: I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was;
8 Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation—
9 The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
10 The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him.
11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
15 And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
16 And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17 And he received allpower, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.
18 And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.
19 I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
21 And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn;
22 And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.
23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
26 The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;
27 And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments.
28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.
29 Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.
31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.
33 For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
34 And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.
35 The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.
36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.
37 Light and truth forsake that evil one.
38 Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God.
39 And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers." (Doctrine and Covenants 93: 1-39)
"12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8: 12)
"6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)
"13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old." (Jacob 4: 13)
"24 That which is of God is light; and he that receivethlight, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." (Doctrine and Covenants 50: 24)
And here's the beginning part of the commentary entitled: "The glory of God is light and truth."
"You might notice that words like glory, light, and truth appear frequently in this revelation. As you study verses 20–39 in particular, list the truths you learn about these concepts. Making a table like this one might help:
Those who are of God is light. They that choose to receive light and choose to continue in God, receive more light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
How can I continue to choose to receive light and choose to continue in God, and receive more light that groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day?
What do you find in these verses that inspires you to seek greater light and truth? Why are light and truth good titles for Jesus Christ? (see John 8:12; 14:6). How do these truths affect your life?"
What I find that inspires me to seek greater light and truth is "That which is of God is light". The other day, two of my fellow teachers said I am always happy. Seems like they are seeing my light. I am of God and I am light. I want my fellow teachers and many more to see my light, or to see that I am light. I will strive to continue letting my light shine.
Light and truth are good titles for Jesus Christ because He embodies them. He is light and He is all truth or He is the source of all truth. I shall not walk in darkness but will have the light of life as I continue to choose following Jesus. And I can come unto the Father through Him.
