Sunday School Lesson 20: The Kingdoms of Glory

This weeks lesson is a good one. It is one that a lot of people have questions about. It's the kind of topic that I'm personally am not attracted to, but it is important none the less.

It's about the three kingdoms of glory.

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1. Celestial - The highest kingdom, where you will find those who truly believe in and follow Christ. They will dwell with our heavenly father and Christ.
        D&C 76:56-57 "They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fullness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son."

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2. Terrestrial - The middle kingdom. Some say this is where you find good people who do good things, but don't accept Christ and his atonement. They will receive the presence of Christ, but not of the father in heaven.
        D&C 76:75 " These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men."

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3. Telestial - This is basically hell, but not they way hell is described in earthly literature. There is no fire nor eternal torment. It is a good place, better than where we are now, but not the best place. I guess these are people who don't follow Christ nor do good. They will be visited only by the Holy Ghost.
        D&C 76: 89 "And thus we saw, in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial, which surpasses all understanding;"

Though all kingdoms seem nice, we definitely want to have eternity in the celestial kingdom. It is the most wonderful and glorious.

It isn't so complicated to get there.
D&C 78:7 reads, "For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you." So though it is not complicated it isn't easy either. We must be obedient to all of God's commandments. Those by his mouth and by the mouth of his servants, the prophets.

D&C 132:23 "But if ye receive me in the world, them shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also."

I know that the only way to an eternally happy life is to return to our father in heaven's presence. In order for us to accomplish this, he sent his only begotten son to die for us. He paid for our sins so that we may be made clean again. I know that as we accept his love and generous gift, we are made whole, and that only through him can we repent and be perfected.

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Erin

Lesson 42 "Pure Religion" James

For today's post read I prepared for this weeks sunday school class. I read James and wanted to post some scriptures that stuck out to me.

1:5-6 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

1:12 blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1:19 “wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

1:22-24 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.””

1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

2:5 “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

2:17-18 “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith , and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by me works.”

2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

3:2-5 “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle to whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey is; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listesth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

3:8 “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

3:10 Out of the same mouth preceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. “

3:17-18 “But the wisdom that is from above id first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up”

4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

5:20 “Let him know, that he which conveteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”