The Sermon on the Mount was concluded with a call to action: Respond to the Savior’s invitation and be like a wise man who built a house upon a rock. Fail to give heed to His counsel and be as the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.

Prophets have long counseled their flocks on the importance of preparing for emergencies. Abraham gained personal experience when he traveled to Egypt in an attempt to escape famine. Only a few generations later, Joseph made his dramatic ascent up the Egyptian political ladder and instituted a large scale food storage program. Jesus warned of famines and pestilences and earthquakes. In our own day, latter-day prophets continue the clarion call. From Joseph Smith to Thomas S. Monson–modern Mormon prophets, prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ–a common theme can be heard: Lay up in store for potential famines.

Famines come in many forms, as evidenced by the current economic crisis. As anticipated by Mormons in some ways, and  in our collective recent memory, we have witnessed dramatic declines in the stock market, surges in unemployment rates, and numerous bank failures reminiscent of the Great Depression. Despite the best efforts of the government, surveys show that Americans are left feeling increasingly fearful and uncertain. The Old Testament famines of wheat, corn, and other crops are paralleled by contemporary famines of accessible credit, secure employment, and burgeoning 401k’s.

Certainly in times like these, it is not difficult to see the prophetic and divine wisdom in preparing for emergencies. (And Mormons have been about this preparation for decades.) However, suppose that circumstances were different. If stocks were at all-time highs and unemployment at all-time lows, would we be so concerned with preparing for famines of the financial variety? Would the Lord Jesus Christ’s words have fuller impact?

Circumstance and counsel are often at odds with each other. In the days of Noah, the circumstances were sunny while the counsel was gloomy. The line at the reservation desk for Noah’s Ark was remarkably short. Might the situation have been different if Noah warned of future floods while storm clouds hovered consistently up above?

In our day, modern prophets have warned us of future dangers (Yes, Mormons believe that God continues to speak to His children today, and there are living apostles and a prophet on earth today). We, as members of the Savior’s Church–Mormons– have been counseled to obtain a year’s supply of food, to seek out educational opportunities, and to avoid unnecessary debt. The circumstance of today seems to vindicate the counsel of yesterday. And yet if we have not given heed to prophetic counsel before now, the question must be asked: Are we responding to circumstance—or counsel?

A diligent effort to prepare for future catastrophes is most effective when spurred on by prophetic counsel—not by portending circumstances. While stock markets are blown to and fro with most light breezes, the counsel of the prophets (“Mormon prophets”) remains steadfast amidst heavy rains, floods, and winds: “lay up in store.” The circumstance of the current economic crisis has awakened us all to a greater awareness of the need for financial security. Perhaps the Savior’s counsel from the Sermon on the Mount can encourage us to prepare for emergencies yet unknown—and thus build our houses upon a rock.

Mormons believe in saving up for emergencies: storing food and supplies for at least 3 months, and a year where possible; saving funds; having emergency supplies on hand (72-hour kits); and being temporally, spiritually, and financially solvent and self-reliant where possible.  This is not a man-made doctrine; this guidance, as mentioned above, is divine, and comes from the Savior Jesus Christ, whose House or Church is actually The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). We invite you to learn more of His counsel regarding self-reliance and provident living, and to learn more of the teachings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Mormons & Food Storage

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Is Your Radio Tuned to the Right Frequency? A Biblical Reflection

Bible Verse:

Proverbs 2:1-5, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after
knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

In my apartment I have a replica of an antique table top radio that was once a gift that I had given to my mother. My father kept the radio in his house after my mother passed, and upon his passing I was able to obtain the radio and now have it in my possession as a precious keepsake. Although the radio may appear to be antique, inside of its case are modern electronic components that allow it to be turned on and tuned in to some of my favorite radio stations.

However, to hear the signal that I desire, I must be actively involved – I cannot just wish it so. Instead, I have to physically get up, go over to the radio, turn it on, set it to AM or FM, and turn the tuning knob until I find the location on the dial corresponding to the station that I wish to listen to.

When attempting to tune the receiver to get it centered on the correct frequency, I find that if I move the tuning knob just a little too much to the right or to the left, the result is a lot of unwanted static and background noise. Although I may still be able to discern the station that I have selected, the listening experience is not as clear and interference-free as it would be with the station perfectly tuned to its frequency.

Just as radio waves (and TV and wireless communication signals) fill the atmosphere around us, invisible to the eye, undetectable to the ear, unnoticed to the passer-by, so also does the Holy Spirit surround us all.

This life is an individual journey in which we each face our own trials, temptations, difficulties, and heartaches. At times it may seem that we are all alone and that there is no one who cares. Our Heavenly Father has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised that He would send us One who would be a comforter, guide, and constant companion. However, in order to receive the blessings of the constant companionship of this One and to learn from Him, we need to have our “radio” turned on and “tuned in” to the correct frequency in order to hear His voice as He guides, leads, and directs our path, and teaches us the truth of all things. In John 14:26 we read, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”.

Just as a radio will not automatically turn itself on and perfectly tune to the station that we desire to listen to without some interaction on our part, it is only through the renewing of our hearts and minds that we are able to turn on our spiritual “radio” and use its tuning knob, which is our faithfulness and obedience, to tune to the exact frequency wherein we will be able to clearly hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. As we continue to keep ourselves “in tune” with our Heavenly Father, through our faithfulness and obedience, our “radio” will continue to give a clear and undistorted signal; however, if we lose focus and begin to move the tuning knob a little to the left or a little to the right, we will become distracted by the cares of the world and will end up listening to a lot of static and distortion. We may also need to adjust the volume control so as to drown out the noises of the world and focus only on the Still Small Voice as He speaks to us.

Is your “radio” turned on, and is it tuned perfectly to the correct frequency? Solomon gave this wise counsel as recorded in Proverbs 2:1-5, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

I leave you these humble thoughts in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.

See Keith’s Mormon.org profile.

Alma 37:6

6Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Accustomed and acculturated to look for large events, patterns, trends, happenings, we often overlook the prosaic, ordinary or small things that can tip our world, someone’s life experience, our conversion, our demeanor, or even  have multi- generational impact.  Even a faucet dripping consistently for long enough could flood a home. Likewise, our righteous acts, the following of an impression, can at a singular moment, change lives. Mormons, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–Christian disciples of Jesus Christ–recognize the value of making prized daily choices that count. In our imperfection we strive to follow the Holy Ghost more fluidly each day, recognizing that this day counts for eternity. In the words of a Mormon prophet (more accurately, a prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints):

The course of our lives is seldom determined by great, life-altering decisions. Our direction is often set by the samll, day-to-day choices that chart the track on which we run. This is the substance of our lives-making choices (Gordon B. Hinckley, Stand a Little Taller, 13).

20Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.

The Lord Jesus Christ knows the desires of our hearts and responds to those like no other. With answers to complex problems strewn along our paths like hedges of roses on a summer day, the Lord delights in answering our prayers and supplying our need, as each day demands.  His request for us to obey His commands is the most unselfish of all for it is a spiritual shortcut to our happiness, and He knows that.  It’s us who may be slow to comprehend that until we comply long enough to feel the sweet embrace to which this modern scripture speaks.

The invitation to find obedience “a quest and not an irritation” is extended once again to each of us by a late prophet of God (you may refer to him as “Mormon prophet”; the fullname is prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Savior’s true and living Church on earth. We invite you to learn more of its message:

Be true to your convictions. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. You know when you are doing the proper thing. You know when you are giving strength to the right cause. Be loyal. Be faithful. Be true. (Gordon B. Hinckley, Stand a Little Taller, 16.)

 

The Doctrine and Covenants is a holy book of scripturally-recorded revelation to the Mormon Prophet Joseph as he sought the Lord’s will and direction after his call as prophet of this dispensation…

Doctrine and Covenants 38:24

24And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practise virtue and holiness before me.

We are taught as members of this Church (Church of Jesus Christ; friends unknowingly call it the “Mormon” Church) to be tolerant, to bring about good results, not to give in on our doctrine, not to give in on our standards, but to be tolerant in a way that will move forward the cause of peace and righteousness and goodness in the earth. May the Lord bless us to do so.