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Wickedness Never was Happiness
It is better to condescend to be happy than to aspire to be miserable. The civil function of religion is recognized on the basis of the correspondence between the Heavenly and Earthly city. The Heavenly cut is the norm or the ideal of human’s civil life; and precisely because it is such, its recognition means the commitment of human beings to realize, as much as possible, its characteristics in the Earthly city. Many of you are not just ordinary men and women, you are choice spirits, many of you have been held back in reserve for almost 6,000 years to come forth in this day, at this time, when the temptations, responsibilities, and opportunities are the very greatest. God is love, power, and splendor—and God is a mystery. The Christian Bible is not only the proclamation of superterrestrial happiness, but also of Earthly happiness. Religion is the confidence in the value of human’s work, in success of this work, and in the reward that humans will find in the future life. The fundamental function of religion is to support human beings in the work of civil life, in political work, and activity. #RandolphHarris 1 of 11
Would you have an inconstant God, since we count a human foolish that is inconstant? God’s ways are beyond us, but he still reaches out to us. God is infinite yet intimate, all-knowing yet all-forgiving. We will spend eternity cherishing an ever-deepening relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible is the story of God striving to reconnect with his children, and is a major method God uses to reach us. God the Father reached out to us most dramatically through his Son Jesus, who chose not just to visit us, but to become one of us. Born human so we can be reborn in the Spirit, Jesus showed us God’s love and character—and how far God was willing to go to save us from self-destruction. What we could not do for ourselves, he did for us, paying the price for our sins, dying in our place so we can live forever. He conquered death through resurrection, and promised to return to take us home to the Kingdom of God. Meanwhile, God has not left us alone. The Holy Spirit is here to comfort us, guide us and transform us to live as witnesses for God’s love. The same Spirit who inspired prophets and empowered Jesus, who shaped scripture and created the World, enables and empowers each one of us. #RandolphHarris 2 of 11
The broadening of our existence and of our knowledge is possible historically only through the contemplation of previous existence. The study of Christian culture in its broadest aspects will promote a true philosophical knowledge of humanity, including the know of the manifold intellectual, sentient, and moral human powers. The World is a unity of diverse forces, a cultural unity which will be regained through a comprehensive study of Christianity. We should study the moral character of different human types; a great variety of sources will provide the data for establishing an ideal norm, which is not adequately represented by any specific individuality. To comprehend the wholeness in the diversity of human types requires aesthetic insight, which is fundamental to the art of the historian. The condition of the soul which gives rise to the necessity of history (in the truest and highest sense of the word) is similar to that out of which an epic is produced with the help of imagination and art. Everything that is active in World history is also stirring in the inner being of human. The ideas in history have preserved human experience in the mind. #RandolphHarris 3 of 11
The eternal original ideas of everything conceivable provides existence and value, the beauty of all physical and spiritual forms, the truth in the unalterable working of every force according to its indwelling law, the justice in the inexorable course of events which are eternally regulated and meted their just reward. The goal of history is the realization of the idea representing itself through humanity from all sides and in all forms in which the finite forms can be connected with the idea. The task of the historian is therefore to represent this process of the ideas being actualizes in history. God loves you as he loves each and every one of his children, and his desire and purpose and glory is to have you return to him pure and undefiled, having proven yourselves worthy of an eternity of joy in his presence. Your Father in Heaven is mindful of you. He has given you commandments to guide you, to discipline you. He has also given you your agency—freedom of choice to see if you will do all the things whatsoever he shall command. It implies a deep-rooted subjective view of the World, a spiritual attitude, that controls the formation of concepts. #RandolphHarris 4 of 11
God’s kingdom here on Earth is well organized, and your leaders are dedicated to helping you. May you know that you have the constant love, concern and prayers of the Church. It is evident that the languages are not really means of representing the truth that has already been ascertained, but far more, means of discovering a truth not previously know. Their diversity is not a diversity of sound, but of World outlook. However, Satan is also mindful of you. He is committed to your destruction. He does not discipline you with commandments, but offers instead a freedom to do your own thing—the freedom to smoke, to drink, to misuse drugs or rebel against the counsel and commandments of God and his servants. Satan knows that you are young, at the peak of physical vigor, excited by the World, and consumed by new emotions. It is curious to observe how good and bad are mingled in human institutions. Satan knows that youth is the Springtime of life when all things are new and young people are most vulnerable. #RandolphHarris 5 of 11
Youth is the spirit of adventure and awakening. It is a time of physical emerging when the body attains the vigor and good health that many ignore the caution of temperance. Youth is a period of timelessness when the horizons of age seem too distant to be noticed. No one falls like Lucifer from Heaven—the progress of evil is slow and not easily perceived. This, the now generation forgets that the present will soon be the past, which one will look back upon either with sorrow and regret or joy and cherished experiences. Satan’s program is play now and pay later. He seeks for all to be miserable like unto himself. The Lord’s program is happiness now and joy forever through gospel living. Out of love for God, we must live a morally clean life, as wickedness never was happiness. You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible! Years of happiness can be lost in the foolish gratification of a momentary desire for pleasure. Satan would have you believe that happiness comes only as you surrender to his enticements, but one only needs to look at the shattered lives of those who violate God’s laws to know why Satan is called the Father of Lies. #RandolphHarris 6 of 11
From the depths of a broken heart, many hope to warn others never to partake of the bitterness that has come on them from living foul. Many people would give all that they have or may acquire if they could go back to the happy carefree days before the first little taint of sin creeped into their heart and soul. Some scarcely realize that they were slipping into something that would bring much sorrow and ruin into their lives. Much anguish and regret fills the hearts of those who follow Satan, as they lose self-respect as life’s most priceless gift is fleeting. Because many individuals reach out too eagerly for the excitements and thrills of life, they have turned to ashes in their hands. This is what happens when people discover the burden of sin. However, you can avoid that burden and all the attending heartaches if you will but heed the standards laid down for you through the teachings of the Lord’s servants. One of the standards on which your happiness is based, now and in your future, is moral purity. The World would tell you that this standard is old-fashioned and out of date. #RandolphHarris 7 of 11
The World would also have you to accept a so-called new morality, which is nothing more than immortality. However, the eternal standard of chastity has not changed. The eternal standard means keeping yourselves clean in body and mind. The Church has no double standard of morality. The moral code of Heaven for both men and women is complete chastity before marriage and full fidelity after marriage. Be careful of the sexual behavior, and even necking and petting, as they lead to fornication and it is often difficult for youth to distinguish where one ends and another begins. They awaken lust and stir evil thoughts and the sex desires. Maintain your self-respect. Do not engage in intimacies that brings heartache and sorrow. You cannot build happy lives on immortality. The first condition of happiness is a clean conscience. Also, stay close to your parents. There are some things which come only with mature adulthood, and one of these is wisdom. Young people, you need the wisdom of age, just as some antiquated people need the youth’s enthusiasm for life. #RandolphHarris 8 of 11
There is much to live for this lovely autumn morning. Your parents may become somewhat strict and stern from caring for you and your brothers and sisters. However, just remember, your parents are mature and have years of experience you have not had, can provide wisdom, knowledge, and blessings to help you over life’s sweetest experiences come when you go to Mom and Dad for help. There will be a bond of gratitude and love in your home. Do your part to develop real family unity and family solidarity. In such houses, there is no generation gap. This is another tool of the adversary—to drive children and parents apart. Satan wishes to have you, that he may run through you like Hurricane Harvey, leaving a path of pain and destruction after he is done. However, if you will earnestly seek guidance from your Heavenly Father, morning and evening, you will be given the strength to shun away temptation. Supplicating the Lord for the guidance of his Spirit places around us a safeguard, and if we earnestly and honestly seek the guidance of the Spirit of God, we can be assured that we will receive it. God is the eternal Father, is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. #RandolphHarris 9 of 11
God will pour love into our souls like that of the morning mist pours over the hills into our valley. The name of God must be engrained in our hearts, and imprinted in our souls. When you pray—when you talk to your Heavenly Father—do you really talk out your problems with him? Do you let him know your feelings, your doubts, your insecurities, your joys, your deepest desires—or is prayer merely a habitual expression with the same words and phrases. Do you ponder what you really mean to say? Do you take time to listen to the prompting of the Spirit? Answers to prayers come most often by a still voice and discerned by our deepest, innermost feelings. You can know the will of God concerning yourselves if you take the time to pray and to listen. Yes, beloved people, you will have your trials and temptations through which you must pass, but there are great moments of eternity which are ahead. You have love and confidence. You can live in the World and not partake of the sins of the World. You can live life joyously, beautifully, unmarred by the ugliness of sin. Beyond the darkness is the glow of rays of endless light. #RandolphHarris 10 of 11
If deep within your heart you keep the vision—the dream that nothing can erase or mar, the promise of a fairer day tomorrow, will be for you a compass and a star. Look to this day, arise in all your splendor, and bear the standards of the World-to-be. However, when hate and war, distress and desolation are near, give place to justice, love, and liberty. I pray that you—the young and rising generation—will keep your bodies and minds clean, free from the contaminations of the World, that you will be fit and pure vessels to accept the kingdom of God. Do not feel badly because you are not where you want to be right this minute. Do not focus on the disappointment, the failure, or the mistakes. They were all a part of God’s plan to prepare you for the future. Keep moving forward, being your best, honoring God, being determined and persistent, and God will provide for your future. God is going before you to fight your battles and help your overcome obstacles. You will accomplish your dreams because Almighty God. #RandolphHarris 11 of 11
The Winchester Mystery House
The Winchester Mystery House is among the most haunted places in the world. https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/
Let Him without Sin be the Rolling Stone
It is so hard to forget pain, but it is even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace. As clever as human beings are, we rely on social groups for survival. We evolved to live in cooperative societies, and most of human history we depended on those groups for our lives. Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and captivity, and from all other nations under Heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ. In 1492, in harmony with the Lord’s vision, Christopher Columbus was divinely led to America. Christopher Columbus, himself, corroborated the fact that he was divinely led to this land. Because Christopher Columbus was led, we are here in this choice land. God gave us victory in the Revolutionary War. We are indebted to him for our nation’s independence. He has prospered us in every righteous endeavor. He established the Constitution of the United States of America. The issues we face are clear and well defined. We can repent and obey and thereby qualify to receive the blessings promised to the righteous in this land. The phenomenal population growth in these days is by divine power with divine purpose. #RandolphHarris 1 of 8
Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. Peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the scriptures and unlocks the promises and protection and redemption. Perhaps the greatest reason for our lives is to teach others the love of God, to show the World that it is possible to heal from hardships of the past. Below us lie the deserts of sin and the forest of evil; below us stretch the swamps of carnality and the plains of passion; below us rage the roaring rivers of war and hate and crime, through all of which we have struggled to reach this summit. The turbulent and awesome conditions of the last days of mortal existence, some of which we now observe, have been spoken of my many of the prophets. Hydrogen bomb tested in North Korea created an Earthquake a magnitude 6.3, it was so strong it shook buildings in China and Russia. However, we shall not fear, for the Lord said as long as we follow his divine law, we will have refuge from against the awesome conditions which we must face. The Lord has given us the pattern in all things, that we may not be deceived, for Satan is abroad in the land and he goes forth deceiving nations. However, we know that Jesus is the Christ, and the message of restoration is true. If we are faithful, we need not fear that which must come about. #RandolphHarris 2 of 8
Christianity is an intellectual despair to find stability in an eternal and infinite God. Happiness, and the happiness of future generations depends upon living those standards established by the Savior and set forth in his scriptures. Parents today wonder if there is a safe place to raise children. There is a safe place. It is in a gospel-centered home. We are supposed to focus on the family in the Church, and to raise our families in righteousness. Evil people and seducers shall wax worse, deceiving, and being deceived. These verses serve as a warning, showing which patterns to avoid. We must be ever watchful and diligent. We pray that evil may be done away, and that the time may come the Satan may have no power upon the hearts of humans, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved. When we think of the future, we should be overwhelmed with feelings of optimism. The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection. Soon the feeling of peace and inspiration will come, and a solution will present itself to any problems one may be suffering from. #RandolphHarris 3 of 8
Happiness is never in fruition, but always in prospect of pursuits. Make scripture reading a part of your regular routine, and the blessings will follow. There is in the scripture a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine. The cure for most mistakes can be found by seeking forgiveness through personal prayer. However, there are certain spiritual illnesses, particularly those dealing with violations of the moral law, which absolutely require the assistance and treatment of a qualified spiritual physician. Some people have made mistakes and in their antiquated ages, the memories come back to haunt them. They are sometime unable to shake the feelings of guilt. Often times, one cannot go back and undo the problems of their youth on their own. If you awake to a sense of your awful situation, repentance is individual, and so is forgiveness. The Lord requires only that one turn from their sin and God will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. With sincere repentance, the effects of our transgression can be erased through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That promise applies in every case. #RandolphhHarris 4 of 8
God is looking for people who have faith that he can see, a faith that is demonstrated. The gospel teaches us to be happy, to have faith rather than fear, to find hope and overcome despair, to leave darkness and turn toward the light of the everlasting gospel. Even in the trials of our time and the days yet to come, peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the scriptures and inlocks the promises of protection and redemption that are taught therein. When God sees you doing what you can to get well that is when extraordinary things will happen. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all people. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. Virtuous traits form the foundation of a Christian life and are the outward manifestation of the inner being. Virtue includes integrity, humility, charity, spirituality, accountability, civility, and fidelity. We need only to look around us to see what is taking place in our communities to realize that personal traits of virtue are in steep decline. Reflect on the behavior of drivers on crowded highways; road rage happens too often. Civility is all but absent in our political discourse. #RandolpHarris 5 of 8
As countries around the World face financial and economic challenges, fidelity and honesty seem to have been replaced with greed and craft. A visit to a shopping mall will often subject you to crude language and immodest dress. Some athletes display poor sportsmanship and seldom show humility, even when exposed for legal or moral infidelities. A large segment of our population feels little personal responsibility for their own temporal well-belong. On occasion, our generosity in support of good causes wanes as our appetite to acquire more than we need prevails. We need not be a part of the malaise that is penetrating and infecting society. If we follow the World in abandoning Christian-centered virtues, the consequences may be disastrous. Individual faith and fidelity, which have eternal consequences, will diminish. Family solidarity and spirituality will be adversely impacted. Religious influence in society will be lessened, and the rule of law will be challenged and perhaps even set aside. The seedbed for all that plagues the natural human being will have been planted, to the sheer delight of Satan. #RandolphHarris 6 of 8
If you want your strength renewed, the right way to wait is to give God praise, to talk about his greatness; you will go through the day expecting him to turn it around. God promises he will renew your strength. God is breathing strength, energy, passion, vision, and vitality back into your spirit. You will come out of your hardship stronger, higher, better off than you were before. You could not kill my appetite for God with silver bullets and a wooden stake. Teaching virtuous traits begins in the home with parents who care and set the example. A good parental example encourages emulation; a poor example gives license to the children to disregard the parents’ teachings and even expand the poor example. A hypocritical example destroys credibility. It is difficult for a person to display virtuous traits if he or she lacks a firm adherence to a code of moral values. Without integrity, honesty is forgotten. If integrity is absent, civility is impaired. If integrity is not important, spirituality is difficult to maintain. Most people will not commit desperate acts if they have been taught dignity, honesty, and integrity; honesty and integrity are more important than revenge or rage. #RandolphHarris 7 of 8
If people understand that respect and kindness ultimately gives one a better chance at success, they will be blessed and go further in life. If virtues are lost, families will be measurably weakened, individual faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will soften, and important eternal relationships may be jeopardized. Traits of virtue broadly practiced can loosen Satan’s firm grip on society and derail his insidious plan to capture the hearts, minds, and spirits of mortal human beings. Now is the time for us to join in rescuing and preserving that which is virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy. As we allow virtue garnish our thoughts unceasingly and we cultivate virtuous traits in our personal lives, our communities and institutions will be improved, our children and families will be strengthened, and faith and integrity will bless individual lives. The love of God binds to us, and we shall journey through life hand in hand. We shall sit in God’s presence and learn the wondrous things he will tell us for he is God. The heart of God, the Most High, is within. Our Heavenly Father expects his children to exercise integrity, civility, fidelity, charity, generosity, morality, and all the virtues. May we have the humility to take the opportunity to act upon our responsibility to demonstrate our ability to do so, I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. #RandolphHarris 8 of 8
The Importance of a Good Reputation
We should do all we can to establish for ourselves a worthy reputation, for such is of priceless worth. It is often the key to influencing others for good, and can be the means of bring the gospel into their lives. It can take years to build a good professional reputation, but it can also be destroyed in an instant. Regardless of one’s background or which career one chooses to have, what people think and hear about you, even before they meet you, is extremely important. A good reputation is not a superficial façade, attempting to indicate depth where there is only shallowness, honesty where there is deceit, or virtue where there is unrighteousness. An exemplarily reputation is earned and is a window, clearly exhibiting the integrity of one’s soul. It is through this integrity of thought and veracity of conduct that we become pure and holy before the Lord. It is in this state that we can be most effective in serving humanity. Having a good reputation brings many business opportunities. One is highly recommended for jobs, invited to participate on esteemed research. And when one is known as someone who is skillful and professional, one will be introduced to others who can help advance one’s career. People like good people and they will want to help and be associated with those who have good reputations. #RandolphHarris 1 of 5
It is not enough for us to live the gospel inwardly; we need to be shining examples to all with whom we come in contact. One major mistake can significantly damage your reputation, lead to missed opportunities and make it difficult for others to have confidence in you. It is not only what we are that is important: what others think of us is also important. In order to be truly effective, we need to be known for our good qualities, to have an unspotted reputation in all things. Overpromising, overextending, overestimating and overdoing does not allow a person to be responsive to others, live a balanced life, take care of oneself, nor develop a healthy professional identity. It is important to be known for being dependable, being honest, and upright in all of our dealing. It is great to be known as an individual who can meet one’s financial obligations on due dates or prior thereto, a person whose work is as good as one’s bond. It is important to be known as trustworthy, and as one whose loyalty is unquestionable. And above and beyond all else, we must be known as people who keep the commandments and as people who are fully committed in helping build the kingdom of God. Also, selecting your activities and opportunities carefully is one of the most important skills. #RandolphHarris 2 of 5
It may be true that we are the ones most affected by our own actions. However, every mortal’s life is intertwined with others’ lives. It is important to be professional because influential people could be forming impression about you as a result of your tone, language, assertions, or assaults. Also, every individual represents certain other people or groups of people as well. For instance, we are all representatives of our own families, and the reputation of a family is established through the actions of individual family people. Honor the names that you bear, because some day you will have the privilege and the obligation of reporting to them (and to your Father in Heave) what you have done with their name. Genuine people are credible. Credibility breeds trust. And trustworthy people are loyal. A credible people is an expert due to his or her experience, qualifications, intelligence, and skill set. Not only do we represent out families, but each of us belongs to a community, state, province, or nation whose collective reputation is based on the actions of individuals. Many of us represent the business or organization from which we earn our living. Students represent the schools which they attend. As members of the Church, we all represent the Church through or actions. What is our message? #RandolphHarris 3 of 5
We have a special sacred responsibility. Someone who is trustworthy is honest, fair, unselfish, and caring. Loyal people are valued because they are faithful to a cause, ideal custom, or institution. The possession of these characteristics will enhance your reputation, while omission of the same are noticed and detrimental. We represent our Heavenly Father on Earth, as members of his kingdom. We have the privilege to represent him to others, to bear his message to his children throughout the World. We have the responsibility to be worthy of his name, to represent him well in every way, to every person we meet—so we must live our lives are Christians. The reputation of an organization can enable them to become a preference. For example, research shows that due to an increased demand for healthier foods, organic products, and more environmentally friendly food, companies have begun to distinguish their products through food labeling, and are noticing that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for labels that are considered to have more of a prestigious reputation than others. Also, the organization that behaves ethically, is worthy of respect. You are the light of the World, and a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. As we build our character, our light will shine brighter, and our outward reputation will become but a reflection of our inward self; then our reputation be one, both before God and before humanity. #RandolphHarris 4 of 5
Someone with many years of experience in the Church and business affairs taught me that it is highly important to maintain a good and worthy reputation in all that we do. Keeping your word, no matter what in terms of providing services, paying vendors when they are due, and keeping promises to the people you service is a way to establish trust. This will help you solidify and build credibility with the community. It is very important to resolve errors and mistakes. Never make excuses or place the blame on someone else if it is an issue that is your fault or the fault of the organization you represent. An irate person can become your biggest ally if you make an effort to resolve errors or mistakes as quickly as possible. Furthermore, it is important to be sensitive to privacy. With rampant identity theft and hacking, being aware of the sensitive nature of financial information and other personal information is more important than ever. In order to obtain real joy and happiness in this life and be effective servants of the Lord in helping to build his kingdom, we must build and maintain a good reputation. This can only be accomplished by repenting of our sins and living the principles of the gospel, thereby keeping the commandments of God. May we all do this, I humbly pray, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. #RandolphHarris 5 of 5
We Should Go Forward in a Spirit of Faith and Not Be Fearful
Heavenly forces rising and descending, their golden urns reciprocally lending. Not until I rise above the Earthly to the Heavenly, not until I cease to cleave to the Spirit of the Earth can I understand humans. The soul of humans lived in an element by which the sounds of speech themselves were formed and moulded. However, a blitz of sin comes when communication lines are down—it always does, sooner or later. Deeply disturbing are the numerous signs of dwindling faith are in our World. The whip leg in spiritual conviction is frightening. Morale is often low even among employees in their jobs—Selfish “gimme” tactics. “How much can I get?” “How about a raise?” More holidays. Fewer hours. Poor morale among the employers. We are too affluent. We have too much money and other things. We have so many things. Even many poorer people have things, and “things” become our life, and our vocabulary has been invaded with, “Let me do my thing.” Yet the Lord has said, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Too often, though, we want the “things” first. We have a great generation of youth, but many of them are experiencing a blind side of prayers, especially those who are in sin. Many have nearly ceased to pray. Their communication wires are bootleg. Also, the numerous young people in their early married days cease to pray with regularity; their lines of communication are on the chop block. #RandolphHarris 1 of 10
We have intellectualism—which is also a factor in the education of the human race—but out of our way of viewing the World, based as it is on the principles of measure, number and weight, another must unfold. Two young couples from the Northwest came, bowed in sorrow. The husband of one and the wife of the other had lost themselves in frustration arising out of disloyally finding comfort where no association should have been tolerated. Their problems reached the maximum, and sorrow resulted. It is generally the same. The two young people, unfaithful to their spouses, has conversed and confided too much; then secret meetings followed, then disloyal disclosures concerning the spouse of each. And finally, that which surely could not have been dreamed of—the transgression. Both couples had reduced their activity, become casual in their church-going. They had joined a social group who were also turning to spiritual casualness like themselves. Their new ways of living was beyond their means, and debts crowded out tithing. Too busy they were for homes in the evenings and too rushed for family prayer, and when it came to temptation, they were not prepared. They experienced a real slobber knocker for coveting someone else’s spouse. Recognize that some of you think of yourselves as daredevils, ready to take on almost any challenge. However, some of these excursions for excitement will inevitably take you down into the Devil’s Throat. #RandolphHarris 2 of 10
Spiritual Science must come to our assistance here, for ordinary history can tell us nothing. Our emotions are compacted. Sometimes we do not even have the words to express accurately the way we are feeling. This lack of emotional language can be very difficult. The only safe course is to stay well away from the dangers of the Devil’s Throat. If you cross to the Devil’s side of the line of scrimmage once inch, you are in the tempter’s power, and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly, because you will have lost the spirit of the Lord. Some people are letting others set standards for them. You have a nickel defense for yourselves by saying, “Who said we should not do this or we should not do that?” There are many shades of right and wrong that each of you have to decide where the line of scrimmage will be. If there is any question in your minds or hearts about whether your personal conduct is right or wrong, do not do it. Each of us has a moral agency of pass protection, and the gift of the Holy Ghost will sharpen our impressions of what is right and wrong, true and false. It is the responsibility of the prophets of God to teach the word of God, not spell out every joy and tittle of human conduct. Naturally, within the relationships into which they are brought by the intellect, the things will behave in accordance with their nature. #RandolphHarris 3 of 10
Pure experience is the reality in which reality appears to us when we confront it to the complete exclusion of what we ourselves bring to it. What is happening at the time you come of age becomes a stamp of who you are, and you carry it forward. If we are conscientiously trying to avoid not only evil, but the very appearance of evil, we will act for ourselves and not be acted upon. Much of what comes from the Devil is alluring and enticing. It glitters and is appealing to the sensual parts of our nature. You will lose half a pound just dreaming about it. Satan’s message sounds so reasonable and easy to justify. His voice is usually smooth and intriguing. If it were harsh or discordant, nobody would listen, nobody would be enticed. Some of Satan’s most appealing messages are: Everyone does it; if it does not hurt anyone else, it is all right; if you feel there is no harm in it, it is okay; it is the “cool” thing to do. Satan is the greatest imitator, the master deceiver, the arch counterfeiter, and the greatest forger ever in the history of the World. He comes into our lives as a thief in the night and crackback blocks our blessings. His disguise is so perfect that it is hard to recognize him or his methods. He seems to be a good person, but is really bad. Such a phenomenon, now, in which the character of the process follows directly and in a transparently clear way out of the nature of the pertinent factors, called an archetypal phenomenon. #RandolphHarris 4 of 10
When we trace any one of the major streams of present-day spiritual life back to its sources, we always encounter one of the spirits of our classical spirit. There have always been two great competing forces in the World. These began before the World was created. These opposing forces are the forces between good and evil. Between these two powerful forces each of us is caught in a scrimmage. In simple terms, that which is good comes from God, and that which is evil comes from the Devil. You cannot coffin corner or have it both ways and find true happiness; some have tried, but in the long run all have failed. If any of you people think you can have it both ways, you are only deceiving yourselves. It does not work that way. It never has. There is another great truth that you must learn. It is that everything has a price. There is a price to pay for success, fulfillment, accomplishment, and joy. Opportunity costs, nothing is free. There is loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen. If you so not pay the price that is needed for success, you will pay the price for failure. Preparation, work, study, and service are required to achieve happiness. Disobedience and lack of preparation carry a terrible price tag. Everyone is conscious of the fact that our thinking is kindled in conflict with reality. The objects in space and in time approach us; we perceive a highly diversified outer World of manifold parts, and we experience a more or less richly developed inner World. #RandolphHarris 5 of 10
As believers in God, part of the price we need to pay is by living differently from the World. God is pure reason. Jesus Christ himself brought elements of optimism into the rational morality that it was his prime aim to teach. Jesus demands attention for his teachings, not because they are adapted to the moral needs of our spirit, but because they are God’s will. The followers of Jesus Christ, from a natural interest in the details of his life, developed these beneficial elements into Christianity. They appealed to miracles as proofs of Jesus’s divinity and virtue, and instead of revering him for his teaching about virtue, they revered his teaching about virtue because of the miracles he was supposed to have performed. However, wicked emperors chased the human spirit from the Earth and spread a misery, which compelled people to see and expect happiness in Heaven; robbed of freedom, their spirit, their eternal and absolute element, was force to take flight to the deity. The doctrine of God’s objectivity is a counterpart to the corruption and slavery of human beings. No thing or event can claim to play a greater role in the functioning of the World than experience of God. If it is to become clear to us that this or that fact has greater significance than others, we must then not merely observe God, but we must already bring God into our thought-relationship. #RandolphHarris 6 of 10
Jesus makes a general demand on his hearers to surrender their rights, to lift themselves above the whole sphere of justice or injustice by love, for in love there vanish not only rights, but also the feeling of inequality and the hatred of enemies which this feeling’s imperative demand for equality implies. Matthew 5.44 tells us to, “Love our enemies, and pray fr those who persecute us.” Jesus is a beautiful soul. Jesus retained his dignity by refusing to defend himself or to uphold his rights. The possible consequences for the individual and for other people of resistance to evil, on the one hand, and of withdrawal from conflict, on the other. If one were obliged to look back to an age when human beings were quite differently constituted in their life of soul, it would be impossible to understand them. Humans can have a living experience of the plant World around them when the word is as full of life as it was among the ancient Greeks. We are the possessors and custodians of these commanding powers which can and do roll back the power of Satan on the Earth. With all my heart, I urge you to please help us push back the World. We must stand against the wind. Sometimes we must be unpopular, and simply say, “This is not right.” All of us want to find out who we really are and what our place is in the World. #RandolphHarris 7 of 10
Easily influenced individuals are trying to find their identity by being different from their parents and families in what they stand for. God made each of us to be different from anyone else in the World, as our DNA and fingerprints prove. You do not have to work at having a separate identity; you already have one. Some people want to rebel against restraints. Several even think it is not cool to obedient to their parents, the law, or follow the counsel of your bishop or quorum president. Many may have been deceived by thinking that they can find excitement by dabbling in drugs, alcohol, pornography, and the illicit sex. Be warned that such enticements as these are slippery and dangerous like the rocks by the Devil’s Throat, and they will only lead you into a tackle box of Satan’s territory. The way out of that kind of danger is difficult and will leave you with far more than a slobber knocker, scrapes and scratches. We are working out our eternal destiny at an interesting time. In the future, there will continue to be an increase in scientific discoveries and inventions which will make life more comfortable and easier for many. No doubt medical science will continue to find new treatments and cures not available now. In contrast, the Worldly influences of evil will likely increase, and more people will become vulnerable to the deceit and enticement of Satan’s trap play. #RandolphHarris 8 of 10
We need to become stronger spiritually and morally in order to withstand the temptations and snares of the World. Perhaps this is why such special spirits have been reserved for this time with the Statue of Liberty Play. In the future, the opposition from Satan will be both more subtle and more open. While in some ways it may be more blatant, it will be masked with greater sophistication and cunning. We will need greater spirituality to perceive all the forms of evil and greater strength to resist it. Many countries now face the dangerous of attacks from foreign enemies. War exposes people to bodily harm, but there is also exposure to moral harm. Those of us who have served in the military in the wartime have experienced the disruption in life that comes from being uprooted from the home and family, wholesome associations, and the influence of the organized Church. Disruptions can take us into a dive play for the vary jaws of the Devil’s Throat. Many of the activities we will be engaged in are group situations where we cannot always choose our own company. However, we can always choose our standards. In any association, there needs to be one or more who stand up and say, “What we are doing is not right.” It takes moral courage to do this. We all know it takes courage to face fears. #RandolphHarris 9 of 10
Whatsoever is good comes from God, and whatsoever is evil comes from the Devil. We are living in a challenging time, and it is a time for us to stand firm and steady in meeting our family and Church responsibilities so we do not experience offsetting penalties. We should not be blown like a wave in a White Squall. Children of God should go forward in a spirit of faith and not be fearful of anything expect being too close to the Devil’s throat. We will be strengthened and preserved if we follow God. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. So, do fear, for God is with us. Do not be dismayed, for God is our God. God will strengthen us and help us, he will uphold us with his righteous right hand. Recognize that God’s ways our better than our ways. Resist the desire to take matters into your own hands and instead trust God for questions or problems that we may face. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is clear that obedience to God’s Word is paramount to experiencing the Blessings. I pray the Lord’s blessing to be with us all, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. #RandolphHarris 10 of 10
God Turned Out Liberty Jail and Made it a Temple!
Although it is not customary for one to seek out the difficult or unpleasant experiences, it is true that the trials and tribulations of life that stand in the way of a person’s growth and development become circumstances, or experiences that serve to assist one in reaching or progressing toward a goal or desired outcome. These tumultuous situations help us to reach greater heights, providing, of course, that we do not allow adversity to discourage us. The story of most men and women who attain a degree of greatness and achievement is generally the story of a person overcoming hardships. It appears that there are lessons that can only be learned through overcoming of obstacles. Eduard von Hartmann believed that the Earth is not the worst of all possible Worlds; indeed, the infinite purposiveness of the particulars in it makes it the best of all possible Worlds. Nevertheless, he believed that it can be shown that the Universe would be better if Earth had never been created and, paradoxically, the purposiveness of this World is moving to that end. North Korea is launching missiles just about every few weeks that have nuclear capabilities, and they even have submarine weapons. The Media spends its time attacking the president and encouraging disharmony, while there are serious issues that need attention. #RandolphHarris 1 of 11
We all must battle with some fierce despair. Artem Kolesov just turned 23 years old. He is the fourth of six brothers, and grew up in a small town near Moscow, where his father was a deacon and his mother was a church youth pastor at the Pentecostal church. He allegedly grew up hearing that all he should be killed. This made young Artem fear for his life and have suicidal thoughts, as he prayed to God for the courage to live. Artem thought life in Russia was dangerous and could be a death sentence. Artem is a thin young man, with bright eyes, a head full of silky brown hair, and a perfectly symmetrical face. However, he was lucky enough to make it to Chicago, and was taken in by a nice couple. But anyway, it is amazing that Artem is a violinist and is using his talents to raise money to help pay for his legal expenses as he goes through the process of becoming as citizen of the United States of America. I love story of people who, instead of just creating a donation page online and begging for money, actually use their God given talents to work for money. Best wishes to Artem Kolesov. Nothing worthwhile ever comes to a person except by the anguish of his soul and the sweat of his brow. #RandolphHarris 2 of 11
Another journey that is amazing is the life and career of Aaliyah Haughton. Although she went on Starsearch, a show which showcases talent in hopes of awarding someone with a prize, which will launch their career as a celebrity, and did a great job performing, there were dissensions within and hostile demonstrations from without. Aaliyah ultimately did not win, although many thought she did a great job. The young girls gracefully accepted the lost and was very sweet and professional about, but when he got home she cried and cried and cried. However, Aaliyah was determined to become a star. There were hardships and disappointments, but she came out with her first record at the age of 15 and it was a success. From there she used her talent to build the careers of other stars and produced many great records, one of the most successful being the red album known as Aaliyah. Aaliyah went on to be a successful actress, and many were saying she was going to be a mega star. However, her career became inactive in 2001 because of some unforeseen circumstances. #RandolphHarris 3 of 11
Although Aaliyah has been missing in action for 16 years, these experiences has some real value because she is still breaking news and making headlines. Recently, Aaliyah signed a deal with MAC cosmetics and her own makeup line is coming out. Fans fought hard to get this makeup line for Aaliyah. They petitioned, called radio stations, news outlets, and gathered thousands of signatures and MAC cosmetics finally agreed to the production. Therefore, the trials and tribulations endured by Aaliyah, her family, friends, and fans were not in vain, and it was the will of God that allowed this project to come to fruition. These experiences were of immense value to both the individuals involved and the Church. Because it that no matter what God is in control, and even in your absence, when God wants things will happen to extend your legacy. There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of divine grace. #RandolphHarris 4 of 11
Life is a hard fight, a struggle, a wrestling with the principle of evil. Every inch of the way must be disputed. The night is given us to take breath, to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power. One of the darkest periods in the history of the Church was the Winter of 1838-1839. The Saints had been persecuted, robbed, and murdered. The Prophet and his associated had been betrayed and were imprisoned in Liberty jail. Dissension and apostasy were rampant, and the Church appeared to be faces with disintegration and ruin. However, emerging from this dark period were people who led the Church through trying experiences as well as amazing growth and development. Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose, but only upon the Beloved God who will never pass away. It was during these dark days that the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith, while in Liberty jail, a great revelation. God armed him with the strength for this battler and told the Prophet that he could do all things through Christ who infused him with inner strength. The prophet was more than a conqueror, a victor, and not a victim, and Liberty jail for a time became a center of instruction. #RandolphHarris 5 of 11
Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding his character, in trusting in his promises, and in leaning on him and resting in him as Sovereign who know what he is doing and does all things well. The eyes of the saints turned Liberty Jail into a place where they could encourage people, counsel, and preach the word of the Lord. It was more of a temple than a prison, so long as the Prophet was there. Liberty Jail became the House of God, a place of prayer. God never said he would prevent life storms, but he did promise he would use every storm for his divine purpose. A temple, first of all, is a place of prayer; and prayer is communion with Go. It is the infinite in humans seeking the infinite in God. Where they find each other, there is holy sanctuary—a temple. Joseph Smith sound God in this rude prison, and found him. Having faith does not exempt us from difficult times. The storms of life come to every person. However, out of the midst of his tribulations, he called upon God in passionate earnestness. Here is the key: God will direct the winds of the storm to blow you where he wants you to go. #RandolphHarris 6 of 11
We see storms as being negative, but God uses the storm to move you from point A to point B. The winds may be stronger than tropical storm Harvey, the planet may quake, mountains may explode into the sky, the circumstances may look catastrophic, but these same circumstances are also responsible for why we are here in the first place. We can call it nature’s fury, but it is really just nature’s way. If you will stay in faith, not get bitter, not start complaining, the violent nature that has raged all about this little sphere of ours for billions and billions of years, will blow you to a new level in your destiny. Earth has been buffeted and flooded, frozen and thawed, burned and blown up, and at the end of the long, long day, nature has delivered us these gifts: our precious planet and life itself. Even as we bewail tragedies that occasionally afflict us—the killer storms the fiery lava flows may have been meant for your harm, but God knows how to shift the winds. Instead of blowing you backward, he can use them to blow you forward where you will come out better, stronger—and that storm will also move you to a place of greater blessing and greater influence. #RandolphHarris 7 of 11
Instead of using your faith to pray away difficulty, you should use your faith to believe that when the winds stop blowing and when Harvey and Sabrina get back together, you will be exactly where God wants you to be. May peace be unto your soul; your adversity and your afflictions shall be but a small moment. And then, if you endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high. The Prophet Joseph was told that if great tribulation should beset him and even if the very jaws of Hell shall gape open the mouth wide after him, know you are a child of God, and that all these things shall give you experience, and will be good for you. The Son of Man has descended below them all. Are you greater than he? One of the greatest truths that came from the so-called prison temple, Liberty Jail, has to do with priesthood and Church government. This is found in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants, a part which reports: Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this World, and aspire to the honors of men and women, that they do not learn this lesson. #RandolphHarris 8 of 11
The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of Heaven, and that the powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, but only upon the principled of righteousness. On one occasion, the Prophet Joseph Smith was asked how he governed his people. His replay was, there is a delivering faith and a sustaining faith. God keeps you from the fire. God keeps you out of the adversity. However, most of the time we need sustaining faith. Sustaining faith is when God takes you through the storm, through the difficulty, and the wind is blowing. You are filled with stress, fear, and angry. You will be discouraged, but when you know that God is in control of the storm, you will not be worried. He will put you in the armor of God. God has put an orb of protection around you and you will come out stronger, increased, promoted, and without smelling like smoke, just like those teens. These are the correct principles and the children of God govern themselves. We believe that one of the important purposes of this life is to be proved, tried, and tested. Love comes again. Just when you break out of love, you have to believe that love can come again. #RandolphHarris 9 of 11
The Liberty Jail experience truly constituted a refiner’s fire for those who participated in it and it truly empathizes the necessity of experiencing difficult and complex situations in life in order to properly develop and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. These experiences certainly give us a better understanding and appreciation of greatness of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the early leaders of the Church. Liberty Jail teaches us that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and loyalty to our leaders and the Church is important, and we need to endure to the end regardless of how many difficulties we have to surmount. Why? Almighty God is in control of the furnace. He is in control of the winds. God is even in control of our enemies. Dinosaurs were the kings of the food chain until, for whatever reason, they were not. God told Noah that a food was coming and asked him to save the animals. The summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, which today stands more than a mile above sea level, was buried under ice 18,000 years ago, and Most of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois was blanketed by a large white sheet. The Earth is always in the forge, or on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things. #RandolphHarris 10 of 11
We should be at peace today because God is in control of the winds and the storms of our lives. The writers of the Scripture knew what a torrential flood looked like and the power it possessed to destroy all in its path. We must believe that instead of defeating us, God will promote us. We have to commit ourselves to follow the counsel of our leaders, accept every opportunity to serve, and complete each assignment well—yes, endure to the end. Let us avoid setting our hearts upon the things of the World, and as we exercise our priesthood, let us incorporate the great principle of righteous dominion. By so doing and keeping the commandments of the Lord, we shall have joy, happiness, and development and eternal life, which is the greatest of all gifts of God. Like those who participated in Liberty Jail episodes, I can bear witnesses that God lives and the Jesus is the Christ—the Holy Ghost has borne this witness to me and that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, and that through him the power to act in the name of God and the gospel in it fullness has been restored on Earth. Let us never forget the Liberty Jail and remember that when trials and tribulations, and hardships come to us, as they will, these are the tests that we must meet in order to enjoy eternal life. May we meet them successfully, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. #RandolphHarris 11 of 11
The Discovery of a Secret Implies No Obligation to Retain it
Grant me but health and give me but this fair goddess Liberty as my companion. Money is a thing which none of us can afford to hate, but it is neither God nor Devil; that should make one noble nor another vile. Money is the set of assets in the economy that people regularly use to buy goods and services. The cash in your wallet is money because you can use it to buy a meal at a restaurant or a house from a real estate agency. By contrast, if you happened to own most of Microsoft Corporation, as Bill Gates does, you would be wealthy, but this asset is not considered a form of money. You could not buy a meal or a house with this wealth without first obtaining some cash. Money includes only those few types of wealth that are regularly accepted by sellers in exchanges for good and services. Money is a medium of exchange, a unit of account and a store of value. When it comes to overcoming being greedy, selfish, and overly indulgent, we all need a lot more help. The worst fear I have about the people is that they will get rich in this country and forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church. My great fear is that they cannot stand wealth. Many people believe in money, power, and respect. It is believed that first you get the money, then you get the power. And after you get the power, people will respect you. Several individuals believe that money, power, and respect are what you need in life, and that it will help you eat right, sleep at night, and that you will see the light. These types of people worship money as if it is a God, and they will take your money while you pout about it because the things they can buy with your money will attract people to them, and make them desirable. RandolphHarris 1 of 13
These vipers will take a life to get rich quick. They will set you up to get your money and get away with it. There are people who gain from their wealth only the fear of losing it. If all you get from your wealth is the wrong view of it, wealth will destroy your peace and you are no different than a debt-ridden consumer. Therefore, the answer to happiness is emotional well-being, and spiritual maturity. True wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. Be thankful for what you have; you will end up having more. If you concentrate on what you do not have, you will never, ever have enough. Money will bring about unlikely things. Try and keep clear of wanting small sums that you do not have. Our prosperity brings some real challenges because many are getting rich, more of us are waxing fat, and as a result of greed, selfishness, and overindulgence, we could lose the Spirit and literally kick ourselves out of the Church. Money and material things are on the mind of almost everyone. The great question many want to know is how they can acquire wealth? No question occupies a larger place in the minds and hearts of people today, and this is true of people in every occupation and in every walk of life. With the generality of humankind, money will purchase respect as well as everything else. Money in and of itself is not an evil, but it is the love of money that is the root of evil. Money, the common mistress of all cheats, makes them regard each other in the light of rivals. However, there are some of the wealthy who deal with their prosperity very well using their resources to bless others and build the kingdom. For man, however, wealth presents major difficulties. Loss of money is not the worst pain in itself, but loss of God is. #RandolphHarris 2 of 13
As we deal with the materialism that threatens us, we should not confuse wants with needs. My mother taught me an important lesson along these lines. For many years my father had a practice of trading for a new car every year. Then, shortly before recession in 2001, when the grain prices increased, we were surprised one day when my Dad drove home in a more expensive car. One morning my mother asked, “How much did the new car cost than the other one?” When my Dad told her, my mother said, “Well, the other car has always been able to get me where I need to go. I think we ought to give the difference to someone who needs it more than we do.” And so it was. The next year Dad returned to the less-expensive cars, and they continued their generous ways. Little did I know, he has saved the car for me and when I needed it, I went to pick it up, paid the registration on it, and am still driving it today. If we are not careful, it is easy for our wants to become needs. Remember the line, “There, there, little luxury, do not cry. You will be a necessity by and by.” God will take the stars of your life and turn them into stars, and will pay you back double for anything you lost. #RandolphHarris 3 of 13
We should avoid spoiling children by giving them too much. In our day, many children grow up with distorted values because parents overindulge them. Whether you are wealthy, or like most of us of more modest means, parents often attempt to provide children with almost everything they want thus taking away from them the blessing of anticipating, of longing for something they do not have. One of the most important things we can teach children is to deny themselves. Instant gratification generally makes for weak people. How many truly great individuals do you know who never had to struggle? A few of our wonderful youth and young adults in the Church are unstretched. They have almost a free pass. Perks are provided, including cars complete with fuel and insurance—all paid for by parents who sometimes listen in vain for a few courteous and appreciative words. What is thus taken for granted tends to underwrite selfishness and a sense of entitlement. When you become weary and feel like quitting, there is a way to have your strength renewed—wait on the Lord. #RandolphHarris 4 of 13
We all grow tired sometimes, tired of trying to make a business grow, tired of dealing with an ailment, tired of raising a difficult child, tired of being lonely and waiting to meet the right person. We can even be doing what we love, but if we are not careful, we can lose our passion and allow weariness to set in. Children who always get what they want will want as long as they live. And somewhere along the line it is important for the character development of our children to learn that the Earth still revolves around the Sun, and not around them. Rather, we should train our children to ask themselves the question: How is the World a better place because they are in it? We live in a world of entertainment in full color with a lot of fast action, a World in which many children grow up thinking that if it is not fun, it is boring and not worthwhile. Even in family activities, we need to strike a balance between play and work. Some of our most memorable experiences while growing up centered around family activities: learning how to shingle a roof, build a fence, or working in the garden. Rather than being all work and no play, for many of our children it is almost all play and very little work. #RandolphHarris 5 of 13
Frequently do we labor to secure the things that debase us into slaves, and overwhelm us with calamity. As a consequence of overindulgence, many children leave homes ill-prepared to meet the real World. Of course, we need to earn a living. The Lord told Adam that in the sweat of his face he should he eat bred all the days of his life, which means as long as you are doing something productive, you will be able to provide for yourself. It is important that we qualify ourselves to be self-reliant, particularly that every young person at the time of marriage be ready and able to assume the responsibilities of providing for one’s companion and for the children who may come to that home. All too many enter marriage who have never learned to cook, sew, or develop other important like skills. Ignorance of these skills, along with the lack of understanding of the management of money, sow the seeds for many failures in our marriages. Wisdom cannot be grafted on the stock of slavery: justice cannot be established without denunciation and disapproval of the wrong. I fear that in many cases we are rearing children who are slaves to expensive fads and fashions. For Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. #RandolphHarris 6 of 13
People who have plots in their heads as seldom have good nights as deserve them. How do we determine where our treasure is? To do so, we need to evaluate the amount of time, money, and thought we devote to something. Might it not be well to evaluate how much focus we place on shopping and spending? This does not mean that our children should not dress in some of the appropriate clothing that is in fashion because that can be very important to them. As members of the Church, we have a responsibility to present ourselves in a well-groomed, attractive, and modest manner. With good planning, this can be done without being driven to spend extravagantly on our clothing. People of the church began to have egotistical pride and take advantage of others because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel. What sort of liberty is it whose chosen religion is its slave-market? #RandolphHarris 7 of 13
Children today are often left with no role model in the home. Instead they turn to the television and video games. It seems that for many people in today’s society, money has become the thing they most cherish. It is apparent in the endless hours many people devote to their job. For some, their identity is wrapped into how much money they have. Money may be the only thing they even want to talk about, or the measure by which they judge themselves and others. With the constant talk of how to make money, or save money, it may lead you to wonder: Is money more important than family in today’s society? For millions of people, family still comes first. Without family, many people realize they would have very little in their lives, or that the things they had would no longer mean much. For people with real values, they realize that money is a means to support their families. However, as long as their basic needs are being met, they would rather be poor but surrounded by family than rich and alone. Such people recognize the value of love and of human connectedness. They realize that life about giving and being there for others. #RandolphHarris 8 of 13
However, not all people feel this way, especially in today’s materialistic society. Many, in fact, value money far more than anything else. They dream of having money, and they will go to any end to acquire it. They will sacrifice having a family, in the name of attaining a certain career level. Some may have a family, but completely neglect it due to work and the priorities placed on work. These people may think they love their families, but their energies, time and devotion are all dedicated to their jobs. Remember, it is in our actions that we truly show where are priorities are. Even worse, countless people feel that as long as they make money and can buy their kids whatever gadgets or clothes they may desire, then they are being good to their family. People mistakenly believe that they can buy their children’s love, or substitute their lack of parenting with monetary things. The priority placed on money is evident everywhere you look. You can read the news on any given day and see tragic and horrific results of the breakdown of the family. Those who place money before the family are failing to teach their children proper values, and they are not properly guiding them through key stages of a child’s development. #RandolphHarris 9 of 13
Clearly, they will not be taught values or compassion through such medium. Instead, they are more likely to be exposed to violent images or self-centered fictitious characters. And, there will late be consequences for these children’s lack of parenting. Many say that money is not more important than family, but live in ways that does not reflect this sentiment. In fact, these people instead worship money and do not prioritize being there for their family. They would even set a family member up to die, as long as they could profit for the death and demise. Let us hope that one day soon there will be a shift—one in which people start to realize that money will not buy them happiness, especially not if they have to result to criminal activity. A guilty conscious is a normal human response experienced by someone who is aware of having done something wrong. We should live modestly and avoid debt as if it were a plague. If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means, and if there is any one thing that is grinding, and discouraging and disheartening it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet. #RandolphHarris 10 of 13
Do not accustom yourself to consider debt as an inconvenience, you will find it to be a calamity. How much house do we really need to accommodate our family comfortably? We should not endanger ourselves either spiritually or economically by acquiring homes which are ostentatious, feed our vanity, and go far beyond our needs. If we are to be self-reliant and in position to share, obviously we must acquire some resources. If we live within our means and avoid debt, resources can be accumulated. There are those with average incomes who, over a lifetime, do amass some means, and there are those who receive large salaries who do not. What is the difference? It is simply spending less than they receive, saving along the way, and taking advantage of the power of compound intertest. Most people have it all wrong about wealth. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year, and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend. Be generous in giving and sharing with others. #RandolphHarris 11 of 13
The more our hearts and minds are turned to assisting others less fortunate than we are, the more we will avoid the spiritually canker effects that results from greed, selfishness, and overindulgence. Our resources are a stewardship, not our possessions. I am confident that we will literally be called upon to make an accounting before God concerning how we have used them to bless lives and build the kingdom. However, before you seek for riches, seek the kingdom of God. And after you have obtained a hope in Christ you shall obtain riches, if you seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. We must have the courage to examine honestly where our treasures lie and avoid the pitfalls that result from greed, selfishness, and overindulgence. Remember, do not confuse wants with needs. Avoid spoiling our children. Live modestly, and avoid debt. Be generous in giving to others. Let me tell you a secret you should disclose, giving really is at the heart of our faith. #RandolphHarris 12 of 13
God, our Heavenly Father, so loved the World that he gave his only begotten son, who came to the Earth and could have possessed any material thing but rather chose to give to all us an example of a simple life free from any shade of greed, selfishness, or overindulgence. May we strive daily to love more like Christ lived, the ultimate example of a life of depth and meaning. I testify that Jesus is Christ, this is His Church led by living prophets, and His tomb was literally empty on that third day. Your challenge may be difficult, but you can handle it. God have given you the grace for this season. If we were not up to this, God would not have brought it across your path. In tough times, remind yourself there is always a reward for doing what is right. God never fails to compensate you. He pays very well. The season may be difficult because the reward is coming. Perhaps the battle you are facing has lasted long than you though it would. You have prayed. You have believed. You have done what you are supposed to, but there it is. How will you shake off the weariness and see God’s promises come to pass? A big part of faith is trusting God when you do not understand why things happen the way they do. Strength is coming into your body and mind. Just receive it by faith. In Jesus name, Amen. #RandolphHarris 13 of 13
I Give the Truths of Tomorrow, I Prefer the Mistakes of Today
Even though it is a painful for a time, it is not the end. The World may be regarded as in some way an emanation from, or self-expression of, God. God, as first cause, can suspend or transform secondary causes in order to perform his will. When he does so, his action is called a miracle. A miracle does not violate nature. It is a case of nature behaving in an abnormal way through a special act of the same creative power which is at work in the normal process that can be subsumed under scientific laws. If the essence of finite being is to be dependent on God’s will (and so to possess a potential obedientialis in relation to it), miraculous acts are not less natural than nonmiraculous one. However, while the abnormal character of an event is empirically verifiable, its miraculous character as an act of God can be discerned by faith alone. Faith is the subtle chain that binds us to the infinite. In God’s plan of happiness, we are not so much looking for someone perfect but for a perfect person with whom, throughout a lifetime, we can join efforts to create a loving, lasting, and more perfect relationship. That is the goal. Those who save their relationships understand that pursuit takes time, patience, and above all, the blessing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. #RandolphHarris 1 of 9
Patience will cure all evils. God acts on people both by nature (through his general providence) and by grace (through the supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit). Omniscience is entailed by infinity. God knows the future freely chosen human acts, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ requires you to be kind, envy not, seek not your own, not be easily provoked, think no evil, and rejoice in the truth. In other words, it requires charity, the pure love of Christ. All this will not happen in an instant. Great relationships are built by time, devotion, commitment, and love over a life time. And that is good news. God’s nature cannot change (for change implies imperfection) and this was affirmed by Plato and the Old Testament. God cannot suffer change from an external nor an internal cause. No matter how flat your relationship may be at the present, if you keep adding gems of kindness, compassion, listening, sacrifice, understanding, and selflessness, eventually a might pyramid will begin to grow. Uncommon faith believes above and beyond and gives you a boldness and a confidence to believe for the extraordinary. #RandolphHarris 2 of 9
If your perfect relationship takes forever, remember that it may be a gradual work, but it does not have to be a cheerless one. In fact, at the risk of stating the obvious, divorce rarely happens when the husband and wife are happy. So be happy! There is no obstacle too difficult for you to overcome. No dreams put in your heart by God are too big to accomplish. And astonish your spouse by making him or her happy. Those who save their relationships choose happiness. Do not be intimidated. Those for you are greater than those against you. You are not weak, defeated, nor powerless; you are a child of the Most High God. Most people are about us happy as they make up their minds to be. Seek happiness and you will find it. If we look for imperfections in our spouse or irritations in our relationship, we will certainly find them, because everyone has some. On the other hand, if we look for good, we will surely find it, because everyone has many good qualities. The greatest force in the Universe is breathing in your direction. If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to happiness, one must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happiness to you. #RandolphHarris 3 of 9
Those who save relationships pull out the weeds and waters the flowers. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on inside of you. You are greater than anything against you, and God controls your destiny. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. It is just a matter of time before God promotes you to a new level. It is important to celebrate the small acts of grace that spark tender feelings of charity. Those who save marriages save future generations. Remember why you fell in love and work each day to make your marriage stronger and happier. If you are to become all God created you to be, you cannot let a hurt, a loss, a bad break, or disappointment cause you to sit on the sidelines. If you are facing a big giant challenge, do not focus on the size of the problem; focus on the size of your God. He has brought you through in the past, and he will bring you through in the future. God has something amazing just up in front of you. He has a new level of your destiny God will not only bring you out, he will bring you out better off than you were before! #RandolphHarris 4 of 9
My dear friends, let us do our very best to be numbered among those hallowed and happy souls who save their marriages. Every family have moments of awkwardness. We all have unique spirits and are influenced in different ways by our experiences. We can choose to celebrate these differences and appreciate them for adding richness and constant surprises to our lives. Self-concepts have a major impact on behavior. We creatively build our self-concepts out of daily experiences. Then we slowly revise them as we have new experiences. Once a stable self-concept exists, it tends to shape our subjective World by guiding what we attend to, remember and think about. Sometimes members of our families make choices or do things that are thoughtless, hurtful, or immoral. What should we do in these cases? Whatever problems your family is facing, whatever you must do to solve them, the beginning and the end solution is charity, the pure love of Christ. Without this love, even seemingly perfect families struggle. With it, even families with great challenges succeed. Charity never fails. It is true for saving marriages! It is true for saving families! #RandolphHarris 5 of 9
When we have problems we have to learn to live with them until such a time as God delivers us from them. We must pray for the grace to endure them without murmuring. Problem patiently endure will work for our spiritual perfecting. They harm us only when we resist them or endure them unwillingly. In addition to natural knowledge of God, there is a supernatural knowledge revealed by Christ and received through faith. The great enemy of charity is egotistical pride. Egotistical pride is one of the biggest reasons marriages and families struggle. Egotistical pride is short-tempered, unkind, and envious. It exaggerates its own strength and ignores truth and virtues of others. Egotistical pride is selfish and easily provoked. It assumes evil intent where there is none and hides its own weaknesses behind clever excuses. Egotistical pride is cynical, pessimistic, angry, and impatient. Indeed, if charity is the pure love of Christ, then egotistical pride is the defining characteristic of Satan. Society is to be transformed, then (even if only Slowly and gradually), by means of a change in people’s opinions—chief among them their opinions about is desirable. #RandolphHarris 6 of 9
The right action is the one that makes for the greatest happiness of the greatest number. However, this is not derived from egoism: the greatest happiness principle is ultimate, and cannot be derived from self-interest. Egotistical pride may be a common human failing. However, it is not of our spiritual heritage, and it has no place among holders of God. Life is short. Regrets can last a long time—some will have repercussions that echo through eternity. The way you treat your spouse, children, parents, siblings or friends may influence generations to come. What legacy do you want to leave your posterity? One of harshness, vengeance, anger, fear, or isolation? Or one of love, humility, forgiveness, compassion, spiritual growth, and unit? People can never fully understand the principle of Universal benevolence, simply because they cannot hope to know all their fellows intimately. However, this is an ideal toward which we can strive and which, even if it can never be reached, can always be brought a little closer. For the sake of your family relationships, for the sake of your soul, please be merciful, for mercy triumphs over judgment. Set aside egotistical pride. #RandolphHarris 7 of 9
The right to emotions are those that we feel when we see all the facts clearly. When we analyze these emotions, we find that they are consistent with the greatest happiness principle. Sincerely apologizing to your children, your wife, your family, or your friends is not a sign of weakness but of strength. Is being right more important than fostering an environment of nurturing, healing, and love? There are good and bad reasons for feeling frightened or angry. Fear is appropriate in a situation of danger. We do not doubt that if once we make a person see the facts of the situation, the emotion of fear will come of its own accord. In the same way, if we want people to feel the appropriate emotions of benevolence, pity, affection, and so one, we can do it by making them realize the full facts about human beings. It is in this sense the people are naturally good. Even when you are not at fault—perhaps especially when you are not at fault—let love conquer egotistical pride. If you do this, whatever adversity you are facing will pass, and because of the love of God in your hearts, contention will fade. These principles of saving relationships apply to all of us, regardless of whether we are married, divorce, windowed, or single. We all can be saviors of strong families. #RandolphHarris 8 of 9
Since we cannot know everyone intimately, we have to rely on generalizations, any one of which may be seriously misleading when applied to a given individual. Such generalizations form, as it were, a distorting glass through which we look at the World. And, since virtue depends on feeling the appropriate emotions toward other human beings, emotions which depend on a clear perception of all particulars, the logical proposition is an adequate explanation of human frailty. It is also what is meant by prejudice. In our efforts to save our marriages and families, as in all things, let us follow the example of the One who saves us. The Savior won our souls with love. Jesus Christ is our Master. His work is our work. It is a saving work, and it begins in our houses. Love in the fabric of the plan of salvation is selfless and seeks the well-being of others. That is the love our Heavenly Father has for us. A we emulate the Savior’s love, he will surely bless and prosper our righteous efforts to save our marriages and strengthen our families. May the Lord bless you in your untiring and righteous efforts to be numbered among those who save. This is my prayer in the name of Christ, amen. God is going to make the rest of your life the best of your life. #RandolphHarris 9 of 9
The Brain is Wider than the Sky
Every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and exertion should always be in proportion to what is required. Rarely people are taught that stepping into their power actually includes including softness and vulnerability, but such inclusion is a central component of what constitutes real power (power meaning the capacity to take action). The seeking of power, especially over (whether of oneself or others), is a common trait of conventional adulthood—and, at the same times, a confession of already existing powerlessness. Quite often, people pursue a sense of power, of reliable potency, through membership in a dominant group—be it a work crew, an army, a team, a political organization, or a bunch of friends with a common culture. Such membership provides a sense of security and commonly held power. The price is steep—personal integrity usually being peripheral to fitting in—but for most, this matters little, at the time. People who thus involve themselves become cool and sophisticated in their own minds, which offers them a secondhand sense of power. In doing so, they get to shift much of the responsibility for themselves and their choices onto the group. Because they never really grew up, they lack heart and empathy. #RandolpHarris 1 of 13
Certainly is true that many are searching for peace in the World, and yet some follow paths in their search that could only leads in the opposite direction–paths of avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride. Surely the greatest enemy of peace is selfishness and with it the desire to pile up treasures on Earth. Life for people who are desperate for power and attention becomes a popularity contest. They feel the need to belittle others, achieve material success by any means necessary, and always out do others. These power-hungry individuals may not even know what they really like because their goal is to be better than you. The constant one-upping is not meant to make you feel like number two. However, this is usually a way for the one-upper to feel better about his or her own life. The one-upper has low self-esteem. If these power-driven people were self-confident, the need to always be one-up would diminish or disappear. Take heed, and beware of a covetous: for our lives do not consist in the abundance of things which we possess. It is nice to see people prosper, but it should not be at our expense, and you can tell when some takes an idea you had or a dream and is trying to outdo you because it was never an authentic desire of theirs. #RandolphHarris 2 of 13
A person may have a great house, possessions, a charming family, and yet are not inspired by or happy with these things because they feel inadequate. It is not that he or she does not possess enough of his or her wants, but rather that others possess more. It is the more that haunts them, making them depreciate himself or herself and minimize their real achievements. A one-upper is not necessarily trying to convince you that he or she is more better, best looking, smartest, fastest, most popular, or vastly more interesting—these types of individuals have an inferiority complex and are trying to convince themselves of their value you through obtaining material things and boasting about them. You know how one-uppers get down, they find out you were in line from a promotion and steal it from you. They are condensing towards you, or they find out you wanted something like a car and go out and buy the exact car or house they think you wanted before you do. Nevertheless, most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only indispensable, but they can be hindrances to the elevation of humankind if all one focuses on is material advancement. #RandolphHarris 3 of 13
Wealth comes in different forms, you may be happy with you have and you may not feel like you have much, but sometimes there is a spiritual wealth that others can detect within you and that is what is fueling their jealousy. Or perhaps you have overcome great burdens and created things of great beauty that makes them envious. Just because you have not necessarily gained material wealth or acclaimed success, it does not mean that you are not successful. Often times people who feel empty inside or are jealous of your inner peace trying to outdo you with their material success. However, times has come when a person must no longer be interested in how much power or wealth another person possesses so long as one can attain enough for the dignity and security of one’s family and oneself. We have to break through this vicious circle of comparison. It does not matter who is bigger, richer, or has more. We have to set our goals for ourselves rather than borrow them from others. Many people see the transitory worth of material things. They recognize that ambition over others leads people to seek power and domination and it does not bring peace, but frustration. #RandolphHarris 4 of 13
Certainly, history is repeated with examples of yesterday’s millionaire, the rise and fall of ambitious people. However, what makes you happy? Love? Money? Success? Music? Sports? Partying? Religion? Clearly, there is no simple, universal formula for enjoying happiness. Nevertheless, recent studies point to one generalization that can be made: Overall, people tend to be happy if they are meeting their personal goals. This is especially true if you feel you are making progress, on a day-to-day basis, on smaller goals that relate to your long-term, life goals. The relationship between personal goals and happiness shows how closely connected motivation and emotion are. Be careful in choosing your goals: They influence not only how you spend your time and energy, but your prospects for happiness as well. Today, we have a Universal search for peace—a generation of peace; yet most of those who discard the grasping, selfish race for power know not where to turn to find a way of life to take its place. Peace cannot be achieved by making a sign or by writing words on fences. It must come first and foremost completely to an individual through one’s own efforts in keeping the commandments of our Lord and Savior, for God made all people to enjoy such peace. #RandolphHarris 5 of 13
Just as running madly after Worldly things does not bring peace, neither does sitting idly. Because our modern conveniences often leave us much time beyond that which is necessary to sustain ourselves and our families, it becomes important not to spend this time idly for there is much to be done if we are to partake of the Lord’s peace. Psychiatry recognizes an automation syndrome in which older workers, replaced by a machine, may break down, suffer amnesia or commit suicide. One sociologist predicts increasing alcoholism in the automated factory—this in a nation which now has one of the World’s most substantial alcoholism problems. For some the strain of contemporary life is already too great. Medicine links the stress ailments—heart disease, mental aberration, ulcers (which appear commonly in overcrowded animals)—to the tempo of modern life. There are some people who are working themselves hard to achieve success in life and fitness and have not seemed to get anywhere materially, but people envy them because they have the peace of the Lord through all the adversity. #RandolphHarris 6 of 13
Without doubt machines will be able to determine the means and avenues to goals, but people will continue to set the goals themselves. For what machine can ever apply the considerations of compassion and justice which, as human enlightenment spreads, it will enter ever more into the decisions that affect our future in the Universe. Probably there is no quicker way to enjoy inner peace than by serving one another. There is recorded in history a marvelous period of time when this peace did indeed banish avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride from human hearts. It was shortly after the Savior’s visit to the American continent after his death and resurrection. The people were all converted unto the Lord and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every person did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore, there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the Heavenly gift. And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear. #RandolphHarris 7 of 13
Some people believe that the whole work-sin notion is dead and done with. However, there are still others who believe it, and they still give people hell if they do not find something productive to do regularly. It is ingrained in all our lives that nothing short of a massive revolutionary action, or the End of the World, will really eliminate the belief that if you are doing something that can be considered productive, then you are worthwhile. And, possibly, we should not try to end this belief. What benefits can come from the attitude that work is good? One is that many useful things will continue to be accomplished. Two, work will continue to provide satisfaction to those people whose products are sources of pride and pleasure. And the skills we possess not only create new work—as invention gives rise to advanced technology—but new work may also create new skills that enhance the creative process. And the Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land because they kept God’s commandments. The people became exceedingly fair and delightsome. They continued praying, and meeting together to pray and hear the word of the Lord. #RandolphHarris 8 of 13
And it came to pass that there was no contention among all the people, in all the land; but there were mighty miracles wrought among disciples of Jesus because the love of God which dwell in the hearts of people. There was no envying, nor strife, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lying, nor murder, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. They were one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God. During those periods of time when people were keeping God’s commandments did they enjoy peace, love, happiness, and prosperity. God is the only complete personality, and the relationship of people to God is not the objective aim of worship, but the subjective one of identity of purpose in every creative act. It is through personality that the totality of existence is unified, not as a completed organic or hierarchical whole, but as a meaningful unity in process of realization in and through many individual centers of activity. #RandolphHarris 9 of 13
The pleasure Christ brought about, the assistance he offered, the love he showed and the life he lived made following God’s commandments more amiable and respectable with every passing year in the hearts of the people. Moreover, each entity is internally related to other entities, for spirit is concretely universal, existing only as individuals whose fullest potentialities are realizable only in communion with and dependence upon God. Whenever spirit takes the special form of human existence, it constitutes an ego; but in accordance with the form of relation between spirit and personality, not all egos are actually persons. Only when the ego freely acts to realize its own concrete essence, rather than abstract or arbitrary goals, is it a person. A society that furthers the goal of development of egos into persons is a true community, and the relationship existing among its member is communality. Communality is opposed by the process of individualization and socialization. Socialization is the tendency of an ego to assume the characteristics of objectified, abstract society, there by sacrificing its true nature for the false role of theatrical ego. #RandolphHarris 10 of 13
The goal is not economic forces, but in love, for only love transforms the Ego into personality. People are not only morally or immorally, but also to decide for themselves what is moral or immoral. No truly human act can use a person as a means; the ethics of freedom and creativity must also be ethics of compassions. The moral ideal is complete, harmonious being, manifesting beauty in the form of creative energy guiding and unifying the entire World in the project of value realization. If such a goal seems overly optimistic, the historical perspective tends to promote a realistic balance. The current realization of our very structure of existence forbids the realization of any utopia, not only because some actions fail to achieve their intended results, but also because some goods are mutually exclusive. Moreover, since the goal is the fullest development of spirit, and since the spirit has unlimited freedom, our greatest desire and hope is to find a life of peace and joy, progress, and freedom, which can only be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, paradoxically, we live in a World where war, destruction, contention, law-breaking, and immorality surrounds us, and many become lost. #RandolphHarris 11 of 13
We have to accept the knowledge from God the fact that each human being lived preexistent spiritual World as a child of God and came to this mortal life for a great and necessary part of eternal life. This mortality provides the opportunity to choose the right and to obtain knowledge by faith in the revealed plan of God, which will bring peace and freedom for mortal as well as eternal life. Human passions for mortal gratification, including selfishness, envy, anger, and pride must be replaced by spiritual ideals, and sin must become abhorrent to us, for we know that all we do here will affect our lives in eternity. We believe that only through this knowledge and way of life can an individual or a nation achieve that peace which is so desired and sought after. And, so we say to this generation, which is so verbally calling for peace, that this thought toward peace today is indeed significant, for it is true that peace is in our hands—our own personal peace as well as in great measure the peace of the World. Believe in it, work for it, live for it; for in it, as you follow through and work for the establishment of peace first in your own souls, you will then have true peace. #RandolphHarris 12 of 13
Prayer moves the hand that moves the World. Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all, pray. We have been charged with the Spirit of God, which has been in our presence and is now in our presence. Let us go forth with our personal testimonies that we know God lives. God tells us to ask and he will make the nations our inheritance, the ends of the Earth our possessions. Father, you have promised to give us the desires of our hearts. We have dreams in our heart that may seem impossible. However, God promised it, and now we know we cannot do this on our own, but God is all-powerful. God has no limitations. There is nothing too difficult for God, so we ask for your favor to shine down on us. God, please make a way, even though we may not see a way. God, we are asking you to open doors that no human can shut. Let us see the greatness of God’s power. God be with us and bless us as we go forth to carry out our assignments, whatever they are, we pray humbly in the name of Jesus Christ let us see the Kingdom of God. Remember your word to your servante, for you have given us hope. Amen. #RandolphHarris 13 of 13
Ignorance and Prejudice are the Only Real Evils
Material force exists after physical form and is therefore with it whereas God exists before form and is therefore without it. Until our minds are blank, naked, and ready to receive the divine revelation on faith alone, our own capacities are so limited and unreliable that it is doubtful that we could really know anything in either the natural or supernatural realm. God’s nature is infinite and therefore surpasses all attempts to define or limit it. Skepticism is a means of destroying the enemies of the true faith while preparing the soul for salvation. No philosophy can ever absolutely hope to reach the truth, for the truth is discovered not necessarily by reasoning, but by some inner light, a kind of feeling (sentiment), perhaps what is called the heart. God is considered to be the form of all being, a view which has been called pantheistic. The sense of individuality induces an absence of all distinct thoughts and feelings, a kind of mystical union with that God who is nature itself. The spirit of life is in all things. This creative quality is the highest good and becomes humanity and love, which makes humans the moral beings that they are. It enables us to embrace all things and Heaven and Earth as one body. May we so live that we may always have the companionship of the Holy Spirit and be blessed by these beautiful spiritual gifts. #RandolphHarris 1 of 12
Being humans, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery. Evil is due not to one’s nature, but to a bad environment, lack of education, and casting oneself away. The superior person is one who develops their mind to the utmost and nourishes one’s nature. The effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous person will avail much. Walk upright before God and you will not be seduced by evil spirits, nor doctrines of devils, nor the commandments of humans; and so, you may not be deceived, seek earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given. Both the one receiving the blessing and the one given it should be in tune with the Spirit through their worthy lives. The accounts of miraculous healing are numerous. They warm one’s soul and give great strength of testimony as to the divinity of this great work. They come by faith, not the will of humans, nor as they please, but by the will of God. #RandolphHarris 2 of 12
How would you like to create your own mind? Is that not what usually happens? The mind is made up by what it feeds upon. The mind, like the dyer’s hand, is colored by what it holds. If I hold in my had a sponge full of blue dye, my hand becomes blue. And if I hold in my mind and heart great ideas of faith and enthusiasm, my whole personality is changed accordingly. If we think negative thoughts, we develop negative minds. On the other hand, if we think celestial thoughts, which are the kind of thoughts that God thinks, then we develop celestial minds. My mind to me is a kingdom, such present joys therein are found, that excels all other bliss that the Earth afford or grows by kind. Perhaps you may not have yet made glorious achievements or articles, but you have the song of love in your heart and mind, so deeply, so unrestrained. Effective mental, physical, and spiritual health is propelled by a consciousness of love and a realization that the Creative Spirit is always at work. We do not have to compel the force to work. It is the nature of the Creative Power to take form, and it is our nature to use it. We develop our own Godliness when we listen to inspiring music, hear sacred prayers, and comfort others, and stimulate ourselves with the greatest idea. For a wise and glorious purpose, God has placed us here on Earth. #RandolphHarris 3 of 12
Just think what would happen in our lives if each of us memorized a good number of poems of love. As I walk through the park each day, the light of love shines on my daily life as the lighting turns the mediocre gullies and lush forests into legendary mirages. And I think to myself: God, thank you for each sight of beauty that your World gives. For sunny skies and air and light. God, I thank you that I live. Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming. We honor God by making him an intrinsic part of our every thought and action. We honor God through prayer, pure thoughts, clean language, wholesome appearance, service to others, and through striving for the powerful, personal conversation that will help us to withstand the temptations of the day. In addition to being shining examples in our individual lives, let us make sure that we strengthen our houses and families and, at the same time, do all we can to reach out with understanding to encourage and bring blessings into the lives of others. You are the light of the World and a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. #RandolphHarris 4 of 12
One should learn to consider the beautiful soul more valuable than the figure. If one meets a beautiful soul, let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Happiness is not hidden in the satiation, but in the yearning. How far is it from the eyes to the heart? If we live the principles of the gospel, we are the fulfillment of the Savior’s light of the World. And possessing this light, we can shine among our fellow humans through our lives and deeds, influencing them to glorify our Father in Heaven. Jesus wants every one of us to know him because of the transforming power of that knowledge and because of the indescribable joy it brings into our lives. However, the influence of the gospel is to extend beyond each individual. Your love-lit eyes should be like sparking stars, dispelling loneliness from the hearts of others. No one of us is saved solely and simply for oneself alone, just as no chandelier is lighted merely for its own benefit. The state of the World being what it is, we must take advantage of every opportunity to testify of the Savior and teach and exemplify gospel truth, letting his light so shine before friends and strangers alike to perpetuate the truth concerning our Savior, Jesus Christ. #RandolphHarris 5 of 12
Upon us is rich blessings and unbounded love and encouragement. God is wonderful in his design and excellent in his workings. Believer: God overrules all things for your good. The needs-be for all that you have suffered has been most accurately determined by your God. Your course is all mapped out no novelties to him. There will be no occurrences which God did not foresee, and for which, therefore, he has not provided. God has arranged all, and you have but to patiently wait, and you shall sing a song of deliverance. Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding his character, in trusting in his promises, and in leaning on him and resting in him as the Sovereign who knows what he is doing. The wounds of those who suffer spiritual can be healed when you and I put forth the extra personal effort required to reach out to them. Our lives are touched in an unforgettable way when the love of God is bestowed on us and are especially grateful. The Savior’s touch can reach others through individuals with big hearts. Tears will follow, attitudes will change, directions will become clear, and commitments will be made. Peace will come into your heart. The Master’s touch will fall upon all of us. We can feel the Savior’s touch, and can help others feel that divine touch. We can bless each other by reaching out. We somehow need to realize the vital importance of feeling of the gospel and the peace of the Lord in our lives individually. #RandolphHarris 6 of 12
Many people are very conscious of the needs of others, and cannot do much more. However, let us make the choice never to let a day pass without striving to be a blessing in the life of someone through our service. Some of the sweetest memories of my childhood center in the occasional Summer and Autumn days spent with my parents and siblings at my grandfather’s house in rural North Carolina. There, we enjoyed his yard with fragrant wildflowers. We marveled at the flying squirrels, colorful bird, and occasionally discovered a deer, fox, or pheasant. Meandering stream invited us to catch sunfish, and a cool, pure spring satisfied our thirst. There were roasted hot dogs, potato salad, sweet pickles, and of course hot apple pie with homemade ice cream. Every turn of the crank heightened our anticipation of that seldom-savored treat. Be sure to enjoy the countless edifying experiences, precious wholesome relationships, and wondrous beauties of the Earth the Lord has given for our happiness. You may be tired of others trying to run your life—always telling you what to do. Please understand that no one can change the truth. Rationalization, overpowering self-interest, all of the arguments of people, anger, or self-will cannot change the truth. #RandolphHarris 7 of 12
Satan knows that he cannot change the truth, so he tries to create an atmosphere where one unwittingly beings to feel that he cannot only choose what to do, but can determine what is right to do. Satan strives to persuade us to live outside truth by rationalizing our actions as the right of choice. However, our Eternal Father defined truth and established what is right and wrong before the creation of this Earth. God also fixed the consequences of obedience to those truths. God defended our right to choose our path in life so that we would grow, develop and be happy, but we do not have the right to choose the consequences of our acts. Those who willfully, consistently disobey God’s commandments will inevitably learn that truth. When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. Please understand, no one has the privilege to choose what is right. God reserved that prerogative to himself. Our agency does allow us to choose among alternate paths, but then we are bound to the consequences God has decreed. Later, if we do not like where the path takes us, the only out is through repentance. #RandolphHarris 8 of 12
By nature, people are alike, but through practice thy have become far apart. We know that humans can be good. Our Heavenly Father gave us truth, some as statements of cause and effect. We call them commandments. They guide our live to happiness. He knew that Satan would try to persuade some to live without fixed standards in life so that decision would be based on current circumstances, what appears convenient, or what provides the greatest personal return. In this way, Satan removes the power of truth from one’s life so he can take that soul captive. If you are trapped and there is no way out, remember that the best way out is always through. You must face the challenges and conquer it. The way through is based on faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to his commandments. It is the only way to permanently cure damage to mind and spirit caused by unrighteous acts. It also provides healing, within the bounds of eternal law, to a body devastated by the effects of transgression. You may have found change is hard, but know you can do it. Recognize that it takes time to build a reputation that overcomes the effects of past deliberate decision to deceive and to take advantage of others—but it is worth it to change from a life of disobedience to one of integrity and truth and compliance. #RandolphHarris 9 of 12
Have you ever noticed that no matter how worthy your intent and how many procedures you follow precisely, if you make the tiniest mistake with a computer, it will not respond? All of your effort is futile. That is not the way the Lord works. There is nothing tricky about God’s commandments. Where there is purity of heart and real intent, it is known to the Lord. Your obedience to truth and proper use of agency opens the doors to his divine help. Initially, perhaps only you and God will believe your sincerity. However, you will be rewarded by the joy that comes from real personal progress. In time, others will recognize your consistent righteous act and support you. Many people offer advice, but one’s suggestion often directly contradict another’s. How do you know whom to believe? Ask yourself what motivated the offer of help? Does your common sense confirm it is right? If so, it will be consistent with the teachings of the Savior. Has the advice offered been followed in the giver’s life? Has it improved the quality of that life? Below the fine fabric of all that is good in some runs the foul stream of hereditary evil, like a sewer. #RandolphHarris 10 of 12
We have to have a knowledge of the heart, an insight into the soul. If the human mind is not actively good, it will generally be actively evil. Honest evaluation of advice against these standards will help you decide whether it is motivated for your benefit or another’s self-interest. A true friend is not one that always encourages you to do what you want to do, but one who helps you do what you know you ought to do. You can block the corrective power of truth in your life by constantly letting others protect you from the consequences of your unworthy acts, without being smart enough to change your life. Your failure to properly respond to help will fix false concepts in your mind, and you will see no need to repent. Your negative patterns will be reinforced, not rejected. How can one decide when to help you and when to let you grow from facing reality? When you show genuine remorse, a contrite heart, a recognition of guilt, movement in the direction of improvement even through there may be slippage—when there is acceptance of responsibility for improper acts, support and help are needed and will be productive. #RandolphHarris 11 of 12
Should you continue to manipulate, blame others for improper decisions, be deceitful and determined to continue the path of transgression by camouflage or cover-up, you are reinforcing false principles and have chosen to head for a showdown with tough reality. It is one thing to know how to heal your damaged life. It is quite another to do it. You will change only when you recognize that it will bring lasting personal benefit. Deep down, you know that breaking the commandments does not bring anything productive and does cause a lot of grief for yourself and others. Do not wait to hit rock bottom. That is painful and could leave physical scars that cannot be healed. You can fool others who want to believe you, but you cannot deceive the Lord. Because of his justice, God will one day have to confront you with the consequences of your unrepented acts. No one wants that to happen. Some transgressions are so powerful that it is unlikely that you will begin to overcome them without another’s help. Seek that help. In time, with the strength that comes from continued use of agency to love truth and live it, you will be healed through the Savior. Please find someone you can trust, who is trustworthy, who understands agency and truth. There is no dignity in wickedness, whether in purple or rags; and Hell is a democracy of devils, where all are equals. #RandolphHarris 12 of 12
Inevitable March of the World Spirit
Christianity is a strictly and objectively historical religion and anxiously sifts all the evidence for and against the recorded events of the life of Jesus. The evidence is substantial enough to show that Jesus indeed lived and that he made a quite extraordinary impact upon certain contemporaries. God decisively acted in Christ. God cannot be eliminated. God is a kind of superentity, observably acting upon and interacting with natural entities. Many wonder does our existence end with our bodily death? We believe that from the very beginning the Lord established a plan for his children on Earth. He would, in times and seasons, have the priesthood on Earth to bless humankind with the authority to perform the sacred ordinances that would prove humanity’s obedience to his will. There are tests to be conducted as we progress in each step towards achieving God’s greatest gift, the gift of eternal life. There is an expression of the inexhaustible creative power of the human mind—great individual, great artistic achievements, great moments of civilization, all exemplified in different ways its potentialities. God has all power to defend you. God has great things in store for his people, and they should have large expectations. #RandolphHarris 1 of 6
The gifts of God are to be enjoyed, when the giver is remembered. Fundamental, then, is having faith in God’s plan, in his law, to be clean and holy and repent of our sins, and to partake of the sacred ordinance required for admission into God’s celestial kingdom. God wants to abide with us, to lead and guide and direct us as we progress through morality. Progression towards self-actualization requires self-reflection. Narcissistic individuals may think a lot of themselves, and belittle your achievements, without thinking carefully about themselves. People who are struggling daily to survive, deprived of basic physical needs, might have trouble feeling good enough about themselves. Those who do not have to worry about such things might begin to focus on needs higher up the hierarchy: love and belongingness, self-esteem, and eventually self-actualization. God continues to reveal his will to humankind, as he has in the past, he does not in the present, and he will in the future. Spiritual gifts are received by humankind today, just as they were in days past. When God puts a promise in your heart, you have to come to the place where you believe in that promise so strongly no one and no circumstance can move you. Christ will return and reign personally on Earth. #RandolphHarris 2 of 6
Agency is one of the greatest gifts of God to his children. It allows all men and women and children to choose for themselves and to earn their own individual salvation. Also declared is our belief in secular governments and in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law of the land. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all people. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. Enlarge your vision and make room for the new things God wants to do. God has promotion and increase already lined up for us. His favor surrounds us like a shield. Goodness and mercy are following you. This will be a great year. The savior gave us a great example. In our day, many people are living in the midst of sadness and great confusion. They are not finding the answers to their questions and are unable to meet their needs. Some have lost a sense of happiness and joy. True happiness is found in following the example and teachings of Christ. He is our Savior, he is our teacher, and he is the perfect example. Where you are is not permanent. God has extraordinary blessings in your future. #RandolphHarris 3 of 6
These blessings will take you to a new level. Immeasurable, limitless, surpassing favor is coming that will take you beyond previous limitations. Christ’s life was a life of service. When we serve our neighbor, we help those who are in need. In the process, we may find solutions to our own difficulties. As we emulate the Savior, we show our love to our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, and we become more like them. When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God. Everyone has opportunities to give service and show love. We should go to the rescue and serve others. We will discover that those whom we serve, who have felt through our labors the touch of the Master’s hand, somehow cannot explain the charge which comes into the lives. There is a desire to serve faithfully, to walk humbly, and to live more like the Savior. Having received their spiritual eyesight and glimpsed the promises of eternity, they echo that they know that favor is in their future, and that God supernaturally endowed them with blessings, opportunities that chased them down. These believers became fully convinced in the power of our Father in Heaven. #RandolphHarris 4 of 6
Each day we have the opportunity to give help and service—doing the right thing at the right time, without delay. Think of the many people who have a difficult time obtaining a job or who are ill, who even think they have lost everything. They feel like they are being consumed by the monstrous $600 million taxpayer funded Gentrification Center. There are people who are rolling down a lonely highway, asking God to please forgive them for messing up the blessing he gave them. Their nights are black as they have ever been, and they are scared they are going to lose it. These people are praying that God sheds his grace on them because they need it. Some individuals feel they have walked right out of Heaven, as if they have thrown their life away. They are scared just like a child that is lost at seven and do not know what to do to get back right with God. These individuals do not know what to do to move on with their life. Feeling like they cannot walk, cannot talk, and desperately want to get right with God. What can you do to help? Feeling great anguish, thinking they might lose their life forever, many are pleading for the Heavenly Father to help them find their way. A hug or a kiss and the commitment to watch diligently over people suffering might help someone who is lost. #RandolphHarris 5 of 6
There may even be people who, for some reason, are lost from our sight and do not know that they are lost. If we delay, we could lose them forever. For many who need our help, it is not necessary to create new programs or take actions which are complicated or costly. They only need our determination to serve—to do the right thing at the right time, without delay. Fill your hearts with compassion towards others. Our Heavenly Father is loving, understanding, and patient. His Son, Jesus Christ, likewise loves us. They render help to us through their prophets. The rescue is still going on. The Lord expects our thinking, action, labors, testimony, and devotion. We have responsibility and a great opportunity to help others once again experience the sweet savor of happiness and joy through activity that is pleasing to God. That happiness come from receiving the ordinances, making sacred covenants, and keeping them. The Lord needs us to help them. Let us do the right thing at the right time, without delay. God lives and is our Father. Jesus Christ lives and has given his life so that we may return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. There is infinite kindness continually manifesting on Earth. The rest of your life will be the best of your life. #RandolphHarris 6 of 6
Randolph Harris II International Institute 