consequences

A week or so ago my companion and I were driving back to Florida. I sat there looking at all the cars driving with us down the long straight road. I couldn't help think about each of these cars... Who are they? Where are they going? What are they doing? My curiosity now pinched I began to ponder even more. Why are they going there? Why are they keeping the laws and driving safely? What keeps us from just stopping right where we are or turning around into another car? Silly question huh? Consequences keep us from doing something dangerous and life threatining like that. So we just kept plugging along down the endless highway headed where our heart's desire.

Why do we harm ourselves with Spiritual consequences? Drinking a little beer may not seem as obvious as hitting another car going 70mph. But it is against the Word of Wisdom. Skipping one Sunday of Church may not seem as bad as Speeding 100mph on a 55mph road. But each of these things hold Consequences just the same. There is always a reaction for something that we do.

James E Faust said "Sometimes we make poor choices. . . . Unfortunately, some of our poor choices are irreversible, but many are not. Often we can change course and get back on the right track. Getting back on the right track may involve the principles of repentance. . . . Learning by experience has value, but the 'school of hard knocks' is deserving of its name. Progression comes faster and easier by learning from our parents, those who love us, and our teachers. We can also learn from the mistakes of others, observing the consequences of their wrong choices."

We don't need to stop traffic to see what would happen. We shouldn't think that we need to break God's commandments to see how we would feel, or what would happen. He loves us and has given us the power to choose for ourselves. We should take care of that gift and not fall into a desicion that would take away this agency. As the famous scripture in Joshua says "choose you this day whom ye will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Every choice we make has a consequence, whether it be bad or good.



No matter how hard I tried I could
not break free without help.

What do you think of when you hear the word Captive? Nothing good comes to my mind. The dictionary defines Captive as taken or held prisoner or obligated to listen, and Captivate means to capture the attention or affection of. Satan does all he can to captivate us so that he can hold us captive.

There are all sorts of things that Satan entices us with. Things that may look fun or exciting. But they are things that are VERY dangerous and things we really need to be careful about. Heavenly Father has given us commandments to protect us from these things so that we don't become captive to the father of all lies. But we still have the choice to choose.

"...And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." 2 Nephi 2:27

The Devil captivates us and binds us down. He makes us so dependent on him and "instant pleasures" that if we are addicted to them then we will center our lives around them.  These are things like alcohol and cigarettes, coffee, illegal drugs. These are extreme addictions. But we are warned not to partake! The Word of Wisdom was reveled to keep us safe from them. How can we center our lives on Jesus Christ and have the Holy Ghost with us if we are dependent on these things?

There are many other things that he can captivate us with.  Worshiping false Idols, breaking the Law of Chastity, having multiple wives, not keeping the Sabbath day holy and many other things. He tries in any way he can to tear us down to break us but there is hope! Dont you worry though... there is light...

Jesus Christ taught the people in the Book of Mormon "Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him." 3 Nephi 18:15

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Mosiah 16:9. If we call upon Jesus Christ to help us He will be there. If we follow the instructions he has given us through the Prophets we will not be held captive, we will become free. We will have the chains and the shackles removed. We will finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and have the hope for a brighter future. Follow Him! He is asking you to.