A Curious Instrument

This isn't the first or second  or third blog post about prosperity here, but it comes up in the Book of Mormon on a regular basis, including instructions on how to obtain it .  In this blog post, we investigate some actions that can be taken to lose the prosperity that righteousness merits. First, just a recap of what "prosperity in Christ" looks like:  4 Nephi 1 23 And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people had multiplied, insomuch that they were spread upon all the face of the land, and that they had become exceedingly rich, because of their prosperity in Christ. There is something here that makes social scientists jump:  The entire idea that people multiplying happened at the same time as people getting rich.  It works the exact opposite way in our time - when people become rich, they have less children.  This is a rock-hard doctrine of our times, but apparently not a feature among the righteous followers of Jesus Christ. What was t...

There is a tendency among many people to turn God into some mystical being, all the easier to dismiss him and his promises in the future. Such folk pat themselves on each other's backs for their "rationality" and a touted "evolution" beyond a supposedly foolish belief in God.  These acts are, at their very heart, pride that they can handle their own affairs in their own way and without help: this is categorically foolish - biting the hand that supports you from day-to-day.  We do so much better in life and happiness when we humbly align ourselves with God's purposes. When we obey him, things tend to go better for us!  His promise is that he will prosper us and that prosperity will come in very concrete forms.  I am grateful for a literal God that rewards us, not just "spiritually", but in very physical and tangible ways.  Book of Mormon, Helaman 12 :1 - 2: ...yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those...

One overarching element of the Book of Mormon record is something that many people call "the pride cycle", which is readily seen in the graphic of this post. A studied approach toward good is necessary from a large majority of a nation or people to get out the pride cycle once it has taken hold of a society. If the current American people were on the cycle, I predict we would be somewhere between "Righteousness and prosperity" and "Pride and wickedness", leading to "Destruction and suffering".  In most measures, we have enjoyed a very long period of prosperity that was largely due to the righteousness and industry of previous generations. As we have largely abandoned the ways of our parents and grandparents, we are already beginning to pay the price in a fading prosperity. Few people deny that the children of today will have lives less pleasant than we have enjoyed. All of the economic indicators are going in the wrong direction and the "Pa...

I have spoken about prosperity at least once before  and I have prospered myself in recent years. I don't know how much I deserve anything like it, but good things have happened regardless as I put myself in God's path. My continued slow reading of the Book of Mormon might shed some light on some things that bring prosperity, physical and spritual.  3 Nephi 5 21 Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph. 22 And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word. As it reads, God blessed the house of Jacob (those would be the tribes of Israel) and has been merciful to the "seed of Joseph", which are more specifically the descendents of Ephriam and Menassah, the sons of Joseph. This is relevant to the writer Mormon, who is a descendent of Lehi, whose children were of both sons of the biblical Joseph.  It seems that these scriptures make reference to a ...

It is a matter of prioritizing obedience to the oldest commandments and associated blessings over short term fears of not having a full cornicopia of society's "essential" marriage ingredients, such as a great job, high pay, or deep maturity. In some ways, many cultures actively discourage marriage with pushing these expected "requirements" that can rarely be met. I found this view of attitudes going into marriage to be interesting and helpful to re-enshrining "holy" marriage:  Beyond Hollywood Type Love: Choosing Commitment Over Chemistry In addition to viewing marriage as a devoted commitment, rather than a impossibly life-long romantic infatuation as so many demand, we often forget God's take on marriage and making it a priority in our lives. Genesis 2:18   And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:24   Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cle...

  Here is some more in the vein of prosperity: And because the people did repent of their iniquities and idolatries the Lord did spare them, and they began to prosper again in the land. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/7?lang=eng&id=p26#p26 Here is another view on how to attain prosperity from the children of Jared and his brother as filtered through Moroni.  Are we grateful that the Lord is willing to spare you , when you and I really deserve hellfire and damnation? We best be repenting from our cherished iniquities (sexual/"gender" deviance) and idolatries (water skiing and that demon bowling)!

When Lehi, who lead his family away from a decadent Jerusalem across the ocean to the Americas, left his final blessings on his children, he made a prophecy about this new land that his children would inherit:  2 Nephi 1 :7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. This certainly happened in relation to the descendents of Lehi, who lived in liberty in the western hemisphere for nearly a thousand years, but were destroyed or enslaved in short order as they turned iniquitous. It can also be seen that as long as most of the people who came to America were devoted to God and keeping his commandments, this was a ...

My very dear and tolerant wife has mentioned that much of my writing lately has been a bit dark. Although I admit that I tend toward focusing on a need to repent and some of the more punitive aspects of God , I had always hoped that I mentioned the joys of following in the path of Christ. In this posting, I intend to state again my feelings of blessing and gratitude . I feel as David did when he composed the 23rd Psalm : The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the ho...

God promises us blessings for our obedience. Sadly, we often forego our blessings in favor of something else we want. Sometimes, those blessings are of a physical nature - like a house or a piece of land. If we choose to be wicked, such things will be given to others who are more willing to be obedient. In the Book of Mormon, Mormon the prophet witnessed how evil his formerly righteous people had become and shared what could have been done to retain the land of prosperity that they had once enjoyed. Mormon 5: 19 And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which they might have received in the land, for the Gentiles who shall possess the land.  20 But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the house of Israel.  21 And also the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteou...