Even as Abraham

1
Even as Abraham

• Khinckley1_at_yahoo.com

2
Classified Ads

• FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER. 8 years old. Hateful
  little  dog. Bites
•           
• FREE PUPPIES 1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky
  neighbor's dog
• FREE PUPPIES... Part German Shepherd, part
  stupid  dog.
• GERMAN  SHEPHERD 85 lbs. Neutered. Speaks German.
  Free
• FOUND DIRTY WHITE DOG. Looks like a rat ...
  been  out awhile. Better be a reward.
• NORDIC TRACK 300 Hardly used, call Chubby
• NICE PARACHUTE Never opened - used once
• FOR SALE BY  OWNER Complete set of Encyclopedia
  Britannica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition.
  1,000 or best offer. No  longer needed.  Got
  married last month.  Husband knows everything.

3
Ever need the help?
4
Joseph Smith

• If God had known any other way whereby he could
  have touched Abrahams feelings more acutely and
  more keenly he would have done so

5
DC 101

• 1 Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren
  who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast
  out from the land of their inheritance
• 2 I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to
  come upon them, wherewith they have been
  afflicted, in consequence of their
  transgressions
• 3 Yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in
  that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.
• 4 Therefore, they must needs be chastened and
  tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to
  offer up his only son.
• 5 For ALL those who will not endure chastening,
  but deny me, cannot be sanctified.

6
Question

• What is the difference between chastening and
  being tried?
• Jay Welch (BYU) suggests
• We are chastened because we have sinned-
• We are tried because we are righteous

7
Abrahamic Test 1Chastening

• We all love to be praised,
• But how do we handle being chastened and
  corrected?

8
Part of the Problem

• DC 9823
• Now, I speak unto you concerning your familiesif
  men will smite you, or your families, once, and
  ye bear it patiently and revile not against them,
  neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded

• Sidney Ridgon- Salt Sermon
• it shall be between us and them a war of
  extermination, for we will follow them, till the
  last drop of their blood is spilled, or else they
  will have to exterminate us for we will carry
  the seat of war to their own houses, and their
  own families, and one party or the other shall be
  utterly destroyed

9
Trouble in Missouri
July 20th 1833
Independence
October 31st 1833
Colesville Settlement
10
Why they were chastened

• DC 101
• 6 Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings,
  and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and
  lustful and covetous desires among them
  therefore by these things they polluted their
  inheritances.
• 7 They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the
  Lord their God therefore, the Lord their God is
  slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer
  them in the day of their trouble.

11
Abrahamic Test 2We must be Tried

• We are tried in two ways
• 1- Collectively

12
President Benson

• "Every generation has its tests and its chance to
  stand and prove itself. Would you like to know of
  one of our toughest tests? Hear the warning words
  of President Brigham Young,
• 'The worst fear I have about this people is that
  they will get rich in this country, forget God
  and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out
  of the Church and go to hell.
• This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty
  and all manner of persecution and be true. But my
  greatest fear is that they cannot stand wealth.'

13
President Benson is not done yet

• "Do you know what peace and prosperity can do to
  a peopleIt can put them to sleep. The Book of
  Mormon warned us of how the devil, in the last
  days, would lead us away carefully down to hell
• "We have too many potential spiritual giants who
  should be more vigorously lifting their homes,
  the kingdom, and the country. We have many who
  feel they are good men, but they need to be good
  for somethingstronger patriarchs, courageous
  missionaries, valiant genealogists and temple
  workers, dedicated patriots, devoted quorum
  members. In short, we must be shaken and awakened
  from a spiritual snooze."

14
Abrahamic Test 2We must be Tried

• We are tried in two ways
• 1- Collectively
• 2- Individually

15
Joseph Smith

• You will have all kinds of trials to pass
  through. And it is quite as necessary for you to
  be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of
  God. . . .
• God will feel after you, and he will take hold of
  you and wrench your very heart strings, and if
  you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an
  inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God."

16
Boyd K. Packer

• "We may foolishly bring unhappiness and trouble,
  even suffering upon ourselves. These are not
  always to be regarded as penalties imposed by a
  displeased Creator. They are part of the lessons
  of life, part of the test.
• "Some are tested by poor health, some by a body
  that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by
  handsome and healthy bodies some by the passion
  of youth others by the erosions of age.
• "Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family
  problems others live in poverty and obscurity.
  Some (perhaps this is the hardest test) find ease
  and luxury.
• "All are part of the test, and there is more
  equality in this testing than sometimes we
  suspect."