Power of God

                We can bring the greatest of all liberties into our individual lives by living true and correct principles.  This liberty comes to us as we learn to live as though Jesus Christ were walking beside us.  We gain this freedom as we invite the Holy Ghost into our lives.

                  The liberty principle for today is the twelfth in a series of true principles suggested by Elder Richard G. Scott in his book

21 Principles – Divine Truths to Help You Live by the Spirit.  I will merely introduce the principle and suggest that you obtain Elder Scott’s book in order to truly understand this principle.  Elder Scott explained that principles “are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances.  A true principle makes decisions clear even under the most confusing and challenging circumstances.”  You can see principle #1 “True Principles of Freedom” here, principle #2 “Trust the Holy Ghost” here, principle #3 “Try New Things” here, principle #4 “Accept Promptings” here, principle #5 “Decisions Determine Destiny” here, principle #6 “Accept God’s Will” here, principle #7 “Power Limited” here, principle #8 “Discerning Answers” here, principle #9 “Mentors Help” here,  Principle #10 “Internalize Principles” here,  and Principle #11 "The Why of Adversity" here. 

                   Principle #12 is the simple fact that God has given limitless access to His priesthood power to worthy men on earth.  Elder Scott wrote, “I wonder how many men seriously ponder the inestimable value of holding the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.  When we consider how few men who have lived on earth have received the priesthood and how Jesus Christ has empowered those individuals to act in His name, we should feel deeply humble and profoundly grateful for the priesthood we hold.

                “The priesthood is the authority to act in the name of God.  That authority is essential to the fulfillment of His work on earth.  The priesthood we hold is a delegated portion of the eternal authority of God.  As we are true and faithful, our ordination to the priesthood will be eternal.

                “However, the conferring of authority alone does not of itself bestow the power of the office.  The extent to which we can exercise the power of the priesthood depends upon personal worthiness, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and obedience to His commandments.  When supported by a secure foundation of gospel knowledge, our capacity to worthily use the priesthood is greatly enhanced.

                “The perfect role model for use of the holy priesthood is our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He ministered with love, compassion, and charity.  His life was a matchless example of humility and power.  The greatest blessings form the use of the priesthood flow from humble service to others without thought of self.  By following His example as a faithful, obedient priesthood bear, we can access great power.  When required, we can exercise the power of healing, of blessing, of consoling, and of counseling, as the quiet promptings of the Spirit are faithfully followed”               

(pp. 59-60).

                Bearers of the priesthood act as agents for God to those in need of blessings.  The priesthood is given as a means of service to others as no priesthood bearer can give blessings to himself.  In order for anyone to receive a priesthood blessing, we must ask someone else to bestow the blessing upon us in the name of the Savior.

                It is the sacred responsibility of the priesthood bearer to become and to remain worthy to act in the name of God.  When men use the priesthood appropriately, they open a channel up to heaven through which God can pour out blessings upon His children according to His will. 

                The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following proclamation on April 6, 1980:  “We solemnly affirm that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latte-day Saints is in fact a restoration of the Church established by the Son of God, when in mortality he organized his work upon the earth; that it carries his sacred name, even the name of Jesus Christ; that it is built upon a foundation of Apostles and prophets, he being the chief cornerstone; that its priesthood, in both the Aaronic and Melchizedek orders, was restored under the hands of those who held it anciently:  John the Baptist, in the case of the Aaronic; and Peter, James, and John in the case of the Melchizedek” (“Proclamation,” Ensign, May 1980, 52).  

                The Lord Himself summed up the responsibility of priesthood bearers in the revelation on the priesthood:  “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:99).

                It is no small thing for a man to bear the power of God; however, when a righteous man worthily seeks to use the priesthood to bless other people, God is pleased and opens the windows of heaven according to His will.