September: What blessings does Heavenly Father promise if I obey the commandments?

Obedience

Define commandment?

• Direction from someone with given authority (Priesthood keys - Prophet/Apostles). They are God’s mouthpiece here on earth.

Why do we keep the commandments?

• Quote 1 - Keeping commandments for the first 2 reasons is begrudging and lacks foundation. It is more like a job and not as Christlike.
• D&C 3:7, Proverbs 8:13 - What is a God fearing man? It doesn’t mean we are afraid of God and his consequences but that we are more concerned about what God thinks about us than what man/the world thinks about us. We love him, respect him, and want to make him happy.
• Tree of life comparison
• “Faith is the power, Obedience is the price, Love is the motivator, Christ is the mediator.”

What do we learn about obedience? (Group Activity)

• John 14:21 - God loves us.
• Matthew 22:36–40 - Love God and love neighbor as thy-self - ecompasses all commandments.
• Moses 5:5–6 - We can obey without understanding why.
• D&C 28:26-29 - Be anxiously engaged. Don’t wait to be told what to do.
• 1 Nephi 3:7 - The Lord provides a way.
• Genesis 22:1–13 - Some commandments are hard to follow.
• Matthew 26:39 - Christ set the example of searching to do God’s will.
• D&C 130:20–21; 132:5  - There are promised blessings God has given with certain commandments. We are meant to want the blessings God offers, so having all 3 isn’t a bad thing.
• Mosiah 2:24 - Immediate blessings, but we are still in debt to him.
• D&C 14:7 - We will gain eternal life through obedience
• D&C 76:5–10 - God will give us more knowledge and understanding as we obey his commandments.
• D&C 21:4–5 - Obey the prophet - what he says comes from God.

What does it mean to endure to the end?

• What can we do to stay true to gospel principles even when it is unpopular to do so?

Quotes

1. Each of us should ask ourselves why we obey God’s commandments. Is it because we fear punishment? Is it because we desire the rewards for living a good life? Is it because we love God and Jesus Christ and want to serve Them? It is better to obey the commandments because we fear punishment than not to obey them at all. But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love Him and want to obey Him. When we obey Him freely, He can bless us freely.