The Power of Covenants
Do you ever feel like my electric toothbrush did while I was on holidays this summer. You know, you turn on the switch and all you get is er, ere.. er… It just didn’t have what it took to face another day. It needed a power boost. For it the solution was simple. Plug it into the charger over night and away it would go.
Sometimes we need a boost of power in the face of tragedy, depression, guilt, temptation, spiritual low or hardship. What is the source of the moral and spiritual power we need? It is God. Our access to it is not through an electrical receptacle but through covenants. That is what I am going to talk about today—the power of covenants. What is a covenant? It is like a contract with the electric company if we pay the bill, the power company must deliver the power. A covenant with God works the same way. If we pay the price of keeping our part of the covenant, God has agreed to deliver his power. This concept is central to man’s relationship with God from the beginning. The prophets of the Old Testament understood the importance of covenants very well.
Do you recall Indiana Jones looking for the Ark of the Covenant? God commanded Moses to make the Ark after coming down from the mountain after receiving the ten commandments. It was made of the finest wood and overlain with pure gold. A Cherub of cast gold was placed on either end, and the seat of mercy placed upon it. It is from there that God spoke to his prophets. It was placed in the Holy of Holies in the inside of the temple. The people recognized the Ark of the Covenant as possessing great power. Remember Joshua was commanded to parade the Ark behind the 7 trumpeters around the walls of Jericho. With its power they were able to conquer Jericho when the walls came tumbling down. The Israelites were promised many blessing if they kept the covenant housed in the Ark. That was the Ten Commandments. Our covenants are not the ten commandments housed in a golden box. Today we have the covenant of baptism and the sacred covenants made on our temples.
I am going to explain the three phases of power we are able to get by keeping those covenants.
1st the power of gifts and blessings, 2nd the power of faith and 3rd the power of godliness.
1st, gifts and blessings. When we partake of the sacrament we renew our baptismal covenants. When we are baptized we become part of the lord’s covenant people and candidates for the celestial kingdom. We promise to always remember him and to keep his commandments. This can bring immediate gifts and blessings. Let me tell you about my friend Gayne Olsen. S a young man in Edmonton, Gayne was a gifted athlete and a fine pole vaulter. Gyne however was one of only a few Mormon boys in his school. Being a social person he did not want to miss out on the gatherings often put on by the boys. There was one problem and that was these parties usually included consumption of alcohol. The events were always BYOB, bring your own bottle. Well Gayne did just that. He brought along a bottle of milk and made sure that eveyone knew he was not consuming alcohol. By living the work of wisdom Gayne won many pole vaulting competitions but more importantly married a fine young southern Alberta girl in the temple, had ten children and is Bishop of his ward in Edmonton. Gayne did his part and God has blessed him to overflowing! That is the first phas, immediate gifts and blessings.
2nd phase is the blessing of faith. On August 15, 2007, a severe earthquake struck the cities of Pisco and Chincha in Peru. President Wenceslao Conde went about helping others in the Balconcito Branch in Chincha. Four days later Marcus B. Nash of the seventy arrived to coordinate the relief work. He met the Branch president’s wife Pamela and said. How are your children? Por la gracia de Dios son Buenos.
And your home? Salida. And your belongings. Tambien. How can yu be smiling he said. I have preyed and have peace, each other, my children, the church and the lord. We can build again with the lords help. What a wonderful blessing of faith she got from God in for keeping her covenants.
Joseph F. Smith was just 19 and returning from his mission in Hawaii. While walking from California to Utah they were confronted one day by a group of hooligans’ threatening to kill any Mormons on sight. The rest of the group headed for the bush but Joseph stood his ground . The leader of the group put his gun to Joseph’s chin and said, are you a Mormon? Dyed in the wool, true blue, through and through was his response. The man put down the gun and said, you are the most pleasant man I have ever met, congratulations for being a man of conviction. Joseph had great faith in his God and that all would be well. He had received the power of faith for keeping his covenants.. The apostle Paul had a perfect understand of the increased faith due to those who keep their covenants so much that he even wished for suffering so he could receive power of increased faith 2nd Corinthiians 12:8-10 We too can have that blessing of the power of faith in the face of tragedy, hardship or depression if we will walk up to the covenants that we have made.
3rd phase of power is the power of Godliness. Godliness is the condition we attain when we have true compassion for our fellowmen, when we have the true love of Christ, when charity pervades our thoughts and overtakes our being. This is the power that we need to attain exaltation in the celestial kingdom. This power is delivered by the Holy Ghost and is only available to those who keep their covenants.
My father died in 1977 of Lou Gehrig’s disease. In the previous few years my mother and he had become very close. Mom rode with him at horse shows and joined with other couples going to the hills. After dad got sick, mom took care of his every need as his condition deteriorated. Needless to say she was devastated at his passing. When things were arranged and everyone went to their various homes she settled in her little house in Cardston but was very depressed. One night a few weeks later she recounted that she went to her room and the darkness of depression and loneliness was almost choking but prayed to heavenly father for relief. She tells that finally a feeling of great peace came over her. She was then able to carry on serving her family and the church for several years. She told us with assurance that power of the Comforter had literally overwhelmed her that night.
Brother D. Todd Christofferson in his speech of October 2009 said.
When we have entered into Devine covenants, the holy ghost is our comforter, our guide, and our companion. The fruits of the Holy spirit are “ the peaceable things of immortal glory, the truth of all things, that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice and judgement. The gifts of the spirit are testimony, faith, knowledge, wisdom, revelations, miracles, healing, and charity.
I urge all to receive the covenants of baptism and the temple and to keep those covenants. In times of distress let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact. Then you can ask in faith, nothing wavering , according to your need and god will answer. In his own time and way He will stretch forth his hand to you saying, “here I am”
I testify that God will keep his promise to you as you honour your covenants and give you the power of gifts and blessings, faith beyond measure, and fill you with godly power. I pray that each one of use will have the integrity to keep our part of the covenants and thus be delivered from want, anxiety and distress and become powerful instruments for good.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
