Connect to the Lord's Network...Before It's Too Late

The Parable of the O-Rings

Your kitchen faucet has a washer in it. The washer keeps water from leaking through the joints and the fixtures. Technically, they're called O-rings.

O-rings were also used on America's space shuttles. There, these giant washers kept pressurised hydrogen from leaking out of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) -- those big white-colored rockets that took space shuttles into space.

Shuttle O-rings were tested, re-tested and re-re-tested under every possible circumstance but one: cold.

For some reason, engineers didn’t test O-rings to see if they worked in temperatures any colder than about 50ºF. I mean, why would they even need to test for cold temperatures in sunny Florida, where space shuttles were launched?

Well, on January 28th, 1986, a cold snap took the Kennedy Space Center's overnight temperature down to 18ºF. Despite that, NASA administrators pressured underlings to proceed with the launch. So, 73 seconds after the space shuttle Challenger lifted off, it converted itself into a bomb and detonated before the eyes of the world. The cause: the failure of the O-rings sealing a joint on the right solid rocket booster.

Today, we are no different.

Right now, the O-rings of your life are probably working pretty well. I mean, hey, you have a house (or apartment, or condo, etc) to live in. You have warmth. You have water, food, sewage disposal, electricity, a microwave, a fridge and gas for your car. You have (or have access to) wifi, a computer, cell phone, and maybe something like Netflix or satellite/cable.

But mark my words: one of these months or years, all of that will change.

The scriptures are replete with information about a veritable cold spell that will soon intrude into society's sunny skies. During this spiritual freeze fest, almost all of those things I listed above will likely be history. Potable water, edible food, adequate sewage disposal and shelter will become the new luxuries.

When that time comes, those who have adapted their spiritual O-rings ahead of the cold weather spell will probably survive. On the other hand, those who don't adapt to a different kind of O-ring will probably be invited to take their party elsewhere.

A Reality Check

Maybe you -- or someone you love -- can easily dismiss these possibilities with the wave of a magic wand that says to me, "Oh yeah? How do you know these things are coming?" My answer: Because I've read -- and believe the truthfulness -- of 1 Nephi 13, 1 Nephi 14 and 3 Nephi 21. And not a few latter-day prophets have said the events in these chapters were written for us. Today.

Maybe you could ask, "Well, how do you know it's that soon? Maybe it'll happen when my children or grandchildren are adults." OK, valid point. But:

1. Do you really want to bet that's the correct timing? Are you willing to stake your life -- and the lives of your family -- on it?
2. How much longer do you think God and the earth will tolerate society's increasing acceptance of rewarding evil, punishing good, not to mention promiscuity, abuse, neglect, stealing, cheating, warring and the wanton killing of fetuses?
3. How deeply have you immersed yourself in the Books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Revelation and 3rd Nephi -- books written to give us perspective and hope regarding the events immediately preceding (and during) the Lord's 2nd coming? What patterns and events did you discover in those books which mirror those of today?

"Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." (Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:48)

Let's be real here: When (not if) the Lord says "All Systems Go," it'll be plum too late to start reading the procedure manual. The rocket will be blasting off, and you'll be in a passenger's seat.

• It's ludicrous to think you can become an expert on those books of scripture in just a few days or weeks. It takes years, and besides, you'll be more focused on survival.
• Do you think help will be a cell/text/land line/mouse click/email away? Think again. The cities will be "cut off."
• (I don't mean this as criticism, but) good luck with your belief that local leaders are experienced in (much less fully prepared for) mass population disaster survival. They're likely more focused on the challenges of today.

You can quickly see why most people will be in short supply of possibly the hottest commodity of all:

Good news. Confidence. Hope.

Faith.

Don't Procrastinate. Act Today!

When (not if) we are faced with the events detailed in 3 Nephi 21, there will really be only one thing that will get you through all this: Your knowledge of, and relationship with, Jesus Christ:

Here's what Heber C. Kimball said 160 years ago:

"Yes, we think we are secure here in the chambers of these everlasting hills...but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy against the people of God. Then is the time to look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall. For I say unto you there is a test, a Test, a TEST coming."

"This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with glory. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess a personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got this testimony, you must live right and call upon the Lord, and cease not until you obtain it. Remember these sayings: The time will come when no man or woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within themselves. If you do not have the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, how can you stand?" (Heber C. Kimball, 1856. Quoted by J. Golden Kimball, Conference Report, October 1930, pp. 59-60; also quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, "Be Not Deceived" Conference Report, October 1963, p. 15-19. http://emp.byui.edu/jexj/new/talks/talks/JGK%20GiftProphecy.pdf; http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=1286).

Also,

"And many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name; and in thy name cast out devils; and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I say, Ye never knew me; depart from me ye that work iniquity." (JST Matthew 7:32-33)

So, what's your plan? When do you plan to get to know the Lord? Perhaps when the stuff is hitting the fan?

Might I suggest that "today" is a pretty good idea. That's because if you just sit and watch TV, play video games or twiddle your time away, you will have procrastinated a golden opportunity, and the Lord will turn a deaf ear to your (eventual) vain pleas for help:

"O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?
Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity.
And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them.
And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:
O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us.
Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle.
Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.
O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.
Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days.
But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head." (Helaman 13:29-38)

And you will needlessly suffer -- big time:

"And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47)

Even the Lord says that

"He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken." (D&C 88:83)

Connect to the Lord's Network

It's no wonder that the word for safety in Hebrew is "Yeshua" -- Jesus' name. The safest place is to be in Him.

I wish...I wish I had the right words to express to you how beautiful it is to hear His words in your heart and mind. His words of reassurance, of unbounded confidence, of unqualified hope, of unbelievable faith and -- most importantly -- His words of immeasurable belief in, and love for, you.

That's why I invite you to make knowing Yeshua -- not just knowing about Him, but knowing Him -- a top priority in your life. A good place to start is to evaluate the quality of your prayers, and whether they're telestial, terrestrial or celestial.

Then listen for Him. He speaks to you often in your daily life, no matter if you're at home, driving in the car, or taking a walk.

As I mentioned in my November 19, 2012 post, "The Three Degrees of Prayer,"

"His voice, His words to you are all around you.
All you have to do...is listen."

In my next post, I hope to detail a free resource that will help you remember some of the concepts mentioned on this blog.