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Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ

Report:Briefly share with the group how you were more self-reliant last week.

Ponder:How does my faith in Jesus Christ affect my self-reliance?

Watch:“Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ,” available at srs.lds.org/videos. (No video? Read page 7.)

Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ

If you are unable to watch the video, read this script.

Elder David A. Bednar: Taking action is the exercise of faith. The children of Israel are carrying the ark of the covenant. They come to the River Jordan. The promise is they will cross over on dry land. When does the water part? When their feet are wet. They walk into the river—act. Power follows—the water parts.

We oftentimes believe, “I’m going to have this perfect understanding, and then I’m going to transform that into what I do.” I would suggest that we have enough to get started. We have a sense of the right direction. Faith is a principle—the principle—of action and of power. True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to action.

(See “Seek Learning by Faith” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, Feb. 3, 2006], lds.org/media-library)

Back to page 6.

Discuss:Why does true faith always lead to action? Why is faith necessary for God to help us temporally and spiritually?

Read:Matthew 6:30 and the quote from the Lectures on Faith (on the right)

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”

Matthew 6:30

“Are not all your exertions of every kind, dependent on your faith? … As we receive by faith all temporal blessings that we do receive, so we in like manner receive by faith all spiritual blessings that we do receive. But faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also.”

Lectures on Faith (1985), 2, 3

Activity

The path to self-reliance is a journey of faith. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve are inviting us to make increasing our faith in Heavenly Father and His Son a priority in our life.

Step 1: As a group, read the prophetic priorities in the box below.

Step 2: Discuss how faithfully honoring the Sabbath, taking the sacrament, and reading the Book of Mormon will help you become more self-reliant.

Prophetic Priorities and Promises
“Imagine the scope of that statement! The fulness of the earth is promised to those who keep the Sabbath day holy” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Sabbath Is a Delight,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 130; see also D&C 59:16).
“Spirituality is not stagnant and neither are [sacrament] covenants. Covenants bring not only commitments but they bring spiritual power” (Neil L. Andersen, General Authority training meeting, Apr. 2015).
“I bear witness that [the Book of Mormon] can become a personal ‘Urim and Thummim’ in your life” (Richard G. Scott, “The Power of the Book of Mormon in My Life,” Ensign, Oct. 1984, 11).

Commit:Commit to do the following actions during the week. Check the box when you complete each action.

• Show your faith this Sunday by keeping the Sabbath day holy and reverently partaking of the sacrament.

• Read from the Book of Mormon every day.

• Read the scriptures on page 7. Choose one and share it with your family or friends.

  Scriptures about Faith in Action

  Because Daniel would not stop praying, he was thrown into a den of lions, but “God … sent his angel, and … shut the lions’ mouths, … and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God” (Daniel 6:22–23; see also verses 16–21).

  The Lord gave Lehi the Liahona to guide his family, and “it did work for them according to their faith in God. … [When] they were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence … they did not progress in their journey” (Alma 37:40–41).

  “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse … and prove me now herewith … if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

  During a famine, Elijah asked a widow to give him her last meal. Elijah promised that because of her faith the Lord would provide food to her, and her food never ran out. (See 1 Kings 17.)

  “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them” (Isaiah 41:17; see also verse 18).