Stand fast in the faith of Christ

August 12–18: standfast in the faith of Christ

Why are there so many more chapters in the book of Mormon?

Perhaps one of the answers is found in the hymn. We are all enlisted. Hymn number 250. this was one of my favorite songs as a missionary to sing. I was even kind of made fun of by some of my companions that said I like the banner, hymns, and the soldier hymns the best. That’s probably true. I do. The hymn is based off of the Scriptures from the New Testament, namely to Timothy, 2:3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Two Timoth four: seven through eight. I have fight a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: hence for there is laid up for me at crowd of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Am I fighting a good fight? Am I kept the faith? Well I finish my course? What does this mean perhaps as a snail as focusing on every day that you have been given as a gift to live that day in faith walking with the spirit being true to who you are and fighting for the right standing up for what is right being an example of what is right. What does it mean to finish your course? Maybe it has something to do with finishing your purpose in life which implies you’ve discovered your purpose and you stay true to that purpose and you finish that purpose.

The question begs to be answered then what is my course? First and foremost today as disciple of Jesus Christ it is walking on the covenant path maybe it’s time for me to refresh what covenants I have made and better understand what that course is but there’s more to my course it’s also what is my purpose?

I have learned that I am a creator. I found and have found great satisfaction in creating businesses and I’m so grateful for the successful dental offices that we created heavenly father help

I’ve also learned thatI often lack focus and sometimes when I create a company I don’t give a the focus that it needs and it is failed. my first failure was Internet focus I started as a BYU student and didn’t get a single customer but I knocked on doors a lot of doors and tried to find someone but didn’t have enough courage or no or or determination or habit I don’t know what it was didn’t have enough to get a single customer. when I was interviewed to go to dental school the person interviewing me asked me about Internet focus they accepted me as a dentist and I built Lakeview dental Roy that was successful like dental Syracuse that was successful Harrison the Harville office that was successful, and the other two offices in Idaho were successful because of Warren Willis not because of me. he gave it the focus and attention that it needed.   I never gave treehouse dental the attention that it needed and I did not succeed at the Tooele dental office.   Treehouse dental is successful now the month after I sold it it’s doing $100,000 I had it all set up and ready to go for the guy and I gave it away at the song, but I had too much on my plate. I need to learn to focus on one company at a timeget it successful integrate myself as an investor and then move forward to move on.

yes it has been a blessing knowing that my purpose was to create jobs for peopleit always has been my purpose. financially the enterprises have to succeed in order for that to work. and I recently made some huge mistakes with three employees at Allen one. when I had to fire and it wasdevastating to our relationship because I lost patience they were talking badly about me from what I’ve been told and there was a cancer brewing they were blaming everything on me.it reminds me of the man in the arena quote by Theodore Roosevelt.

I also thought that part of my purpose was to teach people leadership but I’ve lost some confidence in my leadership ability.I do public speaking but I’m more afraid to speak in public than before. I’ve lost confidence in my ability to succeed with the continuing media failure the treehouse dental failure the Twiller Tilla dental office failure.   it’s been challenging and I no longer know if this is my course

I still want to help people and create jobs and opportunities for peoplebut I have been taking advantage of people or people aren’t grateful for the job opportunity and don’t work very hard don’t understandwhat we’re doing don’t appreciate it and feel entitled. I think selecting who you bring in and who you hire makes all the difference in the world I have been successful recently with dental buying power doctor Warren Willis is the CEO my buddy and friend from dental school and he’s killing itthat was another successful business they’re only successful when I find good people to run them it’s not me it I need to find people that can read it that’s all part of the journey I haven’t been good at finding good people it’s a 50-50 crapshoot I don’t know how to do it very well you run a balance between find someone now because you need a person versus find the right person

but at the end of the day being a disciple of Christ and keeping the faith and discovering my purpose and staying true to that purposeand fighting that good fight is how I put on a crown of righteousness every day

one of my favorite verses is Ephesians 6:10–18.

finally, my brother, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his mind.put on the whole armor of God, that he may be able to stand against the wild and the Devil. for wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness and high places.or take up upon you the whole armor of God, you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. stand therefore, having your loins girt out with truth, and having on the breast plate of righteousness; and your feet shot with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, where ye shall be able to quench all the fiery to the wicked. and take the helmet of salvation, and the sort of the spirit, which is the word of God:praying always with all prayer and suffocation in the spirit, and watching their unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Jesus Christ can help me with my spiritual battles

Using these war chapters to help me with my daily spiritual battle against good and evil I can learn things they did to help them succeed in physical war to help me succeed in my daily spiritual war here are some of the ideas.

Things that the Nephites did to make them SUCCESSFUL and their war:

Alma 43 19: the Nephites were prepared with armor. I can strive to prepare myself with spiritual armor every day. They were wearing breast plates and arm shields and helmets and they were dressed with thick clothing. This reminds me of Ephesians 6:10–18. Putting on the whole armor of God every day helps us fight the fight against evil that I face every day the first is to have your loins have protection and that protection is truth understanding and learning truth.

1.  BELT.  Read truth and learn new truths every day is how you put on protection over your loins. Some say that this is a belt.

2. BREAST PLATE.  Your press plate is your righteousness put it on every day make a decision to be righteous and that habit of righteousness protect you in the hour in the present because of the habit of righteousness that you’ve already built.

3. SHOES. Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace means that you were willing to go wherever the journey takes you even through trials and hardships because your testimony and commitment to Christ will protect you from hot sand hot cold Rocky paths thorns thistles and challenges that life Bring.

4. SHIELD.  You need to have faith every day and that represents a shield choosing to believe.  This allows me to easily walk away from or not allow”Fiery darts” of evil penetrate my soul.

5. HELMET.  It is interesting to know or note that the helmet is symbolic of salvation. What does that mean? Perhaps it means our minds and our reason and logic need to be protected against ideas that would try to convince you that the church isn’t true that Jesus isn’t real that you really aren’t saved. Perhaps the helmet of salvation symbolizes the covenants that we made with heavenly father and knowing that we have those covenants it is a defense against wickedness and evil it gives us a reason for the hope we have in Christ.

6. SWORD.  The sword of the spirit is easy I need to have the spirit every day in my life it gives me inspiration from God it becomes revelation to me and is his word. The idea of feeling the spirit every day and keeping the spirit every day has become more important to me than ever before the reason why we take the sacrament is so we can have the spirit with us and having the spirit now is symbolic of a sword it allows us to know how to attack evil.

Alma 43:23–24. They sought the prophet’s guidance.  I too should seek and make time to study with profits are saying not just general conference talks and other times when they speak at BYU or devotionals but even the Leona and the enzyme magazine and perhaps even social media comments that they Will share on a regular basis now. I should follow the prophets on social media.

Alma 44: 1 – 4.  In these versus the people of Nephi we’re successful in their battle but did not want to invoke revenge and they gave credit to god and their faith in Christ. They bore their testimony and declared that God supports, keeps, and preserves those who believe in him as long as they are faithful to him and to their religion. They testify that the Lord Will never allow faithful people to be destroyed except if they fall into transgression and deny the faith through transgression.  This is an important reminder not a secret edge when you are successful or succeed at something or hurt to forgive. But this is also a reminder that the Lord honors those who honor him. He preserves you he sustains you and we will not allow you to be destroyed unless you deny him by falling into transgression it is only then his protective shield protective bubble so to speak no longer engulf shoe but you are free to experiment on your own the good news of the gospel is that he will accept you with open hands and arms. When you are ready to return it to him.

Alma 45:1. When the people of Nephi 1 and were spared their first thought was to give thanks to the Lord. And to recognize that the Lord had delivered them and had saved them. They gave thanks unto the Lord their God. They did fast match. They did pray much. They did worship God and did it with exceedingly great joy.

This is a good example and a reminder to me to give credit to God for all successes including success when I am delivered from spiritual darkness it also has a reminder that part of my strength and being delivered from my kindness is if I fast and pray often and worship with great joy! What does it mean to worship the Lord with great joy?  The word joy means a feeling up delight a great pleasure and happiness it’s similar in meeting to the word delight, great pleasure, joyfulness, jubilation, triumph, elation, rejoicing, happiness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, rapture, radiance, gratification, cloud nine, seventh heaven, elected delectation, pleasure, treat, thrill, buzz, kick.  Some of it opposite meanings are misery despair trial tribulation. 

The question every person has to answer for themselves as if you are worshiping God are you doing it with great joy? Or are you doing it out of despair or as a trial or a tribulation or are you miserable doing it. You should be full of triumph and happiness and glee and euphoria a kick in a buzz! I had one friend tell me that feeling the spirit is like euphoria and like a buzz it is when you’re filling it and when you have it.

Alma 46:11–20:  I heard his people complain about his leadership and their situation and he then became emotional he rent his coat and he wrote on it in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children. He made a flag out of it. He called it the title of liberty. He then put on his armor and meltdown and prayed holding the title of liberty and asked for a blessing of liberty he prayed for the Christians. He then named the lands. And he made a promise that God would never allow their enemies to destroy the believers as long as they were faithful. The only way that God would turn the other way and allow for their destruction is if they transgress the law. Went around and was present and he waived the title of liberty and he cried out loud to all sing come if you agree come and enter into a covenant that you will fight for liberty and your religion so that the Lord will bless us.

This is an example of what all men should do especially leaders do when there is descension among the ranks. Inspire your people be present with your people have a purpose in a cause for what you’re doing and let your people choose to embrace that cause. Pray and ask God for a blessing and enter into a promise or a covenant with God but you will be faithful and that God will preserve you through your faithfulness.

The way this can’t best show me how I can overcome temptations and spiritual warfare is by entering into a cabinet which I have through baptism in the temple and receiving the priesthood and fulfill that covenant. God promises that he will deliver me and help maintain my liberty and I won’t be choked with fax cord.

Alma 48:7–9:   

In these verses, the enemy of Moroni, obtained power by fraud and deceit. Marone I obtained power by influencing others. He prepared their minds to be faithful unto God. He strengthened up weak places, he built forts, he moved the Earth and built dugouts, he built walls of stone to in circle his armies to give them protection. And the weakest fortifications he put more men there to fortify and strengthen the land.

These verses instruct me that I should prepare my minds my mind faithfully to have faith it will protect me in the spiritual war. Do not try to find strength with fraud or deceit. Avoid these things at all costs. It will weaken me. I should erect and prepare and diligently work to make things stronger around me spiritually speaking to make my environment more peaceful and conducive to the holy ghost. To keep my environment clean. To put up inspiring pictures and inspirational thoughts and words in my environment. I should also have inspirational music and listen to good things and enjoy uplifting media. I need to identify areas where I am weak spiritually where the enemy may be able to find a way into my heart and fortify that area and ensure that it is protected.

Alma 49:3, 12–14:  City was rebuilt it had been destroyed by the Lamanites before, so they supposed it would be easy again to destroy. They were right. It was destroyed because of the iniquity of the people. The enemy then thought they would attack the Nephites period they were surprised that once week city had become very very strong. They were not successful. This was because of Moroni’s fortifications, his wisdom, and his leadership.

These verses teach us that are weaknesses that have been used before by the adversary to hurt us spiritually can become very very strong if we fortify, identify, and do the work necessary to make those weak points strong. The enemy cannot succeed if we do this

Satan may attack me in similar ways:

Alma 43: 8:  one tactic the adversary uses to control people is to stir up anger amongst the people to use syrup great power over people through their anger it brings someone into bondage.

I need to do a much better job controlling my temper and not getting angry or upset when things are difficult or when there is a trial or a mishap with a company or a vendor or a customer. I need to remember to treat others the way I want to be treated always. This is a weakness of mine it wasn’t before it’s become one now.

Alma 43:29:  make no mistake it is Satan’s intention to destroy me and bring me into bondage so that he could have more power. Don’t be fooled don’t believe that he does not exist. He uses others that he has already captured to capture others. Far too long I have let him Bring me in de bondage and his only intention is to destroy me I cannot, I will not allow this to happen any longer! He will not win. I will fight I will conquer!

 Alma 46 :10. There are people that are good at using flattering words that will lead people away from God and the church they will lead people to do wicked things. Which will destroy the foundation of liberty. I need to be aware of things that take away our liberty they also are evil and will lead us away from God because Liberty is one of God’s greatest blessings to his people.

Alma 47:10–19:  satan will trick you and “poison you by degrees”. It happened here in these verses a captain convinced another Captain to be deceitful and promised him great things and in the end this deceitful captain betrayed the other that he had promised Great things to and killed him. The adversary only cares about himself people that are involved in things that are selfish only care about themselves. Satan will poison you by degrees. He will lead you to do something wrong you would never do something seriously wrong, but you do something that interest you towards that and then he inches you and pushes you farther and farther and farther along that path until you one day do the thing that you promised you never would do that you will be destroyed and lose everything that you’ve ever built and all that you have that is good. He wants you miserable he wants you to die he will poison your mind and your heart by degrees. I must be aware of this I must push back on this, I must do all I can to not allow myself to be poisoned.

Alma 49:50.  The Nephites were wise in “preparing their places of security.”  What are my places of security? Surely my home is a personal sanctuary of faith – Where the spirit resides. It is the first line of defense. My ward and stake is also a place of security. The temple is a place of security like no other. Any place where I can feel the presence of the spirit and be guided by him is a place of security according to President Nelson.

“Few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most. The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide.”  – – President Nelson

The book of mormon is our latter-day survival guide!!!  What a great way of describing the power that comes from the book of mormon. Why is this so? It has a powerful way of bringing the spirit into your life which then brings clarity and allows you to see the world “in color.”

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

With dignity

A mighty fortress is our God,

A tower of strength ne’er failing.

A helper mighty is our God,

O’er ills of life prevailing.

He overcometh all.

He saveth from the Fall.

His might and pow’r are great.

He all things did create.

And he shall reign for evermore.

Text: Martin Luther, 1483–1546, adapted

Music: Attr. to Martin Luther

1. Iwill love thee, O Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalm 18: 1 –2

He said, the Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliver;

The God of my rock and him I will trust he is my shield and the horn of my salvation and my high tower, and my refuge, my savior: they’ll save me from violence.

2 samuel 22:2–3

—“Stand fast in the faith of christ”

How can I lessen the power of the adversary in my life? Alma 48: 17 says this yay, barely, barely I say to you, if all man had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yay, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

Here is a list of attributes that describe Moroni:

1.  He was an emotional person who believed in God

2. He was a leader

3. He cared about his faith, his country, freedom, peace, his wife, and his children

4. . He prayed.

5. He was faithful in keeping the Commandments

6. He made covenants with God

7. He led others to make covenants with God

8. He then told others, crying with a loud voice, about his opinions, his religion, and his faith

9. He taught people. He was a good teacher. He taught about faith and wasn’t afraid

10. He had courage 

11. He was diligent in executing his vision

12. He had integrity

13. He was strategic

14. He thought of others

15. He was a servant leader

16. He cared about the welfare of all

17. He was an intelligent man, “a man of perfect understanding”

18. He did not delight in violence, instead, his joy was in liberty and freedom for all

19. He was very grateful to God for all that he had and for all that God had given to others

20. He was not envious

21. He was a hard worker. He”Labored exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.”

22. He was firm in his faith of Christ, in word and in actions

23. He sought for revelation and inspiration by the Holy Ghost

24. He was inspired by the right reasons. He gave glory to others. He glory end and was inspired by preserving and helping others choose the right and resist iniquity

25. He was a leader who inspired others, especially inspiring others to believe in Christ.

All these things are examples of “standing fast in the faith of christ.” It is a guide of how to become a mighty and strong individual individual that if all men were like unto Moroni the powers of the devil would be gone forever over the heart of any man.

What would I write in my title of liberty? Standsure?  Have I already written on for myself? Is my vision admission statement my personal title of liberty? Has my family written one? 

—Satan temps and deceives little by little

Satan knows that I would never commit a big sin or believe obvious lies.  his strategy is to use subtle lies and small Temptations – As many as he thinks I will accept –to lead me away from light and into darkness.

I know he does this. I’ve seen it in my own life.

“As the Savior demonstrated with Herod, sometimes true disciples must show Christian courage by saying nothing at all. Once when I was golfing, I barely brushed up against a large cholla cactus, which seems to shoot needles like a porcupine. Thorns from that plant stuck all over my clothing, even though I had barely touched the cactus plant. Some situations are like that plant: they can only injure us. In such instances, we are better off to keep our distance and simply walk away. As we do, some may try to provoke us and engage us in argument. In the Book of Mormon, we read about Lehonti and his men camped upon a mount. The traitorous Amalickiah urged Lehonti to “come down” and meet him in the valley. But when Lehonti left the high ground, he was poisoned “by degrees” until he died, and his army fell into Amalickiah’s hands (see Alma 47). By arguments and accusations, some people bait us to leave the high ground. The high ground is where the light is. It’s where we see the first light of morning and the last light in the evening. It is the safe ground. It is true and where knowledge is. Sometimes others want us to come down off the high ground and join them in a theological scrum in the mud. These few contentious individuals are set on picking religious fights, online or in person. We are always better staying on the higher ground of mutual respect and love.”  – – Elder Robert Hales

This week come follow me lesson uses a new analogy that I have never thought of before. Scriptures like second Nephi 28:21–22

Say things like how the devil will pacify you and Lil you away into carnal security. He cheats your souls he leads them away carefully down to hell. He tells us there is no hell all is well I am no devil – He whispers in our ears and then grab us in his awful chains flax and cord. This weeks come follow me uses a different analogy instead of flax and cord it uses something that people in the modern era are more aware of that are magnets. Grasping us in chains he attracts us with magnets and when we become trapped and surrounded it’s very difficult to break free from the force of the nine minute force polling you to sin and darkness you can escape it but it’s hard you have to let go of what’s magnetized you you have to get rid of things that lead you and attract you to darkness you have to eliminate those things from your life. What are the things in my life that I need to completely eliminate? Some relationships yes. Even texting people some people yes. What start there and see where it leads me.

—

Unity Springs safety

Nephites Lost cities despite the preparation that Moroni had accomplished. This happened due to contention. And pride. People of hyper wanted to have a king and they wouldn’t accept the results of a democratically held election to keep the people free. And there was a wicked person who wanted to drink the blood of Moroni.

This is a reminder of how important it is not to have contention in a family. My family must be unified or else it will fail. I should never talk badly about any family member and I should try to heal any damaged relationships that happened over what’s thatt did you send me another calendars what time what day is that you had another one August 21 at 3 PM yeah I see it doesn’t show that you did it but it shows that it’s thereime.

We must always take a leap of faith before the strength, miracle, light, understanding, etc. appears an example used with Elder Bednar, talking about the children of Israel, caring the ark of the covenant. When they reach the river Jordon, they had to actually put their feet into the river and start walking parted. Question is what will I do exercise my faith in Christ? I think the answer revolves around what will I do? Every day begins by seeking to fill the spirit and find the spirit. Next pray daily. Next I should seek for inspiration and then try to act upon that inspiration to see if the insight given work! And if I’m feeling the spirit of being directed by the spirit, they always will!

Alma 32: 21–43 

41 but if you will nourish the word, yay, nourish the tree as it begins to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit there of, it shall take root; and behold, it shall be a tree springing up onto everlasting life. 

42 And because of your diligence in your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that may take you, behold, and you shall pluck the fruit there, which is most precious, which is sweet all that is sweet, which is white above all that is white, yay, pure above all that is pure; fruit to you, hunger, neither shall eat thirst.

43 then, my brother, you shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and lung suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit to you.

The first time I ever experienced the fruit that comes from diligently, growing faith, was on my mission. It’s been dormant for many many years, mostly due to the trauma of the trial, but I’m impressed that within 2 to 4 short weeks of diligently, making time to read scriptures for an hour at pray 4 to 5 times a week that I’ve been able to take the fruit again and feel this incredible precious reward – that promises our person that they will not hunger, neither shall they thirst. Indeed, how real that is!

—Exercising our spiritual muscles 

“I have come to realize that spiritual gifts behave in the same way. They also need to be exercised to grow. The spiritual gift of faith, for example, is not just a feeling or a mood; it is a principle of action that frequently appears in the scriptures linked to the verb exercise. Just as reading and learning about muscles is not enough to build muscle, reading and learning about faith without adding action is insufficient to build faith.“  – – Elder Juan Pablo Villar.

This the first time I think I’ve ever heard the idea that Faith requires action for it to become stronger just like how exercise also requires action for our muscles to become stronger. We can’t just be reading about exercise, looking at exercise videos, or watching people, exercise or even people talk about exercise, we have to do things exercise for us to drive any benefit from it. About faith we can’t just come follow me or read or listen to people talk about faith, we have to do things that build our faith.

The question is what are those things that help build faith?

Perhaps the answer to this question is found here: 

“Matthew 16:24.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. “

Faith is a spiritual gift. Heavenly father helps us develop spiritual gifts, but we must do our part. He doesn’t just grant them without spiritual and physical effort. When we have the spirit with us, we become more aware and are able to identify opportunities to develop these spiritual gifts and then once identified, we have the decision to make to act upon them or not. For example, if we seek for more patients, we may find ourselves needing to practice it while waiting for a response. If you want to have more love for our neighbor, we can meet new people at church and sit by them.

For me, I’ve discovered that exercising faith requires time. Just like exercising our bodies require time on purpose. I need to plan out times when I will exercise my body. I must do the same to plan out times to exercise my faith. Not just reading the scriptures but studying the Scriptures is one of the most effective ways I found to feel the spirit. And then when I have the spirit I able to be guided in the moment where I should be, how I should act, what I should say that allows me to grow my faith bythe covenants that I’ve made. 

In the endowment, members are invited to make sacred covenants as follows:

Live the law of obedience and strive to keep Heavenly Father’s commandments.

Obey the law of sacrifice, which means sacrificing to support the Lord’s work and repenting with a broken heart and contrite spirit.

Obey the law of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the higher law that He taught while He was on the earth.

Keep the law of chastity, which means that a member has sexual relations only with the person to whom he or she is legally and lawfully wedded according to God’s law.

Keep the law of consecration, which means that members dedicate their time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed them to building up Jesus Christ’s Church on the earth.

In return, Heavenly Father promises that those who remain faithful to their temple covenants will be endowed “with power from on high” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:32, 38; see also Luke 24:49; Doctrine and Covenants 43:16). (General Handbook, 27.2.)

Those covenants include loving God, loving my neighbor and loving myself.

Ether 12:27 says it best. Moroni is offering these insights while compiling this book.  Go to end if man, to me, I will show up to them their weakness.“ First of all we need to come onto the Lord, to heavenly father and to Christ so that we can learn what our weaknesses are . “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble.“ We are given weaknesses so that we stay humble. It is a gift to help us, knowing that humility is required to be able to accomplish anything great either on our own or with teams or with families, or to grow and learn. Without humility, our minds are not open develop a become more. “My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me” Christ power is only available to the humble “ for if they hump themselves before me, and have faith in me, then I will make weak things become strong unto them .” 

1.  Humble yourself before the Lord

2. Have faith in the Lord 

3. Weak things will become stronger to you 

Why is it important to remain humble? The verse below is a good example of the dangers that come from pride:

8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.

This one verse I have seen true and more frequently in the last 10 years of my life people that leave the church, forget God and are involved in sin in our let away by the evil one.