Episode 64: How to Make Yourself Chosen

We are in Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-46 today, talking about the phrase, “Many are called but few are chosen.” How do we become chosen?

As promised, I am also sharing some insights from the temple. And this wouldn’t be the Why Not Me podcast without some personal stories.

This one is full of scriptural, spiritual insight. I hope it brings new understanding to your identity in the Lord and how to do your work in the world.

Full Podcast notes:

Based off of D&C 121: 34-46- many are called but few are chosen

1. Why are many called but few chosen? Because their hearts are set upon the things of the world and honor of men.
2. Which prevents them from learning:
   1. the rights of priesthood are connected to power of heaven
   2. the power of heaven cannot be controlled or handled unless by principles of righteousness.
3. What makes us unrighteous?
   1. We attempt to cover our sins
      1. Adam and Eve cover their nakedness
      2. In the temple- how am I trying to hide from God?
   2. We gratify our pride or vain ambition.
      1. Gratify = to indulge, to satisfy
         1. Two types of fear – Brooke Snow- Pachad vs Yirah
         2. Me- fear man vs fearing God
         3. Satan takes our Yirah fear and changes it into shame. Perhaps Adam and Eve were feeling Yirah- called to something bigger than themselves. What could they have done differently? How would it have brought them closer to God?
         4. Our pride= our ego=our natural man=animal inside us
            1. How I see this in myself: wanting recognition, wanting encouragement, wanting to know I am on the right path, I’m good, etc. If I wasn’t preoccupied with this, where would be energy go? TO ACTUALLY DOING GOOD.
            2. Wanting to know who i am and what my purpose is. Instead of trusting i am a child of God, my purpose is to grow closer to Him, to bring as many with me, to become more than my natural man. Paradox with knowing who we are, identity and giving up our identity.
   3. We exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men
      1. Dominion = sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling, responsibility toward
      2. Unrighteous dominion= not based out of love, based out of pride
4. And what happens when we do this?
   1. The heavens withdraw- no power
   2. No priesthood of God, which means no power of God
5. Which means….
   1. Man is left to himself to
      1. Kick against the pricks = resist
      2. Persecute the saints (gratify our pride)
      3. Fight against God- complain, resist, blame
      4. This where most people in the world live every day. In their natural man, false selves. We can do better! This is why I do the work I do— to help people see themselves in a new way, their divine selves!
6. What is the solution?
   1. persuasion
   2. long-suffering
   3. gentleness
   4. meekness
   5. love unfeigned – true, real, sincere, not counterfeit
   6. kindness
   7. pure knowledge
   8. following the Spirit
   9. faith
   10. charity
   11. virtue
7. And the effect of that solution?
   1. Read v. 45-46
   2. Isn’t that funny? The very thing we think we will produce when we exercise unrighteous dominion is what we get when we don’t.
   3. This is the model in the scriptures- evidence!

Takeaways from today’s episode? How can we make ourselves chosen? How can we be aware of when we are trying to hide from God, exercising unrighteous dominion? How can I repent and turn myself more toward God?

If this episode made you think about yourself, God, or others in a new way, would you please give it a rating and a review? And if you want to truly do the work of being the best you at what you do, schedule a free session with me. Until next time, go be you and follow the Spirit.

Denita