Curse

     As with all things in life, curses are a choice. For God always gives the choice of life and blessings or death and curses. Curses are intricately connected to 2 things: family and land. Curses can come from parents or children and last generations. Curses leave you separate, unconnected while blessings join generations. It is by connecting family that curses are removed, by honoring parents. Curses can be covenants, sins of the lips, signs of nature, signs of skin. Curses only come from rebellion, from following Satan and desires of the natural man. To remove curses, you must simply shake off the dust/chains and put on armor and obey God. God is eager to remove any and all curses and bless abundantly through obedience and the Atonement, to give promised land and an eternal family.

*Gen 3:14 - Satan/serpent cursed to crawl on belly/eat dust

*Gen 3:17 - Ground cursed for Adam and Eve, eat in sorrow all their days, Isa 24:6 - cursed earth = desolation, D&C 61:17 - Cursed land, blessed in last days for saints to partake of fatness, D&C 61:14 - water blessed and cursed

*Gen 4:11-15 - Cain cursed with a mark so no one could kill him, cursed to not grow things but to be a fugitive/vagabond (Moses 5:36-40)

*Gen 8:21 - Lord promises after Noah to never curse earth/living things again

*Gen 9:25 - Because Ham did not respect his father, Canaan his son was cursed to be servant to his brothers' generations

*Gen 12:3,27-29 - Abrahamic covenant - to curse those that curseth thee

*Gen 49:7 - Simeon & Levi cursed(scattered/divided) because of cruel and fierce anger

*Ex 21:17, Lev 20:9, Prov 20:20, Matt 15:4, Mark 7:10 - Do not curse your parents - you will die, their blood will be on your hands, you will be in obscure darkness, "die the death"

*Ex 22:28 - Do not curse god or the ruler of your people

*Lev 19:14 - Do not curse deaf or block blind - fear the Lord - others may hear and see

*Lev 24:15-16 - If you curse God, you bear your own sins, be put to death

*Deut 11:26-28, Jacob 2:29 - Cursed if you don't obey commandments(go after other Gods)

*Deut 23:5 - Out of love, God turns curses into blessings

*Deut 27:15-26 - Cursed be those who: worship graven images, esteem parents lightly, steal, make blind wander, perverteth judgement, sexual sin, violence, bribery, hears the law and disobeys

*Deut 28:15-68, Deut 29 - YIKES! If you do not obey, you will be cursed in EVERY aspect of your life until you are destroyed - Jer 11:3

*Deut 30:7-11 - If you do keep commandments, it's your enemies who will be cursed in every aspect of their lives

*Deut 30:19 - God has given us the choice: life/blessings or death/curses

*Josh 8:34 - Book of law contains list of blessings(Dan 9:11) and curses -  2 Crong 34:24

*Neh 10:29 - People entered into a "curse" to obey God's laws - can a curse be a covenant then? - Acts 23:12 - People bound "curse" to kill Paul

*Job 1:5 - Job sacrificed in case His children cursed God

*Job 1:11 - The battle over Job between God and Satan was because Satan said he would curse God and God said he would not - the battle they have over all of us.

*Job 2:5-10 - Job's wife said to just curse God and die, he didn't. Cursing is sinning with your lips. -Job 3 - He cursed his day/himself, but not God(Jer 20:14). - Job 31:30, Ps 10:7(deceit, fraud, mischief, vanity, Ps 62:4 - hypocrites curse with heart - Jer 48:10

*Jer 35:18 - desolation=curse

*Psalms 37:22 - blessed to inherit the earth, cursed are cut off

*Prov 3:33 - Curse the unjust

*Prov 27:14 - Waking others up early will be a curse to you :)

*Isa 34:5 - Cursing is part of judgement

*Jer 17:5 - Cursed to trust in man/depart from Lord - Dan 9:11, 2 Ne 4:34 something Nephi knew, 2 Nephi 28:31 - only trust men led by the Holy Ghost

*Zech 8:13 - Lord uses you as a curse to your enemies

*Mal 1:14 - Cursed be the deceiver(someone unwilling to sacrifice), robbing God (Mal 3:9, 3 Ne 24:9)

*Mal 2:2 -- Hear, give glory, put word in your heart or your blessings will be cursed

*Mal 4:6, 3 Ne 25:6 - If you do not turn towards each other(genealogy), the earth will be cursed

*Matt 5:44, Luke 6:28, 3 Nephi 12:44 - Bless them that curse you, don't curse back - Romans 12:14

*Matt 25:41 - To be cursed is an everlasting fire preapred for devil and his angels

*Matt 26:74, Mark 14:21 - Peter cursed/swore he didn't know Jesus

*Mark 11:21 - If you don't have faith/are fruitful - you will be cursed(like fig tree having no root or branch)

*John 7:49 - If you don't know the law, you are cursed - as well as if you don't follow the law - Gal 3:10

*Gal 3:13 - Christ has redeemed you from curse of law/since you can't follow perfectedly

*James 3:9 - We bless God and curse men with same tongue - DON'T

*2 Peter 2:14 - Unrighteous people have cursed children

*Rev 22:3 - Curse will be removed from the earth - Alma 45:16 - blessing and curse = land

*1 Ne 2:23 - Cursing from God comes from rebellion

*1 Ne 17:35-38 - When children rebel, God curses land - no power over it, when we obey land becomes blessed(see promised lands - a sacred and holy inheritance, even in heaven) - Jacob 2:29, 3:3

*2 Ne 1:18 - Cursing often lasts generations(sword, famine, hated, led and captive by devil)

*2 Ne 1:22-24 - What to do to not be cursed/destroyed: armor of righteousness, arise from dust, shake off chains and obscurity, no more rebellion - Alma 23:18

*2 Ne 4:6 - Curses can be put all on the parents and not the chilren

*2 Ne 5:21,24-25 - Curse of dark skin, become scourge to unrighteous-Jacob 3:3, uncursed become white/fair - 3 Ne 2:15

*2 Ne 29:5 - Careful who you curse, because it will return on your own head

*Alma 3:19 - You always bring on your own curse/condemnation

*Alma 17:15 - Children can be cursed because of parents

*Alma 30:53 - Following Satan and natural man = cursed -Moses 5:52

*Alma 32:19 - More cursed if you "know" and transgress instead of "believe" and transgress

*Hel 13:21 - Can be cursed because of riches/love of riches

*D&C 41:1 - He "delights" in blessing us with "the greatest of all blessings" but for those who profess His name and hear not, they are cursed with heaviest of all cursings

*D&C 121:16 - Cursed if you complain about anointed - saying they are sinning when they are doing what God commanded

*D&C 124:93 - Prophet has power to bless, curse, bind, loose

*D&C 128:18 - Baptisms for the dead/welding link between generations is what will lift curse

*Moses 5:25 - Repentance always prevents cursing

*Abr 1:24,26 - Ham's generation cursed to the priesthood, cursed by land(although later blessed with land and wisdom)

*Abr 2:11 - "bless them that bless thee, curse them that curse thee" opposite of cursed = eternal life, blessings of the gospel

Authority

     Authority means you are chosen and ordained. It is intricately connected to Christ as all authority is subject unto Him and the sole purpose of spiritual authority is so that Christ may be glorified and praised. God and Christ are the ultimate authority to call, to allow servants to speak, preach, baptize, give Holy Ghost, call and ordain others, rule, teach, judge, learn and use scriptures, raise children, open and inherit kingdoms, and in short, administer to all spiritual things. Authority comes from lineage, it can be lost and restored and are the keys to dispensation. Authority among men can easily be lost or taken and must be used as sacred trust in connection with faith, charity, and the Holy Ghost. We all have authority over ourselves and our respective callings - so take care how you use it and make sure you're always using it to direct yourself and others to Christ.

*Ex 3:12 - God uses authority to call prophets(Moses) - whose purpose is to bring people back to Him Eph 4:11, 2 Chron 24:19, Isaiah 6:8 (you also have authority to accept callings), stays with them and supports them

*Ex 7:2 - God gives authority to speak for Him, Ezek 2:7 - to preach -D&C 42:11

*Matt 8:9 - Authority requires faith - that people will do what you ask, also faith to be called to do what you are asked to do - Ether 12:10

*Matt 10:1(Luke 9:1) - with authority comes power against and over unclean spirits, sickness, disease - Mark 1:27, Acts 19:13-16

*Matt 21:23 - People questioned Christ's authority - astonished He taught with authority -Mark 1:22

*Mark 13:34 - Christ gave authority to His servants and has authority to send them(Isa 48:16, Jer 7:25) - to preach, baptize - like Noah - D&C 68:8, Moses 8:19

*Luke 19:17 - Christ builds your authority after seeing what you do with a little

*Luke 22:29 - God and Christ have authority to appoint kingdoms, give authority to open kingdom on earth - D&C 112:21 *When you don't have authority and act like you do - you lose the kingdom - 1 Sam 13:8-14, 2 Chron 26:16-21

*John 5:27 - Christ has authority to judge. All judges must have authority - Alma 11:2

*John 5:45 - Christ has authority of His Father's name - doing everything His father taught Him - John 8:28

*John 15:16 - Authority means to be chosen and ordained, given power to bring fruit, have answered prayers

*John 20:21 - Through Christ's authority, we are sent to do His will - just as He was sent by God

*Acts 13:3 - Priesthood/laying on of hands = authority, ordained-Acts 14:23, *2 Ne 5:26 - Authority to consecrate priests and teachers

*1 Ne 2:22 - Through God's authority you can rule and teach - Alma 17:3, Luke 10:1 - 2 by 2s, 70s - Titus 2:15 - Let no man despise thee - preach, rebuke, exhort

*Mosiah 21:33 - without authority you can't baptize

*Alma 25:5 - The authority of men can easily be usurped, or corrupted Mosiah 24:8

*Alma 49:30 - It is a holy order of God when you are called to preach - D&C 18:26

*3 Ne 18:36-37 - Christ gave apostles/disciples power to give the Holy Ghost-cannot be bought Acts 8:9-20, Acts 19:6

*D&C 20:2 - JSJr called/ordained of God, D&C 27:8 - given priesthood

*D&C 25:3 - Authority to call and forgive sins *D&C 63:62 - Be careful how you use the Lord's name if you don't have authority, it's in vain

*D&C 107:8 - Mel priesthood has authority in administering spiritual things

*D&C 113:8 - Strength of Zion is the authority of the priesthood, which is a right by lineage - once lost then restored - Abr 1:3 - conferred upon the fathers

*D&C 121:39 - Almost everyone that gets even a little authority must be very careful to exercise righteous dominion - do it with charity, faith, and the Holy Ghost (v. 40-46)

*D&C 128:9 - Every dispensation of the priesthood comes with the authority and power to bind on earth and in heaven.

*D&C 134:10 -  Religious authority gives rights to try men on religious grounds, not for property, life/politics

*AofF 5 - Authority is one of our tenets of faith - that you must have the RIGHT authority to preach, baptize, give Holy Ghost, and administer

*Acts 18:24 - Apollos was "might" in scripture - gave authority to convince people Jesus is the Christ

*1 Peter 3:22 - All authority is subject unto Christ

*1 Peter 4:11 - You have authority to preach/minister SO that Christ may be glorified/praised

*Moses 6:58 - You have authority over your children

*D&C 11:15 - Make sure you don't preach until you are called to do so

*D&C 84:21 - Without authority of priesthood - there is no power of godliness

*D&C 110:16 - Authority is part of teh keys of the dispensation

*D&C 121:37 - With an degree of unrighteousness, authority is withdrawn.

Promised Lands

     Promised lands are holy - for they are sacred places of righteousness and freedom - places to raise children in liberty, free to teach and practice worship to the Lord, free from confounding of true principles. All that is required to have these blessings, these tender mercies is obedience and faith to the Lord. It is a place to build Zion/New Jerusalem - to fulfill prophecies of the scattered people being reunited in the Lord. If you become lost, or a stranger in the land without land of your own - you may always repent and be returned to land. Promised lands are so sacred, that they are on par with being promised seed/posterity/children(to be like God) and if you remain faithful, you will keep your land in the eternities.

*Gen 12:1,7,13:14-17,15:7,18,17:8,24:7, Abr 2:19, Gen 26:3, 28:13(35:12, 48:4), 48:21, 50:24, Ex 20:12, 32:13, Deut 1:8, Deut 34:1-4, Josh 21:43, 1 Chron 16:18, Psalms 105:11, Acts 7:5, 3 Ne 20:14 - The Lord covenants to give seed and land and land to seed. Land is as great a promise as children/posterity.

*Num 27:12 - When children of Israel wer disobedient they were lost, without land. Once they obey, they get land (Num 34:1-12)

*Heb 11:9 - By faith, you can sojourn in the land of promise

*1 Ne 2:20, 7:13, 18:23, Ether 13:2, 2 Nephi 3:2 - must be obedient, faithful to keep land of promise

*1 Ne 5:5 - Lehi rejoices in(for)promised land, 12:1, 13:14 - multiplied land of promise

*1 Ne 10:13 - Led to the promised land to fulfill prophesy of being "scattered"

*1 Ne 13:30 - This promised land is choicest above all others - must be righteous to be in it. - Ether 1:42, 10:28, 13:2, 2:7

*1 Ne 14:2 - promises that come with land - blessings, fruitful, no captivity, no confounding

*2 Ne 1:5-7 - No one comes to the land of promise unless led by the Lord and as long as they are obedient they will always have it and freedom and liberty - 2 Ne 10:11, Ether 2:7

****D&C 38:20 - If you've been promised land as an inheritance, it is also yours in eternity

*2 Ne 9:2 - When you repent(Jesus), you are restored to your lands of promise

*Jacob 2:12 - precious ores within promised land

*Ether 6:12 - Being led to promised land is tender mercy, much cause for rejoicing

*Ether 13:8 - New Jerusalem to be built in land of promise

*D&C 103:11, 109:64 - The scattered people will return to their promised lands and build up Zion

*Abr 1:16 - Lord had to remove Abraham to a "strange" land because of the disobedience of the people, the Lord will take to the safety of a promised land if you are obedient