By Cordell and Janice Vail

29 Feb 2004

Copyright 2004 by Cordell Vail all rights reserved

A weekly email gospel message for the descendents of Ammon and Winona Vail

Fast Offerings

I have always been fascinated by prophetic promises in the scriptures and by the living prophets. In Romans 10:17 it says that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So if we want to build our faith, then we can do that by hearing to the word of God. I am now "interpreting" here the word "HEARING" to mean not just to hear the words but FOLLOW the words. To me, that is what hearing would mean. Faith comes by listening to the living prophets and also by following what we heard them say. If they tell us to do something that is not easy to do then we have to have faith to do it trusting in the promise. Otherwise we have not "HEARD" them. That is what makes our faith grow by "HEARING" the words of God.

Because we have been talking so much lately about fasting and then praying for each other I though I would share with you 4 of my most favorite prophetic promises related to fasting and prayer. It is interesting to note that the prophets point out that for our fasting to be complete we need to remember the offering part of fasting. I think that I do not need to say any more about them than that. Here they are.

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President Spencer W. Kimball
Conference Report, Oct. 1977 pg. 126.

“If we give a generous fast offering, we shall increase our own prosperity both spiritually and temporally.”

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Pres. Marion G. Romney,
Ensign, July 1982, pgs. 2-4.

“One of the important things the Lord has told us to do is to be liberal in our payment of fast offerings. I would like you to know that there are great rewards for so doing--both spiritual and temporal rewards. THE LORD HAS SAID THAT THE EFFICACY OF OUR PRAYERS DEPENDS UPON OUR LIBERALITY TO THE POOR.(See Alma 34:28) ....Givers must give out of a righteous heart and with a willing spirit. Receivers must receive with thankfulness and gladness of heart....We should all give some attention to the matter of fasting. WE HAVEN'T REALLY CALLED ON THE LORD SO THAT WE CAN REACH HIM INTIMATELY IF WE DON'T FAST OCCASIONALLY, AND PRAY OFTEN. Many of our personal problems can be solved by so doing ....Pay an honest tithing and a generous fast offering if you want the blessings of heaven. I promise every one of you who will do it that you will increase your own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. The Lord will reward you according to your deeds.”

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President Marion G. Romney,
Conference Report, Apr. 1974 pages 176-180

“We ought, and we must do better. If we will DOUBLE OUR FAST OFFERINGS, we shall increase our own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally....”

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President Spencer W. Kimball,
Conference Report, Oct. 1974, pg. 184.

“Sometimes we have been a bit penurious and figure that we had for breakfast one egg and that cost so many cents, and then we give that to the Lord. I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous....I think
we should be generous and give, instead of the amount we saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps, much, much more - TEN TIMES MORE - where we are in a position to do it. I know there are some who couldn't.”

NOTE: Nothing in any of these Sunday Sermons is intended to represent the official doctrines of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are strictly instructions and teachings from Cordell and Janice Vail to their family.