All may turn away from the world,
All may turn toward Christ,
All may repent,
All may receive forgiveness according to their repentance,
All may repair damage as much as possible,
All may work hard to serve the Lord,
All may progress,
All may find hope in the Lord.
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Saturday 13 September 2014
Wednesday 3 September 2014
The Direction Of Travel
Our standing before God is not determined by how far we are along the path of Godhood, but by what direction we are traveling.
There were two 16 year old boys in our branch that both seem very similar on the surface. One boy was raised in the church, and the other had only recently found the gospel. The first boy had been raised in the church and been taught right from wrong from a very early age. The other was raised in an abusive family and taught to steal and lie, and was punished when he did not do as taught. The first boy was in a time of rebellion, often found among teenagers, and so befriended the second boy because of his crass speech and low brow behaviour. The second boy had recently found the gospel and had been ostracized by his family because of his desire to draw near to God and seek out a better life.
Interestingly, the congregation looked upon the first boy with compassion and understanding, while at the same time judging the second boy to be a bad influence and leading the first boy astray. This, of course, is a wicked judgment. I have watched the second boy struggle to learn new social skills, overcome foul language, speak with kindness, voraciously study the gospel, learn to pray, perform priesthood duties with great power, give blessings by the Holy Spirit of God, completely turn away from his old life and seek for a new life in Christ.
While, sadly, I have seen the opposite in the life of the first boy. He was turning away from the gospel, looking toward the enticements of the world. His love of the gospel waned, and he seemed to work very hard at ridding himself of his conscience.
From the outside, these boys looked very similar, and a person who was unfamiliar with them would perhaps think they were both equally rebellious. It is just that one was going toward the world, and the other was going toward God. The boy who was going toward God is experiencing all sorts of miracles and spiritual experiences, while the boy that was moving away from God was experiencing the withdrawl of the Holy Spirit.
Even though these two boys were in a very similar state of behaviour on the surface, one was accepted of God, and the other was not, as is witnessed by the presence of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of God.
Does this mean that we have to be absolutely perfect in order to be accepted of God? No, we just need to be traveling in the right direction, striving with all our hearts to reach Him.
Our standing before God is not determined by how far we are along the path, but by what direction we are traveling.
All those who move toward God, who move toward humility and meekness, correcting themselves and bringing themselves into alignment with what Jesus taught, are acceptable to God.
Let us all repent of all our sins and approach our Heavenly Father in perfect faith, for He is there waiting to throw His arms around us and welcome us back!
.
There were two 16 year old boys in our branch that both seem very similar on the surface. One boy was raised in the church, and the other had only recently found the gospel. The first boy had been raised in the church and been taught right from wrong from a very early age. The other was raised in an abusive family and taught to steal and lie, and was punished when he did not do as taught. The first boy was in a time of rebellion, often found among teenagers, and so befriended the second boy because of his crass speech and low brow behaviour. The second boy had recently found the gospel and had been ostracized by his family because of his desire to draw near to God and seek out a better life.
Interestingly, the congregation looked upon the first boy with compassion and understanding, while at the same time judging the second boy to be a bad influence and leading the first boy astray. This, of course, is a wicked judgment. I have watched the second boy struggle to learn new social skills, overcome foul language, speak with kindness, voraciously study the gospel, learn to pray, perform priesthood duties with great power, give blessings by the Holy Spirit of God, completely turn away from his old life and seek for a new life in Christ.
While, sadly, I have seen the opposite in the life of the first boy. He was turning away from the gospel, looking toward the enticements of the world. His love of the gospel waned, and he seemed to work very hard at ridding himself of his conscience.
From the outside, these boys looked very similar, and a person who was unfamiliar with them would perhaps think they were both equally rebellious. It is just that one was going toward the world, and the other was going toward God. The boy who was going toward God is experiencing all sorts of miracles and spiritual experiences, while the boy that was moving away from God was experiencing the withdrawl of the Holy Spirit.
Even though these two boys were in a very similar state of behaviour on the surface, one was accepted of God, and the other was not, as is witnessed by the presence of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of God.
For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do
D&C 46:9
Does this mean that we have to be absolutely perfect in order to be accepted of God? No, we just need to be traveling in the right direction, striving with all our hearts to reach Him.
Our standing before God is not determined by how far we are along the path, but by what direction we are traveling.
All those who move toward God, who move toward humility and meekness, correcting themselves and bringing themselves into alignment with what Jesus taught, are acceptable to God.
Let us all repent of all our sins and approach our Heavenly Father in perfect faith, for He is there waiting to throw His arms around us and welcome us back!
.
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