Change and Constancy

Change is part of life. The seasons change. We get older, more mature(hopefully!). Our haircuts grow out. Our friends change or move away. Our favorite stories, foods, movies, songs all change.

Sometimes it is easy to embrace the change. We are often glad to see the heat of summer give way to the cool of fall. And we are also glad to see the winter snows melt into spring green.

Sometimes the changes are not what we want to see.

I usually embrace change. I have a tendancy to get bored when things don't change. But sometimes I don't like the changes that come. When changes come that I don't like, I can take comfort in the God who changes not.

In a world where changes seem to come from every side, where some say that even the scriptures are no longer to be taken literally, where truth is twisted to make everyone feel accepted, we can know that our Heavenly Father doesn't change. His word is still true. There is still a plan for us and path to follow. He still loves us, listens to us, and desires to bring us home.

That's something that we can count on that doesn't change. And that's a great comfort to me!

Rodney Atkins "if Going through Hell"

Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Says I don't mind if ya kick me
Seems like everybody has
Things go from bad to worse
You'd think they can't get worse than that
And then they do

You step off the straight and narrow
And you don't know where you are
Use the needle of your compass
To sew up your broken heart
Ask directions from a genie
In a bottle of Jim Beam
And she lies to you
That's when you learn the truth

If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there

Well I been deep down in that darkness
I been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons
Breathing fire down my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying, yeah

But the good news
Is there's angels everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The one's that you've been dragginig for so long
You're on your knees
You maight as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying

If your going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there

Yeah, If you're going through hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there

If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there

Yeah, If you're going through hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Yeah, you might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there.

Our Personal Battles

D&C 10:33 Thus ^aSatan thinketh to overpower your ^btestimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation.

We all get really great ideas to do good for those around us. But often times, things occur or arise that we soon shuffle these thoughts into the background. I truly believe that it is the adversary at work. He wants to stop us short of reaching our true potentials by any means possible. If we can recognize this, as mishaps and oppositions befall us, we can keep our eyes on the goal. Remember, the harder opposition hits us as we strive to do what’s right, the harder we should spur ourselves on to achieve those things. Let us come out the victor of all our personal battles!

I WILL SHOW UNTO YOU A GOD OF MIRACLES

MORMON 9:11-21

11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of ^amiracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same ^bGod who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.

12 Behold, he created Adam, and by ^aAdam came the ^bfall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the ^credemption of man.

13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the ^apresence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the ^bresurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless ^csleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal ^dband of death, which death is a temporal death.

14 And then cometh the ^ajudgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is ^bfilthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ^ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous ^aworks of God?

17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his ^aword the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was ^bcreated of the ^cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?

18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty ^amiracles? And there were many ^bmighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.

19 And if there were ^amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he ^bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do ^amiracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should ^btrust.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, ^awhatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this ^bpromise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

Have miracles ceased?

"For it is by faith that miracles are wrought; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain."

I have a personal experience that I'd like to share with you. Myself, like many of you, I have been blessed with a very tight budget and things often look grim these days. However, it is in these times that our faith is tried and we see much in personal growth as I have come to experience.

Last pay period I pulled out my tithing amount and set it aside first off, that way I would not accidently spend it. Like every paycheck it seemed to disappear quite quickly and this one was no different. As the week went on I found myself strapped for gas and one too many bills to pay...I didn't have enough to make ends meet. Throughout the week i found myself eyeballing the tithing sitting on my shelf. I would catch myself and say, "no, no i know that the lord will provide, he will provide one way or another." I have come to understand that tithing always works blessing always come with obedience to it. My parents taught me that, and I have learned on my own as well. So I made it to Sunday and paid my tithing in full trusting in the Lord. I have a cell phone bill due that I could not afford to pay and would have to wait to pay it tell I got my next pay check. On Monday I was stressing all day at work, wondering what to do. That night when I returned home I found a check from my cell phone company for a refund of $128.00. More than enough to make things work. It was the very next day after paying my tithing that I recieved a blessing in response of my obedience to paying my tithing. I still have no idea what the check was for but I know the Lord works in mysterous ways!

I so testify that we cannot and will not be left alone if we put our trust in the Lord, he always provides. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith theLord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

Bruce R. McConkie

Cremation of the dead is no part of the gospel; it is a practice which has been avoided by the saints in all ages. The Church today counsels its members not to cremate their dead. Such a procedure would find gospel acceptance only under the most extraordinary and unusual circumstances. Wherever possible the dead should be consigned to the earth, and nothing should be done that is destructive of the body; that should be left to nature, "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:19)

Doubt not, Fear not.

A couple important lessons that I have recently come to understand is that 1- this life is FULL of hardships and 2-NO ONE is exempt from them! Suffering and pain is an inevitable part of life that we all have to deal with. Everyone has their unique struggles and even though some people "seem" to have life easier then others, most of the time the truth is that they have just learned to mask it a little better. Therefore when we go through struggles, we should never think "why me" because the truth is that it rarely has anything to do with "you" and mostly to do with one of the main purposes of life. Which is to learn and grow and typically that growth comes after these trials of our faith.

Lately I have been thinking a LOT about doubt and fear vs faith and hope. And what I've come to realize is that one comes from God, and the other comes from the devil. Satan is one smart son-of-a-gun and he knows exactly what tools to use in order to bring us down into the hell and misery that he lives in every day. And one of his best tools is to instill fear, doubt, and despair in our minds in the midst of our trials. Luckily though, I feel SO blessed to have a strong testimony of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and their power of deliverance and of HOPE!

Here is one of my favorite quotes that I carry with me everywhere and read out loud to myself whenever I start to feel discouraged:

"When you feel overwhelmed by expectations and challenges, do not fight the battle alone. Follow the example of small children and drop to your knees in prayer. Jesus Christ has commanded us, 'Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.' Doubt, fear and worry indicate that we have taken all of life's burdens and anxieties on ourselves. When plagued by thoughts that you are inadequate, confidently say, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.' Then as you 'cheerfully do all things that lie in your power', you can rest assured that the Lord will do the remainder and things will work out all right. The savior promised, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. As you cast your burden upon the Lord, you will feel the peace of the Spirit."

I bear my testimony that Heavenly Father is always there, with "his hand stretched forth still." He knows our struggles and is ANXIOUS to give us rest from them but we must first do our part! One of my biggest pet peeves is when people try to console each other by saying, "well what's mean to be will happen." Unfortunately that's just not true! What is "meant to be" only happens according to our faith and our works. Heavenly father blesses those who are actively striving to keep his commandments and 'cheerfully doing all things that lie in our power.' THEN is when his grace comes in and he takes it from there. But we must first ACT and then have faith that God will fulfill all of his promises to us, his children! Because with God on your side, how can life possibly go wrong?!

One of my favorite scriptures ever is found in the Book of Mormon in Jacob 3:1 which reads,

"But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction."

And again a great scripture by Paul the apostle which reads, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(2 Tim.1:6-7.)

My prayer is that everyone can come to this knowledge and find the strength to have faith and hope amidst our hardest struggles in life. Because "men are that they might have joy" and so if we can't find joy in the journey then it seems like we are failing indeed. I know we all have the power to be happy and optimistic we just have to tap into that God-given power to overcome doubt, fear, and despair and truly come out triumphant!!

The Stone in the Sticks

“But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation, upon which the Jews can build.” – Jacob 4:16

In mans journey to know God we have been given the sacred writings of God’s Servants, the Holy Prophets, as evidence of God’s Glorious work among us his children. I do believe that every Christian would agree with this statement, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2Tim3:16).” Is it safe for us to say that the more scripture we have that has come by the inspiration of God would in fact allow us to obtain a firmer belief in doctrine and as a result would instruct us more fully in righteousness? Let us take a careful look at support in the Bible that will answer the question above.

Ezekiel 37:15-20,

[15] The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

[16] Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

[17] And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

[18] And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

[19] Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

[20] And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

Stick – Hebrew meaning wood (Wooden writing tablets were in common use in Babylon in Ezekiel’s day.) Num. 17:2(1-10)

The Stick of Judah is the Record of the Jews which is the Bible both Old and New Testaments. The other stick spoken of was a record that was entrusted to the Latter-day Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord himself tells us this in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, “Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fullness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim (Doctrine and Covenants 27:5).” Also in Revelation 14:6 is says, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” once again this is the prophecy of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon or as Ezekiel put it the Stick of Ephraim.

Okay, so one might ask “I thought the bible was complete and that we have all of the words of God in it, we don’t need more scripture.” To this I will say, “There are so-called lost books of the Bible which are documents that are mentioned in the Bible in such a way that it is evident they were considered authentic and valuable, but that are not found in the Bible today. Sometimes called the missing scripture, they consist of at least the following: book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14); book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13, 2 Sam. 1:18); book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41); book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29); book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29) these are just to name a few. The foregoing items attest to the fact that our present bible does not contain all of the word of the Lord that he gave to his people in former times, and reminds us that the Bible, in its present form, is rather incomplete.” For more information of this see LDS Edition of the Bible Dictionary under the topic ‘Lost Books’.

The Book of Mormon (Stick of Ephraim) warns those who will not accept further inspiration from God, this prophet Nephi received this revelation from the Lord, “Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have (2 Ne. 28:29-30).”Furthermore the 29^th Chapter of 2 Nephi illustrates how the Bible and the Book of Mormon compliment each other. It is never our place to limit God as to what he can or cannot reveal.

One more point to finish the knot, let’s turn to St. John 10.

[14] I am the good shepherd(God), and know my sheep(us his children), and am known of mine.

[15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

[16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

With these references in mind now take a glance at a scripture in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 15:21.

[21] And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

God not only had his hand the work that brought forth of what we know as the Bible but he is and will continue to reveal Scripture to his children for this reason found in the stick of Ephraim, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

In conclusion I’d like to leave with a list I’ve come up with regarding the Purposes of the Book of Mormon, Omni 1:25-26; Words of Mormon 1:7-8.

These purposes include the following, Sign of the Fathers work (3 Nephi 21:1-7, Abr. 1:18, 2:6,9-11; Ether 4:17); Confound false Doctrine (2 Nephi 3:12; 29:6-13); Restores truths of Gospel of Christ (1 Nephi 13); Convince Jew/Gentile that Jesus is the Christ (2 Nephi 25:18-19; 26:12); Instruct Latter-day people to become more wise (Mormon 8:34-35; 9:31); Reveals the Enemies of Christ (2 Nephi 28); Proves that Holy Scriptures are true and that God calls/inspires men to his work in these latter-days (D&C 20:11); Lastly shows what the Lord has done for all mankind (2 Nephi 9; Mosiah 3-6,18).

I so testify along the words of Paul that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. God will and is at this very moment filling the hearts of all people everywhere of his goodness and love. May we always be found searching the words of the Holy Prophets of whom they so testified of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ and we have a Father in Heaven of this I bear you my witness.

That they might know thee

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (St. John 17:3). To every Christian it has become his/her duty to know God and his son Jesus Christ. As we come to know God we can best prepare ourselves to overcome the here and now but also to have life eternal in the hereafter. As a Christian myself, I strongly believe that we must “know” who God is, for surely he would desire that we may know our relation to him. To know from where we have come we to may know where we may go. My attempt with this article is not to cover every aspect of whom God is, but to share one truth in particular. There is much to “know” about God, although it confuses me that in the Christian world that we have not yet come to agree on the physical nature of God. I have taken several references from the Holy Scriptures that describes God. My goal here is to bring you, the reader, to this small yet life altering truth so you may come to “know” God more fully.

Let us turn to the New Testament to the Book of Revelation 1:14-15. For many, the Book of Revelation is hard to understand because of the symbolism given. But much of the symbolism begins with chapter 4 with the visions of the history of the Earth past/future. The first 3 chapters is council delivered to the 7 churches which are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. I wanted to point this out so that we won’t misinterpret verses 14-15, for God is as he is described. Okay so let’s look at these verses,

[14] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire.

[15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Obviously to anyone who has or had seen God would have a difficult time explaining to another the Glorious experience that had been beheld. Here we see John the Divine giving us comparisons to Gods features. Take note that God possesses a head, hair, eyes, feet and a voice. We too know that throughout the New Testament Jesus Christ, the Son of God was as a man among men. If your mind is still not at ease with the Doctrine that God and Jesus Christ were in the stature of man, let us take a careful study of the Old Testament. Genesis 1:26-27 to begin,

[26] And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness…

[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And one more from the New Testament in Luke 3:38,

[38] Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

To this last reference I say, to where do you have a son that doesn’t resemble his Father? Last but not least, we have the description of God from the lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith in this last dispensation, “We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah…” (D&C 110: 2-3)

It is vital to our Salvation to “know” our God. We are created in the image of God, we are his sons and daughters. As we come to understand that we are his sons/daughters we know that we were not fabricated to be puppets danced by a imageless being. We truly have a Father Child relationship to him. May we always be found engaging our souls in the understanding of who God is and what it is that he expects of us.

I so testify that of what I have said here is true and also bear witness to the words of Paul when he by the Holy Spirit spoke, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Skin Is Only Beauty Deep

The world would have us believe, without doubt, the old proverb, “beauty is only skin deep.” For those who feel their outward appearance is more than lacking, this saying helps to falsely reassure us that those we believe are better looking than ourselves are possibly very ugly inside. To the handsome or beautiful person, this cliche, while mildly concerning, is only what ugly people say to make themselves feel better. Either way, we are placing far too much emphasis looking at each other with the wrong eyes.

I often find that if you want to fix something, it’s best to turn it inside-out. So, I propose we start by saying “skin is only beauty deep”. We all come to this earth in the same state of fragility, as tiny, helpless, wrinkly-skinned babies. We rely completely on our parents to survive infancy and early childhood. Our souls are just arrived to this new experience, and are still very much in their original form. It is no wonder that the scriptures remind the adult version of ourself to “becometh as a child”. Mosiah 3: 19 explains: “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”

While our earthly bodies are ours for a short time, our spirits are us for eternity. As the world strives for normalcy or sameness, we must come to know that we are not all the same. Each of us is an extremely unique person, inside and out. Our callings on this earth can be quite different, but we are each equally important to our Heavenly Father, as described in Luke 15:4, “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” If Heavenly Father can experience this kind of anxiety over each one of us, shouldn’t we feel the same for each other, our brothers and sisters? “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1 John 4:7). And conclusively, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11).

There is no place in this life for comparing ourselves to others. When we compare ourselves to others, it’s like trying to compare a boot to a bell. Each is designed for its own use and purpose. As much as you might try to ring a boot, or wear a bell on your foot, it just can’t be done. We must realize that we each are in unique phases of our progression, just as the steps of making a bell and constructing a boot are widely different. We can, though, agree to be inspired by the strengths of one another, and to rightfully overlook the faults with love and patience. "God will help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see and value what another person brings which you lack. More than once the Lord has helped me see His kindness in giving me association with someone whose difference from me was just the help I needed. That has been the Lord’s way of adding something I lacked to serve Him better." (Henry B. Eyring, “Our Hearts Knit as One,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 70–71).

If “skin is only beauty deep”, meaning that our temporal flesh is nothing more than a vehicle for our spiritual mission, how do we become filled with beauty? Perhaps the key to the biggest beauty secret of all eternity lies not in a glamorous woman’s magazine, but in a child’s primary song. Every Star is Different begins with the lyrics, “Ev’ry star is diff’rent, And so is ev’ry child. Some are bright and happy, And some are meek and mild. Ev’ry one is needed For just what he can do. You’re the only person Who ever can be you.” The first step, then, would be to realize that we are each different, that we each have our own calling and purpose. Of dual importance, we should respect and love others.

We are instructed many times throughout the scriptures to become like Christ. In truth, he has told us, “Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live;” (3 Nephi 15:9). It is commonly known that Jesus came to this world in humble appearance and circumstance. While there was nothing extraordinarily handsome about his outward features, it is difficult to recall a painting of him that doesn’t shine with the great dignity and spiritual beauty radiating from his countenance. That is the beauty and the inward light that we must recreate within ourselves.

The chorus reiterates the need for the light within, “A shining star, shining brightly, Not so very far, shining brightly; Be a shining star. Shine so brightly; Shine right where you are, brightly!” Ralph Waldo Emerson told us in his essay Nature that, “There is no object so foul that intense light will not make beautiful.” Christ, the light of the world, has made it possible for us, no matter how foul we may be, to become beautiful. “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” (2 Timothy 1:10). Doctrine and Covenants breaks down for us what the “light” of Christ really means. “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” (D&C 84:45). “Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.” (D&C 88:7).

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). To truly follow Christ, we must walk in the light, which is the truth. We must live the truth, we must share the truth, and as we do, we will become a pure testimony of him. We will find happiness as we strive to love and care for one another. The final stanza of the primary song rings true, “I can shine for others And let them feel my love, Follow the commandments That come from God above. I can help another To learn to choose the right. Having faith and courage Will let my star shine bright.” These lyrics echo the words from Luke 11: 33-36, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.” The light of the body is the eye, or our understanding. When our understanding is single to the glory of God, we begin to grow full of the light and the beauty that our souls are capable of. It is then that we know that our skin is truly only a vessel for the deep beauty and light we hold inside.

“I bear my testimony of this beauty in Christ. I know that when I’ve had some hard times in my life and wasn’t doing things right, I felt very ugly. When I started going back to church and striving to live the light of Christ daily, I had many people tell me that I was beautiful. I know in my heart that this beauty was more than my make-up, clothing, or hairstyle. It was a reflection of the calm radiance I felt inside, and the happiness that I had found. I now know that no amount of physical enhancement will help me throughout my day in the way that prayer and scripture study will. I testify to you of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Light.

It’s just a little thing called “Perfection”

What comes to mind when asked, “What is Perfection to you?” You, like me, would most likely begin throwing out definitions such as being without error, possessing no flaws, or perhaps an extreme level of excellence achieved as to show no weakness. Honestly now, if I could be anywhere near that “perfection” that my list or yours means, I’d be doing alright. However we have actually been commanded by the Lord to be just that, perfect. What an overwhelming idea. How can the Lord expect us to be perfect when we live in an imperfect world? Is it too much for the Lord to demand us to be “Perfect?”

First and foremost, we must clear up “what does Perfection mean?” Think of your list from above and look over mine. If the thought “no way can I be perfect” comes to mind, then let me put your soul at ease. We Christians have been raised believing that the Bible possesses answers to life’s most difficult questions. In my opinion, the question “what does perfection mean” should be answered by referring to the Bible. Thankfully it can be, so let’s take a look.

As a Christian, I have been taught that if I follow the teachings of the Savior I can and will be perfected. This statement is not too far off. In fact, let’s look at a reference on this.

“[15]And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[16]All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[17]That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

This is found in 2 Timothy 3:15-17, if you wish to check my sources. We can both come to the same conclusion that the Scriptures, all scripture is inspired by God and that it possesses the power to turn us all into a “man [woman] of God.” And note that these scriptures will make us “perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” There it is again, “perfect.” Now before you get that overwhelming feeling again, you must know these things first…

The Greek translation of Perfect means suited, ready, or complete. This is nothing even close to what we came up with earlier, but this is what the Lord is telling us. Now let’s plug these new words in and see what we get from what we are being taught,

“[17] That the man of God may be [suited], throughly furnished unto all good works.”

“[17] That the man of God may be [ready], throughly furnished unto all good works.”

“[17] That the man of God may be [complete], throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Does this not give us a greater understanding as to what the Lord is commanding us? Let me go on and attempt to show you what we are to be suited with, ready with, and/or complete with. Let’s look back in verse 15 which reads,

“[15]And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Alright, so from this I want to point out the phrase, “make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” I want to discuss the two above underlined phrases,

We have all come down to experience this mortality so that we may achieve Salvation, and Salvation cometh only in and through Jesus Christ. Wisdom in God will make us ‘wise unto salvation’, but we must apply the application of knowledge of God to reach the wisdom required to be “complete.” Complete, as in knowing how to reach Salvation. This is the Atonement of Christ. When we apply the Atonement, it makes us once again ready, suited, and complete to return back to the arms of the Lord, thus making us “perfect.”

A final look into another reference where the lord commands us to be perfect, Matthew 5:48.

“[48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Once again the Greek mean of perfect is complete, finished, fully developed, suited and/or ready. Our Father in heaven is perfect in every one of these Greek meanings and he desires us to be perfect with him. Heavenly Father is Eternal both spiritually and physically, and thus, through Christ we too can be saved spiritually and physically, making us “perfect” as our Father is perfect. At this very moment in our lives, we have the knowledge sufficient to be Complete, Finished, Fully Developed, Suited and Ready to return to God’s Presences. Let us never take the Holy Scriptures for granted for they are the means of which we shall obtain “perfection” and become wise unto salvation with an increased faith in him who is suited to bring us back to our Eternal Family.

I testify that this is only possible in and through the Lord Jesus Christ and applying the Everlasting Atonement. We will inherit our Fathers Kingdom if we are Perfect in applying the Atonement for which this is the purpose it was intended for, of this I bear you my witness in the name of Jesus Christ.