Monday, November 24, 2008

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need- I am not Godless

I was called Godless, in essence today, and let me post a mere fraction of my testimony to prove to all the world that I am not Godless.

He is my King. And here I proclaim that He lives. He lives.

Faith

I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World. Born to Mary, he grew in favor with God and man, went about doing good, healed many, and performed miracles. The blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame walked, the afflicted found comfort He taught a Gospel of peace, love, joy, and happiness. He began to bear the weight of sin in Gethsemane. He was betrayed,condemned, judged, mocked, and crucified. He atoned for our sins upon the cross and in the garden. He died. He descended below all things, raising triumphantly the third day, breaking the bands of death. I have faith that he promises us a bright and glorious future. Because of Him, I can be clean again. Because of Him, I can live with God again. Because of Him, I can be happy for the rest of my life. He is the source of peace, joy, happiness, love, communion, Zion. I have faith that through Him, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, I can have all that has been promised to me. His atoning power extends to my sicknesses, my heartaches, all the pains of mortality. He has overcome the world and through Him, I can bear all things. I can endure all things. He's the one who hold us when we cry. I have faith that He is my Lord, my God.

In all the world around me, I feel my Savior's love. From the beautiful sunrise to the smiles of friends who love and care, I know that He created this beautiful world for all of us. Anything edifying or beautiful is of Him. He is Joy. He is Music. He is Love. He is Peace. I have faith that as I offer Him my heart, I can feel His love more abundantly.

I have faith that we have Eternal Parents who sent their Son, Jesus Christ to atone for our sins. God the Father, the author of the Plan of Salvation, helps us through our trials. I have faith that He lives. I have faith that His plan does account for all of us. God's love for us is infinite. He longs to encircle us in the arms of His love. He will never leave us alone. We are not cast off from His love. As we repent and come unto Him, we may feel more abundantly of His love.

I have faith that Christ and God will reign in glory, eternally. Christ will come and reign personally upon the earth. We will see Him face to face, see the nail prints in His hands and the spear wounds in His sides. I will kneel at His feet and weep.

I have faith that Joseph Smith was what he said he was. Despite personal foibles, changing stories, historical inaccuracies, conflicting accounts, and countless other issues, I have faith that he was indeed a prophet of God. He translated a marvelous book of scripture through the gift and power of God, restored many plain and precious truths, and taught doctrine of God. He was not perfect. In fact, most of my faith is based upon the fact that he was not as perfect as many make him out to be. The fact that he was susceptible to human frailties, even in his interaction with the divine, adds to my testimony of him.

I also have faith in Mormonism. I have faith in the principles and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have faith that as I express my faith in Jesus Christ, repent, become baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost, I can be cleansed and saved. I have faith in the temple as an expression of an endowment of God's power from on high. It is a sacred place, where covenants with God can be more fully expressed.

I have faith in Church leadership. This is often the hardest of my beliefs to express, as I cannot always see eye to eye with them on issues. But, my faith in them is rooted in a faith in God. I have faith that they are men of God but men nevertheless. They make mistakes but ultimately try their hardest to serve God and act as messengers for Him.


Hope

I have hope for a bright future. I have hope that one day, there will be love throughout the world. People will come to see men as they really are, not as they seem. One day, we will see with God's eyes, rather than the frail human eyes we possess now. People will come to love one another in a way that we have not seen before. One day, the imperfections of our own perceptions will be taken away, as we see the struggles of our fellow men. We will weep together, rejoice together, laugh together, as brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have a hope for true Zion. Zion will be established as we strive to create it in our own lives. As we try to give of ourselves, live the law of consecration, and serve God and our fellow men, Zion will be built. I have a bright hope that Zion will come. Zion will come.

I have hope that Christ will come. I have hope that He will heal us all according to the desires of our hearts.

Charity

I believe that charity is the most crucial facet of my faith. God has commanded me to show charity. As I try to show charity in my own life, I often focus on how I can express charity in my life.

Charity is more than just simple acts or deeds. It is a genuine concern for others. A hope that others are well, a love for all mankind. Charity is the love our Savior has for us. But ultimately, charity is more than that. Charity is Jesus Christ. Charity is the pure love of Christ. This is two fold- the purest love of our Savior and a pure love of our Savior.

Charity is encircling our arms around the most obstinate of our friends when we feel we cannot love anymore. Charity is loving everyone, even those who you feel like you can't. Charity is a hope and a faith that we can see people the way God sees people. Charity is that smile you give out sometimes, even when you feel you can't smile anymore. Charity is in simplicity.

I love all men. I am trying so hard to do this. Throughout my journey in this life, I have tried so hard to love all people, regardless of their situation. I hope and pray to continue to do this.

My dear readers, if you have read this far, I applaud you. I have borne my soul to you here and today. I remind all of you that in essence, my faith and belief is not simple, but complex. My belief is ever-evolving, always growing. I would like to close with my favorite hymn.

Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
'Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell—
All is well! All is well!

Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we'll have this tale to tell—
All is well! All is well!

We'll find the place which God for us prepared,
Far away in the West,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the Saints will be blessed.
We'll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we'll tell—
All is well! All is well!

And should we die before our journey's through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!
But if our lives are spared again
To see the Saints their rest obtain,
Oh, how we'll make this chorus swell—
All is well! All is well!

God bless. In the name of my precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

My friends, I stand as a witness of God here and now. He lives.

1 comment:

Maddie Townsend said...

That was beautiful, Jacob. :) You are a very inspiring individual.