A WORLD OF PRIDE 2

 

He Pierces My Soul by UrielsAtalier

It can be discouraging living in our world. There are people who fully believe we are heading for total annihilation from one source or another. I am always grateful, as someone who fully believes in Christ, for my knowledge of what is really to come when I hear messages of doom. Just one serious study of the Book of Ezekiel can make us see that the adversary who seeks to destroy us can never win the destruction of humanity.

It seemed for a long time that the adversary was winning anciently as the Canaanite nations afflicted Israel and led her into idolatry but when Israel fell into captivity, Jehovah revealed His mighty arm in vengeance by destroying these nations and empires of Egypt, Assyria, Tyre, Sidon, Damascus, Persia and Idumea. The Lord calls them ‘the mighty that are fallen….which are gone down to hell’ (Ezekiel 32:27). Egypt, which was the power to be reckoned with was probably the greatest tragedy. Ezekiel devoted four chapters (29-32) to the description of Egypt’s beauty, prophetic destruction and lamentation. Much like Tyre of which I wrote in part 1, Egypt’s splendour was destroyed because it sought to exalt itself to the status of God (Ezekiel 29:9; 31:10).

After pronouncing judgment on these ancient nations and affirming that the destruction will be His doing (71 times no less), Jehovah testified: “I have caused my terror in the land of the living” (Ezekiel 32:32). Why such terror and such terrible destruction? Because these nations were built up on excessive pride and what is built on pride cannot stand. Pride is the foundation of a kingdom that cannot last because it seeks to elevate itself above God and we all know who HE is.

This is what fascinates me. Ezekiel made every vision he had of the destruction of these nations known to the exiles in Babylon but the exiles got complacent with all the prophecies. Their prevalent belief was: “The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.” (Ezekiel 12:27) 

I think of how bad our world is becoming with division amongst the people, the hatred, the crime, the wickedness that never ends. The Saviour has promised throughout centuries that He will return to crush the enemy of all righteousness and reveal the arm of His power. The Second Coming has been prophesied throughout the ages (see Matthew 16:27; 24:30; Isaiah 40:5; 3 Nephi 24:2; D&C 45:44, 49-50; 63:34; 88:93; 101:23, Moses 7:65; Malachi 3:1; JST4:1; Acts 1:9-11; 3 Nephi 24:2; Revelation 1:7; John 14:3). It has been believed in by the Christendom at large for over 2,000 years but in the world at large Christ has become something of a folklore……until that day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess….(Romans 14:11)

Let us not become like the exiles in Ezekiel’s day who think the time of the Second Coming is ‘far off’ or that it will never happen. There is nothing that the Saviour has promised and not fulfilled. The promises are delivered in our time but fulfilled in His. He is a God of integrity and keeps His word. If promises don’t become fulfilled, it is because the fulfilment is a lot of times dependant on us. We either repent and avoid destruction or we become disobedient and prevent blessings promised. The Second Coming is assured but it will very much look like that: destruction to the wicked and a blessing to the righteous who repent. If we want to fall into the second category, we need to be prepared. Let us remember that the time of waiting will one day come to an end:

“Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God: There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 12:28)

He will come and crush the enemy who sought to elevate himself and the nations of this world with pride. He who has said: “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God….I will be like the most High (Isaiah 14:12-15), has never received a body, and though the king and ruler of world-wide empire of spiritual Babylon, he shall never have a tomb or monument to his name and the kings of the earth will exclaim in amazement when they see him cast down to hell: “Is this the man that made the earth tremble, that did shake the kingdoms?” (v 16).  Like the prideful nations, he will be stripped of his power and his pride, and he will not stand…..

 

Where is the sting of death,

The enemy of righteousness,

And humanity’s foe?

The fire of its power lies in ashes

Quenched at Calvary long ago.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

A WORLD OF PRIDE 1

 

He Pierces My Soul by Greg Collins

I was reading chapter 9 of Ezekiel yesterday with my mouth open. In this vision Ezekiel was shown the vengeance of God that was coming upon the kingdom of Judah in their final stage. After instructing the angels of destruction to mark in the foreheads those few who were to be spared, the Lord told them to go through the streets of Jerusalem and slay every man, woman and child with this explanation: “….mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.” (v 10)

The ‘way’ of the Israelite’s that took them to their last breath was idolatry. There is another grievous sin, however, which brings destruction upon the nations, the sin of pride. Ezekiel prophesied that this sin will be the fall of many nations and empires in the ancient world which is a warning to us in our dispensation of time as well.

I was mesmerised with the fall of Tyre as I studied Ezekiel one year, which is clear proof of Ezekiel’s predictions . This island was anciently located between Carmel in Israel and Beirut in Lebanon. In short, Tyre was a major destination for merchant ships in the eastern Mediterranean. Because of this commerce, Tyre amassed obscene wealth and became the crown jewel of the seas (Ezekiel 27:5-9). The Lord compared it to the Garden of Eden….until iniquity was found in her (Ezekiel 28:15). 

So great was Tyre that Ezekiel devoted three chapters to lament the fall of its glory (chapters 26,27,28). Chapter 26 states the reason for the fall. Tyre rejoiced in the fall of Judah but an even more serious crime becomes evident by chapter 28: “Thus saith the Lord God: Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou has said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God.” (v2).

This is the outcome of those who elevate themselves to the status of God: “I will destroy thee…I will cast thee to the ground….I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth…and never shalt thou be any more (vs 16-18). Because of its strong fortifications, nobody could conquer Tyre and so the more detailed prophecies of its destruction (in chapter 26) remained unfulfilled for nearly three hundred years….until 332 B.C. when Alexander the Great swept in and reduced this island to rubble. Today the island of Tyre is nothing more but a small peninsula jutting into the sea where the local fishermen come to spread their nets to dry. (see Old Testament Student Manual Book 2 p 280 for more descriptive end of this island)

I look at the world today and I see the pride of Tyre….even those who are not swimming in wealth are lifted up in the pride of their hearts elevating themselves and fortifying the culture of self-importance and self-identity. We are encouraged from all sides to put ourselves first so we can become our own gods and worship the father of me-ism who is Lucifer, son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12);  the author of all sin (Helaman 6:26-31); the source of ultimate pride (Moses 4:1); the thief in the night who comes to steal our spiritual identity, kill our faith in God and destroy our commitment to Christ (John 10:10).

Make no mistake about it, the Lord wants to care for us and protect us but He will not allow the enemy to win and the wickedness to prevail. He who loves God the Father without comparison has ensured the penitent will not be swallowed up in the despair of the damned. He has ensured our victory over death and sin. He has saved us and paved the way to our safety. He is the antidote to all the destruction the adversary can bring upon us. He is the light, the truth and the way. To all who want to be saved He says:

 

I wait for you to come

Into the shadow of my wings;

I have paid the price: come unto Me,

Your God and Your King.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

 

 

TREAD SOFTLY

 

Give Light by Greg Collins

Tread softly on my tender heart,

Though we are separate

In both body and mind,

We are linked together

on humanity’s path.

Tread softly on my tender heart,

In spirit, we are not

so many miles apart.

 

-      Cathryne Allen

HE LIVES

 

The Ascension of Jesus Christ N3040 by Edit Voros

There is a certain phrase I have noticed in the scriptures where the Lord bears witness of Himself. This phrase is: “AS I LIVE”. It is mostly used in conjunction with His promises to carry out judgment on rebellious Israel, or blessings in time of gathering. This phrase can be found in Ezekiel 12 times: 5:11; 14:16; 16:6,48; 17:16,19; 18:3; 20:3,33; 33:11; 34:8; 35:6.

There is another phrase in Ezekiel that the Saviour uses often stating that He will affirm His existence to us either through His just punishment or His saving grace and that phrase is: “YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD”. It can be found in Ezekiel 24 times: 6:7,14; 7:4,9; 11:10,12; 12:20; 13:9,14,21,23; 14:8; 15:7; 16:62; 17:21; 20:38,42,44; 24:24,27; 25:5,7; 36:11; 37:6. This phrase is also used in conjunction with His promises to carry out His judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth where He proclaims: “and they shall know that I am the Lord” thus flooding the earth with knowledge and proof of His existence (6:14; 30:19,26; 32:15; 35:4,9,15; 38:23; 39:6).

I can bear witness to the ‘saving grace’ nature of the second phrase. Some years ago, I took a certain petition to God in prayer and, as is my custom, I retreated to the scriptures afterwards to see if He would give me an answer through His written word. The scriptures opened to a page with only one phrase highlighted: “Ye shall know that I am the Lord”……I knew in that instant that the Saviour lived, that He had heard my prayer, and that He would grant me my heart’s desire. I knew that I was kneeling in front of Him who has all power, might, mercy, wisdom and love. I knew the Lord that day because He bore witness to me of Himself.

 

How great Thy wisdom,

How great Thy mercy,

How great Thy love

That fills my joyful heart;

How very great Thou art!

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

 

THE VALUE OF COMMITMENT

 

The Ascension of Jesus Christ N3041by Edit Voros

“Those who in fright have sought to secure themselves by worshipping other gods will experience in sheer terror the effects of Yahweh’s decree of destruction.”  (The Interpreter’s Bible, 5:317, Old Testament Student Manual Book 2 p 163)

“Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God, Thus saith the Lord God to thee mountains, to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places, and your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars…..” (Ezekiel 6:3-5)

The idolatry of Judah which led to the destruction of their kingdom was abominable. So total was their rejection of Jehovah who was their God from the time He delivered them from Egyptian bondage that the idolatry they practised became a complete replacement of the true law within the Jerusalem temple. In utter rejection of their God, Ezekiel was shown in a vision twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east worshipping the sun (Ezekiel 8:16).

The proclamations of destruction against those who engage in the sin of idolatry are extensive in the book of Ezekiel. One could ask why the Saviour is so outraged about this heinous sin to the point where He would destroy so many people. In his day, Isaiah, confronted the rulers of Jerusalem with the assertion that they were bringing inevitable ruin for the Jewish people (see Isaiah 28:14-15). He accused them of having made a covenant with death through the idolatry of gods other than their own, death being ‘the wages of sin’ (Romans 6:23).

Whilst in pre-mortal life, as spirit children of God, the plan of salvation was presented to us and we pledged our commitment to Christ trusting in His promise to save us. Considering the enormous and unfathomable sacrifice of this man of integrity, our commitment to Him as our God is expected of us. In return, we receive His protection, life instead of destruction and eternal salvation opposed to spiritual death which would separate us from the presence of God the Father forever. For this He has every right to expect our allegiance to Him:

“I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

In every respect He deserves all the glory and all our praise.

Idolatry is still rife in the world today, among many nations. I have a friend who visited Bali early this year and she was blown away by the kindness, thoughtfulness and goodness of the Balinese people. There is only one problem. They worship many gods and none are the right God. My friend said they were better people than some of the Christians she knows. She thought it would be unfair that they would be judged harshly.

This is where the Saviour’s mercy comes in for those heathen nations that have never known Him: “And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them.” (D&C 45:54)

Is there a more merciful, just and loving Saviour than the Lord Jesus Christ??? I think not. Those of us who know the law have a responsibility to uphold our commitment to Him and those who have not known Him in this life will one day remember Him and the right hand they raised in support of His offer of salvation.

I saw You today in my heart

and I wept knowing

as more believe,

the tree that bore Your weight

keeps growing.

 

I saw the love flow from

the deepest well within Your soul –

Your salvation for us all.

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN 

YOU COME TO ME

 

Jesus Christ Portrait by Edit Voros

You come to me to dispel the darkness

And embrace me in the splendour of Your light.

Even in the midst of Your Godly moments

You attend to the needs of my heart.

I give my all to You who are

My wings of protection,

The Saviour of my soul,

The path to my eternal home.

 

-       Cathryne Allen

STEADFASTNESS OF GOD

 

Crucifixion of Jesus Christ by Edit Voros

Imagine if God called you to a calling in the Church and told you your calling will yield no success in any way. The people will be not be interested in what you do, they will not listen to you and your efforts will be wasted. Yet He told you He wanted you to do it and if you didn’t do it, He would make you accountable on Judgment Day for their sins. Would you do it?

This was Ezekiel’s life in exile. Having been appointed as a ‘watchman unto the house of Israel’ in Babylonia, God made it clear to Ezekiel that if he didn’t step up to this responsibility, He would hold him responsible for Israel’s sins (Ezekiel 3:17-21).

And this is an interesting thing….Ezekiel was instructed of God to stage the predictions of the fall of Kingdom of Judah which one could say were nothing short of theatrics (see chapters 4 and 5). He wanted the exiles to know of the fate of the rebellious house of Israel and thus call them to repentance. With every instruction the Lord gave Ezekiel, He told him the people will not believe him because ‘the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted’ (Ezekiel 2:7).

Six times He called the Israelites ‘a rebellious house’ (Ezekiel 2:5,6,7,9,26,27). And not only would they not believe him but they would gather to listen to him and consider him as entertainment (Ezekiel 33:30-33). Imagine an ancient amphitheatre with eager Jews clutching buckets of popcorn in anticipation to hear ‘the latest crazy thing’  Ezekiel had to tell them and show them. My heart bleeds when I read about this man…..

I am amazed that Jehovah would even waste His time with those He knows would not repent. Because of His foreknowledge, He knew which one of us would be saved and which would be lost. You would think because of this foreknowledge the Saviour didn’t have to atone for everyone. It would certainly lessen the pain of Gethsemane. Yet He hung on the cross despite His power to end it, until every soul was accounted and atoned for, until He could say: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Most of us would say it is because of His love and mercy. We seem to focus on these two attributes the most these days but the Saviour is a God with the full spectrum of emotions and a perfect balance of attributes. I have been collecting evidence of this through the scriptures for years. I have come across numerous scriptures too lengthy to list here where He speaks of His fury, anger and even hatred when He deals with unrepentant people and nations.

 I will mention a couple in Ezekiel: “I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury…” (35:5,6); “I will send mine anger upon thee…mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense thy ways upon thee….and all thine abominations” (7:3). In fact, the exact phrase “neither will I have pity” shows up three more times in Ezekiel – 7:9; 8:18 and 9:10. In the last three scriptures the Lord pairs it with “mine eye shall not spare”, as part of a warning of judgment on persistent wickedness.

We can be assured that God’s mercy and love has a different side to it than we think. It also manifests itself as chastisement. If we need correction and misfortune to bring us back to Him, He will bring such upon us without hesitation. I have an inactive daughter who no longer lives the Gospel. I have done everything possible for her over the years. When I came to the end of my self-sacrificial road for her and could do no more, I left her in God’s hands. I no longer even pray for her because I am aware that she might have to be brought down to her knees to repent and return. If I prayed for her protection, ease and comfort in her current state, these blessings might just be the worse thing for her so I refrain not wanting to sabotage her progress and trust God to know best what she needs for her repentance.

Why would the Lord be so steadfast in doing whatever is necessary to ensure our return? Because He is where the salvation lies. He didn’t climb up onto that cross at Calvary for fun. If he was willing to save us back then, He is willing still. And thank goodness for that because without chastening some of would never reach the heights of salvation but would end up like spoilt, insufferable children not capable of much in this life or the next. And that is just not acceptable.

I stood on holy ground of your fragile heart

And saw your tender moments

Bathed in hurtful tears.

I saw your sins that you tried in vain to hide,

And the years you lived with futile pride.

I bore your life with crimson drops

And sought forgiveness on your behalf;

To pay the price of justice

And mend your broken heart.

 

I wait for you to come

Into the shadow of my wings;

I have paid the price: come unto Me,

Your God and Your King.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

TO WATCH AND TO WARN

 

Return Unto Me by Annie Henrie Nader

“In ancient Israel walls were built around cities, and towers were erected in key places along the walls. Watchmen, or lookouts, kept watch in these towers day and night to warn the people if an enemy came. A watchman’s responsibility was great, because if he was negligent, his sloth could cost the lives of others.

“The Church today stands in a position to see the enemy and how he works, because they have living prophets who speak for God. They are therefore called by the Saviour both to warn the wicked and to protect Zion. Thus the Lord refers to His authorized servants today as watchmen upon the towers (see Isiah 62:6; Ezekiel 33:2-9; D&C Student Manual p 239-240)

In Section 101 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord extends a warning of destruction that will come upon all nations in our dispensation but ‘all who are found upon the watch-tower shall be saved’ (v 12).

One of my favourite Old Testament prophets was Ezekiel. He was called to be ‘the watchman upon the tower unto the House of Israel’, who were the exiles in Babylonia, for a period of twenty-two years, from 592 to 570 (see Guide to the Scriptures). We are about to study this period of Israel’s captivity and the calling of Ezekiel, a prophet who can reduce you to tears. Through him, Jehovah extended the promise of forgiveness and restoration of all former blessings to Israel. He was the bearer of hope.

Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel. Whereas Jeremiah was a prophet sent to Judah's kings and leaders soon to be conquered and Daniel, a prophet sent to preach to the conquerors, Ezekiel was called of God to be "a watchman unto the house of Israel" in captivity (Ezekiel 33:7). He was a priest of the family of Zadok and was carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar during the second siege of Jerusalem around 597 B.C.

 

As a prophet called to preach to the exiles and captives, the Lord laid upon him an immense burden of calling to repentance what He constantly referred to as "a rebellious house" and an "impudent and hardhearted people" (Ezekiel 2:4-7; 3:6-7). The house of Judah had become so wicked that the Lord told Jeremiah: “Don't pray for them or try to make intercession for them for I will not hear you." (Jeremiah 7:16-18). Considering the Saviour's immensely merciful character, it would have taken a lot for Him to say this. Judah was ready for destruction and so Jerusalem was sacked by the Chaldeans three times before Christ and by the Romans in 70 A.D. decimating the kingdom and scattering the Jews throughout the world.

 

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Chaldeans (Babylon), had hoped to subdue the kingdom of Judah twice and requested they pay him homage but the kings of Judah would not submit and instead sought political alliance with Egypt, something that Jeremiah warned them not to do. By the third siege Nebuchadnezzar had had enough. He built a wall around Jerusalem so no one could escape and no supplies could be brought in. The siege lasted 18 months. The starvation of the people was so severe they resorted to cannibalism. By the time Nebuchadnezzar had finished, Jerusalem was levelled to rubble.

 

Ezekiel was shown in visions all the perversions of the Jews and the winding up scenes of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. So horrendous were his visions that they made him weep. Following his visions the Lord instructed him to teach the people in exile of what was happening in Jerusalem through the most intricate object lessons. No internet for him to make things easier..... The first eleven chapters of Ezekiel speak of these object lessons and the horrors that befell Jerusalem. In these eleven chapters Jehovah says “ye shall know that I am the Lord” 17 times. It makes for heart wrenching reading....

 

The most fascinating lesson that lies within the chapters of Ezekiel is that the Lord did not turn His back on the house of Judah in captivity and left them alone to suffer the consequences of their sins. He ensured their exile would bring them to the point of repentance. He proved through Ezekiel that His mercy will always step in to save His chosen people and that His constant focus is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).

 

So effective was Ezekiel’s teaching that the Jewish people never again returned to idolatry. It was in exile that Judah remembered their God and became overzealous for His laws. It was a great turning point in Israel's religious life. Unfortunately, in becoming overzealous, they also became ‘stiff-necked’ with their adherence to the convoluted law of Moses so they ‘looked beyond the mark’ and missed the Messiah when He came among them. And we all know the result of that.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

IN HIS LOVING EMBRACE

Comfort in the Cold by Chris Brazelton

I want to know the greatness of You,

To understand Your godhood

And all that you do.

I want to feel the depth of

Your benevolent heart;

To hide in its shadow,

And from there never to part.

I want to follow every word

That falls from Your merciful lips,

I want to give all that You ask

Without reservation of my proud heart.

I would give this and more besides

To once again know the tender caress

Of Your unfailing loving embrace.

- Cathryne Allen 

ON PERMISSIVENESS

 

“The growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us. Certainly our Heavenly Father is distressed with the increasing inroads among his children of such insidious sins as adultery and fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, abortions, pornography, population control, alcoholism, domestic violence, child abuse, dishonesty,  vandalism, violence, and crime generally, including the sin of living together without marriage.

“We call upon our Church members everywhere to renew their efforts to strengthen the home and to honour their parents, and to build better communications between parent and child.

“Important as it is, building stronger homes is not enough in the fight against rising permissiveness. We therefore urge Church members as citizens to lift their voices, to join others in unceasingly combating, in their communities and beyond, the inroads of pornography and the general flaunting of permissiveness. Let us vigorously oppose the shocking developments which encourage the old sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and which define the human body as the temple of God….

“God will not be mocked. His laws are immutable. True repentance is rewarded by forgiveness, but sin brings the sting of death….

“As we think back upon the experiences of Nineveh, Babylon, Sodom and Gomorrah, we wonder – will history repeat itself? What of our world today? Are we forgetting in our great nations the high and lofty principles which can preserve the nations?

“When the patience of the Lord with us is exhausted, shall we stand trembling while destruction comes upon us? Or shall we wisely see the handwriting on the wall and profit by the sad experience of the past and return unto the Lord and serve him?”

-          (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, October 1977, pp 5-7; or Ensign Nov 1977, pp 5-6)

This warning was given to us in 1977. Since then we have added these blatant sins, amongst others: human trafficking, organised gang rapes, butchering of our bodies through sex change, numerous sexual orientations, gender identities and sex variations,  mothers murdering their children, full term abortion, rogue judges who acquit criminals thus perpetrating further crime, government fraud, government sponsored drug inducing centres, abduction of children and most heinously an increase in murder. We have permitted it all in the name of ‘progressiveness’. We have lifted ourselves above all the laws and call ourselves civilised and progressive….when in fact we are collectively just a plain, evil society bereft of peace and a sound mind.

In 1800s the Prophet Joseph Smith prophesied of a time when no one would have peace except in Zion: “I saw men hunting the lives of their own sons, and brother murdering brother, women killing their own daughters, and daughters seeking the lives of their mother. I saw armies arrayed against armies. I saw blood, desolation, fires. The Son of Man has said that the mother shall be against the daughter and the daughter against the mother. These things are at our doors. They will follow the Saints of God from city to city. Satan will range, and the spirit of the devil is now enraged. I know not how soon these tings will take place.” (History of the Church, 3:391)

This is the true picture of our society. At one stage I was following the ‘true crimes’ Youtube channel. It was all about murder and in each instance I could predict it was either the husband or wife or one of children. It was so amazing to me and made me remember Joseph Smith’s vision. I couldn’t watch that channel for very long.

I agree with President Kimball about history. The dangerous thing about it is that history repeats itself. The destruction that came to ancient cities will one day come to us because God will indeed not be mocked. Evil will be wiped off the face of the earth together with all those who have upheld it.

When the Saviour comes again He will subdue all enemies under his feet and most of all his archenemy Lucifer, Satan, the devil, the father of all lies who so shrewdly and subtly leads us “by the neck with a flaxen cord” to do his bidding, until he binds us with “his strong cords forever” (2 Nephi 26:22).

We are here on a spiritual battle ground. How’s your armour???  (Ephesians 6:11-18)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

EACH DAY I LIFT

 

Dawn of Faith by Greg Collins

Each day I lift more and more,

On wings of faith

I fly to God I know.

In realms of splendour

I will find my home of old

And return to Him

Who has missed me so.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE SACRED HEART

 

Jesus Christ With the Crown of Thorns by Edit Voros

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:31,32)

The original covenant of the Melchizedek Priesthood that ancient Israel rejected was replaced by the Aaronic Priesthood of the ‘preparatory gospel’ (see Exodus 19:5-24; D&C 84:23-27).  Having rejected the higher priesthood, the Lord caused ‘the law of carnal commandments’ to continue with the house of Aaron which included the Mosaic law’s outward performances and animal sacrifice (v 27). This Mosaic law was to point them to Christ who was to come in fulfillment of that covenant. It would seem that ancient Israel broke even that covenant with their idolatry which turned them away from preparation to meet their God.

I wondered what would make the new covenant more efficacious until I read the promise and noticed a word that intrigued me: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel…..and I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their HEARTS….” The law of Moses was written on tablets of stone. The new covenant will be written in people’s hearts….and this will make all the difference.

Ancient Israel missed the spirit of the law when they followed the ‘carnal’ commandments written on the tablets of stone. The dictionary defines the word ‘carnal’ as: not spiritual, merely human, temporal, worldly.

It seems that when something resides in your heart, it becomes difficult to ignore because it becomes spiritual.  It is no more a commandment that needs to be followed by the letter of the law but rather the spirit of the law and the spirit makes all the difference. If you study the 630 Mosaic laws that the Jewish nation spun out of the Law of Moses and ended up following you will see what I mean. All those laws were of a physical nature.

Consider the function of the heart that does more than pump blood. I researched and found interesting definitions of it. Spiritually, the heart is the deep inner centre of your being where your true identity, emotions, and moral choices live. It represents the hidden part of you that goes deeper than surface thoughts or logic. It is where you decide your values, commitments, and the direction of your life. It acts as a bridge for empathy, compassion, and a higher power.

In the Christian view the heart is the dwelling place of God. It is the secret room where a person meets the divine. Jesus taught that both good intentions and evil actions spring from the heart. It includes your thoughts, your deep desires, and your everyday choices.

A heart set on the things of this temporal world will cause a man to act in ways detrimental to spiritual growth. Someone who lives by ‘carnal’ dictates covers his sins, gratifies his pride and vain ambitions and exercises unrighteous dominion over others (see D&C 121). Now consider how the state of the ‘heart’ influences people when it is set on the things of God: 

That person will act in ways beneficial to spiritual growth, including –

1.      Repenting of their sins;

2.      Humbling themselves;

3.      Seeking the kingdom of God first;

4.      Exercising love and charity toward others.

These actions cause-

1.      The heavens to draw near;

2.      The Spirit of the Lord to be near;

3.      An increase in power and authority.

The ‘new covenant’ is the gospel covenant that the Lord will renew with the gathered Israel through faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Temple covenants. It is a renewal of His relationship with Israel through an inward change. As He puts His law in their minds and writes it in their hearts, they truly come to know Him and He forgives and remembers their sins no more. In reference to the new covenant, Paul called Jesus Christ “the mediator of a better covenant” (see Hebrews 8:6-13).

And it will all start with the ‘heart’……

It is also interesting to me that the Saviour died spilling crimson drops of blood that was pumped by His heart….a connection of sorts? Just food for thought….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

YEARNING

 

Appreciate Each Moment by Greg Collins

My desire to bring Thee honour

Is as wide and deep as the river;

My wish to be holy,

As the waves of the sea.

 

My longing for Thy presence

Is like the thorn of a bloody rose;

Aching, I yearn

To be gathered home to Thee.

 

My quest for righteous deeds to be

As the shore’s innumerable sand;

To see Thee holding the affections of my heart

In the hollow of Thy hand.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE HEIGHTS OF MERCY

 

I Would Gather Thee by Liz Lemon Swindle

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem...how often would I have gathered thy

children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens

under her wings, and ye would not!

(Matthew 23:37)

No other book of scripture highlights the mercy of Christ as does the Old Testament. Most people will challenge this thought saying that honour belongs to the New Testament due to the account of the Saviour’s Atonement.

The Old Testament is my book. It is the root of the covenant of God with His people. A covenant He has sworn He will never break (see Deuteronomy 4:31; Leviticus 26:44,46; Isaiah 49:15,16; 2 Kings 13:23). Over and over Jehovah worked with His prophets to preserve His people, to declare His undying love, and to make promises of restitution no matter how far they stray.

And stray they did and earned themselves the name of ‘backsliding Israel’ (Jeremiah 3:6,8,11,12,14,22; 31:22; 49:4; Hosea 4:16; 11:7; 14:4). Using the imagery of marriage, Israel became a ‘harlot’ who had betrayed her love for her husband, ‘upon every high mountain and under every green tree’….. (Jeremiah 3:6). For this unfaithfulness Israel paid a high price of bondage but even then only the promised mercy of her God will bring her back to His fold:

“For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” ( Jeremiah 30:11).

And herein lies the lesson of futile idolatry for which Israel rejected the Holy One: “All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have [caused thee to be wounded] with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity…..” (Jeremiah 30:14b)

And then the sting of payment for their sin with a hope of healing : “…thy bruise is not incurable, although thy wounds are grievous. Is there none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up? Hast thou no healing medicine?.... Is thy sorrow incurable?” (JST Jeremiah 30:12,13,15)

 “….because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee….but all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity…For I WILL restore health unto thee, and I WILL heal thee of thy wounds…the whirlwind of the Lord shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked…..And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Jeremiah 30:16,17,22,23)

When will this healing and restoration happen? Over two millennia after the promise….when the lessons have been learnt, the price for disobedience paid and a willingness to repent born…’when He has performed the intents of his heart….in the latter days when they shall fully understand this’ (v 23,24; see also 2 Nephi 25:8-11).

And this is the lesson that they need to understand….every disobedience carries with it consequences. Yes the mercy and deliverance will come but after many wars, captivity and sorrow…..the experience of consequences crucial towards repentance, a broken heart and a contrite spirit for the restorative power of mercy is only offered to the penitent (Alma 42:24,25). It’s something all of us need to remember.

There is a prevalent belief in Christendom today that Christ is all about love and mercy and that is true but this love and mercy is not freely given because no man can be saved in his sins. He can only be saved from them. If he was saved prematurely in them, without repentance, he would continue to sin and the mercy would be of no benefit.

The Kingdom of Judah proved that they were not ready for the Saviour’s mercy to deliver them from the dominance of their enemies. When he manifested himself to them in the flesh, they rejected him “because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks” and they crucified Him instead (2 Nephi 25:12,13). The  salvation was offered but the repentance was still in embryo, unborn…the lesson of bondage and the loss of freedom not yet fully learnt and so it continues to this day with the price of hatred, killing and wars.

Because they despised the Holy One of Israel they have wandered in the flesh and perished, and become a hiss and a byword and been hated among all nations…but He will remember His covenants which he made to their fathers when they no more turn their hearts against him (1 Nephi 19:14,15)

As Israel, we have trodden worldly paths

That have left us battered, scarred,

And parched in search of love.

Our lovers were many but

Our hearts were empty.

At long last

We embrace the love that lasts,

We prepare for the wedding feast

And abandon our treacherous past.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN