THE POWER OF US

 

When I awoke yesterday morning I thought I would visit YouTube for any world news and was amazed at the mess our world has become. I saw an assassination, hatred, political protests, murders and drug addicted cities of America. Amidst all that chaos I saw one person so prominently that it had an incredible impact on me. I saw the enemy of all humanity.

Lately I have been reluctant to check out the world news because I have realised it has a downing effect on me but this morning it actually did the opposite. It awakened the warrior spirit in me that wants to defeat the enemy. I don’t know that I can change the world, but I can change me. And every soul that changes or remains faithful to God is one soul lost to the enemy.

I am of the opinion that the adversary is exerting his power now more than ever because the Millenium is drawing nigh and he knows this is the time when he will be powerless (D&C 101:28). And why will he be powerless? Because of the righteousness of the people who will be left to enjoy the Millenial era (1 Nephi 22:26).

The adversary has two goals: 1. To make all men miserable like himself (2 Nephi 2:27); and 2. To overthrow Christ who he rebelled against in pre-earth life (D&C 29:36-9). I once asked a friend of mine in Utah who is very well versed in scripture why Satan is called ‘the son of the morning’. Here is what he replied:

“My presumption is that the term ‘morning’ refers to the fact that he was born early on as a spirit offspring of the Father. Perhaps he might have even been second born vs his brother who was firstborn.

“We have so many fascinating stories among the great patriarchs of having two competing sons vying for the firstborn birthright and it almost seems as though these stories are a continuation of that which started in the pre-mortal life with the Saviour and Lucifer. You can even get that sense from a statement in D&C 88:115, about Lucifer having as his goal that of displacing his brother from his throne.” (Larry Keeler, 6 February 2023)

The adversary knows if he gets us, he gets Him….but that will never be. As I said in my recent post, it’s time to dust off our armour…..

There is a desire in my soul

That wants to conquer Goliath

And watch him fall….

This warrior within me never sleeps

And yearns to hear the angels’ call,

A call to battle to make the devil fall.

And when Christ comes in clouds so holy

He will conquer that enemy

And we will confess His glory.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Almost Time by Danny Hahlbohm)

WATCHMEN ON THE TOWER

 

“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)

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 B.C. I won’t expound on his life and calling today, I will leave that for next year when we study the Old Testament. What I will say is that knowing Ezekiel will reduce you to tears.

What I do want to point out is that Ezekiel was called to preach repentance to backsliding Israel who did not deserve mercy and yet Jehovah, through him, extended the promise of forgiveness and restoration of all former blessings to Israel.

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). The reference is to His beloved House of Israel.

 In verses 43 to 67, we are given the parable of the wheat and the tares relative to the latter-day redemption of Zion. The desperation shown therein to save the vineyard of twelve olive trees because the vineyard was ‘bought with money’, makes you want to weep (v 56). This money is the price that only the Saviour could pay and pay He did.

Anyone studying the scriptures has got to see the beloved House of Israel in the centre of the Saviour’s heart. Because that is where we are, we are given special privileges like the watchmen upon our tower in the role of prophets to warn us, guide us, prepare us to ‘possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when He shall come, in the kingdom of His Father’ (v 65). It is time we give heed.

There is no end of mercy the Saviour will show to save His people Israel. We have got to know our part in this incredible undertaking. The King is coming, we must dust off our wedding garments and prepare for a wedding feast of a lifetime. We must be the most beautiful bride the world has ever seen. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

HIS GREATNESS

 

I contemplated the Saviour’s greatness upon awakening today and the scriptures I have loved and admired came into my mind like Joseph’s admiration and praise of ‘King Immanuel’ which has many times brought me down to my knees:

“Let the mountains shout for joy and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy!

“And let the sun, moon and the morning stars sing together and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever. And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory and salvation, and honour, and immortality and eternal life, kingdoms, principalities and powers!”   (D&C 128:23)

I also remembered how His greatness and His power will be manifest when He returns:

“O Lord, thou shalt come down to make thy name known to thine adversaries, and all nations shall tremble at thy presence – Yea when thou comest down and the mountains flow down at thy presence….And so great shall be the glory of your presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.”  (D&C 133:40-53)

All that immense, immense, power yet nothing compares to His love, His compassion and His mercy. When he comes we shall acknowledge his loving kindness, his love and his pity on those he has redeemed…….if we follow Him that we might know Him and be recipients of such now…..

My desire to bring Thee honour

My desire to bring Thee joy

Shall forever through my faith in Thee

With devotion be known.

 

In the depths of my heart You bid me follow

My love freely flows from me,

My offering so small but faithful

With honour I give to Thee.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Everlasting God by Spencer Rasmussen)

INEXPRESSIBLE JOY

 

My patriarchal blessing tells me that my voice was heard singing praises to our Heavenly Father ‘when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy’ as we rejoiced about the Plan of Salvation.

I have often wondered what it was that I was singing. Does ‘praises’ mean my individual expression of gratitude or does it mean a set song that we all learnt and sang in unison? The fact that the Lord told Job that we sang together would mean it was a set song (Job 38:7). There is another indication that this might be correct.

We are told in Doctrine and Covenants that the righteous will be gathered out from among all nations and come to New Jerusalem singing songs of everlasting joy at the onset of the Millenium (D&C 45:66-71). In particular, we are told we shall sing a NEW song indicating that it will supposedly supersede the OLD song we sang in pre-earth life (D&C 84:98-102).

Whereas the old song we sang heralded our joy of journey’s beginning made possible by Christ our Redeemer, the New Song will shout our grateful praise to Him who has fulfilled all promises made to us so long ago.

This song will be so powerful and edifying that ‘no music has yet been produced that will compare with the music for this song’ (Smith, “Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:345; Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual p 185). Here are some of the words of vs 98-102:

“The Lord hath brought again Zion;

The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,

According to the election of grace,

Which was brought to pass by the faith

And covenant of their fathers.

The Lord hath redeemed his people;

And Satan is bound and time is no longer.

The Lord hath gathered all things in one.

The Lord hath brought up Zion from above.

The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.

For he stands in the midst of his people.

Glory, and honour and power, and might,

Be ascribed to our God, for he is full of mercy,

Justice, grace and truth, and peace,

Forever and ever, Amen.

We who will have begged the Saviour to come and had waited anxiously for His return will sing praises to His name with inexpressible joy. We will rejoice that we are at the threshold of the Millenial era of peace where our God and our King will reign in our midst with righteousness, peace and glory. Get ready…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Second Coming by Jechoon Choi)

OUR DAY

 

I cannot help but feel that our day very much resembles Charles Dickens’ first famous line of his successful novel titled “The Tale of Two Cities” through which he described France prior to the French Revolution of 1700s:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair….”

The best of our day is the Restoration of the Gospel, the expansion of missionary work, temples dotting the earth, the Millenium imminent. The worst of our day is warfare engulfing us, hatred among people dividing us and evil luring around every corner seeking to destroy us.

Lest we get lulled into complacency thinking there have always been bad times throughout history, it is important for us to remember that our dispensation is different. We have been illuminated by God’s light of truth and this means the adversary is working harder than ever before to spread his darkness. He is no longer hiding in the shadows. His attempts to destroy the two countries that will be Christ’s governmental seats when He comes and thus foil the millennial plans is out in the open.

Things are not going to get any better, only worse. Some of us are eager to embrace all the calamities and the worst that is yet to come because it means the Saviour is closer to coming. That is true but enduring until then will come at price, for us and for our children alike:

"Before the Saviour comes the world will darken. There will come a period of time where even the elect will lose hope if they do not come to the temples. The world will be so filled with evil that the righteous will only feel secure within these walls. The Saints will come here not only to do vicarious work, but to find a haven of peace. They will long to bring their children here for safety's sake...”

 

But then the promise and reward of endurance….all that will stand between us and the greatest 1,000 years of this earth is our personal worthiness and this is how we will achieve it:

 

“The covenants and ordinances will fill us with faith as a living fire. In a day of desolating sickness, scorched earth, barren wastes, sickening plagues, disease, destruction, and death, we as a people will rest in the shade of trees, we will drink from the cooling fountains. We will abide in places of refuge from the storm; we will mount up as on eagles' wings; we will be lifted out of an insane and evil world. We will be as fair as the sun and clear as the moon.”

 

This prophecy was given by Elder Vaugn J. Featherstone at the re-dedication of the Manti Temple in April 1987. He went on to say that the Saviour’s people will know Him when He appears. Why is that? Because we will become like Him through the light of the Gospel that has been given us in this dispensation. Because of the saving ordinances which qualify us to be a covenant people. Because we will have strived to spread the light which we have been given to extinguish the darkness which seeks to destroy us.

 

In Elder Featherstone’s words, when the Saviour comes: “Our children will bow down at His feet and worship Him as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. They will bathe His feet with their tears and He will weep, and bless them for having suffered through the greatest trials known to man.”

 

We, the children of light and of the everlasting covenant will do this….

-CATHRYNE ALLEN 

Artist Unknown 

 

ABSENCE OF FEAR

 

“A monk was confronted by an angry warrior who said: “Don’t you know who I am? I am someone who can cut off your head and not bat an eye!”  The little monk looked him in the eyes and calmly replied: “Don’t you know who I am? I am someone who can have you cut off my head….and not bat an eye!”  (Author Unknown)

Right now, we are witnessing the unfolding of the Lord’s prophecy that He shall decree wars upon the face of the earth before His coming (D&C 63:33). Many of us are in fear. The Lord also predicted this fear (v33). My way to cope without the fear is to look at the overall picture rather than look at the politics. I feel peace knowing that the Saviour is ultimately in control.

I am looking past the political manouvers and can see how Christ’s arch enemy is trying his hardest to destroy Israel and America and thereby foil the Millenial plans. These two countries will be the Saviour’s governing seats when He comes.

The adversary is seeking to bring in globalism so he can prevent this and control the world but I know He can never win and this is why: “I, the Lord, am not to be mocked in the last days. Behold, I am from above, and my power lieth beneath. I am over all, and in all, and through all….and the day cometh that all things shall be subject unto me. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ.” (D&C 63:58-60). To mock the Saviour means not believing that He is yet to come to reign and subject all things under His feet (D&C 58:22). We should be looking forward to that.

In my mind, there are two things for us the saints of these last days to consider. The Lord has warned us that before He comes, things will get so bad with wars that even ‘the saints shall hardly escape’(v34). The Prophet Joseph Smith explained ‘that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer…..still many Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, the pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God.” (“History of the Church”, 4:11)

Why do you think that cute little monk could have his head cut off without batting an eye? I would wager that he looked past this life and saw the vista of eternity before him. We, the saints know that vista…..it should be spread before us constantly…..therefore there is no need to fear….anything! Whether in life or in death, our destiny is assured if we are righteous. Being saved in the Kingdom of God is all that should matter.

If God be for us, who can be against us??? (Romans 8:31)

Thou art our everlasting God

Jehovah, our King,

Who has loved us and chosen us as Thine own;

Keep us as the apple of Thine eye,

Hide us under the shadow of Thy wings

That we might never stray

And cause Thee sorrow;

And help us wait for Thee

In the dawning of tomorrow. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Second Coming by Jon McNaughton)

THE PATH TO DIVINITY

 

“The greater definition of ‘the pure love of Christ’, is not what we as Christians try but largely fail to demonstrate toward others but rather what Christ totally succeeded in demonstrating toward us. True charity has been known only once.

“It is shown perfectly and purely in Christ’s unfailing, ultimate and atoning love for us. It is Christ’s love for us that ‘suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not’. It is his love for us that is not ‘puffed up…., not easily provoked, thinketh no evil’. It is Christ’s love for us that ‘beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things’.

“It is as demonstrated in Christ that ‘charity never faileth’. It is that charity – His pure love for us – without which we would be nothing, hopeless, of all men and women most miserable. Truly, those found possessed of the blessings of His love at the last day – the Atonement, the Resurrection, eternal life, eternal promise – surely it shall be well with them…”  (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Christ and the New Covenant”[1997], 336-37)

Charity or the pure love of Christ is unique to the Saviour. It is called ‘pure’ because this kind of love has no ulterior motive of self-interest. It is pure because it is selfless. Cast your mind on the Saviour’s mortal life and His atoning sacrifice. None of it was about Him but all about saving us and bringing glory to the Father.

This kind of love cannot be developed but can only be bestowed on the true followers of Christ so that they can become sons of God and be like Him when He returns. Why do we need to be like Him? So ‘that we may be purified even as He is pure’ (Moroni 7:47,48). Without this purity we cannot be where God is.

I have been thinking a lot about the Second Coming lately and I have written somewhat about the parable of the Ten Virgins. The more I contemplate this parable the more I can see what the Saviour meant by saying to the unprepared Five that they didn’t know Him (JST Matthew 25:11 or Matt 25:12a). Consequently, they never became like Him, a requirement Moroni spoke of.

I rather think that the prepared Virgins were His true followers who were endowed with His pure love and this is why I think that. In 1 Peter 4:8, it says that ‘charity covers a multitude of sins’ but JST says ‘charity PREVENTETH a multitude of sins’ (JST 1 Pet 4:8a). Think about it, the Saviour was sinless because He possessed this pure love. Speaking of the Father, He said: “I do ALWAYS those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Why? Because He loved the Father.

Possessing the pure love of Christ means possessing a love for God which means much greater obedience than we are capable of on our own. Possessing the pure love of Christ also means no trespass against our neighbour and greater charity toward our fellowman. It means no contention, no hate, no wars……it means a perfect society…..like the one He will bring with Him.

The arrival of the Bridegroom will not be “a scrutiny of churches, but of individuals in the Church” (James Talmage, Marriage Feast, the Called and the Chosen, “Jesus the Christ”, p 543). Only half of us will be at the Marriage Feast and the path to it is paved with love…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

BUILT ON LOVE

 

I awoke early this morning with thoughts of the Second Coming. I reflected on how much warning to prepare we are getting from the Church leaders.  It occurred to me that some of us are prepared even now and are anxious to meet the Saviour while some of us will be desperately rushing about to ‘take up our cross and follow Him’ in hopes that our ‘death-bed repentance’ will consider us prepared.

To take up one’s cross means to forsake the world, deny yourself all ungodliness and every worldly lust and to keep His commandments (JST Matthew 16:25-29). I wonder if this can be done effectively in one day, one week, one year even. It’s like that silly question we are asked in Sunday School sometimes: “If you knew that Jesus was coming tomorrow, what would you do today?” 

What could you do today??? Nothing!!! What could you possibly accomplish in one day that would make up for years of not doing it??? It takes time for a man to evolve into who he should be and even longer to become like Christ….and this is what the aim is, that ‘when He appears we shall be like Him’ (Moroni 7:48).

To become like the Saviour, it is imperative that we get to know Him. Consider the parable of the Ten Virgins. The five foolish virgins ran off to buy oil for their lamps at the very last minute before the bridegroom came. They considered that only the oil was needed for entrance to the feast. In reality, there was much more….. they were meeting the bridegroom who said to them: “Ye know me not” (JST Matthew 25:11 or Matthew 25:12, footnote a)….and if you don’t know me, how can you be with me???

Elder Bednar outlined what is needful for us to come to know the Saviour: 1. Exercising Faith In Him; 2. Following Him; 3. Serving Him; 4. Believing Him (“If Ye Had Known Me” October GC 2016)

I have pondered on the requirements for the entrance to the wedding feast and wondered what would be at the root of them. I think it has to do with the Saviour comparing His coming to  marriage. What is marriage built upon? Love.

“He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…..if a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:21-23)

Everything Elder Bednar suggested would develop in us love for Christ. How long do you think it would take us to accomplish that? A week, a month, a year? How about one day???

He will come and He will expect the bride to be ready….and He will know who loves Him…..for God will not be mocked…..

I would gladly give you some oil

Your empty lamp to fill,

If you could glean the sweat

From my furrowed brow

As I worked on the oil press

So diligently until now.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Filling Her Lamp by Dan Burr)

HE IS ALL

 

Those of you who read my posts will be aware that I base a lot of my knowledge on the scriptures. I don’t profess to know it all but over the years I have followed suggestions and instructions from several Church leaders on how to study and understand the scriptures.

 Every once in a while I will get a reader who will challenge what I write. In one of my recent posts titled “A Clear View” I attempted to prove that Christ has known everything from His very beginning, including the extent of the suffering He would go through during His Atonement, thanks to the Inspired Version which points out that it was the disciples that were ‘sore amazed’ in Gethsemane and not the Saviour (JST Mark 14:36).

One reader pointed out the scripture in Matthew 24:36 that quotes the Saviour saying that only His Father knows the day and the hour of His Second Coming, so in his opinion, the Saviour doesn’t know everything……this in spite of me citing two references in the Doctrine and Covenants where the Saviour said that only men and angels don’t know the day or the hour indicating that He knows too (D&C 39:21; 49:7).

I don’t need to tell you how aghast I was that a member of the Church considered His opinion of Christ to be more accurate than what the Saviour has said of Himself, namely that He knows the end from the beginning (Abraham 2:8); that all things past, present, and future are before Him continually (D&C 130:7); and that He knows all things and there is not anything that He doesn’t know (2 Nephi 9:20).

To me, the Matthew scripture is either mis-translated, as Joseph indicated in his teachings about certain errors in the Bible (Teachings, p 327) , or the Saviour was saying to His disciples, ‘I know also but I am not going to tell you the day and the hour because no man is supposed to know…..as when I come I will come quickly, meaning suddenly, as a thief in the night so all I will give you are the signs to watch for’ (Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual commentary for 34:7-12).

In my mind, the Saviour didn’t need to spell out that He knows when He will come. He is not some junior apprentice in the Celestial Kingdom who has to be told what to do and when to do it. He is a God and He is one with the Father (D&C 50:43; 93:3; 3 Nephi 11:27; John 14:9-11). What the Father thinks, the Saviour thinks, what the Father knows, the Saviour knows, what the Father wants, the Saviour wants. He is in all and above all and through all, the light, the truth, and the way. Why would He not know when He is supposed to come the second time?

My point is this. How can we have faith in a God who doesn’t know everything? It doesn’t make sense to me….so it behooves us to know Him like we have never known anything or anyone before. And this is how we can know Him: “Search the scriptures……..they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39; 3 Nephi 23:5).

And in Joseph’s words: “Search the scriptures – search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory, nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God, nor will there be any room for speculation. No, for when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they know how He will save them.” (History of the Church, 1:282)

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast upon Thy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there,

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Majestic Christ by Chris Brazelton)

GOD'S PLAN

 

“When we say God has a plan, he truly has a plan – not simply a grand scale, but for each of us as individuals, allocating some special talent to this dispensation and some to another. I regard God as the perfect personnel manager, even though He must work with and through all of us who are so imperfect.”  (Neal A.  Maxwell, “Deposition of a Disciple” p 46).

I am in awe of the sacrifices that were required of the early Church pioneers and I am convinced that the Lord in his wisdom allocated those spirits who were willing to sacrifice all for the establishment and restoration of the truth in this dispensation to be born at such a time.

Sidney Gilbert is just one example of the early Church converts who was asked to forsake the world despite his success in it. In 1830 he was a senior partner in the successful mercantile firm of Gilbert, and Whitney in Kirtland, Ohio. After he joined the Church, he was sent to Missouri to buy land and operate a small store (D&C 57:8). I imagine that would be akin to today’s successful city lawyer moving to a small town and mainly working only pro bono cases. That, my friends, is forsaking the world.

Sidney Gilbert proved to be a devoted and faithful member of the Church who sacrificed all of his goods during the persecutions in Missouri, even offering himself as a ransom for the Saints. Brother Gilbert lacked confidence though to preach the Gospel and was wrongly criticized for it (“History of the Church” 2:118).

I can relate to Sidney Gilbert’s hesitation. At my baptism, I naively said to the Elders who baptized me: “I will never give a talk or go on a mission”.  Three months later I was delivering my first talk in Church and three years after that, I was on a mission. I have served in many callings since then but there have been times when because of certain circumstances I had not been able to serve. The Lord makes of us what we should be for when He needs us in different situations.

I think of those of us who are Temple endowed and the special covenant we have made to give our all to the building of the Kingdom. I wonder how prepared we will be when the time comes to walk away from our earthly successes and forsake all for the privilege of building New Jerusalem. The call for that sacrifice will surely come.

In my opinion the Church has a way to go to prepare for the Second Coming. I for one am eager to see the splendour of New Jerusalem but that splendour will not come while we are sitting comfortably in our chapels listening to sacrament talks. It will come by sacrifice and work. The day will come when we will be asked to give up our all for the cause of Zion. Will we be ready? And will we be willing?

When we see the Saviour appear in the clouds of heaven in His glory, we will be grateful that we of the last days were sent here at such a time to welcome Him and present to Him His kingdom to which He will come to reign as our Lord and our King. May we be assured then that we have done our all to be worthy to see that day.

When through the water’s gate

I was given the Saviour’s name,

His law was written in my heart

Forever there to remain.

 

I sacrificed, I obeyed,

I followed the paths He had me take;

I performed His holy work

For His name’s sake.

 

When in clouds of heaven He appears,

And I stand in the shadow of His frame,

I want to hear the Saviour say:

Thank you for honouring my name! 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: His Return by Dan Wilson)

GOD OF GLORY

 

There is an account of an interesting event that occurred in the early Church history. During the absence of the priesthood authorities of the Church, some members fell under the influence of false spirits and had engaged in ‘ridiculous extravagances’ such as ‘pursuing a ball that one member said he saw flying in the air to the edge of a precipice, some had visions and could not tell what they saw, some fancied that they had the sword of Laban and would wield it, some would act like an Indian in the act of scalping, some would slide or scoot on the floor with the rapidity of a serpent and some imagined they were sailing in the boat to the Lamanites, preaching the gospel’. (History of the Church, 4:580; Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual p 107)

Out of all the names attributed to the adversary, the most fitting would have to be the Deceiver. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “From the time of the fall of man until now Satan and his followers who were cast out of heaven, have been deceiving men. Some commandments are of men and some are of devils (D&C 46:7).” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:200, Student Manual p 107)

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him what were the signs of His coming, Jesus answered: “Take heed that no man deceive you; For many shall come in my name saying – I am Christ – and shall deceive many….and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant. (JS Matthew 1: 5,6,22).

We are the elect according to the covenant and the time of the signs of His coming are upon us. I don’t know what manner of signs and wonders the false Christ’s will perform in an attempt to deceive the elect but I do know that we should be vigilant and that, according to the Saviour’s admonition, ‘we should ask of God, follow the Spirit and walk uprightly before Him that we may not be deceived by evil spirits’ (D&C 46:7).

I am reminded of Moses who had an encounter with the adversary following His experience with God on Mount Sinai. Moses was favoured to see the glory of God in his transfigured state (Moses 1:11) following which Satan attempted to deceive him telling him He is the Only Begotten that should be worshipped but Moses would not be deceived saying: “….where is YOUR glory?” (v 15,16,19)

The adversary will use all sorts of cheap counterfeits attempting to convince people that he is the Son of God. There might be things he can imitate but there is one thing he cannot imitate and that is glory. You cannot be the source of darkness and at the same time possess glory (Moses 1:15).

We might not see it until His coming but I hope we will know the God of glory through the association with His spirit as we live righteously and increase our testimony of His Sonship and that by the time the Second Coming is upon us, I hope we will know Him so intimately that we could never be deceived.

 

There is a desire in my soul

That wants to conquer Goliath

And watch him fall….

This warrior within me never sleeps

And yearns to hear the angels’ call,

A call to battle to make the devil fall.

And when Christ comes in clouds so holy

He will conquer that enemy

And we will confess His glory.

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Second Coming by CraftonArtPrints)

 

A HOLY PLACE

 

 

There is something very personal for us the Saints of the Latter-Days in the Olivet Discourse that the Saviour delivered to His disciples. In outlining the conditions of our day He said that amidst all the wickedness, desolation and commotion, “my disciples shall stand in holy places and shall not be moved, but among the wicked men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die” (D&C 45:32).

This scripture has made me reflect on how much the Saviour is depending on us. I reflected on the Church He organized in the meridian of time and how it all fell apart after He was gone. I wondered as He spoke to His disciples, if He was comforted looking forward to the restoration knowing He had special, strong spirits in reserve who will bring His Church “out of the wilderness – clear as the moon and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners” (D&C 5:14).  

The adversary might have accomplished his purpose by having the early saints killed and the Church disbanded but this time there will be no saints on crucifixes lining the walls of coliseums. I think of Joseph’s death and the persecution of the pioneers which they endured with unfathomable strength. Surely this strength preserved the Church and defeated the adversary’s plan to destroy God’s kingdom on earth the second time around.

I don’t know what awaits us as persecution of Christians escalates in our day. The adversary is employing the loss of national sovereignty and religious and cultural upheaval in the world today which is destroying the brotherhood of man. The hatred is raging in people’s hearts to the point of violence as the Saviour indicated it would (D&C 45:33).

I am hoping the saints who will face the final attempt of destruction of God’s kingdom on earth will be met by the strongest of the strong who have prepared themselves to withstand the destructive forces of the fiends of evil.

The adversary will never give up. He didn’t do so when he failed to abort the Plan of Salvation in the Garden of Eden and he didn’t give up when the Saviour emerged from the tomb. Surely he would have got the message then of ‘game over’ but still he has persisted and one would have to wonder why.

The obvious reason is ‘misery seeks company’ but I think there is more to it than that. I think it is pride which seeks its reward through rebellion, retaliation and revenge. It’s a pride born out of not willing to have been wrong. You can see this same pride in the political arena which is ravaging our world today, whether between individuals or nations.

I dread to think how the Saviour will grieve when He comes and sees that many of us have left our holy places. When the time comes for the grandeur of His Kingdom to be revealed, I hope those who have left will return and come with us to New Jerusalem singing songs of everlasting joy (D&C 45:66-71).

May we find our holy place and not be moved so that we can be the strongest of the strong when we meet our King and be a joy to Him forever.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Saviour by Land of Dreams)

LOVE UNFEIGNED

 

There is a word in Hebrew which is difficult to render in English. It is usually translated as ‘steadfast love’. The Hebrew word is HESED. It is a covenant word that refers to the faithfulness or loyal love that binds two people together in covenant.

This love is motivated by an inner loyalty which arises out of the relationship itself and not by legal obligation. Such covenant love has the quality of constancy, firmness and steadfastness. It is a love you have for another that you would never break because of deep loyalty you feel towards them.

I am feeling today the responsibility of my covenant that I made with the Saviour in my pre-mortal life. Perhaps because I am struggling presently with my mortality and feeling very inadequate. My patriarchal blessing says I made promises in pre-earth life but I feel deep down it was a covenant and not just a flighty promise that I made to stay faithful to Him and the cause of salvation.

It has always fascinated me that the Saviour presents His relationship to His Church in a marital setting (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7-8; 21:2,9). At times I have thought it strange that He will be the bridegroom and the Church His bride at the Second Coming….until I came to understand that this is about love. That those who truly and undeniably love Him will be like a bride coming to the wedding with love unfeigned. She will be bound to the bridegroom by HESED.

Hosea speaks of Israel of the Old Testament as a fickle woman that lacks steadfastness and trustworthiness of true covenant love. He describes Ephraim as ‘a silly dove without heart’ (Hosea 7:11). In Hosea’s ‘vivid figure, Israel’s HESED was like a transient morning cloud, or like the morning dew that evaporates quickly (Hosea 6:4)’  (Old Testament Student Manual comments for Hosea 6:6).

The only way to understand HESED is to understand God’s love for the House of Israel. The scriptures are replete with message of love from the Saviour toward us: we are chosen to be a special people above all people upon the face of the earth (Det 7:6); He would sacrifice others for Israel (Isaiah 43:1-7); He has redeemed us because we are His (Isaiah 43:1-3); Israel is ‘the apple of His eye’ (Det 32:9,10; Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8). Does this not make you feel special?

And this is the pinnacle of His love: Even though we often wander and break our covenant with Him, the Saviour will NEVER break His covenant with us, His people (Deuteronomy 4:31; Leviticus 26:44,46; Isaiah 49:15,16; 2 Kings 13:23). And this is why: “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:16).

This is HESED.

Such love as Yours

Burning bright in my heart,

I will forever know.

Through highs and lows,

Through depths unknown,

Its flame I will carry with me

Wherever I go.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Your Faith Has Saved You by Randy Riemel)

A MILLENIAL WORLD

 

Following the days of tribulation and desolation the Saviour will ‘reveal himself with power and great glory and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years’ (D&C 29:8-11).

Two significant things will happen at the onset of the Millenium. Firstly, all wickedness and corruption will be destroyed and there will be an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked (D&C 63:54). Only those will remain on earth who are worthy to live on a paradisiacal or terrestrial sphere (Mormon Doctrine, p 494).

Secondly, ‘all things shall become new’ (D&C 101:25). The planetary systems are to be changed, purified and refined in the similitude of the resurrection, by which means all physical evil or imperfections will be done away (Elder Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, p 61). All land will also come back together before it was divided in the days of Peleg (D&C 133:23-24). The earth will return to its paradisiacal glory of the days of Eden and the pure language of Adam will be restored so that we can all ‘serve the Lord with one consent’ (Zephaniah 3:9)

The massive enterprise during the Millenium will be something to behold, namely, the revelation of all knowledge for our learning (D&C 101:23-35); the temple work and the amount of missionary work that will no doubt be necessary to flood the earth with the knowledge of the Lord (2 Nephi 30:15).

Now consider the Millennial conditions that will make this stage of earth’s history an amazing time to be alive:

1.      “The enmity of all flesh shall cease” (D&C 101:26). All ferocious nature of animals will cease and there will be no killing between them or between animals and man.

2.      “Whatsoever any man shall ask, it shall be given unto him” (D&C 101:27). Because of their righteousness, people will only ask for the right things hence all petitions will be granted.

3.      “Satan shall not have power to tempt any man” (D&C 101:28). This will be accomplished by the Lord rewarding the righteous by pouring out His Spirit on them to such an extent that Satan’s power will be overwhelmed. Both the righteousness of the Saints and the Lord’s power will be a force that will bind Satan (D&C Student Manual p 89; commentary for 43:31).

4.      “Death will vanish from the earth” (D&C 101:29-31). There will be no sickness and there will be no death. When arriving to the point of death, people will be ‘changed in the twinkling of an eye’ instead. This means the body will pass from mortality to immortality and will have no need to wait for the resurrection day in the spirit world (Student Manual p 241). Imagine going from a hundred-year old body to a thirty year old one in a matter of minutes (Isaiah 65:20).

What an adventure we are on in this grand Plan of Salvation! When Moses met with God on Mt Sinai, he was shown this earth and all the inhabitants thereof. He was also told that there are many worlds existing and many had already passed away (Moses 1:35).

I often wonder if the great library in the sky has digital records of the earths that have existed and if we had access to view such. Seeing the Plan of Salvation playing out from the beginning to the end on other earths would have fostered in us an eternal perspective that propelled us to this earth with eagerness.

May we remember when the world overwhelms us, that we are so close to the parting of the heavens and welcoming our God in His glory to give us a thousand years of peace, tranquility and happiness and may we pray for Him to hasten His coming.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Loving Reverence by Greg Collins)