THE GLORY OF A GOD

 

There are some in the Church who believe that the destruction of the wicked at the Second Coming will happen due to natural elements that will occur because of our destruction of the planet. This is a mistaken belief which undermines ‘the perfect workmanship’ of Christ’s hands that is our planet and denies His power and glory as a resurrected and exalted being that He now is which will be evident at His coming.

We are told that the righteous will be caught up to meet Him and in the process be transfigured while the wicked will remain on the earth. Why will the righteous be transfigured? So that they can withstand the brighteness of His glory and not be consumed. It makes for logic that those who remain in their raw, mortal state will not be able to withstand such light and will be destroyed by it (see D&C 5:19; McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary)

For those who want a more scientific approach, here it is. We are also told that when the Saviour appears, the sun will hide its face in shame (D&C 133:49). Why the shame? Because the Lord’s brighteness will outshine the sun.

According to science, the energy of sunlight can reach extremely high levels, with the highest-energy sunlight recorded reaching nearly 10 trillion electron volts….hence the ozone layer. If it were not for the ozone layer which acts as a shield to protect life on earth, we would all be fried to a crisp. When the Saviour comes, He will be more powerful than the sun and will come right through that ozone layer.

A reader with a more scientific mind, calculated that “every molecule in a resurrected body is ‘oscillating’ nearly the speed of light and if that’s so then if a normal healthy mortal puts out 100 watts of body heat, then an ‘exalted’ being will radiate 36.525 megawatts of heat. At that level of energy state, we are talking about hard X-rays and Gamma rays and blinding lights! The scriptures back that up by saying ‘a man will wither and die in His presence unless he is ‘quickened’” (Jon, Sieffert).

When the Saviour returns, this will be the result of the light and heat He will radiate:

1.      Mountains will flow down at His presence (D&C 133:40,44; Micah 1:4)

2.      The waters on the earth will boil (D&C 133:41)

3.      All nations will tremble at His presence (D&C 133:42)

4.      The sun will hide, the moon will withhold its light, and the stars will be hurled from their places (D&C 133:49)

5.      The wicked will be burned by the brighteness of fire of the glory of the Lord (Malachi 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; D&C 5:19)

How both glorious and terrible will be His appearing!!! He will come and subdue all enemies under His feet (D&C 76:61). He will need no sword or weapon or natural elements. He will accomplish this simply by being who He is, by the glorified nature of His person. This is what righteousness and perfection is, it destroys the wickedness and evil.

How great is our Saviour, our Redeemer, our King! There is none greater than Him. May we rise to meet Him in His glory and bend our knees to confess He is our everything!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Come Unto Me by Yongsung Kim)

KINGDOM OF OPPOSITION

 

There is a directive in Section 18 of Doctrine and Covenants which begs for our serious consideration. It says: “Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil” (v 20).

When we think of the term ‘church’, we usually take it to mean a religion. Satan’s church, however, denotes a ‘kingdom’, the sphere of his influence, which spreads throughout the earth. This is his domain and so he is viewed as the god of this world.

In the scriptures, Satan’s kingdom is known by various names: Babylon, the great and abominable church, the mother of harlots, the church of the devil, and the kingdom of the devil (see 1 Nephi 22:22; 2 Nephi 28:18-19; Mormon 8:28-38; D&C 10:56; 18:20).

The Dictionary defines the word ‘contend’ to mean both “struggle to surmount a difficulty” and it also means to “assert something as a position in an argument”.

The second meaning directs us to the 11^th Article of Faith which states that we allow all men the privilege to ‘worship how, where, or what they may. In other words, we are to respect the religious beliefs of those around us and not argue on points of doctrine. We are also told not to contend within the Church regarding the doctrine of Christ as contention leads to division (D&C 10:63; 3 Nephi 11:28-29)

The first meaning, as in a personal struggle to overcome, suggests resisting an influence, principle or persuasion that does not align with our knowledge of the truth and therefore not assimilating it into our lives. It means holding on to the iron rod without taking leave to travel on questionable roads that take us away from God.

The devil’s kingdom spreads far and wide throughout the earth and has infiltrated a lot of organisations and causes. His methods are subtle and often presented under the guise of something good.

President Nelson has issued us a warning to avoid Lucifer’s cunning snares who has ‘through eons of time honed his craft. He is skilled at distraction, distortion, deception and misdirection.” (Russell M Nelson, A Prophet’s Voice)

Last time we studied the Doctrine and Covenants, I took particular notice of what I was learning about this foe of humanity who was once ‘a son of the morning’ (D&C 76:26; Isaiah 14:12; 2 Nephi 24:12). Did you know that his pre-existence name of Lucifer literally means ‘the shining one’ or ‘lightbearer’? (Bible Dictionary).

So great was he in the beginning that he was in authority in God’s presence until his pride led him to thirst for prominence and power (D&C 76:25-6). He was so great that the heavens wept over him when he fell. When I reflected on this I sorrowed that we had lost someone with so much promise, who now seeks to make all men miserable like himself (2 Nephi 2:27).

I sorrowed so much that I penned this poem. May we remember that fall from grace and what he has become that we might not follow him in his misery…….but rather may we remember that the Saviour called Satan ‘a thief in the night’ who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). May we instead walk with Christ in whom the grace of salvation lies.

 

Like a thief in the night,

He seeks to steal, kill and destroy.

He is the collector of ruined lives,

The Master of ravaged souls.

 

He is the Son of the Morning,

His pride yielded irreversible cost

In the beginning we sorely wept

When his soul was forever lost.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Whispers of Whispers by Ivan Guaderrama)

THE WORTH OF YOU

 

 

We are told the worth of a soul is great in the eyes of God (D&C 17:10). What does that exactly mean? Does it mean our worth is great simply because we are the offspring of Deity who loves us?

Well, there seems to be more to it than that. God told Enoch that we are the ‘workmanship’ of His hands (Moses 7:32). If ‘workmanship’ insinuates investment of labour and skill, the worth cannot be purely in the birth alone.

To arrive at the estimate of the worth, consider all the ‘work’ that went into the making of YOU: 1. Your spiritual creation which depended on the Father’s rise to Godhood; 2. Your spiritual tutoring for eons of time; 3. The creation of the earth for your mortality; 4. Overseeing of your earthly tutoring; 5. Preparation of kingdoms for your eternal destination; 6. The redemption of your soul through sacrifice of another.

Now think of the scale of guidance, protection, care, overseeing, anguish and sorrow of your Heavenly Parents, the Holy Ghost, your guardian angels, your ancestors, your departed loved ones and all the hosts of heaven who know you….and not just what others have put into you but what you have put into yourself….in this life and before you even came here. Consider the following:

“In the prior life, we developed various capacities and talents. Some developed them in one field and some in another. The most important of all fields was the field of spirituality, the ability, the talent, the capacity to recognise truth” (Bruce R. McConkie, When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren, A Study Guide for the Priesthood Quorums of the Church, 1974-75, pp 8-9). This spiritual development was not only important for our own salvation but also for the salvation of others.

Obviously, we achieved a lot before we were even born into mortality. What price would you put to all the work that you put into yourself and the investment of others into you??? I know two things:  the price would be higher than we can possibly imagine; and I know who paid it and why.

When Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai, God revealed Himself to him and Moses saw the glory of God and every particle of this earth and all the children of men (Moses 1:8,27) that have ever been created. The vision of God's power was overwhelming to a man who grew up in an Egyptian court believing that Pharoah was god and there was no one greater than him so he exclaimed that now he could see that man is nothing (Moses 1:10).

God, however, didn't want Moses to miss the point so He showed him the same vision again and concluded it with the most important message in the scriptures: "For behold this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). The point that God didn't want Moses to miss is this: amongst all of God's creations, none are greater than man. Why? Because man constitutes God’s glory. All that we are and all that we become matters because it leads to our glory and adds to His.

Surely Christ’s supreme sacrifice for all mankind is the crescendo of all the work invested into each soul ever born on this earth, of every creed, of every colour, of every nation. The Atonement is the crowning glory of the work that has gone into you and me.

All the prior work that had been put into us would be in vain if there was no Atonement, and even more importantly, there would be no future for any of us, and the future is what counts, because it ensures our rightful place in the eternal scheme of things.

It completes the Plan, it ensures the success of the Plan, it validates the ‘workmanship’ and preserves its value. So with all the labour, material, and struggle that has gone into your creation and development, how much do you think your soul is worth?

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus the Creator by SKAI Studios)

OPPOSITION

 

 

If you are doing well, especially spiritually, there will always be someone who will in some way try to pull you down or destroy your relationship with God and the Church that you hold dear to your heart. The adversary will use others to accomplish this. He never sleeps. I have just been through an experience of such nature myself. It left me reflecting on the Saviour and how He endured so much opposition in his earthly life, especially during his three years of ministry.

There are also people who will uphold you, believe in you, and build you up. It’s a gift from above. These are angels sent to ensure your endurance. It always gives me comfort to reflect on the people who loved the Saviour too.

This is what I see in the Gospel of John. The most endearing is his account of events prior to Christ’s death. John records that six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany (John 12:1-3).  Why Bethany? Because in Bethany lived Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. This is where Jesus was loved, comforted, accepted and believed so Bethany was his place of refuge. The Passover was imminent and it heralded the beginning of the end. 

Imagine with what heavy heart Jesus came to Lazarus' house for the last time. And imagine what solace He felt as the woman who anointed Him was Mary, who sat at His feet and hungered for His words of eternal life. It makes sense that Mary would be the woman who would anoint Him for his burial (John 12:7). Mary anointed not only his feet but his head also (Mark 14:3), 'an act of reverential homage rarely rendered even to kings' (James Talmage, "Jesus The Christ", p 512 ). 

Mary spared no expense for the one she loved for she anointed Him with the costly ointment of spikenard. Lazarus' family was wealthy and well known to all the Jews in Jerusalem, especially to the Jewish Council who sought to kill him because Christ raised him from the dead which caused many of the Jews to believe on Him (John 12:10-11).

And did Lazarus withdraw his hospitality and shun Jesus because his life was in jeopardy? No, because he loved Him.  So, you see He was in a house of love before He began His journey to His death. John is the only one who made detailed mention of this trip to Bethany because I believe it was important to him to record that even though Christ was despised, bruised and rejected, He was also loved.

The very jaws of hell were wide open ready to swallow the Christ and prevent Him from fulfilling His purpose but He never faltered believing in His ability to see it to the end. What in my mind sealed His determination and commitment was His unwavering relationship with the Father. He promised and He desired to bring Him glory.

Remember, when the devil sends his mighty winds and storms to beat upon you, he shall have no power to drag you down to the gulf of misery, if you are built upon the rock which is the Redeemer of your soul (Helaman 5:12). He will ensure you will have His strength to survive and He will send you His love to protect you.  

Your arms are my shelter,

Your heart is my home,

My only hope

For protection from the storm.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Light of the World by Howard Lyon)

BEING A WITNESS

 

 

It’s quite surprising, is it not, that all three witnesses of the Book of Mormon plates who saw an angel, left the Church at some point.

David Whitmer left and never came back, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris were eventually rebaptized and died in full fellowship. I don’t know why David Whitmer never came back but I was happy to read he died with a testimony on his lips as he addressed those around his bedside:

“Now you must all be faithful in Christ. I want to say to you all, the Bible and the record of the Nephites (Book of Mormon) is true, so you can say that you have heard me bear testimony on my death-bed. All be faithful in Christ, and your reward will be according o your works. God bless you all. My trust is in Christ forever, worlds without end. Amen.”  (In Jenson, Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:270)

Martin Harris also bore his testimony on his deathbed: “I did see the plates on which the Book of Mormon was written; I did see the angel; I did hear the voice of God; and I do know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, holding the keys of the Holy Priesthood.”  (In Francis W. Kirkham, New Witness of Christ, 1:253-4)

It would seem that David Whitmer was in contact with Oliver Cowdery as he witnessed his death and said this concerning his departure: “Oliver died the happiest man I ever saw. After shaking hands with the family and kissing his wife and daughter, he said,: ‘Now I lay me down for the last time; I am going to my Saviour’, and he died immediately with a smile on his face.’ (In Francis W. Kirkham, New Witness of Christ, 1:248)

The persecution of the early saints was horrendous and I guess even seeing an angel would not have eliminated the stress and pressure these men were under hence the walking away. However, a lot of them that never saw the gold plates or an angel survived and remained in full fellowship. It goes without saying, the testimony of the spirit is stronger than one of sight.

No judgment here. I don’t know what the persecution of that time was like but I have faced opposition to my testimony during my life. I am facing it even now from someone close to me. I don’t know if I would be able to withstand it if I had never nurtured the seed of my faith for the past 49 years since my baptism, and never allowed it to sprout and grow into a tree as per Alma’s inspired discourse in Alma 32.

The promise is that because of diligence and patience in nourishing the word, we shall eventually pluck the fruit of the tree, ‘which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and we shall feast upon this fruit even until we are filled, that we hunger not, neither shall we thirst’ (Alma 32:42).

The fruit of our faith is none other than Christ himself. Because of the fulness of our faith in Him, we too can exclaim at our departure, “I am going to my Saviour” and leave with a smile on our face……This is the sweet death that we should want.

Your truth pierces my soul

And binds me to Your loving heart.

Your teaching moments

Find my hungry mind

And feed me like a bird in flight.

My faith is laid at Your feet

And I, I come to you dear Saviour

Clutching these riches that are mine to keep.

 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Gift by Annie Henrie Nader)

A STEP CLOSER TO GOD PART 2

 

 

The bestowal of the priesthood of the Great High Priest who is Christ the King to men of this earth would have to be the greatest gift He could possibly give us for our earthly sojourn, for “without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live” (D&C 84:22) It is a huge step that brings us closer to His Godhood and ultimately, ours.

My understanding of the priesthood is pretty basic. I haven’t been schooled in it like the men in the Church have so my offering here will be more of a personal one as opposed to a doctrinal one.

I wrote a couple of days ago about my gratitude for the Aaronic priesthood being the gate to salvation through baptism. This priesthood is the beginning of our path to God and our experience with ‘the power of godliness’ (D&C 84:20)

I have been very fascinated with the promise of this power that is given us through the priesthood ordinances, and this is why. In his vision of us, Nephi indicated that in the last days ‘the power of the Lamb descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb and upon the covenant people of the Lord….and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory’ (1 Nephi 14:14).

This has been one of my favourite scriptures for a long time. It gives me hope that I, as one of the covenant people, can overcome the influence of Satan in my life and conquer the enemy of all righteousness (Moroni 9:6)

Here are some benefits I have notice in my life that fulfil the promise of ‘the power of godliness’ through the priesthood ordinances:

1.      The Sacrament: my focus on the Saviour in remembrance of Him has invited His spirit into my life daily. It wasn’t always so but it’s been cumulative over the years.

2.      The Temple: I have noticed that the stricter my obedience to the covenants I have made in the Temple, the greater my desire for righteousness and the more refined my spiritual nature gets.

3.      Priesthood Blessings: This is my favourite priesthood ordinance. It has been many a time that I have wept through a priesthood blessing because I could hear God’s voice just for me. He has told me things that would apply to only me, personal things that only He knows about. It has many times affirmed to me the fact that God knows me, loves me, and is heavily invested in my spiritual progression and my struggles in this life.

This, however, is my greatest appreciation for the Melchizedek Priesthood. This Holy Priesthood is “the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God” (v19). It has been my greatest desire for many years to come to ‘know’ God…..as much as a person can get to know Him in this life. I thirst for this……

My second desire has been to know the ‘mysteries of the kingdom’. Mysteries are, of course, the aspects of Christ’s kingdom we do not yet understand…..and they are available to all worthy saints (D&C 76:5-10).  I thirst for this also…….

Such wonders and blessings overwhelm me. And I owe it to Joseph, the prophet of this dispensation who under the hands of Peter, James and John received the restored Holy Priesthood ‘after the order of the Son of God’ to bless my existence now and forever…… 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Restoration by Liz Lemon Swindle)

A STEP CLOSER TO GOD PART 1

 

 

“Joseph Smith explained the circumstances surrounding the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (see JS-H 1:68-72), which took place along the bank of the Susquehanna River near Harmony, Pennsylvania. Oliver Cowdery, who was with the Prophet on this occasion, was filled with awe and wonder, for it was his first experience with a heavenly messenger. He wrote:

“On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the vail was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the gospel of repentance! – What joy! What wonder! What amazement! While the world was racked and distracted – while millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld – our ears heard.

“His voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, ‘I am thy fellow-servant’, dispelled every fear. We listened – we gazed – we admired! ‘Twas the voice of an angel from glory – ‘twas a message from the Most High! And as we heard we rejoiced, while his love enkindled upon our souls, and we were wrapt in the vision of the Almighty!

“Where was room for doubt? Nowhere; uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk, no more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever……what joy filled our hearts and with what surprise we must have bowed, (for who would not have bowed the knee for such a blessing?) when we received under his hand the holy priesthood.”    (Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1840, p 202)

When I joined the Church, I didn’t know very much about the Church, its’ organization or most of its teachings. I just knew that I wanted the way of life I could have in the Church and that one day I would have an eternal family. What I understood the least was the priesthood.

When I stepped into the waters of baptism at the tender age of 18, I did not expect to experience my first encounter with the Holy Ghost who descended upon me so forcefully when I came up out of the water that I wept uncontrollably. That was my first experience with the priesthood of God and the powers of heaven and the beginning of my journey with God. The priesthood gave me that.

How godly You were

When You planted the heavens

And laid the foundations of the earth.

How noble when you gave me hope

Of salvation through the water’s gate.

I now fly to You on my wings of faith.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Upon You My Fellow Servants by Linda Curley Christensen)

FOR THE JOY

 

 

“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones.

“And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

“And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them……… (Abraham 3:22, 24,25)

We are told we sang together and shouted for joy at the prospect of our eternal progression through the Plan of Salvation (Job 37:7). How easy it is to embrace something so willingly before it becomes a reality.

I think of Enoch witnessing the Father weeping over his disobedient children so early into that reality (Moses 7:28). I have one wayward child and I have wept over her. I cannot imagine the Father’s sorrow over so many of His children. It is true that moral agency is not free. It comes with a price that is not only paid by the sinner but by all those within their heavenly and earthly parental and family circle.

If you have a child that is currently lost, you are in good company. The Father knows your pain. To this end He has sacrificed His son to atone for the sins of our wayward children should they return. Until that day, hold fast onto hope. He will reach out to them some day and endeavour to bring them back. After all, they were His, before they were ours.

I often hope that my efforts of obedience make up, to some degree, for my daughter’s waywardness. I also hope that many of Father’s righteous children will return to Him with honour to cushion the blow of those who will be missing.

We are told obedience is the first principle of heaven. I have a friend who thinks love is greater than obedience but to me, you cannot separate the two. Obedience springs from love and magnifies love. If we love the Father and His Son, we will hold fast onto this principle.

May we strive to be a delight in His hand and a joy to Him forever and may our example reach the hearts of those who are presently lost.  

I pleaded with You, Father,

In the beginning,

To bring me home again to Thee.

I promised to heed every call,

To avoid every danger,

To abhor every sin.

 

I have laboured to bring Thee joy

To be worthy of Your love for me.

I’ll wait at heaven’s door and knock

Until I hear the angels sing. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: For the Joy by Eva Koleva Timothy)

A GIFT

 

 

I wrote yesterday about Oliver Cowdery’s ‘Gift of Aaron’ (D&C 8:6-9). As I progressed to Section 11 of Doctrine and Covenants, I came across another man with another gift:

“The Lord declared that Hyrum Smith had a gift. The great gift which he possessed was that of a tender, sympathetic heart; a merciful spirit…..This great gift was manifest in his jealous watch care over [his brother], the Prophet Joseph Smith, lest some harm come to him.”  (President Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and modern Revelation, 1:57)

Hyrum followed his brother to his death in his attempt to watch over him. This makes him just as much of a martyr as Joseph. To be willing to die for another is the ultimate gift. Does it remind you of someone?

This is what intrigued me the most: Hyrum’s gift was promised to come only after he exercised faith in Jesus Christ (D&C 11:10). This identifies his gift as a ‘gift of the spirit’, of which there are many (D&C 46:11-33; 1 Corinthians 12:1-12; Moroni 10:8-18). There are two reasons why the gifts of the spirit are given.

Firstly, they are given to those who have the gift of the Holy Ghost, through the Holy Ghost, for the benefit of the Church so all can be edified and unified. I know I keep harping about becoming a Zion people but I see no better way of becoming one than when we share our gifts with the congregation of faith.

In 1831 the saints were commanded by revelation in general conference to be one and esteem each other as brethren: “teach one another according to the office wherewith I have appointed you; and let every man esteem his brother as himself…..I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one, ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:23,24,27)

Secondly, exercising our gifts makes us Christ-like. Hyrum was promised his gift would come only after he exercised faith in Jesus Christ because gifts come by the spirit of Christ (D&C 11:10; Moroni 10:17). This says to me that through our faith in the Saviour, we come to Him for recognition of the gift He is willing to give us. We cannot exercise a gift we do not know we possess and we can possess many by seeking them. Paul told the Corinthians they should ‘covet earnestly the best gifts (1 Cor 12:31; 14:1)

Can you think of any gift of the spirit that the Saviour would not possess??? There is none. When we are gifted with one of His gifts and exercise it for the benefit of others, we become in part like Him. The more gifts we obtain, the more like Him we become. He is the pattern and the giver of it.

There is no one like our God. Who else has sacrificed Himself for us, provided the way of godliness for us to follow, and endowed us with gifts to become like Him in order to prepare ourselves for the best resurrection whereby we can live with God the Father forever? You will not find this God in any other religion….

 

You have fed me from the banquet of your love;

Your arms have cradled me

in the eye of the heaviest storm;

You have led me to reach the heights of faith

to me unknown.

You are my Sovereign,

My wings of protection from the cold,

My eagle in flight

To pilot me home.

-  CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Lamb of God by Greg Olsen)

MY BROTHER'S KEEPER

 

I was going to write my assessment of why Oliver Cowdery missed out on translating scriptural records, as he at one stage desired, but I saw more value in this.

In Section 8 of Doctrine and Covenants we read the Lord telling Oliver Cowdery he had a special gift, the gift of Aaron (v 6). This in my mind was of more importance to Oliver’s eternal progression than the gift of translation. And here is why:

“Aaron was the elder brother of Moses. Being prompted by the Spirit of the Lord, he met his younger brother in the wilderness and accompanied him to Egypt. He introduced him to the children of Israel in the land of Goshen. He was his spokesman before Pharaoh, and he assisted him in opening up the dispensation which Moses was commissioned to proclaim (Exodus 4:27-31). This was the gift of Aaron.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p 44, Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, p 19). Aaron was a forerunner……

I have always thought it admirable that Aaron, though older accepted so readily that his younger brother was chosen to be Israel’s prophet and law giver. I imagine that would have been of immense support and comfort to Moses who carried such a heavy burden and responsibility.

I will not go into detailed history of Aaron who had his own faults but will say this…..he fulfilled his purpose and was granted the greatest honour in Israel by becoming the first high priest and having the lesser priesthood named after him.

In some respects, Oliver Cowdery was the Aaron of the new and last dispensation. He served prominently as the Second Elder, the Assistant President of the Church, and an assistant counselor to the First Presidency. In other words, never the leader at the helm but always the support. This to me means he helped built people up to fulfil their purpose. He was the backbone of the success of others, not to mention the source of comfort and strength to Joseph who went through hell to accomplish what was given to him to accomplish.

Oliver was blessed with immense spiritual privileges as the bearer of the gift of Aaron: he was one of the three witnesses of the golden plates as shown by the hand of an angel; he had the Aaronic priesthood conferred upon him by John the Baptist and he witnessed the appearance of Jesus Christ and angelic ministers in the Kirtland temple a week after the dedication.

Sometimes we feel overlooked because we are not in the front trenches. The Saviour certainly wasn’t when He was here. He was here to build others, to show them the way, to unite them through fellowship and brotherly love.

In today’s world we need to push back against the things that divide us. This is Satan’s greatest tool. If he can succeed, then we will tear each other down and not build each other up. He has dedicated himself to prevent us from becoming a Zion people. We mustn’t allow it. We must be an ensign to the world.

We must rise and become each other’s greatest ally…..we must be our brother’s keeper. We must lift each other to higher ground. We must strive to be Aarons of this world because Aarons get to see Christ too.

 

I helped a few along the way

And kept my love close to my heart

Until it became too heavy to bear.

 

It overflowed my weakened arms

And scattered along humanity’s path.

Like crumbs from the table it fed a few,

The lonely, the weak and the weary.

 

I spread my arms wide

And fed a throng for many years

Until each cared for soul

Paved the trail of my happy tears.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: I Am He Who Liveth by Eva Koleva Timothy)

MINISTERING ANGEL

 

 

When the Saviour granted John’s wish to remain on earth until the Second Coming, He said He would make him ‘a ministering angel’ for the heirs of salvation who live on the earth (D&C 7:6).

I have often wondered what form of service that ministering would take and then I discovered something which has had a far wider influence in the world than anything else The Beloved could have done in person:

“Five of the books of the Bible were written by John: the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. The world’s most widely distributed book is the Bible, portions of which have been translated into 2,233 languages as of 2000. It has been estimated that between 1815 and 1999 some 3.88 billion Bibles were printed (see Guinness World Records 2002, p 138). Certainly, John’s written prophecy has gone forth among the nations” (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual, p 17).

The Bible is the best-selling book in the world, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold so far. Imagine what John the Beloved has done and continues to do for Christianity throughout the world. His writing continues to influence, uplift, inspire and teach Christians everywhere.

A couple of years ago I had a sister in the Church comment on one of my posts telling me that I should stop preaching to the choir and get out to teach the unconverted. I reminded her that even the choir needs converting from time to time.

It gives me comfort that John’s writing ministers for ‘the heirs of salvation’. I consider myself one of those heirs having accepted Christ as my Saviour and Redeemer. I can tell you that I need to be comforted, inspired and taught by the word of God just as much as those who are yet not converted.

The word of God does not discriminate between the children of God. We are all equally in need of spiritual nourishment. I find that in the scriptures. I don’t know where I would be if the prophets and scribes of old did not keep records of prophecies and accounts of inspiring events and men and women of valour.

I could go on and on about the importance and purpose of scriptures. They that are given by inspiration from God make us wise unto salvation, they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:15,16, JST 16a). But I suspect you know all this because you are the converted……

This, however, is what I consider John’s ministering amounting to: “…..the scriptures shall be given, even as they are in my own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect. For they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep; and shall abide the day of my coming; for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.” (D&C 35:20,21).

Who are the elect? They are the heirs of salvation, they are those who know Christ, they are those who love Him and obey Him, they are the ones who will be saved and they are the ones who are preparing for His appearing.

I am certain this was the Beloved’s intent every time he sat down to write. I am certain he wanted to bring to us the Christ that he knew and loved…..to bolster our faith, to keep us believing and hoping, to help us look forward to that day when He shall come in His glory to gather us in the arms of His love….to save us….to take us home.

Cherish the scriptures, feast upon the words of Christ and feel ministered to……

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: Uplift the World by Eva Koleva Timothy)

GRATITUDE BEYOND MEASURE

 

 

I imagined this morning during my reverie, how I would feel seeing the Saviour at the completion of my earthly life. I saw myself bowing before Him in my mind and an immense magnitude of His Atonement flooded my soul. I wept with gratitude at the understanding that I did not really know the impact this life would have on me before I was born, even though I was so supportive of The Plan…..but now I understand.

I have been what you would call a ‘good girl’ my whole life. I have never committed a ‘big’ sin of any kind but I am very aware of my ‘lesser’ sins, of every unworthy thought, feeling and action that might have been offensive to God. In other words, the natural man I am experiencing here.

Whilst bowing before the Saviour in my mind, all the earthly scars of my experience flooded me and I really and truly understood the impact the Atonement will have on my life on Judgment Day….how it will cover all my un-godlike behaviours and wipe away all my embarrassments and godly sorrow I have because of them.

I understood so well the blessing of the sanctification process I will go through. And all because of the suffering of one man who will step before me on Judgment Day to answer for my sins. This is the power of mediation, the power of intercession, the power of advocacy of a God who volunteered to save my soul.

I bow now and will bow always before the magnitude of such power and love…..all glory be His now and forever and ever…..

 

With what heavy steps

You approached the garden’s gate!

You suffered, You atoned,

You hung lifeless on the cross,

As you met Your appointed fate.

 

I waited for my turn on earth

And watched with angels

Your rise from the darkened tomb

That could not contain

The magnitude of You.

 

I saw Your glory that shone so bright

Defeating death and making all anew

And I wept for the greatness of hope

That rose with You.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Encircled In The Arms of His Love by Eva Koleva Timothy)

THE LORD'S BELOVED

 

 

Have you ever wished to have a title added to your name that would describe your relationship with God? Abraham had 'a friend of God' attached to his name. What spiritual title would you like to be known by?  Sally, the disciple of Christ? Mary, the seeker of truth? Richard, the upholder of faith? Simon, the warrior of God?

My favourite person from the four Gospels in the New Testament is John, 'the disciple whom Jesus loved', as he referred to himself in his book. Jesus called him 'the son of thunder' (Mark 3:17) but he was and is best known as John The Beloved. I have a desire to meet John The Beloved because I think I could more intensely feel the Saviour's love just by simply being in his presence. 

When I refer to John I simply refer to him as The Beloved. I am in awe of his name. Imagine having “The Beloved”  tagged onto your name because it is so obvious to everyone that the Saviour loves you so much. This is the title that I want.

If you study John’s writing, it is impossible not to see the love. In his book, The Beloved records of the discourse on love that Jesus delivered at the Last Supper.  His account of this discourse is related to the Sacrament and our remembrance of the Saviour and mentions love 22 times.

John records the Saviour giving an amazing promise to all who are motivated through their love for Him to obey His commandments. The promise is that they can enjoy the literal companionship of the Father and the Son in this life (John 14:23). This is an amazing promise.

None of the other gospels record this discourse on love or such an important promise, only John; the disciple who outran Peter to the sepulchre with a pounding heart hoping against hope that the rumours were true, that He whom He loved, lived again (John 20:2-4).

Doctrine and Covenants Section 7 gives a clear picture of the love between John and the Saviour. In His communication with John and Peter, the Saviour asked: “John, my beloved, what desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you. And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto you”  (D&C 7:1,2).  That’s love. There is no greater.

Some 90 years after Christ’s death, during the bleakest period of Church history, John sat on the island of Patmos, alone, an exiled last apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ; Peter having been crucified, Paul beheaded, Bartholemew skinned alive, Thomas and Matthew run through with spears. By the time of Patmos, the history of the Church included the lining of Nero's colonnade with crucified Christians and the savagery of the mobs screaming for blood in the Coliseum and the Circus Maximus." (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, p 449).

Something magical happened to John at Patmos. One Sabbath day the Saviour appeared to him and revealed to him all that will happen on earth until He returns. It was as if the Saviour was saying to him: "You will be here a long time and you will sorrow for the sins of the world, but be comforted John because I am coming back and when I come, I will 'wipe away all tears....and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain...." (Revelation 21:4).

At the Church Conference in June 1831, Joseph prophesied that John was then among the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, “to prepare them for their return from their long dispersion, to again possess the land of their fathers” (in History of the Church, 1:176). He who lives and sorrows for the sins of the world will have some stories to tell…..

 

I long to see the paths he wanders

To and fro the length of the earth;

I wish to wipe his brow

At the end of the day

To uphold the magnitude of his holy work.

Let me hold him close

And soothe his heavy heart

As the time for final gathering nears,

And let me gather in my cupped hands

The hallowed drops of The Beloved’s tears.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Hope by Liz Lemon Swindle)