I HEAR YOUR VOICE

 

I hear Your voice in empty silence

When loneliness envelops me;

I hear Your voice in violent storms

That plague Me in mortality;

I hear Your voice in my struggles

That never let me be;

I hear Your voice when You pilot me

On dangerous journeys of earthly seas;

I hear Your voice beckoning me

To stay the course because

You will never abandon me.

I hear Your voice getting closer

And more distinct on the narrow path

That leads me home to Thee.

I see Your arms wide open

Waiting to welcome me.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Be Not Afraid by LDS Book Store)

THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

 

“Years ago as a missionary, I taught investigators that faith was a belief strong enough to cause one to act. In other words, one could define faith as “belief” plus “witness”. The Prophet Joseph Smith changed one word when translating Paul’s definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1. The king James Version says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

“Joseph Smith changed the word substance to assurance (see JST, Hebrews 11:1). Substance means something tangible, something that one can hold, whereas assurance refers to an inner conviction or witness that comes from the Holy Ghost. Thus, faith is belief plus action plus a spiritual witness.”

-        Elder Merrill J. Bateman, “Living a Christ-Centered Life, Ensign January 1999

Faith without the witness of the Holy Ghost that gives us an assurance of the truth, is simply just a pragmatic belief. It is the assurance of the spiritual witness that moves one to action and to keep acting. Without the inner conviction endowed by the Holy Ghost, this Church would not exist. Indeed, some of us struggle to stay in the Church because the ‘assurance’ of our faith is lacking making it impossible to adhere to the commitment and this is why:

“There is…..a difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and the enjoyment of the gift. All saints after baptism receive the gift or right to the sanctifying power of the Spirit, but only those who are worthy and who keep the commandments actually enjoy the promised reward.” (Bruce R. McConkie, “A New Witness for the Articles of Faith” [1985] p 257).

Before His death, Jesus told the Twelve: “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7). Thus the Holy Ghost comforts, guides, purifies, testifies and makes known the things of God (see Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal Messiah 2, p 66).

The greatest promised reward we have is that of eternal life so the greatest role of the Holy Ghost is his guidance to assist us in adhering to our commitment to arrive at that destination. When we have the presence of the Holy Ghost with us, we are assured we are on the right path to that goal:

“The actual enjoyment of the gift of the Holy Ghost is a supernal gift that a man can receive in mortality. The fact of its receipt is a witness that the saints so blessed are reconciled to God and are doing the things that will assure them of eternal life in the realms ahead.” (ibid)

President Nelson has warned us that “it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost” in the days to come (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives” GC April 2018).

The prophesied calamities of the last days are frightening. Some of us will not be able to press forward to the reward of eternal life if we do not have the assurance of the Holy Ghost that we are safe and secure on the Gospel path.

ODE TO THE HOLY GHOST

The days you embrace my heart,

I can scarcely contain my tears.

The truths of heaven distil upon me

And lifts me higher than all my fears.

Take my hand, take my soul,

Take me home beyond it all. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Outpouring of the Spirit by Danny Hahlbohm)

TO COMFORT THE COMFORTLESS

"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee........I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.....I pray for them......that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17)

As Jesus neared the dreaded hour when he would face His suffering in Gethsemane, where alone, forsaken, 'and without the pomp of crowds, he would win an infinite victory far greater than any defeat of Rome' (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles p 165), he turned his attention to those whom He loved. Even though He faced the certainty of His own exquisite suffering, He sought to offer comfort to His devoted apostles and to prepare them not only for the dismal hours ahead but their own fate. That fate, though not remotely comparable to that of His own, the Saviour painted a bleak picture indeed for them whom the Father had given Him to carry on the work He had begun. Jesus warned the Apostles they will be put out of the synagogues (John 16:2) , meaning they would be excommunicated and persecuted; that whosoever killed them would think they were doing God a service (John 16:2); that they shall weep, lament and sorrow (John 16:20, 32); and they shall be scattered and have tribulation (John 16:32, 33). All these predicted and foretold tribulations the Apostles bore with dignity and faith. They were faithful to their divinely appointed callings even though they were often rejected, frequently imprisoned and even stoned and killed. 'They taught and testified and suffered and presided and waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise that they would see Him again and that He would give unto them eternal life.' (Ted Gibbons, NT Lesson 24, This Is Life Eternal)

With what heavy heart the Saviour must have told them what they should expect once the earthly Kingdom He established was left in their hands. How He must have agonised knowing of their suffering for His sake, so much so that He prayed for them, interceding and pleading with the Father on their behalf, nevertheless, knowing that they could endure all things because they would not be alone. The Saviour promised them He would not leave them comfortless, that He would come to them (John 14:18) through the Comforter that the Father would send them in His name: the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who shall teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all that He had said to them (John 14:26) . And so it was that on the Day of the Pentecost, this promise was fulfilled and the Holy Ghost found his abode with the members of the Church in the meridian of times; the power of the Holy Ghost being operative during the Saviour's ministry, but the gift of the Holy Ghost withheld until after the Saviour's resurrection (Bible Dictionary p 704): "While Jesus ministered among men, the gift [of the Holy Ghost] itself was temporarily withheld; one member of the Godhead dwelling with mortals sufficed. During that period, however, the Holy Ghost frequently spoke to righteous persons, as he did to Peter in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi. Just a few hours before Jesus went to Gethsemane and from there to the cross He told His disciples: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7.) This promise -- that the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit would be available -- was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.280 - p.281).

When the Saviour offered the Intercessory Prayer, He did not only pray for His apostles but for all those who would believe in Him through their word (John 17:20). This means us. It also means that all the promises the Saviour made to His apostles, He also made to us. Not wanting to leave us comfortless Jesus made the staggering promise that the obedient would not only receive the comfort of the Holy Ghost but that of Himself as well (John 14:18-24). In addition to the two Comforters, we can also qualify to bask in the presence of God the Father from time to time and converse with Him face to face as one friend converses with another ( See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp 150-151).

"These statements about the two Comforters climax and crown the teachings of the Son of God. We have no record of anything he ever said which can so completely withdraw the curtain of eternity and open to the faithful a vision of the glories of God. Based on love, born of obedience, Jesus promises the saints that they can have, here and now in this life, the following:

1. The gift and constant companionship of the Holy Ghost; the comfort and peace which it is the function of that Holy Spirit to bestow; the revelation and the sanctifying power which alone will prepare men for the companionship of gods and angels hereafter;

2. Personal visitations from the Second Comforter, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the resurrected and perfected being who dwells with his Father in the mansions on high; and

3. God the Father shall visit man in person, take up his abode with him, as it were, and reveal to him all the hidden mysteries of his kingdom.

(McConkie, DNTC, 1:735, The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, p 166)"

We live in a fallen world, a world where sin, wickedness and tribulation abounds; a world that has gone crazy with wanton indulgence and crime; a world where people's hearts are failing them; a world filled with terror, wars, natural disasters and frustrated efforts of mankind to avert them. Despite all this madness, Jesus has promised we can have peace amidst this turbulence: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)". After his death, the Prophet Joseph Smith appeared to Brigham Young and instructed him as follows: "Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord, they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in great confusion. (Journal History, 23 February 1847)"

If we will but be obedient and come out of the world, the Lord's promise of peace is sure. If we will make ourselves worthy, the greatest gift to humanity second only to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Truth, will lead us in paths of security and peace. It will bring comfort to our troubled souls and whisper secrets of eternity to bring us to a remembrance of things past and foster in us a longing to return there. We are not so far from home because those who have sent us here carry us in their hearts forever.

 The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

He will not, he cannot, desert to his foes.

That soul, though all hell shall endeavour to shake,

He'll never, no never, no never forsake!

("How Firm a Foundation", Hymns, 66)

THE LESSONS OF JOB

In Lecture 3 of Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith said that there are three things necessary 'in order that any rational or intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation':

1. The idea that God actually exists;
2.  A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes;
3.  An actual knowledge that the course of life he is pursuing is according to His will.

The Book of Job proves this teaching to be true. To exercise true faith and endure in faithfulness one must be convinced that God exists, know what He is like and be assured that his life is acceptable to Him. All three necessary attributes listed above are reflected in Job's life. When he proclaimed "I know that my Redeemer liveth" (19:25), he was basically bearing testimony of his existence. When he said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (13:15) he signified that he knew what God was like because you cannot trust someone who you do not know. He went on to prove this by his proclamation of God's power, greatness and strength (26:6-14).  Job also knew that the life he was living was according to God's will and this he proved by recounting his good deeds ((29:12-17) and by asserting his righteousness (27:2-6).

Job offers us many lessons for developing 'faith in God unto life and salvation'. There are many things we do not understand in this life, the whole point being that we need to live by faith. Because of modern day revelation we know the Plan of Salvation and that suffering is a part of that plan. We also know we need to suffer in order to become like the Saviour and sample a part of His suffering for us. The Book of Job in itself does not answer the question 'why does God permit suffering to come to His children' but rather 'how we should respond to that suffering'. It helps us see that faith enables us to believe in spite of our afflictions rather than because of our blessings. It is easy to believe when life is good but it takes faith to keep your head above the water when it threatens to engulf you in its' deep. Some of the lessons we can learn from Job are these:

• We can continue to be faithful to God in spite of our pain and lack of understanding thereof by adhering to these three things:  1. Integrity:  "As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.....till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live" (27:2-6);  2. Testimony: "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth" (19:23:27); 3. Trust: "Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (13:13-15). Note that all these three Job had developed before his trials. It is far easier to survive in a house of brick when the winds come than in a house of straw. The stronger you are before the suffering comes upon you, the easier it will be to trust and hold on.

• When trials and suffering come upon us, we should not rely on man's wisdom to make sense of our suffering. Job's well meaning friends ended up being his accusers, accusing him falsely of sins he had never committed as they tried to offer explanations for his situation. "The purpose behind many tragic experiences can be learned only by personal revelation, and this usually comes to the aggrieved party rather than to a well-intentioned, self-appointed comforter" (John S. Tanner, "Has Thou Considered My Servant Job?" Ensign, Dec. 1990, p 49). We should likewise, refrain from offering explanations to others who are suffering as we do not know God's will for them. In our extremities, we should be proactive rather than re-active and in our seeking to understand God's will for us, we should ask the right questions: What am I to learn from this? What am I to change? What am I to do? When we are willing to submit in humility to the teaching moment the Lord is putting us through, we are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from Him (Richard G. Scott, "Trust In the Lord", Ensign, Nov. 1995, p 17). God will ensure that mortality gives us what we lack. In Job's case, it was perfect faith (Job 42:5).

• From the failure of Job's comforters, we learn that the only true comfort must come from the Comforter himself. Job doesn't need his friends to solve the mystery of his suffering, he needs renewed witness that God has not forsaken him. This is what he craves the most. It is nice to have friends offer support in your time of need but the ultimate comfort and peace can only come from God. Even people who have experienced the same situation as you cannot fully relate to your circumstances as everyone is different and therefore everyone's response to the same situation is different. Only God knows your capabilities and the extent of your endurance. He is therefore the one we should turn to most during our duress. 

• It can prove to be a calamity of great proportion if our hearts are attached to the things of this world. When Job lost all his worldly goods his response was admirable: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (1:21). In other words, nothing here is mine, it can be taken away just as well as it is given, it is all fleeting and we can take nothing with us when we leave. Job's attitude regarding the loss of temporal things reflects his righteousness and understanding of his total dependence on God. President Harold B. Lee spoke on the importance of being 'poor in spirit': "To be poor in spirit is to feel yourselves as the spiritually needy, even dependent upon the Lord for your clothes, your food, the air you breathe, your health, your life; realizing that no day should pass without fervent prayer of thanksgiving, for guidance and forgiveness and strength sufficient for each day's need.....It is indeed a sad thing for one, because of his wealth or learning or worldly position, to think himself independent of this spiritual need. It is the opposite of pride or self-conceit. To the worldly rich it is that 'he must possess his wealth as if he possessed it not' and be willing to say without regret, if he were suddenly to meet financial disaster, as did Job, 'the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21). Thus, if in your humility you sense your spiritual need, you are made ready for adoption into the 'church of the Firstborn', and to become 'the elect of God" (Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President Harold B. Lee, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975, pp 343-344). To some of us suffering may prove to be a blessing and prosperity a trial. Suffering can lead us to salvation whereas prosperity has the power to lead us to spiritual self-destruction. When we are prosperous we can easily be tempted to get complacent and forget the fountain of our blessings. Prosperity can also lead us into worldly paths where we can easily be lost. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matt 16:26). We have to very clear on where our priorities lie and ensure that the power belongs to us and not to our riches.

• We live in a world of opposites and we have to accept the good and the bad. When things couldn't get any worse, Job's wife advised him to curse God and die but Job replied: "Thou speaketh as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10). Job understood that this world was not only created so the opposites can exist but so that they can be experienced. Brigham Young said: "Facts are made apparent to the human mind by their opposites. We find ourselves surrounded in this mortality by an almost endless combination of opposites, through which we must pass to gain experience and information to fit us for an eternal progression" (Journal of Discourses, 11:42). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland confirmed this fact: "....we now live in a fallen world filled with opposites, a world in which God is the most powerful but decidedly not the only spiritual influence. As part of the doctrine of opposition, Satan is also at work in the world, and we knew before we came here that he would bring grief and anguish with him. Nevertheless, we (through Adam and Eve) made the conscious choice to live in and endure this mortal sphere of opposition in all things, for only through such an experience was godly progress possible" (Bruce Satterfield, "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth", Meridian Magazine). We can never know good if we do not experience evil and 'men are that they might have joy' could never be without our experience with sorrow. 

• Job showed great fortitude in his loyalty to God not only by his actions but words: "As God liveth, who had taken away my judgment; and the Almighty who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit" (Job 27:2-4). Early in Church history, Joseph Smith warned the Quorum of the Twelve that they and the rest of the Church membership will be called upon to undergo tests of loyalty and if they passed these tests they would receive great blessings. He said: "After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsty after righteousness. and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, "Son, thou shalt be exalted". When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 150)

• By enduring suffering and trial Job has shown us that all who do so are always rewarded and blessed for their faithfulness. Under duress and extreme despair Job started wishing that he would die.In fact, he started wishing he was never born (Job 2:3). Undoubtedly he couldn't see the end of his suffering and might have presumed that he would continue to suffer until death. What Job did not foresee is that his life would take a turn for the better. This turn did come where 'the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning' (Job 42:12). Job lived another 140 years in prosperity and wellness after the trial of his faith. It is so with us. The end of the tunnel can never be seen when you are standing in it in darkness but the end is nevertheless there and we must endure the darkness before we can see the light. The challenge is to remain faithful at all cost, to trust and have faith that 'this too shall pass' and the dawn will come. In the meantime, we can lay claim to the only reward for righteousness that the Lord gives unfailingly and unreservedly and that is 'peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come' (D&C 59:23). "But even this peace must be found amid persecutions, not in their absence (John 14:27, John 15:20).