Greetings one and all in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It has become my honor and privilege to be part of this blog and share some doctrinal truths with you that have been a source of warmth and inspiration in my life.
What I desire to share with you today is taken from a talk that I have read and listened to several times. It was a General Conference address given in October 2003 by one of my favorite living apostles, Jeffrey R. Holland, called "The Grandeur of God." I highly recommend you read or listen to it in its entirety.
I will give credit to Elder Holland's words from his talk by marking them with asterisks. Any additional commentary has been added by yours truly.
* In word and in deed Jesus was trying to reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in Heaven. He did this at least in part because then and now all of us need to know God more fully in order to love Him more deeply and obey Him more completely.*
* Little wonder then that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God. I want you all to know Him," he said, "and to be familiar with Him." We must have "a correct idea of His... perfections and attributes," an admiration for "the excellency of [His] character." Thus the first phrase we utter in the declaration of our faith is, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father." *
How utterly necessary it seems that in order to truly know ourselves and catch even a glimpse of the grandeur we are capable of, we must know of a certainty the character of God.
We have been taught through modern day revelation that Heavenly Father and His Son, even Jesus Christ are two separate glorified being sof flesh and bone. We were created after their image, right? Yes, absolutely!
In His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ was trying to show us the love and compassion Heavenly Father had for us as well as His own.
* So, emphatically, did Jesus. Even as He acknowledged His own singular role in the divine plan, the Savior nevertheless insisted on this prayerful preamble: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God." *
* "The Father... doeth the works," He said in earnest. "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever [the Father] doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." John 14:10; 5:19
On another occasion He said: "I speak that which I have seen with my Father." "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." John 8:38, 28; 6:38 *
Another question comes to mind that takes us back to Joseph Smith's quote, how can we know of a certainty the character of God? Is this possible? Yes!
It does not come easy but if it is one of the first principles to have a correct idea of His perfections and attributes and admire the excellency of His character then we can't expect to progress further in this gospel without this eternally valuable building block.
We do this through daily personal prayer. How can you know for a certainty who God is if you don't converse with Him constantly and sincerely.
We do this through reading about and emulating the works of Jesus Christ! Remember, "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me."
How can you have a correct idea of His perfections and attributes if you don't do your best to practice them. I believe you will most definitely be able to admire the excellency of His character as it becomes a part of your character.
I challenge you to seek after this talk. Read or listen to it because there is so much in it we could break down, analyze, and talk about but for the sake of my poor hands let me close by sharing part of Elder Holland's testimony as well as my own.
* I bear personal witness this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seek our individual happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very image and likeness, and Jesus of Nazareth, His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal manifestation of His grandeur. *
I add my own testimony to that of Elder Holland's. I humbly testify that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I bear witness that in an ever crumbling society that is constantly changing by war, greed, and all manners of iniquity whirling around us -like an all consuming tornado- that God has afforded us a calm and constant protection in the eye of the tornado. That protection is provided to us in the form of our Messiah, Jesus Christ.
He has paid the price for our sins. He is the advocate with the Father and the only way to get back to our Heavenly Father's presence is in and through the merits of Jesus Christ, who is mighty to save!
I am so thankful for the knowledge that even though I'm so very, very weak and make so many mistakes and have fallen down so many times in my life; when I humble myself to the depths of humility and cry out to my Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, I find His hand outstretched ever still.
In the words of that great hymn, "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me..." Oh, it is indeed wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me. There is no greater love. When you have your moments of weakness, picture His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt and I assure you such mercy, such love, and devotion you will not forget.
What I desire to share with you today is taken from a talk that I have read and listened to several times. It was a General Conference address given in October 2003 by one of my favorite living apostles, Jeffrey R. Holland, called "The Grandeur of God." I highly recommend you read or listen to it in its entirety.
I will give credit to Elder Holland's words from his talk by marking them with asterisks. Any additional commentary has been added by yours truly.
* In word and in deed Jesus was trying to reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in Heaven. He did this at least in part because then and now all of us need to know God more fully in order to love Him more deeply and obey Him more completely.*
* Little wonder then that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God. I want you all to know Him," he said, "and to be familiar with Him." We must have "a correct idea of His... perfections and attributes," an admiration for "the excellency of [His] character." Thus the first phrase we utter in the declaration of our faith is, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father." *
How utterly necessary it seems that in order to truly know ourselves and catch even a glimpse of the grandeur we are capable of, we must know of a certainty the character of God.
We have been taught through modern day revelation that Heavenly Father and His Son, even Jesus Christ are two separate glorified being sof flesh and bone. We were created after their image, right? Yes, absolutely!
In His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ was trying to show us the love and compassion Heavenly Father had for us as well as His own.
* So, emphatically, did Jesus. Even as He acknowledged His own singular role in the divine plan, the Savior nevertheless insisted on this prayerful preamble: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God." *
* "The Father... doeth the works," He said in earnest. "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever [the Father] doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." John 14:10; 5:19
On another occasion He said: "I speak that which I have seen with my Father." "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." John 8:38, 28; 6:38 *
Another question comes to mind that takes us back to Joseph Smith's quote, how can we know of a certainty the character of God? Is this possible? Yes!
It does not come easy but if it is one of the first principles to have a correct idea of His perfections and attributes and admire the excellency of His character then we can't expect to progress further in this gospel without this eternally valuable building block.
We do this through daily personal prayer. How can you know for a certainty who God is if you don't converse with Him constantly and sincerely.
We do this through reading about and emulating the works of Jesus Christ! Remember, "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me."
How can you have a correct idea of His perfections and attributes if you don't do your best to practice them. I believe you will most definitely be able to admire the excellency of His character as it becomes a part of your character.
I challenge you to seek after this talk. Read or listen to it because there is so much in it we could break down, analyze, and talk about but for the sake of my poor hands let me close by sharing part of Elder Holland's testimony as well as my own.
* I bear personal witness this day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers, and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seek our individual happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very image and likeness, and Jesus of Nazareth, His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal manifestation of His grandeur. *
I add my own testimony to that of Elder Holland's. I humbly testify that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I bear witness that in an ever crumbling society that is constantly changing by war, greed, and all manners of iniquity whirling around us -like an all consuming tornado- that God has afforded us a calm and constant protection in the eye of the tornado. That protection is provided to us in the form of our Messiah, Jesus Christ.
He has paid the price for our sins. He is the advocate with the Father and the only way to get back to our Heavenly Father's presence is in and through the merits of Jesus Christ, who is mighty to save!
I am so thankful for the knowledge that even though I'm so very, very weak and make so many mistakes and have fallen down so many times in my life; when I humble myself to the depths of humility and cry out to my Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, I find His hand outstretched ever still.
In the words of that great hymn, "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me..." Oh, it is indeed wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me. There is no greater love. When you have your moments of weakness, picture His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt and I assure you such mercy, such love, and devotion you will not forget.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
Amen.
Picture of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland borrowed from http://www.newsroom.lds.org/Static%20Images/Newsroom/photo/Background%20Information/Leader/Quorum%20of%20the%20Twelve/Holland_medium.jpg
1 noted ponderings:
I'm starting to think that somehow the concept of commenting has confused our friends! LOL
Anyway, Garrett, this was an awesome review/commentary on a talk by Elder Holland and I enjoyed it a lot. I had never heard of this talk till now...
If nothing else this blog will add to my knowledge.
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