Thou Art Truly Evil
Despite his Church activity, the gospel had not penetrated his heart. It was only an external influence in his life. When he was in wholesome environments, he kept the commandments, but in a different environment, other influences might control his actions. How can you become converted? How can you make the gospel of Jesus Christ not just an influence in your life but the controlling influence and, indeed, the very core of what you are?
The ancient prophet Jeremiah spoke of the law of God, the gospel, being written in our hearts. He quotes the Lord speaking about us, His people in the latter days: Do you want this for yourself? I can tell you how that can happen, but it must be something you want.
- William Appleman Williams: Learning From History (American Radicals).
- I Am That Which Thou Art | History and Spirituality;
- Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh.
- Thou Art Truly Evil by Randy M. Reece at the FriesenPress Bookstore.
- Handbook of Gas Sensor Materials: Properties, Advantages and Shortcomings for Applications Volume 2: New Trends and Technologies (Integrated Analytical Systems).
- Anthropology - p. II (Italian Edition);
The gospel cannot be written in your heart unless your heart is open. But if your heart is open and willing, like the heart of a child, 2 let me tell you what you can do to be converted. As a first step, you must lay aside any feeling of pride that is so common in the world today. By this I mean the attitude that rejects the authority of God to rule in our lives. Our beloved Creator does not force us to accept His authority, but willingly submitting to that authority is the first step in conversion. Further, for the gospel to be written in your heart, you need to know what it is and grow to understand it more fully.
That means you will study it.
I Am That Which Thou Art
It is a good thing sometimes to read a book of scripture within a set period of time to get an overall sense of its message, but for conversion, you should care more about the amount of time you spend in the scriptures than about the amount you read in that time. I see you sometimes reading a few verses, stopping to ponder them, carefully reading the verses again, and as you think about what they mean, praying for understanding, asking questions in your mind, waiting for spiritual impressions, and writing down the impressions and insights that come so you can remember and learn more.
Studying in this way, you may not read a lot of chapters or verses in a half hour, but you will be giving place in your heart for the word of God, and He will be speaking to you. I mentioned praying as you study to understand the scriptures, but your prayers must not be limited to that.
April 1997 General Conference
In the Book of Mormon, Amulek tells us we should pray about everything in our lives. Most of all, you should pray to be filled with the love of Christ. This love is given to those who are true followers of Jesus Christ, who ask for it with all the energy of their heart. In your heart you will want to do what these holy beings ask of you. Go often to your closet, your secret place, your wilderness.
Thank God for your blessings; ask for His help; ask Him to bestow upon you the pure love of Christ.
Sometimes fasting will help. After Amulek talked about prayer, he spoke about something else that is an important element of your conversion—serving others. You cannot fully understand or appreciate it unless you personally apply it in your life. Jesus said that He came to serve, not to be served. You must look outward and care about others. You can be compassionate; you can be friendly; you can share; you can help others in a hundred small ways. As you do, the gospel of Jesus Christ will become a part of you.
Let me mention one other thing. In ancient times when people wanted to worship the Lord and seek His blessings, they often brought a gift. For example, when they went to the temple, they brought a sacrifice to place on the altar. After His Atonement and Resurrection, the Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming.
Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life?
Bahá'í Reference Library - Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh, Pages
When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord. Jesus Christ will help you make of yourself a worthy gift. His grace will make you clean, even holy. But only by understanding and being able to be evil do we understand what evil is. The coexistence of opposites is always necessary to be truly free.
Giving into evil destroys freedom. Overcoming evil with good establishes freedom.
- Permanent Vessels unto Honor.
- Dramatic Expression in Rameaus Tragedie en Musique!
- That bloody woman downstairs?
- Thou Art Truly Evil - Randy M. Reece - Google Книги.
God is nourishing of all creation. The Bible, science, philosophy, great theologians from many traditions all agree that God or whatever you call the ultimate source of the universe is nourishing of all that is. Quantum physics calls this nourishing source the unified Field which they have discovered as an intelligent field that hold all existence together, integrating, correlating, nourishing all existence in every moment. Some physicists like Max Plank calls this Field the Divine matrix.
Some say it is not only a field of intelligence but it is also conscious. All this is nourished.