Declare Your Witness

It’s wonderful how faith is shared and creates belief in others. When we declare the wonders of God, it helps encourage others to believe in God and His power. Jesus often taught that He could do no miracle because of unbelief or that they had so much faith that He could perform miracles for them. Our belief is a key element in receiving the miracles desired. As we share our witness of Him and His wonderful gifts, it helps others believe.

In Helaman 5 the wicked Lamanites had put Lehi and Nephi in prison. They were told by Aminadab, one who was once a believer, that if they cried unto the voice until they believed, the darkness would then be removed. They do and the darkness leaves and the Spirit comes and fills their souls with unspeakable joy and glory. They hear the voice of God, angels come down from heaven and minister unto them. Then after this glorious experience they are told to marvel not and not doubt. I’m assuming that means to not doubt that they had this wonderful experience. This is a common pattern. As soon as the Spirit leaves, the devil and his angels come to try and convince us that the marvelous experience we or someone just had didn’t happen. Moses 1 is a good example of this.

Then the record shares that they went forth, ministering to the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about the things which they had heard and seen. This convinced the majority of the Lamanites, because of the greatness of the evidences which they received. Those that believed laid down their weapons of war, their hatred, and the traditions of their fathers (Helaman 5:41-50). In other words, they repented.

When we declare our witness of the beautiful spiritual experiences we have, we help others exercise faith in Christ and repent and be filled with the love of God.

There is an evil tradition being passed down, that we ought not to share spiritual experiences. What would the scriptures or our journals look like if no one shared spiritual experiences? There would be no reason to read them for they would not increase faith in Christ and God’s plan for us. What would happen if Joseph Smith never shared seeing God, the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ? What would have happened to the Lamanites in the time of Helaman 5?

We have another witness of the power of sharing sacred, spiritual experiences with King Lamoni and his declaration after awakening from his slumber in Christ. When he awoke he declared, “I have seen my Redeemer…” (Alma 19:13). He bore this witness to those that had the same dark veil of unbelief as he had had a few moments before. After awakening and declaring his witness of the Lord, he and his wife and eventually their servants all sink down, being overpowered by the Spirit. When they awake they minister unto the people and declare that they had seen angels and conversed with them (Alma 19:12-14, 34). After hearing their witnesses the record states that many did believe in their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they did establish a church among them (Alma 19:35). They shared sacred, spiritual experiences to the unbelieving and that helped others increase their faith in Christ and believe.

I believe this evil tradition has developed because of misunderstanding the scriptures. In Alma 12:9 we are told, “It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall impart only according to the portion of his words which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.”

The portion of His words that He has granted unto the children of men includes receiving the Spirit of the Lord, seeing angels, receiving the ministering of angels, healings, the gifts of the Spirit, hearing the voice of the Lord, hearing the voice of God, the Father, seeing Jesus and seeing Father. If we are allowed to share any spiritual experience that is in the scriptures, the way I believe Alma taught us in Alma 12:9, then let us open our mouths and see the same results that the lamanites experience in Helaman 5.

Please don’t believe the false tradition that we aren’t to share spiritual experiences. Unbelief and wickedness are the results; whereas, sharing spiritual experiences results in faith in Christ and God and repentance (Helaman 5:51).

In all things we should act under the influence of the Holy Ghost but I’d say our current culture has swung the pendulum way too far in the direction of NOT sharing spiritual experiences and look at the fruits. Many youth, children and adults are slipping away into forbidden paths.

May God bless us to proclaim His holy name and bear witness to the marvelous light and life that He offers as we come unto Him. This is my prayer.

”And Whoso Treasureth Up My Words, Shall Not Be Deceived,” (JST Matthew 24:39; JS Matthew 1:37)

“And whoso treasureth up my words, shall not be deceived” (JST Matthew 24:39; JS Matthew 1:37).

We learn that a republic is rule by law. A democracy is not really what our Constitutional government is based upon. Yes, leaders are voted on to take seats of governmental power by a majority vote, but they are chosen to enforce the law, interpret the law and create new law. The process to create new laws is tedious and difficult. There is a reason for this struggle. Righteous men must be sought after to fill these positions of power or the people will mourn for their wickedness. “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:10).

Law is what governs us. A majority cannot change truth. Law should equate to truth and if righteous men and women are in tune with truth, then they will use the law to the benefit of all. If they are not familiar with truth then they will twist the laws to reflect their own beliefs or they will change the laws to fit their belief systems. “When the wicked rule the people mourn” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:9).

Now look at what happened to the Nephites in the Book of Helaman. “Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a stiffnecked people, and that they had set at naught the commandments of God;
And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites.
And because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.

And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples—
Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should cleave unto the Lord their God they must unavoidably perish.
For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years” (Helaman 4:21-26).

This scripture speaks of the laws and prophecies given to Mosiah and Alma. The Lord set up the government for them to help them stay in the right way but they veered from the truth. Because of this, the church began to dwindle in unbelief. Now compare this to the Constitutional law that God gave us. “According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;
That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.
Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.
And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:77-80).

God has given us the laws and prophecies to help us be a successful people. This is only done when we have the freedom to choose the course we will go. Notice the emphasis on using our moral agency to be accountable for our own sins, “That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:78).

Our laws have become corrupted and we are no longer permitted in many instances to act according to just and holy principles. As a whole we are becoming weak and we no longer believe in the spirit of revelation and prophecy. Just look at our tax law. When you are void of the spirit of the Lord you have to make a law for every circumstance you can possibly think of. The Lord’s law of finance is easy, 10%. The people are left to their own conscience to decide what that means and the Lord doesn’t have to spell out every possible exception. We are governed by the Spirit of the Lord.

This is no longer the case in our laws both as a nation and as a church. We keep wanting and needing more and more laws because we keep rejecting the laws established by God in the Constitution and those restored to us by the prophet Joseph Smith. We don’t need more programs. All we need is the word of the Lord.

Remember Lehi’s dream. Those that come to taste and feel the love of God are those that are governed by the word of God, “they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree” (1 Nephi 8:30). “And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God” (1 Nephi 11:25). The word of God leads us to the love of God.

Look at the opposite approach. It is trusting in man or in the word of man. With every new man appointed to office comes new laws from his own preferred way of doing things. This leads to darkness. At the very beginning of the vision Lehi saw we read, “And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.
And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste” (1 Nephi 8:5-7). As he followed a man he found himself in a dark and dreary place. Notice the enticings of this man. He appears to be clean as he is dressed in a white robe. The man speaks unto him and bades him follow him. Notice he doesn’t bade him to follow the Savior but to follow him, a man.

Men and women of God will always invite us to come unto Christ, never to follow themselves. God our Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ will lead us to truth and joy. Nephi said, “O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm” (1 Nephi 4:34). “Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 28:31).

We are promised by the Lord that we will be preserved, perfected and sanctified by holy laws of the celestial order. In the great section of 88 in the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord reveals to us, “that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:34).

If we are not governed by the laws of God, then we will be deceived. If we allow every man or woman that sits in a seat of power and authority, as they suppose, to dictate to us every new wind of doctrine that is of men or devils, we will be deceived. The Lord has warned, “Woe unto you, lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge, the fulness of the scriptures; ye enter not in yourselves into the kingdom; and those who were entering in, ye hindered” (JST Luke 11:53). And this great warning and blessing, “And whoso treasureth up my words, shall not be deceived” (JST Matthew 24:39; JS Matthew 1:37).

The nation and the church must learn the word of the Lord and then follow the word of the Lord, the laws of God. If we do not, then we will be cursed and be deceived. If we do, then we will come unto the love of God and be filled eternally by His love. Truth tastes good. The words of eternal life taste good. They fill our souls with joy. There is no fake substitute for it is clearly discerned by the Spirit of the Lord. By the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:3-5).