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Friday, September 20, 2013

06. Shattering the Barriers to the Veil

Note: This is one of a series of posts devoted to the study of D&C 93:1, and the sixth examining the phrase "calleth on my name".


As I've mentioned previously, most (if not all) of us live far beneath our privileges when it comes to enjoying the fruits of the gospel.  We often fail to catch the vision, to realize our full potential, of what we really can accomplish. 

We discount the very real possibility that D&C 93:1 actually applies to us...right here...in this life.

Satan, who is ever-mindful of those who seek such profound blessings, expertly convinces almost everybody that enjoying such blessings is out of our reach.

How?  Here are a few possibilities:

  • You're not a G.A.:  Do you think that only prophets and apostles, general authorities and temple presidents, can pierce the veil and view not only the things of God, but also God himself?  You know this simply is not true.  The facts speak otherwise.
  • You simply don't believe ordinary little you can see the Lord in this life (aka "Choosing to stay behind the Veil of Unbelief"):  If the hyperlink two lines above didn't convince you, understand that those who choose to remain behind the "Veil of Unbelief" deny themselves some truly fantastic blessings:
"Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God" (Alma 19:6)
  • "I'm not worthy!  I'm not worthy!": True. You aren't.  All those who ever have and ever will interact with the Lord at the veil have been and are unworthy of such a blessing.  Ironically, it's this state of being broken-hearted and having a consciousness of ones own guilt that catalyzes the profoundest blessings:
"And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not." (3 Nephi 9:20)

"yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel...: (Ether 4:15)

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)

"For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite..." (D&C 136:33)

Believe


“All things are possible to him that believeth”

That's what the Savior told a distraught father whose son had a disturbed spirit.

2,000 years later, that's what he's saying -- and I'm testifying -- to you today.

If you believe any of the three bullet points I listed above, stop.  Throw off the shackles that bind you to the Veil of Unbelief.

Believe that the Lord -- who is no respecter of persons -- not only speaks to us today, but also appears to imperfect, sinful, non-General Authorities.  The Lord doesn't base his appearances on ecclesiastic titles or who's the "most perfect" among us.

You may be asking, "OK, fine.  But how can this be catalyzed?"

By rending the veil of unbelief...

...which, believe it or not, just happens to be the subject of my next post.

4 comments:

  1. Great Minds think alike, Perfect Day! Well said. This has been so much on my mind lately - and is even the subject of my latest post! I look forward to your next post.

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  2. Without believing, there is no way to get to the "knowing"! Thanks for this. I always enjoy your posts! Keep writing!

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  3. Just in time. Thank you. Life is so overwhelming, but I remember that God is there and wants us to come into His presence. This knowledge is so reassuring is such a stress-filled world. It's all I want to do! I wish that I could just come into His presence and just do we He wants me to do. Like you said and I wonder: why is it that we choose to live below far beneath our privileges? Why do we get so caught up in the things of this world and the vanities and the acceptance of man and the trust of the arm of the flesh? Why not believe that God will give us more joy if we just do things the way He intended? Doing things they way we think is right makes life so much more difficult. I pray that I may have this contrite spirit and this humility of which you speak so that I can do things the way the Lord intended, that He may help me rise up to what He sees in me, and so that I may come into His presence in this life. I pray the same for you, thank you for sharing and may I share this beautiful and powerful scripture that says it all: 2 Nephi 25:29: And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out. Have a perfect day as you worship the Lord Jesus. :)

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  4. Revelation 3:20-21 has been on my mind all day, and reading this (finally!) is a perfect fit. Thanks for the good, solid post. :-)

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