The Judgment Seat

"The gospel of Christ is about love and tolerance and respect for all. We are not a people to cast judgment and place conditions on our friendships. We are one who should love and enjoy the differences in life, while celebrating the many opportunities to love and serve our friends and neighbors." -Tawnya Gibson, "The True Meaning of Friendship", MormonChic.com

I wanted to bold the part that jumped out to me the most, so I ended up just bolding the entire thing. Well said, Tawnya, well said.

How many of us look down in judgment on those around us, whether it be that unwashed heathen down the street who doesn't believe in God, the sister we go to church with who gets pregnant outside of marriage, or the homeless person on the streets selling newspapers? What exactly makes us any better? When we look down in judgment, we set ourselves up as being on the same level as God, and that my friends, is dangerous ground to tread on.

Where the green grass grows

As I was driving to Killeen, I drove through an area that had 5 charred spots from recent grass fires along the highway. Naturally, these spots were all charred and blackened; the flames had killed all the vegetation. All that was left was dead dirt, rocks, ash, dead weeds, and tire tracks from the trucks that put out the fires.

A few days later, as I drove back to Austin, I drove through the same stretch of road and noticed something: in those same places that had been killed by fires, there were signs of new growth. Green shoots were coming up, grass was beginning to grow again.

I was struck by the parallel to spiritual life and Christianity. Sin could be likened to a fire, it kills and scars, leaving death and destruction in it's wake. The glorious reality, though, is that the destruction doesn't have to be permanent. Thanks to the Atonement, through Christ's death and resurrection, my heart can be renewed, my spirit brought back to life. Out of death can come new life, out of pain can come healing. Thanks be to God!

I Will Praise You In This Storm

I recently went through a very rough time. It seemed like everything was piling up on my head and I felt like I was going to crack. This song was a wonderful reminder that my Heavenly Father is with me not just in the good times and that even in the hard times, when nothing seems to be going right, it is AT LEAST as important to praise God as it is when things are going well.

I Will Praise You In This Storm, by Casting Crowns 

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down and wiped our tears away,

 stepped in and saved the day. 

But once again, I say amen and it's still raining

 as the thunder rolls 

I barely hear You whisper through the rain, 

"I'm with you"and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands

and praise the God who gives and takes away. 

Chorus: And I'll praise you in this storm 

and I will lift my hands 

for You are who You are no matter where I am 

and every tear I've cried 

You hold in your hand 

You never left my side 

and though my heart is torn 

I will praise You in this storm 

I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry to You

and raised me up again 

my strength is almost gone

how can I carry on 

if I can't find You 

and as the thunder rolls 

I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you"

and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands

and praise the God who gives and takes away 

Chorus 

I lift my eyes onto the hills 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth 

I lift my eyes onto the hills 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth 

Chorus 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw

Something we should all come to know

If we are humble, sincere, and prayerful, we can come to know for ourselves that He is the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father, that He lives today, and that He loves each of us, regardless of how imperfect we are. We can learn that He knows all truth. He will reveal this truth to those who work hard to find it. We can learn that He is a just God who must punish the wicked, and that He is also a merciful God to those who repent. We can come to know that He paid for our sins and brought resurrection to everyone. Faith in Jesus Christ grows within us as these truths take hold within our hearts and doubts and fears begin to melt away.

The Latter Day Saint Woman: Basic Manual for Women, Part A (from Chapter 1)

Christ is the Light to humanity

Christ is the light to humanity. In that light man sees his way clearly; when it is rejected, the soul of man stumbles in darkness. No person, no group, no nation can achieve true success without following Him who said:

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." -John 8: 12

It is a sad thing when individuals and nations extinguish that light--when Christ and His gospel are supplanted by the law of the jungle and the strength of the sword. The chief tragedy in the world at the present time is its disbelief in God's goodness and it's lack of faith in the teachings and doctrines of the gospel.

-Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay

Taking the bad with the good: Not all of God's promises are for happiness and prosperity.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." -Romans 8: 14 - 18

I think that often as Christians, we (generally speaking) look at one of the promises here and overlook another not-so-pleasant to ponder promise. There is the absolutely amazing promise of adoption into the Family of God. Praise the Lord for His mercy and love to allow us such a blessing that we don't deserve. But what about the promise of suffering? How often do we look at our trials and moan "Why am I going through this? Why is this happening to meeeeee?" when the answer is right in front of us. BECAUSE we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, because we are in His family, we share in His sufferings... and afterwards we will share in the glory. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with asking God why. Heck, Jesus asked why when He was on the cross. "Why hast thou forsaken me?" and He knew the plan all along. But how often do we "cling to the promises" and "Claim the blessings" and yet gripe and moan when the sufferings that go along with the blessings and promises come too? I'm just as guilty of this as anybody so I'm preaching to myself really... may I someday grow strong enough in my faith to be able to look beyond the temporal things in life and see the eternal perspective, to trust Him that even the things I suffer can be worked together for good and to bring glory to His name.

Until we meet again

I was thinking today about death, the afterlife, resurrection, and being reunited with loved ones. I was reading "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith" and came across this quote from Joseph Smith.

"What have we to console us in relation to the dead? We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolation for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen them walk worthily in our midst and seen them sink asleep in the arms of Jesus..."

What a good reminder to look to the scripture that says:

"13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the LORD's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the LORD, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the LORD himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will be with the LORD forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words." -1 Thes. 4: 13-18