Not for the fainthearted

People who do not believe in God often accuse those who are religious of being weak, immature, childish, or dependent.  Even Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." (Luke 18:17)  Those who follow Christ are often referred to as children of God, Children of Christ, and children of Abraham.  As Jesus was leaving His disciples He told them their precarious situation: "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16)  It is hard to be in such a paradoxical position, to be powerless among the powerful.  Being a Christian isn't easy, it's actually very difficult.  In fact, the very reason people don't seek the Lord is because it is anything but easy -- it's the hardest thing in the world!  Faith is not for the fainthearted!

Those who would increase their faith must be able to handle all of the most difficult things in life.  Moreover, they must do it willingly and with joy in their hearts.  The Lord will inevitably require the most difficult tasks and sacrifices of them.  He knows the heart, and knows how to test His children, and He will take them to the limit in all things.  They must be "willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [them], even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19) 

Sacrifice everything

The essence of growing in the Gospel is sacrifice.  The word "worship" is synonymous with sacrifice.  Joseph Smith stated, "The faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things." (Lectures on Faith, Lecture Sixth)  The requirement is "all earthly things."  All means all and all is all all means.  Jesus said that even your own family must be sacrificed.  "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:37)  Nothing you possess is out of the reach of God.  All of it must be sacrificed, or we cannot come to Him. 

Those who make a covenant with the Lord are often surprised by how difficult these sacrifices are.  Many describe what happens next as being akin to Job.  They lose wealth, health, family, friends, lands, houses, and businesses.  As these things are lost, they must sit still and trust in the Lord.  They do not charge God foolishly.  Instead they say as Job, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:" (Job 19:25-26)  It is hard to sacrifice to the Lord. 

Stand alone

No matter what everyone else is doing, a Christian must be able to stand alone, even at the peril of his life.  Many have been rejected by their closest friends and relatives in order to follow Christ.  They are often mocked and persecuted for believing differently.  My teenage son told me, "How can you be happy when your own wife and children hate you for what you believe?"  It is hard to be all alone in the world. 

Walk in darkness

Faith is the belief in things which we cannot see.  To walk in faith is paradoxically to walk in both darkness and light.  The darkness is in the world, doing things that make no sense to the outside observer such as keeping the commandments of God.  The light is the Light of Christ, or a knowledge of things that are only spiritually understood.  "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)  All of the "natural men" see Christians as idiots, wasting their lives on some pie-in-the-sky hope that they cannot even explain.  Even Paul noted this paradox: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (1 Corinthians 15:19)  It's hard to walk by faith. 

Move ahead in spite of fear

A blind person without a cane or help is walking in fear.  Every step could bring him into the pit, over a cliff, or some other danger.  Likewise, walking by faith is a fearsome thing.  We are most often not told why we must do things.  The Lord simply commands and we obey.  Sometimes it's painful.  Often it's hard.  Always we must trust that it is for our own benefit.  Because of this we put aside our fear and move ahead with courage in our hearts.  It is hard to be obedient. 

Humble yourself

When we acknowledge the omniscience of God we are at the same time recognizing our own ignorance.  Based on this we humble ourselves and live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)  We give up all things we think and want.  We give up everything we have been taught by our parents, school and society, and try to learn the ways of God.  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)  It is hard to be humble. 

Forgive everyone

Jesus commanded His disciples that they go against their very natures, giving up their own sense of justice.  Those who would be followers of Christ must not hold a grudge, seek revenge, or even seek justice on those who hurt them.  There is no amount of pain, big or small, that we don't forgive.  Even when we are repeatedly injured, to seventy times seven, we are to forgive.  A Christian desires forgiveness for himself so he must let go of all justice for others as well.  It's hard to endure injustice. 

Love your enemies

What's more, a Christian must even have to love those who hate, despise, reject, use, or persecute them.  "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)  Forgiveness is not only a matter of letting go of justice, it requires making a sacrifice to benefit those who have hurt us.  A man who randomly shot children in a school, killing many Amish children, then shot and killed himself.  The families of those children who had died took up a collection for the widow of the man who killed them.  This is the very thing it takes to become a child of Christ.  It's hard to love your enemies. 

Endure to the end

Christians cannot make a covenant with God and then not keep it.  We must at all times be witnesses of Him until the end of our lives.  Those who quit have no benefit.  It's a constant battle.  There is no rest.  At the end of his life, Paul had this to say to Timothy, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)  He had endured to the end of his life.  "Endure" is a double entendre: to continue, and to withstand.  It is hard to endure to the end. 

Growing up

Growth is hard.  All of these difficulties that a Christian endures help us to grow.  We grow up in the knowledge of God, coming to know Him.  Paul indicated this in writing about charity.  "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11)  "Putting away childish things" is not easy, but there are benefits.  We are endowed with gifts of knowledge, wisdom, peace, love, and joy.  We can receive the comforting Spirit.  We can have "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding." (Philippians 4:7)  Also, as we learn truth we are freed from the tyranny of sin.  Ultimately, we come to know God, and life.  "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)  Becoming a Christian is worth every effort and sacrifice -- and so much more!  However the process of growing up is definitely not for the fainthearted.

The Destroyer

To spend much time in thought on the subject of Satan is a sin.  However, it is imperative that we identify Satan and his allies in order to avoid them.  We simply point out what is sin and say, "I'm not going there."  It is easy to tell the difference.  The Spirit of God brings faith, love, forgiveness, wisdom, and comfort.  In contrast, the spirit of Satan brings doubt, fear, anger, accusation, and hatred (rejection).  We can know which spirit we have by how we feel -- if there is fear and doubt in our hearts, we have a bad spirit, but if there is peace and joy, we have the Holy Spirit.  It is so easy to know. 

The many names for Satan are instructive of who he is and what he does: the evil one, the wicked one, the accuser, the destroyer, liar, perdition, dragon, murderer, Lucifer, enemy, and adversary.  These are the roles he plays in our lives when we succumb to his influence. 

Wicked -- Satan is against all that is good, being morally wrong with intention to hurt or destroy.  There is no goodness at all; he will never lead anyone towards God.  He will always lead people away from light, truth, and God. 

Destroyer -- To destroy is to lose what you have.  Destruction can only happen to a building that is already constructed.  There are those who come to God through Jesus Christ, building up their spiritual lives, but are destroyed by a single temptation.  As the heel of Achilles proved his downfall, the Destroyer will seek our weakness to bring down all that we have built up. 

Perdition -- Our home is with our Father in Heaven, and when we cannot find our way Home, we are lost.  Perdition literally means lost or wasted.  Satan himself was lost to God when he rebelled, and works to bring all others with him so they become lost to God as well. 

Murderer -- All of God's children have the potential for Eternal Life.  It is the end result of reaching our full potential.  Satan seeks to take that life away from us, and taking away life is murder. 

Liar -- Everything Satan says is a lie.  Even the truth is a lie because it is told with the intent to deceive.  He told Eve that she would not die, but rather should be as God.  This was true, she did not immediately die, physically, and she did begin to know good and evil by her own experience -- as God.  However, it was all a lie because she did die spiritually, and eventually physically, and she could not be as God because she was cast out of Heaven.   The lies of Satan are very subtle and almost always seem to be true.   

Slanderer -- Slander is "bearing false witness" or speaking evil of others.  Satan enlarges every little doubt into fear and loathing.  Every child of God has infinite potential, but Satan makes us believe that we, and others, do not qualify because of our weaknesses.  He uses slander to bring down the children of God to a lower level.  Moreover, he slanders the name of Jesus Christ saying that God doesn't have the power to save us. 

Accuser -- Satan is the one pointing the finger at us because he was cast out.  He was a "Son of the Morning," even "Lucifer," a child of the light.  However, when he sought to take the throne of God by force he was cast out for his rebellion.  To be just, God must also cast out all others who rebel against Him -- they must have the same fate as Satan.  Therefore, he accuses all those who are disobedient to the will of God, requiring justice be served on them. 

Possessed by and evil spirit

Having an evil spirit in our heart produces in us the same qualities of Satan.  However, the outward signs that we manifest are only symptoms of the spirit that possesses us.  A bad mood happens because we are possessed by that spirit; liars are possessed by a lying spirit, the guilty are possessed by an accusing spirit and so forth.  The symptoms of fear, hopelessness, doubt, unhappiness, accusing, slandering or lying only indicate what we are inside.  When we feel any of these things it is an indication to us that we have an evil spirit.   

The way to cast out evil spirits is not by pointing the evil out and focusing on it any more than focusing on pain gets rid of arthritis.  We can relieve the symptoms by trying not to be "negative," but that doesn't change who we are inside.  Only by having the evil spirit cast out can we get rid of the evil spirits that plague us and receive the Spirit of the Lord.  All of us require a "mighty change of heart" in order to cast out the evil spirit and receive the spirit of the Lord.  We do this by turning to the Lord. 

The Comforter

The Spirit of God cannot dwell in unholy temples so we must cast out the evil spirits in order to receive the Holy Ghost.  Every week as we listen to the Sacrament prayers we are taught the pattern to follow: "That they may witness... that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them." (D&C 20:79)  We take the bread and water in witness of our willingness to follow Christ, and always remember Him.  If we do always remember Him then we will have His Spirit to be with us. 

In other words, we become possessed by evil spirits when we fail to remember the body and blood, or the sufferings and death, of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  When we remember Him, we remember that He saves us from our sins, from death and hell.  This is not some pie-in-the-sky salvation, we are saved in the very moment from Satan's grasp by casting out the evil spirits that possess us.  We are also freed from fear and depression, receiving instead the spirit of faith, hope, and charity.  

Receiving the Holy Ghost brings peace.  Just like the ordinance of the gift of the Holy Ghost, Jesus counseled his disciples in the command form:  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  (John 14:27)  By remembering His grace at all times we can cast out the evil spirits that plague us, receive the Holy Ghost, and overcome the Destroyer of peace, love, happiness, and Eternal Life.

The Greater Portion

As we become more obedient to the Lord, we receive a greater portion of His word to guide us.  We know more and have more direction as to what to do.  If we doubt, and don't obey we receive a lesser portion of His word and therefore have less guidance from God until we are left to ourselves.  Alma explains:

"And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.

And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell."  (Alma 12:10-11)

The Lesser Portion

Being totally ignorant of the truth makes us susceptible to lies, and living a lie cannot bring happiness.  If we believe everything we hear, or nothing, we have no way to evaluate what is right.  We then too often take the wrong path and end up miserable.  The reason we almost always take the wrong path is because the best way to justify in our minds what we do is what everyone else is doing.  The "bandwagon" propaganda trick is only effective on an ignorant population.  Allow me an example from my profession:

If I'm an oncologist and I do what everyone else is doing I'm safe from all repercussions of my actions.  I can treat a hundred people with cancer and if one survives the deadly doses of chemotherapy and radiation I'm a hero.  However, if I'm an alternative doctor that isn't mainstream and I were to treat those same hundred and only one died I would be a villain for "killing" that one.  I would end up in court where only one question is asked, "What would the other oncologists do?"  If my treatment is different then I would be stripped of my license, and even prosecuted for murder.  Keeping oncologists ignorant of the effects of what they do is necessary for them to continue to “follow the crowd.”

This is found throughout society, in all professions, and all business.  Advertising depends heavily on the concept of "bandwagon" or "this is what everyone is doing."  Children use it to convince their parents to buy them things or allow them to do things.  If the parents don't have a good sense of right and wrong, they will often give in.  This leads to captivity and death.

"And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil."  (Alma 40:13)

No, ignorance is most assuredly not bliss!  In order to be happy, we must have as much of the truth as possible.  The more we know, the more happy we can be.  When we accept and live by the lesser portion, then we can move on to the greater portion of God's word.

The greater portion

Those who desire more have to find a source of truth that is greater than any human being can possess.  All humans are limited by our experience.  We can be very intelligent, but until we know everything, we really know nothing.  Thus, the only way to find truth is by asking the One who knows -- God.  The Lord desires to teach us all things, but cannot give understanding all at once.  We need to learn as children always learn, a little at a time.  We cannot understand calculus unless we have a firm grasp of arithmetic and algebra.  We cannot understand Shakespeare until we know the meaning of words.  God teaches us in the same way, as Nephi explains:

"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:30)

This concept of learning little-by-little applies to every situation.  In one sense, we are all children who have gone away to school.  The Earth is our school.  Those who accept truth when it is given can get more truth.  However, just as children can decide not to learn in school, we can reject the knowledge of God, and remain ignorant.  Those who say, "I have enough" will lose even what they have until they know nothing.  

A great example of this is found in those who profess to believe in the Bible and say they want to know God, but reject anything else that comes from God.  When Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon "Christians" everywhere were up in arms against him saying that the Bible was enough, and they didn't want any more of God's word.  Again, Nephi explains: 

Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. (2 Nephi 29:6-8)

Later, Mormon explains that one of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to try the faith of those who profess to believe in God.  If they receive the Book of Mormon, they will be able to continue on and receive more: 

"And when they shall have received this [Book of Mormon], which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.  And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.  (3 Nephi 26:9-10)

Use it or lose it

In every case, the Scriptures state that those who accept the lesser may receive greater, while those who don't will lose everything.  This is very important.  We don't just stay stagnant with the small amount of knowledge we currently possess, we actually lose it all when we stop learning and growing.  There is no "enough."  When we resist knowledge, we lose it, even those things that we knew.  This is true everywhere.  If we don't keep up our use of any knowledge, we lose it.  My daughter came home and asked me to help her with her algebra, simple things that I once knew in school, but I couldn't because what she needed was lost to me because I hadn't used it in so long.  

The way to knowledge is by constantly learning and growing.  We must go to the Source of all knowledge frequently in daily prayer and scripture study.  We must accept the small portions we are given so that we can learn more, never saying, “I have enough.”  We must obey each little part in order to receive more.  As we are faithful and obedient to what we are given we will be given more until we really do know everything:  "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." (D&C 50:24)  "Perfect" in the Scriptures means "complete" or "whole."  There will come a time when those who continue to learn will have a complete knowledge -- or "the greater portion."

Who is the Lord?

When King Noah heard about Abinadi the prophet preaching repentance and faith on the Lord, he asked the question on everyone's lips: "Who is the Lord?" (Mosiah 11:27)  Your lord is the one you obey, or the one to whom you submit.  If you obey God, then He is your Lord, but if you obey anyone else then God is NOT your Lord.  Some don't want a lord at all, and become "a law unto themselves."  The bottom-line of good and evil is: either God is your Lord, or not.  If God is not your Lord, then it doesn't really matter if it's yourself, another man, or the Devil himself, because you end up in the same place.  Mormon explains in the greatest speech ever given: 

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.  But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him."  (Moroni 7:16-17)

In other words, good is anything that helps you become subject to Jesus Christ, and evil is everything else.  There is no neutral; whatever doesn't lead you to Christ is bad.  It's that simple.  To believe in Him and serve Him is to make Him our Lord by relinquishing control, and giving it to Him.  The question of, "who is the Lord," is the same as, "Who is in control?"

The war between good and evil

From the very beginning of the travels of Lehi and his family in the desert, the issue was control.  Even after all the miracles and signs Laman and Lemuel saw, they didn't want to have a lord.  Nephi refused to allow his brothers to worship him, but told them to worship the Lord.  In spite of this his older brothers "did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people." (2 Nephi 5:2-3)  In order to avoid serving the Lord, they had to get rid of the one who taught this.

The question of who is in charge is the most basic question of life.  For this family, there was clearly one who had the knowledge and gifts to lead them all to the "Promised Land," but since Nephi was younger, Laman and Lemuel thought they had the right to be kings.  Because of his gifts everyone would look to Nephi for leadership so the older brothers would need to get rid of him entirely.  The family split up over this issue, and for most of their thousand years of history continued to fight over it.  The majority of the Book of Mormon is about wars over who is going to be in control -- the Nephites, who lead people to Christ, or the Lamanites, who don't.

This is the crux of the problem of life.  Each one of us is on the Earth outside of the presence of God to determine who we will obey.  We are here to choose a Lord, as Joshua tells the Children of Israel: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

Saul becomes Paul

Saul was a very orthodox man who wanted to cleanse the Jewish people of Christians.  One day as he was going to put down those who believed that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus appeared unto him.  Saul had only two questions: "Who art thou, Lord?" And then, "What shall I do, Lord?"  (Acts 22:8,10)  Saul immediately accepted Jesus as his Lord, and continued to serve Him for the rest of his life.  He told Timothy that Jesus "is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." (1 Timothy 6:15) Then at the end of his life he writes again to Timothy, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)  Jesus clearly was his Lord.

Atheism

The issue of the existence of God is central to our own.  If God exists, if He is our Creator, if He is the Lord of lords, then we must submit to Him and obey Him in all things.  This submission is what many people try to avoid.  Some of these describe themselves as "atheists."  They do not believe there is a God so they don't have to submit themselves to His will. 

Since most of my schooling is in the sciences, I have a lot of familiarity with those who do not choose God to be their Lord.  Moreover, I have read a great deal of atheist literature.  I have found that those who specifically state that there is no God are merely trying to avoid having Him to be their Lord.  They believe they are choosing "the null hypothesis," but don't realize that it's just ignorance.  It is the same war over good and evil, but they choose evil and want to justify themselves in ignorance.  When my son said he was atheist he said, "I'm not interested in knowing... ignorance is bliss."  Likewise, all atheists ignore the evidence for God and try to find other explanations for His works.  They form illogical conclusions such as all existence happened by random chance and call it "science."  They make ignorant statements such as "since Thor, Zeus, and Baal turned out not to be true gods then there is no true God."  One famous atheist even wrote that all of those who believe in God are delusional.

Ultimately, however, only ignorance can maintain such ideas, as Oliver Cowdery so eloquently explains:

"Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind." (Joseph Smith-History, Oliver Cowdery's account)

The blind remain blind until they see.  And God makes sure they don't see until they are willing to submit, and call Him Lord.

Saints

The saints are those who follow Christ and make Him their Lord.  These are the true Christians who submit themselves to the will of God.  They do as Jesus did: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38)  They are willing to give up the things of this world, as Jesus said, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." (John 12:25)  This is hard.  It is not easy to become a saint.  It requires strength of character beyond any other feat of mankind.  No accomplishment is greater than the humble submission to the will of the Lord.

If we choose the one true God to be our Lord, then we fulfill our existence and find peace, joy and happiness.  It requires not just believing, but rather doing the will of our Lord.  "But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come." (D&C 59:23)  The effort is worth it -- and so much more.  For all these reasons, as Joshua stated: "we will serve the Lord," the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all things that in them are.

The Deal

We all act based on faith. We have faith that our employer will pay us so we go to work. We have faith that the seeds will grow so we plant crops. We have faith that drivers will stop at a red light so we drive through an intersection. In one sense, everything we do is based on faith. We put our faith in those things we believe.  We only invest our time and effort into things that we believe will be worth it. In the big picture of life, what we do is determined by what we believe will pay off, or make life worthwhile. Whether we believe in Him or not, this is the covenant, or the "deal" we make with... God.

There is a progression of faith. Some have a little, and others have a lot. Looking at the two extremes we see that those with no faith require payment in advance, whereas those who have a lot of faith are willing to make a long-term investment. "Oh ye of little faith" want an immediate payoff, whereas those with infinite faith look to Eternity.

Worse and worse

Those who do not have faith cannot put effort into something that might pay later. It would be "wasted effort." People who seek an immediate payoff think only for now, or the near future. Rather than plant seeds, they will buy the plant already blooming. They tend to be impetuous. They spend their money immediately, eat for taste, work to play, gamble, and indulge themselves in feelings of the moment. Consequences and long-term benefits aren't considered in their daily living. They expect payment for every effort they make, and, like a three-year-old child they want it "NOW!"

My son has a T-shirt that says: "Hard work pays off in the long run, but laziness pays off immediately." It's true that the immediate compensation is good, but that moment is the end. More payoff requires more investment. The payment side of the account not only builds up, but increases with interest. Thus, over time, the deal gets worse and worse as the pay per amount invested declines to nothing. There are always side-effect and unwanted consequences to paying later. The abilities are decreased with time. Laziness causes weakness and the loss of ability. Gambling leads to poverty. At some point, there is no enjoyment at all in being lazy, only pain and suffering.

Those who choose to avoid the will of God look at the immediate benefits and not the long-term risks. They steal because they want things now. They commit adultery because it feels good now. They put all their time and efforts into their own comforts and feelings. However, those who choose this route find that the reward is all they get. The deal gets worse and worse over time. Once you have done something it loses its excitement.

The "deal" we make if we act in the short-term gives us immediate payment. It doesn't require faith because we can see the benefits; however, there is a payment to be made. Food is a simple and concrete illustration of this concept. Those who eat for taste or hunger get the immediate reward. The "payoff" is immediate, but doesn't last, they will be hungry again in minutes to hours. If they desire food for taste there is no satiation, or no end, and the side-effects bring only sorrow and misery. Over time they get more obese, sick, and are no longer able to function well. They feel bad, live with guilt, pain, and lack of energy. This same illustration could be made for drugs, sex, money, stealing, lying, cheating, or any other sin. There are immediate benefits, but the deal gets worse and worse over time. Whenever we seek the things that are temporal, we have no reward from above because we've made no investment.

Better and better

Those who believe in God can begin to exercise faith. The greater their faith, the more they can invest in their future. They come to know that God knows all things: "My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning." (Abraham 2:8) Rather than expecting immediate rewards, they sacrifice their own desires, expecting their only reward to come from God.

There were two different kinds of fruit mentioned specifically in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were able to eat from any tree, including the tree of life, except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as it was forbidden. It's interesting to note that the forbidden fruit tasted good, but the tree of life was a bitter fruit. "...the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter." (2 Nephi 2:15) However, elsewhere in the scriptures this fruit on the Tree of Life was described as, "most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted." (1 Nephi 8:11) What is the difference? The "Garden" is in the beginning, whereas the other is in the end. This is the "deal" in life that gets better and better. We start out with a bitter taste as we sacrifice on the altars of God all the things we want. It's the broccoli we have to eat in order to be healthy, but over time we get good health which is most sweet.

Those who choose God get troubles and trials. Worship is sacrifice; it hurts to make sacrifices. It's hard. People look at the sacrifice required by the Lord and question their choice. They believe it would be easier to quit. The depth of their faith can be measured by the magnitude of their sacrifice. It's hard at first, but the deal just keeps getting better and better. There is no end to how much better it can get. A hymn by Parley P. Pratt explains:

The works of God continue, And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter; There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit; There is no end to race.

There is no end to virtue; There is no end to might;

There is no end to wisdom; There is no end to light.

There is no end to union; There is no end to youth;

There is no end to priesthood; There is no end to truth.

There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.
There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.

(Hymn 284:3-5)

The key that unlocks the door to Eternity is faith. Endless growth and love requires the sacrifice of all things that are temporal, or temporary. There is no immediate reward. We must have faith in things we cannot see. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

True Religion

The object of true religion is to convince people that there is value in putting off our immediate desires. We bear testimony that there is a God, and that the only way we can be saved is to put our trust in Him, putting off the "natural man" and seeking an Eternal reward. We have to convince others that this "faith" deal is hard at first, but it just gets better and better.

True religion requires sacrifice, it always has. The altars of the Temple are all about the sacrifices we make of the things of the world. We give up what we want now, for a better life in the world to come. All our covenants with God are sacrifices we promise to make. We give our time and efforts to Him. We give our whole heart to Him so we can be His. We are no longer our own. We don't do what we want, but rather what He wants.

This is a process that takes a lifetime. As we grow in the knowledge of the Lord, Jesus Christ, we trust in Him, we rely on him, and are willing to commit to Him. There are no shortcuts. "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6) The witness we receive is a wonderful reward of faith. But that is not the end. As we grow in faith the rewards are greater. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) There is no end, the deal just keeps getting better and better.

I know

We can't know anything until we know everything.  Philosophically-speaking there is no way we can be sure of anything because it's impossible to know what we don't know.   

When all of Europe was dominated by the Catholic Church they had an official tradition (from Aristotle) that all the celestial bodies were perfect spheres like crystals that revolved around the Earth.  They were simply lacking information that came when a telescope was invented that proved them wrong.  So what was "known" by all as absolute truth for more than a thousand years became falsehood in a moment.   

Previous to the late Nineteenth Century there was a perfectly logical explanation for the spoilage of food -- oxidation.  If food was exposed to oxygen there was a chemical reaction that took place.  Their observations were explained very well.  Removing all the oxygen by canning food prevented spoilage.  And if they used certain chemicals such as salt, vinegar and sugar they could prevent the chemical reaction.  Also, during this time it was thought that illness came from the cold, bad air, or evil spirits, among many other theories.  The invention of a microscope opened up a whole world of microorganisms that changed all of these theories.  Thus, though we can have a theory that explains all of our observations, we cannot know that we are able to observe everything.  We don't know what we're missing.  A small change in technology could give us new knowledge that could change what we think we know. 

Our current "scientific" theories are doomed to the same fate, in spite of all we "know."  Though "Natural Selection" or "Evolution" explains much of our observations of life on Earth, there is still a great deal we don't know so these theories are open to becoming falsehood with the discovery of just one bit of information.  For example, if it were found that there is no way DNA could be made without proteins, and there is no way for protein to be made without DNA; or, if random mutations could never make a useful structure or function, then the theory of evolution by natural selection would be impossible.  Also, the "Big Bang" theory of the beginning of our known Universe also has a number of gaps that we know, as well as infinite possibilities that we don't yet know.  Just one bit of information could render the whole theory invalid.  Every gap in our knowledge leaves us open to the infinity of possibilities that exist beyond our senses, technology, or understanding.  In order to be able to know what is missing we would have to know everything.  Thus, there is nothing that we could be sure of until we had a knowledge of absolutely everything.   

How, then, can we know anything? 

God knows everything; He is omniscient.  If He were to tell us something, we would know something.  Since God knows everything, then we could be sure of anything He tells us.  In fact, the only way we can know something is if the information comes from God.  If we are sure He knows everything, and is willing to share His knowledge, then we must experiment on the word of God. 

God is omniscient 

Multiple scriptures attest to the omniscience of God.  “O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.”  (2 Nephi 9:20)  If there was one blade of grass that came up without His knowledge he would not be omniscient.  There is no time with God, all things are present.  He knows every particle of the Earth and all things that have happened or will happen.  He is a God of truth, as the brother of Jared attested: “thou art a God of truth.” (Ether 3:12)  "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come."  (D&C 93:24)  Thus, God knows all things. 

God can and will give knowledge

Since God has this knowledge, He can teach it to us, His children, if we desire.  He promises to give to those who ask.  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  (James 1:5)  The promise that we will be given what we desire is repeated multiple times in the scriptures.   

We start with belief.   "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."  (Mosiah 4:9)  In other words, we must acknowledge that God knows everything, and we know nothing.  This puts us in a position to learn. 

How we know

When we do what God says, we can come to know things.  "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."  (John 7:17)  If it is of God, then it is always true. 

Keeping the commandments allows us to receive information.  "For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fullness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."  (D&C 93:20)  This is a succinct way of explaining how one can receive grace.  By keeping the commandments of God we are giving grace.  As we give grace we grow, learn, and thus receive glory from God.  We get grace as we give grace, thus receiving grace for grace.  The system is perfect.  We come to know the doctrine as we do His will, or keep His commandments.  How can we keep the commandments if we don't know what they are.  This is why "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."  (D&C 131:6)

Line upon line

We come to know all truth in the same way we learn anything, little-by-little.  We accept understanding from God, and this allows us to understand more.  If we wanted to be a mathematician we would have to start with the basics of manipulating numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, before we can do calculus.  This works the same with truth.  "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."  (D&C 50:24)  "The perfect day" refers to knowing everything, just as God does. 

Even Jesus Christ had to learn little-by-little.   "And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;  and he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness."  (D&C 93:12, 13)  "Fulness" means "everything."  As Jesus gained knowledge little-by-little so we do the same. 

Scientific testing brings knowledge

Alma explains it this way: "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."  (Alma 32:27)  We start with a belief, and if not that, then a desire to believe.  We take this desire and "exercise" it by "do[ing] His will."  Then we develop faith as we keep the commandments because we gain evidence that it is true -- we "know of the doctrine."  This is grace.  We cannot, however, receive this grace unless we put in the effort to keep the commandments, or putting in our own grace.  This system works with every commandment.  For example, if we want to know if God is true to His word we can test him.  He even tells us to "prove" or test Him on the principle of tithing.  "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."  (Mal 3:10)  If we pay tithing then we will come to know that the principle of tithing is true because the Lord will bless us by "open[ing] the windows of Heaven."  We have to put in the effort, or grace, first, then we can receive His Grace; thus, we receive grace for grace.  Once we receive that grace from God, we can say, "I know..."

Greatness

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." (Alma 37:6) 

James teaches us that the little things are what make a big difference.  "Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth." (James 3:3-4)  The little bit drives the big horse, and the little helm steers the big ship.  It's really the little things that make a big difference in every aspect of our lives. 

"Small" refers to the efforts of men.  All we do is "small" because we don't have the power to do great things.  "Simple" is just as it sounds, "not complex," or "easy."  "Great" Refers to the work of God, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)  What God does is great, however, man can, by small and simple means, bring about great things.  The greatest gift of all is available to man in the small and simple things he does, "if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7)  The small and simple commandments bring the greatest of all things, Eternal Life.  Jesus tells how: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  (John 17:3)  It is through a relationship with God that we obtain such "great things."  Relationships are built over time, little-by-little. 

Words

In his discussion on little things making a big difference, the Apostle James explains how much damage a little tongue can do.  On the other hand, our words can also build ourselves and others up to Eternal Life.  When we endeavor to speak a word by the Spirit of God, we can change lives.  How much good can a word do!  There are many who were in the wrong way until someone just said the right words that made them think and turn their lives around. 

The word "minister" is the use of words to build up, enlighten, and instruct.  Ministering angels are sent from God to give powerful words to men.  One of the names of Christ is "The Word."  The words we speak bring us to God if they are the words of Christ.  Words bring great things, if they are from the Holy Ghost: "And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." (D&C 68:4) 

Labor

It's not the big things we accomplish, but rather our little actions every day that make up who we are.  Some may point to their importance as a leader in business or government, how they wield power over others.  However, what is really important is not the multitudes who look to them, but the one person at a time that they can influence. 

"The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world."  We often think of those in high places as having great influence, but in reality it is those who have a direct relationship with others.  The mothers who choose to raise their children have much more influence on society than a king or a president.  The 2000 stripling warriors saved a nation not because they had Helaman for their leader, but rather because of the faith taught them by their mothers: "they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." (Alma 56:47) 

Thoughts

All day long the theater of our mind is playing.  The movie never stops.  We have control over it every minute of every day.  If we think about things that are untrue, fantasy, or destructive then we become that -- it's what we are.  It's not the one time that we sat down to figure out the meaning of life, like the Buddha, but rather the minute-to-minute thoughts that keep our minds occupied.  If we think about pain, evil, and hatred, that is what we are in our hearts.  However if we think only about virtuous thing we become virtuous.  "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8) 

Health

Our temporal salvation is dependent on our little daily habits.  It's not that we eat a vegetable occasionally that makes us healthy.  I notice that it's very common for people to remember the occasional "good" meal they eat, and not the constant high-calorie-and-low-nutrient snacks.  There are two ways to look at food: taste or nourishment -- it seems you can't have both.  Those who eat for taste are malnourished and get diabetes, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.  In my profession I find the most helpful thing is to help others commit to eating only nourishing foods.  Every little thing they put in their mouths should be for the purpose of nourishing the body. 

Moreover, those who exercise regularly a little bit are much better off than those who only occasionally put out a lot of effort.  The former marathon runner who now does no appreciable exercise is no better off than the one who never exercised.  The little daily things like using the stairs instead of the elevator, walking instead of driving to the store, and so forth, are what helps us maintain our strength and energy. 

Wealth

What makes us wealthy is not winning the lottery or getting lucky in any other way.  Rather it's the little things such as buying only things we can afford, or avoiding debt and interest and saving to earn interest.  Either way, the interest is a relatively small amount, but over time it adds up to a great deal of difference.  Those who earn interest become wealthy, whereas those who pay interest remain poor.  The little bits add up over time. 

Service

As we give to others we also come to know God.  "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)  Giving of ourselves, our time, talents, goods, money, and efforts to those in need is a requirement for coming to know God.  "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:8)  The sacrifice we make for the benefit of others is how we show our love.  Some will speak of a time when the gave much, but do not continue.  It is only in constant service that we continue to love.

Sacrifice

Some think that making a huge sacrifice can change them, but it's really the little, daily sacrifices we make that make up who we are.  We are changed little-by-little.  A mother sacrifices for her children on a daily basis.  She gives of herself.  She loses sleep.  She makes sure they are fed, clothed, clean, and taught on a daily basis.  It's not the one time she put on a perfect birthday party that makes the relationship, rather it's the daily acts of selflessness that shows her love. 

God requires sacrifice for us to come to know Him.  We cannot come to know Him without sacrifice.  Altars from Adam to the present day all represent the sacrifices that are required of us.  In ancient days it was literally "the firstfruits of the field and the firstlings of the flocks" that were burnt on the altar.  Now it is our best efforts.  We sacrifice our time, our desires, our needs and wants, just giving them over to God, which allows us to obey Him and serve Him and come to know Him.  Lots of little sacrifices over a long time give us great love for God. 

Prayer

It's not that one time we prayed a fervent prayer, even if it was answered in a miraculous way.  Seeing a miracle doesn't change who you are.  Rather, it's constant daily prayer that gradually changes the heart in each person.  Alma explains:

Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

(Alma 34:17-27)

Prayer is the development of a relationship with our Maker.  We don't know Him.  We are so far from Him, as the Lord tells Isaiah: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)  In order to come to know him we must have experience with Him.  This is true of anyone.  We must spend time with people to get to know them.  We don't call someone we have never met a friend.  The more time we spend with a person, the better we know him.  Prayer is the time we spend with God.  Minute by minute we come to know Him. 

We cannot neglect prayer and think we have a relationship with God.  Constant communication develops our relationship with God over time.  It isn't automatic, it isn't a gift, it isn't earned, it is only experienced, just like any other relationship.

Scripture

The writings of the prophets describe their relationship with God.  Also, God tells prophets things that can help other people.  We can come to know him through others' experiences.  They tell us how God deals with His children.  Moreover, we can be taught by God through His Spirit as we read.  The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts and minds, creating a witness or testimony in us.  This can grow as we read the word of God.

Temple

The depth of our experience with God is increased dramatically as we go to His House and spend time with Him.  "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." (Isaiah 2:3)  All of the rest of our experiences on Earth are to prepare us to go to His house and learn His ways.  We cannot walk in His paths until we learn what they are.  This is learned in the Temple.

It's not the one time we went and received a revelation from Him, but rather the frequency of our visits.  As we visit more often we learn more of "His ways," and come to know Him on a deeper level.  This happens little-by-little, "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little." (2 Nephi 28:30)  Frequent visits to the House of the Lord to spend time with Him is a wonderful way to come to know Him.  It is necessary for us to know Him.  Without the Temple, the house of the Lord, and the ordinances thereof we cannot have Eternal Life. 

 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.   Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.  And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

               Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.  (D&C 84:19-24)

 It's the small and simple things done continually that allow true greatness.