1 John 5:14 And this is the CONFIDENCE that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
As I read the epistles from John and Jude, I feel that they are pleading with the saints to hold tight to their CONFIDENCE in God. To know who we are, and to have full trust and faith in the Savior and His Infinite Atonement with all its redeeming power. There is another power that John and Jude warn us about, Satan, and his desire to deceive us into doubting ourselves and our divine potential. His evil designs have not changed over the centuries, he still uses ordinary people to pull our confidence down, and to try and to persuade us to look to the world for comfort and peace instead of the true source of happiness, and the genuine living water, which will nourish us and guide us until we return safely home to our Heavenly Father. Satan has mastered the art of making good look bad and bad appear good. “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4) He loves to strip us from God’s warm embrace, causing us to lose the ability to feel God’s endless love, he does this by instilling fear into our souls. Satan’s promises are empty, he seeks to destroy our joy, his “clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” (Jude 1:12)
“If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. “ -Jeffrey R. Holland
John gives us simple road signs of how to avoid this seemingly attractive chooses that take us off the path towards Eternal life. Before every wrong turn will be a warning in our hearts, that lets us know that we need to not proceed, he beckons us to follow Him, come unto Christ with full purpose of heart. “This is the CONFIDENCE that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” As we seek His will, we will also be able to hear HIM, it makes for a perfect stream of open communication of truth. “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ…And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” (1 John 5:6) This communication is worth taking the time to develop, because he is our God, and “We are of God.” (1 John 4:6)
John tells each and everyone one of us who we are, it reminds me of our own prophet today, Russell M. Nelson, who constantly and relentlessly begs us to remember who we are. “fathers (mothers)—ye have known him that is from the beginning…young men (women)—ye have overcome the wicked one…little children, because ye have known the Father…Fathers (mothers) because ye have known him that is from the beginning…young men (young women), because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:13-14) All we have to do is to remember who we are, and “have CONFIDENCE, and not be ashamed.” (1 John 2:28) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1)
“Don’t lose your CONFIDENCE. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you.” -Jeffrey R. Holland
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) All our fears, worries, and despairs will flee from our minds if we will allow Christ to enter with His all encompassing love. The greatest way to feel God’s love is to turn our will over to him through repentance, “If we confess our sins, he is is faithful and just to forgive our our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) As repentance turns our hearts to Christ, we will have the desire, diligence, and fortitude to follow his commandments, “But whoso keepteth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: herby know we that we are in him.” (1 John 2:5) The closer we come to aligning our lives with Christ, we will have the love that Christ exemplifies for our own family, friends, and neighbors. “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 John 2:10) What a wonderfully kind plan to help us return to Heavenly Father; Love the Lord, Love our neighbors, and walk in light with Christ, handing over all obstacles to heavy to carry.
1 John 3:18…Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth
“Face your doubts. Master your fears. “Cast not away therefore your CONFIDENCE.” Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you.” States Jeffrey R. Holland. The temptation is to look around, to compare ourselves to others, to be lured off the path to seemingly exciting adventures of the specious building. Remember, “No lie is of truth.” (1 John 2:21) It is easy to discern truth, “Ye have an unction form the Holy One, and ye know all things.” (1 John 2:20) The Holy Ghost will always warn us before we make an grievous mistake, or a small mistake. We just have to be willing to accept and act on that warning. “We are of God: he that knoweth God hearth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6) It is also the only source of light, the path of the tree of life, is illuminate by Christ’s light. All other paths are darkened by the deceiving power of Satan. The best part is God’s love, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved US.” (1 John 4:10) When we are in the arms of God’s love, which exists within the laws of God, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.”(1 John 4:18) “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 6:4) “Trust in that eternal truth. If God has told you something is right, if something is indeed true for you, he will provide the way for you to accomplish it.” (Jeffrey R. Holland)
Jude 1:21 Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Here is the talk that I took the quotes from “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, by Jeffrey R. Holland: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/jeffrey-r-holland/cast-not-away-therefore-your-confidence/
-written by Sherri Jorgensen
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