I AM GOD
We believe in God, the eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. These three are the great and matchless power that rules all things visible and invisible, for it is of Him and through Him that we receive all things both for this life and that which is to come. (Article 1, Faith & Doctrine, The Church of Jesus Christ)
“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). The prophet Isaiah speaks this way concerning the magnitude of God versus man.
It is with these two defining statements, one a simple description of our belief of the Almighty God and one a scriptural truth of the vast difference between Creator and creation, that we begin a consideration of our place today in the plan of God.
Although we have a very limited understanding of all the significant events since the dawn of creation, scripture gives us a glimpse of God’s ways, thoughts and actions through time. The exit of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the great flood in the days of Noah, the confounding of language at the Tower of Babel, the call of Abram to be separated from the land of his birth and the eventual designation of a promised land and a covenant people are just a brief summary of significant interactions between God and His creation. The list of these special events could go on and on. There is an Almighty God and a master plan for His creation. A glorious and perfect balance between creation’s free will and the Master’s loving hand at work.
The greatest of events in this master plan must be the wonderful love demonstrated through the redemption of mankind by the Son of God entering creation as a child born to a virgin. Oh, how the ways of the Father were so much different from the thoughts and imagination of men. The Savior of the world, the hope of all creation being born as a baby in a humble stable. Angels declared His arrival, but very few actually understood the magnificent unfolding of the Almighty’s master plan. Then, a short few years later, how very hard it was to comprehend that this King of Kings had to be placed upon a Roman cross to suffer and die. Unbelievable! Was all hope lost? No, the scriptures declare the story. “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.” (3 Nephi 11: 10-11) The Redeemer of mankind taking the punishment of a sinful creation to be the pinnacle of the Father’s plan of His creation. Jesus Christ, glorifying the Father in His obedience and completing the action to make creation’s free will a reality.
After the resurrection of Jesus, momentous events continued to unfold with creation changing and eventually suffering through a separation or apostasy from God’s will and His desire for mankind. However, as God has revealed throughout His word to faithful men and women, His plan for creation involves an eventual glorious conclusion to our world and creation’s mortal time. This concluding event is not an event for a moment or even a year or two. God’s master plan involves a period of time, years in the making, resulting in the spiritual culmination of willing creation living in the ultimate desire of God, a kingdom of heaven on earth, glorifying the Savior of the world.
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46: 9-10)
The Church of Jesus Christ, in our period of creation, has been blessed with remarkable understanding of the precepts and wisdom of God. “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)
There are many in our world today that say, “we have enough”. We are wise enough. God has spoken and now refuses to speak, or we don’t want to even consider that our knowledge and understanding of God’s master plan may be incomplete. However, just as the majority of creation could not comprehend or conceive the coming forth and eventual glory of the Savior, we must be careful to not limit God today. Individually and collectively, we must believe without one shred of doubt that God is omnipotent and omniscient. He has declared the end of creation since the beginning of creation. He will conclude His creation as He deems and wishes it to be done, even though we do not know all of His counsel.
The Church of Jesus Christ has been blessed with a unique and miraculous understanding of the word of God, the Bible and The Book of Mormon. Having the word of God and understanding the plan of God contained therein are two very different things. Since the restoration event began over 200 years ago, this church has been a recipient of a special understanding of God’s plan. Line upon line, precept upon precept, little by little, the Lord has revealed scriptural knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Most recently, the following instruction was given to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles:
“Thus saith the Lord: As long as your hearts, as long as your hearts are open and your minds are open and your ears are open, because some of the things now that will come before you could be concerning to the fleshly mind.
But know now that I God am in control, and I see and I know all things! And if you but just trust, if you but just trust and obey, then now you will see, you will see these promises come and unfold before your very eyes. You will know that I am God and that I will fulfill all things! You will see in this dispensation the coming forth of knowledge and truth through the records that will be restored! You will see these things! You will see the children come home, My children, My covenant people. For I will lower the scales and remove them from their eyes of the unbelief that plagues them so! And yes, as I gave, as I gave the disciples in that day with My Son, you will have that same fullness of power! And yet you must be ready to receive that fullness of power!
So know now this day, My sons, know now this day, that if you just humble yourselves before Me, if you just humble yourselves, I will make it all clear! I will provide, and I will do all for I am God, thus saith the Lord!”
(Revelation of the Lord to The Church of Jesus Christ, Reviewed and approved, October 2024)
Oh, the mercy and greatness of the Lord unto His people! Let us all be aware, instruction and wisdom such as this is incredibly important, special, and marvelous. As the Lord gave men and women of God in the past great understanding and instruction to the glorious events of the creator’s master plan (Brother of Jared, Abraham, Isaiah, Lehi, Nephi, Samuel the Lamanite, etc.), so too has our God spoken and revealed to us many of the marvelous works and wonders that will unfold in the final event, the Peaceful Reign.
Please note the experience begins with conditions, assurance and instruction. Our hearts must be open, our minds must be open, our ears must be open. Open to what? Open to the Almighty God. Open to the final and glorious part of the Master’s plan. Do we have preconceived ideas and notions as to how God must perform the tasks to bring forth Zion? He says, be not concerned. Be open that God knows and will do what is best, and do it absolutely perfectly. Will natural events that we see take place cause us to trust, or to fear? The Lord says, Trust. Our God knows that there are going to be concerns in our mind because of conditions and events in our world. He says, “I GOD AM IN CONTROL”. He says, “I KNOW and SEE ALL THINGS”. Trust and Obey.
Oh, the mercy and greatness of the Lord unto His people! The Lord instructs that we will see God’s promises come and unfold before our very eyes! What promises does He proclaim?
We will see…”the coming forth of knowledge and truth through the records that will be restored”. Additional records – additional scripture – will be given to the Church, and through us, to the world. The sealed portion of the gold plates given to Joseph Smith, Jr. will come forth and be revealed. The record of the brother of Jared is promised to the Gentiles. “And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.” (Ether 4:7) Knowledge and truth being expanded to mankind.
We will see…”the children come home, My children, My covenant people”. The House of Joseph will be reconciled to Jesus Christ and accept the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.” (Isaiah 29: 22-24) We will see the great work of restoring the entire House of Israel back to the true and living God. The scales of unbelief and of false belief will be removed. Our God has said it will be done, so IT WILL be done.
We will see…”you will have that same fullness of power! And yet you must be ready to receive that fullness of power!” The priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ will be granted a full measure of the Spirit of God. The same power of Jesus Christ that was bestowed upon the Apostles in Jerusalem, and also upon the Disciples of Jesus on the land of America will be upon the ministry of the church. “And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of miracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus.” (4 Nephi 1: 5)
We are encouraged and strengthened…”know now this day, that if you just humble yourselves before Me, if you just humble yourselves, I will make it all clear! I will provide, and I will do all for I am God.”
I AM GOD. As The Church of Jesus Christ, all should be humbled to be spoken to by the Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth. He acknowledges us as a people and gives continued wisdom, instruction and understanding of His great master plan. Let us never take for granted what we have been given as the final glorious event in God’s master plan unfolds with our knowledge and involvement. May we always listen, trust and obey.
In the love of God,
The Quorum of Twelve Apostles
James Crudup, Joel Gehly, Pete Giannetti, John Griffith, Scott Griffith, Paul Liberto, Thomas M. Liberto, Leonard A. Lovalvo, Frank Natoli, Paul A. Palmieri, Peter Scolaro, Jerry Valenti
To learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ, with Headquarters in Monongahela, PA, please visit our website. The World Operations Center for world-wide missionary efforts is in Greensburg, PA.
www.thechurchofjesuschrist.org
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