The Reason for Hope

Only a short entry this morning. Things are crazy and I'm still working on time management.

I've been asked to speak on Hope this week in sacrament meeting. In my preparations I've come across some great quotes which I'll write more about later today. Right now, however, I'll just share some scriptures.

2 Nephi 31:20:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

I love this verse. In this small verse we find summarized the keys to joy in this life and eternal joy in the life to come.

As we are steadfast in Christ, we cannot help but have a perfect brightness of hope. True faith in Christ fills us with hope as we look forward to the blessings promised as we keep his commandments.

Loving God and all men is a directly in line with Christ's statement to the Jews when he stated that the first and great commandment is to love God with all our hearts and the second is to love our neighbors as ourselves.

As we feast upon the words of Christ, we learn how to love God and our neighbors. As we apply what we learn, we are blessed and we are able to bless the lives of all around us.

As we do these things throughout our lives, enduring to the end, we will receive eternal blessings.

Helaman 5:12

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Here again is another wonderful scriptural nugget. My heart fills with hope every time I read this verse. It is particularly apropos for our time. I know, that if I will build on the foundation of Christ, I will be okay, come what may. Let Satan and his hosts combine against me, if I'm built on that sure foundation, I can not fall! What a wonderful promise. Let all hell break loose and I can stand firm because of Him who is mighty to save. My heart thrills, even as I write.

Well, I've got to go for now. More later.