Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Abundant Miracles - 3 Nephi 19:35

And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their unbelief. Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great things as ye have heard.
I don't think it is too presumptuous to conclude that every person with faith will experience miracles. This world is very deceptive, on outward appearance, everything seems normal. Plants, animals, weather and people seem to grow and behave more or less "predictably". If we follow man's carefully worked out scientific theorems, nothing is magical nor is there any place for anything supernatural. In that realm, everything obeys certain laws and change follows the slow methodical plodding of evolution from a past of bland "primordial soup" into a future of doldrum.

But this simple, "predictable" world does not exist. This world is in fact, much more vibrant, magical, even whimsical than science can describe or scientists can imagine (or will ever imagine). The reason is because this world was created by the imagination of God. Things that happen here look deceptively predictable, but they are not. Man, though appearing to be like an animal, is not. Yes, he has many of the same base desires as some of the other creations of God, but it is in the differences between man and all other beasts that we find he is suspiciously out of place in the world.

I need not go on too much further, but a simple comparison of man to any other species should make it evident. How many animals have a notion of art? science? poetry? religion? How is it that if man is supposed to have "evolved" from primates, that there are not other animals that have even remotely developed any of these spectacular capabilities? But apes can use sticks as tools, and have a developed social structure of their own you say... Sure, but how can you compare a stick to a howitzer or smartphone? How can you compare the culture of a cluster of primates to sports culture or academic circles?

How is it that from the earliest traces of man, among the most commonly found and most significant remnants we find are described as religious artifacts? What need does evolution have of religion? Why do we find so many spires, mosques, kivas, temples, pyramids, etc.? What drives man to build such elaborate structures if they are not remotely relevant to his survival? Religion is in the very core man's nature, because he comes from divinity and still holds traces of the memory of it he yearns for it.

Want to see a miracle? Look in the mirror - you are a living child of Almighty God! Miracles happen every day. Get rid of this notion of mundane acceptance of the base instincts. This world, and you are a miracle. And with a little faith, you will recognize those miracles more and more every day.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Healing by Faith - 3 Nephi 17:7-8

Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy. For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.
Faith to be healed is one of the gifts of the Spirit (D&C 46:19,20), and as with all of the gifts, we are told to seek them and deny them not.

Again, we are told:
...deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever. (Moroni 10:7)
It's ironic that there are some who deny the existence of miracles in our day. The irony is that faith is required before a miracle can occur - thus, the spirit of "I'll believe it when I see it", only produces what it seeks, which is no miracles:
...if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them... (Ether 12:12)
...the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. (Mormon 9:18-19)
We can site numerous scriptures where Jesus healed and told the recipient that it was because of their faith. Here are a few:

...thy faith hath made thee whole. (Matthew 9:22
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. (Mark 9:23)
Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. (Luke 18:42)
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. (Matthew 9:29)