Pour Out Your Hearts Continually To God

“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 34:26-27).  

I’ll be honest, I hardly ever pray.  The more I do it the better I feel, true, but for some reason that fact doesn’t click in my brain: the benefits don’t seem to register.  It may stem from the fact that I’ve never seen it as a commandment, or it may come from my belief that I should not rely on anyone for help and deal with my problems myself.  Every time I read the book of Alma I skimmed over this scripture, never really understanding its significance.  It took two separate significant times in my life to make me see the importance of this scripture.

The first time this scripture became clear to me was when I found out I had a cyst (which turned out to be a tumor) in my tibia and I had to have it surgically removed.  The place where the cyst was located was near a main nerve.  If that nerve was hit my leg would be numb, inhibiting my ability to walk.  My biggest fear is being paralyzed or disabled physically in any way, so the thought that this could happen to me was terrifying.  For the first time in my life, I turned to God for help.  I prayed for hours, crying my eyes out until I fell asleep, and then my thoughts were always on what I could do to receive help from God so they surgery would go well, and once I got over myself, I asked God to help my family not worry about me.

In all the time I’ve been alive, that time was the first time I really felt the benefits that came from sincere prayer.  Sure, I’d given many half-hearted prayers in my lifetime, but I’d also received half-hearted answers in return.  As I read in a book once, I felt that I had given a million dollar prayer and received a million dollar answer.

The next time I really gave a prayer where God was continually on my mind was when my fiance went to basic training.  I cried all the time, feeling so alone and not willing to accept help from anyone, especially not my family.  So, for the first time in nearly two years, I turned to God.  I cried to God every chance I got to keep my fiance strong throughout basic, and then I prayed that I would remain sane and be able to function throughout the ten weeks he was in basic training.  Angels came to comfort me.  Every time I pray sincerely I find myself benefiting from it.  Never has anything detrimental happened to me because I prayed. 

Amulek was right.  In order to have strong faith and a relationship with God, I need to pour out my heart in prayer continually to him.  If you do this you can live in a world of turmoil and be okay because the love of your Maker is with you.

For God so Loved the World

We are all bound by the chains of iniquity.  The fall of man would have guaranteed us a spot in Outer Darkness with Satan and his angels if Christ had not come, but he did, and we are given the choice to yield to the enticing of the spirit and come unto Christ.  Jesus is both the Father and the Son.  If he were not there to make intercession for us we would remain in our fallen state, in bondage to that awful spirit who is the devil, never to be resurrected.

“And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son-- The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son--” (Mosiah 15:2-3).  Christ is the beloved son of God, the one who offered us the way to become gods and goddesses.  Through coming to this earth and subjecting himself to the laws of his Father, doing his Father’s will, he shows himself as the Son of God.  However, because of the infinite atonement he made he takes on a second title; he takes on the title of Father.  As we partake of Christ’s mercy, he cleanses us of sin.  As fallen humans we are reborn through Christ, making him our father and brother in one.  

If Christ had not come to this earth as a sacrifice for sin, we would have no one to make intercession for us, and justice would overrule mercy, for nothing that is unclean can dwell in God’s presence.  For surely we will stand in God’s presence to be judged of our works, whether they be good or evil.  On that great day, we will stand there in our guilt and tremble, begging for mercy and for justice to stay her hand, and Christ , having gained power over the bands of death, is able to extend his hands in mercy, having satisfied justice with his atoning blood.

In order for Christ to be able to intercede on our behalf we need to hearken unto the words of the prophets and look towards Christ, using him as our anchor in all things.  “For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions.  And now, are they not his seed?” (Mosiah 15:12).  As each individual strives to bring peace to others, bear good tidings and tells the world of salvation and the God of Zion, they become a child of Christ; they become one of his seed.

Were it not for Christ’s great sacrifice and atonement that he made for his people we would have all perished.  Oh how great would be our sorrow had there been no redemption, for there would be no resurrection, and the grave would have power over our bodies, and that evil Satan over our souls, and death would have swallowed all nations as a snake swallows her prey.  “But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.  He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened, yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death” (Mosiah 16: 8-9).  Christ’s light extends through all spheres of time and space, saving all who lived, live, and will live in this universe.  Due to the resurrection, each individual will stand at the judgement bar in their own resurrected body to await their fate.  If the individual has chosen to do good throughout their life, repenting and following Christ, then they will be granted eternal happiness and glory.  However, those who have chosen evil works will reap what they sow, and that reward is eternal misery and damnation.

God extends his arms of mercy towards us all the day long, and we, in our carnal state of sensuality refuse to accept his loving arms of mercy and do not depart from that which we know is wrong.  Being commanded to repent, but still refusing, for people are swift to do iniquity, but slow to remember the Lord their God.  Just as King Noah’s people, the people of this age live in a time where iniquity is in abundance, and it often causes us to be lifted up in the pride of our hearts when things go well for us.  When we lean unto our own understanding and forget God, that is the time in which we should fear the most.  For, just as King Noah’s people, if we as a people continue in our iniquity and do not have a change of heart, we will surely be brought into bondage and destroyed, for God will not suffer the people of this nation to live in this promised land while iniquity abounds.  

“And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ can ye be saved?” (Mosiah 16:13).  As teachers and leaders, we need to set the example of righteousness for the next generation.  The only way that we are saved is through Christ.  Repentance is a commandment, and it is given for our good.  The rising generation needs to know of their Redeemer and of the wonderful and necessary gift of repentance.  “Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father.  Amen” (Mosiah 16:15).