Lexi, I think our goals should be focused on knowing and following Christ.
LexiOctober 15, 2019
Hmm. So then what do you think about the new youth goal setting initiative by the church? Because I believe prophets get revelation and know what’s best.
Gary OliverOctober 15, 2019
Thanks Brother Goddard for explaining something that has bothered me for decades ever since I heard the statement; "I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, I believe Repentance." Goals and resolutions that do not include the influence of the Atonement of Jesus Christ lack the power to make the fundamental changes to effect conversion to more highly developed character. The "natural man" is only over come by responding to the " to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, ... becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." Mosiah 3:19
VardellOctober 15, 2019
Yes! Thank you!
And once you understand that we are indeed saved by our faith in Christ, rather than through an abundance of accomplishments and self-perfecting, then you will see scores of examples of this throughout all the scriptures.
Consider the common elements in the examples you mention; they all include feeling an extremely broken heart (fear of the Lord), then pleading for mercy, then being immediately forgiven; and only after these elements are they transformed, not through accomplishing a list of goals, but by being a new creature - by the power of Christ.
These elements of feeling fear, pleading for mercy, being forgiven and changed by Christ are everywhere in the scriptures; they are present in the accounts of: King Benjamins people, of Enos, of Lamoni, of his father, of the wicked Lamanites in Helaman 5. They are present in the accounts of Paul, and the prodigal son, and of Job, of the publican and of the blind man in Luke 18.
No wonder Paul says, "therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
Cynthia M. MoorheadOctober 15, 2019
Beautiful article, as all of Brother Goddard's writings are. In this one he says what I discovered for myself many years ago: we can work and struggle and fight to change ourselves, but nothing really changes until we ask the Lord Himself to change us. Then amazing things happen. Sometimes they are very hard--but they work. He knows how to change us, and "all we can do" never can.
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Wally GoddardOctober 16, 2019
Lexi, I think our goals should be focused on knowing and following Christ.
LexiOctober 15, 2019
Hmm. So then what do you think about the new youth goal setting initiative by the church? Because I believe prophets get revelation and know what’s best.
Gary OliverOctober 15, 2019
Thanks Brother Goddard for explaining something that has bothered me for decades ever since I heard the statement; "I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, I believe Repentance." Goals and resolutions that do not include the influence of the Atonement of Jesus Christ lack the power to make the fundamental changes to effect conversion to more highly developed character. The "natural man" is only over come by responding to the " to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, ... becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." Mosiah 3:19
VardellOctober 15, 2019
Yes! Thank you! And once you understand that we are indeed saved by our faith in Christ, rather than through an abundance of accomplishments and self-perfecting, then you will see scores of examples of this throughout all the scriptures. Consider the common elements in the examples you mention; they all include feeling an extremely broken heart (fear of the Lord), then pleading for mercy, then being immediately forgiven; and only after these elements are they transformed, not through accomplishing a list of goals, but by being a new creature - by the power of Christ. These elements of feeling fear, pleading for mercy, being forgiven and changed by Christ are everywhere in the scriptures; they are present in the accounts of: King Benjamins people, of Enos, of Lamoni, of his father, of the wicked Lamanites in Helaman 5. They are present in the accounts of Paul, and the prodigal son, and of Job, of the publican and of the blind man in Luke 18. No wonder Paul says, "therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
Cynthia M. MoorheadOctober 15, 2019
Beautiful article, as all of Brother Goddard's writings are. In this one he says what I discovered for myself many years ago: we can work and struggle and fight to change ourselves, but nothing really changes until we ask the Lord Himself to change us. Then amazing things happen. Sometimes they are very hard--but they work. He knows how to change us, and "all we can do" never can.
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