Thread by @RelevantQuest

“The world in which we now live is moving rapidly away from the teachings of Christ in its laws & customs. As a result, Satan is working overtime to confuse God’s sons & daughters & to divert the very elect from fulfilling their duty & receiving the Lord’s blessings.” #Ballard

“Satan wants you to stop practicing good habits such as daily scripture study, praying daily, worthily partaking of the sacrament weekly, and giving genuine, heartfelt service. He also wants you to stand on the sidelines in today’s important and crucial battles.” #MRussellBallard

“Remember, we are at war—but not a war of guns and bullets. Nevertheless, the war is real, with countless human casualties. The war is in fact a continuation of the one that began in the premortal world.” #MRusselBallard 2015

God has truly exposed the world’s iniquities, “spoken upon the housetops, their secret acts revealed” (D&C 1:3). Many elect find themselves emboldened in the wrong kind of war. They feel justified. They feel indignant & afraid, even assigning virtue to their anger.

Check your judgments. “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)

“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:55-56)

If you feel to break down the wicked, do so as Christ, who sought them through redemption. If you feel justified, remember that none was so justified as Jesus, & he chose mercy till the end. If you seek vengeance, reconsider, for vengeance is the Lord’s alone.

All panic when the ground shifts. The danger is in remaining afraid, that the adversary may drive us into reactionary behaviors like chaff before the wind. Observe. Let it pass. Respond with courage. God is in this, as he is in all things. Stand upon the rock. It does not move.

“God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2Tim 1:7) Turn away from the great & spacious building. It is without foundation & will fall. Turn your exertions to building up Zion. Love your neighbor. Preach the gospel of peace.

“Today’s important & crucial battles” are not fought at the fronts of powerful governments or human institutions. What God seeks, I must seek. God seeks souls, hearts & minds. He seeks to give the gift of eternity to each & every child. This is the crucial battle.

This is what will remain when all else has fallen & returned to dust: The pure love of Christ, the light of Christ, the redemption of Christ. What remains will be our eternal connections with others in the immortal family of heaven. All else is code written for our growth.

If your loyalty to anything supercedes the cause of heaven—the purpose of earth, the reason it exists, which is salvation & eternal life—consider your allegiances. Don’t lose sight of your Captain on the battlefield. Set aside mortal grievances. Stand on the mountain of the Lord.