short speech about faith in god

100-Word Faith Stories: (Very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today

God is in all things. But we don’t always expect to feel God’s presence in a particular moment or place. We asked readers to share these stories of surprising moments of faith and grace in no more than 100 words. These (very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today include feelings of joy, sadness, laughter, anger and anything in between. They demonstrate the many ways in which God is with us, if only we would take the time to notice.

Two parents and four boys make a small house feel like a sardine tin packed with firecrackers. I had my eye on a larger fixer-upper nearby. But despite its apparent practicality and my eagerness, my husband wasn’t enthused. I suggested a quick attempt at discernment: Pray one Hail Mary while imagining we had settled on each choice, buy or stay.

We both felt God’s presence. The “Stay” prayer brought unwelcome but undeniable inner peace. “Buy” brought anxiety rather than excitement.

I could only respond, “Thy will be done.” Our house is cramped and noisy, but we’ll stay for now.  Jessica Carney Ardmore, Pa.

My sons and I were enjoying the wave pool at our local amusement park on a beautiful sunny day. There was the usual crowd of people—of different ages, from different neighborhoods and cultures—all enjoying the pool. I closed my eyes and was suddenly aware of the joyous cacophony. All the voices, screams and laughter of my siblings, my fellow children of God. I was awestruck, and with my eyes still shut, I smiled broadly, and I thanked God for that sudden grace of connection and awareness. Matthew Whelehan Rochester, N.Y.

My husband is a stroke survivor; I’m his caregiver. Ron has balance issues, garbled speech and swallowing difficulties. Once the primary breadwinner, Ron’s now on SSDI. I struggle to bring in money while handling the numerous responsibilities of caring for my husband and household.

Earlier today I read the abandonment prayer of the newly canonized St. Charles de Foucauld: “Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.”

I am now at peace. Jerilyn Burgess North Olmsted, Ohio

At my first holy Communion, when I was 7 in 1958, I came up to the altar and was so small I had to stand rather than kneel at the rail. The priest approached and put the host on my tongue. I felt drawn out of myself, forgetting where I was, feeling a sense of presence. It was like being a mini Samuel, and I said to the Lord, “Speak, for your servant is listening . ” My love for the Eucharist continues to this day. William Eagan, S.J. Weston, Mass.

I invited my all-white classmates to Mass at my Black Catholic parish. During Mass, my friend nudged me, “Lee, we’re the only white people here.” I responded, “Frank, how do you think…” but before I could finish my statement, Frank added, “Lee, I never thought about you that way.” The experience helped him to see my struggles as the only Black kid in our classes. We had just had a class that taught we were made in the image and likeness of God. We saw that in one another more clearly now. Lee Baker New Orleans, La.

As I walked a labyrinth, I couldn’t shake the image of playing hide and seek with God. Shrubs around the path made me alternately feel hidden and then exposed. I know God is always there waiting for me, but I often “hide.” I fear I haven’t done enough, or I’m not good enough to earn God’s love. But those doubts come from me, not God. Although I may think I’m hiding, God sees and loves me. When I embrace God’s unconditional love, I will grow into the person he created me to be. Cathy Cunningham Framingham, Mass.

Deep in grief as I grappled with my husband’s determination to divorce, God felt absent, my faith rocked. My friend, Sister Noreen, told me to read the Bible. I mocked her. Unfazed, she insisted: “Open it at random. What have you got to lose?” On March 19, as I opened a newly purchased Bible, I cried: “God where are you?!” My eyes fell upon Jer 29:11. “For I know the plans....” I can still feel the jolt that coursed through my body at that moment—in shock and joy—the first of many such moments since then. Mary Margaret Cannon Washington, D.C.

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Short Essay On Faith In God

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Faith in God

          Humans are innately vulnerable that is why we tend to be dependent on someone or something. Even from ancient times, people needed a ruler to rely on. In life, we all needed a force that will urge and guide us to live. A being to reckon and serve as a pillar for our strength. After all, the burden of tomorrow’s uncertainty is too much to bear.

          God is the word that resonates since the start of time. People from different religions have God: In Hinduism, they have Shiva; in Buddhism, there is Buddha; in Islam, there is Allah; in Judaism, they call their God Yahweh; and in Christian, they have God and Jesus. Although separated by the diverse religions, there is one thing in common, the strong faith of the followers. The believers are what compose every religion. People nowadays are given the freedom to choose what religion they want to believe in.

          Faith is a very complex word to be explained. It is a word that is much more powerful than love or hatred. It takes really a lot to fully surrender yourself and believes in something you don’t see. It’s a devotion to something or someone an intense belief that you will not betray no matter what. A person who has no faith is like walking on an endless circle moving forward but with no certainty and conviction.

          There are many reasons why people develop a strong faith in God. It can be because of too many sufferings. People tend to seek help and comfort when confronted with difficult times. It can also be because they are raised from a God-fearing family. After all, family is the strongest influence on a child. A certain circumstance that made you believe that God exists cause most people to ask for a sign like the saying goes—" to see is to believe” . Others claimed they have been called upon, they felt a force that urges them to devote their lives to serving God.

          Faith teaches people important things. Not everything you see matters and not everything you can’t see doesn’t matter. It also teaches us about patience and humility. Knowing someone is above you is life-changing. The thought of this will keep your feet on the ground. You will not feel alone anymore for you know that you have someone to rely on when things get rough. Faith is not someone’s weakness but rather a strength.

          The virtue faith holds can change one’s life. People with strong faith know how to handle too much stress. They are not easily conquered and succumb to negative emotions. People learned to be contented. Sometimes we ask for things we wanted so we fail to see the things we needed that were given to us. Through faith, we have someone we can tell our deepest secret that we can’t afford to tell anyone. Faith makes someone open up their heart. The fear of being a judge is erased because God will always understand and forgive.

          The strong force, called faith, connects people from different places and races. The barrier that divides people is shattered by the common goal which is to surrender completely to God. In faith, you don’t need to speak. The heart will understand what things you can not express through words. It’s a great feeling to have someone who shares the same passion as you. Someone to accompany you to burn the intensity of your devotion towards God even more.

          Faith can be the faintest whisper of prayers at night or a loud cry of praise during a church gathering. It’s a gift to mankind. It holds so much promise and meaning. The life that was filled with darkness can be lightened up with just a small light of faith. The trust a human can easily give without worrying about being betrayed. It’s the best thing the world can offer. The most beautiful thing everyone can afford.

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Speak the Word of God in Faith Over Your Life & See Its Power Manifested

Summary: Believing God is wonderful. But Jesus urged us to do one more thing: to speak the word of faith, to verbalize what we are seeking from God. Such a believer — who understands the power of speaking the Word of God with boldness and faith — "shall have whatsoever he saith".

Mark 11:22-23, KJV   ...Have faith in God. [23] For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

We see here three foundation stones of faith that gets great results:

1 John 5:14-15   This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will , he hears us . [15] And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.

Romans 10:8-10   ...“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart ,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: [9] That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

KJV: [10] ...with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Greek: soteria ).

Genesis 1:3   And God said , “Let there be light,” and there was light.

John 6:63   [Jesus said] The Spirit gives life ; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life .

Proverbs 18:21   The tongue has the power of life and death .

Luke 6:45   The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart , and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks .

2 Corinthians 4:13   It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken .” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak .

If you have found this sermon on the power of the spoken word of faith helpful, may we suggest our related sermon: The Awesome Power of the Word of God .

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30 Amazing Faith Quotes: Inspiration to Trust in God

Be inspired by these amazing quotes about faith to trust in God through difficult times. May these powerful faith quotes encourage you to "cast your cares upon the Lord" and live with hope.

Faith is the hope of things unseen. Having faith means believing in the Word of God and His love for us. Here we have collected 30 of our favorite quotes and Bible verses about faith to encourage you in moments of despair or uncertainty. Often the strong faith of others can inspire us to overcome our doubt and fully put our trust in God.

What Does the Bible Say about Faith?

Since faith plays a paramount part in our Christian walk, we can imagine that Scripture has a lot to say about faith. Let's take a look at a few of these verses below.

Hebrews 11:1 :  "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Faith comes from assurance. We don't just believe blindly. We have evidence of how God has moved in the past, and with this knowledge, we can confidently know he will come through for us in the future.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 : "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Faith also requires an encouraging element. We know that our brothers and sisters may doubt from time to time, as we have. During such moments, we help lift one another up and remind them of God's good promises.

Romans 12:12 :  "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

The Bible does not say that we will avoid sorrow or trials. But it does say those won't last forever. We know that in our darkest moments, God will not abandon us. And he will turn everything right in the end.

Christian Faith Quotes

“Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods.” - C.S. Lewis

“Faith is a sounder guide than reason.  Reason can go only so far, but faith has no limits.” - Blaise Pascal

“If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem be against us, we do not believe Him at all.” - Charles Spurgeon

"Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God." - A.W. Tozer

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” - Oswald Chambers

“Faith is like radar that sees through the fog -- the reality of things at a distance that the human eye cannot see.” - Corrie Ten Boom

“True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie.” - A.W. Tozer

“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Faith is a living and unshakable confidence.  A belief in God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake.” - Martin Luther

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want.  It is the belief that God will do what is right.” - Max Lucado

“Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.” - Andrew Murray

"Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires.  Let us trust His skill and thank Him for His prescription." - Isaac Newton

"I have given Him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to Him; how, then, can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor?" - John Bunyan

"If by faith you are in Christ, God is as much for you in Christ as He will ever be or could ever be" - John Piper

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.” - Helen Keller

“He that takes his cares on himself loads himself in vain with an uneasy burden.  I will cast my cares on God; He has bidden me; they cannot burden Him.” - Joseph Hall

Bible Quotes About Faith

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! - James 2:19

5 Hallmarks of a Godly Man

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9

"For nothing will be impossible with God.” - Luke 1:37

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6

For we walk by faith, not by sight. - 2 Corinthians 5:7

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - Ephesians 2:8

That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:5

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” - Matthew 21:22

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. - Mark 11:22-24

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

We hope these verses and quotes were inspiring for you today. If you struggle with doubt, fear not. Every Christian may wrestle with doubt in their life. Know that our faith rests on a strong foundation. Faith doesn't operate blindly. We have evidence that our God has been faithful to us in the past, and he will come through for us in our present and future.

For more wonderful verses on faith and how to encourage one another in the faith, we highly recommend checking out this article here .

This article is part of our larger Inspiring Quotes resource meant to encourage and strengthen your faith.  Visit our most popular quotes by well known Christians and theologians to find more inspiration. Remember, the Holy Spirit can work through us when we have faith and share it with others! Please pass along any quotes that touch your heart because you never know light you’ll shine on someone else’s dark day! 

• Prayer Quotes
• Quotes About Love
• 30 Inspiring Christian Quotes
• Hope Quotes

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Christianity.com's editorial staff is a team of writers with a background in the Christian faith and writing experience. We work to create relevant, inspiring content for our audience and update timely articles as necessary.

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Largest Compilation of Structured Essays and Exams

Essay on Faith in God (1446 Words)

February 20, 2018 by Study Mentor Leave a Comment

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God – An Omnipresent Strength

We wake up every morning and thank god for providing us another beautiful day in our lives. We offer prayers to God and thank him for all that he has given us in our lives.

We pray to god to offer us strength in times of sorrow and despair, we pray for special healing powers from him.

We seek blessings from god for ourselves and also for our near and dear ones. This sets us thinking as to why everyone seeks solace by putting themselves down before an unseen, unknown power, called God.

We may not be able to seek his presence, but a deep faith from within feels his very existence and this feeling is what exactly connects humans with God.

A connection is established between god and man, not unknowingly, but subconsciously in his mind, which he further strengthens and unfolds through his actions.   

From the time a child is a small toddler, he is advised by elders of the house to thank god for any new thing he sees or does.

It is so believed that under the powerful blessings of god, the child starts learning new things and his ability further improves as he continues to bind himself strongly with god.

The child at his small, tender age perceives these insights and forms his own understanding about god.

The child is actually clueless what God actually is, but sees it as some unseen helping hand trying to come into play in all its activities.

As the child starts growing, he sees himself more connected with God, when his parents celebrate various kinds of festivals and seek god’s blessings as part of their everyday routine.

Witnessing this routine everyday takes the form of practice in the child’s mind and he sees himself connecting to god before doing anything small or big by him.

As he matures into an adult, practice is replaced by permanent faith in his heart, seasoned by everyday prayers and offerings to god and that’s when he starts believing that God is omnipresent around him, and the creator of the minutest thing around him, including his own existence is all thanks to the efforts of god.

He finds god’s presence everywhere, in his parents, in the things he uses, in the books that he reads, in himself and in just everything and everyone around him.  

Different Religious Faiths

People pray to god in different ways. They opt for different paths to connect to God. The message sent out from all religions is clear and they all see god as one, single, universal power.

But the path to attain oneness with god varies from person to person and depends on their religious beliefs as well.

Religion plays the role of a medium that connects man to god by laying down certain principles and guidelines and expects its followers to follow them with conviction.

Adhering to the rules lying in religious scriptures and passing on these practices from one generation to the other has brought us to where we stand today.

Once a child is born in a family that is practicing a particular religion, the members of the family enforce their religious views on it and slowly instill faith in its tender mind.

The child becomes the carrier of these practices and he takes it to the next possible level and this continues from one generation to the next one.   

India is a land of different religious faiths. We find people who go to temples to offer prayers to God, we find many others seeking blessings from lord by visiting churches, some others visiting mosques for finding oneness with god and many more.

All these religious beliefs provide their own channels to connect to God.

Likewise, people from different religions also differ in their cultural ways, lifestyles, food, clothing, celebrations and also the way they live.

Based on their religion, people also habitually develop different food habits, different ways of offering their services to god, idolization of god, etc.

In totality, religion is the base on which a person’s faith in god takes a particular shape and structure and finds its own unique path to reach oneness with god.

With religious beliefs arise the question of superiority leading to clashes between different religions.

India being a secular country gives total freedom to a person to decide on the religion he wants to follow. Nobody can force a person to practise a certain religion that is against his belief system.

Provisions for maintaining communal harmony and respect for all religions is laid down in our constitution and we as citizens of this country should abide by this without fail.   

Belief in God as the Supreme Power

A certain student who is facing an examination the next day sits prepared to attempt his paper, but the same evening his father visits the nearby temple to offer special prayers to god to help his son with his exams.

Next day, before the son leaves for his exam, he also offers special prayers to God at his home and before actually starting the paper at the exam hall, thinks of God for a minute and then proceeds with the paper.

We can clearly see that though the student is prepared to take up the exam out of his own efforts, he builds up his confidence levels only after he connects to god in some way or the other.

That’s out of sheer practice. A belief inside the student assures him of a super power who would not let him down in case he faced some difficulty with the paper.   

This belief system is thanks to the student’s family that has been instilling this belief in him since the time he was a child. Having this strong belief is by itself not wrong.

If the student puts all his efforts in completeness and then relies on god to add that final sparkle on his efforts, it makes the person accountable for his own attempts.

If the same person relies on god to such an extent where he puts his own efforts to the minimal but relies on a third factor called ‘luck’, then comes the negative side of the belief system.

In this scenario, the person is totally ignorant of his ability to perform in his tasks and is expecting some unseen magic to make it happen for him.

That’s the negative side of these belief systems that one should never get into. Hard work combined with faith in god to help sustain the hard work done is all that is required to achieve peace and happiness from one’s success.   

Faith in God versus Superstitious beliefs

Over faith in god forces a person to bring in the presence of god into every simple thing he attempts or does.

A man opening a new shop or enterprise and seeking god’s blessings before beginning his business is said to be a fair and reasonable person.

If the same shop owner opens up a new enterprise and resorts to unfair means of trading in his business, he too is said to have faith in god but is making use of it in the wrong ways.

His faith in god is not allowing him to do the right things in his business because his thinking is not allowing him to do so.

The person believes that in spite of carrying out wrong deeds, he would still be able to flourish in his business since he has over faith or absolutely no faith in God.

An overdose of faith makes one believe that whether they act good or bad, god would still hold their hands by default. This wrong perception can also be treated as misfaith in god.  

Idol worship is carried out at many religious places of worship. Some approve of it and some non-believers don’t. Worshiping god in the way they desire is one’s own personal choice.

Having wrong beliefs about a stone that absorbs milk into it and labeling it as having taken place due to god’s grace is nothing but superstitious thinking.

This has no way to connect with God and identifies unscientific, unreasonable practices and taking advantage in the name of god.

Praying to god for seeking motivation and strength to tread the hard path is true devotion towards god.

Offering prayers to god allows a person to calm down his senses and gives him a sense of relief from his duties. Faith in god provides strength from within to perform our duties with respect and utmost sincerity.

A feeling of well being and goodness is achieved when one seeks spiritual connections with god.

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The Power of Faith

Iorana, my Brothers and Sisters!

I am grateful to be here this morning to share with you all some of my thoughts and testimony. I am not one that is comfortable speaking in public, so I hope and pray that the Spirit will be with me as I share with you this morning my testimony on faith.

The Savior promised, "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have the power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."Faith in Jesus Christ can motivate us to follow His perfect example. Your faith can lead you to do good works, obey the commandments, and repent of your sins. Your faith can help you overcome the temptation and trials you will face in life.

In the Book of Mormon, Alma counseled his son Helaman, "Teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."When times of trial come, faith can give you the strength to go forward and face your troubles with courage, even when things seem uncertain.

Brother Chad H. Webb, an administrator of Seminaries and Institutes, stated, and I quote, "What it will require of us is to exercise greater faith because faith precedes every miracle." He goes on to say all our hard work will not produce the desired results if it is performed without faith. That is because faith is both a principle of action and a principle of power. An increase of our collective faith would be a sign to the Lord that we rely on Him and trust in his power to inspire, convert, strengthen, prepare, and protect the rising generation.

When I was three years old, we lived in Tahiti. My parents being a young couple with three children, myself, my sister Janette who was one, and my brother Douglas who was just a little over a month old, had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand with the first group of Tahitians to be sealed in the Auckland New Zealand temple. My parents tried to save all they could to make this special journey.

As time got closer to leaving, my parents did not have enough money to make this trip. Since they did not have enough money saved, they went to President Stone and told him that their family could be taken off the list because they do not have the funds and will not be going. With just a few weeks to go before the trip, President Stone told my dad to try all that he can to raise the money and to have faith and the Lord will provide the way.

After much fasting and praying, opportunities started to come. My dad was able to do some extra driving for the military that allowed him to work overtime, and my mom, who was a seamstress and sewed clothes for a Chinese couple in Tahiti, was also able to take on some extra sewing.

Because of their faith in the Lord and their trust in him, my parents, along with my grandparents and 56 other Tahitians, were able to travel to New Zealand, and we were sealed as a family on December 25, 1963. This was truly a miracle and a blessing. The best gift anyone could ever ask for on such a special day.

The Apostle Paul taught that "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."Alma made a similar statement, "If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

In order for our faith to lead us back to our Father in Heaven, our faith must be centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can exercise faith in Christ when you have an assurance that he exists, a correct idea of his character, and a knowledge that you are striving to live according to his will.

Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on him, trusting him, believing his teachings, and knowing that he does love you, even though you donat understand everything. He is always ready to help you as you remember his plea: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not; fear not."(D&C 6:36)

In June 1969, my parents were asked by the church to come to serve a mission for two years at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). My father was to work as the Chief of the Tahitian Village. My parents accepted the mission call and our family moved hereto Laie, Hawaii. We first lived on Iosepa street in Laie. We moved a few times until PCC got us a permanent house on Lanihuli street right next to the Laie chapel. This took a lot of trust, faith, and courage on the part of my parents to come to a foreign land with only $300 dollars in their pocket and had to learn a new language. But my father said they would try, and they would put all their trust and faith in the Lord to help them. Soon a two-year mission became a four-year mission. And after serving for four years, my parents were told that their mission was finished and that our family would have to return home to Tahiti.

When my parents shared the information with my siblings and me, we were all sad and begged our parents to find a way for the family to stay in Hawaii. Without letting us know, my Dad prayed and Fasted for three days to our Heavenly Father to help him find a way for his family to stay in Hawaii. One day soon after his three days of fasting, my father was talking to one of his best friends, Brother Damuni, who was the chief of the Fijian village at PCC. He told brother Damuni what he was trying to do for his family. Brother Damuni told my Dad not to worry; the Lord will help you and your family to stay in Hawaii. Soon after, Brother Damuni would introduce my parents to Jack Thompson, the owner of Tihati production. We would have to go back to Tahiti as was contracted with PCC, and Jack Thompson would hire my dad to work for him as the Tahitian dance instructor. And Jack Thompson was able to sponsor our whole family to come back to Hawaii to live and stay. I am so grateful to PCC and Tihati productions for not only bringing us to Hawaii but also giving my parents and my jobs so we could sustain ourselves and continue to live in Hawaii.

Because of my father's strong faith in the power of prayer and fasting, the Lord gave my dad a path to someone, Brother Damuni, to answer his prayer. Our family has been blessed through my parent's faith and their love for our Heavenly Father.

Brothers and Sisters, if we are steadfast and do not waiver in our faith. The Lord will increase our capacity to overcome all of our challenges in life.

In Alma, it says, "God will support, and keep and preserve us as long as we are faithful unto him, unto our faith, and unto our religion."(Alma 44:4)

In December of 1987, I had gotten my reassignment to be stationed in Hawaii after being stationed in North Carolina for four years. My wife and I were very happy to be going home because we were expecting our first child. We made the drive from North Carolina to California, just taking our time and enjoying our travel time.

While I was in California shipping my car home to Hawaii, I was told by my aunt, whom I was staying with, to call my mom as soon as possible. I called home, and my mom had said that my younger brother Douglas, my cousin, and a neighbor friend were missing out at sea. She said that I needed to get home right away, like on the next flight. My brother, cousin, and a friend were out fishing and had left from Kahana Bay the night before when their boat had capsized. The boat they were in sank, and they lost all the fish they had caught. My brother Douglas being the biggest of the three, kept them all from drowning by hanging on to the floating cooler that he had emptied out. All he could see in the dark of night was the lights at Laie Point, and so that is what he started to swim towards.

My father had prayed and had faith that the Lord would help my brother, cousin, and friend. He prayed that they would all be safe. After his prayer, he was given comfort by the Spirit to know that my brother was alive and okay. Early the next morning, my brother, cousin, and a neighbor friend were found by search and rescue not too far from laie point. That day my father showed us that the prayer of faith is the key to revelation from God. As a father, he prayed in faith, believing that God the Father would answer his prayer.

This story reminds me of a talk given by President Thomas S.Monson in the February 2001 ensign where he is talking to the youth, and he talks about the Lighthouse of the Lord.

He tells the youth to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost, but what its beacon light can rescue. It calls this way to safety, this way home.

Faith is the basis of testimony. Faith underlies loyalty to the church. Faith represents sacrifice and moving forward the work of the Lord.

Faith is a gift from God, but you must nurture your faith to keep it strong. "Faith is like the muscle of your arm. If you exercise it, it grows strong. If you put it in a sling and leave it there, it becomes weak. We can nurture our faith by praying to our Father in Heaven, reading the scriptures, listening to the counsel of our prophet. Like all blessings from God, Faith is obtained and increased through individual obedience and righteous actions.

Before I close, I would like to share one more personal example of faith.

During my military career, I have learned to rely and depend on my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ so very much.

Upon my arrival at my last duty station in Germany, our faith would really be tested. We arrived in the country shortly after Thanksgiving, and we were waiting for housing to become available. Because of the age of my children, we were told that they could not share a room and will need to have their own rooms, Which meant the waiting period for a home would be a little longer. While waiting in guest housing, my children would walk to school. We were hoping to get housing on the base, which would make things easier for everyone. But shortly after, we would be notified that a home was being made ready for my family out on the economy in a small German town called oxenfurt. While waiting for household goods to be delivered, I would again be notified that my unit would be deploying to turkey in a matter of weeks. As we were getting things ready to deploy, I also needed to make sure my family needs were taken care of. And that is when we realized that my wife's german driver's license had expired the month prior.

You see, before living in Germany, if you had an expired license, you could just take the test to renew it with no problem. But this time around, it was different. It was required that you have a valid U.S license also. So a little bit of panic started to set in, and so it was my fault, like everything that goes wrong my wife tells me is my fault. And my wife started to tell me, did you not listen during the briefings? How could you miss this information? Anyway, I already knew what needed to be done.

My wife would have to fly back to the United States and get a U.S. driver's license and come back to Germany and take the German test all before I deployed in a matter of weeks. So with great faith, that is exactly what we did. She would fly to Texas and take the written test, and the next day takes the driving test, and the next day fly home to Germany and take the written test in German. When I picked up my wife at the airport, I figured she would be hungry after a nine-hour flight, but she said, no, I am not hungry, just take me straight to the DMV while the information was still fresh in my mind. A soldier friend of mine who was also taking the test told me she had passed the written test and was ready to take the signs test in German. She would have to get at least 50 signs correct in order to pass. After much praying and fasting during this whole ordeal, a sign of relief, she was issued a German license, and I knew then that my family would be okay while I deployed to turkey. We know for a surety that all that would not be possible without the help of our savior Jesus Christ.

In the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, it says, "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."My Brothers and Sisters, sometimes it is by the small and simple things or simple acts that really test our faith and help us to endure in this life. During deployments, the words to the song when faith endureth would come to mind. "I will not doubt, I will not fear; God'slove and strength are always near. His promised gift helps me to find inner strength and peace of mind. I give the Father willingly trust, my prayers, humility. His Spirit guides; his love assures That fear departs when faith endures."

I know we will all have times in our life when our faith will be tried and tested or when we will have to go to trials in life that will require faith in our savior Jesus Christ.

While on deployment, whether I was jumping out of airplanes or leading a convoy mission, I needed to trust in my father in Heaven. I had to have faith that he knows me and that he knows what my needs are, and that he will always be there to guide me on my daily missions. I knew if I came to him in sincere and earnest prayer, he would help me.

By saying my prayers daily, it helped to increase my faith and my love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. It gave me reassurance that I will be okay and that my family and team will also be okay. When I was deployed to Turkey and Iraq, every time we had to go out on a convoy mission, before leaving the base, I would stop at the gate since I was always the lead vehicle on the mission. I would stop and say a prayer before leaving the base, and everyone in convoy would have to wait until I was done saying my prayers. My faith is what kept us safe and guided our way throughout the mission. This small example showed my guys how much I needed and depended on my Savior to lead and guide me. This simple act was then followed by my team, and they were soon saying their own prayers and exercising their own faith in the Lord.

My brothers and sister, my hope is that we all stay true to the faith that our parents have cherished, may we stay true to the teachings of the words of our prophets, may we ever stay faithful and true to who we are as sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. If we can do these things, then faithful and true we can all stand, and we will not be afraid when the winds and storms of life beat upon us. We will doubt and fear not because we will have the faith to make and keep us strong during our times of trial.

My Brothers and Sisters, my life has been a project of faith. This project of faith involves all those that are dear to me; my immediate family includes my eternal companion, my children that I love so much, and all my grandchildren, as well as my parents and brothers and sisters, relatives and friends who have had a hand in my life.

A quote from Elder Jefferey R. Holland, "First & forever fan the flame of your faith because all things are possible to them that believe."

In closing, I would just like to say that faith is a principle of action and power, that whenever you work hard towards a worthy goal and exercise faith, you show your hope for something that you cannot yet see but know is true.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Speeches > George P. Lee > A Return to Full Belief in God

A Return to Full Belief in God

George p. lee.

of the Seventy

May 13, 1986

Christianity, as it is known to the world, is widely diversified with its varied and conflicting teachings, doctrines, and practices and is filled with numerous plans of salvation—many of them contradicting one another. There are even conflicting conceptions of the being and nature of God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. But there must be one true church and gospel of Jesus Christ. All cannot be right. All cannot lead to heaven.

Why must there be one true gospel and church of Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ told us, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

This cannot be achieved through devious means. Because we are destined and taught to become like our Heavenly Father, he does not give us optional courses to follow in achieving it. It is important that we personally belong to the right church. If we do not follow one path, we may find ourselves among those whom the Savior spoke of when he declared,

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  [Matthew 7:22–23]

Since this confronts all of us, each of us must know for himself which church is right. Each of us must know for himself and learn that there is only one God, our Heavenly Father, one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, one true religion, one way to be baptized, and one way to be saved, and that is through the strait and narrow way.

The only way for each of us to be saved is by (1) faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) repentance, (3) baptism, (4) the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by authority, (5) keeping all the commandments, and (6) enduring to the end.

Each of us must choose the true way of salvation, or otherwise we may find ourselves on the broad way that leads to destruction. When a person is only a half believer, then he will find himself on the broad way that leads to destruction.

The Greatest Power

Jesus Christ was never once a half believer. In his mind there was no doubt to cause him to be of weak heart. His heart contained the power of righteousness. This power he never abused in any moment of weakness; the fullness of all belief and knowledge rested upon his soul. His admonition to become perfect, even as his Father in Heaven is perfect (see Matthew 5:48), requires a full belief because perfection requires full belief. Full belief is that perfect prayer that leaves two witnesses, of mind and heart, to ascend unto God and give him the glory and honor. And in this manner Heavenly Father returns blessings upon our entire soul. This constitutes a fullness of belief.

In a prophetic way, Jesus knew today would be filled with major disturbances in nature and among the society of mankind. Well did he say of our day, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37). There is a relationship between man and nature that halfhearted belief in God can damage. Half belief in God causes disharmony between man and his environment. The Apostle Paul saw our day, too. He said:

In the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  [2 Timothy 3:1–5]

We are living in perilous times, probably the most wicked age of all time. It is a negative time, but there are also many positives. There has been an explosion of knowledge. We are the beneficiaries of the most fantastic inventions of all time. We enjoy the best the world has to offer, and it is an important time concerning religion as well. Paul looked forward to our time and called it “the dispensation of the fulness of times [when God would] gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10).

The gospel has been restored in its fullness in our time. People of our time have split the atom. Man has taken great power unto himself. Yesterday there was a wooden stick to turn the ground. Today, machines have taken over the puny muscle power of man. Today, mountains are moved by machines. Every inch of earth is packed with potential power.

For our benefit, Heavenly Father buried billions of tons of coal, oil, and uranium. Power from water gives us electricity. Solar energy comes from the sun and is just beginning to be tapped. The air holds power. Do we not breathe it to give us energy? And what of its necessity in combustion engines and airplanes? Topsoil produces power for food production.

All of these elements of the earth were provided for the benefit of man. When he develops a fullness of belief, as did Jesus Christ, these natural elements will become his friends, and not his enemies.

We live in a day of miracles. We live in a space age; we live in a nuclear age. All these elements of the earth are not the greatest power. Heavenly Father gave man the greatest power. He put his greatest power into his children, who made the machinery and who made it possible to receive power from the elements from the earth and to split the atom. But above all this, by far the greatest power in the universe and in the earth is the power of God. By his power, he created and controls the universe. God the Father said, “And worlds without number have I created; . . . and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:33).

The Lord Jesus Christ himself said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Through the power of the Son of God, worlds come into existence and others pass away. As one earth passes away, another takes its place. At his decree, nations rise or fall (see Moses 1:33–38). The time is very close when he will come to the earth again with great power and glory.

The Lord Jesus has power over life and death and every detail of our existence, and one of the primary purposes of his life was to give us power. That is, he sacrificed his life so that you and I can have the power to become like him and to make it back into the presence of God. If we are to become like him, we must have full belief in God and full belief in the things of God. Jesus had a full and complete belief in his Heavenly Father and all things associated with him.

We Must Believe

One of the first steps toward any success is to fully believe in God, as the Lord has taught us and shown us. Did not the Lord have full faith and belief in charity, in excellence, in prayer, in scriptures, and in enduring to the end? Did not the Lord have a full belief and faith that he had the power to become like his Heavenly Father? Did he not have a full belief and faith in his character, a full belief in the power to overcome temptations? Did he not have full belief and faith to destroy the weakness and sins in himself?

If we are to become more like him, we must believe and have full faith, as he did. We must become a full believer. We have the power of faith. We have the power of repentance. We have the power to keep his commandments. We have the power to believe in ourselves. We have the power of excellence. We have the power to endure to the end. We have the power to build character. We have the power to overcome temptation. We have the power to destroy the weaknesses and sins in ourselves. We have the power to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ and to become like our Heavenly Father, and to live with them again.

Paul the Apostle said, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). We have the physical, mental, spiritual, and moral abilities to act. Because of the increased evils and wickedness in our day and time, we need a much greater power to overcome our more difficult problems. We need more thinking power. We need more character power, and we need more doing power. We should know and understand that all powers are based upon obedience to the laws of righteousness. It is a natural law of weakness that when one becomes drunk, disobedient, or dishonest, he is enslaved by his evil habits and therefore loses his power.

Unfortunately, some of us do not put our hearts completely into something that is good, something we believe in. When we have a strong faith and belief in something that is good, this usually increases our strength and happiness. But unfortunately, everyone does not always earn the right to believe, even in very important things. We are sometimes afflicted with too many doubts and fears. We are caught halfway. Sometimes we are afraid to make solid, intelligent, proper decisions, and consequently, we go into life with many uncertainties.

Some of us are holding back in our faith and our beliefs. We have become only half believers. We only half believe in ourselves. We only half believe in God, we only half believe in the Church, we only half believe in the Book of Mormon, half believe in prayer, half believe in our leaders and scripture study, and half believe in our country. We become those who just believe part of the time, or we just believe in some of the things. When we put ourselves in this position of only half believing, then we have committed a sin of fractional devotion and marginal morals. This sin of fractional devotion and marginal morals is sometimes very evident in our class work, in our worship of God, and in our lives.

I think it is impossible to live at one’s best or to give one’s best when one is only a half believer. There are too many people who are impartial about right and wrong. Some of us have committed the sin of fractional devotion and marginal morals, which only produces a minimal spiritual performance, which in turn usually results in marginal or minimal spiritual success.

John the Revelator said to a group of people who were half believers:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  [Revelation 3:15–16]

Many people are miserable and unhappy because they simply cannot make up their minds between right and wrong, good and bad, obedience and disobedience, success and failure.

I am afraid many of life’s problems are caused because our beliefs are controlled by our moods, instead of by facts and right decisions. Sometimes we react to things, not according to whether they are right or wrong, but according to how we feel at the moment. Too many of us have become only half believers in God, and most important of all, we only half believe in ourselves. When we only half believe in ourselves, we don’t trust ourselves and we develop what has been called an “inferiority complex,” which can become the most damaging disease in all the world. We can make ourselves great or small according to the way we believe.

A Fool’s Paradise

Some of us do not want to attract attention. We merely want to be average. We want to be average in our beliefs. We want to be average in all that we do. It is sometimes so comfortable just to be average, where nothing great is expected of us. It is so comfortable sometimes just to be a half believer, where nothing extraordinary is expected of us. However, we must remember that average, or half believing, is halfway between heaven and hell. Half believing is halfway between right and wrong. Half believing is halfway between good and evil. Half believing is halfway between God and Satan. Why should we be a half believer, or just average?

How would you like to go to a basketball game to see players who are only half believers in themselves, to see players who are average? It would certainly be a boring game. How would you like to go see a BYU football game, to see average BYU players, players who are only half believers in themselves and in the game?

I believe that BYU has a very successful football program because the players are full believers in themselves. They are full believers in winning the game, and they are full believers in their coach. They fully believe and have faith in themselves and in their coaches.

How would you like to have a brain operation by a doctor who was only a half believer in himself? Or by a doctor who is just average? How would you like to be led by a university president who only half believes in himself and who is just an average leader? How would you like to be taught by a professor who is only a half believer in himself and in his teachings and who is just average? How would you like to have your teeth worked on by a dentist who only half believes in himself and in his work? By a dentist who is just average?

How would you like to be counseled by a bishop who is only a half believer in himself and in his counsel? By a bishop who is just average? How would you like to have open-heart surgery by a heart surgeon who only half believes in himself, and half believes in the success of his operations? By a heart surgeon who is just average?

How would you like to be led by a religious leader who only half believes in God and who only half believes in keeping his commandments? Throughout the ages, evil people have transgressed the laws of God, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant that the Lord himself established.

Even in our own day of enlightenment, in this, the last dispensation of the fulness of times, in this day of power and miracles, there are too many half-believing people who have developed counterfeit character traits, counterfeit religions, and counterfeit moral standards. Many people in this age of power and enlightenment are like nickels trying to pass themselves off as silver dollars.

There are too many people in our day and age who live in a kind of a fool’s paradise. They indulge in fool’s reasoning and enjoy a fool’s happiness. But when the Lord comes, these imitators will be tested and examined in the light of God’s truths, and they will be found condemned for those they have deceived.

Our prisons are full of people who are half believers, or with no belief in God at all. These are people who are counterfeiters and imitators. Our reform schools and mental hospitals are full of people who are only half believers in many things, including God. These are people who are imitators and counterfeiters of things that are good. It used to be that these were the only places where we could find counterfeiters, or half believers, but today there are half believers and counterfeiters everywhere, including those who deny the existence of God. Men and women who have developed counterfeit character traits are everywhere. Men and women who have developed moral standards made out of fool’s gold are everywhere. Even in the Church there might be a few men and women who have developed moral standards made of fool’s gold. Counterfeit love, counterfeit friendship, counterfeit virtues abound in our midst. Counterfeit ideas, ideals, and ambitions are all around us.

Moral Counterfeiters

In his own image, God created male and female and gave them a miraculous power called procreation. This was part of a divine program wherein all of God’s spirit children may receive a mortal body under the most favorable conditions. But this great, sacred, and divine power was soon being abused, ridiculed, and mocked by a vast group of moral counterfeiters teaching premarital and extramarital sex relationships.

These same moral counterfeiters are doing everything within their power and means to glamorize the beauty and appeal of the human body in their attempts to sell tobacco, beer, alcohol, and other things that have a soul-destroying effect. All of the beautiful virtues, beautiful attributes, and beautiful qualities and character traits that we have been given by our Heavenly Father are the targets of these counterfeiters.

I think it would be a very stressful and unpleasant experience for any of us to live on counterfeit money, but how much worse would it be to live a counterfeit life and carry a burden of guilt? How much worse would it be for someone to live a counterfeit life and know that even his own ideas, ambitions, and ideals are phony?

How much worse would it be for any of us to live a counterfeit spiritual life and know that our love, our friendship, and virtues had no real substance and that we were not genuine people? There are many among us who think they get their greatest kicks and pleasures from drug addiction, addiction to alcohol and paint sniffing, addiction to sex, and addiction to cheating and stealing.

These things are nothing more than counterfeits of honor, virtue, and industry. These things can easily set in motion evil and negative influences that can lead us to become only half believers and lead us to discouragement, depression, and a feeling of worthlessness.

The glittering fool’s gold called necking, petting, and sex always leaves one far worse than he was before. The glittering fool’s gold called drugs and alcohol always leaves one worse off than he was before. The glittering fool’s gold called lying, stealing, and cheating always leaves one far worse off than he was before. The glittering fool’s gold called profanity always leaves one far worse off than he was before. The glittering fool’s gold called gossiping and criticizing always leaves one far worse off than he was before.

Satan is miserable because he is evil. Satan’s mission and goal for mankind is misery. The best way for Satan to accomplish his goal of making everyone miserable is to make each of us self-centered, or selfish. When a person becomes selfish, he will usually seek temporary happiness and pleasures. Selfishness usually leads to many sins. Selfishness usually leads to depression and discouragement. Selfishness usually leads to counterfeit activities and behavior. Selfishness usually leads to half believing or no belief in God at all.

Anyone who seeks happiness in wickedness is foolish. Satan’s mission and plan is to spread bloodshed, famine, ignorance, and misery over the whole earth. This tactic or strategy is a counterfeit of God’s plan for eternal salvation. It is up to each of us to be able to tell the difference.

It is very unfortunate that, without knowing it, many of us lose large fractions of our lives because we were fooled by counterfeiters, we were fooled by the fool’s gold, and we became quitters. We have quit believing in ourselves. We have quit believing in God. We have quit believing in our country. We have quit believing in prayer. We have quit believing in the scriptures and the things that are good.

The Most Effective Process

The time has come for each of us to free ourselves from being fooled by counterfeiters, to free ourselves from the fool’s gold, and to become full believers in God. In my opinion, the most important thing about a person is his religion. His religion is what he believes in. This is what he thinks about. This is what he works at. This is what he fights for, and this is what he lives by.

Full belief in God can be the most effective process by which we can reach any success or real happiness, as well as make our lives worthwhile. There is a tremendous need to return to full belief in God and religion. I personally believe that almost all of our problems arise because we sometimes close the Bible, close the scriptures, and turn our backs on God and religion. We only half believe in God and in religion. When we are confronted with wrong in our lives, we sometimes say that how we live is our own business, and anyway, since God is kind and forgiving, we can always repent. In the end, we will be saved anyway.

A policy of each man for himself can sometimes wreck our civilization and bring misery and failure upon each individual in it. A policy of only half believing in God can wreck our civilization and bring misery and failure. A policy of no belief in God can seriously damage our society.

Do we not study medicine to be well physically? Do we not study psychology and psychiatry to be well mentally? Do we not study agriculture to feed ourselves and others? Do we not study sociology to relate well with one another? Do we not study law to keep our lives orderly? Then why not study the great science of religion to keep ourselves well spiritually? I think it would be wise and well if more of us would get serious about studying the science of God, or science of religion, so that we can keep ourselves well spiritually. Of all the great disciplines of study, the study of God is the greatest.

I believe that it is our weakness and sin in this area that brings about our most serious problems and our worst failures. I believe that because we don’t fully believe in God, most of our serious problems come about. I think many of us are very weak when it comes to God and religion, and as a result we develop failures and problems for ourselves.

It seems that we are constantly seeking new inventions that will give us more of life’s pleasures, comforts, and idle time. Somehow we ignore those basic practices of religion that have been known since the world began. Many people the world over seem to take great delight and pleasure in placing a ban on religion, in placing a ban on God, as if it were an evil plague. They take great delight in placing a ban on prayers and scriptures.

If more of us would become full believers in God, this would give us tremendous amounts of prosperity and power and a great amount of mental and social health. What we need more than anything else in this life is a full belief in God to lift us above our own selfish interests. We need God to believe in. We need something to fight for that is bigger and more important than ourselves.

To Know God

It is a natural principle that misery loves company, and a claim that everyone is doing something makes it right. Some who claim not to believe in God seem to get great satisfaction in criticizing those who do. Even some of us in the Church criticize members of our own faith who have become full believers in God. We feel uncomfortable to be around them. They are too spiritual. They are straight-arrows. They are religious fanatics. We view them as too straightlaced, and we fool ourselves in believing we will be saved in the end for only half believing. Some people take great delight and pleasure in downgrading those who fully believe in God and religion. We fool ourselves in believing we will be saved in the end for counterfeiting our religion.

People like this spiritualize God out of existence and convert him into some mere figure of speech. Some have converted him into stone or wood. They treat the great Christian doctrines as unworthy of their devotion. Because of immaturity, rebellion, and godlessness, some people believe we don’t need God anymore, that we now can take care of ourselves. They believe God is dead. Others believe they are more popular than God.

Inasmuch as they think God has lost the power to exalt or condemn, these same people seem to deprive God of his body and make him an “it.” These same people believe that God is without body, parts, or passions. These same people view God as a shapeless mass, as someone who is incomprehensible and permanently invisible.

Because our judgment is no better than our information, we sometimes make great mistakes with our relationships with God merely because we fail to understand him. God is our Eternal Father in whose image we were created. He has a body and a set of feelings, faculties, and senses. We need to return to God through daily prayer, scripture study, fasting, and doing good to all men. We need to return to God through reading the Book of Mormon.

God our Eternal Father is the father of our spirits, and we are his offspring. We believe in a God who has eyes to see, ears to hear, and we believe every member and sense of his body is well-developed into a perfect man. God our Eternal Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as ours. His son, Jesus Christ, also has a body of flesh and bones—but their bodies are more perfected and glorified than ours.

God the Father is the literal earthly father of Jesus Christ. Each of us is a child of God, created in his image, endowed with his attributes, and entitled to his inspiration. One of our greatest privileges in this earth life is to seek him and become more like him.

If we don’t take this view, what view shall we take of him? Shall we view him as a god who is incomprehensible, shapeless, and an invisible influence without body, parts, or passions? Shall we view him as something unorganized, floating in the immensity of space without mind, without plan or purpose? Shall we view him as a shapeless mass that is everywhere, yet so small he can dwell in our hearts?

Can you imagine Jesus Christ praying to a God who is a shapeless mass? Can you imagine Jesus Christ praying to himself, who is at the same time God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost all rolled into one?

But how can we really come to know God our Heavenly Father? Our Savior gave us the key in the inspired prayer he gave before his crucifixion. As he prayed to his Heavenly Father, he said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

I bear testimony that to know God the Father we must go to the source of the knowledge of God and there learn about him. That source is revelation. That is where God makes himself known to man. One of the great reservoirs of revelation is the Holy Bible. The Bible teaches us that God did make himself known to mankind anciently, that he was near enough to mortal beings to permit them knowledge to be saved in his presence.

I bear testimony that the knowledge of God is essential to our salvation. If knowledge of our Heavenly Father is essential to our salvation, what has God our Heavenly Father already revealed to us about himself? He has made it known that he is our Father, that he is the father of our spirits, that we are of his family, and that we can become like him in perfection. He has made it known to us that we not only may become like him, but we already look like him in form and shape. We are in his physical image. The Bible teaches that God the Father is a person and that Jesus is in the exact image of his father’s person.

In the first chapter of Hebrews, beginning with the first verse, we read:

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.  [Hebrews 1:1–3]

I bear testimony that this tells us that God the Father is a person, and Jesus is in his express image. Jesus looked like other men. Jesus looked like his father’s person. Therefore, other men resemble God’s person, just as Jesus did.

We learn in Genesis that God made man in his own image and likeness: “So God created man in his own image, and in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

This tells us that man is in the image of God, and Jesus was in the image of God. Jesus was in the image and likeness of his fellow workers, Peter, James, and John, and the other apostles and the multitude that he taught.

The Bible tells us that God made the plants, the trees, and the animals. Everything was commanded to reproduce after its own kind. It was natural for trees to bring forth other trees and animals to bring forth other animals after their kind. This was true of the herbs of the field and birds of the air and cattle and creeping things. All were commanded by our Heavenly Father to multiply and replenish the earth by bringing forth after their own kind. When God the Father made man, he commanded him likewise to reproduce after his kind, and he did.

In the book of Genesis, we read: “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth” (Genesis 5:3). Seth was in the form of Adam, Adam was in the form of God. Everything that was created was commanded to bring forth after its kind, and not even God would violate his own law.

Just as Seth was the son of Adam and looked like his father physically, so Adam was a child of God and was in his image. So God the Father is both father and deity to Jesus and all mankind. We are his offspring; we are his children.

Brothers and sisters, the time has come for all of us to become full believers in God our Eternal Father and in his son Jesus Christ. I testify of these truths in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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George P. Lee was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 13 May 1986.

Heavenly Father

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