Blind Bartimaeus sat by the highway begging. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he began to cry out. This sinner did not want Jesus to pass him by, so he pleaded for mercy. Brother Paul explains that this little sheep had been given ears to hear. He had heard of Jesus’ miracles and knew that He could heal his infirmities. When he received his sight, he immediately recognized who Jesus was and what He had done for him. He followed Christ and glorified God—and the crowd around him did the same. Brother Paul encourages us to strive to draw closer to the Lord and to truly see Him.

When God created all things, He looked upon His creation and declared that it was very good. There was no sin. Yet God gave man a mind and the ability to make decisions. Adam had everything he could desire in the garden, but he was given one law—and he broke it. Death passed upon all men, and all have come short of the glory of God. This is the doctrine of total depravity. The things of God cannot be understood unless there is a change within us. Elder James proclaims that if there is something in the heart that prays to God, it is evidence of being a child of God. Daniel asked the Lord how things would turn out in the end, and we read that many shall be purified, made white, and tried—all the elect family of God. Elder James instructs us not to be discouraged when we are tried. It will be okay. These trials are only for a moment, and God will help us through them. One day, these troubles will trouble us no more, for we have an inheritance reserved in Heaven for us.

In Luke 10, we read the parable of the Good Samaritan. Elder Danny views it through spiritual eyes, seeing in it a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. A man fell among thieves and was left half dead. The priest could not save him. The Levite, representing the law, could not save him either. But a Samaritan—considered half Syrian and half Jew—came and helped him. Elder Danny explains that neither a preacher nor your own works can save you or bring you to Heaven. Only Jesus Christ, who is both fully man and fully God, can save.

Elder James returns to Psalm 110 and focuses on verse 3: “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power…” He explains that Jesus has a people, and the angel told Joseph and Mary that He would save His people from their sins. Elder James reflects on the vast number who belong to Christ and emphasizes that they will be made willing in the day of His power. When His power is applied and makes us alive, our hearts are changed. He explains that those who are born of the Spirit of God now have a will that flows from the new birth.

Elder James explains that we need evidences in this life to sustain our hope that Jesus Christ died for us. It is easy to feel unworthy and to struggle with doubts about our standing with God. Elder James teaches that if we believe in Christ, it is evidence that we are born again. Yet we may still question ourselves and wonder if we have believed enough. He turns to 1 Thessalonians, where we learn that loving the brethren, hearing the gospel preached in power, and experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit give us strong assurance of our eternal salvation. But he then points to the life of Saul of Tarsus, a mean man who became one of God’s servants. Saul recognized a war within himself—wanting to do good while still feeling the presence of evil. Elder James explains that this desire to do good, and the struggle against sin, is the most clear evidence that we are children of God.

When we truly understand how sinful we were and how much we deserved hell, it is amazing to realize that we are going to Heaven by the grace of God. Elder Danny examines Ephesians, where the Apostle Paul addresses the children of God. He encourages the church by teaching that seeking after God and recognizing our sinfulness is evidence that we are children of God. Even figures such as Nebuchadnezzar, and Saul prior to becoming the Apostle Paul, show that those who committed great evil can still be children of God. Elder Danny explains this is possible because Jesus Christ died for us and God’s grace is amazing.