Given all the disasters, maybe there is value in refocusing. JESUS WAS AND STILL IS THE CHRIST, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD THE FATHER, THE HOLY MESSIAH, OUR RESURRECTION AND OUR LIFE, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD WHO SOON WILL COME!

1. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
2. Text by Martin Luther.

2.1.        A mighty fortress is our God,

2.2.        A tower of strength ne’er failing.

2.3.        A helper mighty is our God,

2.4.        O’er ills of life prevailing.

2.5.        He overcometh all.

2.6.        He saveth from the Fall.

2.7.        His might and pow’r are great.

2.8.        He all things did create.

2.9.        And he shall reign for evermore.

3. CHRIST.
4. CHRIST THE LAMB.
5. CHRIST OF GOD.

6. He is Christ. 
7. He is the Christ. 
8. He is The Christ of God.
9. (Luke 9:20)
10. He is The Anointed One. (Greek)
11. He is The Messiah. (Hebrew) 
12. “Jesus, who is called Christ,
13. is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit
14. and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. 
15. “He is Jehovah,
16. and was foreordained to his great calling
17. in the Grand Councils
18. before the world was. 
19. “He was born of Mary at Bethlehem,
20. lived a sinless life,
21. and wrought out a perfect atonement
22. for all mankind
23. by the shedding of his blood
24. and his death on the cross. 
25. “He rose from the grave
26. and brought to pass the bodily resurrection
27. of every living thing
28. and the salvation
29. and exaltation
30. of the faithful. 
31. “He is the greatest Being
32. to be born on this earth —
33. the perfect example —
34. and all religious things
35. should be done in his name. …
36. “He will come again
37. in power and great glory
38. to dwell on the earth,
39. and
40. “[He] will stand as Judge of all mankind
41. at the last day.” 

(Bible Dictionary, Christ, pg. 633.)

42. LAMB.
43. LAMB OF GOD.
44. LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH.
45. SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD.
46. He is the Lamb.
47. (Revelation 21:9,14,22,27; 22:1,3;
48. Revelation 5:6,8, 12-13; 6:16; 7:9, 14, 17; 12:11; 14:1,4,10;
49. 15:3; 17:14; 19:7,9). 
50. He is the Lamb without blemish and without spot.
51. (1 Pet. 1:19)  
52. He is the Lamb of God. 
53. (John 1:29,36)
54. He was and is the Sacrificial Lamb of God.
55. LIVING BREAD.

56. He is the Living bread (John 6:51). 
57. The sacramental bread of life. 
58. “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
59. Moses gave you not that bread from heaven;
60. but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 
61. For the bread of God
62. is he which cometh down from heaven,
63. and giveth life unto the world. 
64. Then said they unto him,
65. Lord, evermore give us this bread. 
66. And Jesus said unto them,
67. I am the bread of life:
68. he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
69. and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” 
70. (John 6:32-35)
71. “I am the living bread
72. which came down from heaven:
73. if any man eat of this bread,
74. he shall live for ever:
75. and the bread that I will give is my flesh,
76. which I will give for the life of the world.” 
77. (John 6:51)

78. MESSIAH.
79. MESSIAS.

80. He is the Messiah.
81. He is the anointed one.
82. (Daniel 9:25)
83. He is the Messias.
84. He is the King and Deliverer.
85. He is the Messiah
86. whose coming the Jews eagerly expected..
87. (John 1:41; 4:25)
88. Messiah is fairer than the children of men. 
89. Messiah is anointed with the oil of gladness
90. above his fellows. 
91. Messiah is blessed forever. 
92. Messiah is remembered in all generations. 
93. (Psalm 45)
94. “Only the faithful were able [and are able]
95. to see in Jesus of Nazareth
96. the true Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.” 
97. (Bible Dictionary, 731.) 
98. “There is only one Messiah. (2 Nephi 25:18)
99. And his status as the Anointed One,
100. as the promised Savior,
101. is what constitutes his Messiahship.  
102. Others do not
103. and cannot
104. attain a status of Messiahship
105. (for they are not born,
106. as Christ was,
107. inheriting life in themselves from an Immortal Parent),
108. though others may become joint-heirs
109. with him in his Father’s kingdom.” 
110. (MD p. 489)
111. (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 10:27; 11:1; John 1:49;
112. Acts 3:15; 5:31; Hebrews 2:10; 12:2; 2 Nephi 20:27;
113. Doctrine & Covenants 58:22; Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27)

114. RESURRECTION.
115. RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.

116. He is the Resurrection.
117. He is the Ressurection and the Life for each of us.
118. (John 11:25)
119. “The resurrection consists in
120. the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones,
121. never again to be divided. 
122. The resurrection shall come to all,
123. because of Christ’s victory over death. 
124. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected on this earth. …
125. Others had been brought back from death,
126. but were restored to mortality … ,
127. whereas a resurrection means to become immortal,
128. without blood,
129. yet with a body of flesh and bone. 
130. All will not be raised to the same glory
131. in the resurrection … ,
132. nor will all come forth at the same time …. 
133. Christ was first;
134. the righteous have precedence over the wicked,
135. and come forth in the first resurrection,
136. whereas the unrepentant sinners
137. come forth in the last resurrection … 
138. The New Testament gives ample evidence
139. that Jesus rose with his physical body:
140. He ate fish and honey… ;
141. he said he had flesh and bones …;
142. the people touched him …;
143. the tomb was empty …;
144. and the angels said he had risen … 
145. One of the most fundamental doctrines
146. taught by the Twelve
147. was that Jesus was risen from the tomb,
148. with his glorified, resurrected body, … 
149. To obtain a resurrection
150. with a celestial, exalted body
151. is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
152. The resurrection of Jesus
153. is the most glorious of all messages
154. to mankind. 
155. Latter-day revelation
156. confirms the reality of the resurrection of Christ
157. and of all mankind, … .”
158. (Bible Dictionary, p. 761) 
159. Yes, He raised Lazarus, yet Lazarus died. 
160. He will raise us once and for all
161. and we shall live forever more.

162. SAVIOR.
163. SAVIOR OF ALL MANKIND.
164. SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

165. He is The Savior. 
166. (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11;
167. Acts 5:31; 13:23; Philip. 3:20) 
168. He is our Savior.
169. (1 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 1:10;
170. Titus 2:10, 13; 3:6) 
171. He is The Savior of our body.
172. (Ephesians 5:23).
173. He is The Savior of Israel.
174. (Acts 13:23) 
175. He is The Savior of the World
176. (John 4:42; 1 John. 4:14)
177. We can never be thankful enough
178. that He is the Savior of our spirits and our bodies.

179. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
180. Text by Martin Luther.

180.1.                     A mighty fortress is our God,

180.2.                     A tower of strength ne’er failing.

180.3.                     A helper mighty is our God,

180.4.                     O’er ills of life prevailing.

180.5.                     He overcometh all.

180.6.                     He saveth from the Fall.

180.7.                     His might and pow’r are great.

180.8.                     He all things did create.

180.9.                     And he shall reign for evermore.

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“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

Book of Mormon, the book of Second Nephi, Chapter 2

Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy —Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. About 588–570 B.C.

1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the first fruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.

You can read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price at www.lds.org.

Book of Mormon, the book of Second Nephi, Chapter 2

Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy —Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. About 588–570 B.C.

1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the first fruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.

You can read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price at www.lds.org.

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