John 3:11-13

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

John 3:11-13

In these verses, Christ is speaking to Nicodemus.  The first verse of the selection is interesting to me because it is very plain and clear and authoritative.  Lots of people talk about religion haltingly or almost apologetically.  Christ just says it how it is.  ... He says basically that they are talking about things that they *know* and have *seen.*  Things that you can feel through the senses. :)  If he can't believe those things, then how is he going to follow when they get to the advanced things that he doesn't have direct evidence of? :)

I think this applies to us a lot.  We want to know those heavenly things, but we argue over the earthly ones.  It's like asking our parents to teach us advanced particle physics, and yet still refusing to learn our times tables.  If we refuse the *foundation* for the knowledge, we'll never be able to understand what we're asking for when we get it.  Sometimes we say to ourselves, well, I have a testimony of this or that, but not of this other thing... but that's okay... I'll just move on without that.  And, depending on what that is, sometimes it is impossible to move on.  Some of the principles of the gospel--many of them--are foundational, and we have to build on them afterward.  And so even if we can move on in some areas, at some point we have to come back and get more foundation before we can build any higher. :)

Today, let's get back to basics with the gospel.  Let's re-examine the things that are holding us back.  Let's talk to God about it, and see if looking again and being open with God will allow us to see things a new way.  Let's make sure that prayer, scripture study, and church attendance are solid.  Let's work on repentance.  Let's listen to the spirit.  If we haven't been baptized, now is the time.  Really hard to move on without that foundation and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  And if we have all of that, faith is another foundational principle... and which of us has enough of that? :)  Let's make sure that our gospel foundation is strong and wide and solid, so that we can accept all that Christ chooses to bless us with, and learn and become more than we are.