Editorial by Robert L. Cackler — Presiding Bishop — All Things

Think big! Try to envision the immensity of all things, excluding nothing. Imagine a reality where there is no limit to the number of things that our minds and hearts can perceive and comprehend. Picture a world where everything is vibrantly reflecting the glory and majesty of God—where the hand of God is evident in all things, where all hearts perceive, all eyes see, and all ears hear the living testimony of God that surrounds us.

The hand of God can be seen everywhere. We simply must let our senses recognize it. Remember, in the beginning God created everything to reflect his image. “And, behold, all things have their likeness; and all things are created and made to bear record of me; both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath, all things bear record of me” (Moses 6:63 / Genesis 6:66 IV RLDS).

It is sad that many people today live their entire lives and never see God’s hand anywhere. They never develop a meaningful relationship with him. He has given the fullness of the earth to mankind. We read, “And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made, to be used with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion” (D&C 59:20 / 59:5a RLDS). However, many people do not perceive, or see, or hear the hand of God at work in providing for mankind’s needs and wants. How painful it must have been for God to have uttered the following words: “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments (D&C 59:21 / 59:5b (RLDS).

In the aforementioned verse there are two fundamental principles—recognizing the hand of God and keeping his commandments. These principles compliment each other. Knowing that the hand of God is ever present in our lives inspires us to faithfully obey God’s commandments. And keeping the commandments brings blessings that confirm the presence of God’s hand. To be blind to God’s hand in all things including in creation, in the Restoration, in our lives, and in the lives of others is a tragedy of epic proportions. God has many spiritual and temporal blessing in store for his people—the people who honor and obey him in everything they do. The Lord wants his people to walk with him, to come to know him with sincerity of heart, to develop a personal relationship with him, to become one with him for the purpose of overcoming evil and establishing his righteous kingdom on the earth.

The Second Invitation is replete with testimonies of God’s hand at work. The events that occurred at the beginning of the Second Invitation, the events leading to the translating and publishing of the Sealed Book, the restoration of priesthood authority, the revelations received, the bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the restoration of the ordinances, the formation of the quorums, the abolishment of past prejudices and precepts regarding the LGBT community, the expanded authority and responsibilities for women, and the laying of the foundation of the United Order—are profound examples of God’s hand at work in the Second Invitation on a very big scale.

But, of no less importance are the smaller ways that God touches each one of our lives. On a seemingly smaller scale, God’s hand is present in the lives of people each and every day. Consider when a person’s life is transformed by the power of God’s Spirit. This is a remarkable miracle that is no less significant than the other grand events of the Second Invitation. When a heart has been softened, when a life has been renewed, or when eternal purposes have been rekindled, the body of Christ rejoices. We all can affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is directing his church and his people. These uplifting words from the Sealed Book, which were spoken to Moses, is purposed to provide daily inspiration to every member: “And what else should I expect of a prophet, if not that he rather encourage my people to walk in their confidence as if they saw the Lord before their eyes?” (The Sealed Book of Moses 3:68).

Having the confidence that the Lord is standing before our eyes strengthens our desire and resolve to press on until the work is finished. Unfortunately, we have often succumbed to the Adversary’s wiles and as a result stumbled in our calling to establish the United Order and the associated refuges. Through disobedience and unbelief we have fallen. We have let the Adversary have power over us and take light and truth away. We read in Doctrine and Covenants: “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth; and light and truth forsaketh that evil one. Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning, and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again in their infant state, innocent before God. And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers” (D&C 93:36-39 / 90:6a-6c RLDS).

However, thankfully, by steadfast obedience and unwavering faith we can succeed. Mercifully, God has given the obedient the power of light and truth to combat the Adversary and to proceed with the work. The Second Invitation is bursting forth with light and truth brought to us by the Lord’s anointed servant to dispel the darkness of unbelief, disobedience, and incorrect traditions. The reception of this light and truth has set us on the path to accomplish the Father’s will. Furthermore, the Sealed Book has revealed many mysteries of God and provided a roadmap to the United Order and then onward to Zion. Great blessings have occurred and will continue to occur in this Second Invitation of the Restoration.

Experiencing the hand of God at work among us provides assurance that the Second Invitation can fulfill its mission. Accordingly, I am excited to introduce this month’s Herald which will impart to the reader two more accounts of the hand of God at work. The first example is the testimony of Jefersom Silva Madeira in which he describes a magnificent display of lights in the heavens over Mount Agudo. Brother Jefersom’s vivid testimony of witnessing the many lights in the sky over the refuge is sure to captivate the reader in awe.

The second example is in the precise structure of the written words of the Sealed Book. Sister Renee Crowell’s excellent article explains the intriguing grammatical syntax used in the Sealed Book that was built into the sacred scripture by the hand of God. Sister Crowell skillfully explains about a type of Hebrew poetry, called chiasmus, that is a testimony of the Sealed Book’s Hebrew nature. God concealed this witness of the divinity of the Sealed Book in the structure of the words for the discerning reader to discover.

In conclusion, I direct you to the announcement by Patriarch President Samuel Gould. He reminds church members to prepare for the upcoming July 4, 2026 conference to be held in Palhoça, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The Lord has made known his plan to reveal more light and truth to his people during the conference. May the members of the church prepare to receive this light and truth as another witness to the peoples of the world that God’s hand is at work among us. In our preparation, may we be obedient in all things pertaining to the commandments of God and may we have a heart to perceive, eyes to see, and ears to hear the hand of God during this period of preparation and in the upcoming conference. With blessings to all. Amen.

Robert Cackler

Photo Credit: Image by Simon from Pixabay pictures-381937_1280