Mosiah 2:36 says:
[36] And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved --
I like to change this scripture and phrase it positively: ... the Spirit of the Lord ... may have place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved.
So the Holy Ghost guides those how follow Him in wisdom's paths. Too me, wisdom's paths means that we don't make all sorts of mistakes in this life. Life isn't a crap shoot where you get what you get. Things go more successfully. The person knows that he has been bless and prospered beyond his own capability. He is preserved in tough times.
Here's a poem quoted by Elder Boyd K. Packard:
With thoughtless and impatient hands
We tangle up the plans
The Lord hath wrought.
And when we cry in pain He saith,
“Be quiet, man, while I untie the knot.”
It might take time for the Lord untie the knots that we create in our lives.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Delivery From bondage in the Last Days
Delivery from bondage in these days is different from Book of Mormon times but the same principles apply. Our bondage could be mental, emotional or physical bondage.
We might be in debt. We might have been traumatized when we were young. These things bring bondage upon us. What is the best way to get out of bondage? Can the Lord really help us when we bring bondage upon ourselves? Can he help us when we were mentally or emotionally placed in bondage by others? Below is a good recipee from the scriptures. In Mosial 7:33 it says,
But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.
First, we turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart. We make adjustments in lives to walk in humility before God - no faking it! We then serve him with all diligence of mind. Keep focused on your godly walk among the children of men. In time the Lord will deliver you from bondage!
Mosiah 29:20 we read, But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.
Here we read that we need to humble ourselves before God and cry mightly unto him. Anyone who puts his trust in the Lord will always be delivered out of bondage.
We might be in debt. We might have been traumatized when we were young. These things bring bondage upon us. What is the best way to get out of bondage? Can the Lord really help us when we bring bondage upon ourselves? Can he help us when we were mentally or emotionally placed in bondage by others? Below is a good recipee from the scriptures. In Mosial 7:33 it says,
But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.
First, we turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart. We make adjustments in lives to walk in humility before God - no faking it! We then serve him with all diligence of mind. Keep focused on your godly walk among the children of men. In time the Lord will deliver you from bondage!
Mosiah 29:20 we read, But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.
Here we read that we need to humble ourselves before God and cry mightly unto him. Anyone who puts his trust in the Lord will always be delivered out of bondage.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Levels of Progress: Gate, Relying, Steadiness, Feasting
I was reading 2 Nephi 31 today. Nephi spells out clearly the path back to God. In the last verse of the chapter (v.21) he says, "there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God". So, what he says before this must be very important.
The first step is to enter by the gate or at least know the gate. The gate is repentance and baptism. How do you know you have entered? Your sins are remitted (by fire and by the Holy Ghost). (v.17) This might take some time for most of us.
After you have taken the first step, "ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life". You know this because you have received the Holy Ghost. The Father has promised that anyone who enters by the gate will receive the Holy Ghost (v.18
The second step is to stay on the path. You can't just get on the path and think that all is done. It took believing in Christ and having unshaken faith in Him to get this far. You have relied "wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save." The person who has made it this far has done a very impressive feat. He has grown to rely on Christ for everything. His faith has become unshaken. But, don't drop the fruit, there's still more! (v. 19)
To get the prize at the end of our lives on this earth, we have to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. Through the thick and the thin all we have to do is be steady (Alma 5:48). We have a perfect brightness of hope - no pessimism here! We have developed a love of God and of all men. We have learned to feast upon the word of Christ (hear and do the promptings of the Holy Ghost) (v.20).
It looks to me that once we break out our state of unbelief (Ether 4:15) and start exercising some faith, our minds are enlightened and it becomes easy to stay on the path (don't be slothful because the easiness of the way (Alma 37:46)). But, to cast off the natural man, now that's the hard thing! Will God really be there for me? Will He do what's best for me? Can I rely on Him?
But this is what most be done, "this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..."
There is no other way - but it looks like a good way to me!
The first step is to enter by the gate or at least know the gate. The gate is repentance and baptism. How do you know you have entered? Your sins are remitted (by fire and by the Holy Ghost). (v.17) This might take some time for most of us.
After you have taken the first step, "ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life". You know this because you have received the Holy Ghost. The Father has promised that anyone who enters by the gate will receive the Holy Ghost (v.18
The second step is to stay on the path. You can't just get on the path and think that all is done. It took believing in Christ and having unshaken faith in Him to get this far. You have relied "wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save." The person who has made it this far has done a very impressive feat. He has grown to rely on Christ for everything. His faith has become unshaken. But, don't drop the fruit, there's still more! (v. 19)
To get the prize at the end of our lives on this earth, we have to press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. Through the thick and the thin all we have to do is be steady (Alma 5:48). We have a perfect brightness of hope - no pessimism here! We have developed a love of God and of all men. We have learned to feast upon the word of Christ (hear and do the promptings of the Holy Ghost) (v.20).
It looks to me that once we break out our state of unbelief (Ether 4:15) and start exercising some faith, our minds are enlightened and it becomes easy to stay on the path (don't be slothful because the easiness of the way (Alma 37:46)). But, to cast off the natural man, now that's the hard thing! Will God really be there for me? Will He do what's best for me? Can I rely on Him?
But this is what most be done, "this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..."
There is no other way - but it looks like a good way to me!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Spiritual Mindedness 2 Nephi 9:39
I find the following verse very interesting:
O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.
There are two different planes of thought: a spiritual plane and a carnal plane. We either are thinking on the one or the other. When doubt, fear or sin enter into my life, I imagine my spiritually-minded plane beginning to tilt and I begin to slide off. Or, the surface of the plane gets soft and I start sinking until I land on the carnally-minded plane.
How can we stay steadfast on the spiritual plane? When trials, troubles and afflictions happen in our lives, how do we keep the faith, continue to rely on the merits of the Holy One of Israel? Stay humble, be calm, believe that God is aware of you and your needs. Relax, cast off all doubt. Fear not. Walk the path of the low valley, be strict in the plain road. Always have a broken heart and contrite spirit. Always remember Him.
O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.
There are two different planes of thought: a spiritual plane and a carnal plane. We either are thinking on the one or the other. When doubt, fear or sin enter into my life, I imagine my spiritually-minded plane beginning to tilt and I begin to slide off. Or, the surface of the plane gets soft and I start sinking until I land on the carnally-minded plane.
How can we stay steadfast on the spiritual plane? When trials, troubles and afflictions happen in our lives, how do we keep the faith, continue to rely on the merits of the Holy One of Israel? Stay humble, be calm, believe that God is aware of you and your needs. Relax, cast off all doubt. Fear not. Walk the path of the low valley, be strict in the plain road. Always have a broken heart and contrite spirit. Always remember Him.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
1 Nephi 10:18-21 We will be Judged for Not Seeking
I used to thing that people could stand at the judgment bar and claim that truth was never revealed to them in this life and that they might get some leniency. This still might be true but there is evidence in the following verses that indicate the contrary.
In 1 Nephi 10:18 Nephi tells us that a way is provided in this life for all men to in all ages to find the truth. It's to repent and come unto the Christ. Nephi then says (v.19) that anyone who diligently seeks will receive answers and know about God and his mysteries (the things only understood by the spiritual man).
Nephi then goes on to say that each of us needs to be careful (v.20) because all of our doings will be brought to judgment. Could it be that seeking or not seeking is something that each of does? If a person is prompted to seek - which I believe happens over and over again for everyone - but chooses not to follow the prompting and receives no answer, who's at fault?
Nephi cinches his argument in verse 21 explaining that if we have sought to do wickedly in our days of probation we will be found unclean. My point is that we either seek after the things of God (repenting and coming unto Him) or we don't. If we don't, we are, by default, seeking something else. Working out our salvation in fear and trembling is painful. It isn't any fun. It is soul wrenching. We either do it or we don't (and we won't be held blameless if we don't).
In 1 Nephi 10:18 Nephi tells us that a way is provided in this life for all men to in all ages to find the truth. It's to repent and come unto the Christ. Nephi then says (v.19) that anyone who diligently seeks will receive answers and know about God and his mysteries (the things only understood by the spiritual man).
Nephi then goes on to say that each of us needs to be careful (v.20) because all of our doings will be brought to judgment. Could it be that seeking or not seeking is something that each of does? If a person is prompted to seek - which I believe happens over and over again for everyone - but chooses not to follow the prompting and receives no answer, who's at fault?
Nephi cinches his argument in verse 21 explaining that if we have sought to do wickedly in our days of probation we will be found unclean. My point is that we either seek after the things of God (repenting and coming unto Him) or we don't. If we don't, we are, by default, seeking something else. Working out our salvation in fear and trembling is painful. It isn't any fun. It is soul wrenching. We either do it or we don't (and we won't be held blameless if we don't).
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Nephi's Dream 1 Nephi 11:22 Sheddeth Itself
The Meaning of Tree
In verse 22 the angel asks if Nephi knows the mean of the tree which his father saw. Nephi responds that the tree is the love of God which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men...
So I looked up the word 'shed'. It means to cause to pour forth; or to diffuse or radiate; send forth or impart. So the love of God is diffused abroad into the hearts of the children of men or better yet, the love of God is sent forth or poured forth into the hearts of the children of men.
...wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things... and the most joyous to the soul (v22,23). I want more of this! This love sounds wonderful. Lehi say the fruit of the tree is desirable to make one happy (1 N. 8:10).
After one holds to the rod for a while, he will finally arrive (if he doesn't let go) to the this tree and partake of the fruit. But, it looks foolish to the world and sometimes the partakers of the love of God get ashamed (1 N. 8:25). The ways of Christ are not complimentary with the ways of the world.
Personally, I want the love of God shedding itself forth in my heart! That is a goal worth pursuing.
In verse 22 the angel asks if Nephi knows the mean of the tree which his father saw. Nephi responds that the tree is the love of God which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men...
So I looked up the word 'shed'. It means to cause to pour forth; or to diffuse or radiate; send forth or impart. So the love of God is diffused abroad into the hearts of the children of men or better yet, the love of God is sent forth or poured forth into the hearts of the children of men.
...wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things... and the most joyous to the soul (v22,23). I want more of this! This love sounds wonderful. Lehi say the fruit of the tree is desirable to make one happy (1 N. 8:10).
After one holds to the rod for a while, he will finally arrive (if he doesn't let go) to the this tree and partake of the fruit. But, it looks foolish to the world and sometimes the partakers of the love of God get ashamed (1 N. 8:25). The ways of Christ are not complimentary with the ways of the world.
Personally, I want the love of God shedding itself forth in my heart! That is a goal worth pursuing.
Nephi's Dream 1 Nephi 11
Simply Believe
At the beginning of the vision, Nephi receives an interview. What struck as I was reading was the angel asking Nephi if he believed the words of his father (v.4), Nephi's response (v.5) that he believed all the words of his father and the angels response (v.6) that Nephi is blessed because he believes in the Son of the most high God.
Nephi really believes. He has already shown by his past actions and attitudes that his believing isn't merely giving lip service to something. The assurances he receives don't go untended. He doesn't doubt at all as he moves from one errand to the next. This is amazing to me. Nephi's 'believing' teaches us all a lesson about the power of faith. He is the perfect example of a person who plants the seed of faith, nurtures it, sees it swell and take root and then tries it again and again with same results. His faith tree is growing and beginning to produce fruit. Believing in the context of true discipleship means more than listening to let's say, Lehi, and doing nothing afterwards. It is more than praying about whether something is true or not, getting your answer and then doing nothing. It's more than going after the plates, failing, and failing again and then giving up. It has something to do with walking without any doubt that the Lord is there and since he agrees with your course of action (errand). He will ultimately support you in realizing a fulfillment of whatever it is you know to be doing. When we give up, whine, complain or murmur we are displaying that we don't really believe (unbelief) that God is there to actively support us.
So, practice just believing! (cast off doubt, worry, fear and pessimism).
At the beginning of the vision, Nephi receives an interview. What struck as I was reading was the angel asking Nephi if he believed the words of his father (v.4), Nephi's response (v.5) that he believed all the words of his father and the angels response (v.6) that Nephi is blessed because he believes in the Son of the most high God.
Nephi really believes. He has already shown by his past actions and attitudes that his believing isn't merely giving lip service to something. The assurances he receives don't go untended. He doesn't doubt at all as he moves from one errand to the next. This is amazing to me. Nephi's 'believing' teaches us all a lesson about the power of faith. He is the perfect example of a person who plants the seed of faith, nurtures it, sees it swell and take root and then tries it again and again with same results. His faith tree is growing and beginning to produce fruit. Believing in the context of true discipleship means more than listening to let's say, Lehi, and doing nothing afterwards. It is more than praying about whether something is true or not, getting your answer and then doing nothing. It's more than going after the plates, failing, and failing again and then giving up. It has something to do with walking without any doubt that the Lord is there and since he agrees with your course of action (errand). He will ultimately support you in realizing a fulfillment of whatever it is you know to be doing. When we give up, whine, complain or murmur we are displaying that we don't really believe (unbelief) that God is there to actively support us.
So, practice just believing! (cast off doubt, worry, fear and pessimism).
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