2 Nephi 2

This passage is so full, so meaty.  Yesterday, I read through it, just to get a taste of it on my palate.  Today, and maybe tomorrow or more, I want to go over it again, savor it, chew on it a little.

v.1-2  Lehi is speaking to his son, Jacob.  He points out that Jacob has suffered many afflictions, but he assures him, that God will "consecrate [his] afflictions for [his] gain."

First of all, it is comforting for anyone going through afflictions to understand the law of compensation, or the fact that God will consecrate your afflictions for your gain.  You are not suffering needlessly.  There is a purpose and a blessing attached.

Secondly, these verses set up the doctrine of opposition that will follow.

v. 3  How will Jacob be blessed?  "Wherefore, (1)thy soul shall be blessed, and (2) thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi;  and (3) thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God."

Wherefore ties into the previous verse and indicates causation.  Three blessings are mentioned, that his soul will be blessed, safety, and he will serve God.  I don't automatically think of serving God as a blessing, but rather as a vehicle for blessings to follow.  And yet, it is a blessing in itself, a way of life that brings joy.  A time-tested way to overcome your own sorrows is to serve someone needier than you.

v. 3  "Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fullness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men." 

Again, wherefore indicates causation.  We see that because Jacob turned to the Lord in his afflictions instead of turning away and letting his heart become bitter, he received the blessings previously enumerated.  And because he received those blessings, he is redeemed because of his faith in Jesus Christ.

v. 4 Here Lehi points out that because of Jacob's great faith, he is blessed just as much as if he had been present personally to receive the ministering of Christ.  "...for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." 

We are like Jacob in that we are not personally present during Christ's ministry.  Yet, like Jacob, through our faith we can receive the same blessings.  "...salvation is free."  All men may come and receive salvation, if they desire it, if they accept it.  It is a gift, but God does not force His gift on anyone.

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Moroni 7

v. 12 Wherefore, all things which are ^agood cometh of God; and that which is ^bevil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to ^csin, and to do that which is evil continually.

v. 13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do ^agood continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and ^benticeth to do ^cgood, and to love God, and to serve him, is ^dinspired of God.

v. 14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is ^aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

I love the simplicity of these verses, and the ones that follow.  How do you know what is good?  How do you recognize truth?  All things which are good come of God.  Everything which entices you to do good is inspired of God.

I think people are put off when they hear members of the Mormon church say "I know that this church is true."  It makes it sound like an exclusive country club, and that members only have access to the truth.  But that's not right.  Truth and godliness are all around us, everywhere, and can be found in the most unlikely of places.  Whenever I discuss faith or religion with anyone, I always look for common ground, for that shared light and truth that we have.  I find truth in the natural kindness of people, in the beauty of nature around me, in the order of science and the universe, and in the way sacred places make me feel.

That said, the reason I am a Mormon is because my religion to me is a never failing source of truth and goodness.  It is a place where I come and meet God and feel closer to Him and know Him better.  I have not yet run into a principle that has caused me to fight against God or entice me to sin.  My religion leads me to want to be a better person and to always do good continually.

v. 40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning ^ahope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

v. 41 And what is it that ye shall ^ahope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have ^bhope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life ^ceternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

v. 42 Wherefore, if a man have ^afaith he ^bmust needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

v. 43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be ^ameek, and lowly of heart.

v. 44 If so, his ^afaith and hope is vain, for none is ^bacceptable before God, save the ^cmeek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and ^dconfesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

It seems that my studies have been so focused on faith lately that I've forgotten that faith is but one part of three important principles.  Faith, hope, and charity are necessary to each other, like three legs of a stool.  Hope is necessary before you can have faith.  Interesting, but hope seems easier than faith.  Yes, I hope to sit at the right hand of God.  Yes, I hope to be healed, in this life or the next.

v. 45 And ^acharity suffereth long, and is ^bkind, and ^cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily ^dprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

This is a great checklist, a measuring stick if you will.  How am I doing?  The more I develop these qualities, the more charity I have and the more capacity I'll have to hope and to have faith.  If I feel my faith is lacking, then I can simply come here and see where I am weak.  Which leads me back to my studies yesterday -- I can humble myself and let God lead me to make my weaknesses strong.

v. 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

v.  47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

v. 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

Faith Is Things Which Are Hoped For And Not Seen

Ether 12

v.3 ...^dby ^efaith all things are fulfilled—

v. 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

The fruits of faith are hope for a better world.  All right, the burden of my chronic illness weighs heavily upon me right now, so I might think of a better world as one with better health.  A better world would also mean more peace and love in my home, more joy in my family, success and accomplishment through writing, deeper and more meaningful friendships, greater knowledge and understanding.  A better world is one where I have done something to make it better.

Faith maketh an anchor to the soul.  Anchoring, meaning grounding, keeping me in place.  Where would I wander?  In the valley of darkness and despair, away from my relationship with God and Christ.  

Sure:

1. free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something: to be sure of one's data.

2. confident, as of something expected: sure of success.

3. convinced, fully persuaded, or positive: to be sure of a person's guilt.

4. assured or certain beyond question: a sure victory.

5. worthy of confidence; reliable; stable: a sure messenger.

6. unfailing; never disappointing expectations: a sure cure.

7. unerring; never missing, slipping, etc.: a sure aim.

8. admitting of no doubt or question: sure proof.

9. destined; bound inevitably; certain: sure death.

10. Obsolete . secure; safe.

Steadfast:

1. fixed in direction; steadily directed: a steadfast gaze.

2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc., as a person: a steadfast friend.

3. unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence, etc.

4. firmly established, as an institution or a state of affairs.

5. firmly fixed in place or position.

Faith leads you to ALWAYS abounding in good works.   Which goes back to a better world, doesn't it?  If I am always trying to do good things, then I will be building a better world.

Finally, faith will lead me to glorify God.  I think this goes beyond praising him verbally, or even in my heart.  Glorifying God means to bring glory to Him.  I have faith in Him that He knows what is best for me, and that by submitting to His will, I am becoming what He knows I can become.  I am the work of His hands, and becoming what He is molding me into will bring Him glory.

v. 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

I see a process here between these two verses.  God gives us a weakness.   We humble ourselves and have faith that He can help us overcome our weakness.  We have hope in our success, and then we work on it, sure and steadfast, always guided by our faith in Jesus Christ and our determination to keep our will in line with God.  He blesses us along the way, and we slowly see our weakness turned to strength.  The finished product brings glory to God.

Your Faith Is Sufficient

3 Nephi 17

v. 7 Have ye any that are ^asick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or ^bleprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will ^cheal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

v. 8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your ^afaith is ^bsufficient that I should heal you.

v. 9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their ^ablind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

v. 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did ^akiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

This is a very difficult passage for me to read.  I have been chronically ill for four and a half years now.  I have prayed for healing, and those who love me have prayed for me to be healed.  I know that God can do all things, and that He has the power to heal me.  But He has chosen not to.  Not yet.

And when I read this passage, I wonder, is my faith sufficient?  Would He have healed me by now if I had had enough faith?  People have hinted to me that the answer is yes.  "You just need more faith..."

I have enough faith to bear this burden as long as the Lord deems it necessary for me.  I have enough faith to be patient and long-suffering.  I have enough faith to find joy and meaning in my days in spite of my illness.  I have enough faith to go to one more doctor and try one more treatment.  I have enough faith to believe that this life is still worth living.  I have enough faith to believe that I am still valuable to the people in my life who love me.  I have enough faith to keep trying to make myself a better person, every day.

Maybe that is what will lead me to have enough faith when the time comes for me to be healed.

Consider the Lilies of the Field

3 Nephi 13
see also Matthew 6

Today's study seemed to be answering the worries of my heart.  I know I'm not alone.  These are difficult, challenging times.  Many are struggling financially.  Add to that health issues.  And do we ever stop worrying about our kids?  Nope, I don't think so.

v. 8 ...for your Father ^aknoweth what things ye have need of before ye ^bask him.

My Heavenly Father knows me.  He is mindful of me.  He knows the troubles and worries of my heart.  And He knows just what I need, even before I ask.  Notice it doesn't say what things ye want, but what things ye need.  It isn't always the same thing, is it?

I've often thought, if God knows what I need, why do I need to ask?   But it really isn't about asking.  It's about approaching.  It's about humbling myself and coming to Him.  It's about aligning myself with His will and being prepared to accept His gift.

Because, how many times does He give us a gift, and we are not ready to receive it?  It isn't what we want, so we rail against it and throw it back in His face.  We are not at all grateful for this thing that we NEED in our lives right now.

v. 9 After this ^amanner therefore ^bpray ye: Our ^cFather who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

v. 10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

v. 11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

v. 12 And ^alead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

v. 13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

This is not a prayer of supplication.  God is not a magic genie waiting to grant wishes.  This is a prayer of approaching, a prayer of alignment, a prayer of humbling and accepting.

v. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where ^amoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

v. 20 But lay up for yourselves ^atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

v. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 v. 26 Behold the ^afowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

v. 28 ...Consider the ^alilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

v. 29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

v. 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

v. 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

v. 33 But ^aseek ye first the ^bkingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

These verses are a call to me, lay down your worries.  There will always be money enough, food enough, clothing enough to get you through day by day.  All I need to worry is that there is love enough, and that I am focusing on my treasures -- my family.  My focus and energy should be on each of them, and leave the rest to my Heavenly Father.

One Step At A Time

2 Nephi 9

v. 41 "Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel."

The path for man is narrow, so narrow that there is only room to put one foot in front of the other, step by step, always moving toward Christ.  It's a journey, this path, and a constant discovery.  I become aware of some flaw in me, at times a very big flaw, sometimes just something small and bothersome.  With faith, I take the first step and acknowledge it.  I want to change.  I believe that my Savior will help me.  I look to His life and see how to do it.  I take a step in His direction.  I feel His love and encouragement.  Encouragement.  Giving me courage.  As I move away from my flaw and toward my Savior, He heals me.  Happiness floods that area in my life where pain used to be.  I am lighter, I am stronger.  I can see clearer.  See another flaw.  Take another step.  Just one step at a time.

Come Unto Christ

1 Nephi 10-11

I'm going to try an experiment.  I'm going to read passages of the Book of Mormon that directly testify of Christ and record my thoughts and feelings here.  I'm going to put to test the purpose stated in the Book of Mormon, that it is intended to bring men to Christ.  I'm going to see what, if any, changes that makes on my life.

1 Ne 10
v. 17  Faith on the Son of God gives you power to know truth.
v. 18  The way to return to God was prepared from the foundation of the earth.  We must repent and come unto Christ.
v.  19  If you diligently seek, you may know the mysteries of God.  Going back to v. 17, you must have faith on the Son of God to have the power to know.
1 Ne 11
v.  1  Nephi exercised his faith by 1. desiring to know, 2. believing that God would give him knowledge, and then 3. pondering the things he didn't understand.
v. 6  Only then did Nephi receive the answers he was seeking for.
v. 16 The condescension of God is the love of God.  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son."
v. 22 The love of God is the most desirable, the most delicious, the most joyous feeling to feel.
v. 27 The condescension of God is manifested in Christ's baptism.
v. 28 It is manifested in Christ's ministering and teaching the people.
v. 31 It is manifested in Christ's healing of the sick and afflicted.
v. 33 It is manifested when Jesus Christ was slain on the cross for our sins.