Category: daily study

Notes and thoughts from my daily study of the scriptures.

No More Disposition to do Evil

Back in May of this year I started to search through the scriptures about what it means and how to obtain a state where I no longer have a disposition to do evil. One definition of “disposition” is “an inclination or tendency.” Much too often my disposition is to give in to temptations. I’m no where near the level of Nephi, and I all too often must cry out “O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins…” [2 Nephi 4: 17-19].

King Benjamin preaches about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his people.
King Benjamin preaches about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his people.

I was reading in Mosiah and came across the people who have been taught by King Benjamin. After hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in such plainness they desire to be baptised, and covenant to follow Jesus. They exclaim great joy at their “mighty change within [them], or in [their] hearts, that [they] have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” [Mosiah 5: 2]

So, taking that phrase as a theme for gospel study (no more disposition to do evil), I set about finding scriptures to enlighten and help me learn how I can have such a change in my heart. I found over two dozen scriptures and came away with six points to creating such a change in myself. I’ll go through them and my thoughts about them this week.

God is the God of all people

Paul is a powerful preacher and prophet. I finished Acts and have started Romans, and I’m astounded by the works of Paul. Despite constant tribulation he keeps the faith.

In Romans chapter 3, he speaks to the believers and non believers in Rome. He testifies of Jesus Christ. He tells the people that it doesn’t matter if they are Jew or Gentile (non-Jew), because “is he not also [God] of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also” (Romans 3: 29). So God is the God of all people, not just the Jews. The acts and teachings of Jesus were for every human being, not just the Jews.

Why then the special situation of the Jews? Paul explains that it had been the “advantage” for the Jewish population to have “committed” unto them the oracles of God. It was to this people that God gave the prophets, the seers, the revelators. To these people were given the “advantage” to be have the mouth piece of the Lord.

Does this mean salvation is only for the Jews. Of course not. Salvation is available for all human beings. How does it come? Through strict obedience to the Mosaic laws? No! But through faith on Jesus Christ.

Romans 2: 27-28

27 Where is aboasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is ajustified by bfaith cwithout the deeds of the law.

Does this mean we only need to have faith to be saved? Yes, that’s what it means. Salvation does not depend on how well we follow the laws of Moses. Salvation depends upon how we have faith in Jesus.

So what does it mean to have faith in Jesus? I’ll be looking at that through out this week.

The Offspring of God

Paul proclaims a lost truth. God is a physical personage, he is known (or can be known) to us. In Acts 17: 23, Paul proclaims to the people of Athens (who worshiped idols and an Unknown God) “him declare I unto you.” God is not impersonal, he is not invisible, insofar as we seek him. He wants us to know him, the same way that Moses did, face to face.

God is also a personage of physical proportions. He has a tangible body. Paul declares in Acts 17: 28-29, that we are the offspring of God. He is the creator of our spiritual beings, our earthly parents are the creators of the physical bodies that house our spirits.

Darkness Dispelled is a Call to Action

I read the First Presidency message, May We So Live,  for this month in preparation for Home Teaching tonight. President Monson talks about death, resurrection, and the fragility of life. All of these things are reminders and should the impetus that moves us to doing good.

First we realize that death is a reality (the one thing everybody, regardless of anything, is assured to pass through). Death happens, it can be tragic, sudden and unexpected. Because it is such, it is often dreaded. Because those who are dead are out of communication with the living, it could be terrifying. Not knowing what will come next, or if anything does.

Second we realize and have hope and faith that the resurrection is a reality. Jesus, the first and only one with power, overcame death. That means he had the knowledge and spiritual and physical power to undo the affects of death. Physical death is a separation of body and spirit. The body we know well, the physical matter from which it is made, the physical properties it contains. The spirit is less known, scientifically unquantifiable. It is the dark matter of our selves. Yet the spirit is real, and connected with our bodies. It is the substance of us. It gives us our character, our wills, it is where our knowledge is stored. Death is the separation of spirit and body. With out the spirit to animate it, the body is useless, a lump of clay. Jesus had the knowledge and power to decide when this separation would happen, and to put them back together. He was the first of the resurrection. We will all be resurrected. This means our spirits and bodies will reunite, but this time they will never again separate. Our bodies will be of finer and greater make this next time. They will never tire, get sick, endure pain, age, and never be separated from our spirit again. I digress….

With that knowledge of the surety of death, the temporariness of life, we should endeavor to fill our life with good works. To do good things for others, to fill our hearts and minds with service. As President Monson says: “Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.”

So, what can I do today to help someone else? How can I be of service?

What, Why, and How of the Gospel

Our Elders Quorum lesson this last Sunday was about faith, hope and charity. The instructor had some great thoughts about these three attributes and related them to a scripture.

Faith = What

Hope = Why

Charity = How

See Ether 12: 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.

We see that faith is what we are hoping for, what we believe will happen if we do good works. Faith is an action, we put forth effort. (See Bible Dictionary: Faith) Hope is why we believe, and charity is how we believe. We do good, we love our neighbors, we do things that glorify God.

Prayers

I’m trying to improve my prayers. I want to move away from the rote and repetitive one-sided speech I have now, and have a conversation with Heavenly Father. I read in John 11, today, where Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. As he stood before the open tomb, Jesus said aloud to his Father that he was thankful he had heard him (v 41-42). This presupposes that Jesus had a conversation with his Father before hand. He obviously had the best relationship with Heavenly Father out of all people who have ever lived on the earth. His example is to be emulated. So how can I improve my prayers and my relationship with God?

I’ve decided to do a study of prayer in the scriptures. I’m going to note all instances of people praying and conversing with God, and then study and analyze the results in an effort to improve my own relationship with God. My favorite words about prayer come from the Bible Dictionary.

As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings. [Prayer, Bible Dictionary]

It is this type of relationship that I want to have, my will being brought into correspondence with the Father’s.

Other Sheep

I read today in John chapter 10, perhaps the most convincing evidence of the Book of Mormon. John 10: 16 is where Jesus speaks about other sheep he has which are not of the fold of the Jews. Very clearly Jesus states that there are other groups of people that believe on him. Very clearly he states that he will visit these people personally. Very clearly he states that one day all people will be united under him.

There is much I could say, but have not the time. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Written by inspired prophets and followers of Jesus Christ. How can it be denied for other people throughout the whole history of the world what was given to the Jews. If a people believe so strongly on Jesus Christ, would he not lead and guide them with prophets? He gave the people of Israel Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, and many, many others.

There were other groups of people who believed in Jesus Christ. They were given prophets to testify, lead, and officiate. One of these groups of people were decendants of Jews from Jerusalem. A prophet at Jerusalem, around 600 B.C., was commanded to take his family and others and leave Jerusalem. They were guided to America. Their decendants were part of a great nation that at times believed and other times fell away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After Christ’s resurrection, he visited these people, called twelve apostles and healed and blessed them, as he had at Jerusalem.

Why is it so hard to believe that Jesus would visit other people, set up his church among them and instruct them to write? Why is it so hard to believe that the writings of these people are scriptures, when they clearly and directly testify and clarify the word of God? They explain in greater detail and with more spirit the truth about Jesus Christ. Are you like the Pharisees who could not believe Jesus was the Son of God, even though they personally witnessed the miracles?

Blind Sabbath

I read John chapter 8 today. This is the story of Jesus healing the blind man on the Sabbath day. I think there are two important lessons to learn here. One about faith, and the other about the Sabbath day.

Faith

Jesus heals a man that has been blind from birth. All of the Jews know him (the Pharisees at least), so they know that he is truly blind. But in their hard hearts and spiteful minds, they can not see the great miracle that happened, and only see the supposed violation of the law of the Sabbath. The Pharisees had always wanted a miracle to happen for them to believe Jesus, yet here is one they can not deny, but won’t believe because they interpret the act as a violation of a law. The Pharisees question the man, trying to understand, and trying to find some proof that Jesus is of the devil. I love the reply of the man who was healed.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born ablind.
33 If this man were not of aGod, he could do nothing.

The man, through logic and faith, testifies that any man who can heal a blind man must be of God. The Pharisees, with pride and unbelief, cast him out. Jesus seeks out the man and asks him if he believes on the Son of God. The man wants to know who he is, and upon learning it is Jesus, immediately believes and worships him.

Such great faith. We must also have such great faith. It comes only when your heart and mind are open to receive it.

Sabbath

The other lesson to learn is about the Sabbath day. Division arose among the Pharisees because some believed the breaking of the Sabbath law greater than the miracle done. Others questioned, can a sinner do such a great miracle? This brings out the great debate between the letter and the spirit of the law. In this case Jesus broke neither, but it is a question and debate we should all have with our Sabbath observance. Jesus did not break the letter of the law. As he explained at a different occurance, even the Pharisees will feed and water their animals, should not a human being be blessed with site?

I have read often how the current prophets and apostles have declared that the Sabbath day should be kept holy. That great blessings come from this observance, and great calamities come with breaking it. I’m always amazed at people who claim to have a strong belief in Jesus Christ a testimony and desire to follow his commandments, yet can not follow one of the simple Ten Commandments. They shop, work, and play on the Sabbath day, and it’s just not right. They break the law and the spirit when they do not have their hearts set on serving other people and worshiping God.

Anyhow, those were a couple of thoughts I had today.

Eat the flesh, drink the blood

As I was skimming through John chapter 6 looking for instances of prayer, I slowed down and read the reply of Jesus to the multitude who had followed him after he miraculously fed them bread and fish. They wanted more of that tangible food for which they had to do no work, but was provided by the Son of God. At least four times in this chapter Jesus uses the phrase “verliy, verily” to begin his reply to the people. This does not happen often. It means literaly “truely, truely” and signifies that what he is about to say is of utmost importance (as is everything he says).

Continue reading Eat the flesh, drink the blood