Matthew 13 - Parables and Application

The Savior taught in parables.  The apostles asked why... he answered...

How does this apply to us today?  I think the application for us today, aside from the actual information given in these parables, is in seeing how to learn and apply lessons to ourselves. 

The Savior is teaching how to not just hear something, but to hear... and understand.  He wants us not to just see but to perceive.  He teaches in a way that these people can relate to, so they can understand.

I feel that living in this fullness of times, being able to look back on all that has happened, gives us so much information.  How do we apply this to our life?

The key is in the application of information.

As we read scriptures, ponder thoughts, listen to the Prophet, we can glaze over and read, hear, see... and it is a good thing.  But isn't the better thing to make the application to ourselves? 

The purpose for the genuine seeing and hearing per these verses is that we... should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Original post: 3/21/14

Matthew 12... Don't Judge, We All Sin

It is clear that the people of this time have lost sight of the meaning and feeling of the Gospel.
They are obeying the law to the fault of it being more important that humanity, than caring, than inclusion and love.

I don't think that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God has laws, that is an eternal truth.  In laws and commandments we find His order, we find clear boundaries and need for agency, which offers us growth as we figure out how to use that.
We find that as we use this agency and make good choices, we find happiness.

God's laws are His, not ours.  As He rules and reigns He will judge with clarity, mercy and appropriateness.
Sometimes we take that on ourselves.  This is not God's law.
We see the Pharisees falling into this.
Christ reminds them:
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the ^asabbath day.

11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

On this same note...
15 But ^awhen Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

He didn't ask who had money, who'd been to church recently, who was still skeptical of Him, in what way they needed to be restored.  He healed them all!

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, being made whole through Him, as we come unto Him.  It is for all of us, and it is individual.  It is a resource of love.

The other verse that spoke to me was:
36 But I say unto you, That every ^aidle ^bword that men shall ^cspeak, they shall give ^daccount thereof in the day of ^ejudgment.

We often think we will obviously be judged by our works.  
Um, an account of every idle word... I need to watch what is coming out of my mouth!!!
It also indicates that this won't be a generalized judgement!  It will be specific.
It doesn't scare me, but reminds me that I want to live with purpose.  I want to be specific.  I want to continue to improve.
AND, thank heavens that I can repent of those times I fail!

Matthew 9: Connected To Our Healer

I wrote a post HERE that references what I've learned from the beginning of this chapter.

Also this time through v. 15 taught me that one of the purposes of fasting is to feel our Savior near.  The Pharisees ask why the disciples aren't fasting and Christ answers that He is right there, teaching them, filling them.  When He leaves, they will need to fast to maintain that connection.

This time as I read through the story of the woman who touched the Savior's robe I felt particularly touched. 
She wants to be healed, but for a reason we don't know, doesn't want to ask for that.
She has faith, she knows the Savior can heal her, but maybe she feels unworthy, maybe she doesn't want to take his time, maybe she is shy... whatever.
She tries to be healed just through touching Him.


I think it's significant that the Savior stopped.  I'm sure He knew and could've kept going, but He stopped.

I don't think it was to make sure everyone knew there was no getting anything past Him... I think it was because He wanted to see her.  He wanted her to know Him.  Part of the power in His healing is that it isn't some magical thing dissociated to one particular.  It is Him, it is our Savior who heals us.  When we try to reach Him, He will connect with us. 

He wanted this woman to not only be healed, but to feel connected, loved, whole, recognized.  He wanted her to feel valuable despite the crowd of people. 

We can all have healing, forgiveness, connection, comfort, peace... all the good stuff...  when we need it, when we reach to Him.
If anything is 'magical' it's that we all get it we don't have to wait in line, we don't have to be anything special, we don't have to pay for it... he knows us and wants to see us... we just have to seek Him.

Matthew 8 - Faith and Knowing Jesus Christ

I wrote a little bit about what I learned in Matthew chapter 8 HERE.

v. 26 - I think that of course the apostles had some sort of faith.  They were following the Savior, learning from Him.  They believed Him, were ministering with Him.
I don't know that they were doubting per say, but just didn't have knowledge of just how much power the Savior has.

Often it is the same for us.  It may not be that our faith is doubting, but that we don't have a full knowledge of just what the Savior can and will do for us.

How do we find out?  Ask him.  Go to Him.

v. 29 - Even the evil spirits know who Christ is.  They recognize him... as the Son of God... in this verse. 
- I think this speaks to a pre-existence, where we all knew our Savior.  These spirits don't have bodies, they are possessing other bodies, still they know Him, more so than anyone does at this time... they are still learning and gaining faith that He actually is the Savior.
- This speaks to agency for me.  Although all may at some point come to a knowledge of the Savior, they may never choose to follow Him.  Knowing who He is, doesn't magically make us have faith.
- Although we are all subject to the presence of Satan and his followers in this life... the Savior has power over all... Be Not Afraid!!!

Matthew 7 - Do

This chapter talks about knowing them by their fruits.  I think the fruits or actions that come out of us are a reflection of what we are rooted in.

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I believe the deeper we are rooted in the things of Christ, the more natural the goodness falls from us (our fruits if you will).

I believe the things we do are a reflection of what we believe.  I believe faith is an action as well as a reflection.

I don't think it will be enough to just say we believe in Jesus Christ, to spend eternity in His presence.  The action of that belief is what will change us, making us worthy to be with Him.

 21 Not every one that ^asaith unto me, ^bLord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that ^cdoeth the ^dwill of my Father which is in ^eheaven.

Our behavior is a manifestation of our faith.  As we do as Christ does... as we serve, as we respond in humility, as we love, as we repent, as we go to church, make covenants, as we do... we manifest faith.  The result of that doing is a refining within us, a growth of character, a cleansing of spirit a training in Godhood.

Matthew 6 - Eternity with the Savior

Of course this chapter has a ton of great insight with the beatitudes.
This time through this chapter I pondered on these scriptures...

19 ¶Lay not up for yourselves ^atreasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves ^bbreak through and steal:

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

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

 

Recently our bishop quoted someone he knows that said something to the effect of spending just 20 minutes a day with our Savior will result in an eternity with him... or something like that.

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Treasures in heaven.  It is true that believing we are working for something, beyond just this life affects our choices, what we choose today.

 

Not only does seeking my savior, spending time in scripture study, prayer and pondering, benefit me right now, (making me feel good inside, changing who I am, how I behave, what I'm learning and growing into) but I believe it ultimately will affect my afterlife. 

 

I don't think we will magically be something different when we cross the veil.  I believe what we have worked to become in this life is what we will still be when our spirit moves on.  What is important to us now will be the case later. 

 

So, now is the time to lay up our treasures, to make sure things of eternal importance are right there at the top of our lists.  Spending time each day with my Savior benefits me in this mortal journey, but also is where my heart really desires to be, where my treasure lies.  It's where I want to be when my life here on earth is finished.

 

Spencer W. Kimball

"No father, no son, no mother, no daughter should get so busy that he or she does not have time to study the scriptures and the words of modern prophets.  None of us should get so busy that we crowd out contemplation and praying."

 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine ^aeye be ^bsingle, thy whole body shall be full of ^clight.

 

This has become one of my most favorite scriptures, of all time...

 

The light of our body is in the eye... the eyes are the window to the soul, our spirits.

The light of our body is our spirit.  When our eye is single to the glory of God, when we keep that in focus it will fill our body with light. 

Have you received His image in your countenance?  I think this is a real thing!  When someone is full of faith, eye single to the glory of God, you can see it in their physicality.

 

Also, reading D&C 93:28 footnote... as we keep an eye single (to the glory of God) we are filled with light and knowledge.

 

What better reward than light and knowledge? 

The more I understand God and His plan, my Savior Jesus Christ and the mysteries of His gospel, the deeper my devotion, the more sincere my conviction, the more anxiously engaged I am in my own change and betterment.