365 - Changing The Commandment

This had to have been a huge deal right?
If your whole life you are living a law, like the law of Moses, would it be tough to change that?
Not only that, but none of these people have seen the resurrected Christ yet, they 'hear' him.

The scriptures had alluded to this sacrifice, the one the Savior made for us, but would you get it, if it were happening right in front of you?

Would you recognize what was going on and not be so steeped in the tradition of what you'd done for years, not realizing the commandment was just part of a greater law and purpose.  Why you were doing it was of much more importance.

I hope that I'd be able to recognize that, but who knows.

At this time Christ announces the law of sacrifice is over and done.  He has made His sacrifice and now the commandment is to partake of that... use the atonement!

Bring to him a broken heart and contrite spirit... over and again.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “The Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. The gift or sacrifice He will accept now is ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit’ [3 Nephi 9:20]. … You can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming.

“Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life? When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord”

365 - Rejecting Prophets

Oh heavens...
Where have I been?  Not recording my thoughts here!  That's for sure!
I sometimes get frustrated that there are these gaping holes in things I try to record!  I am so ambitious with what I try to accomplish, of course I can't keep up all the time.

But, I love that I can pick it up and try again.

I have almost finished my 365 Book of Mormon scripture prompts.
Finally!!!
Of course the list has always been available, but the cute printables are almost done!  I'll post them this week.

I want to post my thoughts on those scriptures here daily.
But, lately I have felt the desire to study so many other things as well.  I guess that is no different from what it always is!
I want to be more open, in my own organized, finite mind, to the possibility, to the Spirit, to study wherever I want from day to day.  It may be the Book of Mormon, it may be the Bible, it may be other religious books, or the Ensign.
As long as I'm connecting, reaching, pondering, learning each day I'm good.

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Today in the 365 we are on day 256 -

When prophecy is fulfilled, then people can see the error of their ways.
These people have regret for killing the prophets, not listening to them... because now, everything the prophets said would happen, is happening.  They are witnessing three days of darkness and great earth upheaval because of Christ's crucifixion in the old world.
The prompt says rejecting prophets brings suffering...  Is it God that is making the people suffer, or themselves?  In this case it is the choices the people have made, as they have rejected the teachings of the prophets, that has brought great suffering to them and their loved ones.

Really prophets are the mouthpiece for God.  In rejecting them we are rejecting God and His laws and ways.  He gives us commandments and guidelines to help keep us safe, at peace and happy..
When prophecy is fulfilled these people can see they are wrong, the prophets were correct, they were indeed prophets.

What happens then?  When they see they have been wrong?  Do they then suddenly turn to God and repent?

Here is where I feel the laws of heaven play themselves out.
Just because you see... now... that there is a God, that the scriptures are true, that there was/is indeed a living prophet, and your eyes are open... does it change anything?

That sudden knowledge may present itself quickly, but then, what next?  Then do you magically have faith because you see you were in error?  No!  I'm sure there is sudden remorse, sudden guilt, a sudden desire to seek mercy.  Are those things faith?  Nope!

Faith is developed, it is something you have to grow and practice.

As we read on, though we see, as we do today, that God still calls.  Now that these people see, those who want to progress and move forward can repent (none of those were listed above with all of the sudden realizations) and start to develop their faith.

I don't believe that everyone who is brought to the same knowledge will make the same choices.

But, for those who choose to follow Christ and develop their faith there is a great reward coming in the next few chapters... both scripturally speaking and presently speaking.

We have a living prophet today.  He speaks the mind and will of our Father, still.
Do we listen?  Do we follow with exactness?
The scriptures are full of prophecy for three culminating events, the birth of Jesus Christ , His atonement and His second coming.
Do you believe He will come again?

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.

image via

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.