My Thoughts

Alma 34:32

For behold, this life is the time 

for men to prepare to meet God; 

yea, behold the day of this life 

is the day for men to perform their labors.

If ever there was a frustrating aspect of my personality, this touches on it. I am lazy. I don't like to be, and I try quite often to overcome it, but thus far, I have been unsuccessful. "Cease to be idle" seems so incredibly impossible for me, and I don't particularly understand why. This aspect of my natural woman has such a strong grasp on me that my focus on this scripture this week has been a rather discouraging one. 

 

I know this is not right. I know in my mind that I can bring this weakness to Christ and He can make it a strength through His grace. But I am unsure specifically how to go about this right now. My parents are incredibly hard workers. I almost never see my Mother, but she is working, or serving, or planning to do so. And then there's me with my overwhelming inertia and seeming inability to move past it. Surely the advice to "just do it" or "take baby steps" or "do a bite at a time" shouldn't be so hard. And yet it is.

 

I believe I will need more time to work on this concept and overcoming this personal struggle. I know Christ is strong enough to help me with this, what I doubt is my own ability to come to Him and stay with Him and do my part adequately.   

I think I will pick a related scripture next week, and maybe for every week after until I feel like I am on my way to working through this.

In Context

John 7:17

If any man will do his will,

he shall know of the doctrine,

whether it be of God,

or whether I speak of myself.

This verse takes place after Christ's ministry had started up and people started taking note of him. He had already performed several miracles, and secured his disciples. He had spoken of his divine Sonship as well as had the testimony of John the Baptist and Peter that he was the Messiah. 

The chapter heading summarizes chapter 7 as follows:

"Jesus' kinsmen believe not--He teaches his Father's doctrine and proclaims his divine Sonship--Truth may be known through obedience--He offers living water to all men--Divers opinions concerning him."

In verse 4, Jesus' brethren ask him to effectively prove that he is who people say he is, because they do not believe in him. They say, "If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world." 

Jesus responds that the time has not come to do so, and speaking about the world makes this very telling statement, "but me it [the world] hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." (verse 7)

Everyone leaves for the feast of tabernacles, which Jesus attends in secret. 

It turns into a gossip session with everyone discussing where he is, and what they think of him. "And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people." (verse 12)

When he goes up to the temple to teach, they marvel, wondering how he can do so having never learned. 

At this point, Jesus proclaims that the doctrine is not his, but the Father's. 

This verse then occurs, where he tells them they can test the source of his words by practicing obedience to them. 

He speaks of Moses' Law and their failure to keep it. 

They recognize that he is the man whom some have sought to kill. They seek to lay hands on him, but are unable as the time had not yet come for that. 

The people are divided concerning him.

Cross Reference

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ

which strengtheneth me.

Christ:

John 15:5(4-5)

strengtheneth:

1 Timothy 1:12

Alma 26:12(11-13)

Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

excerpt:

"Isaiah taught that the Messiah would bear our “griefs” and our “sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Isaiah also taught of His strengthening us: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

Thus, we sing:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, …

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.³

Speaking of some of his own mortal challenges, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

And so we see that because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes His power heals an infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities.^4"

In Context

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ

which strengtheneth me.

This verse comes near the end of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. The epistle consists of four chapters with the general outline as follows: 

(excerpted from the Bible Dictionary)

1. Salutation, thanksgiving, and prayer on their behalf (1:1-11).

2. Personal: dealing with the progress of the missionary work (1:12-26).

3. Exhortation to unity, humility, and perseverance (2:1-18).

4. Paul's own plans, and those of Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:19-30).

5. Warning against false teachers (3:1--4:9).

6. Thanks for their assistance, and conclusion (4:10-23).

Other ideas of note in chapter 4:

Verse 4 - partial inspiration for hymn #66 "Rejoice the Lord is King!"

Verse 6 - requests to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

Verse 7 - The peace of God passeth all understanding

Verse 8 - The admonition of Paul mentioned in the 13th article of faith

Verses 11&12 - Being content in whatsoever state, humility or abundance, hunger or fullness

Verse 19 - God will supply all needs

In Context

Matthew 5:43-45

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt

love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unt you, Love your enemies, bless 

them that curse you, do good to them that hate

you, and pray for them which despitefully use

you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father

which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on 

the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just

and on the unjust.

These verses are a part of the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is probably the most powerful talk given in the history of the world. It took place at the beginning of Christ's ministry. 

After he was baptized, Christ spent his 40 days fasting in the wilderness. He was tempted by the devil, and refuted him 3 times. He started preaching repentance at that time. He gathered his disciples and invited them to be fishers of men. They then went about Galilee, and people began hearing about him and formed great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan. 

Seeing the great multitudes, he went up into the mountain and gave this profound speech that we call the Sermon on the Mount. 

The Sermon on the Mount includes the following:

- The Beatitudes: "Blessed are....for they shall...."

- Ye are the salt of the earth...Ye are the light of the world....

- Come to fulfill the law

- A set of higher laws:

     -  Not just that thou shalt not kill, but also not to be angry; Reconcile with your brother/adversary

     -  Not just that thou shalt not commit adultery, but also not to lust; Avoid divorce

     -  No longer perform unto the Lord thine oaths, but to swear not at all; Let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay

     - No longer an eye for an eye, but to turn the other cheek

(Insert this verse.)

     - Not only love your neighbors, but also your enemies

- Be ye therefore perfect

- Do not serve or pray before men to receive their praise, but in secret

- The Lord's Prayer

- Forgive others and you will be forgiven

- Do not disfigure your faces when you fast

- Lay up treasures in heaven,  not earthly treasures

- No man can serve two masters

- Consider the lilies

- Seek first the kingdom of God and these things shall be added unto you

- Judge not; beams and motes

- Give not that which is holy unto the dogs

- Ask and it shall be given, knock and it shall be opened unto you

- Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way

- Beware of false prophets

- By their fruits ye shall know them

- Not everyone that calls Lord, lord shall enter into the kingdom, but he that does the will of the Father

- A wise man builds on a firm foundation

And when he concluded, the people "were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)

My Thoughts

Helaman 5:12

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is 

upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son 

of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when 

the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his 

shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his 

mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no 

power over you to drag you down to the gulf of 

misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon 

which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a 

foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I have had the experience of grieving for several people in my life who have chosen to leave the Church. In fact, I have had the experience of going through my own period of doubt and uncertainty and personal apostasy. It has taken me these experiences to really come to terms with the idea that the path of discipleship is not easy. It was not meant to be easy. It will never be easy. 

Helaman makes it clear in his admonition to his sons that they will experience profound adversities, that the "mighty storm [of the devil] shall beat upon you" and that absolutely nothing will preserve them from his grasp except being built upon the foundation of Christ. 

I am uncertain why this level of intense, sustained adversity escaped my expectation before. But I now know that it is only when we have faithfully passed through the temptations and adversities of the devil that we can truly be called disciples of Christ. If we are to follow Christ, we must pass through our own set of personalized trials, as he passed through His. 

Thankfully we will not be subject to the same depth and breadth as He was, but we will be asked to endure everything of which we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually able, knowing all the while that we will not be tested above our personal threshold (Alma 13:28 ; 1 Corinthians 10:13).

Satan has been called "the prince of this world."

“So powerful was he in the Master’s day that the Master referred to Satan as ‘the prince of this world,’ but he added, ‘the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.’ (John 14:30.) We must be able to say, though the power is evil on every side, ‘As for me and my house, we shall serve the God of this land.’ The prince of this world is coming to tempt every one of us, and the only ones who will stand through these evil days are those who have founded their houses upon the rock, as the Master said: when the storms descended and the winds blew and the rains came and beat upon the house, it fell not because it was founded upon the rock. That is what the Lord is trying to say to us today.” (Harold B. Lee in British Area Conference Report, Aug. 1971, p. 135.)

It is an interesting title "the prince of this world." I think sometimes we tend to imagine Satan as a nuisance who pops up and wreaks a little havoc when God is not paying attention. Then when we look around we are surprised and we ask, "How can a just and loving God allow this?" 

We are misinformed. 

We are here living under "the prince of this world," who, though unlawfully, has the (temporary) power, ability, and motivation to wreak his havoc openly. We are safe from him only to the degree that we align ourselves with the True King of Kings. It is after the trial is over that Satan will be bound and no longer reign upon the earth. Until then, we need to be aware of the very real danger we are in, and seek the appropriate shelter. 

We have been blessed though. He has not left us comfortless. Darkness cannot coexist with Light. When we maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we have the strength and guidance to endure. Personal temptations are lessened and made bearable. Our mortal pains and difficulties are put into perspective. We are brought to Christ and made safe though him. 

Through the wind and the storm and the hail, we become stronger. We grow and improve. When we come unto Him, we also become like Him, in degrees, here a little, and there a little. We are able to not only endure, but to also become refined and better versions of ourselves.

"The journey of discipleship is not an easy one. It has been called a “course of steady improvement.” As we travel along that strait and narrow path, the Spirit continually challenges us to be better and to climb higher. The Holy Ghost makes an ideal traveling companion. If we are humble and teachable, He will take us by the hand and lead us home." ("What Lack I Yet?", by Elder Lawrence in the October 2015 General Conference)

"The journey of discipleship is not an easy one."

Be wary. Satan also coaxes, flatters, soothes and uses a flaxen cord (2 Nephi 26:22). He impersonates, and he counterfeits. His approaches are many, and though not all of them are loud, they are unrelenting.

Build your foundation in Christ. Only He can keep you and lead you safely home.