January 21st Reading Assignment
Daily Reading Question
What are some blessings of following the word of God. Identify words or phrases that suggest how we should follow the word of God in order to receive those blessings. Please share anything that stood out to you.
Good Talk
Bonus Talk
What are some blessings of following the word of God. Identify words or phrases that suggest how we should follow the word of God in order to receive those blessings. Please share anything that stood out to you.
Good Talk
Bonus Talk
Love that Nephi was weighed down with the destruction of his people 600 years later. Oh that I might be half as desirous for the welfare of those I see every day.
ReplyDeleteI love the phrases diligence and hold fast. I think it is easy to get discouraged and feel our efforts aren't really making a difference, but as we specifically engage in daily communion with our Heavenly Father if it is real and sincere, we are given the strength to keep going. I think our hearts are.slowly turned toward the things that matter most and away Fri those that don't.
My membership in the church and temple recommend are the biggest blessings to me. The word peace kept coming up and nothing else works for when it comes to pennant peace and joy
ReplyDeleteThe word "blindness" stood out to me in verse 24. Holding onto the rod of iron, heeding the word of God, will help me "see" where I am going. The devil wants me to forget my purpose, to blind me to the tree of life that is most precious. The scriptures help me see - Look!
ReplyDeleteAnd give heed. For me it all comes down again to obedience to the word of the God which I find in the scriptures. Obedience is the first law of heaven and if I want to know what to be obedient to, I need to read the scriptures.
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ReplyDeleteI really liked vs 27. In the New Era it said , "In 1 Nephi 15:27, Nephi tells his siblings that their father, in his vision of the tree of life, was surrounded by filthiness. But Lehi didn’t notice the filthiness because “his mind [was] swallowed up in other things.” This holds true for us today. If we desire to be filled with righteousness, pray for it, and focus on righteous things, then our minds will be so full of righteousness and virtue that the unclean thoughts won’t have power to remain."
ReplyDeleteWe have the same decision to make as Lehi. If we want to focus on sin and wickedness, then that's what we'll see and that's what we'll find. Or we can decide to focus on the gospel, and the good things that do exist; so much so that we don't even desire to sin.
DeleteJoseph Smith said, “The nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin."
Love that quote!
That struck me too today that Lehi hadn't noticed the filth of the water. Great perspective!
DeleteWhat a cool point! I'd never caught that before.
DeleteV34 reminded me of this quote by Hugh B. Brown, "Any man may enter the highest degree of the celestial kingdom when his actions have been such that he can feel at home there."
ReplyDeleteIf our actions are "filthy" in this life, we're not going to want to be in a "clean" celestial kingdom. In a small way it's like going to a fancy party or dinner and being severly under-dressed. You feel uncomforable and want to get out. But if your attire matches the occasion, you feel more at home.
My comment today comes from the second talk you posted. It really stood out to me how important it is to read, and ponder the book of Mormon. It seems so simple and yet the promised blessings from doing so remind me of the part in the scriptures where they just had to look at the scepter and live (ha ha, I can't remember if it was to look at a scepter or a snake or maybe a scepter that looked like a snake:) anyway, because of the simpleness of it many did not look and perished. I think I forget how simple God's commandments can be, but if we truly study and ponder the scriptures we are promised that we will not fall into temptation, that we will find peace and joy. That this book will bring us closer to God than any other book. That peace will fill our homes, that our children will be blessed and protected. It feels silly to think of not reading and pondering the Book of Mormon and yet because of the simpleness of it I think I forget to look and live. So thanks for doing this Melissa because it has helped me be more intentional about my study of this amazing book!
ReplyDeleteI liked 24 in referring to the iron rod: "whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." This visual is awesome and frighening. I like that it points out that if you hold fast to the rod, you will not be overpowered. It doesn't say that you won't get hit by the adversary. Holding fast to the iron rod isn't going to give you a perfect life or no temptations. But when you cling to the word of God, Satan cannot have you. We aren't perfect and so mistakes and sin is inevitable, but we are essentially clinging to God, who in turn won't let us fall or perish.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read this verse I picture Satan using these precision sharpened weapons, heated up until the points are red hot. He then takes aim carefully and intentionally at our weakest points, searching tirelessly for the gaps in the armor. And if it works once, why not keep aiming at the same spot?
DeleteI really like verse 24, talking about the power holding onto the iron rod gives to overcome temptation. Because the iron rod leads us to feel God's love, we can overcome the temptations of life. In 2 Nephi 4, Nephi says he's been filled with the love of God, to the consuming of his flesh. As we hold to the iron rod, we will reach the tree of life and be partakers of the love of God (Christ's atonement) unto the consuming of our flesh--or weaknesses.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any record of this, but I can picture Laman and Lemuel listening to Nephi and thinking, "Wait, how do you know the water was filthy if dad never noticed it?" I also was intrigued by Nephi's description of what the Justice of God looks like in verse 30, bright as a flame, and endlessly rising up, creates a strong contrast to filthy water.
ReplyDeleteI love the talk by President Packer, "The Key to Spiritual Protection" and in there a stake was struggling with tensions among the members and counsel needed to be given, and it was asked...what should I say? And the counsel given was very simple...read the scriptures. Soon the feeling of peace and inspiration will come, and a solution will present itself. Make scripture reading a part of your regular routine, and the blessings will follow. There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment. I loved this!! So many blessings come from following the word of God and thankful for the knowledge, hope and peace they give me and each of us!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! When I read that talk I felt like it would be a good one for today's reading. I love the counsel that he gave about the scriptures.
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