Scripture Study - Enlightenment

 1/12/24 - Enlighten

And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth (light of Christ) your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understanding; which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space - The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. (D&C 88:11-13)

For thou wilt light my candles (lamp): the Lord my God will enlighten (clarify) my darkness. (Ps. 18:28) ... thou hast enquired of me and I did enlighten (truthful knowledge) thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth; (D&C 6:15) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened (education), that ye may know ... (Eph. 1:18) And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth (intelligence) every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. (D&C 84:46)

... It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten (discernment) my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. (Alma 32:28) Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten (inspire) your minds, which shall fill your soul with joy; (D&C 11:13) For by my Spirit will I enlighten (testimony) them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will - yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man. (D&C 76:10) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening (edifying) the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. (Ps. 19:7-9)

... wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened (refreshed). (1 Sam. 14:27)

Insights: Light and enlightenment comes from God. Evil cannot provide light, only darkness, so when we have light, we can know it is from God. We are all entitled to that light, as it is in all - even God himself. It is through the Spirit that the physical manifestations of enlightment come. This can include clarification when we have questions, truthful knowledge when we are confused, education when we are seeking, and intelligence on how to use the knowledge we receive. It also gives us discernment when there are more than one option - both between a good and bad option, as well as between two or more good options. To be enlightened by the Spirit inspires us, builds our testimonies, and edifies, or builds us up. But perhaps most surprising and most needed right now for me about enlightment is the ability to refresh. This time we have been living through has been unlike any other with a global pandemic, wars, global ecological mayhem, and the fear, aggression, and hopelessness that have ensued. It's taken a toll on me, and most likely on everyone else around the world. We are not the same people that we were only 5 years ago and my spirit has been dragging from it. Even though I know that God can do all things, I am excited to pray for that refreshment - to know that it is a form of enlightenment. I challenge you to pray for and seek enlightment in your life even as I do the same!

Scripture Study - Restore/Restoration

 1/11/24 - Restore/Restoration

For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; ... (Jer. 30:17) The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. (Ps. 23:1-3) 

Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. (Alma 11:42-44) ... see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; ... (Alma 41:14-15) Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness. (Alma 41:10) ... and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you. (Hel. 14:31)

And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works. (Hel. 12:24 And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee... (D&C 109:21)

Insights: The Lord delights in restoring us. He can restore our peace and even our physical wellbeing if we ask in faith and it is His will. Additionally, we are promised a physical restoration of our bodies after death in the resurrection. This is marvelous, but perhaps of greater concern for us in the here and now is the restoration of blessings for the eternities. He wants to restore good to us, peace to us, happiness to us. But just as there are natural consequences in life, He can only restore to us what we allow Him. Our decisions, our actions, our words, and thoughts, dictate what He is able to restore to us. Some may call it karma, but it is plain that what we put out in this life, will be returned to us. If we put out good, good will come back. If we put out bad, a just God cannot reward bad with good. But what about mercy? God, in His perfection, is the most just of all. But mercy can play a part, if we repent of our "bad" and turn away from it and back to Him, who is good. Only then can mercy take the place of justice. The key is to repent quickly - to have that change of heart sooner rather than later. Don't wait to make a change, if necessary; for we don't know the hours we have left before it becomes too late!

Scripture Study - Hear/Hearken

 1/9-10/24 - Hear/Hearken

God listens:

And God heard the voice of the lad; ... (Gen. 21:17) And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people ..., and have heard their cry...; for I know their sorrows; (Ex. 3:7) I have seen, I have seen the affliciton of my people ..., and I have heard their groanings, and am come down to deliver them. (Acts 7:34) ... if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31)

We listen:

He that is of God heareth God's words: ... (John 8:47) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matt. 11:15) ... Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you. (Num. 9:8) Hearken unto me (Christ), ye that follow after righteousness, ... (2 Nephi 8:1)

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear (reverence) the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: (Deut. 31:12) Now these are the commandments, the statues, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them... Hear therefore, ... and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, ... (Deut. 6:1, 3) Hear instructions, and be wise, and refuse it not. (Prov. 8:33) He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth (obey) reproof getteth understanding. (Prov. 15:32) ... Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in the quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. (Eccl. 9:16-17) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. (Matt. 7:24) But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Nephi 9:29)

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. God shall hear, ... (Ps. 55:17, 19) ... Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Cor. 2:9) And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; ... (Mosiah 9:18) And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given. (Mark 4:24)

But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are remembered among those whom the Father hath given me. (3 Nephi 15:24) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27) ... Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37) ... the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Acts 10:44)

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Tim. 4:16) Wherefore, my beloved brothren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:19) Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words ..., and keep those things which are written therein: ... (Rev. 1:3) Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless the, ... (Deut. 7:12)

Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness - in the wilderness, because you cannot see him - my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound. (D&C 88:66) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20) ... for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; (D&C 29:7)

Insights: God hears our prayers, and will respond in His time and His way. There have been many times when I've asked for a specific help and it hasn't come right away or in the way I had expected the help to come. Yet, I have later realized that when His answer came, it was more perfect than what I had thought it was that I needed right then. Remembering the His will is always better than mine is challenging, but there is great hope in this and it can help us through some of the more challenging times in our lives.

We need to listen as well. God will speak to us, generally through the Holy Ghost, and in the quiet moments, but it is our responsibility to be quiet enough to hear Him. As we school ourselves to listen and obey those promptings that come, we are refined and given more from the Lord. Blessings will increase and our personal peace and joy will grow. Those promptings will be truth regardless of what the world says, and that truth will last forever -  longer than the flawed idea's of man will last. 

Ultimately, the Lord wants us to be with him. He gives us all we need, but we need to choose to listen and obey and if we do, He will bless us with all that He has. That is worth the sacrifice to find quiet moments each day to spend listening and then obeying.

Scripture Study - Build

 1/8/24 – Build

Every wise woman buildeth her house: … (Prov. 14:1) Through wisdom is an house builded: and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Prov. 24:3-4) And they that shall be of thee (disciples of Christ) shall build the old waste places: thou (Christ) shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (Isa. 58:12) Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: … (Ezek. 36:36) Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (Ps. 127:1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. (3 Nephi 11:39)

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Eph. 2:19-22) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder. I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. (1 Cor. 3:9-10) Build upon my rock, which is my gospel; (D&C 11:24) Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine (Christ), and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the flood came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Matt. 7:24-25) As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Col. 2:6-7)

Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. (D&C 6:34)

Insights: As we travel through our days and weeks, months and years, what is our foundation? What is it that gives us anchor and holds us as we navigate the many complexities of life? For me, my foundation is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m still just a baby in my comprehension but the Lord doesn’t expect us to be perfect right away. This is why we have this whole life experience, to gain wisdom and understanding, and to act accordingly – “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: … a time to build up; …” (Eccl. 3:1, 3). I may never be perfect in this life, but that’s why our loving Heavenly Father sent His Beloved Son, to make up for the lacking that I have – the lacking we all have. All I am asked to be is the best that I can be and Jesus bridges the gap. Jesus is my foundation that I build my life, my actions, my thoughts, my desires upon. He is my guiding star pointing me in the direction of the path back to my Heavenly Home. If I stay true, I am promised that no matter what the world throws at me, in the end, all will be made perfect and fair. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, …”