Ponderize Scripture: John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thrist."
Monday 1/18
Carole M. Stephens If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments "We can choose to see commandments as limitations. We may feel at times that God's laws restrict our personal freedom, take from us our agency, and limit our growth. But as we seek for greater understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience to His laws is an expression of our love for him." This principle is so simple. Obedience shows our love and respect. Obedience to parents, to the laws of the land, to our teachers, to God. The more obedient I am, the more love I have and also am developing. It is so interesting that it is an act of faith and it requires trust. "God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do. We can trust Him 'because God wants his children back.'" I can trust that He has a better plan for me than I do. I also think that it will all work out. It has to, because He said so. I love this..."the ultimate expression of obedience and love is the Atonement of Jesus Christ." In showing my appreciation of what Christ has done for me, I can be obedient and love as well. "In this world of increasing fear, distraction, adversity, and anger, we can look to them to see how disciples of Jesus Christ--filled with charity--look, sound, and react to issues that could be divisive." How comforting this is to me. Follow the prophet, and I won't go astray!
Tuesday 1/19
John 6:22-71, v.35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Bread and water sustain and give life to us physically. The Atonement already overcomes physical death but I think that Christ is referring more to spiritual life here. What does 'cometh to me' mean? To me it means being a disciple of Christ, following after him, doing what he did and what he taught...to love and serve others. What does 'believeth on me' mean? To me it means to repent and use the Atonement in my life, knowing that the Savior will take away my sins, trials, weaknesses, etc... Interesting that I need to not only use the Atonement but also strive to become better, more like Christ.
v. 54 "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." I think of the scripture that says that some people at the day of judgment will ask Jesus to save them and his response is that he never knew them. One way to make sure to this never happens to me is to always partake of the sacrament each week without exception. Attending church is vital to spiritual well-being.
This section is so interesting at how many of the disciples of Jesus turned away after this. They did not believe that Jesus is the bread of life. They didn't have the faith---experiment on what he was telling them. Faith is key.
Wednesday 1/20
Matt 15:1-20 v. "This people draweth night unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Do I ever say or do things that I don't mean? Praying for charity always helps to have pure intent. v.12 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." Words are very important. Do I uplift others with my words or am I critical of others? If I am, then maybe I need to think of how I can help others...I need to think about this more. v.18-19 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" This is really interesting. This might be a litmus test for the state of my heart...if I am being critical and don't have nice things to say, then my heart and my intention and my desires need help. I realize how important it is to keep tabs on the state of my heart. All of my thoughts, words and actions are initiated from my intentions and desires. I need to think more about this.
Thursday 1/21
Matt 15:28, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee as thou wilt..." A canaanite woman's daughter was healed because the woman believed and showed her faith by seeking Jesus. It was her faith that caused the healing to occur. If I want to be healed, how can I show the Lord that I have faith that he can heal me? How do I develop that faith more readily? The woman didn't give up; she was persistent in her pleas. Consistent prayer is important.
Matt 15:32, Mark 8:2; "I have compassion on the multitude..." It amazes me how often the Savior has compassion. He is genuinely concerned about others. His whole mission was the well-being of others. How can I increase my compassion/concern/thoughts directed to others?
Matt 16:4 "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be give unto it." Signs don't require faith. I feel like signs can be a type of entitlement. Signs are meant only for those who are exercising faith and acting in their lives.
Friday 1/22
Luke 12:1 "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees." I have to be careful to not mistake things of the world are things of God. It is so apparent in today's world. Beware to being led astray. The scriptures, words of the living prophets, the Holy Ghost help with this.
Mark 8:22-26 A blind man is healed by degrees even though he had faith to be healed. Sometimes that is how things will work in my life. It may not happen all at once, but by degrees that require that I still have faith and believe before the miracle can be fully realized.
Matt 16:16 "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter knew for sure who Christ was. How do I know who Christ is? What have I done to gain a witness? ...and how do I keep that witness strong?
Saturday 1/23
Matt 16:24-25 "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." I love these scriptures. Christ describes how one should follow him. I think that saving one's life is looking in at one's own life (selfishness) and losing one's life is looking to help, encourage, support others (selflessness). The Lord promises that thinking about and seeking to help and support others does more help one to let go of worldly lusts and keep the commandments than looking inwards in one's own life. I think of the saying of my will instead of thy will be done. God can take me and make me better than I can make myself. It takes faith and trust but I know that he will.
Sunday 1/24
Luke 9:28, "...he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray." Christ often went into a solitary place to pray and be alone. He needed it being a perfect example. How much more do I need it in my life. I can't go without prayer. Importance of seeking a solitary place often to speak to God (temple, fasting, morning/evening longer prayers, when out in nature).
Luke 9:35 "And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him." There is a Father in Heaven to loves us, his children and sent his Son Jesus Christ to provide the perfect example of love in fulfilling the Atonement for all of us.
Matt 17:11 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." Thoughts on this, one needs to prepare before Christ comes. Repentance, forgiveness, service, keeping the commandments... What things do I feel I need to do to be prepared for the Savior to 1) come into my life figuratively and 2)come again a second time?
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