Ponderize Scripture
James 1:6
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
2/23 Tues
John 9:15 Repentance requires that we "wash" (act). God provides the clay but we must do the washing ourselves- significant that He did not just heal him on the spot, he required that he go and wash himself. How is action required on my part to overcome sin? What can I do to make the Atonement work in my life? Turn to Him in prayer, recognize and believe He can heal me, partake of the sacrament, go to the temple, serve, move forward with faith to be obedient to what He has asked of me.James 1:6
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
2/23 Tues
John 9 Samuel's thought- How does the Sabbath bring healing in my life? Why is it significant that the Savior healed on the Sabbath? Partaking of the sacrament and keeping the sabbath day holy gives me the renewal I need to start a new week fresh, free of sin.
John 9:34 Pharisees have the attitude that this man is born in sin and "how can he teach them"--> pride keeps us from learning from everyone around us- again the idea that God does not judge others and Satan is the one that makes us think that our works/faith/religion make us better than others. Not true. Am I humble enough to learn from those around me? Do I subconsciously make judgements of others and cut myself off from learning?
John 9:39-41 God comes to humble everyone (the blind shall see and those that see shall be made blind)--> How am I blind? How do I maintain an attitude of humility in my life? Prayer- recognize His hand in everything daily (something I can work on daily at night). Attitude of gratitude- one of not complaining but instead being grateful for all of the many blessings I work hard to see daily.
2/24 Wed
John 10:4 "know his voice" keeps him from fleeing from Him. John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and they know me" How do I come to know and trust Christ's voice through the Holy Ghost?
2/24 Wed
John 10:4 "know his voice" keeps him from fleeing from Him. John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and they know me" How do I come to know and trust Christ's voice through the Holy Ghost?
Matt 11:28-30 "come unto me"
Footnotes:
Psalm 55:22 "cast your burden on the Lord" and "He shall never suffer you to be moved" --> promise of overcoming Satan's temptations
Isaiah 55:3 "incline your ear and come unto me"--> listening to the Hoky Ghost's promptings help us to come unto Him
TG "problem solving" Do I come to God with all my problems or do I seek others?
Prov 3:6 acknowledge Him and He shall direct paths--> trust that He is directing my ! paths
Prov 4:7 "with all thy getting get understanding"--> think of ways to apply what I learn with wisdom in my life, what am I doing with what I learn to increase my faith and act?
Thurs 2/25
TG Problem solving-
Mark 9:29 fasting and prayer help us come unto Him
Luke 14:28 "count the cost" of your decisions or indecisions
James 1:5-6 if any of you lack wisdom, let Him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given Him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
---this sensation is familiar. How do we ground ourselves in faith? What causes us to get picked up by the waves? Makes me think of swimming in the ocean.
BYU Speech "Some Lessons on Fear and Faith" Gregory Clark
"When I am living in faith, I don’t fear change, or changing myself, for the better. But when I am living in fear, I find change and changing—for the better, at least—almost impossible.'
What is fear?
"I think it is rooted in the assumption (one that comes all too easily to me if I am not paying attention) that I must solve all my problems and face all my challenges alone, using my own resources."
- Fear relates to pneumonia (bronchitis??)- it can become paralyzing if you don't recognize its first symptoms (feeling like you can't overcome problems or sorrows or like you have to do it on your own). You have to learn to recognize it early on.
"Take very seriously the power of fear—to watch for its symptoms and to do what I must to address them directly when they come. Fear, coming on in little increments no more disabling than a nagging cough or stuffy nose, has the power to eventually cancel out the faith that would enable me to move ahead with confidence, knowing that with the Lord’s help I can indeed change myself and even the circumstances around me for the better."
Alma 32:21 Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things. "hope for things which are not seen, which are true"
"Take very seriously the power of faith." We must choose faith daily--> "each day—and, on some days, each moment—I must choose to proceed on the basis of faith, remembering the Lord’s past blessings and believing in and acting upon my hope in His promises. I have to do that even when the evidence of present trouble is almost overwhelming. I have to remind myself constantly to choose faith and keep choosing faith in the face of realities that seem to contradict it and to do that for as long as it takes. This is, I think, what Moroni means by a “trial” of faith. I have to remind myself that this choice of faith will, sooner or later, result in answers to my prayers and miracles in my life."
"I have begun to think that faith might well be the path that the power of the Atonement must travel if it is to transform our lives. It may be only in the moments when I am filled with faith, crowding out my fears, that I make myself available to the healing and enabling power of the Atonement. It may be only then that I can be comforted, restored, and made able to overcome my problems and to change for the better. Put another way, it may be that acting in faith to keep our covenants, sometimes directly in the face of fear, is the very transformation of our souls that the Atonement promises."
What does faith look like in daily practice?--President Hinckley & Moroni- Faith is a DAILY CHOICE to use the Atonement to overcome fear.
"It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. . . . Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. . . . If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."
Ether 12:27 He gives me weakness that I can come unto Him and He can make weak things become strong --> when I am aware of my own fear, turn to God and realize my need for the Atonement and put trust in the Lord to help me overcome it. Fear is a lack of trust in the Lord - take our fear to the Lord and He will enable us. Humility encourages FAITH. Pride brings fear because it does not include trust in the Lord.
What do I need to do each day to be humble enough so that the Lord can strengthen my faith?
"And the first fruits of repentance is baptism, and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling of commandments, and the fulfilling commandments bringeth remission of sin, and remission of sin bringeth meekness and lowliness of heart..."
It's a process we should practice as regularly as sleeping. Repentance and renewal helps me maintain humility. Fear is the prompt to turn and return to the Lord.
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BYU Speech "Some Lessons on Fear and Faith" Gregory Clark
"When I am living in faith, I don’t fear change, or changing myself, for the better. But when I am living in fear, I find change and changing—for the better, at least—almost impossible.'
What is fear?
"I think it is rooted in the assumption (one that comes all too easily to me if I am not paying attention) that I must solve all my problems and face all my challenges alone, using my own resources."
- Fear relates to pneumonia (bronchitis??)- it can become paralyzing if you don't recognize its first symptoms (feeling like you can't overcome problems or sorrows or like you have to do it on your own). You have to learn to recognize it early on.
"Take very seriously the power of fear—to watch for its symptoms and to do what I must to address them directly when they come. Fear, coming on in little increments no more disabling than a nagging cough or stuffy nose, has the power to eventually cancel out the faith that would enable me to move ahead with confidence, knowing that with the Lord’s help I can indeed change myself and even the circumstances around me for the better."
Alma 32:21 Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things. "hope for things which are not seen, which are true"
"Take very seriously the power of faith." We must choose faith daily--> "each day—and, on some days, each moment—I must choose to proceed on the basis of faith, remembering the Lord’s past blessings and believing in and acting upon my hope in His promises. I have to do that even when the evidence of present trouble is almost overwhelming. I have to remind myself constantly to choose faith and keep choosing faith in the face of realities that seem to contradict it and to do that for as long as it takes. This is, I think, what Moroni means by a “trial” of faith. I have to remind myself that this choice of faith will, sooner or later, result in answers to my prayers and miracles in my life."
"I have begun to think that faith might well be the path that the power of the Atonement must travel if it is to transform our lives. It may be only in the moments when I am filled with faith, crowding out my fears, that I make myself available to the healing and enabling power of the Atonement. It may be only then that I can be comforted, restored, and made able to overcome my problems and to change for the better. Put another way, it may be that acting in faith to keep our covenants, sometimes directly in the face of fear, is the very transformation of our souls that the Atonement promises."
What does faith look like in daily practice?--President Hinckley & Moroni- Faith is a DAILY CHOICE to use the Atonement to overcome fear.
"It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. . . . Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. . . . If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."
Ether 12:27 He gives me weakness that I can come unto Him and He can make weak things become strong --> when I am aware of my own fear, turn to God and realize my need for the Atonement and put trust in the Lord to help me overcome it. Fear is a lack of trust in the Lord - take our fear to the Lord and He will enable us. Humility encourages FAITH. Pride brings fear because it does not include trust in the Lord.
What do I need to do each day to be humble enough so that the Lord can strengthen my faith?
"And the first fruits of repentance is baptism, and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling of commandments, and the fulfilling commandments bringeth remission of sin, and remission of sin bringeth meekness and lowliness of heart..."
It's a process we should practice as regularly as sleeping. Repentance and renewal helps me maintain humility. Fear is the prompt to turn and return to the Lord.
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1 Nephi 15:8 when faced with a problem, "Have Ye inquired of the Lord?" Don't be like Laman and Lemuel who think God just has to give it to them.
Alma 37:37 Counsel (take counsel not give counsel to the Lord). Be humble and work it out with Him.
D&C 9:8 study it out in your mind- "you shall feel that it is right"
Fri 2/26
Fri 2/26
Behold Thy Mother (Jeffrey R. Holland)
What does it mean to "bear the burdens of others?" It means I listen and open up. Do I listen like a mother would? Do I take the opportunities to build and lift others by listening and making time for them? I think, too often, I get caught up in my own schedule, time, and life and don't make the time for others. Or rather, I don't recognize the opportunities to listen when they come.
Sat 2/27
Luke 10:27 "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and they neighbor as thyself." My main goal should always be to love God with all of my soul, strength, mind. When I fail to love others, I'm actually failing to love God. He is the one/source that will give me the strength and ability to love others. It is also a choice on our part, but the choice is easier when we seek to love God with all of our SOUL. What does that entail? I think of my true desires deep down, my thoughts, my actions, the way I spend my time.
Luke 10:36 Interesting that the parable of the good Samartin was really used to answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?" It is anyone that is need of compassion. Do I see needs for compassion and instead walk past? (Maybe I should carry food in my car for homeless people I see on the street, and a passalong card). What else could I do? Those at work or in my spheres of influence. Really, we all need more compassion and kindness. We all have a need for others around us to be more compassionate with us because we're all going through something!
Luke 10:40-42 Is my life so full and organized and planned out that it leaves me "cumbered about," "careful and troubled" and unwilling to yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost? You can't always plan the Holy Ghost's promptings. Also, sometimes we need to just let our plan go and serve in the ways that are necessary in the moment and not in the ways we have planned or that we want to do.
What does it mean to "bear the burdens of others?" It means I listen and open up. Do I listen like a mother would? Do I take the opportunities to build and lift others by listening and making time for them? I think, too often, I get caught up in my own schedule, time, and life and don't make the time for others. Or rather, I don't recognize the opportunities to listen when they come.
Sat 2/27
Luke 10:27 "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and they neighbor as thyself." My main goal should always be to love God with all of my soul, strength, mind. When I fail to love others, I'm actually failing to love God. He is the one/source that will give me the strength and ability to love others. It is also a choice on our part, but the choice is easier when we seek to love God with all of our SOUL. What does that entail? I think of my true desires deep down, my thoughts, my actions, the way I spend my time.
Luke 10:36 Interesting that the parable of the good Samartin was really used to answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?" It is anyone that is need of compassion. Do I see needs for compassion and instead walk past? (Maybe I should carry food in my car for homeless people I see on the street, and a passalong card). What else could I do? Those at work or in my spheres of influence. Really, we all need more compassion and kindness. We all have a need for others around us to be more compassionate with us because we're all going through something!
Luke 10:40-42 Is my life so full and organized and planned out that it leaves me "cumbered about," "careful and troubled" and unwilling to yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost? You can't always plan the Holy Ghost's promptings. Also, sometimes we need to just let our plan go and serve in the ways that are necessary in the moment and not in the ways we have planned or that we want to do.
Sun 2/28
"We are not human beings having a spiritual beings but spiritual beings having a human experience." --my spiritual growth and development is primary to all other pursuits. It should show in my priorities. Do I put the Lord first in all I do?
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