As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest. Jesus Christ offers rest to our souls. In a busy world, we all could use a little more rest. Some people leave their faith traditions searching for happiness in the wrong places. They may think that too much is being asked of them, that the higher laws are too much work. But as President Nelson teaches, it is "more exhausting to seek happiness when you can never find it!"
I am grateful for the safety and rest of the covenant path. As President Nelson has stated, we live in a "sin-sick world" (see "A Plea to Sisters," President Russel M. Nelson, October 2015 General Conference). The challenges and temptations that my children will face as they grow up are daunting. Unprecedented. But there is always hope and peace in Christ. Because of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, I don't have to raise children in a world full of wickedness without the Iron Rod—the word of God—to help lead through the increasingly turbulent clouds of darkness (see 1 Nephi 15:24). I am grateful for the recently updated "For the Strength of Youth" guidebook, that emphasizes to youth (and to all of us) that Jesus Christ is the source of our strength. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that can be our constant companion every day, and in every decision. What a glorious blessing that I don't want to take for granted!
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And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. The apostles "straightway" (right away, immediately) left their nets and followed Jesus. To follow their example, I need to consider (1) what "nets" I need to immediately leave behind, and (2) what new activities and attitudes I should embrace to replace "fishing". The apostles would have led unfulfilled, hungry lives if they had not replaced their fishing careers with their callings as fishers of men. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Just as the scribes and Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus by asking whether the woman taken in adultery should be stoned, Satan attempted to trap Christ. Satan tempted Christ to display his power over nature and authority as God's Son by turning the stones into bread. Yet the act of turning the stones into bread at Satan's request would, in fact, have negated his divinity. "It would have been an act of self-assertion and distrust, and therefore would have involved not the affirmation, but the denial of the Sonship which had so recently been attested." (See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/4-3.htm.)
And when [Jesus] had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. When Christ was tempted, he found strength in the words of scriptures. Referring the book of Mormon, President Ezra Taft Benson stated,
There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. (See https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/the-book-of-mormon-keystone-of-our-religion.) For me, hungering and thirsting after the words of Christ in the scriptures is a life-long process. Let me explain with an analogy. Due to some health difficulties acquired during my mission in Argentina, there are some days when I am not hungry even though it's meal time. My appetite is just not there. Other times, I am working away on a project and I forget about eating because I am so engaged in the task at hand. Finally, there are times when all I want to do is eat. Say it's Thanksgiving, for example. A delicious meal is before me and I'm secretly hoping that Dad says a short prayer so I can get a bite of the green been casserole. Likewise, there are some times where I lack the "appetite" to study the scriptures. On these days, I have to make a conscience effort to get out my Book of Mormon or Bible and read. If I can "no more than desire" to study the scriptures, I must "let this desire work in [me]" until I am able to study and gain understanding from the scriptures (Alma 32:27). Other times, distractions get in the way of scripture study. Facebook. Friends. News articles. Homework. Or a plethora of other activities. I have to be constantly aware of these distractions and schedule time for scripture reading. Other times, scripture reading comes naturally to me. I may have a question that I'm seeking an answer too. Or I may just be in the habit of reading the scriptures, so it's not as hard. Maybe I had a spiritual experience recently while reading the scriptures, so I'm more motivated to study them. At these times, I remember how much I love the scriptures. I remember why I read them. At these times, the word begins to "enlarge my soul." "And and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—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 my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me" (Alma 32:28). My goal is for the scriptures to be delicious. I seek to have a constant appetite and to not let distractions get in the way from scripture study. I seek to savor the word just as I savor the green bean casserole on Thanksgiving day. But just as Thanksgiving dinner is no fun to enjoy alone, I hope to share the delicious nourishment of the Gospel with others. In this way, I can give thanks to Christ for his enlarging, enlightening Gospel. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. How would it feel if the God of the Universe said to you, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"? I cannot think of a truth more important than the knowledge that I am God's child. While I may not hear God's verbal approval, I can know that God is pleased with me when I feel the Spirit in my life. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be with God. Near the end of his fast, Jesus went into the wilderness. With all the distractions around us, the wilderness is a place where we can feel near to God. Going into nature, we only hear and see the sounds and sights of God's creation.
The verse states that Christ was led "up" into the wilderness, suggesting he went to an area of high elevation. Since the days of Adam, prophets have gone to mountains to commune with God. Moses spoke face to face with God on a mountain. (See Moses 1:27-30.) Traveling to a high mountain is "symbolic of leaving Earth and approaching heaven itself." (See http://www.ldsphilosopher.com/blog_posts/temple-preparation-class-lesson-1/.) Despite being led by the Spirit up to the wilderness, Christ was tempted by the Devil. Even when we are trying to do the right thing--trying our very best to follow the Spirit--we will face the Devil's temptations. However, each of us has the ability to follow Christ's example and resist the temptation. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13.) |
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For anyone interested, I have a professional blog titled The Instructional Designer's Toolkit where I share tools and inspiration for instructional designers and e-learning developers.
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