Keeping the commandments of the Lord are so important. I must keep the commandments of the Lord if I am to understand the things of God and be blessed. Lehi was commanded by the Lord to take his family and leave Jerusalem. Lehi's sons, Laman and Lemuel were lacking in faith, had no desire to know of the mysteries of God, didn't know of the dealings of God, complained and didn't believe their father, Lehi.
Nephi had a great desire to know the mysteries of God and prayed to the Lord to know that what his father, Lehi, said was true and the Lord visited him and softened his heart that he did believe his father's words. Nephi also told his brother, Sam, what the Lord had manifested unto him and Sam believed Nephi. Laman and Lemuel wouldn't believe their father, Lehi, or their brother, Nephi.
How can these brothers be so different when they are all children of the same parents and in the same family?
One of the main differences was that Nephi always kept the Lord's commandments and Laman and Lemuel were like those wicked people that were left in Jerusalem.
"And thus Laman and Lemuel being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And THEY WERE LIKE UNTO THE JEWS WHO WERE AT JERUSALEM, who sought to take away the life of my father."
Nephi prayed to the Lord in behalf of Laman and Lemuel because they didn't believe their father, Lehi or him. The Lord answered Nephi's prayer.
"And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands."
And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren." (1 Nephi 2:19-20, 22)
Because Nephi kept the commandments of the Lord he knew knew and understood the things of God and was blessed.
Please share a way you can apply what you have read this week to your life. Thank you.
The reading this week is 1 Nephi Chapters 8 thru 15.
10 comments:
Kathy one of the things I am enjoying reading the Book of Mormon this time is that I am listening to it (thanks to your idea) and also trying to write in my journal each day about what I have read. This scripture really stood out to me:
1 Nephi 4:1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?
The first time I remember thinking are they nuts? But knowing the outcome helps me to have more faith in my life. This teaches me no matter what to HAVE FAITH!!! If we have faith, then things will work out the way they are meant to be. It took extreme faith for Nephi to go into the city after his brother Laban and not be killed. I have seen this in my own life coming to Texas. I was debating on taking a northern or southern route through Texas and decided on the Southern route. Along the way my alternator in my car went out. The man who stopped to help me had just the right alternator for my truck and he replaced it for me. I knew he was an angel in disguise!! And I knew as I asked in prayer and faith that was the way I should go. Amazing where you life can go when you just have faith!!!
Having never read the Book of Mormon before, I am trying to read carefully so as to understand. I too have to remember to have faith and as in 1 Nephi 7:11-12 I should never forget that the Lord is able do all things according to his will and that he has done great things.
As a public school teacher, I have great challenges some days, so I pray for God's will in my life and my job as well and to have faith that things will work out.
I have had extra time to read and am pleased to say that I am on chapter 13 and this has helped me with reading my scriptures and recording them daily too!
I enjoyed this past week's reading - you said something about children with the same parents being so different. Well, first we must remember that we are all individuals and each have free agencies. As parents, you do your best to teach your children the path to follow.But as parents, you must then allow each child to make their on choices.Sometimes doing this is hard. It helps me to think of how hard it is for Heavenly Father to watch all of us bumping around down here trying to make it through.
And I just finished chapter 8 - which is one of my favorite chapters ( the tree of life and the iorn rod). Every time I read it though, the spirit is so strong that I tear up reading it.
Good Monday morning, Kathy! While the entire week's worth of passages helped bring the importance of faithfulness, Nephi's experience about prayer in a time of trouble really hit me. When he was bound, Nephi prayed for strength enough to break the binds and be able to free himself. Well, the Lord freed him, but not in the manner that Nephi prayed for. Instead, the Lord saw fit to loosen the binds just enough that they fell to Nephi's feet and free him. I stopped, chastised that we don't dare to pray with the method of how we want our prayers to be answered. The Lord will answer our prayers -- all of our prayers -- but not necessarily in the way that our minute minds think or that we hope. The Lord's squarely in charge.
Then, I was struck in yesterday's Relief Society meeting about the manner that President George Albert Smith set goals for himself. His personal goal-setting was very specific. He specified that he instructed himself to befriend the friendless, avoid the glare of high publicity, seek out the people who had been lead astray, etc. After having enough faith to live the life that God mapped out for him, he assessed his own life and developed personal goals how exactly how he could best fulfill God's plan. I felt chastised because I all too often get those two different processes and practices confused in my daily life and prayers. During this time of flux in my life, I find myself doing that far too often. While all the reading I do and lessons I hear all impress me, some hit closer to my mind and soul than others. The week's Book of Mormom reading and the Relief Society preparation made yesterday was just a Super Sabbath!
Kathy on the subject of why children with the same parents & upbringing are so different apart from agency I think that it reception of the Spirit- I think that is why I was receptive to learning about the church while my siblings have chosen their own way (I am a convert) My children have all chosen their own paths but I am hoping that they will chose to return- however I am so proud of all 3 of them as they each are great people who have so much to give the world!
Hello again - please excuse another post - I just got a new Android phone and am having way too much fun! Anyway, I found a free app (that I'll bet you all know, but I feel like I discovered some Rosetta stone!) called LDS Scripture Index. It contains key passages from all the books of the Gospel that link to essays and speeches from past LDS Presidents and other Church leaders as they implement and expound on that passage and tie the wisdom into modern life. The links can go back to work done fairly recently or many decades ago. And, yes, I did say a FREE app! I'm pretty sure it comes in other formats, too - like for iPhones, etc. Check it out if you haven't already done so! Peace to you all, Pat
Pat just downloaded the app! Kathy, I don't know if you have read "The Holy Secret" By James Ferrell but a lot of questions were answered by this book about Laman and Lemuel. It is just a different way to look at the way they acted!
That's great, Mary! I'm so happy you downloaded it and I hope you enjoy the app contents as much as I do! And, I goofed -- the app name is actually "LDS Scripture Citation Index" -- sorry.
I'm going to check out your tip on "The Holy Secret" by James Ferrell -- sounds like a winner, Mary. Thanks for sharing that.
This is fun -- I feel like I'm in grad school again with the thrill of learning, but without the 30-page papers in every class each semester ;-)
Thank you Mary and Pat. I just downloaded the book, "The Holy Secret" to the Kindle that my kids gave me for Christmas and read the 1st Chapter. Even though it is fiction I'm sure that I'll really enjoy the book. All the reviews that I read were excellent and 5 stars.
The index is awesome. It takes me right to the topic that I choose and found all the references in the Journal of Discourses. The app also includes "The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," every General Conference talk since 1942, and all the LDS scriptures.
Wow! Now I just need to read and study more. Thank you.
Yes it is fiction, but he pulls so many truths into it. The peacegiver is the first book he has written, this book isn't the sequel of the peacegiver, just a different story. It is an excellent book. His other book, The hidden Christ is not fictional he is actually talking about the Old Testament and how to find Christ there and everywhere. I haven't read that one yet, but everyone that I know who has says it is awesome. I am putting it on my Kindle to read this next trip!!! Happy reading :)
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