King Lamoni’s prayer for mercy

And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people. (Alma 18:41)

From this verse of prayer it is possible to tell some of the things Lamoni was taught by Ammon, even though the essential elements are only touched on by Moron who abridged the account.

“O Lord, have mercy” – Lamoni had to have been taught about 1) the plan of redemption and 2) about the Lord’s abundant mercy, such that he would feel inspired to ask for mercy.

“According to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people” – Lamoni had to have been taught about all the ways the Lord had had mercy upon the Nephites insomuch that he desired that for his own people. And it is most likely that he was taught about the intermediary role that the high priest (or high priestly king) played in pleading for the people, because he immediately assumes that role by interceding for his own people as well as pleading for himself.

One of the important principles all people have to learn in order to have the courage to ask for forgiveness for their sins is concerning the abundant mercy of God. Without this, we wouldn’t have the confidence to ask for Him to have mercy on us. This confidence is best built by hearing how the Lord has had mercy on others, particularly those who were in a worse case. (This is partly Ammon and his brethren were such great missionaries. They had been in an awful state, and the Lord had mercy on them, so they shared that, so that all those in similar states could trust that they could obtain mercy too.)

Let’s work on noticing the mercies that the Lord has bestowed on us and tell others about them.

Stephen’s wonders and miracles

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (Acts 6:8)

I think this is an interesting verse, especially because of its brevity. I wonder why it didn’t go into detail about what these wonders and miracles were that Stephen did. If it was healing, it probably would have said so. If it were teaching, it probably would have said something like what it says about the apostles, that he spoke the word with boldness and many believed because of the Spirit. So it had to be something that he did that was wondrous and miraculous.

Since Stephen and six others had been appointed to oversee the daily ministration of charity to the widows and others in need (see Acts 6:1-6), it is very likely that he was guided by the Spirit to those who particularly needed help…and who probably were reluctant to ask for it.  (We all know people like that, don’t we? We might be those kind of people too…)   So when the Spirit directed Stephen to give something to someone who turned out to need it, his ministry would have been a wonder and a miracle to them. It would have showed them that the Lord knew their situation and desired to succor them. His ministry would have demonstrated the Lord’s tender mercies.

It would take faith to carry out that kind of ministry, to follow the spiritual promptings to help someone who might look like they are doing okay, and only later find out that the service and help given was exactly what was needed.

It still takes faith to do that kind of ministry.

Nifty New Resource: The Scriptures, Mapped

If you’re having troubles getting an idea of where the stories happen in the Old and New Testaments, have a look at this new online resource called The Scriptures, Mapped.

Suppose you’re reading in Acts 20 and aren’t sure where Troas or Philippi are in verses 5-6. You can go to this resource, find Acts 20, and click on the highlighted names and it will show you on the map where they are.  In fact, when you open Acts 20, you can see on the map all the locations that are named in that chapter.

So. Cool.

How Tabitha made a difference

36 ¶ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. (Acts 9:36-41)

I always used to wonder why the widows were so emotional about the clothes Tabitha had made for them.

Recently I realized that in their widowhood, they had to scramble hard to provide for themselves and any children. If their husbands had been alive, these women would have been at home, weaving fabric for clothing and caring for their families. But since they had been thrust into the breadwinner role, there was no one to do the weaving, and they couldn’t take time from working to weave, and any ready-made clothing at this time would have been far out of the widows’ price range. So Tabitha’s service in providing clothing was truly significant.

The great service Tabitha did for the widows was pretty much indispensable to them, and that’s why the Lord permitted Peter to raise Tabitha from the dead.

The scripture makes me think about the little charitable acts we might do that can help the less fortunate keep their heads afloat. Maybe watching the kids for a single mother. Maybe taking food to a sick person who is all alone.

Some Thoughts on the Parable of the Wheat and Tares

24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matt. 13:24-30)

To me, this parable is about the church and how the church ends up with a mix of people in it, both good and bad. We wish it were all good, but of course people have their choice and at the same time that God does His work, Satan is also on the march, seeking to destroy faith and tempting to sin. It stands to reason that at the same time that God has His successes, Satan is going to have his as well, even in the church.

At the beginning, all the seed looks the same, but over time when the fruits of our works start to appear, then it becomes clear that some fruits are good, and other fruits are…not so great. Naturally, the bad fruits concern us, and we want to correct the people who were responsible or root them out.

To the desire to gather out the tares, Jesus says “Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.” Rooting out the bad requires a surgical precision and accuracy. Our knowledge is so often incomplete that we can’t always see the line between the good and the evil or the causes behind each, so if we were to try to root out the bad, we might accidently condemn something good that had been intertwined with it. Good people might see the condemnation and say to themselves, “I have those qualities in myself too; I must be evil as well,” and become discouraged and self-condemning. Or we might not root out all the bad and thereby give those left some reason for self-justification and complacency.

Instead, Jesus says, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” The key word there is grow. Both good and evil does not remain the same over time. They both grow. Evil that was present only in thought or intent eventually become action, and if it isn’t arrested by repentance, it multiplies into a pattern of behavior, then grows into a habit, and hardens into a way of life. And naturally, patterns of life may be hidden for a while, but eventually they manifest in stronger and bolder public actions. When evil gets that big, then it can be dealt with by church discipline.

In the same way, good that was only sporadic likewise turns into a pattern, then a habit, then a confirmed way of living that brings a rich harvest of blessings.

So how does this parable help us? If we’re wise, we will look at everything we do and think about what it might turn into if it is grows bigger and stronger in our life. If we don’t like what it will become, we need to squash it. If we want more, we need to nurture it.

Our errors and mistakes and sins will magnify over time if we don’t repent and overcome them.  Laziness will turn into inactivity and spiritual apathy. Unbelief and fault-finding will grow into apostasy. Looking to lust will turn into adultery. Occasional meanness and flashes of temper will grow into cruelty and abuse.

On the other hand, our service will become sacrifice. Diligence in the scriptures will become the skills of a scriptorian. Kindness will become deep charity. Following the promptings of the Spirit will make us a mighty instrument in the hands of God. Paying regular tithing will become complete and total consecration. Encouraging others will become inspirational leadership. Exerting a particle of faith over and over turns into the ability to move mountains and work wonders.

No doubt the Lord wants us find the tares in our own character and weed them out before they grow into something so malignant and poisonous that requires others to remove us out of the kingdom. He also wants us to continue to nurture the goodness within us that we can eventually enjoy the unspeakable satisfaction of heaven’s favor.

Some Challenging Directions from the Lord to the Brother of Jared

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel. (Ether 2:5)

It is interesting that the Lord directed the brother of Jared to take the people into an area where man had never gone before. Now, people are pretty adventurous, so when there’s a place no one has gone before, it is usually because the route looks really forbidding and desolate. So it might have looked like there was a really good reason no one had gone that way.

But if the Lord wanted them to take that route, it was because He knew more about it than man did, that He saw it had the resources to supply their needs even if it didn’t appear to.  (And if it didn’t, He could provide by miracle and build their faith.)  It would take faith to follow the Lord’s directions, trust that it would be alright when appearances were against it.

Not everyone has the faith to do this kind of thing. In Numbers 20:1-8, the children of Israel were led to the desert of Zin where there was no water, and they gathered against Moses to complain, wishing they had died before then and wondering why they had been led there. A miracle brought them water, but even if they hadn’t complained, they would have needed the miracle anyway.  But it would have been better for them if they could have refrained from complaining at all and simply recognized their need for a miracle.

So, lesson #1 – The Lord may lead us in ways that don’t look very possible, and it takes faith to follow.

Lesson #2 – The Lord wants us to learn to depend on Him, so He will bring us by ways that require us to do that.

Lesson #3 – The Lord brings us to places where miracles are required so that we can experience what He is capable of doing. But these places also require a lot of faith from us too.

Lesson #4 – It is best not to murmur when we are stuck and simply realize we need miracles and ask for them.

Part of the Great Work of the Lord which Nephi Sees

In 1 Nephi 13-14 we have parts of Nephi’s vision in which he saw history and the future (all of which was future for him). We are pretty familiar with the parts of history from 1 Nephi 13:

·      The formation of the great and abominable church

·      The Gentiles coming out of captivity to the land of promise

·      The fight for independence

·      The book carried with them that has many covenants and prophecies

·      The coming forth of the Book of Mormon

However, we are less familiar with the stuff from 1 Nephi 14, except for v12-14 that talks about the mother of abominations gathering multitudes to fight the saints and the saints being armed with the power of God.  Let’s look at v1-10:

1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks—

2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.

3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell—yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.

4 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.

5 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repenteth not must perish.

6 Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.

7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.

8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.

9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.

10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. (1 Nephi 14:1-10)

What I realized is these verses have important aspects of history too, but it is hard to see how because we’re in it.

These verses talk about:

·      the Lord taking away stumbling blocks,

·      a great work that either convinces and delivers people to life, or brings them to captivity and destruction temporally and spiritually

·      people of the great and abominable church digging pits and falling into them themselves and becoming captives of the devil

Don’t we live in a day in which all kinds of deep pits are being dug for people which can take them captive? Pornography is a pit. Excessive cell phone use is a pit. Drug use is a pit. Excessive video gaming is a pit. All kinds of addictions are pits. The risks of captivity through addiction today have multiplied, and there are lots of people that stumble over this, that, or the other thing.

But the Lord wants people to know the risks and avoid stumbling and falling into the pits, so He will do His best to make the truth known and people have to choose. We all of us have to choose whether we go on and stay in our various pits (because we all have our struggles and vulnerabilities that drag us down into pits) or whether we will get out of it and leave it alone.

Further, verse 3 warns that those who dig the pits for others to fall into will fall into them themselves, to their utter destruction. So that’s a warning to those figuratively in any “pit-digging” industries to get out of that work.

Whenever the prophets warn us about something, they are pointing out a pit that we might fall into. I’m so grateful for that because it takes a number of years for society to get the memo that certain things are harmful, and even then, they may never get it. If we went by society, we would become casualties of whatever it is.  But if we listen to the prophets, we will know to be cautious ahead of time, even if we don’t immediately see and understand the full significance and danger.

The Five Kings Joshua Conquered: A Type of Christ

16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.

17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.

18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:….

22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon….

26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day. (Joshua 10:16-18, 22-23, 26-27)

In Joshua 10 is told of the five kings that combined to fight against Joshua and Israel. The kings’ forces were discomfited and the kings fled and hid in a cave, and the Israelites were commanded to put stones over the mouth of the cave to keep them in there until the battle was over.  Once the battle was done, Joshua had the kings brought out, and he staged a foot-on-the-neck demonstration to show the Lord would help Israel conquer the land of Canaan. Then he had the five kings killed, hung in the trees until sundown, then thrown back in the cave and great stones laid in the cave mouth.

It seemed to me that what happened to the five kings was a sort of twisted type of Christ, though slightly out of order and in two parts.

First part:  Kings. Kept in a cave (like a tomb), with great stones to prevent them from getting out. With men set by to keep them there. And then they are brought out alive.

Second part: Kings hung on trees until sundown, then put in the cave with great stones over the cave’s mouth.

As you can see, the parts are out of order, so it isn’t a perfect type, but it is still recognizable how it anticipates the crucifixion, the entombment, and resurrection of Christ. And too, Joshua as the high priest orders all of this to happen, taking the part of the Jewish and Roman authorities who condemned Christ.

Some of Jesus’s Interesting Instructions to the Twelve about Missionary Work

In Matthew 10, Jesus gives His disciples instructions about missionary work. I found v26-28 particularly interesting this time through.

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. (Matt. 10:26-27)

Why emphasize this thing about secrets being revealed? And how is that supposed to help them with their missionary work?

I realized this was a promise that Heavenly Father would reveal to them (the disciples) ahead of time secret things about their listeners. They were to talk about those things and teach principles about those things. That divinely-given knowledge was to be a sign to their hearers that Heavenly Father knew them intimately and that what they were hearing was the truth.

We see a specimen of this in the story of the woman at the well. Jesus told her, “thou has had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband…” (John 4:18).

How would these things be revealed?

·      “what I tell you in darkness” – This was an oblique reference to dreams. Heavenly Father can use dreams to reveal things to His disciples.

·      “what ye hear in the ear” – This is an oblique reference to the still, small voice of the Spirit, which can reveal things as well.

Heavenly Father knows all the details of our lives. He can reveal those things to His servants when He deems it will bring us closer to Him and help us repent.

Jesus casts out an unclean spirit

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. (Mark 1:23-26)

One observation frequently made about this story is that the unclean spirits recognize Jesus, not having a veil over their memory. But if you notice, that knowledge doesn’t do any good.  The effect they have on the man they have possessed is to torment him, making him think he can have nothing to do with Jesus, as if Jesus is some different kind of person and that He has come to destroy all the wicked.  The man seems to have had an over-consciousness of his sins combined with despair, a view that he could expect no help from Jesus.

But once Jesus cast the unclean spirit out, the man knew Jesus could help him. Unclean spirits want to paralyze people with a sense of their unworthiness to keep them from getting the spiritual help they need.

Now, here’s a question – if the text had not labeled this man as having an unclean spirit, would we have been able to tell that was his problem? (Read through it, covering up the label, and see.) Could we have known from his words and behavior what his problem was?   I suspect this story is in the scriptures exactly so that we can learn to recognize and diagnose this problem.

Here’s another question—If we ever recognize this kind of spirit in ourselves, can we discern that and cast it out?  Because it must be cast out in order to exert the faith for salvation.

I think this story should help us learn discernment so we can recognize when we are under the influence of this kind of unclean spirit so we can escape. It is hard to escape that sort of thing if you think it is you instead of realizing it is a spiritual influence. Remember, it is not you.  Cast it out. Tell Satan where to get off.