This is my first day of the journey and I'm still figuring things out. One thing that has hit me is that it will be crucially important for your journey to be reading the chapters. Otherwise, the things I write will make little sense. Now that we've started, let's see it through to the end!
 |
| I found this tree at a family reunion back in 2013. I came across it today and it really spoke to me. "NO STOP" Got it. |
Right away, we see answers to our seven questions! Here's what I found:
v1 We learn from Nephi that there is a God. He is good and we can know Him. Nephi also makes a record of his knowledge which shows us that history can help us share knowledge.
v3 History can help us share knowledge of truth.
v4 Here we learn that men must repent. For as long as men have walked the earth, there has been a call to repentance.
v5-6 Lehi prayed to the Lord. The Lord is someone we can communicate. We can speak to Him and He can answer us.
v7-8 The Spirit communicates truth to men.
v14 What a beautiful verse about the Lord! He is marvelous and great! He has all power, goodness and mercy. What a blessing to know that God is indeed good and He will be merciful to us. We must turn to Him.
v15 I love how Lehi rejoices after his vision. It tells me that God fills men with true joy.
v18-19 I feel like his shows two sides of the condition of man. Directed by God, man can do great things, but when they harden their hearts against God, they will block out and even fight against messages of truth. The message is plain, but hard hearts will not hear it.
v20 This is one of my favorite verses. The wicked will continue to fight the goo, but God will protect His people. There are "tender mercies of the Lord" all around us in our daily lives and I feel like they are a manifestation of His love for us. There is actually a great talk about it! Here it is if you want to check it out.
The Tender Mercies of The Lord: David A Bednar
1 Nephi Chapter 2
v1 God can communicate with man in many ways. Men are blessed for being faithful, but the wicked harden their hearts against the righteous.
v2-4 I really admire Lehi's obedience in this section. The Lord tells him to do something and he obeys quickly. I need to have that same attitude towards God's commandments.
v4 I also feel like this verse is a priority check. If you had to leave, what would you bring? What is most important to you?
v11 Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father because they were not focused on God.
v12-13 There are a few reasons they murmured:
- They were the oldest (and therefore thought they knew best and let pride get the best of them)
- They did not understand the ways of God, their creator
- They did not believe the words of the prophets (specifically those regarding the destruction of Jerusalem
v14 Lehi spoke with power because he was filled with the Spirit. The Spirit changes hearts if we will let it.
v16 If we desire to know God and seek Him then He will visit us in His way ad help us to know the truth.
v17 God gives knowledge by the Spirit.
v19-24 The Lord speaks to Nephi. Here I learned that God blesses the faithful. Those who rebel against God are cut off. The Lord is merciful and just.
1 Nephi Chapter 3
v6 We can find favor in the Lord if we obey Him willingly.
v7 There is such power in this verse. Knowing that God will not ask us to do something without providing a way for us to do it fills me with hope and determination. Obedience may be difficult, but it is never impossible.
v17 Wickedness leads to destruction. Suffering come from wickedness.
v19-20 History preserves God's dealings with men so that future generations can be blessed.
v25 Wicked men lust after things. They are driven by passion rather than inspiration.
v29 The Lord favors the righteous. Wickedness hinders our ability to have a relationship with Him.
1 Nephi Chapter 4
v1 God is mightier than all the earth. If we are on His side, what can stop us?
v2 Men can have strength through the Lord and history helps us remember those things.
v3 The Lord can deliver you.
v6 The Spirit can guide you.
v10-13 The Spirit will direct you to the Lord's will. God is good and whatever He commands is good.
v14 God blesses men as they obey the commandments.
v15-17 History, the scriptures, tells us the laws of God.
v31 God gives strength.
1 Nephi Chapter 5
v2-3 Fear and doubt lead men to question what they know.
v4 God does speak to us. We can know of Him and His goodness only by revelation.
v5 The Lord does bless, provide, and protect.
v6 Men can be comforted with the words of the Lord.
v8 God gives commandments and protects those who are faithful to them.
v21 The commandments of God in scripture (in history) are meant to direct men.
v22 The Lord is wise beyond human understanding and knows what is best for us.
1 Nephi Chapter 6
v4 The purpose of history, specifically the scriptures and in this case the Book of Mormon, is to persuade men to come to God and be saved.
1 Nephi Chapter 7
v1 Marriage between a man and a woman is part of God's plan for His children.
v5,8 God softens the hearts of men, but they can choose to harden them.
v8-12 Men are prone to forget and wander away from the Lord.
v11-12 The Lord does great things for man and can do anything He wants.
v13 All things the Lord says will be fulfilled.
v14 Men lose the Spirit when they reject God's message.
v16 Sometimes hearing truth angers the wicked.
v17 There is power in a faithful prayer. God will give strength.
v20 Wickedness brings misery.
v21 Forgiveness comes from the Lord. Forgiveness heals.
1 Nephi Chapter 8
This is a really beautiful chapter that I will be coming back to again when we read chapter 11. Take the time to understand what is happening in Lehi's vision.
v3 We can rejoice in the Lord
v8-10 The Lord, in His mercy, can deliver us from the darkness and show us the good.
v11-12 The "fruit" is sweeter and purer than anything. It fills a soul with joy.
v13-18 You can invite others to partake of the good, but their choice remains.
v19 There is a straight and narrow way to joy.
v23 distractions come on the path to joy. They are never good.
v27 People will mock the joy of others.
v34 Those who listen to the voice of scorn fall away from the right path. Who are you listening to?
1 Nephi Chapter 9
v5 The Lord knows it is important for us to keep records even if we do not understand.
v6 The Lord knows all things. His work will be done. He has all power and can do all things.
We finished day one! I really like looking for answers in the scriptures as I read. It makes it more special to me. I see the answers jumping out at me. Already I have felt a stronger connection with the Lord and have gained a bit of a better understanding who He is. I see how lost we are without Him and how He truly has all power. I'm looking forward to learning more. :)
Next Reading: 1 Nephi 10-15
No comments:
Post a Comment