First Seek to Obtain My Word

 I am so excited about my #40daysoflovewins journey - God inspired me with something I can DO to be an influence of love. That study and practice is creating miracles in my life.  Yet I am noticing Satan's constant efforts to deceive and distract me. Every morning I wake up thinking about what I might post on Facebook.  This desire, to spread love and light and knowledge and understanding, is a righteous yearning which God has planted in me.  Satan attempts to warp this desire, to make it about me, or about convincing others through my profundity.  I find myself checking my phone frequently, wondering how many 'likes' my status has.  And most disturbingly, I find myself opening the Facebook app before my Gospel Library app.

This morning I humbled myself, opened up my Gospel Library, started a "My Prayers" notebook, and prayed earnestly to God in writing.  I recognized the strength of the natural man in me and pled for Him to help me put it off.  As I prayed, D&C 11:21 came into my mind. "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."

So I sought.  I asked God to lead me to the scriptures I should study.  The answer was unmistakably clear, and as I studied the subject he had brought to my mind I was blessed with precious insights spoken to my mind and heart. This light was for me.

And then I started having thoughts I feel prompted to share about this principle of the Gospel - that of seeking to obtain his word.  The internet and social media provide amazing opportunities to declare the word.  The LDS church is engaged in multiple media outlets, sharing and declaring the doctrine. I sometimes forget that the Apostles of God seek to study his doctrine and to know his will, and only act to declare it to the church and the world when they have received tutoring from God to their hearts of the principle and how to act.

Can we, as a church, follow that principle?  Can I?  

D&C Section 11 teaches the process of spiritual enlightenment and how to have the power of God unto the convincing of men.

12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

 13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;

 14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.

 15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.

 16 Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine.

 17 And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you.

 18 Keep my commandments; hold your peace; appeal unto my Spirit;

 19 Yea, cleave unto me with all your heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things of which has been spoken—yea, the translation of my work; be patient until you shall accomplish it.

 20 Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength. 
     
 21 Seek not to declare my word, but FIRST seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

What if every time we received counsel from our church leaders we enacted this principle? What if every time we see something on the internet that angers, confuses, frustrates, or saddens us we follow this principle? What if we enacted this principle in ALL of our interactions in life?

I have seen that every time I follow this principle I am blessed with humility, joy, knowledge, faith, and peace.  Those are great blessings.  The even greater blessing I have experienced is that every time I follow this process God very clearly prompts me with what I need to do.  More often that not that action is outside of my comfort zone, and contemplating it makes me feel queasy.  Yet if I am willing to follow the prompting even while feeling uncomfortable and queasy, I am always blessed with courage, and with confidence before God.  

Joseph Smith received the revelation of D&C 11 in May of 1829.  Nearly 10 years later, in March of 1839, the Lord reminded Joseph of this principle when the prophet came to the Lord while in Liberty jail, pleading for God to bring vengeance on the enemies of the church.

"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." (D&C 121:45)

It is significant to me that when Joseph cried unto God in the agony of his soul for relief and for vengeance that God first spoke peace to him, and then taught him that although many are called, few are chosen because of the tendency to unrighteously exercise control, dominion, and compulsion.  

I have personally experienced the fulfillment of the promise God made to the Prophet Joseph in Liberty jail.  I pray to have a greater desire and capacity to first seek to obtain the word.  I am confident that as I do this I will witness miracles in my life, and in the world at large.  

Humble myself as a little child

Today's scripture study: Matthew 18:1-4, the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is he who humbles himself as a little child. 

I was discussing this Sunday with friends, and how I as a parent of 5 young children always laugh when I hear children described as humble.  Kids aren’t saints – oh the pride of the gifted 8 year old who feels herself above her peers! (That was me.  And possibly one of my children.)  My friend Keith (who had taught a Sunday School lesson on this earlier in the day which I had missed) was sharing his desire to really understand why the Savior called a child over and put him in the center of his disciples. What was he really trying to teach? It seemed that as usual the class discussion had only tantalizingly hinted towards a deeper meaning. 

So I searched for more understanding and I discovered a few significant things:

1) In verse 3 it says "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."  The necessity for conversion is mentioned first.  Hmm.  The same pattern is found in Mosiah 3:19 and Moroni 8:10.  Still working on this one – I think Moroni 8:25-26 are significant in showing the process of how conversion/repentance and baptism/becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ lead to the development of childlike humility. 

2) The greek verb translated in this passage to mean humble is Tapeinoō, which means to make/bring low, abase, assign to a lower rank or place.  So, what was the rank/place of children in the time of Christ? I don’t yet know-that’s for another day.  This cultural insight will surely enhance my understanding.

3) Qualities of children the prophets counsel us to emulate are their sincerity in prayer, their unabashedness to speak their minds, and their total trust in their teachers.  In addition, the fundamental simplicity of the Gospel can be understood by children.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1984/04/the-simplicity-of-gospel-truths

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1988/04/without-guile

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/even-a-child-can-understand

(I found these talks using the LDS Scripture Citation Website - all I can say about it is that it's AMAZING.  TRY IT!!! I also have the app on my phone.)

4) Qualities I personally find universal in children – tender hearts and an unquenchable desire to understand. Children feel deeply for others in critical matters.  And have an endless supply of “Why?”

As always, the Lord is blessing me with exactly what I need – I have centered my parenting focus lately on noticing my children’s virtues and good deeds, and acknowledging them.  Continuing to ponder the significance of humbling myself as a little child will surely give me a boost in that respect.  Which is a mercy, because I gotta say, this particular parenting practice is not in my nature.  Yet.