Living Water

There is something noteworthy about living water.

Stagnant water harbors bacteria, parasites, and other often undesirable pathogens.  Often pollution may be found therein.

Living water makes it hard for such things to thrive.

Living water is fluid and cleansing.

When you walk in living water, it feels as though there are snakes wrapping around your ankles.  The water seems to have a life of its own, and the surprise is that you never know what sensation it will cause on your skin.  But inevitably it has the ability to remove impurities and flush them far, far away.

Just as there are things physical, there are things spiritual.  Living spiritual water is cleansing, purifying, and has a life of its own.  Asking for living water for spiritual cleansing is a remarkable thing, as like physical living water, it has the capability to run wherever it supposes, cleansing, flushing, and nourishing all at the same time.  It defies gravity.  

What was Jesus saying? Matt. 8:26

For the last few weeks, every time I think about what I want to read in the Bible, my mind is drawn to St. Matthew 8.  It's funny, because I'll sit down and think, "What should I read today?"  It's a really fun way to study the scriptures, because I believe the Spirit whispers where to go, and if I'm paying attention, or listening closely enough, I'll get a book, a chapter, and sometimes a verse.  Then I get to figure out what I'm supposed to learn from it. 

Today, for the second or third time now, it was Matthew 8.  So I opened it up, and as I got reading, I came to the part where Jesus entered a ship, and his disciples followed along.  I always presumed that "disciples" = "apostles", but I don't think that's the case, as Matthew was soon called to "follow" Jesus in Matt. 9:9.  (Unless these chapters aren't necessarily chronological, which is the case with some of the books in the Bible. 

I don't know if these disciples were accustomed to riding in ships.  I, for one, am not.  Boats kinda petrify me.  Well, these disciples are on the ship, and a storm–"a tempest"–comes, and it says "the ship was covered with waves: but he was asleep". (Matt. 8:24)  Ok... Jesus must really be a sound sleeper, unless they had fans and white-noise makers in his time.  I would not have been able to sleep through that! 

The disciples wake him up, asking him to save them.  He then says, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?"  Which begs the question –"Why are they fearful?" 

(I love this painting.  Photo source has a great elaboration on this story.)

 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.  It seems natural to fear for their lives.  Of being cast into the sea.  Of drowning.  And Jesus, being all compassionate (when appropriate), would have realized this.  So what was he really saying here? 

A "Seer", Revelator, Prophet; plates, breastplates and swords

In Mosiah 8 there is so much amazing information I don't know where to start.  I might just do bullets.

We learn the following:

• Limhi sent out a party of 43 to try to find help for their current situation.  
• In their search, they couldn't find Zarahemla, which they were trying to find, but instead found a land covered in bones of man and beast.  
• It was a land of many waters.  
• They returned with 24 plates with engravings on them, made of pure gold.  
• They also brought large breastplates, made of copper and brass
• and rusted swords, where the hilts had broken off.  

Can you imagine, coming across a land left desolate like this?  They describe it as being covered with ruins of buildings of every kind.  Wow.   

(Beautiful photo at Little Round Top, Gettysburg, PA, USA, taken by shaunoboyle from his photoblog, here. I imagine the ruins they found resembled something in a setting like this, for some reason.)

I can just picture Limhi, being so excited to realize who Ammon is once Ammon explains that he's from Zarahemla.  Can you feel his heart just swell with that knowledge?  Limhi asks Ammon if he can translate these plates of gold which they had found.  Can you imagine the anticipation of that answer???  Drumroll, please?

Ammon says he... can't, but then says he knows someone who can!  How excited that must have made Limhi and his people feel!

There is then discussion about Mosiah and how he uses "interpreters", and how it is a "gift" from God.

• They were a tool used to translate the records.
• No man can look in them except he be commanded.
• ...lest he should look for that he ought not and perish.
• Whoever is commanded to look in them is called a "seer". (Mosiah 8:13)

Then there's a description about what a "seer" is.

• A seer is greater than a prophet.
• A seer is both a revelator and a prophet.  
• "...a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can..."
• "yet a man may have great power given him from God." (Mosiah 8:16)

 Of course, after this,

"the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying: Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.  O how marvelous are the works of the Lord"! (Mosiah 8:19-20)

I can only imagine how excited he was!  I can't imagine how long he waited to hear such things.  Could you imagine, having such things in your possession, and not being able to interpret them?  I think I'd go crazy.  What a blessing, to have been able to finally find a way to get some answers!

~Jen:)

The Doctrine of Christ

Just read 2 Nephi 31-33.  The last verse in chapter 31 says,

"And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father..."

The whole chapter seems to give a sequence of events.  I'll sum them up here, and give Jen's translation after each verse.

1. "The Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding." (vs. 3) -- Don't worry if you speak southern, Australian, or ebonics.  God knows how to speak to you, and will give you light to understand his doctrine.
2.  "...if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water... how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!" (vs.5) -- We need to follow his example and be baptized by water, and immersion (implied).
3. "...he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." (vs.7) -- He didn't question why he had to get in a river and be immersed to keep God's commandments.  He illustrated obedience.
4. "...after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove" and "then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost" (vs.8, 13) -- How do you expound upon that?
5. "...then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel." (vs.13) -- Do any of us truly believe this is possible?  Why don't we believe this?  Can we do this on a daily basis, once we receive this purifying gift?  If our answer is no, why not???

Following this, Nephi gives the "Now what?" for after one is baptized.  Is all done?  "For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save." (vs.19)  You've showed God you're interested, willing, and obedient.  Now what?  Nephi tells us: "Wherefore, ye must

1. press forward with a steadfastness in Christ
2. having a perfect brightness of hope
3. and a love of God and of all men.
4. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ,
5. and endure to the end, 
6. behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

I love Nephi's plainness.  In the next chapter he continues the doctrine.  

"...again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all the things what ye should do." (vs.5) -- The Holy Ghost is a "show-er".  He shows us what we should do.  I like how if we put "show-er" together it makes the word "shower".  More on this idea later.  

Nephi finishes the discussion on the "doctrine" by saying, 

"Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh.  And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do."  

A few thoughts to wrap this post up.  

1. Baptism by water symbolic, but done physically.  There are physical effects, emotional effects, and spiritual effects.
2. Baptism of fire is symbolic, and done by the laying on of hands.  It is a physical action, which produces physical effects, emotional effects, and spiritual effects.  
3. Nephi suggests that after we follow this doctrine, Christ shall manifest himself unto you "in the flesh".  This promise is also stated in St. John, among other places.  Nephi prophecied that Christ would not come in the flesh until 600 years after Lehi and his family left Jerusalem.  Clearly Nephi was not re-nigging on that prophecy.  So what does he mean, that Christ will manifest himself unto you in the flesh?  Something to chew on. :)

~Jen:)
xoxo