Read: Alma 2-4
Mark: Alma 2:18, 28
"Safety can't be won by tanks and guns and airplanes and atomic bombs. There is only one place of safety and that is in the realm of the Almighty God that he gives to those who keep his commandments and listen to his voice." --President Harold B. Lee
To ponder:
Why were the Nephites strengthened by the Lord? How can we receive the Lord's help in the challenges we face?
I'm eating popcorn tonight as I read the scriptures--because I feel like I'm at a movie! :) These Book of Mormon stories are quite the stories! Can you just visualize the happenings? Well, hopefully, you are not visualizing everything!
ReplyDeleteAmlici was responsible for the deaths of over 19,000 people (and I think this was all in one day)!!! As I read these incredible stories and the trials of Alma and the Nephites, I kept wondering what am I supposed to learn from these scriptures?
Several things come to mind: We are responsible for our own actions and will be judged according to our actions. And, we just cannot get too comfortable in the Church or iniquity will sneak in. In Alma 4:12-15, we see through Alma's eyes the iniquity of the Nephites and all that happened. We need to remember that these same things can 'sneak' into our lives if we are not cautious.
When a small group complains - they should be heard, but the resolve for the complaint should still be decided by the majority. Appeasing the loud, just because they are loud will get us no where. The majority will not always make the right decision, but we can hope they usually will. Thank goodness for the people who questioned what the complainers were saying and resisted the persuasions of the wicked.
ReplyDeleteEvery people that is cursed brings that curse upon themselves - the individual doesn't always bring it upon him/herself because sometimes the decisions of the parents really do impact the next generation. However, the individual does have the choice to put off the teachings of their fathers and seek out truth and lose the curse that may be upon them. Not all trials are curses, but there are plenty of warnings that can help us avoid those curses and trials if we would but heed the warnings - view them for what they are! They are protections, shields - not chains!
I wonder if the Lord puts marks on the wicked today, to separate them from His people. I imagine some of these marks are those that people bring put upon themselves, but I think many maybe be marks on the spirit and we must pray for a spirit of discernment so we can recognize them. Or maybe it is not as important that we separate from the wicked as it once was - but that we recognize the wicked behaviors and avoid those??
Beware the pride from knowing the truth AND doing the right things! It's a unique kind of pride, but pride nonetheless.It is not enough to simply do the right things - we must BE what is right & leave the rest to Christ and the Atonement, know that we could never do or be enough on our own.
Something from this reading that stood out to me was in Alma 3:8. God marking the Lamanites was never about race. It was about keeping righteousness alive. He marked the wicked so that his people wouldn't mix and believe in incorrect traditions. It made me think about why we stress so much in the church not to marry outside the church. It's SO important not to send mixed signals to our children about the gospel. I also love Alma 3:19--everyone brings the curse upon themselves. We are all responsible for our own actions and beliefs. We can't use someone else's testimony. We can't blame our short-comings on anyone but ourselves. These are definitely some intense things to think about.
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