Read: Alma 24-26
Mark: Alma 26:11-12
"As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him. What a great blessing to be created in his image and know of our true potential in and through him! What a great blessing to know that in his strength we can do all things!" --Elder Marvin J. Ashton
To ponder:
What do you think some of the "mighty miracles" may be that the Lord will work through you?
These are three amazing chapters! I love that in Alma 24, we learn that our sins can be forgiven--little ones and big ones--and the guilt and 'stain' can be completely removed.
ReplyDeleteI love that the Anti-Nephi-Lehis buried their shiny weapons and then laid down waiting for the Lamanites; they did not fight back but praised God for all of their blessings. The Lamanites killed 1005 of them before stopping and then through their amazement they were finally converted. This is an amazing story of standing tall and true through adversity. I don't know if I am strong enough to do anything like this and I hope I don't ever have to find out!
In Alma 26:22, we find a formula for success that can work for each one of us: repent, exercise great faith, work hard, pray continually, and then great knowledge and understanding will come. Can we do this? Do we have the faith to put this to the test? Ammon and his brothers are amazing examples of missionary service and what can be accomplished.
Today's question: I have to say I have no idea what "mighty miracles" the Lord may want to bring to pass through me!!!
I'm always a little annoyed with the people of Lamoni when they go out to meet the army that comes to attack and they just lay themselves down at their mercy. At first anyway. So many people were lost. They had found their God and were striving to repent and prove they had changed. It felt needless. It's OK to fight. But then I keep reading and learn of all the people that are converted. In an eternal sense none were lost but so many were saved. What may be asked of us may not be for our benefit. It may even be to our detriment but more will be sacred because if it. Get through it with faith and your reward will come.
ReplyDeleteIf you have never believed in God, it is never too late to believe and repent and live! If you have believed and fallen away it is still never too late. You may have more to repent of because you had a greater knowledge but there is still time.
Build your taking and strengthen it so that the foolishness of men and wiles of the devil can only beat against the walls you have built.
I have no idea if the what God wishes for me to play a role in. I only hope it's not much like the people of lamoni. But I should be grateful for any opportunity I have to be an instrument in His hands.
I'm so touched by the obedience and faith of those who sacrificed their lives for their belief in God. God allowed them to be slaughtered, but it wasn't in vain! And because of their faith, others were brought into the fold of God. More were converted that day than had been slain. How amazing is that?
ReplyDeleteThe scripture we were asked to mark today makes me think a lot about humility and pride. Humility is often misunderstood. People think that to be humble you should walk around with your head down, your shoulders hunched, and never say anything good about yourself. That simply isn’t true! True humility is acknowledging your talents and abilities and consecrating them to God, understanding that it is because of him that you have been given these things to build up his kingdom. I used to struggle with this a lot because I love to sing. I know I have a good voice, but I hesitate to perform unless I’m asked, even though I am always more than happy to sing! I don’t want to seem prideful or arrogant, but in a way it might be a bad thing since I could be sharing my talent to uplift others and instead I hide it beneath a bushel. Anyways, the point is that we’re MEANT to be good at things! And we’re meant to use our talents to help ourselves and others to come closer to Christ. That’s why when Ammon speaks of his success it isn’t because he’s prideful or because he’s boasting. He’s just so HAPPY that God made it all possible! And we, too, should be happy with all that God makes possible through us, because it truly is through us that God performs his miracles on this earth.