The scriptures mention a lot about a "natural man." What is the natural man? In the "Guide to the Scriptures" it states: "A person who chooses to be influenced by the passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh rather than by the promptings of the Holy Spirit..." We also read that the "natural man is an enemy to God.." (Mosiah 3:19). So yielding to those desires of the natural man is contrary to God's will for us. As a missionary, I have experienced the natural man in a lot of ways, some I didn't expect. To me, the natural man is someone who wants to take the easy road. The "path with least resistance" as they say. The natural man will look for any way to get out of doing something hard. As missionaries, we have a pretty rigorous and strict schedule:
6:15am Arise and pray
6:30-7:00 exercise
7:00-7:55 shower, get dressed, eat breakfast
8:00-9:00 personal study
9:00-10:00 companionship study
10:00-11:00 language study (Spanish)
11:00-12:00 lunch
12:00-9:00pm work, work, work.
That is the schedule we keep, rain or shine, sick or healthy, sore or not, even on Christmas Day, Sunday or your birthday. There are a lot of things in this schedule the natural man doesn't want to do. The natural man doesn't want to wake up before the sun is up, kneel down and pray. He doesn't want to exercise for at least half an hour before 7am every single morning (except Sunday). He doesn't want to be all ready by 8:00 to study for 3 straight hours. He doesn't want to be on his feet non-stop for 9 hours, talking to people on the streets, getting yelled at, kicked out of apartment complexes and ridiculed. What he really wants to do is sleep in, eat whatever and whenever he wants. Sleep instead of study. Stay inside and play video games or watch TV instead of always being on the move, being productive. The natural man doesn't want to be productive and effective. So if the natural man is an enemy to God, we cannot afford to yield to those things that the natural man wants to do. Otherwise, it puts us in a sticky situation with God. In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 2:14 says "...the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit." We can't receive spiritual knowledge or progression if we continuously yield to the natural man. How can we overcome him? Studying the scriptures. Praying. Going to church every Sunday. Fulfilling our callings in the church. And much more.
Now, hear me out. I am not saying that I have completely overcome the natural man. I am far from saying that. Is it hard for me to get up EVERY morning between 6:15 and 6:30am? Yes. Absolutely. Is it hard for me to leave the apartment at noon, knowing it could be 92 degrees outside, and knowing I won't come back for 9 hours? Yes. I fight with the natural man every day. We all do, in our own ways. Do I yield to him sometimes? Yes I do. But I keep fighting. I ain't perfect. We may lose battles here and there. We just have to win the war.
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." Mosiah 3:19
Showing posts with label spirit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spirit. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Man's Best Friend
No, I am not talking about the one that wags his tail when you get home and begs to play outside and chews up your couch. I am talking about a guide. This guide can be our best friend, if we let him...
There are a lot of misconceptions about the Holy Ghost. What is it? Or who is it? What does he/it do? Why is he/it important? A lot of churches teach different things about his role. (Yes, I am going to refer to the Holy Ghost as "he").
He is the 3rd member of the Godhead. Yes, they are separate beings: God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They all are separate beings but work as "one" in purpose. The role of the Holy Ghost is to show us truth. John 14:26 says: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." He is there to guide us and teach us. But only if we let him. There are a few requirements on our part in order to receive this guide or "comforter." Peter in the book of Acts says "...repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38). In order to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must be repent and be baptized. But that baptism must come by the proper authority, as does the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We need the Holy Ghost in order to get through this life. He is like the flashlight that helps us see the path in front of us. We can avoid a lot of bumps and holes in the road by his guidance. He is that little voice that whispers "Don't do that" when you are about to do something wrong. He is also the feeling of joy and love when you are keeping the commandments and staying on the path. He testifies to us of truth. But here's the catch....
We must always be worthy in order to receive his guidance and inspiration. He does not dwell in "unholy places" as the scriptures say. Elijah describes the Holy Ghost as a still small voice. If we are too busy or too preoccupied, we will miss it. In the Book of Ether, the Lord says "for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man." (Ether 2:15). The Spirit will not fight for our attention. If we don't pay heed to his whisperings, he will discontinue dwelling within us. He is like Jiminy Cricket from the movie "Pinocchio." He tries to guide Pinocchio to do the right things, but ultimately the choice is his whether or not to do it. Jiminy lets him do his own thing after a while because he was tired of Pinocchio not listening to him. Such it is with the Holy Ghost...It is also like a quarterback in football. His team is on the road, playing in the opponent's stadium. That crowd can get loud. If the crowd is too loud, the QB will not be able to call the play right, and the offense gets confused or it will result in a penalty. If our lives are too "loud" for the Holy Ghost, he can't call the play. He can't lead you to victory. Quiet the crowd a little and listen to him. You might want to listen to what he has to say. He is always guiding you in the direction your Heavenly Father wants you to go. He truly can be "man's best friend"...If you let him!
There are a lot of misconceptions about the Holy Ghost. What is it? Or who is it? What does he/it do? Why is he/it important? A lot of churches teach different things about his role. (Yes, I am going to refer to the Holy Ghost as "he").
He is the 3rd member of the Godhead. Yes, they are separate beings: God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They all are separate beings but work as "one" in purpose. The role of the Holy Ghost is to show us truth. John 14:26 says: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." He is there to guide us and teach us. But only if we let him. There are a few requirements on our part in order to receive this guide or "comforter." Peter in the book of Acts says "...repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38). In order to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we must be repent and be baptized. But that baptism must come by the proper authority, as does the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We need the Holy Ghost in order to get through this life. He is like the flashlight that helps us see the path in front of us. We can avoid a lot of bumps and holes in the road by his guidance. He is that little voice that whispers "Don't do that" when you are about to do something wrong. He is also the feeling of joy and love when you are keeping the commandments and staying on the path. He testifies to us of truth. But here's the catch....
We must always be worthy in order to receive his guidance and inspiration. He does not dwell in "unholy places" as the scriptures say. Elijah describes the Holy Ghost as a still small voice. If we are too busy or too preoccupied, we will miss it. In the Book of Ether, the Lord says "for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man." (Ether 2:15). The Spirit will not fight for our attention. If we don't pay heed to his whisperings, he will discontinue dwelling within us. He is like Jiminy Cricket from the movie "Pinocchio." He tries to guide Pinocchio to do the right things, but ultimately the choice is his whether or not to do it. Jiminy lets him do his own thing after a while because he was tired of Pinocchio not listening to him. Such it is with the Holy Ghost...It is also like a quarterback in football. His team is on the road, playing in the opponent's stadium. That crowd can get loud. If the crowd is too loud, the QB will not be able to call the play right, and the offense gets confused or it will result in a penalty. If our lives are too "loud" for the Holy Ghost, he can't call the play. He can't lead you to victory. Quiet the crowd a little and listen to him. You might want to listen to what he has to say. He is always guiding you in the direction your Heavenly Father wants you to go. He truly can be "man's best friend"...If you let him!
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