From: B S TURNER Owner
Spiritually Won Knowledge Part 4
As
we continue to study how to achieve spiritually won knowledge I pulled a
few more excerpts from the book The Endowment Characteristic #2
As Curry is tying up this characteristic he asks a question that should have all of us thinking…..
“How can the Lord say more than this? He invites you to share the immense treasures of His intelligence, His wisdom, His truth, His enlightenment.
Some have already enjoyed these things in part. Others have very much need to receive them. (Characteristic #2)”
There
is a great story in the Book of Mormon that makes this very clear…..an
Angel asks Nephi a simple question “do you know the meaning of the tree
that thy father saw?” and Nephi had a clear understanding not only of
what the tree meant but the entire vision…..
64
And I answered him, saying, Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth
itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore it is the
most desirable above all things.
65 And he spake unto me, saying, Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.
66
And after he had said these words, he said unto me, Look! And I looked,
and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men:
67 And I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.
68 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God;
69 And I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
1 Nephi 3
And
Curry is correct there are many that have need to share in the wisdom
and intelligence of God instead of leaning so much on their own wisdom
and understanding.
“He has hope for His people. Thousands have come together in the center areas of Zionic gathering, yet they are far from being of one heart and one mind. None among you say that this is Zion as it ought to be. (Characteristic #3)”
Reading
this characteristic in conjunction with the other characteristics and
the scripture in Nephi has me asking; is it possible that we are holding
on to different rods? Maybe….I think that the real answer is that we
are holding onto the rod of iron and that is it, we are just holding on.
We are not moving towards the tree of life. We have become stationary
and are not moving forward but we stand in the midst of darkness waiting
for???
Why do I say that? Let’s read a bit further in Characteristic #3
“The great Father would provide for you thru farsighted action and accomplishment on your part. Yet the years go by, and so little is done, when compared with what ought to be. You lack wisdom and foresight in these matters, and you
scarcely try to find the wisdom that your loving Father would give to
you were you to cease trusting so much in your own selves, and were a
faithful body of men, deeply concerned about this lack of progress, to
come together asking for their eyes to be opened that they might see how
to do these things, even under the difficulties of this present hour.
(Characteristic #3)”
We have the answer and it lives within us…..
Genesis 6:53
And he also said unto him, If thou wilt, turn unto me and hearken unto
my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be
baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is
full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which
shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the
children of men; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking
all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask it shall be given
you.
Knowing
that this scripture is true we must be missing something that is
preventing us from receiving the clarity of wisdom, intelligence and
enlightenment. I think that David understood what part of the problem
was / is
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction
I think there is further insight in this passage from Corinthians….
1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God.
We
might be receiving the spirit of the world as it is noted here and not
the Spirit of God, yes it is possible that we are being deceived. There
are some that would doubt this as they are so sure of the path that they
are on. I have come to know that the more I learn I am realizing the
less that I know.
As I continue to study I find that the scriptures make it so very clear……
Moroni 10:5
And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having
faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power
of the Holy Ghost; and by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the
truth of all things.
Even as I read The Endowment I can see how Curry was blessed by the promise as noted in the previous scripture.
“Surely, as God lives, every effort that anyone may make or that many may make
in this direction of seeking an endowment of special light on difficult
problems, and responsibilities and projects will be richly rewarded.
(Characteristic #3)”
Asking with a sincere heart with real intent is far different than coming to God with an idea asking him to bless it.
We
must approach all difficulties and problems with a wisdom that would
tell us to come before God as a child would ask a parent for assistance.
Ponder that for a moment….
God Bless
Brian Turner
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