WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:03.040 Hey there everybody, welcome out to another episode 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:04.940 of Redeemed Through His Blood. This is Scott 00:00:04.940 --> 00:00:08.820 Durfey joined as always by. Hi friends. The Princess 00:00:08.820 --> 00:00:12.080 Debra Durfey. You knew something was coming 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.800 so you wanted to hurry and preempt it, didn't 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:16.620 you? Yep. Yeah. I was interrupting your title 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:20.210 that you were gonna give me. You're always. I'm 00:00:20.210 --> 00:00:22.670 wondering what that's gonna be. How are you, 00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:27.230 babe? Great. Good. It's good to be home. I am 00:00:27.230 --> 00:00:30.309 home. I'm home a lot. No, it's good for me to 00:00:30.309 --> 00:00:32.250 be home, too. I know. It's good to have you home, 00:00:32.289 --> 00:00:36.439 too. I was gone. for a few days this past weekend. 00:00:36.820 --> 00:00:39.159 I went up to the great Northwest for some work, 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:41.539 and I love going there. It's where I serve my 00:00:41.539 --> 00:00:43.560 mission. It's just an amazing place to be, and 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:47.079 I love going there. Anyway, that's neither here 00:00:47.079 --> 00:00:50.299 nor there. Yesterday being the Sabbath was an 00:00:50.299 --> 00:00:52.520 awesome experience. I look forward to that. I 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:55.759 know you do too, Deb, every single week, and 00:00:55.759 --> 00:01:02.079 for some reason this week I felt... I almost 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:04.500 felt like I needed it more than I normally do. 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.819 I don't think that that's ever the case. I think 00:01:06.819 --> 00:01:10.959 that every week we are in equal need of those 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:13.379 blessings and so forth, but for whatever reason, 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:17.909 I just... had a deeper hunger and thirst to have 00:01:17.909 --> 00:01:21.569 the Spirit in my life. And I loved, maybe it's 00:01:21.569 --> 00:01:24.049 because it's Fast and Testimony meeting first 00:01:24.049 --> 00:01:26.810 week, right, you know, and all that. And I just 00:01:26.810 --> 00:01:29.049 love feeling the Spirit when I get to hear it. 00:01:29.049 --> 00:01:31.090 That's interesting that you say that because 00:01:31.090 --> 00:01:35.049 my pre -planning for the Sabbath was a coming 00:01:35.049 --> 00:01:38.909 home. It was like I had a lot of things going 00:01:38.909 --> 00:01:41.569 on over the weekend that gave me some uptightness. 00:01:41.989 --> 00:01:47.319 And so when I got home or when I got to church, 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:51.700 it felt like home. It was familiar, it was... 00:01:51.700 --> 00:01:56.260 It was comfort. Yeah, it was pure comfort. And 00:01:56.260 --> 00:01:58.400 I love when they bless and pass the sacrament 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:04.920 because that is so sacred to me to commune and 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:12.340 to be still and feel Him and know Him. Time to 00:02:12.340 --> 00:02:15.379 just say... Not my will, but thine be done. Lead 00:02:15.379 --> 00:02:20.620 me, guide me. I love it. It seems like I could 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:24.080 actually do that more than once every seven days, 00:02:24.419 --> 00:02:27.219 right? Yeah, it would be a good reminder every 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:29.199 day if we could do that. And here's the thing 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:30.800 I was going to say, though, is what's stopping 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.780 me. I don't particularly need to partake of the 00:02:33.780 --> 00:02:35.860 emblems of the sacrament to have an experience 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:38.979 where I commune with him. That is the symbolism 00:02:38.979 --> 00:02:41.960 and the symbolic. act of that ordinance, which 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:44.379 is highly important. I'm not diminishing the 00:02:44.379 --> 00:02:46.319 importance of that, but what I'm saying is that's 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:48.400 not the only place that we can have that opportunity. 00:02:48.419 --> 00:02:50.139 Right, and reflect on the covenants that we made. 00:02:50.139 --> 00:02:52.780 Right, and reflect on the covenants that we made. 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:58.120 I loved the Sunday school lesson topic yesterday, 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:04.539 which was walking with God, Enoch, and just learning 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:08.599 about that experience for him and letting that... 00:03:08.669 --> 00:03:11.830 potentially inspire my experience of walking 00:03:11.830 --> 00:03:14.349 with God. And of course, we learned from Elder 00:03:14.349 --> 00:03:17.210 Bednar and Elder Oakdorf that when we talk about 00:03:17.210 --> 00:03:19.129 walking with God, we're really talking about 00:03:19.129 --> 00:03:21.430 entering into a covenant relationship with the 00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.409 lines completely with repentance and forgiveness 00:03:24.409 --> 00:03:26.449 or the divine gift of forgiveness that we try 00:03:26.449 --> 00:03:29.830 to talk about so much in this class. So, I loved 00:03:29.830 --> 00:03:33.550 all that. and this podcast. You said our class. 00:03:33.889 --> 00:03:38.750 In our class. We blend them sometimes. Yeah, 00:03:38.830 --> 00:03:41.590 they all run together, I guess. Speaking of our 00:03:41.590 --> 00:03:44.469 class, how about those Institute kids this year, 00:03:44.990 --> 00:03:48.400 this semester? This semester. powerhouses, warriors. 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:51.620 I think we should sit down and let them teach 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:53.199 us. I think that's what's gonna be happening 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:55.080 more and more for sure. We'll stand at the front, 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.379 but they'll be teaching us. Yeah, we get such 00:03:57.379 --> 00:04:01.580 important perspectives and wonderful questions 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:07.599 and just deep doctrinal insights from they who 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:10.039 have been taught from on high. There's absolutely 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:11.599 no question in my mind about that. And they come 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.199 with that knowledge. It's like, they're during 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:16.870 their 20s and that's That's stuff I learned in 00:04:16.870 --> 00:04:20.870 my 50s. Yeah, well, they're definitely a little 00:04:20.870 --> 00:04:24.550 maybe ahead of us in that regard at that age. 00:04:25.170 --> 00:04:27.269 And, you know, heaven bless them for being there. 00:04:27.649 --> 00:04:30.089 You know, Deb, I kind of want to talk about something 00:04:30.089 --> 00:04:34.910 different today. You know, I think that in our 00:04:34.910 --> 00:04:40.360 attempt to... talk about Jesus Christ and his 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.800 love for us and his acceptance of us and his 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:48.860 wrapping his arms around us. And we've even used 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:52.339 phrases like Jesus meets us in our mess. And 00:04:52.339 --> 00:04:55.879 we've even used things like he's not surprised 00:04:55.879 --> 00:05:00.279 by the stumbling blocks that we run up against, 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:02.439 whether that be sin or the other effects of a 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:06.060 fallen world. And I think that sometimes when 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:09.290 we do that, And I have reason to say this, and 00:05:09.290 --> 00:05:11.689 I'm not gonna get into detail, but I have reason 00:05:11.689 --> 00:05:14.230 to say this, but I think that sometimes when 00:05:14.230 --> 00:05:18.689 we do that, that sometimes we, the truth can 00:05:18.689 --> 00:05:21.470 get a little bit distorted into the idea that 00:05:21.470 --> 00:05:24.189 he's actually fine with us just staying in our 00:05:24.189 --> 00:05:27.339 mess. or that he's actually fine with us staying 00:05:27.339 --> 00:05:30.120 in our sin and that he'll love us and he'll redeem 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:32.379 us and that I have to make no effort. It's up 00:05:32.379 --> 00:05:35.100 to him to do it and if I'm not getting pulled 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:37.300 out of it, then why isn't he pulling me out of 00:05:37.300 --> 00:05:39.360 it and these types of things. Because we're told 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.860 we're here to suffer. And sometimes we think 00:05:41.860 --> 00:05:44.500 this is where we're supposed to stay here and 00:05:44.500 --> 00:05:47.579 suffer. Yeah, well, that's true. And then again, 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:51.439 when we read things like in 2 Nephi 3 .2, or 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:54.019 Lehi tells his sons, I'm glad that you're not 00:05:54.019 --> 00:05:55.759 saved by your own righteousness, but you're saved 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.439 by the righteousness of your Redeemer. I have 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:04.120 reason to be concerned that I don't want ever. 00:06:04.689 --> 00:06:07.689 For anybody to think that what we are saying 00:06:07.689 --> 00:06:10.430 or what we are teaching here is that sin doesn't 00:06:10.430 --> 00:06:14.350 matter And the Christ will just leave us in our 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:17.949 sin and he'll rescue us anyway And that he'll 00:06:17.949 --> 00:06:20.930 all of that and so I kind of want to talk about 00:06:20.930 --> 00:06:23.970 that today, you know There's a big danger in 00:06:23.970 --> 00:06:28.250 that that's you know, we sometimes confuse When 00:06:28.250 --> 00:06:31.089 I say we I should rephrase that sometimes grace 00:06:31.089 --> 00:06:36.899 is confused with acceptance, or stagnation, or 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:39.360 just floating along, or I don't need to make 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:43.459 an effort to change. And there's just a huge 00:06:43.459 --> 00:06:46.920 danger in that. That's not grace. Leaving us 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.920 in our sin, leaving us broken, leaving us where 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:52.459 we are in our mess so that the effects of the 00:06:52.459 --> 00:06:55.089 fall of Adam and Eve can... beat down on us on 00:06:55.089 --> 00:06:58.029 a constant basis. That's not his intent. And 00:06:58.029 --> 00:07:01.290 he does rescue us. And it is true that not by 00:07:01.290 --> 00:07:04.410 our effort, but by his, we are saved. But we 00:07:04.410 --> 00:07:06.750 have effort. It is important for us to make effort. 00:07:06.810 --> 00:07:09.709 And that effort, I wanna talk about that today. 00:07:09.750 --> 00:07:13.329 I wanna talk about how do we really align so 00:07:13.329 --> 00:07:15.889 that we have effort that's appropriate effort, 00:07:16.250 --> 00:07:19.589 that's motivated by the right thing or the right 00:07:19.589 --> 00:07:23.500 things or whatever to make an effort. an effort 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.819 to change, to be converted, to be different. 00:07:26.019 --> 00:07:28.839 Christ does not intend for us to stay the way 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:33.980 we are. He wants to change us. I mean we learn 00:07:33.980 --> 00:07:37.579 about that in being a carnal, the carnal man 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:41.060 is an enemy to God. And we should have motivation 00:07:41.060 --> 00:07:44.500 to want to be changed by him so that we can dwell 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:48.180 with him, not in a carnal state. Well, and so 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:51.610 that he can dwell with us now. Right? Yeah. Let's 00:07:51.610 --> 00:07:55.910 do this. I wanna go to a scripture. We've talked 00:07:55.910 --> 00:07:59.029 about this in seasons past about this very thing, 00:07:59.050 --> 00:08:01.810 but I wanna go to this scripture. This is in 00:08:01.810 --> 00:08:06.129 Alma chapter 11, and I wanna read verse 37. And 00:08:06.129 --> 00:08:08.430 I say unto you again that he cannot save them 00:08:08.430 --> 00:08:11.709 in their sins, for I cannot deny his word. And 00:08:11.709 --> 00:08:14.589 he has said that no unclean thing can enter into 00:08:14.589 --> 00:08:17.259 the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, How can you 00:08:17.259 --> 00:08:19.579 be saved except you inherit the kingdom of heaven? 00:08:20.019 --> 00:08:26.779 Therefore you cannot be saved in your sins I 00:08:26.779 --> 00:08:29.180 mean, it's pretty cut and dry right there, right? 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:33.460 You know Jesus never shamed People that he I 00:08:33.460 --> 00:08:36.000 mean think of the adulterous woman. Yeah, you're 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:40.740 right. He never normalized it But he encouraged 00:08:40.740 --> 00:08:43.019 her to go and sin no more. Yeah, she knew what 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:48.230 she did He meets us in the mess, and he's not 00:08:48.230 --> 00:08:52.970 gonna normalize or make us feel like that's not 00:08:52.970 --> 00:08:56.850 what it is. He constantly moves towards, he consistently 00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:00.610 moves towards people that have shame, fear, addiction, 00:09:00.970 --> 00:09:05.210 failure. I mean, he's drawn to us. And I, being 00:09:05.210 --> 00:09:10.590 one of those people. He has compassion. He knows 00:09:10.590 --> 00:09:14.309 what we're going through, he's suffered for them. 00:09:14.350 --> 00:09:16.289 Right, he has compassion, but that doesn't mean 00:09:16.289 --> 00:09:19.029 that he endorses us in our sin, right? No, no, 00:09:19.029 --> 00:09:21.870 he's not, and he's not gonna dwell there, because 00:09:21.870 --> 00:09:24.850 he knows the, is it the antidote, the opposite 00:09:24.850 --> 00:09:29.070 of what we're going through, and the blessings 00:09:29.070 --> 00:09:30.990 that come. Antithesis, yeah. Antithesis, there 00:09:30.990 --> 00:09:35.210 you go. And so, you know, he has mercy, it doesn't 00:09:35.210 --> 00:09:39.279 give us permission, but he offers us mercy. And 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.639 again, the woman that was caught in adultery, 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:48.500 he didn't condemn her. He didn't shame her. He 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:51.799 just said, like I said, she knew exactly what 00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:56.080 she was, she knew. She didn't need somebody to 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.019 say, you've done something wrong. Let's read 00:09:58.019 --> 00:10:00.500 that scripture, shall we? Is that all right? 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:03.539 John, chapter eight, verse 11. Let's do that. 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:07.059 Let me just turn to that quickly. I hadn't necessarily 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:09.000 planned to, but since you brought it up, and 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.659 this is a wise place to bring that up, maybe 00:10:11.659 --> 00:10:15.440 one of the most important and most poignant depictions 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.960 in scripture of this very thing. John's in the 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.559 New Testament, right? That's usually my question. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.779 I was just kind of thumbing through here to try 00:10:26.779 --> 00:10:29.720 and find it. I'm on digital. It's easier for 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:32.240 me to find than my paper scriptures. That's usually 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:37.059 what I'm asking. I love my digital, but my physical 00:10:37.059 --> 00:10:39.360 scriptures, I have little notes and stuff like 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:41.879 that that make me sound smart when I'm teaching 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:44.639 Institute. Oh, is that what we do? That's what 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:50.519 I do. Maybe I should start looking smart. So 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:53.580 I'm just gonna start. So when they continued 00:10:53.580 --> 00:10:55.600 asking him, he lifted up himself and he said 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:58.620 unto them, he that is without sin among you, 00:10:58.700 --> 00:11:01.220 let him first cast a stone at her. So let's just 00:11:01.220 --> 00:11:03.700 stop and I'll kind of put everything around this. 00:11:03.779 --> 00:11:07.200 So what's happened is Jesus is teaching and these 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:10.889 men bring, Sadducees and Pharisees bring. this 00:11:10.889 --> 00:11:15.029 woman to Jesus, where's the man? I'm kind of 00:11:15.029 --> 00:11:17.889 bothered by where's the man and all that. And 00:11:17.889 --> 00:11:21.669 there's a lot of speculation that that is indeed 00:11:21.669 --> 00:11:25.570 the case. And without going down a rabbit hole, 00:11:25.649 --> 00:11:27.409 I kind of think it was too. I think this was 00:11:27.409 --> 00:11:29.330 a time when they were really trying to set Jesus 00:11:29.330 --> 00:11:32.710 up so that they would have reason to end up and 00:11:32.710 --> 00:11:36.190 finally be justified in crucifying him and eliminating 00:11:36.190 --> 00:11:39.129 him from what they saw as a distraction for their 00:11:39.129 --> 00:11:42.700 own effort. So here he is, he's teaching, and 00:11:42.700 --> 00:11:44.639 they bring this woman who's obviously caught 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:48.539 in the very act, that's what it says. And Jesus 00:11:48.539 --> 00:11:51.519 says, you know, the law of Moses said that she'd 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:55.230 be stoned, what say ye? or whatever, and so he 00:11:55.230 --> 00:11:57.909 kinda stoops down and he draws in the sand, I 00:11:57.909 --> 00:12:00.509 love that, he took pause, he stooped down and 00:12:00.509 --> 00:12:04.190 he was drawing in the sand, and this they said, 00:12:04.210 --> 00:12:07.330 tempting him, this is verse six, that they might 00:12:07.330 --> 00:12:10.389 have to accuse him, but Jesus stooped down and 00:12:10.389 --> 00:12:13.889 with his finger wrote on the ground, as though 00:12:13.889 --> 00:12:18.620 he had heard them not. So he wrote something 00:12:18.620 --> 00:12:20.659 different than what he was being told. Maybe 00:12:20.659 --> 00:12:24.299 he wrote somebody's name. The point is, and there's 00:12:24.299 --> 00:12:27.299 doctrine there, as though he had heard them not. 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:30.779 He was not listening to his accusers, Deb. Her 00:12:30.779 --> 00:12:34.639 accusers and his. Or his, which were ultimately 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:37.779 his accuser, right? So when they continued asking 00:12:37.779 --> 00:12:39.899 him, in verse seven, he lifted himself up and 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:42.379 said unto them, he that is without sin among 00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:46.379 you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again 00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:48.980 he stooped down and rode on the ground. And they 00:12:48.980 --> 00:12:51.340 which heard him being convicted of their own 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:54.899 conscience went out one by one, beginning at 00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:56.940 the eldest, even to the last, and when Jesus 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:59.620 was left alone and the woman standing in the 00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:02.980 midst, and Jesus had lifted up himself and saw 00:13:02.980 --> 00:13:05.539 none but the woman, he said unto her, woman, 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:09.779 where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned 00:13:09.779 --> 00:13:13.220 thee? And she said, no man, Lord, and Jesus said 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:16.679 unto her. Neither do I condemn thee. And here's 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:18.500 the doctrine, Deb, and this is the message for 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:22.039 all of us. He's not condemning us, and that's 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:25.399 not, we condemn ourselves by our sin. He's not 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:27.639 condemning her, and he's not condemning us, but 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:29.759 here's what he says, and this is the most important 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:35.580 part. Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no 00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:39.779 more. How many times in our lives do we allow 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:44.679 others to condemn us? the accuser to condemn 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:49.620 us in our wrongdoings, in our sin. You know what 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:52.740 I mean? And it's like, and people do. I mean, 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:56.240 I have been a receiver of that condemnation. 00:13:57.259 --> 00:14:01.460 And it's, we already know before anybody says 00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:04.139 anything to us that I've done something wrong. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:08.139 I already know. I know that I need to go before 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:11.340 the Lord and say, I made a mistake, I've messed 00:14:11.340 --> 00:14:15.669 up. and I think this is such interesting doctrine 00:14:15.669 --> 00:14:18.970 that it's like, do any of you guys have a clear 00:14:18.970 --> 00:14:22.049 conscience? Because you sure point a finger. 00:14:22.730 --> 00:14:24.909 And you know what, it makes me think, how many 00:14:24.909 --> 00:14:27.610 times do I point a finger? How many times am 00:14:27.610 --> 00:14:31.009 I the condemner? And it says, and they were condemned 00:14:31.009 --> 00:14:34.309 by their own conscience. Yes, thank heavens we 00:14:34.309 --> 00:14:37.950 have a conscience. Yeah, well, you know, so. 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.379 What this means to me, Deb, is Jesus doesn't 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:44.039 just rescue us so we can remain unchanged, right? 00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:49.639 He rescues us so we can become. new again. We've 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:52.720 spent more than one episode this year talking 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.399 about becoming new, being born again. We talked 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:59.539 about Adam and his baptism yesterday, the water 00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:02.919 and the spirit and the blood and how sometimes 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:06.840 we don't focus on even that important part of 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:11.440 that rebirth process is through his blood, which 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.799 is an invitation to put on his atonement and 00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:19.440 to allow His atonement pay for the sins, but 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:23.259 we have to align to that and we align to that 00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:27.740 by sinning no more. I just wanna read 12 really 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:29.580 fast, because this is such a powerful scripture 00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:31.879 as well. It says, then spake Jesus again unto 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:36.960 them, saying, I am the light of the world. He 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:39.519 that followeth me shall not walk in darkness. 00:15:39.580 --> 00:15:42.639 And how many of us, all of us by the way, have 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:45.779 walked in darkness, but shall have the light. 00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:51.059 I mean, he is our light. We're in a dark place. 00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:54.419 We're in a fallen world. We are fallen. We need 00:15:54.419 --> 00:15:57.799 the light of the world. We just need to turn 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:02.980 to him, like you said. I love that. He that follow 00:16:02.980 --> 00:16:06.139 with me shall not walk in darkness, but shall 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:09.120 have the light of life. Yeah, who doesn't want 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:13.360 the light of life? Yeah, well, yeah. I love that. 00:16:13.980 --> 00:16:15.480 I think that's really important. And you know 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:17.000 what else this reminds me of? There's another 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.899 scripture in Matthew, and you're the one that 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:21.740 pointed this out to me this morning when we were 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:23.980 discussing this. So I'm giving you credit where 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:27.340 credit's due here, babe. The little tiny bit 00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:30.320 that I contribute. No, it's way more than that. 00:16:30.730 --> 00:16:33.330 In Matthew one? Yeah, this is in Matthew chapter 00:16:33.330 --> 00:16:35.850 one. You know, I just wanna say this really fast 00:16:35.850 --> 00:16:37.690 because I think this is important before you 00:16:37.690 --> 00:16:39.750 read this while you're looking it up. But Jesus 00:16:39.750 --> 00:16:42.269 doesn't rescue us so that we can remain unchanged. 00:16:43.269 --> 00:16:47.110 He doesn't just, okay, you're saved, even in 00:16:47.110 --> 00:16:51.009 your stuff. He rescues us so we can change, so 00:16:51.009 --> 00:16:54.809 we can become a new creature, so we can become 00:16:54.809 --> 00:16:59.740 more light. Him? Yes. More? like him, and we 00:16:59.740 --> 00:17:02.039 can only do that through him. We can't do that 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:05.079 of our own fruition. Right, no, absolutely not. 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:08.039 Believe me, I've tried, and I cannot. But that 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:09.660 doesn't mean we shouldn't try, and that's the 00:17:09.660 --> 00:17:12.039 whole point of this podcast. Well, it's that 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:17.400 relying on him that makes it work for me, because 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:20.799 what I know is I'm powerless. What I know with 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:25.140 him, I am powerful through him, and only through 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:29.490 him. This is Matthew chapter one. This is really 00:17:29.490 --> 00:17:34.009 talking about Mary and Joseph Okay, and and let's 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.369 just start in verse 19 then Joseph her husband 00:17:36.369 --> 00:17:39.210 being a just man and that alone I can't wait 00:17:39.210 --> 00:17:40.990 till Christmas when we can talk about that in 00:17:40.990 --> 00:17:43.450 more detail being a just man That is such an 00:17:43.450 --> 00:17:45.930 important comment about him and not willing to 00:17:45.930 --> 00:17:48.549 make her a public example was minded to put her 00:17:48.549 --> 00:17:51.470 away privily But while he thought on these things, 00:17:51.670 --> 00:17:54.089 behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him 00:17:54.089 --> 00:17:57.130 in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, 00:17:57.470 --> 00:18:00.789 fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife, for 00:18:00.789 --> 00:18:02.829 that which is conceived in her is of the Holy 00:18:02.829 --> 00:18:05.809 Ghost. This is the important part. That's all 00:18:05.809 --> 00:18:07.470 important, but this is the important part for 00:18:07.470 --> 00:18:10.670 today's podcast. And he shall bring forth a son, 00:18:11.109 --> 00:18:15.630 and shall call his name Jesus, and he shall save 00:18:15.630 --> 00:18:21.049 his people from. from their sins. Not in their 00:18:21.049 --> 00:18:25.970 sins. From their sins. I love that too. Yeah, 00:18:25.970 --> 00:18:29.970 get me out of here. I love that too. What does 00:18:29.970 --> 00:18:34.049 that mean? I mean, I know what it means, but 00:18:34.049 --> 00:18:42.890 how does that hit you? I think for me, it's that 00:18:42.890 --> 00:18:50.279 whole dependency upon Him. that surrender space, 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:55.380 that pure willingness, that it's like, he's the 00:18:55.380 --> 00:18:59.359 only one that can save me from this. The only 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:04.420 one. And again, he doesn't save us in our sins, 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:10.349 but saves us from my sin. I love this. There's 00:19:10.349 --> 00:19:13.309 a lot of doctrine just in that little statement, 00:19:13.849 --> 00:19:15.890 especially as it relates to the atonement of 00:19:15.890 --> 00:19:20.769 Jesus Christ. He won't save me in my sins, he'll 00:19:20.769 --> 00:19:23.630 save me from my sins. Is that what it says? He 00:19:23.630 --> 00:19:26.730 won't save me from my sins, he won't save me 00:19:26.730 --> 00:19:29.490 in my sins, he'll save me from my sins. And I 00:19:29.490 --> 00:19:33.369 think the doctrinal impact or the doctrinal pointing 00:19:33.369 --> 00:19:36.369 to the atonement of Jesus Christ in that is this, 00:19:36.450 --> 00:19:39.960 that the atonement is not moral indifference, 00:19:40.180 --> 00:19:42.500 right? We can't just look at things and say whatever, 00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:46.519 everything's okay, kumbaya, you know, let's all 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:48.220 hold hands and go to heaven together. That's 00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:51.039 just not how it works, right? Some think it is. 00:19:51.099 --> 00:19:54.339 Well, and that's the point. And the atonement 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:57.680 does not excuse weakness. It acknowledges weakness, 00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:01.039 but it doesn't excuse weakness. It doesn't tolerate 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:05.079 rebellion. It accounts for it, and it pays for 00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:07.900 it, but it doesn't tolerate it. The atonement, 00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:11.259 what it is, the atonement of Jesus Christ is 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:14.019 the power to be changed, it's the power to be 00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:18.400 reclaimed by him, and the power to be reoriented 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:22.140 on a consistent and constant basis. Reoriented 00:20:22.140 --> 00:20:25.259 meaning. changing the direction of my ship. Do 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:28.059 you remember the talk from Elder Uchtdorf? I 00:20:28.059 --> 00:20:29.960 knew you were gonna say that. I almost brought 00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:32.660 that up. That's so funny. Tell me about it. Well, 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:38.940 just about how the tiny bit of direction changes 00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:42.720 the whole course. Like, and I'm gonna slaughter 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:47.369 it because I'm not, anyways. But he was just 00:20:47.369 --> 00:20:50.289 talking about when you're heading in a certain 00:20:50.289 --> 00:20:53.390 direction, if you get off just a tiny little 00:20:53.390 --> 00:20:58.910 bit, it can take you into a whole new, into a 00:20:58.910 --> 00:21:02.170 place that you just don't want to be. And how 00:21:02.170 --> 00:21:05.109 critical it is to stay on that path, to stay 00:21:05.109 --> 00:21:09.190 on that route, to stay there. And because I remembered 00:21:09.190 --> 00:21:12.470 that talk, clearly I don't remember the details, 00:21:12.750 --> 00:21:15.190 but it was super impactful because I just think, 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:19.119 what is the one thing I can tweak today that's 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:22.740 gonna put me more wholly on the covenant path? 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:27.339 What's that one thing that I can do today? Because 00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:31.380 it really made me self -contemplate and put the 00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:34.079 mirror in front of my face and say, ooh, am I 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:37.900 off just a half a bit? Am I getting too close 00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:40.670 to the edge? Am I getting? You know, am I going 00:21:40.670 --> 00:21:44.630 a little bit off course or am I staying on track? 00:21:44.809 --> 00:21:47.529 I love that talk from Elder Oak Dorff. He was 00:21:47.529 --> 00:21:49.269 talking about flying an airplane and he's talking 00:21:49.269 --> 00:21:51.630 about how if you're off by a half a degree or 00:21:51.630 --> 00:21:54.390 a degree that's over a long period of time or 00:21:54.390 --> 00:21:56.430 even over a short period of time, you're just 00:21:56.430 --> 00:21:59.410 going to miss your mark, your target. And I don't 00:21:59.410 --> 00:22:03.910 know what our target is. Our target is eventually 00:22:03.910 --> 00:22:07.809 eternal life and being heirs and joint heirs 00:22:07.809 --> 00:22:12.599 with Christ. in the family of God. But it's effective 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:18.700 now too. Just a little tiny, being off just a 00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:21.640 little tiny bit in my perception or in my effort 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:24.460 or in my willingness to turn my will in my life 00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:27.140 over to the care of him as I understand him and 00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:30.400 to continue to have a deeper desire and make 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.700 effort and understand him deeper and better and 00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:38.740 more and all of that. But other scriptures really, 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.480 and I know we're spending a little bit of time 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:43.480 in scripture today, and I think it's important 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:45.440 that we do, but I wanna next go to - Make sure 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:47.880 we mark them. Yeah. Cause these are good ones. 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:50.680 Yeah, these are probably marked in most people's 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:52.240 scriptures, and if they're not, we'd invite you 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:55.140 to do that, and maybe even make it a personal 00:22:55.140 --> 00:22:57.160 study around some of these things, and how do 00:22:57.160 --> 00:23:01.579 they apply to you and your life and your situation. 00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:07.319 I'm actually gonna begin in, this is King Benjamin. 00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:12.160 It's in Mosiah. Mosiah chapter three. I'm just 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:15.480 gonna start in verse 19. For the natural man 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:17.880 is an enemy to God and has been from the fall 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:21.680 of Adam and will be from ever and ever unless. 00:23:22.009 --> 00:23:25.069 He yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit 00:23:25.069 --> 00:23:27.329 and putteth off the natural man and becomeeth 00:23:27.329 --> 00:23:29.769 a saint through the atonement of Jesus Christ, 00:23:29.769 --> 00:23:32.730 the Lord, and becomeeth as a child, submissive, 00:23:32.890 --> 00:23:36.769 meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing 00:23:36.769 --> 00:23:39.450 to submit to all things which the Lord seeth 00:23:39.450 --> 00:23:42.690 fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth 00:23:42.690 --> 00:23:46.549 submit to his Father. I love the word and less 00:23:46.549 --> 00:23:49.730 in that scripture. and I circle it and I mark 00:23:49.730 --> 00:23:53.769 it because I just, again, that reminds me of 00:23:53.769 --> 00:23:59.430 my powerlessness. I am an enemy to God, unless. 00:24:01.009 --> 00:24:03.789 That is such an impactful word for me in that 00:24:03.789 --> 00:24:06.029 scripture. Unless I yield to the enticings of 00:24:06.029 --> 00:24:08.809 the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man 00:24:08.809 --> 00:24:10.970 and becomeeth a saint through the atonement of 00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:15.240 Christ the Lord. That's repentance. That is repentance, 00:24:15.380 --> 00:24:17.960 that's exactly repentance, putting off the natural 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.440 man and becoming a saint. It's about the way 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:22.980 we orient ourselves, the way we direct ourselves. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:27.160 It's that one degree off or on. Are we on track? 00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:31.660 Am I aligning myself with him, with his blessings, 00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:34.240 with his promises so that I can feel the peace 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.200 that is promised to me in my life through his 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:41.400 atonement? Let's go to another one. Let's go 00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:45.740 to Helaman chapter five. I knew you were going 00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:47.980 to Helaman. This is one of my very favorite, 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:51.440 one of my absolute favorite scriptures, and I 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:54.240 especially love when we talk about this dub in 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:58.299 an institute. I'm gonna start in verse 10, and 00:24:58.299 --> 00:25:01.220 remember also the words which Amulek spake to 00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:04.000 Zizram. In the city of Ammonihah, for he said 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:07.000 unto him that the Lord surely would come to redeem 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:10.660 his people. that he should not come to redeem 00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:14.539 his people in their sins, but to redeem them 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:18.039 from their sins. There it is. And he hath power 00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:21.160 given to him from the Father to redeem them from 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:24.819 their sins because of repentance. Therefore he 00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:28.140 has sent his angels to declare the tidings of 00:25:28.140 --> 00:25:32.039 the conditions of repentance which bringeth unto 00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:36.920 the power of the Redeemer. unto the salvation 00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:43.079 of their souls. I love that. Yeah? And then he 00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:45.160 goes on, and I'm gonna go ahead and read 12. 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:48.000 This is my favorite part of it. We could probably 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.980 stop at 11, but now, remember, remember, now, 00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:53.059 my sons, remember, remember that as it spawned 00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:55.019 the rock of your Redeemer who is Christ, the 00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:58.039 Son of God, that you must build your foundation. 00:25:58.599 --> 00:26:00.940 that when the devil shall send forth his mighty 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:04.119 winds, yea his shafts and whirlwind, yea when 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:07.359 all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:10.140 upon you, it shall have no power over you to 00:26:10.140 --> 00:26:12.579 drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:15.779 woe because of the rock upon which you have built, 00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:18.859 which is sure foundation, a foundation whereon 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:24.160 if men build. And this is pretty. pretty uh these 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:26.680 last couple of words they're they don't leave 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:30.740 much room for error right um so let me just go 00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:34.259 there again which is a sure foundation a foundation 00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:39.940 where on if men build they cannot they cannot 00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:42.440 fall as you were reading that i was thinking 00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:45.720 of the three little pigs the story the three 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.779 little pigs yeah where they you know built the 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:51.640 house of straw and sticks and then the bricks, 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:53.900 and then I thought about the wise man's song, 00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:57.799 I am such in a primary level. The wise man built 00:26:57.799 --> 00:27:01.980 his house upon the rock and the sand. I guess 00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:05.079 I'm just a very elementary minded person, but 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:10.660 I love that we learn that as children. I love 00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:12.559 that I have pictures to go with those words, 00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:17.680 that it's like the rock. of my foundation. And 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:19.599 what is the rock of my foundation? Rock of my 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:22.059 redeemer. Rock of my redeemer, I mean, and what 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:25.380 is my foundation, I mean? Yeah. It's like, because 00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:27.819 I don't want to fall. I mean, the three little 00:27:27.819 --> 00:27:29.640 pigs didn't want to get eaten up by the big bad 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:32.740 wolf. And the wise man, well, the foolish man 00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:34.839 didn't want his house to wash away. Yeah. It 00:27:34.839 --> 00:27:37.599 sounds so elementary, but I literally went to 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:39.000 those two stories when we were reading that. 00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:43.240 I was like, we get taught this in such a simple 00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:48.180 way, but yet it's such thick doctrine. Yeah, 00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:50.619 well, you know again when we're talking about 00:27:50.619 --> 00:27:52.880 change doesn't mean perfection, you know, that's 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:55.980 not the that's not the expectation here Jesus 00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:59.740 doesn't expect us to achieve on our own Through 00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:02.559 any amount of discipline or self mastery or any 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.720 of those things. Those are important They're 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:06.539 definitely important and they'd help us align 00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:09.539 with him. There's no doubt But unless we see 00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:13.119 him in all of that it can be for naught, right? 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:15.880 In fact, it is for naught. Well, and I think 00:28:16.170 --> 00:28:19.309 you know when we go through changes and and you 00:28:19.309 --> 00:28:22.650 always hear the comfort zone I hate quoting that 00:28:22.650 --> 00:28:24.710 now because I'm really uncomfortable but there's 00:28:24.710 --> 00:28:26.230 no growing in the comfort zone or comfort in 00:28:26.230 --> 00:28:28.529 the growing zone it doesn't mean just because 00:28:28.529 --> 00:28:32.069 we're going through change doesn't mean perfection, 00:28:32.349 --> 00:28:35.450 it means direction. And right now, where's my 00:28:35.450 --> 00:28:41.309 focus? I know there was an analogy where it doesn't 00:28:41.309 --> 00:28:43.809 matter if you're at the top of the rung or the 00:28:43.809 --> 00:28:48.069 bottom of the stairwell, it's most important 00:28:48.069 --> 00:28:54.349 where you're facing. Are you facing him? If you're 00:28:54.349 --> 00:28:56.470 at the top of the rung and you're looking down 00:28:56.470 --> 00:29:01.130 or your back is towards him, it really is. And 00:29:01.130 --> 00:29:03.089 I think that's something I should ask myself 00:29:03.089 --> 00:29:05.490 every day. Where's my focus? Who am I focusing 00:29:05.490 --> 00:29:08.910 on? What am I focusing on? So interesting. I 00:29:08.910 --> 00:29:16.329 love that. Yeah, it's just, again, where's my 00:29:16.329 --> 00:29:22.890 focus? Here's another problem with sin. I don't 00:29:22.890 --> 00:29:25.809 know if any of us want to stay in our sin. I 00:29:25.809 --> 00:29:29.230 think it's sometimes an opportunity to be, I 00:29:29.230 --> 00:29:33.609 hesitate to use the word lazy, but. Well, complacent. 00:29:33.769 --> 00:29:36.650 Complacent, stagnation, stagnant, right? Not 00:29:36.650 --> 00:29:38.029 making progress. And some of us have a favorite 00:29:38.029 --> 00:29:42.089 sin. I mean, let's just, it's like. Poor sins, 00:29:42.089 --> 00:29:45.029 even, right? Well, and the justification of, 00:29:45.190 --> 00:29:47.829 well, at least it's not that bad. and I compare, 00:29:48.089 --> 00:29:51.009 and that is where I get stagnant. That's where 00:29:51.009 --> 00:29:54.130 I get stuck. And there's what we call, what I 00:29:54.130 --> 00:29:56.390 call an OODA loop involved with that. OODA loop, 00:29:56.490 --> 00:29:57.970 I like that word. OODA loop, yeah, where I just 00:29:57.970 --> 00:30:00.109 keep looping. Yeah. Right, where I just keep 00:30:00.109 --> 00:30:03.950 looping. You know, if I'm just, you know, one 00:30:03.950 --> 00:30:05.789 of the most misunderstood effects of sin, that 00:30:05.789 --> 00:30:07.769 it doesn't just affect what we do, it limits 00:30:07.769 --> 00:30:10.430 to what we can see. Oh, for sure. Or how we can 00:30:10.430 --> 00:30:12.309 actually see it. Our perception. Right, so if 00:30:12.309 --> 00:30:16.339 I'm stuck in sin, then I'm probably not going 00:30:16.339 --> 00:30:20.420 to have the sharpest perception around what it 00:30:20.420 --> 00:30:22.819 means to get out of sin or even to stay in sin 00:30:22.819 --> 00:30:25.180 than I could otherwise because I'm absolutely 00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:29.059 clouded by the mist of darkness that's talked 00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:32.059 about in the Tree of Life story of the Book of 00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:37.059 Mormon. So it's important for us to understand 00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:39.579 that it doesn't just affect what we do, it limits 00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:42.059 what we can see and how we see ourselves and 00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:44.960 how we can see things. There's a couple of scriptures 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:48.680 that can kind of align with, you know, that idea 00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:53.099 that, you know, sin narrows our spiritual vision, 00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:56.059 justification can feel reasonable, stagnation 00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:59.680 feels like it's wise, you know, or whatever, 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:03.440 just not making progress and stagnation can... 00:31:03.929 --> 00:31:06.109 Absolutely, if we see things wrong and we don't 00:31:06.109 --> 00:31:08.650 view them through the purview of the gospel of 00:31:08.650 --> 00:31:11.509 Jesus Christ, that that can, and we can feel 00:31:11.509 --> 00:31:14.230 justified in staying stuck in our sin because 00:31:14.230 --> 00:31:17.609 it's not up to me anyway, it's up to him. It's 00:31:17.609 --> 00:31:19.849 through him that I'm saved. No effort of mine 00:31:19.849 --> 00:31:22.190 except for my alignment with him. And we can 00:31:22.190 --> 00:31:24.190 really get tripped up. I think that sometimes 00:31:24.190 --> 00:31:26.269 some people - I need to have the effort to align 00:31:26.269 --> 00:31:28.630 with him. Yeah, exactly. Through a little bit 00:31:28.630 --> 00:31:33.400 of, just get just a little bit. mixed up on that, 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:36.440 and our perception, because we are innocent, 00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:40.920 can feel like it's 100 % right. And there's a 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:43.920 scripture here in Mosiah. This is in Mosiah chapter 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:47.000 two. And I wanna read verses, start in verse 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:49.759 36. And now I say unto you, my brethren, that 00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:52.380 after we have known and have been taught all 00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:55.319 these things, If you should transgress and go 00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:58.339 contrary to that which has been spoken, that 00:31:58.339 --> 00:32:00.759 ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of 00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:03.339 the Lord, that it may have no place in you to 00:32:03.339 --> 00:32:07.680 guide you in wisdom's paths, that ye may be blessed, 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:10.960 prospered, and preserved, I say unto you, that 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:13.839 the man that doeth this, the same cometh out 00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:18.019 in open rebellion against God. Therefore, he 00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:20.819 listeth to obey the evil spirit and become an 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:24.509 enemy. to all righteousness. Therefore, the Lord 00:32:24.509 --> 00:32:29.529 has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy 00:32:29.529 --> 00:32:35.710 places. For he dwelleth not in unholy temples. 00:32:36.269 --> 00:32:40.329 Therefore, verse 38, if that man repenteth not. 00:32:40.569 --> 00:32:43.609 and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the 00:32:43.609 --> 00:32:46.529 demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal 00:32:46.529 --> 00:32:49.450 soul to a lively sense of his own guilt which 00:32:49.450 --> 00:32:51.809 doth cause him to shrink from the presence of 00:32:51.809 --> 00:32:54.410 the Lord and doth fill his breast with guilt 00:32:54.410 --> 00:32:57.910 and pain and anguish which is like the unquenchable 00:32:57.910 --> 00:33:02.390 fire whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. 00:33:04.309 --> 00:33:07.029 And now I say unto you, verse 39, and now as 00:33:07.029 --> 00:33:09.930 I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that 00:33:09.930 --> 00:33:13.890 man. Therefore, his final doom is to endure a 00:33:13.890 --> 00:33:17.029 never -ending torment. Yeah, let me skip down 00:33:17.029 --> 00:33:20.009 to verse 41 as well, Deb. And moreover, I would 00:33:20.009 --> 00:33:23.990 desire that you should consider on the blessed 00:33:23.990 --> 00:33:26.549 and happy state of those that keep the commandments 00:33:26.549 --> 00:33:30.450 of God, for behold, they are blessed in all things, 00:33:30.990 --> 00:33:34.099 both temporal, and spiritual, and if they hold 00:33:34.099 --> 00:33:36.799 out faithful to the end, they are received unto 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:39.240 heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God 00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:42.660 in a state of never -ending happiness. Oh, remember, 00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:45.240 remember that these things are true, for the 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:48.720 Lord God has spoken it. There's the hope of that. 00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:54.460 Yeah, and the message there isn't, It's okay 00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:58.420 to stay stuck in our sins. It's okay that we 00:33:58.420 --> 00:34:01.299 are affected by the effects of the fall of Adam 00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:03.200 and Eve, but it's not okay that we stay stuck. 00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:05.640 It's not okay that we stay broken. It's not okay 00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:09.699 that we invite and stay in sin in our lives, 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:12.099 because why? Because he's gonna pay for them 00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:15.079 anyway. In fact, he has. And someday I'll just 00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:16.920 be able to go ahead and align with him. That's 00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:21.269 false doctrine. And that's just not the message 00:34:21.269 --> 00:34:24.510 of the hope of Jesus Christ. And I think it's 00:34:24.510 --> 00:34:29.170 important for us to continue on that hopeful, 00:34:29.610 --> 00:34:36.090 I mean, as we yield and surrender to that, it's 00:34:36.090 --> 00:34:40.489 not self -hatred. Yeah, right, right, right. 00:34:40.530 --> 00:34:45.030 When we're yielding, yielding is trust. Yielding 00:34:45.030 --> 00:34:50.380 is... to give up, it restores clarity. It's like, 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:54.519 you know, when you get too far gone, which I 00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:57.900 have experienced. Well, so stop, there's no such 00:34:57.900 --> 00:35:00.500 thing as too far gone. Well, in my perception. 00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:03.440 When you feel, in the moment where you feel too 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:06.679 far gone. It's like, I go to this place of, I 00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:09.219 can't anymore. There's something bigger than 00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:14.000 me. And I think that's the yielding that we need 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:18.920 to, you know, turn to for that transformation 00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:24.480 to take place. It's like, okay, clearly my best 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:28.539 thinking got me here. And I need to make sure 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:35.440 that I'm aligning with his will. There is a scripture, 00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:40.079 we were in scriptures a lot today, which I love. 00:35:41.089 --> 00:35:45.849 Romans 12 verse 2 it says and be not conformed 00:35:45.849 --> 00:35:49.389 to this world this really kind of resonated with 00:35:49.389 --> 00:35:53.730 me as as we were talking about this but be transformed 00:35:55.150 --> 00:35:57.250 I'm gonna say that again, because it was impactful 00:35:57.250 --> 00:36:00.230 to me. And be not conformed to this world, but 00:36:00.230 --> 00:36:04.469 be transformed by the renewing of your mind that 00:36:04.469 --> 00:36:08.869 ye may prove what is that good and acceptable 00:36:08.869 --> 00:36:12.710 and perfect will of God. To turn my will and 00:36:12.710 --> 00:36:17.889 my life over to him. Because in my prayer and 00:36:17.889 --> 00:36:21.090 my scripture study this week, I have had an overwhelming 00:36:21.090 --> 00:36:25.940 feeling, a reminder. And this is God helping 00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:30.639 me saying, you are not a woman of this world, 00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:34.519 you are a woman of God. And I've heard it over 00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:37.579 and over and so as I read this, be not conformed 00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:41.860 to this world, but be transformed, but be ye 00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:44.280 transformed by the renewing of your mind to the 00:36:44.280 --> 00:36:47.380 will of God. That's where I want to be transformed 00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:49.360 is through the will of God, not of this world. 00:36:49.639 --> 00:36:52.739 This world is messy, it's sticky, it's scary. 00:36:53.579 --> 00:37:01.280 And I think if we can remember to yield to those, 00:37:01.280 --> 00:37:06.239 you know, those enticings of the spirit, he can 00:37:06.239 --> 00:37:10.219 save us from this crazy place, this belief system 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:15.099 and these things that are going on and points 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.639 us away from ourselves and points us towards 00:37:17.639 --> 00:37:22.880 Jesus Christ. I know that when I think about 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:25.780 change, and that's really what repentance is, 00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:28.059 right? Just change, and when I think about change, 00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:32.340 I know that our instinct, and at least my instinct, 00:37:32.440 --> 00:37:37.559 is often to turn to myself, to turn inward. I 00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:40.679 become self -indicating, I become over -critical, 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:45.519 I really bear down on my tendencies for... perfectionism 00:37:45.519 --> 00:37:48.719 and scrupulosity and all those things that come 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:56.260 for various reasons. But when I do, I'm really 00:37:56.260 --> 00:38:00.480 putting more effort, more shame, more self monitoring. 00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:04.280 That's still the natural man. All of that's still 00:38:04.280 --> 00:38:07.860 the natural man, like we just talked about in 00:38:07.860 --> 00:38:10.739 Mosiah chapter three. That's all still the natural 00:38:10.739 --> 00:38:13.280 man. It's just dressed up differently. It's dressed 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:19.309 up in scrupulosity. Right? Or piety, or bigotry, 00:38:19.989 --> 00:38:25.389 or whatever. It's just different. And those things 00:38:25.389 --> 00:38:27.769 can trick us. Those things, those are tools of 00:38:27.769 --> 00:38:32.510 Satan. Those are tools of the adversary to move 00:38:32.510 --> 00:38:34.789 us away from that relationship that we're so 00:38:34.789 --> 00:38:37.150 seeking with our heavenly father through his 00:38:37.150 --> 00:38:39.030 son Jesus Christ. I think about this, and I know 00:38:39.030 --> 00:38:42.269 that we've used this quote many times, and we'll 00:38:42.269 --> 00:38:44.170 probably continue to use this quote many times. 00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:46.920 It's one of my favorites. Adam Miller is a person 00:38:46.920 --> 00:38:49.500 who I really look up to, a philosopher. He teaches, 00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:53.500 I'm not sure what, university in Texas, but he's 00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:56.119 written a lot of books on grace, a member of 00:38:56.119 --> 00:38:58.400 the church, and just an amazing, amazing man. 00:38:59.079 --> 00:39:00.980 But this is what he said. He said, keeping the 00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:03.739 law doesn't earn you heavenly merits, and breaking 00:39:03.739 --> 00:39:08.019 the law doesn't earn you hellish demerits. And 00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:09.719 I think it's important that we know that, but 00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:11.639 then he goes on, he says, merits and demerits 00:39:11.639 --> 00:39:15.059 keep the focus on you. So we're talking about 00:39:15.059 --> 00:39:17.719 how sin can keep our perception messed up. You 00:39:17.719 --> 00:39:20.880 just talked about read to us in in Romans how 00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:24.280 that through him even our perceptions changed 00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:26.719 and then he goes on the purpose of the laws to 00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:28.800 point you away from yourself and to center you 00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:32.000 on Christ You don't need to generate merit to 00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:34.480 be saved You need to come unto Christ and rely 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:37.059 wholly on the merits of him who is mighty to 00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:41.000 save Keeping the laws work of relying on Christ's 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:46.170 merit not generating your own Still work, but 00:39:46.170 --> 00:39:48.829 it's work of relying on Christ's merit, not generating 00:39:48.829 --> 00:39:54.550 our own. And one could maybe say, well there 00:39:54.550 --> 00:39:56.630 it is Scott, you're saying I don't have to generate 00:39:56.630 --> 00:39:58.869 my own merit, I can stay in my sin, that's not 00:39:58.869 --> 00:40:01.250 what this is saying at all. Through Christ's 00:40:01.250 --> 00:40:04.530 merit we are invited to be saved from our sins, 00:40:04.710 --> 00:40:07.369 not in our sins, we've read about that. Through 00:40:07.369 --> 00:40:10.369 Christ's merits we have been invited to put off 00:40:10.369 --> 00:40:13.280 the natural man. and put on the atonement of 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:18.099 Jesus Christ, to put off the natural man, and 00:40:18.099 --> 00:40:20.719 the natural man's an enemy of God. If the natural 00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:23.219 man's an enemy of God, there will be no spirit 00:40:23.219 --> 00:40:25.300 in our life. We're in the natural man process 00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:28.679 or the natural man posture. There will be limited 00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:31.079 spirit in our life to give us the direction and 00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:33.219 the perception that we need to see the atonement 00:40:33.219 --> 00:40:37.219 of Jesus Christ and all that it is accurately. 00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:40.079 And when you read that, I thought, that doesn't 00:40:40.079 --> 00:40:42.579 mean the law doesn't matter. It means that the 00:40:42.579 --> 00:40:46.780 law doesn't save you. Jesus Christ does. That's 00:40:46.780 --> 00:40:51.739 a good point, babe. It reminds me of, in 2 Nephi, 00:40:52.320 --> 00:40:58.400 chapter 31, let's go to 19. and now my beloved 00:40:58.400 --> 00:41:01.559 brethren after ye have gotten into this straight 00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:06.500 and narrow path i would ask if all is done behold 00:41:06.500 --> 00:41:10.300 i say unto you nay for ye have not come thus 00:41:10.300 --> 00:41:15.139 far Save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken 00:41:15.139 --> 00:41:19.219 faith in him relying wholly upon the merits of 00:41:19.219 --> 00:41:21.500 him who is mighty to save and I'm gonna read 00:41:21.500 --> 00:41:26.159 20 wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness 00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:29.900 in Christ having a perfect brightness of hope 00:41:29.900 --> 00:41:34.800 and a love of God and all of all men feasting 00:41:34.800 --> 00:41:38.360 upon the word of Christ and endure to the end 00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:43.820 behold thus saith the Ye shall have eternal life. 00:41:44.159 --> 00:41:47.219 There it is. Yeah. Just like you said. Mic drop. 00:41:47.860 --> 00:41:50.800 Mic drop. Just like you said, that doesn't mean 00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:52.559 the law doesn't matter. It means the law doesn't 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:55.599 save you, that Jesus does, right? Yeah. Jesus 00:41:55.599 --> 00:42:02.840 Christ is literally like... Relying on the merits 00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:06.539 of him who is holy, on the merits of him who 00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:08.539 is mighty to save. The straight and narrow path. 00:42:09.019 --> 00:42:11.079 And that straight and narrow... That path requires 00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:12.980 effort on our part, there's no question, but 00:42:12.980 --> 00:42:15.219 our effort will never be sufficient. And again, 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:18.880 without getting down this rabbit hole, and I 00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.559 don't consider it a rabbit hole, it's the most 00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:22.139 important stuff that we talk about, but there 00:42:22.139 --> 00:42:24.519 are three main blessings that come through Christ's 00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:27.099 atonement. One of those is the strengthening 00:42:27.099 --> 00:42:29.900 or enabling blessings through his atonement that 00:42:29.900 --> 00:42:33.179 are available to us, which allow our perceptions 00:42:33.179 --> 00:42:37.039 to change, which give us the strength to overcome, 00:42:37.320 --> 00:42:39.400 and sometimes we need priesthood authority. the 00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:42.179 keys turned in our behalf to allow that to happen, 00:42:42.679 --> 00:42:47.980 but Jesus doesn't leave us in our sins. He tells 00:42:47.980 --> 00:42:51.239 us, I don't condemn thee, but go and sin no more. 00:42:52.039 --> 00:42:56.400 And align with me, be with me, so. You know, 00:42:56.480 --> 00:42:58.659 I think it's just important that we understand 00:42:58.659 --> 00:43:01.820 that there can be transformation without condemnation, 00:43:01.960 --> 00:43:04.940 that that's actually how our repentance and how 00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:09.659 that part of our coming to Him can be. And I 00:43:09.659 --> 00:43:12.000 think it's important that maybe, Deb, as we just 00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:15.219 kind of wrap up, that we extend a couple of invitations. 00:43:15.800 --> 00:43:20.940 And I think one of those would be, maybe you 00:43:20.940 --> 00:43:24.920 and I are both kind of... keen on these personal 00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:27.159 inventories or just doing a little self -check 00:43:27.159 --> 00:43:30.840 once in a while? I have to. What step is that? 00:43:31.300 --> 00:43:36.719 Step 10. Yep, step 10. And, you know, maybe just 00:43:36.719 --> 00:43:38.960 if we were to consider and put some thought into, 00:43:39.440 --> 00:43:41.840 where might mercy have quietly turned into permission 00:43:41.840 --> 00:43:45.690 in my life today? Where might I have become a 00:43:45.690 --> 00:43:50.829 little lackadaisical in my willingness to live 00:43:50.829 --> 00:43:55.110 with his exactness and to align through my obedience 00:43:55.110 --> 00:43:58.730 with him? And knowing that I'm going to fall, 00:43:58.949 --> 00:44:01.369 knowing that I'm going to even fail in that regard, 00:44:01.630 --> 00:44:06.309 and also knowing that because of my effort, it's 00:44:06.309 --> 00:44:12.420 through him that I will also be saved. the reflection 00:44:12.420 --> 00:44:15.860 of what might the spirit be inviting you to yield 00:44:15.860 --> 00:44:20.139 to? Not to fix, not to justify, but just to yield. 00:44:20.880 --> 00:44:26.519 Slow down, give it up. I've shared before I like 00:44:26.519 --> 00:44:28.360 to get in the driver's seat and I like control. 00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:32.219 And right now I do not have control and I get 00:44:32.219 --> 00:44:35.599 to practice yielding. So what might the spirit 00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:39.550 be inviting you to yield to this week? That's 00:44:39.550 --> 00:44:41.349 a good one, and I think that that's one that 00:44:41.349 --> 00:44:44.829 I'm gonna spend some time with today. Because 00:44:44.829 --> 00:44:47.329 there's just times in my life, I'm affected by 00:44:47.329 --> 00:44:49.070 the fall of Adam and Eve, and there's times in 00:44:49.070 --> 00:44:51.449 my life, there are times in my life when I need 00:44:51.449 --> 00:44:54.190 to do another self -assessment, and just take 00:44:54.190 --> 00:44:57.170 a look and really realize, what's his spirit 00:44:57.170 --> 00:45:00.170 inviting me to yield to right now? Good thing 00:45:00.170 --> 00:45:05.730 he's patient. Jesus is so patient. His patience 00:45:05.730 --> 00:45:09.369 is infinite. Well, his patience is infinite. 00:45:10.349 --> 00:45:15.150 His purpose is transformation. He loves us exactly 00:45:15.150 --> 00:45:18.590 where we are. And far too much to leave us that 00:45:18.590 --> 00:45:21.969 way. That's the point. He meets us in our mess, 00:45:22.030 --> 00:45:25.309 but he wants to lead us out of our mess too. 00:45:26.380 --> 00:45:29.659 Because he knows what's there for us. He knows 00:45:29.659 --> 00:45:33.119 our hope. He knows the end. He knows the joy 00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:36.539 and happiness that we can all feel. And as we 00:45:36.539 --> 00:45:40.519 align with him, I trust and today I have faith 00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:44.340 that there are better things on the horizon. 00:45:45.099 --> 00:45:49.840 That there is hope through him who died and bled 00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:53.460 for me and was resurrected on that third day. 00:45:54.170 --> 00:45:59.190 so that we can be redeemed and made whole through 00:45:59.190 --> 00:46:02.329 him. And I am so grateful today, I know that. 00:46:03.050 --> 00:46:08.510 And I testify of that. Thanks, Deb. I too know 00:46:08.510 --> 00:46:12.909 that. And I also know that he does love us too 00:46:12.909 --> 00:46:16.130 much to leave us where we are. I know it's uncomfortable 00:46:16.130 --> 00:46:19.150 sometimes to make change. I know it's uncomfortable 00:46:19.150 --> 00:46:22.769 to rise above the fallen world. I know it's difficult 00:46:22.769 --> 00:46:26.030 and I know in some cases, it even sometimes feels 00:46:26.030 --> 00:46:29.269 impossible. And I know there are varying degrees. 00:46:29.469 --> 00:46:33.269 This is not an episode today to condemn or put 00:46:33.269 --> 00:46:37.380 pressure or... But it is one to enlighten and 00:46:37.380 --> 00:46:40.380 to bring light on the fact that, yeah, he loves 00:46:40.380 --> 00:46:43.519 us, and yeah, he'll meet us in our mess, and 00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:47.940 he loves us enough that when it's possible, and 00:46:47.940 --> 00:46:51.179 when it's in the will of our Heavenly Father, 00:46:51.440 --> 00:46:55.400 that we are relieved from that, that it's through 00:46:55.400 --> 00:46:57.820 our effort. We do need to have some effort there, 00:46:57.840 --> 00:47:01.019 and because of the enabling and compensatory 00:47:01.019 --> 00:47:04.900 and redeeming. blessings of Christ's atonement, 00:47:05.219 --> 00:47:09.199 all things are possible, including this. Thanks 00:47:09.199 --> 00:47:10.719 for being with us, everybody. We look forward 00:47:10.719 --> 00:47:13.019 to being with you again next week, and until 00:47:13.019 --> 00:47:13.760 then, be well.