Well, hey there everybody and welcome back to another episode of Redeem Through His Blood.
This is Scott Durfey joined as always by David Durfey.
What's up David? Good to see you Scott. Good to be here and talk about these things.
We kind of last week talked about faith in Christ and the difference between faith in
Christ and faith in the name of Christ. Yeah. Which I think is significant and it's always
kind of hard for me to to teach and to help others understand what that all means and why it's so
important or at least so important to me. But I think there's great power in it and I remember
teaching it to our students at the Institute and some of them just you could tell you know looking
into their eyes and several of them would stay after and and be so grateful for understanding
the difference between faith in Christ versus faith in the name of Christ. How one saves us and one
exalts us and I hope that we didn't try it's it's simple in my mind but I hope it didn't sound
too complicated in our previous podcast and today I would like to if it's okay Scott begin to talk
about maybe a little more detail. We touched on it last week talking about sacrifice, the role
of sacrifice and then briefly they'll have the laws of sacrifice and obedience are so critical to
obtaining the faith of power but I'd like to talk about other things today about how we can maybe
obtain faith. I think it's a good place for us to take off from here. I know that you know we've
had some good responses from some of our listeners and continue to send those responses to us. You
can do that at heredeemsusatgmail.com but a couple of really kind of tender experiences that were
actually asked not that we share them but a couple of tender experiences around that this very
topic and faith and how that faith and just faith in the general can help us come closer to God and
maybe even bring and as we come closer to God give us the confidence the spiritual confidence that
that maybe we may be lacking but then as we move into faith in Jesus himself how that even expands
because that faith comes through a knowing Him, a getting to know Him and then following Him and
then a deeper desire to be like Him. We talked a lot about Dave also you know that getting to
know Him you know having faith in Him is so important but a really important component
of that is getting to know Him and then as you said moving into having faith in the name of
Christ and how those covenants that covenantal relationship that we enter into they're really
kind of bolsters us in our spiritual lives and our spiritual being and you know we made reference to
one of President Nelson's great talks I think we'll be making deeper reference of that today
about faith and moving mountains and and all of that so I'm excited to continue where we're
where we're going today so let's let's take it from here. Okay well Scott I also hope people
feel a need to increase their faith I don't quite know how to teach that or help give that to others
through a podcast but I'm sure hoping that people feel a need to connect with their Heavenly Father
and to grow their faith all of us we're all at different levels again you can only speak of faith
if you you think of it as levels because none of us either have it or we don't it's we all have some
degree of it it just depends on what degree of it you have and I hope that all of us myself included
who may need it more than anybody that we really try hard to put together a plan that we don't
just think about this or feel somewhat motivated by this but that we actually we actually give us
some thought maybe write down some things and put together a plan to grow our faith to increase our
faith you know I I love that story the New Testament that that brother who prays you know in Mark 9
what is what does that go Scott in Mark 9 when he says increase my faith or yeah yeah yeah it's
actually isn't the father help me to believe yeah and he he says you know I know that you could heal
is my son yeah yeah yeah and and he said Jesus says to him all things are possible to those who
believe and he says oh help help thou my unbelief elder elder Holland gave Chisto wonderful talk
on that I don't remember exactly when but boy I leaned on those words that that talk was given
at a time in my life when I really needed to you know oh strengthen now my unbelief was in yeah
almost every one of my prayers at that time yeah do you have a mark can you see it the the point is
here's the point the point is it's not something we just can even with a plan which I think is critical
but even with that and all of our work it is not something that we obtain or earn on our own
faith I repeat is ultimately a gift of God it is a gift of the spirit and you have to think
of it that way and therefore we need to pray for faith pray with real intent with faith to obtain
great faith the faith of power do you have it there yeah I do I'm not exactly sure where to
start so I think I'll just start this is we're going to start in let's start in nine mark nine
we're going to start in 20 and they brought him unto him and when he saw him straight way the spirit
tear him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming talking of the son yeah and he asked his
father how long how long is it ago since this came unto him and he said of a child and so
apparently this young man had been suffering this for since he was a baby almost it sounds like and
often off times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him but if thou can't
do anything have compassion on us and help us there's the plea of a father you know how many times
have I have I said that in behalf of my own children you know as recently as this week honestly
and there there is just a a indication brief I'm not judging the man but there's a brief indication
there that he lacks a little faith because he says how does he say it well if you can't do anything
yeah well okay so I would never say that personally yeah because I know he could do something if it
was his will well yeah would do something but he says if he can't do anything at least show us some
compassion so it gives us some indication you know where this man stands and then Jesus said
unto him if thou can't believe all things are possible to him that believeth and straight way
the father of the child create cried out and said with tears with tears I think that's important
that that's noted he has a need Lord I believe help thou my unbelief and when Jesus saw that the
people came running together and and he rebuked the foul spirit saying unto him thou dumb and deaf
spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him and the spirit cried and rent
him sore and came out of him and he was as one dead in so much that many said he is dead
but then it goes on and you know obviously he's healed but the point here is is you know the
Lord I believe help thou my unbelief I hope that we can all offer that prayer to whatever degree
we lack belief or we lack faith that will offer that prayer for God to help us to increase our
faith wherever we are I don't know Scott some people I think do not are they really don't think
enough ponder or meditate on it enough that faith is ultimately the power in our lives
that brings all good things into our lives from God if there is no we're going to talk about
repentance in our next podcast there is no power in repentance there is no power in repentance the
power to repent in in the in the name of Jesus Christ and through his redeeming blood is through
our faith in Jesus Christ faith is the power to be forgiven faith is the power to even repent
faith is the power faith is the power of godliness it is a principle of action and it is a principle
of power faith is power and I just hope that our listeners and you and me and our families can
can see the need that we have for faith I remember President Hinckley this was always in my
PowerPoint when I taught this this segment on faith the greatest need in the world today is faith
and it's amazing how how so many in all religions in all countries are losing faith because of
the overload of information and confusion and contention and the the weary world that we live
in are losing their faith and it's the greatest need that we have and it's the greatest need in
my life it's the greatest need in your life and our families and our country in the world in the
church so anyway this is a universal problem not just you and me or even church or country problem
it's universal yeah and it expands into so many other areas too I this reminds me of you know
this prayer sprinkled help down my unbelief you know I had I've had a couple of really kind of
poignant conversations with a couple of people who are suffering from addiction in the throes of
the very throes of addiction not even in recovery but they are in deep addiction who think that maybe
through recovery there could be some hope which is obviously you know another act of faith
but but oftentimes David and this has been the case with at least one of these people this week
though they're they're they want to be willing but they're not willing you know and it's kind of
the same prayer you know help down my willingness even and and you know maybe for some of us that's
where we even start because big just desire because you can only desire because you know
and you made the point you know we we get so there's so many things the enemy's really done
his work in creating confusion and distraction and and everything around us and just diversion and
divisiveness and and all of this around us that's so much takes us away from the true spirit and
and you know when sometimes we just even have to pray for the willingness and then that will
turn into the hope and then into the faith and then all of this builds as as we've already talked
about you know and here now we're continuing to talk about faith in the name of Christ but
you know all of that kind of has an impetus and a beginning you know absolutely and probably begins
with the acknowledgement of need or in other words the desire to believe and our own inadequacy
man are yeah absolutely are we lack humor yeah well so let's talk a little bit more about and
try to help each other and and listeners how can we obtain this faith what can I do to increase
my faith to strengthen our unbelief I always think of elder Nelson's talk which we've referenced
and I think you even shared a link two podcasts ago it'll be in the link we could probably do it
again in this one too but it was in the two podcasts ago I think 19 or 20 it was in the show notes
well it's an amazing talk by president Nelson given in April of 2021 2021 yeah 2021 it was on
Easter Sunday yeah and it's entitled Christ is risen faith in him will move mountains and he
references that scripture that faith of a mustard seed can move mountains but he gives us five points
five suggestions may I offer five suggestions before you do that can I just read one paragraph
please can kind of lead into that so this in this paragraph that's coming you know just before what
Dave's going to get into under these five suggestions is that I think this is important this is from a
prophet faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of all belief and the conduit of divine power
according to the apostle Paul without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him he was 11 exactly
and we reference that so what does he say the faith is the conduit the conduit of divine power
there you go the foundation of all belief we can't have belief according to this without a
particle of faith right and then with that comes so if we want the conduit if we want to fill that
divine power the steps that you're about to go into from this talk really kind of follow along
with what he just said there yeah absolutely and maybe even before I give these five Scott let me
preface it with this idea you know we we all quote the scripture in James
James that faith without works is dead and we've always thought that that meant that if I'm not
keeping the commandments if I'm not striving to be perfect or like Jesus then I can't have faith
well I kind of think it has that meaning but it also in addition to that it means that without
work there is no faith faith takes work I mean it takes great effort to obtain great faith
if you if you're not willing to work to strengthen your faith you will not receive the gift
it takes great work in fact in this in this very talk and there were some who were really offended
by this I've read some of the social media and Facebook stuff and I've even had a few people
talk to me oh did you yeah about about President Nelson calling calling certain people out
about you know which is what prophets prophets should do but he says the answer to all of our
challenges is to increase our faith that takes work it takes work to increase faith and then he
says this is the part that people got offended lazy learners yeah that's right and lacks disciples
that's right we'll always struggle to muster even a particle of faith I love that lazy learners and
lacks disciples we've all been there we we're all lazy learners at times and we're all lacks
disciples at times and that's a constant battle for me I know that I know that's something that I
have to continually work with it takes great effort and it takes it takes plan and discipline
I'm telling you so so before we give these five points let's just write off the bat say
man it takes great work to obtain great faith to receive the gift of faith yeah but but let me
but let me throw this at you too it takes great work not to if you think that not having faith
is just an easy way to go and if you think that if I don't work towards having faith and having
that conduit open try living your life that way I see the misery and I've lived up my in my own
life we all have to some degree it takes as much work to not have faith because of all of the things
that come to us you know at least when we're putting forth work to have faith we feel like
there's solution let me let me rephrase that we know there's solution because we know and we feel
heavenly fathers power at work in our life through the atonement of Jesus Christ there's work in not
having faith because all of our life goes to hell in a handbasket and then what do we do that takes
a lot of work to well the the antidote of faith right is worry and fear and despair yeah so that's
what you're saying yeah yeah the antithesis the the not the anecdote the antidote you can make a
choice that's right you you can have exercise great faith in God and faith in Jesus Christ and
obtain a perfect brightness of hope in Jesus Christ or you can be filled with despair and wonder and
worry yeah and it's a choice yeah absolutely well here's the five he says may offer five
suggestions to help you develop that faith and trust yeah first study he spends a long time on
this one Scott he just says you've got to be an engaged learner it takes great work to immerse
yourself in the scriptures and to better understand Christ's mission his ministry his atonement his
attributes I'm paraphrasing his attributes but once you once you pay that price and you come to know
and you begin to obtain knowledge through your study your faith will grow and it will become a
faith of great power I like here where he says he took in that it's in the same paragraph he took
upon himself your misery your mistakes your weakness and your sins he paid the compensatory price
and provided the power for you to move every mountain you will ever face yeah I love that
that's kind of where I'm one of the places where I have to use the term compensatory power right
you tell me Jesus Christ gives us compensatory power so anyway you we have to study we have to
learn more we have to accept the invitation that he's given us to to learn of me and that takes
that takes effort and work and a plan and hope that our even in small increments Scott even if
we're imperfect at it we need to try to do better strengthening our faith through study
well second he says you must choose to believe and it is a choice yeah faith is a choice believe
is a choice and so second you have to choose to believe in Jesus Christ
that's something that as a as a moral agent that I can choose or not choose
and not only that we believe in him Scott but I've always loved the idea that was put into a book
by Steven Robinson it's one thing to believe in him it's another thing to believe him and
to believe him Scott you have to know what he said what did Jesus say you have to know his
doctrine that takes study so so believing in him and believe him again requires great study great
work to to be able to you can't choose to believe in Jesus if you don't know anything about Jesus
you can't even believe in Jesus if you haven't studied his words know what he has said what he's
taught so we have to believe in him and we have to believe him and we'll talk about how that that
applies directly to being able to forgive ourselves so many people can't forgive themselves because
they don't believe Jesus they don't believe in his mercy and his grace and they don't believe him
when he whispers that they're forgiven well third is to act that of course is the from the
lectures on faith that faith is action it's it's action it's principle of action principle of power
power so we have to act and he he he asked some questions in in this he asked this question
what would you do if you had more faith whenever a prophet asks a questions Scott
in any of the conference talks that deserves some meditation I know we read them we listen to them
and then we gloss right over this but when a prophet has by the spirit when he is written
crafted an inspired question from and if it's right whether from my own voice or the voice of
my servants it is the same if you take this as a question from God it deserves an answer
what would you do if you had more faith yeah I like I like too that it kind of gives you
when I'm asked these questions sometimes I think well I know the answer to that
you know and without even without even formulating in my mind where the of course I know the answer
to that but he and he's he's extends an invitation around that and then he says think about it think
about it write about it exactly then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith
more faith what can we do to exercise and strengthen our faith another thing I like to
something that requires more faith another thing I like to think is and I pose this question to
myself a lot because it was posed to me when I was first getting my life turned around again and
stuff like that but I and I pose this to people that I work with is what how would your life be
different if you had more faith yeah similar question yeah absolutely and how can you make
that happen right well fourth per take of sacred ordinances worthily yeah we talked a lot about
that last week in regards to what it means to have faith in the name right of Jesus Christ well
and we even took that to a bit a bit further when we said that anytime that we are invoking the name
of Jesus Christ even in the bearing of our testimonies even in the participation of ordinances
whether we're receiving or the we're administering the those the atonement is alive in our lives
and we're filling the administration of the atonement through the spirit when we do that
that's one of the ways one of the most effective powerful ways to access the atonement of Jesus
Christ is to participate in his ordinances and fifth just simply president elson says quote
and fifth ask your heavenly father in the name of Jesus Christ for help well there you go yeah
yeah and the next the next sentence is the next paragraph begins in his talk faith takes work
receiving revelation takes work so my question to you scott is what's the connection between
faith and revelation how are faith and revelation connected well without without faith there's
there's not going to be much revelation and without revelation there's no faith
it's a gift of the spirit yeah it just has his faith and that's how it grows by receiving
more revelation but I like what he says after that receiving revelation takes work and that you
know that's true but then he says but everyone that receive asketh receiveeth and he that seeketh
findeth and to him that knocketh shall be opened of course you know quoting that great scripture
from Matthew seven eight but and that may be great knocking and it may be long yeah not seeking may
be may be likely arduous and difficult yeah it's not it's not it's simple but it's not easy
I I think him come follow me we've we've recently studied the parable again of the import tuning
I prefer that name the the import tuning widow who goes to the unjust judge and knocks and knocks
and knocks and begs and begs and begs and finally the judge says okay I'll give it to you know
and and Jesus makes the point that the great faith requires great endurance yeah really it
requires great effort and endurance yeah so I think those are five great principles that we
should all seek to implement into our plan to grow great faith study with great effort
choose to believe in Jesus Christ third act in faith fourth partake of sacred ordinances
and fifth ask your heavenly father in the name of Jesus Christ for help there's some other things
Scott that I think I'd like to just emphasize in obtaining great faith in you know in lectures on
faith in the seventh lecture it talks about how to obtain faith through mental exertion
we're not talking about brainwashing we're not talking about convincing yourself of things
that are true that aren't true we're talking about looking forward to things with an eye of faith
of faith and to be able to use what the scriptures I love this term it's one of my favorites in the
Book of Mormon and it's unique to the Book of Mormon the term is a firm mind that's that's what
mental exertion is you know I my stake president called me in I love my stake president to bless
his heart he's moving and we'll have a new one here in a in another month or so but
uh he called me in to his office about a month ago you know I'm a former former counselor and
and we've had lots of interviews as him being stake president me being a patriarch and
he said brother derpy you know I've been listening to the brother and and I've been
observing our our young man our youth and uh I'm just really troubled can you help me
uh what can we do to toughen up our boys
wow yeah isn't that a sweet that's awesome isn't that a sweet question for a mistake president yeah
and what can we do to help our boys become tougher what did he mean by that well he he was
just seeing so many of them who were you know so many young men going on missions coming home because
they couldn't you know couldn't kind of and and I I'm not casting any judgment here believe me
but just the culture that they are growing up in that uh were so many I mean we had this
discussion so many play video games and so many are are lost in in doing things that don't really
matter and uh don't have maybe the the opportunity it's not all their fault don't have the opportunity
in our current culture to work on the farm uh to do chores every morning get up every morning at
four a.m. and milk a cow or how can we toughen our boys how can we just make them mentally
mostly and emotionally and spiritually and even physically tougher how can we toughen them up
I thought it was such a great question so for I don't know half hour or more we sat and talked
about this but the first thing that I thought of when he asked me the question was the stripling
warriors the first thing I thought of my mind went to the book of Mormon you know stripling
means literally very young I mean these could have been deacons these 2060 uh heal them and led
into war and not not a soul was lost not one of the many were wounded but not one was lost that
they might have been 12 and 13 year olds 14 or 15 maybe at the oldest and he leads them into
battle and the the whole key to their uh toughness and their faith is given to us in the Alma chapter
57 Scott so uh let's just turn there real quick into Alma 57 I think some of our listeners can
anticipate what I'm going to read right now but it's this amazing faith that they had which is
described in in 19 through 21 and again I think it applies to how in our current culture can we
can we strengthen maybe that's a better word than toughen but how can we strengthen our our youth
our children our grandchildren the rising generation verse 19 in Alma 57 maybe I can read but behold
my little band of 2060 fought most desperately yay they were firm they were tough strong before
the Lamanites and it administered death and all those who opposed them and as the remainder of
our army were about to give way before the Lamanites behold those 2060 were firm and undaunted
love that two two great words they're firm and undaunted
yay and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness
and even this is the parts God and even according to their faith it was done
and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them
so these boys had been taught they had studied and they had such powerful faith
that whatever they spoke it was done no wonder they didn't lose any souls but but if you go
across the column scott to verse 26 and 27 and maybe you can read those for us yeah you got it
and starting in 26 and now their preservation was astonishing to our whole army yay that they
should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain and we do justly ascribe
it to the miraculous power of God because of their exceeding faith because because of their
exceeding faith I have that because circled in my verse because why did they have such
miraculous power because of their exceeding not just faith yeah their power was dependent on their
exceeding not just faith exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe
that there was a just God and whosoever did not doubt that they should be preserved by
his marvelous power now this was the faith of these whom I have spoken they are young
and their minds are firm and they do put their trust in God continually
in that powerful yeah so powerful they they have firm minds scott
they have firm minds that that is a unique phrase in the book of Mormon it appears later
in Moroni chapter seven about angels appear to those whose minds are firm I I love that phrase
in the book of Mormon I actually picked up on that phrase it meant it meant so much to me on my mission
and it has it has all of my life since what does it take scott to have a firm mind what what are we
talking about or lectures of faith talking about that that faith comes to those who exercise mental
exertion how can we how can we do that how can we strengthen our minds how can we firm up our
minds you know we're we're always talking about firming up our bodies yeah right people are always
saying you got you got to firm up I'm going to go firm up and that takes work and that takes great
work right to strengthen our muscles are our bodies to look good to whatever and that also
takes faith and what does it take to firm up your mind takes work and it takes and it takes that
kind of exertion that it would take to firm up our bodies right we know that based on science and
based on outcomes that we've seen in others and I think that can be applicable here the outcomes
that we've seen in others we can take the examples around us of our family or of other prophets or
you know even even out of the scriptures we can take those examples right here is one in Alma
57 you know of these stripling warriors you know we can take these to help us to firm up our minds
but it does it but it goes right back you can if you're not willing to study them and that's what
I was just going to say it goes right back to you know President Nelson's talk here and so much of
the things that we've talked about in the past as well is we really have to come to know him we
have to walk where he walked we have to be willing to go where he went we have to you know come to
me fill the prints of the nails in my hands in my feet and look under me and every thought every
thought that Scott do you know what kind of mental exertion that takes yeah I I've experienced it to
a degree I mean if you experiment with that just experiment with it I know I invite all our listeners
to experiment try to look under him in every thought try to connect every thought you have to Jesus
Christ that requires great mental exertion and the the the result or the wake of that is a firm mind
and increased faith in Jesus Christ so I I don't know a firm mind I just always I've come to the
conclusion Scott God loves a soft heart and a firm mind and a firm mind and he hates a hard heart
and a soft mind wow that's pretty incredible and I think I think too many of our minds because of
information overload yeah really because of information overload how Satan has just just
flooded our culture with information and most of it's not even true and we have so many things
flowing through our minds we see so many things we are looking at so many different things
try to try to contrast this to 200 years ago when a farmer is looking the back end of his
horse as he's plowing you know 100 acres of land trying to I mean what is he what's he looking at
what does he see that day what does he learn that day what does he know that day what information
does he receive that day working in the fields for 12 hours a day and what is our youth what are
they receiving what are their minds receiving and what are they looking at for 12 hours a day
and which of these lends itself to greater faith and and I'm not sure the answer to that question
really because it depends on what you choose to look at and it just depends on what you choose to
study and read which comes down to your discipleship your discipline yes and what you choose right
exactly and what you choose but I I just think it's really hard in our culture today because of
information overload and everything not to have our minds go to mush yeah or be all over the place I
find you all over the place not focused I find myself getting trapped into that sometimes you know
faith requires great focus yeah and and planning you know if I'm if I if I have something an idea
that I want to research on the internet for example you know I'll hop on our good friend Google and
I'll put in and before you know it I'm down a rabbit hole that I never even intended to be
because of the distractions that can come I know it it's it happens so you can get so far away
yeah you don't even know what the original you forgot what your original question was that happens to me
I know and so I I don't know I'm not I don't have the answers yeah and I anyway how does all of this
affect our faith in Jesus Christ I mean that's what we should really be asking ourselves what
can I do what do I need to change what what do I need to work at more to obtain this faith of power
that we all need to strengthen our relationship with Jesus Christ well one thing I know it
needs to be intentional I know that it can't be just a Google search I know that it can't be just
oh I had a thought or a feeling let's explore it for a minute so I can get distracted by another
thought or a feeling okay so Scott that takes great mental exertion and it has to be planned out
that takes great mental exertion and it has to be executed that takes great mental exertion
and it has to be prayed about so that's the mental exertion that's right that we're talking about
that the lectures on faith was talking about yeah it takes great mental exertion to ponder
the things of God to meditate upon the things of God to choose to to learn of him to I mean that
takes great mental exertion the study that president Elson was talking about is great mental
exertion to meditate I can't have you ever really tried to meditate for 15 minutes yeah I have tried
I have tried this is one of those things Dave that you know in in Alcoholics Anonymous and other
recovery programs you know sought through prayer and meditation to main our conscious contact with
God that's step 11 oh really yeah sought through prayer and meditation and you know meditation
can be defined in in a myriad of different ways there's no question but yeah I have I remember
actually sitting when I was I wasn't that I wasn't that new but I wasn't that seasoned either in
recovery you know I had maybe four or five years and I go to a men's retreat in lava hot springs
and one of the things that we were doing there was it was on a step 11 and we were to try and do a
meditation and this meditation was going to last five minutes it was a five minute meditation
meditation actually 10 minutes first five minutes of it was a guided meditation and then after that
we were just left to to meditate clear our minds go to you know all of that stuff and I remember
about the guided meditation I could do that it was uncomfortable but I could do that and then
once we got into the other part of the meditation it felt like an hour to me and finally I looked
at my watch we'd only been going for two and a half minutes I know it's work it's work I can do
better with it today and I do make that as part of my spiritual practice or my my way to you know
invite heavenly father spirit I am a lot a lot better at it today but it's not something that
comes easy it takes a great deal of work even to you know consecrate our meditation consecrate our
prayers even sometimes yeah I I know president Hinckley years ago back in the 1990s I picked up on
this when he said we need to meditate more yeah and I began then try to do that in the mornings
and in the evenings as I would begin my day or I'd wind down my day I would try to meditate
upon the the word of the Lord really it wasn't just to clear my mind I'm I wasn't so much into that
form of meditation I was more into the meditation of meditating upon kind of the things of God
how I've seen his hand how I can strengthen my my faith or my relationship with him so I but that
requires all of that requires great mental exertion at us and requires a firm mind and
through that mental exertion our minds will become firm I think a final maybe just aspect of obtaining
great faith Scott is we talked a little bit about this I use this term this is another one of my
favorite terms in the book of Mormon that is unique to the book of Mormon is the the term the eye of
faith Alma used it first I think in Alma chapter five verse verse 15 I have it right here he said
do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you do you look forward with an eye of faith
and view this mortal body raised in immortality and this corruption raised in in corruption
to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body
speaking of questions there's 42 questions in this chapter Alma 44 all inspired it's like a
interview by a prophet if you want to ever feel interviewed by a prophet go read and meditate
on Alma chapter five but he's he's the first to use this term eye of faith Moroni uses it later
in the book of ether chapter 12 on his great lecture on faith but do ye exercise faith in the
redemption of whom do you look forward with an eye of faith and view you see met great mental
exertion and the eye of faith Scott is actually the ability to see something happened before
it happens that's the eye of faith and I I think it's an amazing gift really that does come from
God to be able to see things as God sees them or to see things before they are created or before
they occur is really a gift of God and this is really the faith of power this is God's faith
faith God sees his creations he plans them blueprints them then he sees them and carries them out
according to his faith no one has a greater eye of faith than God and that's the faith that we
should all be seeking to obtain in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 13 speaking of Abraham and the
and the great patriarchs and the ancients in describing their great faith Paul writes these
all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen but having seen them far off
having seen them a far off and were persuaded of them haven't received them
them but they've seen them they're persuaded by them and embrace them and confess that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth Scott that's amazing faith they these all died in faith not
having received the promises but having seen them a far off and were persuaded of them and
embrace them and of course some of those promises would be the promise of eternal life and exaltation
but they saw it with an eye of faith they saw it they were persuaded by it it influenced their life
their daily life moment by moment and they embraced it even before they received it they embraced it
this is great faith and to to have that kind of faith you have to have that eye of faith
which requires great mental exertion how about how about in first Nephi chapter five Scott you
want to read these two verses in first Nephi chapter five verses four and five I think we
have an amazing little example of here of Lehi and his faith and how Sarah accused him of being a
visionary man you know and he says yeah you're right I am I am a visionary man this is a great
principle for husband here great principle for husbands to know that they should just agree
with their wives yeah try even if their even if their wives are mocking them yeah they should
they should probably just agree with them and it came to pass that my father spake under her
saying I know that I am a visionary man for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I
should not have known the goodness of God but had tarried in Jerusalem and had perished with my
brethren but behold I have obtained a land of promise no wait he's in the wilderness what he
says this guy that's right he has very out of Jerusalem that they the ship's not even built
the ship's not even this is chapter five there's not a leahona yet there's no leahona there's no
yeah but he says I've already I've already obtained it I already got I've seen it I got this yeah
I have obtained a land of promise in the witch things I do rejoice yay and I know that the
Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of labum and bring them down again unto us in the
wilderness so this is another great example of the faith of prophets they see it they see it
you know you ask the brother what's the second coming going to take place well to them it's
already as if maybe it has taken place they've seen it they've obtained it they've embraced it
they're persuaded by it moment by moment they live for it they know it's going to happen
it's I just got I wish that we me you all of us could could have that kind of faith
where we could see it now think about how this relates to repentance and forgiveness
and as we move into repentance in our next podcast I just really invite our listeners
who are struggling with their mountains of addiction and sin or challenges or problems
adversity and trials in their life to be able with an eye of faith to see them receiving
forgiveness to hear not maybe just not only see but to hear the voice of the Lord say well done
now good and faithful servant enter into the rest of my Lord you know if we could see it if we
could hear it with an eye of faith and air of faith wow it would take so much so much pressure off
us and it would again this requires great mental exertion it requires great study it
requires meditation it requires actually Scott and I know this word gets often a bad rap
it takes great imagination I think imaginations is an inspiring word I think it's a godly word
to be able to have things that you that you can imagine that you can see
but what there wasn't there when there was a song about that wasn't there was a Christian movie
and song about that if I if I can only imagine or something that's exactly what it was
you don't you know what I'm talking about yeah exactly there's a there's a movie made about
yeah there was a whole movie made about it yeah anyway I can only imagine I can only imagine
you know there there is power in imagination yeah the prophets are they have this power
which is akin to not exactly the same as but akin to being visionary and they see it I know they see
it some ask if if the apostles and prophets have seen Jesus and my answer to that says well I don't
know if they've had a personal manifestation but I know they've seen him they have an eye of faith
yeah they have seen him I I think that all of us can see him if we would with an eye of faith
do what he's asked us to do look unto me in every thought doubt not fear not behold the wounds
behold the prince yeah I mean he invites us to look and to see with an eye of faith I'm going to
post a YouTube video of that song I can only imagine I just found the lyrics just looked
him up I'm just going to read the first verse and the chorus but to just kind of give you an idea
it this is by mercy me actually and this the story was written it's a kind of a true story
about a young man who grew up in a very abusive household his mom left him his dad was extremely
abusive physically and everything if you watch the movie I don't know how accurate it is but it gives
you a kind of a feel here's the song that he wrote he had been in a rock band you know following and
down the wrong path and was bringing more you know turmoil into his own life and somehow he
was able to receive a portion of Christ in his life and and by when he did that these are the
lyrics of the song he wrote he says I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your
side I can only imagine what my eyes would see when your face is before me I can only imagine
and and each one of the power in that and each one of these verses there's just like that I'm not
going to take the time to go through them all but I love the chorus surrounded by your glory
what will my heart fill will I dance with you Jesus or in awe of you be still I get emotional
when I I can when I consider these lyrics will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
will I sing hallelujah or will I be able to speak at all I can only imagine
that's bad it's powerful there is a power of imagination and a power of vision when we have
the eye of faith Scott and it's sacred it's really sacred it really is just maybe a few final verses
I I love how Alma you know in Alma chapter 32 and he's talking about the seed and he's talking
about how this seed if we'll plant it it will begin to swell and it'll begin to enlighten and
all of those things and it begins to grow right and of course we know this seed to be the word of
God and it right the seeds the word of God which is study great work the word we plant the word
and it begins to grow by faith and it grows up to become this this great tree and Alma says in
Alma chapter 32 and thus if we will not nourish the word looking forward with the eye of faith
to the fruit thereof which is Jesus Christ we can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life
now he's referring back to Lehi's dream no doubt he knows Lehi's dream that's in the record and
Alma is referring back to that read that verse again we've got it's in verse 40 Alma 32 and thus
if I will not nourish the word looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof you
can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life and verse 41 for if you will nourish the word
yey nourish the tree as it begins to grow by your faith with great diligence and with patience
looking forward to the fruit thereof that is the key looking forward to the fruit thereof faith is
never looking backward always faith is always looking forward that's elder Holland in the
devotional he gave called lots wife many years ago faith is always looking forward to the fruit
thereof it shall take root and behold it shall be a tree springing up onto everlasting life there
you go and the final scripture that maybe we'll end with today on this idea of an eye of faith
is ether 12 ether 12 verses 19 Moroni giving his great commentary on how the brother of
how ether the prophet ether was trying to see things and Moroni goes off on this great commentary
on faith verse 19 it says and there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong even before
Christ came who could not be kept from within from within the veil but they truly saw with their
eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith and they were glad
oh I love that verse how I love that verse and they were glad that Scott thousands of years
before Jesus was ever born for these saints but they saw him they saw Jesus and they were glad
thousands of years before he ever carried out the atonement they were using the atonement of Jesus
Christ and repenting and receiving their salvation and participating in all the blessings of redemption
even before he came because they had an eye of faith and thus it is for us today looking forward
to his second coming Scott when he comes in glory and he appears to Adam on diamond I'll be there
soon I'm going to be there in the next few weeks Adam on diamond and some of these places where he
will come again where a new Jerusalem will be I've I've seen that with an eye of faith I have seen
where I'm going to sit in the Valley of Adam on diamond with my family I've tried to envision
all of that and it it is powerful in it's a powerful thing in my life Scott to see the Savior
here in the Valley of Adam on the almond and receive the keys from all of the prophets and all
the dispensations back to Adam and Adam to Jesus Christ that I have seen that with an eye of faith
I know that's going to happen I don't know when but it doesn't matter to me because I've already seen
it when we think of forgiveness and repentance I don't know if he's forgiven me but I know he will
I I don't know that I'll ever be completely free from sin in this life but I know I will
because of Jesus Christ and because of the faith that I have in him that I have in his name
that I have obtained as a gift from the Holy Spirit because of work and mental exertion
and an eye of faith having a firm mind and hopefully soft art I wonder how each of our
lives would be different if we could adopt this as part of our lives and to really invite the
spirit into our lives to administer this part of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to us I know that
my life as I do this and gets enhanced and I draw closer to him and as I do that I have a
stronger spiritual confidence if you will a new humility at the same time and I'm just grateful
for that I'm grateful for these principles that we talk about David thanks for being with us today
these things that we talk about are of utmost importance we invite you to pray about them to
consider them and to maybe this week be based on the things that we've talked about maybe even
consider a plan of how it is that we can develop the faith that we've talked about the faith of power
in our own lives I'll go ahead and attach again that talk from President Nelson I invite you we'd
invite you to go in there and consider those five steps to developing that faith and maybe taking
a personal inventory on where and how those things could be better implemented into our lives thanks
for being with us everybody please remember that you have been redeemed through his blood
you