"...the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Proverb's injunction that "as a man thinketh in his heart so is he" is an interesting proposition.  Does a heart think?  Don't we usually assign the thinking part of our being to the brain?  Religion is most often concerned with the heart above and beyond the mind when it comes to judging the character of a man or woman.  

 As Jesus said,  "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man."  (New Testament | Matthew 15:18)  "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"  (New Testament | Matthew 9:4)

Hebrews uses the term "the thoughts and intents of the heart." (New Testament | Hebrews 4:12)

That phrasing is used multiple times through out the Book of Mormon and then again in the Doctrine and Covenants. The scriptures almost 100% refer to the heart as the thinking organ and usually in relationship with one's intent or purpose.  

Intention is at the core of our being.  We may cover our intention by appearing to be one way when really in our core we intend something else.  We may even be adept at deceiving ourselves as to our true intentions unless we are willing to give ourselves an honest and frank evaluation.  But as the scriptures tell us God sees into our heart and discerns our intent. That is the fairest of all judgments.  

Science is beginning to catch up with religion on the matters of the heart.  Research is finding that indeed the heart which is composed of more neuron cells than muscle cells does have an intelligence and that it does communicate with other parts of the body including the brain.  The heart is the first organ to function after conception, within about 20 days.  The brain does not function until after 90 days or so.  

Research at the Institute of Heart Math indicates that:

 "The heart is the most powerful generator of electromagnetic energy in the human body, producing the largest rhythmic electromagnetic field of any of the body’s organs. The heart’s electrical field is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity generated by the brain. This field, measured in the form of an electrocardiogram (ECG), can be detected anywhere on the surface of the body. Furthermore, the magnetic field produced by the heart is more than 5,000 times greater in strength than the field generated by the brain, and can be detected a number of feet away from the body, in all directions, using SQUID-based magnetometers." 

"As a man thinketh in his heart" seems to be more than just symbolism.  

Moroni Post 3 - "The Gift of His Calling Unto Me"

2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am permitted to speak unto you at this time.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:2)

Moroni refers to his calling from God as a gift.  That is worth pondering.  We often think of our callings from God as our gifts to Him.  Really can we give a gift to God?  There is nothing we can give Him that He does not already have.  He doesn't need our efforts but we do need to put forth our efforts for Him.  A calling from God extends to us a gift that draws us closer to Him and enables us to act through His power and grace and come one step closer to coming into His presence by performing His work.  

Previously in verse 3 Moroni coupled gifts and callings with priesthood ordination.  

4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 3:4)

The phrase "gifts and callings of God unto men" appears in varying forms three times in the Doctrine and Covenants, all three in relationship to priesthood ordination and referencing the power of the Holy Ghost.   It seems that callings that come through priesthood ordinations (meaning those either issued by or perform by those ordained) are inextricably entwined with the gifts of the spirit and the power of the Holy Ghost.  

God wants to bestow gifts upon us - the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of ordinances and covenants, the gift of our opportunities to serve in callings, the gift of the commandments, the gift of the scriptures, the gift (and gifts) of the spirit, the gift of His Son. All of these gifts lead to one purpose - to return home, to enter into His rest, to come into the Presence of the Lord.  Every calling we receive*, should we choose to accept it and magnify it, brings us one step closer. We are all called but do we all choose to act in that calling?  

The word gift is defined as "a thing given willingly to someone without payment" or as "a natural ability or talent."  We cannot ever repay God for the gifts he bestows upon us.  We are unprofitable servants.  We are fully the receiver.  It is only through God's gifts that we can obtain unto eternal life.  Also those talents or natural abilities that we each have are bestowed upon us by God as are our very lives.

*Callings come to us in a formal manner through those ordained to the priesthood and also through the whisperings of the spirit that come into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Ghost which has been given to us previously through priesthood power.  

Moroni Post 2

One could write a thesis paper on Moroni chapter 7.  Single words preach entire sermons.  I find it interesting that the word "synagogue" is still used to describe a place of worship a full 1000 years after Lehi left Jerusalem.  That possibly has to do with the fact that Mormon and Moroni have access to Nephi's plates and all of the records that have been passed down which underscores the importance of keeping records.

Moroni Post 1

The Book of Moroni in the Book of Mormon is profound on so many levels. Knowing that these are the last words of a man who is the sole survivor of his civilization and is in hiding from his enemies is arresting enough but what he takes the time and bother to inscribe on the plates of Mormon is even more profound.  He hasn't thrown in the towel.  He is still striving with all his might to fulfill his calling as a witness of Jesus Christ to future generations.

First of all, I am amazed at Moroni's charity.  In verses 2 and 3 of chapter 1 he informs us that the Lamanites are putting to death every Nephi who will not deny the Christ and he reaffirms that he, Moroni will not deny the Christ.  So he is wandering whithersoever for the safety of his life.  Then in verse 4 he explains that since he has not yet perished that he will write a few more things "that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord."  Moroni is firmly entrenched in the love of Christ which extends to the descendants of the Laminates who refuse repentance and are hunting him.   Oh that we would be so believing in the words of Christ that we would and could truly love our enemies the way that Moroni did.  Moroni never forgot that the Lamanites were also God's children.  Yes, he defended his people in battle but he retained in his heart the desire to bring his "brethren the Lamanites" to the Savior of the world.

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon is truly an amazing book. If you haven't read it you should. If you have read it, you should read it again. It is an inexhaustible well of spiritual refreshment.  It contains a feast for the soul and a strong witnesses of Jesus Christ.  It is a call to walk the path towards eternal life.

The Book of Mormon is tangible evidence of God's work of revelation in recent times.  It physically exists. You can hold it in your hands and because of that it must be reckoned with.  Why is it here and how did it come to be? If the Book of Mormon is read with a prayerful and open heart and studied in any depth one must acknowledge that it cannot be dismissed.  One's own heart can provide a witness of it's truth, but added to that is the continuing research of scholars into the structure, doctrines and historicity of the Book of Mormon.  Like I said, it is a force to be reckoned with.  Dismissing it as a fraudulent work is totally inconsistent with the contents inside it's cover.

A New Day for the Book of Mormon is a recent documentary which after a lighthearted introduction explores current academic analysis and scholarly research on the Book of Mormon.  Please take the time to watch.

http://www.byutv.org/watch/90be2679-e6eb-4039-afa1-fee5477b0c20/new-day-for-the-book-of-mormon-new-day-for-the-book-of-mormon#ooid=02bDh2cDru3biGONkdL8D0nZt_gcAX8q

The Sabbath Day is a Protection and a blessing...

Jeremiah the Prophet - Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel ceiling

I have been teaching the Old Testament in Sunday School this year.  This morning I ran across Jeremiah's call for Judah to keep the Sabbath Day.

21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

(Old Testament | Jeremiah 17:21 - 27)

And one from Isaiah:

13 ¶ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 58:13 - 14)

Why does the Lord require the observance of the Sabbath - a practice almost extinct in our day and time? My take is if we embrace the Sabbath (as opposed to resisting it) it gives us a greater chance at becoming holy and putting of the natural man and learning how to put God first in our lives.  It's one more effort by God to aid us in becoming unselfish - quite the unruly task for each of us near sighted mortals.   There are promised blessing for keeping the Sabbath and apparently lost blessing for not.

Faith

I’ve been thinking today about faith.  In Sunday School earlier this year we had a lesson on the children of Israel entering into the promised land.  The Lord repeated the miracle of parting the waters as they crossed the river Jordon.  Not only was this a sign that God was with Joshua who had now taken over the leadership of the camp but it generated the faith Israel needed to successfully enter into the Promised Land. 

The priests who carried the Arc of the Covenant  were commanded to go first.  They were to walk into the water with the Arc before the water parted.   Elder Packer talks about this concept in the following quote:

"Shortly after I was called as a General Authority, I went to Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel. He listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President David O. McKay. President McKay counseled me as to the direction I should go. I was very willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for me to do as he counseled me to do. "I returned to Elder Lee and told him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to go. He said, 'The trouble with you is you want to see the end from the beginning.' I replied that I would like to see at least a step or two ahead. Then came the lesson of a lifetime: 'You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you'" ("The Edge of the Light," BYU Today, Mar. 1991, 22-23).

Why must we take the step into the unknown?  It is because that act itself begins to create the faith to bring about whatever it is we are seeking to accomplish in our lives.  There is no active faith present before we take that first step and moving forward is part of what creates the faith to prevail.  I think this is true, very true, in relationship to priesthood blessings.  We activate the faith necessary to realize the blessing by giving the blessing, by pronouncing the words and then by acting upon that blessing while continuing to petition the Lord for its fulfillment. .  The same principle applies to our other requests in prayer.  Our acting in faith parts the waters before us. 

Often we misunderstand the process and think like Oliver Cowdery that all we have to do is ask.  Rather, we must ask in faith which includes action and moving towards whatever it is we need to create before us. 

This step between wanting to have our blessings handed to us just because we have asked without moving forward on our part and the miracles that occur from truly acting in faith is the gap we need to bridge.  It seems impossibly hard to us and that is because we think we have to do it ourselves.  Actually it is the Lord that provides the power but we access that power through active faith.  Active faith is spiritual work which is why I think we often shy away from it.  We tend to rest in a state of spiritual inertia.   We are held back by choosing to remain in unbelief instead of acting in belief.  We don’t plant the seed as outlined in Alma 32-34.  We hope the Lord will arrive with the silver platter full of answers to our prayers but we are not firm in our resolve to lay our faith offering before the Lord and know that He will respond to that in the best way for our eternal development.  

Once we have acted in faith the Savior's atonement reveals itself in our lives and the fruits of that atonement come forth.  That fruit is indeed joyous to the soul as we see the Lord's hand play out in undeniable ways. May we learn to act in faith.