Week 7

Luke 16:1-12 In this parable we are being taught that we cannot serve both Heavenly Father and man/the world justly. If we choice to serve Heavenly Father we must be willing to give up all of our worldly possessions and forgive those that might owe us.

Luke 16:19-31 This parable is telling us that if we don’t help and serve others and those less fortunate then ourselves we will not be rewarded at the end of life and all of the riches we liked so much in this life will not be ours, we will have nothing and feel anguish.

Luke 17:11-19 This parable is talking about 10 lepers that asked Christ to have mercy on them, there was only one leper that after being healed turned back and thanked Christ for the miracle that he had given him. We need to remember that all the good that happens in our lives usually isn’t luck, we are being blessed by the Lord and we need to give thanks.

Luke 18:1-8 In this parable there is a judge that hold himself equal with God and above all men, we should never hold ourselves equal to the Lord or assume that because of where we work, what we have, or who we know that we are better than others.

Luke 18:9-14 This is my favorite parable that I read, those that boast and brag about themselves no matter how much they do what is right will not be exalted. Those that humble themselves before the Lord even having sins will be exalted.

I chose to do Choice 3 this week. I picked Choice 3 this week because of my love for children, I am grateful for the chance in life to have children and to share God's love for his children. The best things in life are children, they bring such a powerful spirit with them.

Matthew Chapter 18:3&4 says "...Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." 4: "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Christ is saying in these verses that we need to humble ourselves and as meed as a child. Children soak up everything they are taught, told, shown. We need to be that receptive to the gospel. In D&C 78:17&18 it says "...ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; 18 And ye cannot bear all things now...I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours." These scriptures are telling us that we are little children, that Heavenly Father's plan is big, that we play an important role in this plan but we cannot handle the whole plan all at once. Heavenly Father will bless us greatly if we are like a small child, humble and meek. Christ said that we are not able to bear all that God's great plan consists of right now but that he will lead us along. Christ will say by our side and guide us, the kingdom is ours if we follow this council.

The scripture in Mosiah 3 that I searched for this blog is amazing, it is one of the most powerful scriptures I have ever read. It pretty much tells us exactly how we need to be in our lives to be guaranteed Celestial Glory. Honestly I really thing that Heavenly Father is spelling out how we can return to live with him again. It says that we cannot act on the "natural man" for the natural man is the enemy of God, if we become a saint through the atonement of Christ and become as a child being submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love and willing to submit to all things which the Lord sees fit we will be reunited with our Heavenly Family and our earthly Eternal families.

4th Blog Post for New Testament Class

Matt. Chapter 14:14-21

The numbers of people were many; it says there were 5000 men, besides women and children.

Their needs were food; I think spiritual food as well as tangible food.

For their spiritual need, Jesus went around healing their sick. For the tangible food need took five loaves of bread and two fish and divided it among them.

He felt compassion toward them in their time of need.

It says that …”they did all eat, and were filled…” I believe that a miracle took place when Christ blessed the loaves and fish, the people became spiritually full and they were hungry no more.

Matt. Chapter 15:32-38

The number of people feed in this miracle were 4000 men, besides women and children.

They followed Christ for three days listening and opening their hearts to the words of Heavenly Father. They had nothing to eat during this time, Christ said he wouldn’t send them away fasting.

They had seven loaves of bread and a few little fish.

He felt compassion with their humility and open hearts.

He gave thanks for the little food they had and for the multitude selflessly investing in the word of God.

New Testament 4th entry

John the Baptist asked his two disciples to go unto Christ and ask him "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" This means that John the Baptist was waiting for Christ to come to the Earth, John sent his disciples to find out if Christ had come. Three things that I would tell John the Baptist about Jesus Christ would be how humble he is, that he knows that the power is within his Father and he is just the messager, he is doing his Fathers work. I would also tell John the Baptist how amazing the miracles that were preformed are, that he healed the sick, helped the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, and the blind to see. I would also describe to John the Baptist his appearance, I believe that he might have looked like a normal man but you could probably actually see a radiance coming from him.

John the Baptist was in prison at the time, I believe that John knew it was Christ he just sent his disciples because he wanted them to be the eyes and ears for him so that he could be a witness of Christ.

Jesus Christ said the following of John the Baptist "...Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Joseph Smith made the following three remarks about John the Baptist: 1- John the Baptist preached and prepared people for the coming of Christ so that the people would have open hearts to his ministering. 2- John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ 3- John the Baptist was the only person on this earth given all the keys of heaven.

In John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease." This means that John the Baptist brought a lot of believers, he had a lot of followers and people that would come to hear what he was preaching but now that Christ is fulfilling the will of his Father he needs to continue to bring people unto the truth by leading them to the Christ.

New Testament, 3rd blog.

Matt 8:1-4

*The blessing is that Jesus Christ healed the sick and the multitudes followed him. A leper is the one who had the faith and was cleansed and blessed.

Matt 8: 5-13

*Jesus Christ healed the sick; the receiver of this blessing was both the Centurion and his servant that was healed of palsy.

Matt 8:14&15

*Peter’s wife’s mother was sick with a fever and Jesus Christ touched her hand and she was healed.

Matt 8:16

*I believe that this scripture is showing that we need to repent and be pure; it is saying that in a marriage we both have to walk upright and do what is right, one cannot be clean and the other dirty.

Matt 8:23-27

*Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw a maid lying and people were talking, Jesus said that the maid was sleeping, the people mocked him but Jesus took the maid by the hand and she arose. When Jesus Christ departed two blind men followed him, crying unto him “…Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.”

Matt 8:28-34

* The blind men went out and spread the word and also brought back a man possessed with a devil. Jesus cast out the devil, the dumb spoke and the multitudes marveled.

Matt 9:20-22 & Mark 5:25-34

*A woman with an issue of blood had so much faith that she said in her mind, if she could touch the garment of Christ she would be whole. Jesus felt her touch and turned to here saying, “….thy faith has made thee whole…”

*She had her issue of blood for twelve years and when she touched his garment the fountain of her blood was dried up.

Matt 9:27-31

* Jesus Christ asked the blind men “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” and they said “Yea, Lord.” Jesus touched their eyes and their eyes were opened.

Mark 2:1-12

*A boy with palsy was lowered through the roof to Jesus Christ; Christ said because of faith be thou healed. The boy arose and walked.

2nd New Testament Blog Post...

Matt. 3: 13-17 The Baptism of Jesus Christ.

Three reasons that I found for Jesus Christ being baptized... 1. In 2 Nephi 31:7 It says..."...But not withstanding he (Christ) being holy, he showeth unto the Children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient..." 2. 2 Nephi 31:10 "Follow thou me..." "...can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" 3. Christ was leading by example and showing us that in order of us to be completely free of our sin we need to be baptized.

I had the privilege to be baptized when I was eight years old. My husband chose baptism at 12 years old and my Father at 29 years old. Baptism is the first important step in our progression here on this Earth, our goal is Eternal Life(Celestial Glory.) We make covenants with the Lord that we will do what is right and repent so that we can live the Heavenly Father and Christ again. In Matthew 11-17 it teaches us how important baptism is, that even Jesus Christ unspotted and pure was needed to be baptized. He is our example of this action. John the Baptist was the one who baptized Jesus Christ with out being baptized first but John was given the keys of the Priesthood at birth. John did not feel he should be the one to baptize Christ because he did not feel like he should be given such an honor as to baptize Heavenly Fathers Son. In a way I would think that he might not have felt mighty enough but I think that the Lord wasn't looking for John the Baptist to be mighty but for him to be humble and John was. Christ told John it was the will of God. After we are baptized we receive the Holy Ghost, this companion is here to guide us, the Holy Ghost is our direct communicator from Christ. All of us have this amazing opportunity to receive promptings from the Holy Ghost if we are doing the thing that are righteous and ordained of God. The Holy Ghost is there for us to lead us in our path of righteousness if we will have an open heart and are willing to receive and follow the promptings we receive. Matt. 3:16&17 16 Say that ...and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove... I believe this to mean that Heavenly Father voice came from the Heavens but the Holy Ghost came to Jesus "descending like a dove" because he had entered into the covenant of Baptism and of course Christ was on the Earth at this time and Heavenly Father was not.

Somethings that I do to keep my covenant that I made at Baptism is offer a silent prayer of forgiveness when even I have a quiet moment. Go to the Temple so that I can ponder and reflect on my day or week and so that I am more in tune with the Holy Ghost that I may be able to receive the answers or prompting to questions in my life.

First New Testament Blog

The 5 truths I found are: John 1:2&3 it says that "The same was in the beginning with God." which means to me that Christ under the direction of Heavenly Father to create the Earth.
John 1:13 Christ came to this Earth not made of flesh and blood like mortal man but made of God. "This is my begotten son, hear him."
John 1:14 God sent his Son to dwell with us, the Son of God walked with us.
John 1:6 God sent a messenger to be a witness of Christ.
John 1:4 In Christ was life. Life was given to men after Christ had created the world. Men are given life eternal through the sacrifice that was given them by Jesus Christ.
John 17:4 "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Christ had given his life to men so that they may have eternal life.
John 17:1 Christ's mission here on the Earth was to save us from our sins while giving the glory to Heavenly Father.
John 17:3 Christ also had a mission to do his father's will by helping people to know that we need to know who our God is and also that we need to believe in his son Jesus Christ.
John 17:5 Christ knew that he was with his Father before the world was formed and that he had been called for that sacred task.

Christ- First born of the Father and foreordained to save the world from sin. Savior of the world leading with a perfect example of how we are to live.

Messiah- The anointed, or deliverer the Jews had long been waiting for.

Jehovah- God of the Old Testament. The proper name of the God of Israel and also the premortal Jesus Christ.

Immanuel- Meaning God with us. Bible Dictionary states that it signifies Christ's birth into mortality to a virgin and will be among the people to save them.

The Word- I think of this one as Christ being the word of God because he came to do his father's will and also because he and his father were on, in order, in thoughts, in works and deeds, and also in their words.