Monday, January 18, 2010

The (Holy) Secret--not really secret :)

I studied the following principles after watching the documentary The Secret, a show about the Law of Attraction, about how everything that happens to us is attracted by our thoughts, feelings, desires, hopes, and actions—negative thoughts (focusing on debt, pain, etc.) will bring about more of bad things while focusing on good things will attract good. The film discussed having a vision of what we really want, desiring it, believing we will receive it, feeling as if we’ve already received it , using gratitude to generate positive emotions/thoughts, etc. I can’t saw that I agree with everything portrayed in the film, but there was a lot of truth to it.

So for my scripture study today, I decided to look into the Holy Secret, meaning that I would study similar principles in the Holy Scriptures. I could summarize it as follows (long summary): have faith that through the Atonement of Christ you will receive incredible happiness, joy, and eternal bliss that you cannot even conceive now. Align your thoughts, desires, actions, and all else with God’s will to receive this great joy. Always give thanks to God, which will give you the positive energy you need. Have faith in His holy promises and trust in His timing. Remember that the Lord will bless in His own way, time, but remember that many blessings are conditional on the exercise of our faith. If you don’t believe in some aspect of this, begin to desire to believe and let this desire work in you until you can receive some of the joy (read Alma 32). Remember Christ’s Atonement is more powerful than your weakness, trials and troubles.

An easier summary would be Have faith and trust that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by applying His Atonement, you will receive immeasurable joy in eternity, and peace and happiness now.

Granted, there is a lot more to the gospel than just what follows, but please enjoy my own version of the Secret.

Definition of the Law of Attraction, the law of the harvest, the law of restitution

Doctrine and Covenants 88:40

For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.

Alma 41

14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

What we receive comes from what we desire

Alma 29: 4-7

4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction.

Enos 1

12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

We need to have faith, being convinced of promised blessings, believing that the Lord will deliver

Romans 4

17 (As it is written,[speaking of Abraham] I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Hebrews 11

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Mosiah 3

13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

To receive, we need to change our thought processes—thoughts are power

Alma 12: 14

14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence.

--One writer put it this way, and I can’t remember who it was, if our thoughts condemn us, surely they can exalt us.

Proverbs 23

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

Have an attitude of gratitude and cheerfulness, thanking God for both the good and the bad:

Mosiah 24 (these people were under terrible slavery by their enemies)

10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.

12 And Alma and his people ... did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

Romans 8: 28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Doctrine and Covenants 90: 24.

24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

Doctrine and Covenants 100: 15.

15 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church.

Doctrine and Covenants 78: 19 (I really recommend verses 17 & 18 too)

19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

Alma 7: 23

23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

We need to ask for the things we desire and align our desires to God’s will

1 Nephi 15: 11

11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Matthew. 21: 22

22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Enos 1: 15

15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

Doctrine and Covenants 103

31 Behold this is my will; ask and ye shall receive; but men do not always do my will.

Received is conditional on our faith, on our obedience, etc.; we need to ask for the right things

James 1

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Doctrine and Covenants 88

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;

65 And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.

James 4: 3

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

1 Jn. 3: 22 (blessings conditioned on righteousness)

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

We need to persevere when the blessings don’t seem to be coming

Ether 12:6

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Blessings will come in the Lord’s own way and in His own way; trust in Him:

Doctrine and Covenants 88

68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you;

Proverbs 3

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Isaiah 55

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Mosiah 4

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

Remember that He loves His children and seeks our eternal happiness and joy

1 Nephi 11

17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things. (all things can refer to not understanding trials, etc.)

2 Nephi 26

24 He [Christ] doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Jacob 4

10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.

Jacob 6

5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.

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