Day 20 2Nephi 29-33

 

In chapter 29 of 2 Nephi, God speaks firmly of his righteous anger, that there are some who hear of The Book of Mormon and claim it is not true because they already have the Bible and don't need another Bible.  Infact, God uses the word hiss.  "I will his my words at the Gentiles who reject my words".  

When I read God's words to Nephi about his anger, I was so full of gratitude.  He didn't have to explain to those who rejected his words but he does!!!  God said he loves all of his children on earth; Jew, Gentile, the Scattered, and the lost tribes.  He will speak to all of them and they will write it all down.  He said his words will be recorded by the Jews, Gentiles, those scattered, and those lost because He wants his words to go to the North, South, East, and West.  To find all of us, and that he is angry at those who believe they can limit Him to just the Bible!

I loved so much that God tells us he loves us all and will communicate with us all.  It made me appreciate all scripture we receive including General Conference addresses which are scripture!  I want to make more of an effort, even more than I do now, to memorize large portions of Scripture and bring it to my remembrance as needed.

I will always have guidance, answers to my prayers, a strong sense of what the Lord wants for me, and what he would have me do. I want to appreciate the Words of the Prophets who enlighten my mind and heart with the Word of God.  I don't want to ever take for granted the gift of communication with me through scripture.

In Chapter 30, God tells me that if I repent and come unto Him that I will be numbered with the Covenant people and those who don't believe in Christ will be cast off at the judgement for their unbelief.  Remember earlier when 2Nephi talked about the Lion being kind to the lamb, and how there would be peace for the righteous and destruction for the wicked?  That was relayed again and I know when God shares the same information, He wants me to remember it and listen!  God promises that Satan won't have power over me!  What a promise!  

2 Nephi 31 means everything to me.  The Promises of being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, speaking with the tongue of Angels, and being able to shout praises to the Holy one of Israel is love.  It's love He gives me.  I do this you know?  When I am alone in my house I sometimes pour everything out to God and let him hear it all.  All of my joy, pain, laughter, tears, and I know his Spirit is present.  

2 Nephi 31:17-21 were verses I memorized on my mission and said daily.  I wanna start doing that again.  It says, 

"17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive. 

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. 

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. 

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

2 Nephi 32:3 was a Seminary Scripture I memorized and loved.  

It says, 

"3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Nephi shared that those who receive the Holy Ghost can speak with the tongues of Angels.  What an amazing thing to be able to testify and believe the words of Christ, recall them as needed so that they can always tell me what direction to go and what I should do!  This is why I love reading The Book of Mormon.  It's such a light in my life to illuminate and lighten the darkness that sometimes comes to this world I live in, the world we all live in.

2 Nephi 32:8-9

8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. "For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. 9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."

This reminds me of the Hymn from The Children's Primary Song Book, "Search, Ponder, and Pray".  The video is at the beginning of this post!

2 Nephi 33 is Nephi's goodbye to his writing and he sends a final plea to Jew and Gentile to believe in Christ.  It was his final testimony, that these things are true.  Read this chapter with a heart of prayer and read as if Nephi is saying goodbye to you, too until we see him again and thank him!