Day 74; 3 Nephi 13-15

In 3 Nephi 13, Jesus preaches to the Nephites the same as he did in his ministry to the people of Jerusalem the teachings recorded in Marthew 6.

1.  When you give to the poor, do so privately so God will bless you openly.

2.  When you pray, pray in your closets or privately.  Do not  pray loudly on street corners or synagogues to be recognized and praised for your words.

3.  Pray, "Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not in to temptation but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen."

4.  When you fast, fast in secret.  

5.  Do not keep treasures on earth, but layup  treasures in Heaven.  Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

6.  Do not worry about your food or provisions because God will take care of you!  Dont take worry of tomorrow.  Let tomorrow worry about itself.

In 3 Nephi Chapter 14, he continues...

7. Judge not that ye not be judged.

8. Do not cast your pearls before swine.  Keep things of a sacred nature protected from those who would defile, mock, or disrespect it.

9. Ask and ye shall receive, seek, and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.

10. If your actions are evil, you can not produce good things.  Good trees produce good fruit!

11. Beware of false prophets!  

12.  Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of God.  Those who follow God's will shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

13. Be like the wise man who built his house upon the rock and not the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.

In 3 Nephi Chapter 15, Jesus tells the Nephites that these are all the things he taught his followers before he ascended to Heaven and then visited them.  He says that the law of Moses is fulfilled through him.  He said he gave the law (God of the Old Testament) and it is he who fulfilled it.

Jesus said his covenant with his people has not yet all been fulfilled but the Law of Moses has been fulfilled.

Jesus told the Nephites that the people of Jerusalem do not know about the Nephites but that the Nephites are who Jesus refered to when he told his 12 disciples in Jerusalem that there are sheep that he had of another fold and them too he must visit!!!

The twelve Apostles thought Jesus was referring to the Gentiles as the sheep of another fold, not the Nephites.  And Jesus told the Nephites they are his sheep too and he died for them, too!

Likening These Chapters Unto Me

These Chapters mean so much to me.  I remember as a girl being taught Matthew 5 and 6 and always imagining what it would be like to sit at Jesus feet and listen to him in person.  I used to beg my parents to read bible stories to me.  I felt like I was there.  Reading these Chapters in 3 Nephi, I felt that same tender thought return and I felt so happy for the Nephites that they got to sit and listen at the feet of Jesus.  I am excited to finish this book on Christmas Day, so that I can do this 90 day challenge again and finish in March 2026!