Scriptural Studies Personal Studies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

This is from an April 14, 2008 study journal entry. An analogy while reading the Joseph Smith Manual (lesson 7). Faith without works is like reading a cook book and expecting to be well fed afterwards. It is not the reading that fills you up and lets you taste of the succulent food. The food [...]

I’m reading in the Joseph Smith Manual about the signs of the second coming of Christ. Here they are: pestilence war and bloodshed, sword, great wars, rumors of wars moon will be turned into blood famine great destruction great distress judgements “whenever you see the [rain]bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall [...]

In Galations chapter 4, Paul talks of our relationship with God because of Jesus Christ. I don’t get much of it, but it sounds like, in verses 4-7, that initially our relationship with God was that of master and servant. One of the blessed roles of Jesus Christ was to create a new relationship for [...]

Elder Russel M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke to many East Coast Stakes via satellite at the beginning of this year (February 2008). He spoke on the eight “ates” that men of the world can work on to help out in families and support our wives. The eight “ates” are 1) [...]

This is the last in a series of scriptures that discuss how to get evil out of heart, mind and soul, and thereby out of our actions, which is a process for perfection. Romans 7 – Paul talks about a persons desire to do evil even though he knows the spiritual law from God requires [...]

Proverbs 8: 13 – You’ve assuredly heard the term “fear the Lord.” This scripture states that to fear the Lord means to hate evil. Proverbs 16: 6 You get rid of iniquity by mercy and truth. Psalms 26: 4-5 Don’t go where the evil is. Stay away from the bad stuff. see also Psalms 1: [...]

Proverbs 3: 1-13 – Indirectly, these scriptures show how to replace the evil with good. The idea is that you can’t just get rid of evil. That just leaves a void. Instead you must replace it with good. So, looking at these verses will show you how to replace evil (in heart, mind and action) [...]

More scriptures to help me get rid of evil tendencies. Alma 37: 29 – Alma teaches Helaman to keep the secret plans and oaths of the devil from the people, but teach the people their wickedness so that they will abhor such wickedness.  Helaman is instructed to help the people remember the wickedness they and [...]

[Study from May 5, 2008] Here are a few scriptures pertaining to the desire to have no more disposition to do evil. Mosiah 5: 2 – “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good…” You can’t just get rid of something, but it must be replaced. So, to get rid of bad thoughts, [...]

Back in May of this year I started to search through the scriptures about what it means and how to obtain a state where I no longer have a disposition to do evil. One definition of “disposition” is “an inclination or tendency.” Much too often my disposition is to give in to temptations. I’m no [...]