It does not matter how many times you have read the Book of Mormon you will find something new hidden in a verse that you have read many times. As I read 1 Nephi 10 I stopped an pondered a couple of phrases in verses 17 and 19.
After hearing about his father's vision of the tree of life, Nephi said in verse 17:
"I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him..."
Two verses later in verse 19 he restated this idea:
"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost"
The thing that caught my attention about these two passages was the "Power of the Holy Ghost". We often talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost, but we don't often talk about the power of the Holy Ghost like we talk about the power of the priesthood.
Think about this quote from Elder Henry B. Eyring:
Just as the Holy Ghost strengthens us against evil, He also gives us the power to discern truth from falsehood. The truth that matters most is verified only by revelation from God. Our human reason and the use of our physical senses will not be enough. We live in a time when even the wisest will be hard-pressed to distinguish truth from clever deception. (Henry B. Eyring, "The Holy Ghost as your Companion", October 2015 LDS General Conference)
We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost with an invitation to receive that gift. But many of us don't take advantage of the power contained in that gift because we miss the key first step. Look back at the scriptures and note that the power of the Holy Ghost is a spiritual gift given from God when we diligently seek to know Him.
As I think about this I realize that this power is given to those who are seeking, learning, growing, and becoming. It starts to feel almost like a bit of divine positive reinforcement to help encourage those who are pressing forward on their spiritual journey. I feel like he might be saying that if you will seek me I give you the power of discernment so that you can come to know the truth of all things, or come to know things as they really are. As we come to know the truth of all things we are really coming to know God. Perhaps the very power you are given as you seek to know God is exactly the the thing you are seeking in the first place.
After hearing about his father's vision of the tree of life, Nephi said in verse 17:
"I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him..."
Two verses later in verse 19 he restated this idea:
"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost"
The thing that caught my attention about these two passages was the "Power of the Holy Ghost". We often talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost, but we don't often talk about the power of the Holy Ghost like we talk about the power of the priesthood.
Think about this quote from Elder Henry B. Eyring:
Just as the Holy Ghost strengthens us against evil, He also gives us the power to discern truth from falsehood. The truth that matters most is verified only by revelation from God. Our human reason and the use of our physical senses will not be enough. We live in a time when even the wisest will be hard-pressed to distinguish truth from clever deception. (Henry B. Eyring, "The Holy Ghost as your Companion", October 2015 LDS General Conference)
We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost with an invitation to receive that gift. But many of us don't take advantage of the power contained in that gift because we miss the key first step. Look back at the scriptures and note that the power of the Holy Ghost is a spiritual gift given from God when we diligently seek to know Him.
As I think about this I realize that this power is given to those who are seeking, learning, growing, and becoming. It starts to feel almost like a bit of divine positive reinforcement to help encourage those who are pressing forward on their spiritual journey. I feel like he might be saying that if you will seek me I give you the power of discernment so that you can come to know the truth of all things, or come to know things as they really are. As we come to know the truth of all things we are really coming to know God. Perhaps the very power you are given as you seek to know God is exactly the the thing you are seeking in the first place.
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