5 Scriptures to Help You Overcome Temptation

1.      3 Nephi 18:15, 18-19  Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him. Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

The Savior is the only one who ever lived who was perfectly righteous.  Even though he was tempted in all the same ways that we are, he never gave in, and he faithfully followed His Father in all things, and he lived a wholly sinless life (see Hebrews 4:14-15).  This makes Christ the unopposed champion of resisting temptation.  Not only do we have his powerful example of obedience to guide us, but he also left us valuable teachings concerning how best to resist temptation and how to avoid it when possible. Given Christ’s sinless life and example, it makes sense to look carefully at the things he taught about resisting temptation.  Namely, he exhorted His disciples to “watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation.”

Why is it that constant prayer so effective a remedy in staving off temptation?  One answer has to do with the fact that the devil never sleeps.  He and his angels have nothing better to do than to try to lead you astray, and he is obsessed with your destruction.  I don’t know what it feels like to be sifted as wheat, but if Satan wants to do it to you, you can bet it’s not pleasant.  The only way to combat an enemy that never rests is to turn to God, who will never rest in providing and guiding us in the way to joy and salvation.   God is more powerful than the devil, and his voice can dispel the seductive tendrils of temptation.  We need Him in our lives, and prayer is the way for us to access God and His power.  That is why the devil works so hard to get us to neglect the habit and practice of prayer in our lives.

5 Scriptures to Help You Overcome a Faith Crisis

1.      Ether 12:6  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.

If you are experiencing doubt, or even a crisis of faith, don’t despair.  All who desire a witness of the truth of the gospel must endure a trial of faith (or several).  Part of that trial is the expectation that we are to strive to cultivate faith before we obtain evidence that our faith is not in vain.  In fact, Paul goes so far as to preach that faith is, in itself, the evidence which we seek:

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The apostle Peter taught that our faith will be refined if we maintain it even as we experience the fires of doubt.  If we love God, and believe in him, even “though now ye see him not,” we are promised that we will receive our sought after witness, the end (or object) of our faith. If you will stay faithful, even when “ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations [and trials]” (see 1 Peter 1:6), your faith will be rewarded, and you can "rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

1 Peter 1:7-9  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Why Did They Light Incense in the Temple in Bible Times?

 Q:  In Sunday school someone asked, "Why did they light incense in the temple in Bible times?" and not even the teacher knew.  Do you know?

A:  Most sources will tell you something along these lines:

"The smoke from burnt offerings rose into the heavens, representing our dedication to God. The incense represented people’s prayers rising up to God" (“Then Will I Go unto the Altar of God,” Ensign, February 2014, 66).

This is the symbolism that is used in Psalms 141:2 and Revelation 8:3-4:

"Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.  Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand."

The symbolism whereby the smoke of the incense represents the prayers of the saints is a powerful one, and should help us to understand the importance of prayer in our relationship with God, but there is deeper symbolism which should not be ignored.  The burning of the incense to accompany an offering in the temple also had an important symbolic function that relates to the Savior and the cleansing and purifying effect (sanctification) of His atonement.

In Leviticus, the Israelites were commanded to add incense (along with salt and some other things) to their burnt offerings in order that their offerings might be "of a sweet savour unto the Lord" (see Leviticus Ch. 2).  This had the symbolic effect of sanctifying the offering and making it acceptable to God.

This symbolism was understood by the people anciently, as it was part of the prayer which was offered by the priests and the people during the portion of the service in which the incense was lit.

"Be graciously pleased, Jehovah our God, with Thy people Israel, and with their prayer.  Restore the service to the oracle of Thy house; and the burnt-offerings of Israel and their prayer accept graciously and in love; and let the service of Thy people Israel be ever well-pleasing unto Thee" (Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, 129).

How Can I Get My Testimony Back?

Q:  I was baptized a little over a year ago. I was baptized because I knew for a fact all of the things most people do: Jesus Christ is our Savior, Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, the church is true, etc... But now, I just don't. I'm no longer sure if the Book of Mormon is true. I can't read any scriptures. I don't even know if they are true. I'm not sure Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. But I want to be sure. I want to be like I was a year ago. But I don't know how.

A:  When you first got baptized no doubt you were on a spiritual high, and your emotions were probably running high as well. Now that time has passed, your emotions have cooled somewhat, and you have had to face the relatively mundane task of maintaining (and nurturing) your testimony from day to day. C. S. Lewis declared that such a change in mood is natural, and that it is precisely in moments such as these that faith is most useful:

"Now faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience. Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable. This rebellion of your moods against your real self is going to come anyway. That is why Faith is such a necessary virtue: unless you teach your moods “where they get off,” you can never be either a sound Christian or even a sound atheist, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion. Consequently one must train the habit of Faith.

The first step is to recognize [sic] the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious reading and church-going are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?" (Mere Christianity, 140-141)

C. S. Lewis lists three things which he tells us are "necessary parts of Christian life," if we are to keep our faith "fed" and nurtured. I call these things "the three pillars of personal testimony," because they are essential in the maintenance and development of a healthy testimony and a robust faith.

*Daily prayers (Constant prayer)

*Religious readings (Consistent scripture study)

*Church-going (Regular & worthy observance of the sacrament)

Fasting 101: How to Fast and Why it Matters

Q:  Alright guys, I'm 18 and I don't know how to properly fast. Now after you're done laughing, can somebody give me a step by step list of how to start it, end it and anything else that I need to know?

A:  I applaud you for your desire to learn how to fast properly.  When done correctly, fasting is an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord and to grow stronger spiritually.

How to fast

As a matter of custom, the Church typically designates the first Sunday of every month as a day of fasting.  In order to properly observe ‘fast Sunday’ you should “go without food and drink for two consecutive meals, [attend] fast and testimony meeting, and [give] a fast offering to help care for those in need” (Gospel Topics:  Fasting and Fast Offerings, lds.org).

However, health concerns may prevent you from observing the customary fast, and you may have to adjust your fast in order to accommodate those restrictions.

“How do we fast? Two meals or a period of 24 hours is customary. But you decide what would constitute a sacrifice for you, as you remember the supreme sacrifice the Savior made for you” (Russell M. Nelson, “Opening the Heavens for Help,” Ensign, May 2020, churchofjesuschrist.org).

 “Let it be remembered that the observance of the fast day by abstaining twenty-four hours from food and drink is not an absolute rule, it is no iron-clad law to us, but it is left with the people as a matter of conscience, to exercise wisdom and discretion. Many are subject to weakness, others are delicate in health, and others have nursing babies; of such it should not be required to fast” (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 243–44).

You are not restricted to fasting only on ‘fast Sundays’ however.  In fact, it is perfectly appropriate to fast on other days, as long as you do not “fast too frequently or for excessive periods of time” (Gospel Topics:  Fasting and Fast Offerings, lds.org).  In addition, Church leaders may call for a collective fast in certain special cases of need or crisis, or as a sign of special gratitude to the Lord.

The actual process of observing a fast is a relatively simple one; however I feel I should point out that, if you want to do it properly, there is a little more to fasting than just a step-by-step process.

 Fasting and prayer

First, it’s important to remember that proper fasting is always accompanied by sincere prayer.  In a way you could say that fasting is not a standalone principle, but that it depends on the related principle of heartfelt prayer in order to function properly.  Prayer is not always accompanied by fasting, but fasting should always be coupled with prayer.  I think that people too often forget that fasting (when coupled with prayer) is a profound way to worship God and to express our devotion and gratitude to Him.  We have also been instructed to “begin and end our fasting with prayer” (Gospel Principles, (2011), 144–48).

Fasting with a purpose

We have also been instructed to “fast with a purpose,” which means that “We can overcome weaknesses or problems by fasting and praying. Sometimes we may wish to fast and pray for help or guidance for others, such as a family member who is ill and needs a blessing (see Mosiah 27:22–23)” (Gospel Principles, (2011), 144–48).

Fasting is a powerful means by which we can seek for the welfare of others and not just for our own needs.

Alma 6:6  Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.

While we may choose to fast for many purposes, Elder L. Tom Perry, of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught that there are three main purposes behind the law of the fast itself: “The law of the fast has three great purposes. First, it provides assistance to the needy through the contribution of fast offerings, consisting of the value of meals from which we abstain. Second, a fast is beneficial to us physically. Third, it is to increase humility and spirituality on the part of each individual” (L. Tom Perry, “The Law of the Fast,” Ensign, May 1986).

Scripture Master Tip # 20: Search, Ponder, and Pray

 20.  Search, Ponder, and Pray

I have already talked about the importance of quality and not just quantity when it comes to time spent studying the scriptures, but you need to understand that not only is reading the scriptures not enough, but even study by itself is inadequate.  Nor is it sufficient to casually ask the Lord for answers.  You must learn to deeply search, ponder, and pray.

“The treasures of both secular and spiritual knowledge are hidden ones—but hidden from those who do not properly search and strive to find them....Spiritual knowledge is not available merely for the asking; even prayers are not enough. It takes persistence and dedication of one’s life....Of all treasures of knowledge, the most vital is the knowledge of God” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. 389–90).

"Our humility and our faith that invite spiritual gifts are increased by our reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures. We have all heard those words. Yet we may read a few lines or pages of scripture every day and hope that will be enough.  But reading, studying, and pondering are not the same. We read words and we may get ideas. We study and we may discover patterns and connections in scripture. But when we ponder, we invite revelation by the Spirit.  Pondering, to me, is the thinking and the praying I do after reading and studying in the scriptures carefully."   (Henry B. Eyring, "Serve with the Spirit", Ensign, Nov 2010, 60).

Searching, pondering, and praying may sound like separate precepts, but they actually constitute one united principle, each component of which is inseparable from the others.

• Search:  Most of this post has been dedicated almost entirely to searching the scriptures.  The word "search" is important to highlight however because it denotes careful and diligent scrutiny of the scriptures on a level that goes beyond mere reading, and even beyond the study of the scriptures.  Imagine you are searching for a child lost in the ruins of a building in the aftermath of an earthquake.  Surely you will not stop digging until you have found the one for whom you are searching.  We are meant to delve into scripture with the same urgency.

• Ponder:  What does it mean to ponder something?  According to the dictionary it means "to weigh carefully in the mind; consider thoughtfully" (Dictionary.com).  Synonyms include words like "meditate", "consider", and "contemplate".  All of these things apply, but there is also a certain greater discipline that is required of us when we ponder the things of God.  Pondering is more than just abstract meditation or introspection.  When we ponder gospel truths we learn wisdom and understanding.  This greater understanding grants us a greater ability to discern practical applications and solutions from the scriptures and then requires us to act upon what we have learned.

A Latter-day Saint Perspective On The Lord's Prayer

“In Luke it is recorded that one of His disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). Jesus then gave a pattern for prayer that has become known as the Lord’s Prayer. The same is recorded in Matthew as part of the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 6:9–13)” (D. Todd Christofferson,  “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread,” CES Fireside for Young Adults, January 9, 2011.)

I have elected to use the version of the Lord’s prayer that is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, as it appears in its most complete and most recognizable form in the Sermon on the Mount.  I have arranged the Lord’s prayer verse by verse in the order that it is presented in Matthew, and I have included my own commentary, along with selected quotes and scriptures that I have arranged so as to explicate each passage.  My comments are in red, and scriptures are in italics.

The Lord's Prayer is possibly one of the most famous and beloved passages of scripture in all of Christendom, and rightly so.  In it we have recorded for us the sweet and simple teachings of the Savior concerning the correct way to approach God in humble supplication.  Some faiths have enshrined this example of prayer as a prayer to be recited verbatim in worship as well as in personal devotion.  While I disagree that this was the Savior's intent in his teachings concerning prayer, I do believe that each of us might benefit greatly if we were to pause and weigh this prayer with greater consideration than we have typically done in the past.  The Lord's Prayer does not always receive the attention that it deserves, and I believe that the words of instruction and inspiration contained in this brief prayer merit deeper reflection, pondering, and meditation, to the end that we might more fully incorporate these teachings into our own prayers, and in our own lives.

Does God Always Have to Spell Things out For us?

I wrote this in response to a specific question, in which the person sought advice on how to know when (and whether it is appropriate) to make your own decisions out of your own knowledge without asking God for specific instructions or permission every single time.  They made the point that not only do we have the right to make our own decisions, but that God insists on it.  They also wanted to know what to do when the answer to your prayer is "I trust you. You decide."

I approached my response with these two seemingly contradictory passages of scripture in mind:

Psalms 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

D&C 58:26-28  For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.  Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;  For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.  And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

Here is my response(with slight editing for clarity's sake):

A:  This is a principle that requires a degree of spiritual maturity to truly master. I think that the Lord expects each of us to "do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness" because he knows that it is important for our personal and spiritual growth that we learn to act as "agents unto ourselves". Indeed, in many cases God may leave each of us to follow our own natural inclination, but our natural inclination is not (at least initially) always to seek the right thing, or the things of God, and so this necessitates that we first experience a profound change of heart. It becomes our responsibility to change our nature (through Christ) in order to correctly apply this principle, because only as a true disciple of Christ can we gain enough knowledge through the practice of faithful and persistent obedience to recognize and act upon the right choice without needing to be told.  As we gain this knowledge we will be better equipped to recognize when our natural inclinations are in line with God's own will (and what is right) and when they are not.

The Three Pillars of Personal Testimony

We live in a world in which we are constantly assailed by the trials, temptations, opinions, philosophies, creeds, heartache, betrayal, and grief that are a part of this life.  Some of these things are incidental to a life lived in a fallen world, and some of these afflictions can be attributed to the determined assault of Satan.  In light of the fierce trials and temptations that we are called upon every day to face, it is crucial that we learn to build ourselves "upon the rock of our Redeemer".

How to Overcome Temptation and Trials: Why the Sunday School Answers are not Enough

There is a misconception about the so-called Sunday school answers (prayer and scripture study and church attendance) that I wish to dispel:

The acts of prayer and scripture study and even church attendance, while vital components in our personal efforts to become more like Christ, do not of themselves confer upon anyone any kind of talismanic protection, be that from temptation, trial, or depredation.

Case in point:  it is common to hear people who are presented with a grievous spiritual challenge such as same gender attraction, or an addiction of some kind, etc.  who declare that they feel that if only they could pray even harder and be even more diligent in studying their scriptures then they might be able to "fix" themselves.  Their hope is that by being "more righteous than righteous" they can somehow demonstrate to God the sincerity of their desire to be rid of the "thorn in the flesh" which plagues them.  They are inevitably disappointed in this effort, which often leads to disillusionment and frustration on their part, and more often than not this leads them to give up on themselves and/or the church, or even God.

Why should you care?

In Bible Study, we recently finished reading the epistle of James, and are now in the midst of Galatians. In preparing (and teaching) for these studies, I find myself challenged with establishing the immediate relevance of the issues and questions contained in The New Testament for a group of students made up largely of LDS people who are under 30. On the surface, it may seem like many of the letters written by the New Testament Apostles deal with concerns that are almost entirely specific and unique to the time in which they were written, and in some cases to the culture of the people to which the epistle was addressed. And this raises the question, why should a modern-day Christian (or anyone else for that matter) care about such questions as whether or not Gentiles needed to be circumcised, or what role (if any) the Mosaic Law will play in our lives under the Law of Christ (The Gospel)? In an effort to address this question, I plan to write a series of articles ( beginning with this one) about why you should care, using various episodes from the scriptures as basic examples of things that you should care about, even if you don’t.

Those of you with a short attention span may want to skip to the end where it says: "Here's why you should care."