Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

Someone Always Knows

There are times when in our own lives we don’t we really know what to pray for. There are times in the lives of others and when we hear about situations and really don’t know how or what to pray. Thankfully, when we don’t know what to pray, there is someone who does. Paul reminds us in reminds us in Romans 8:26 that when we don’t know how or what to pray the Holy Spirit does and ‘He intercedes for the saints.’ The saints are not just a special group of select people but are all of us who are … Continue reading →

Practical Help for Christian Living

The book of Romans is one of the helpful and practical letters in the New Testament. Just look at some of the gems from Romans 8. Romans 8:1 assures believers of their standing before God. There is ‘no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ Paul goes on to tell us that those who believe in Jesus have been ‘set free, from the law of sin and death,’ verse 2. The reason we are set free is not because of anything we have done or because of keeping rules but because of what Jesus has done for us through … Continue reading →

Time and the Wind and Work of the Holy Spirit

Last week my husband and I took a day out of the busyness, as we sometimes do, to just enjoy being together and being out in God’s creation. We went a little further down the coast, enjoying the beauty of the beaches. I snapped lots of photos. I’m particularly keen on photos of water washing over rocks. It’s interesting to see how much the rocks have been worn away and shaped by the waves and also by the wind. Sometimes it can be a bit like that in our Christian life. When we first come to believe in Jesus we … Continue reading →

Evidence of the Holy Spirit

The other day at our church ladies’ breakfast, one of the women had a locket around her neck. ‘Does it open? And does it have a photograph inside?’ I asked. She admitted it didn’t. I have a large silver locket my mother bought for me many years ago. Inside it for years were two photos of Mick and me when we were both about eighteen and ‘going steady.’ Then one day I decided the engraved silver was tarnished and needed a clean, so I left the locket closed, got the silver cleaner out and cleaned the outside. I never thought … Continue reading →

General Conference From the Past: Reverence Invites Revelation

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In October 1991, Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve gave a talk entitled “Reverence Invites Revelation.” He speaks of the need for reverent behavior and how such quiet can usher in the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit. Elder Packer begins by warning those who seek to study the gospel from an intellectual perspective only. The promptings of the spirit do not come by intellect alone, but by feeling. He warned that several groups within the church were focusing too much on measuring doctrine and ordinances by the mind alone. With this warning past, he turned … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: “Flesh and Blood Hath Not Revealed It Unto Thee”

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As we continue to study Lesson 13 in the New Testament manual, we come across a beautiful testimony of the divinity of the Savior by the apostle Peter. I would like to explore the idea of testimonies and where they take root from as we examine Matthew 16:13-19. Following the second miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus asks His disciples who men say He is. I found verse 13 a bit confusing, as Christ refers to himself as “I the Son of man”. I thought about how Satan referred to Moses as the son of man rather than the … Continue reading →

RS/EQ: Questioning Your Testimony

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Although General Conference has thrown something of a cog into our regular Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum lesson planning (pity whoever is conducting this month, as they didn’t have to prepare a lesson! Unfair!), you should be studying from the Spencer W. Kimball handbook. This week, we are reading Chapter 7, a beautiful lesson on Personal Testimony. As I started off by reading the first section, addressing moments from President Kimball’s life, I was touched by the experience his son had. While on his mission, young Elder Andrew Kimball would frequently be impressed to bear his testimony. Later, he would … Continue reading →

Trinity vs. Oneness

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The awesomeness of God is so great I believe most of us have a difficult time wrapping our puny minds around it all. In looking at who God is, there are two main views; one being that He is a trinity (three persons in one Godhead), and the other is referred to as “oneness” (believing He is one being). The Webster’s Dictionary defines “trinity” as: 1. The cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one. 2. The union of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost in one Godhead. 3. Three people considered as a unit. … Continue reading →

Scripture Journals

One of my best friends has encouraged me for years to keep a spiritual journal. She urged that I make note of spiritual promptings and blessings. This is a little different from your regular journal in that it is solely comprised of things of the spirit, rather than including the more mundane items on the list. The theory is that, when you are feeling down, you can go to your spiritual journal and be reminded of the many ways Heavenly Father has had a hand in your life. While the big things – prayers about whether or not to marry … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: A Pure and Chosen Vessel

Although last month seems like an ideal time to discuss the conception of Christ and the Lord’s choice of mothers, I’m going to buck the trend and do it in January. Of course, the Sunday School lesson for this week is a big part of the cause of the subject. Still, I’ve always been a rebel, so why not continue to go against the grain? We’ve discussed Elisabeth and the divine announcement of her pregnancy with John the Baptist. Shortly after, Gabriel, the same angel who visited Zacharias, came to Mary. While I studied the passages on Elisabeth, several questions … Continue reading →