The Lord noticed that when looking at these people, “every imagination of the thoughts of [their] heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) 

They had evil intentions behind their wicked actions. 

The Lord knows everyone’s intentions. 

This is sometimes great to remember.

Like when I intend to do something good, but the messiness of life or just plain forgetfulness seems to block me from doing it. 

I get credit for having good intentions! 

This is just a comforting thought. 

The Lord can kindly remind me that I’m doing better than I think I am when I’m trying my best but falling short. 

But on the opposite end, God also knows when we do things with bad intentions. 

He knows if I said a rude comment ignorantly or purposefully. 

He knows if I didn’t go to church because it was too much for me to handle or because it wasn’t a real priority in my heart. 

He knows.

Our actions matter! 

But the thing that only God knows is the intentions behind our actions, for better or worse.

This can comfort me. 

And this can motivate me. 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Intentions  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I love Hebrews chapter 11 because Paul lists what many righteous people have done “by faith.”

Abel. Enoch. Sarah. Abraham. Moses. Rahab.

And so many more!

One that he mentions is Noah:

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)

Like… huge miracles.

Amazing stories.

Quiet but essential moves.

All made because of an individual’s faith in Jesus Christ.

So… what would your personal verse be in Hebrews 11?

What big thing have you needed to do in your life “by faith”?

What small things have you needed to do “by faith”?

When we build our faith in Jesus Christ day by day with small intentional actions, we lay the foundation for our own “faith story”.

We’ll each have different details and different paths, just like all of these scripture characters in Hebrews 11.

But we can unite in our mutual faith in Jesus Christ to watch the amazing miracles that He performs because we choose to believe.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What’s your faith story?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“I am SO glad to finally be off that boat! It has been so long since I’ve seen the land. That was really, really tough. I hope things get easier now. I think I kind of deserve a break.”

Doesn’t sound terrible, but do you also sense that smidgen of entitlement?

That entitlement that we need a break after times are rough?

Instead, what did Noah do?

“Noah builded an altar unto the Lord… and gave thanks unto the Lord, and rejoiced in his heart.​“ (Genesis 8:20 [JST included])

NOAH SACRIFICED MORE.

He showed even more gratitude to God.

He worshipped and rejoiced even more.

No entitlement, just sacrifice and gratitude with an eternal mindset of what had just occurred.

Did you know that “Noah holds the keys of his dispensation and stands next to Adam in authority” (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 104)?

He is also the same individual later known as the Angel Gabriel in the New Testament (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 104).

Noah was one of the most righteous and obedient people to walk the earth, and a man who fully devoted his life to God.

Even though we honestly only get glimpses of his life in the scriptures, mostly through the story of the flood, it is clear that Noah can be a great example to us, standing next to Father Adam.

Noah’s reaction to hard times was to bring himself even closer to God and to sacrifice even more.

What an example!

What do we do during difficult times?

How is our attitude when a trial is finally over?

Is it to show total humility, gratitude, and even greater sacrifice and devotion?

I want to be more like Noah.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post More like Noah  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

And let me preface this by saying I was a good kid!

I had a super strong testimony and was active in church.

But I also realize that maybe I shouldn’t have participated in that prank, or I wonder why I felt I was justified in being rude to someone.

I’m not saying I was a bad kid, but I can totally see now that there was a disconnect in my integrity—

My actions did not always line up with my beliefs.

When I read about Noah, he is spoken of so highly in the scriptures:

“Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations”. (Genesis 6:9)

Perfect?!

Well, I’m a big fan of footnotes, and when I looked at the footnote attached to “perfect”, I noticed something:

The Hebrew meaning could also translate to, “complete, whole, having integrity”.

Now THAT makes sense to me.

Noah must have been a man of great integrity.

When he said that he loved God, his actions aligned with making God a priority in his life.

When he said he would be obedient, he didn’t purposefully cut any corners.

When he said he would love and care for those around him, he didn’t make exceptions for anyone.

He was consistent in every area of his life.

This is what makes Noah such a great example and disciple of God.

And it makes me want to consider: How does my integrity measure up?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Noah’s perfection and integrity  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Recently, I’ve been praying for better opportunities to serve other people.

And I got a super clear impression of what to do.

But things kept coming up and getting in the way.

And then I got sick and needed to stay away from other people.

And it just kept snowballing into roadblock after roadblock!

Finally I thought to myself: Am I really being delayed, or am I just using this as an excuse not to follow my prompting?

Pretty clearly, I felt the Spirit’s warmth.

“I know your intentions. You want to serve. Life is just messy right now.”

I felt this peace that God knew completely that my heart was in the right place, and He also knew all the honest obstacles I kept facing.

The people around at Noah’s time were not good.

And it wasn’t just because of their actions.

We learn that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

So they did bad things, but they also had evil intentions!

And God knew what the thoughts of their heart were.

Now sometimes, this is so comforting, like my current debacle with trying to fulfill a social service-related prompting that keeps hitting roadblocks.

I get credit for having good intentions!

But on the opposite end, God also knows when I do things with bad intentions.

He knows if that rude comment was said ignorantly or purposefully.

He knows if I decided to skip something important because it was too much for me mentally, or if I just wanted to get out of it.

Of course, our actions matter!

But only God knows the intentions behind our actions.

For better, and for worse.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The thoughts of my heart  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Well… I use the phrase “play a soccer game” very, very loosely.

It’s adorable.

No one keeps score, and no team is declared the winner.

It’s a laidback environment focused on giving these cute little kids exposure to the sport.

It made me think of the contrast in emotions to much higher stakes soccer games I had watched before.

We loved attending BYU soccer games when we lived there, but the emotions were so much more dramatic.

The games were long, the skills were insane, and the anticipation was intense.

There was always a winner, and there was always a loser.

In real life, different people, teams, parties, or groups prevail at different times.

In Noah’s time, the flood waters prevailed against the earth.

They prevailed against every person, every creature.

Total defeat.

“And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth”. (Genesis 7:19)

But who did not fall to the waters?

Those who were in the boat.

AKA those who were obedient.

“Keep the commandments. In this there is safety.”

When the waters seem like they are going to prevail, we can find safety by clinging to the commandments of our loving God.

Because God will always prevail.

So when we cling to God and His wise and all-knowing commandments, we can prevail, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Safety against the waters  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

And he wept.

This encouraged him to plead with the Lord for a blessing on Noah’s descendants.

And the Lord made an oath:

Never again would the earth be covered in a flood of water, and Noah’s descendants would be blessed to multiply and stay on the earth.

Ready for some of the most poetic language I think the Lord uses throughout all of scripture?!

I love it.

When He talks about the dark days that will accompany the Savior’s Second Coming, Enoch becomes mournful again.

And so the Lord makes this promise, RIGHT after they had discussed Noah’s flood:

“Righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood” (Moses 7:62).

Righteousness and truth is sweeping the earth like what?!

Like a FLOOD!

The destructive flood waters will not cover the entire earth again.

But now, WE are the flood!

Sharing righteousness and truth across the entire world in unprecedented ways.

Covering literally every corner of the earth with the influence of goodness.

Helping Christ to be known, loved, and worshipped by anyone who desires to.

I am beyond grateful that I am not living in the time of Noah’s flood that Enoch foresaw.

We missed that flood.

But I am also beyond grateful that I am here when another flood is sweeping the earth:

This one filled with truth and righteousness.

And I think this is one I definitely want to be swept away in! 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Two floods first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.