“Search, ponder, and pray.”

I’ll admit that the first verb, “SEARCH”, is sometimes the trickiest for me.

Mormon, the author and compiler of 3 Nephi, counsels:

“And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them.” (3 Nephi 10:14)

But what does it mean to search the scriptures?⁣

When I’m preparing a church lesson, I often search through the scriptures for something related to my topic.

But I’ve discovered that there are other ways to search the scriptures, too.

I can search for manifestations of God’s love.

I can search for personal revelation.

I can search for calm.

For motivation.

For hope.

For peace.

Reading the scriptures just to cross them off my list is a good first step to creating a good relationship with them.

But it is so powerful to feel the freedom and excitement of opening the scriptures with a question or intent in mind and then searching for an answer that I know and EXPECT will come!

“Just as a road map not read, the scriptures not searched are of little value to us in providing directions.” – L. Lionel Kendrick

What are some ways that you SEARCH the scriptures?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post SEARCH the scriptures first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts”.

Of course, the Almighty God doesn’t need an invitation to know our hearts and our thoughts.

But still, isn’t that such a bold and confident invitation that David makes?

It can be uncomfortable when I realize that the Lord knows I’m making up excuses to not say my prayers again, or when I’m annoyed at someone I’m supposed to be serving, or when I’m just going through good motions without any good intent behind them.

But today, I want to do something a little different.

I invite you to reflect on the good things that the Lord would find if you invited Him to know your heart and to know your thoughts.

What good intentions would He find?

What love would He experience?

What hope and faith would He discover?

The Lord knows all the good things going on in your heart and in your mind.

I bet He is proud and happy and pleased with so much.

Knowing our hearts and our thoughts actually doesn’t seem so uncomfortable anymore.

It seems… merciful.

There is so much good within you.

Even when it seems like your good intentions aren’t visible to anyone, they are visible to Him.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Ready to dive in?

What are we going to find this year?

What will we discover?

The Lord is speaking directly to us in Section 1.

Which is, side note, one of my favorite parts of the Doctrine and Covenants – we just get to listen to the voice of the Lord all the time, in every single verse!

And the Lord is commanding us to search these revelations contained in this book.

All year long, we will search.

I am excited to search.

But what do we search for?

“Search these COMMANDMENTS, for they are true and faithful, and the PROPHECIES and PROMISES which are in them shall all be fulfilled.” 1:37

There are commandments, prophesies, and promises contained in these 138 revelation sections in the Doctrine and Covenants.

But as we search for these commandments, prophecies, and promises, the Lord promises us some of the best news:

The commandments in these revelations are true.

And the prophecies and promises will be fulfilled.

What comforting thoughts, right?!

The Lord keeps his promises to us. And he gives us truths to guide us along the way.

The Lord is trustworthy. He is constant. He has pure integrity.

He is someone I want to work and collaborate with.

He won’t leave me hanging. He won’t find excuses. He won’t execute harsh or overbearing judgment.

And I want to do my best to keep up my part of my promises and commitments and covenants.

So that’s what I’m going to search for this year.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, I will search for both:

The truths and the promises.

The commandments and the prophecies.

The DOCTRINE and the COVENANTS.

Let’s go!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Searching in the D&C first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

What does it mean to search the scriptures?

We’ve been commanded to search the scriptures diligently, and yet I know that I am guilty of ignoring that main verb.

But some of my most powerful spiritual experiences have been when I’ve opened my scriptures with a sincere question in mind.

When I’ve looked up topics and followed footnotes and jumped from page to page.

Because I was searching.

Searching for answers, searching for love, searching for God.

But let’s be real, this is sometimes a tricky commandment to fulfill when we are stuck in “checklist” mode, or “reading schedule” mode, or “a chapter a day” mode.

(These modes are not bad in and of themselves at all, and can still lead to beautiful personal revelation.)

But the freedom and excitement of opening the scriptures with a question in mind, and then SEARCHING for an answer that you know will come, is powerful.

I love how we focus on approaching General Conference with a specific question in mind.

And we have full trust that we will receive at least part of the answer to that question throughout the sessions.

And I think we can use that same strategy with our scripture study.

No matter the book, section, or chapter, we can have full trust that we will receive an answer.

I’m always shocked at the specific direction that I find in the pages of the scriptures.

So what’s your question you are wondering right now? Big or small.

Follow Mormon’s counsel in 3 Nephi 10, and go search for it!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What does it mean to SEARCH? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.