Besides Latter day Saints many Christians do no full know about this story of Faith of a seed, it’s not the story of the sower or the mustard seed. This story shows us the importance of Diligence and persistence in producing fruits of Faith… Watch the video if you life but a review of the word is even more instructive..
Now lets’ go to the word! There is greater instruction in it’s exact wording!
https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng
10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye acannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only?
( These people were cast out because of their poverty and were not allowed to worship.)
11 And moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only aonce in a week?
( They were forced out of places of worship and these richer people – only did this false worship once a week at one spot and it was all the same words spoken on high Pulpit! )
12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn awisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding bpoverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble.
( Ask Yourselves – What wisdom should we be using when we worship? The wisdom of God often passeth our understanding – do we lack wisdom, faith, humility, and diligence – when we worship? This Question and spirit is often lacking in many when they worship – it’s more a humble – reverent, meek – worship – that is deeper and more meditative… more on this later.. When it’s done in a deeper personal way – it’s often more pure and has more Revelation in it!. )
13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh arepentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and bendureth to the end the same shall be saved.
( Are we humble enough to Repent and Learn Wisdom? It’s a process and depth! )
14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be ahumble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
( Humility and faith are key to this kind of worship – for greater – Repentance – greater faith and greater Wisdom – for a deeper personal worship – even in a group setting! )
15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
( The darkened – Phrase about – is the basic Gospel doctrines and ordinances that lead to Salvation and Temple worship to Exaltation..)
16 Therefore, blessed are they who ahumble themselves without being bcompelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without cstubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
( There are steps to a Solid Covenant Path and they are 1 – Faith in Jesus Christ. 2- Repenting of Sins. 3- Being baptized after you have repented. 4- Getting the gift of the Holy Ghost, by laying on of hands by those in authority… GOD DOES NOT FORCE US TO DO THESE – THINGS – WE MUST – HUMBLE OURSELVES AND DO THIS FREELY OF OUR OWN WILL..)
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a asign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
( Signs do not produce faith but faith proceeds the sign! )
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to abelieve, for he knoweth it.
( Remember Christ was asked to help his belief, this is the beginning of Faith.. Knowing something is much greater than faith, it’s faith that has already been tried and proven...)
19 And now, how much amore bcursed is he that cknoweth the dwill of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into etransgression?
( To Know a thing and not do it – is a greater sin – it’s past faith – and way past belief…)
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.
( Wisdom and Judgement are GREAT KEYS to acting in Greater faith – You will see that faith and works are strongly tied together! )
21 And now as I said concerning faith—afaith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye bhope for things which are cnot seen, which are true.
( Now we see Hope must a Partner to Faith – even when we can no see that far off – or yet fully see the thing of faith come to pass – but vision and faith can be strongly hooked together too.. )
22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is amerciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.
( Do we look and see and Remember the hand of God in our daily lives? )
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, anot only men but women also. Now this is not all; little bchildren do have words given unto them many times, which cconfound the wise and the learned.
( God can give his word to any one but if they believe and have faith it’s not planted in dead soil – hearts – believing hearts and minds of any one.. )
24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that which is true—
( Again Judgement and truth come together here – they must be partners in moving forward in faith! Remember diligence – humility – virtue and all the characteristics of Godliness – Holiness, seek after these things and you will grow in spirit and in truth and in greater wisdom and judgement – more like God daily.. )
25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who awould humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might.
( Again choose to be Humble! Recognize your own worthless and sinfulness – compared to God..)
26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
( Faith must be moved or grown in steps over time – not to perfection at first! )
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than adesire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
( This is a vary important part of the word or of Faith – Christ would say Awake and Arise – start using your mind, heart, and desire – expercise a part of your faith – increase your desire to believe, and let this Desire Work In You – You need to give a portion of this word – Spirit – work IN YOU! )
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a aseed. Now, if ye give place, that a bseed may be planted in your cheart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your dunbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to eenlighten my funderstanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
( Now he compares planting a see to faith – this is a great example for us to learn from, note here how important it is to use faith and get rid of doubt or fear – focus on faith… does your faith help you grow? To move forward? To improve and Progress – this is faith! )
29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
( Faith in time will grow to a perfect day or perfect knowledge.. )
30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
( Be aware of what your faith is doing – cast away fear – pay attention to growth – to goodness – to a changing heart – to a growing and hopeful mind – to feelings of peace, joy, gratitude, etc. etc. – All these things are good and Godly things – be mindful of them – others see this in you – but do you see it? )
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own alikeness.
( You must learn to Judge these things and help others judge this too – to grow in the things of faith and Godliness – this is a vary good thing. )
32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
( If you let fear or doubt creep in and do not give your faith sufficient time to grow – you fear and doubt – than you lose ground – and throw the faith away! You must choose faith or fear – you can not have both in your mind – choose the better way – choose faith! )
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
( Are you willing to work on an experiment? It takes time and work to grow your faith..)
34 And now, behold, is your aknowledge bperfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your cfaith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your dmind doth begin to expand.
( Now – like anything Faith can be dormant – but you must wake it up – make it come alive – breath fresh life and spirit into it – and how do you do this? By work – by prayers – by the spirit – by humility and faith – by reading the word – by working at it – by increasing your GOOD AND GREATER desires — Remember – God asks you what do you desire? Answer and say I desire to know thee and to become like thee – in all things and in all places and in all times.. you can choose to enlighten your mind and heart – increase your godly desires and move up to great heights of Godliness – step by step – choose to take those steps!!)
35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is alight; and whatsoever is light, is bgood, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?
( Are you humbling yourself and asking for greater discernment? Seeking greater faith and discernment? Remember Ask – Seek and Knock – Look inward and outward. )
36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
( Are you going to lay aside your faith – or pick it up and put it to work? To exorcise it? Are you ready to experiment on Your faith or Work with your faith? )
37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
( Now going back to the seed idea – when you plant a seed do you prepare the soil? Do you plant it and water it? Do you weed it? Do you nourish it? Do you give it time and keep working with it so it can bear fruit in time? )
38 But if ye aneglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
( Faith like a seed needs – effort put with the soil – weeding, watering, time, protection, work, diligence – you can not neglect the seed or the plant and expect – fruit to bear! )
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your aground is bbarren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
( Again work – awareness – diligence – time – patience – continuous effort over time will bear fruit. )
40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the atree of life.
( This eye of faith – so important do you picture in your mind the finished wonderful fruit – in you minds eye do you see it? Feel it? Smell it? Taste it? Rejoicing in its existence? It’s harvest? )
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with apatience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree bspringing up unto everlasting life.
( With this eye of faith – in your mind see the harvest – experience the joy of it before it happens.. )
42 And because of your adiligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the bfruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
( Notice the feelings – the emotions – the excitement and the Joy in this! )
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall areap the brewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth cfruit unto you.
( Before and during the faith growing process – be aware and have joy in the process – experience the rewards as you grow and work towards your harvest – these are the fruits of your faith and journey of faith – rejoice in them and share this joy with yourself and others! Celebrate this – Joy – these rewards – in humility – in faith and in joy – give thanks and rejoice etc. in this growing faith in Jesus Christ and your work in his work – in his love and in his mercy and grace! )
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