Your Focus determines the "spirit" you attract

Meaning that if you study the scriptures, with the focus to contend with others, denounce, defend, in anger, to deny, work against or impose penalty or threat of penalty, then the spirit that comes to you will be of that same nature. Such a spirit is not of God, neither does God give his truth or will through such ill spirits ( 3 Nephi 11:28 / 3 Nephi 11:29 / 2 Timothy 2:22-24).

Generally speaking, a focus reflects your intentions in life. This principle applies to your spiritual studies. The "intent" is determined by the state of your "heart".

If the heart is hard and closed to hear what others say, then the intention and focus of a scriptural study will reflect the nature of that heart. Such hardness is easily seen in people who are fervent to deny other Christians based on denomination or belief.

An open heart is one that is willing to hear, see and understand, while pursuing the truth that is of God.

It does not matter what conscious justification is used, it is the state of the heart 2 Nephi 4:12 / 2 Nephi 33:2 / Alma 12:7 / Psalm 34:18 / Romans 2:29), that determines the nature of the intention and focus, which then determines the nature of your own spirit and of those spirit(s) that come to you during study. This is why Paul commented on the importance of feeling in Ephesians 4:17-19 (Bible), and where the prophet Mormon in Moroni 9:20 (Book of Mormon), spoke of wickedness being the type of spirit that existed in people who are "past feeling". Feeling is of the heart.

To be blind to the truth, means that the focus is not of a contrite heart and spirit, but of a heart that is carnal, selfish, prideful and maybe even wicked. Spiritual blindness can come because of many reasons, but the usual way is through selfish intentions. This is a belief that usually begins in the idea that we can interpret the scriptures all alone without the help of God's Holy Spirit. A belief that leads people to follow the words of any man, never taking what is heard, read or received, to the Lord in prayer and contrite study (DC 123:12), to confirm and/or understand what was said and to spiritually discern the spirit of the other. I speak in a general sense, toward the entire Christian community. This process anyone can use to know what is good information and what is not. With enough experience from the Father through his Holy Ghost, a person will learn to "hear" spiritual truth and discern (perceive) when it is or is not spoken. This is the meaning of "perceiving the words of another" (Mosiah 13: 7 / 3 Nephi 17: 2 / Proverbs 1:2 / Mark 4: 12 ).

When people act in selfish or wicked ways, yea even prideful ways, truth is then kept from them (2 Nephi 27:8 / Matthew 7:6). If the Lord warns us not to give good words to those who merely rend it, then how much more will the Lord withhold truth and understanding from those whose hearts are selfish, contentious and prideful unto themselves, Christian or not?

False Confirmations and ill Spirits

Then there are those spirits that are unsavoury, of ill intent and devious. These are the type of spirits that come and influence people whose hearts are not true unto the Lord, but true to selfishness and pride, for all wickedness and evil works from pride. Is it any wonder that the Lord says that pride is an abomination to him? (Proverbs 16:5 / Jacob 2:16).

This is the importance of knowing the state of your heart. A prideful heart, even prideful of beliefs (no matter what the beliefs are), will not attract the Spirit of the Lord, but ill spirits. Being prideful of your own beliefs establishes you as self-exalted, removing humblness and hardening a contrite heart and poor spirit. All these things push away the Spirit of the God. Therefore a man or woman who are prideful, will follow their own spirit, not realizing that their houghts are not God's thoughts, neither are their ways his ways (Isaiah 55: 8-9). Then by fault, ill spirits can lead a person, who is prideful, to feel and think that such prideful beliefs are "spiritually confirmed". Leading that person to believe that their studies are confirmed by God, when in fact, it was not. How many have been mislead by ill spirits (DC 50:2) and even their own spirit ( Ezekiel 13:3), which may also be of ill intent. Therefore, what an ill intended person will do is dub his/her ways as God's teaching and guidance, when in truth they were not of God (DC 84: 52 ).

Only the ones that have truly sought out and received the Holy Spirit, will be the ones who will learn truth because these people know good study (DC 45:57). Humbling oneself, even in beliefs, is saying that our own ways and thoughts are insufficent compared to the Lord's, thereby opening him/her to the Holy Ghost.

It is unfortunate that many people studying the scriptures fail to realize the affect their state of mind and heart has upon scriptural study, especially the affect of who they associate with. How many people lead themselves away into self-justification in their own personal interpretations, because they never set their heart to be contrite, in order to receive the teaching spirit from the Lord (1 Corinthians 2:13 /DC 36:2).

Now let me be clear. It is good to read the scriptures when being tempted and challenged, but what is the state of your heart when you do? There are many versions of temptation, and one of them is temptation to anger. Therefore, pay mind to your intent and focus when reading or studying the scriptures. This is a basic principle in spiritual self-responsibility. This is true, because for example, a person can read scripture in anger; to read it in such a way to justify his anger and desires in that anger. Where if the anger was allowed to pass, then return to read the same scriptures in better feelings, yea even in feelings of forgiveness, they may very well find that their angry beliefs and desires were not justified. This says that our minds are affected by emotion, greed, pride, fear, the need to feel justified or right and so forth.

Many people also need to remember that Satan can impart thoughts and feelings that appear as good, but are not. Similar only in that they are superficially good, even in supporting prideful ideas and beliefs. This explains why many contentious people say that the Bible denies the Book Of Mormon and the Holy Spirit confirmed it. Yet when one digs deeper into the nature of these contenders, looking deeper at the spirit of what they say, one will find the spirit they advocate is not of the Lord and therefore, is not from the Holy Ghost. This is what spiritual discernment is about (1 Corinthians. 2:13-14).

Better Study

What can we do to better study work and draw the Spirit of the Lord to ourselves?

Seek to understand (Proverbs 28:5), to learn in humbleness (DC 1:28), to seek the truth of God, that is in spirit and in truth, which life itself (John 6:63). Seek to do good (Moroni 7:13-16), to adhere to the first and second commandments said by Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:38). Seek to have the fruits of the spirit in you and in your intentions when studying (Galatians 5:22-25). Remember that studying the scriptures, even if it is only the Bible, must, at all times, be as a worship unto the Lord, (John 4:23-24) and such worship is always in spirit and in truth.

Study as a worship is also in humbleness - always. Humbleness is the placing aside your own bias's, angers, harsh feelings, personal ideas, and forward yourself toward the Lord. Such humbleness and contrite heart and spirit will assure you that the Lord will dwell with you (Isaiah 57:15 / Matthew 18:4), taking the position, in reference to the Lord, that you know "nothing", as you practice saying, "Father teach me".

Then you will draw those spiritual natures that are of God. The confirmations and insights will then confirm God's truth and his Holy Ghost will be joyful to enter you to impress your heart and mind with deeper truths gaining more understanding (1 Corinthians 2:10).

God's truth is a Responsibility

People need to remember, that having the truth of God is a serious responsibility (DC 50:9). Not one person will receive any truth if they carry the irresponsible beliefs and attitudes that are geared toward strife, pride, selfishness, or contention. This is saying, hearts that are hardened and selfish, are only unto themselves, not unto the Lord. The Lord's truth will not be in such people or in such "familiar spirits" (John 8:44 / 1 John 2:4), no matter how much they advocate the letter of God's word.

To be able to have the Spirit of the Lord with you in study is a wonderful thing. The feelings of joy and affect into one's life is enormous. When a person practices this type of good spiritual study, he/she will eventually carry within them, the spirit of prophecy, which is that spirit which helps them to spiritually discern the words and actions of another (Alma 13:26). This allows them the ability to know when truth is spoken or given and when it is not. Such a skill and power is superb in this day and age with so many different faiths and Christian denominations. With this spirit from the Lord, a person can ward off misdirections given by others and be better equipped to side step intellectual traps so many try to create with their personal interpretations of God's word. Also to ward off the affect of people who use the scriptures to advocate personal issues and crusades.

To acquire the right spirit from the Lord in scripture study cannot be understated, because then what you speak and preach to others, will be of God and his truth. Yet, if anyone uses the Lord's word to create contention, or serve selfish wills, or to attack other faiths, then that person or persons risk to suffer the consequences in God's timing (Alma 12:14 / DC 101:78 / Ezekiel 18:30 / Matthew 12:36 / Revelations 20:12).

The use of God's word bears an important responsibility. One that God takes very seriously, which means you should too.

To determine your own intention is to look at your focus. Ask yourself, "Is it a belief that you are expressing to another" or "Is it truth as taught by the Spirit of God directly?"

There is a definite distinction between following your personal belief and that of exercising truth as God taught you. To see this difference, look at the interaction between the Pharisees and Jesus Christ. The Pharisee's acted on belief, to which they justified by the law as they used it. Jesus Christ did not express a belief, he expressed truth, justified by the spirit of truth and of life from the Father. Even in the act of cursing, Jesus did not attack in the sense of wickedness. He attacked the tree and cursed it for the purpose of righteousness, in and for the Father (Mark 11:21).

In contrast, the words and curses by the Pharisee's were wicked, being unto themselves to serve only their self-interests, which is self-righteousness.

The apostles, even though they were not at the same level of Jesus Christ, had experienced contentions with many Jew's and Gentile's. Were their actions unrighteous because they used beliefs? - Nay, they were still righteous because they spoke from faith, humbled spirits, which were set in a proper worship unto the Father. They carried a spiritual authority, given to them by God, where the Pharisee's authority was self-assigned. Still, even with God's authority, the apostles had to be diligent in their faith and humbleness in order to offset their carnal minds and ego. Which the ego, has a tendency to seek prideful things, even in beliefs.

Therefore, as you study, what manner of belief do you carry? God does not look for perfection to teach us, he looks at the state of the heart and mind. Therefore, be at least humble and contrite in heart and spirit.

In Closing

Upon review, some may feel or believe that what I have said has no merit. Therefore allow me to list a few scriptures that support the precepts I spoke of here in this article about the focus of scriptural study and its affect. Below is a table showing those scriptures of God's word. These scriptures show the precepts and truths of God in how they determine the results of our focus and intentions when studying. Please take these scriptures into serious consideration when you study and pray about them. Remember, it is what God wants that is more important.

These scriptures and all those above (using the mouse over labels), show the importance of a good heart, intent and focus when studying God's word. Without a good sincere focus, no true learning takes place and you are then left without wisdom and true knowledge. This certainly places a different light on people who know the letter of the word in the scriptures, can quote scripture verbatim, but have no true spiritual understanding, knowledge and truth within them.

Good study practices yield good results. The very principle found in God's law truth of what ye sow, so shall ye reap.