Choosing the Spirit Over the World

2 Nephi 9:39 - "O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal."

President Gordon B. Hinckley - "Each of us, with discipline and effort, has the capacity to control his thoughts and his actions…We plead with people everywhere to live in accordance with the teachings of our Creator and rise above carnal attractions that often result in the tragedies that follow moral transgression"

President Russell M. Nelson - "Here is the great news of God’s plan: the very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be! Today, to assist you to qualify for the rich blessings Heavenly Father has for you, I invite you to adopt the practice of 'thinking celestial'! Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded."

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Every day, we are choosing what will have the greatest influence in our lives. We are surrounded by voices inviting us to think more about money, status, comfort, entertainment, and ourselves. The world constantly teaches that happiness comes from getting more, owning more, and focusing more on what we want right now. But the gospel teaches something very different. Real peace comes when our hearts are centered on Jesus Christ and eternal things. Jacob had been warning his people about pride, riches, and spiritual blindness. He taught that wealth itself is not evil, but when riches become the focus of our hearts, they pull us away from God. When we become too attached to the things of the world, we begin to think in worldly ways instead of spiritual ways. Jacob wanted his people to understand that there are serious consequences to yielding to temptation, but there are also great blessings for choosing a spiritually minded life. Second Nephi nine thirty nine states O my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember to be carnally minded is death, and to be spiritually minded is life eternal. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from President Gordon B. Hinckley and President Russell M. Nelson, we will consider what it means to put spiritual things ahead of worldly things and focus on Jesus Christ. Jacob contrasts two very different ways of learning. He speaks of being carnally minded and spiritually minded. A carnally minded life is centered on the natural man. It is focused on worldly success, pleasure, selfishness, pride, and immediate gratification. It is a life where God becomes less important because other things begin to matter more. Being carnally minded does not always mean openly rebellious or obviously sinful. Sometimes it can simply mean that we become too focused on earthly things. We may spend more time thinking about what we own, what we want, or how we compare to others than we spend thinking about the Savior. We may become so distracted by careers, money, possessions, sports, entertainment, or social approval that we slowly lose our spiritual focus. Jacob had already warned earlier in the chapter about people who set their hearts upon riches. Riches themselves are not the problem. The problem comes when our hearts become attached to them. When our greatest desire is for worldly things, we begin to lose our desire for spiritual things. That is why Jacob says being carnally minded is death. He is not only talking about physical death, he is talking about spiritual separation from God. A worldly mindset slowly distances us from prayer, scripture study, service, repentance, and worship. It leads us away from the things that bring true peace. President Gordon B.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Heckley taught Each of us, with discipline and effort, has the capacity to control our thoughts and our actions. We plead with people everywhere to live in accordance with the teachings of our Creator and rise above carnal attractions that often result in the tragedies that follow moral transgression.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

We do not accidentally become spiritually minded. It takes effort and discipline. We have to choose what we allow into our minds and hearts. We have to decide whether we will follow the pull of the world or the invitation of the Spirit. Jacob also teaches that being spiritually minded is life eternal. A spiritually minded person is someone who is focused on God, eternity, and discipleship. This does not mean we ignore our responsibilities, jobs, finances, or dignity concerns. It means we keep those things in the proper place and make sure they do not replace our relationship with Jesus Christ. A spiritually minded life changes the way we make decisions. We begin to ask different questions. Instead of asking only what will make us comfortable, we ask what will help us become more like Christ. Instead of asking what will make us successful in the world, we ask that it what will strengthen our faith and protect our families. Instead of choosing only what is popular or easy, we choose what is right. Being spiritually minded also changes how we see our future. The world teaches us to think only about today. The gospel teaches us to think about eternity. When we remember who we are and where we are going, it becomes easier to let go of worldly distractions.

SPEAKER_03 5:57

Here's the great news of God's plan. The very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be. Today to assist you to qualify for the rich blessings Heavenly Father has for you. I invite you to adopt the practice of thinking celestial. Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Thinking celestial means remembering that our choices matter. It means remembering that eternity is real. It means remembering that Jesus Christ offers something far greater than anything the world can give us. We live in a time when it is easy to become carnally minded without even realizing it. We are surrounded by advertisements, social media, entertainment, and constant pressure to want more. We can spend hours thinking about purchases, vacations, home upgrades, investments, appearances, hobbies, or what everyone else seems to have. None of those things are necessarily wrong, but they become dangerous when they take the place of spiritual priorities. If we have time for endless scrolling but nothing scripture study, something is out of balance. If we think more about making money than building faith, something is out of balance. If we care more about fitting in with the world than standing with Christ, something is out of balance. A spiritually minded life is built through small daily choices. We become spiritually minded when we pray even when we are busy. We become spiritually minded when we turn off distractions and open the scriptures. We become spiritually minded when we choose honesty, kindness, worship, repentance, and service. We become spiritually minded when we think about Jesus Christ more than we think about the world. So here is today's challenge. Choose one worldly distraction that has been taking too much of your attention, and intentionally replace some of that time with something spiritual. Spend more time in prayer, scripture study, temple worship, family connection, or quiet reflection. Ask yourself throughout the day, is this helping me become more spiritually minded? Let that question guide the way you use your time, attention, and energy. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.