Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 12:18

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 12:18
"And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever."

I pondered on the meaning of "vain imaginations". These are the footnotes it leads too, and more.

"But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."
(Jeremiah 7:24)

"But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:"
(Jeremiah 9:14)

"And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come."
(Helaman 16:22)

"And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually."
(Moses 8:22)

"Falsehood or deceit; pride. Vain and vanity can also mean empty or without value."
(Guide to the Scriptures, Vain, Vanity)

"And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches?"
(Alma 5:53)

"That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man."
(Doctrine and Covenants 121:37)

I don't think man always knows when they are involved in vain imaginations. The world will have you practice the power of positive thinking, and the law of attraction. Thinking you have the power to bring things to you. Instead what it's teaching is to obtain your will and not God's will. This is what brings a great and a terrible gulf that divideth. It is very different than having faith, believing and trusting God.

Day 3361