Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 56:14

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 56:14
"Behold, thus saith the Lord unto my people—you have many things to do and to repent of; for behold, your sins have come up unto me, and are not pardoned, because you seek to counsel in your own ways."

This is really good counsel, to not counsel the Lord, and to take the counsel given. The Lord's house is a house of order and if man just disregarded or disobeyed counsel it would be anything but a house of order. Now is man perfect? No, and neither do we expect others are either. We are all learning, growing and in need of repentance. The road to repentance is better than the road to apostasy. The other day someone was talking to me and mentioned something questionable that a former bishop was doing. It wasn't really grievous. It was more they were expecting perfection. They couldn't believe this man had been a bishop. I tried to turn the conversation around and began with describing the mantle of a bishop. How I've seen changes in men that are called, and they are stronger and able to carry the load when that mantle in upon them. Then when they eventually are released it is no longer there. I would not question the Lord's choice for he qualifies and strengthen his servants. It has no bearing on the person's actions today. This lead us to a wonderful conversation on how we have witness this change that comes upon those called and serving. We don't need to question the Lord's ways.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”
(Isaiah 55:8-9)

"Some actually question God’s capacity, this in the face of His assurance to us: “I am able to do my own work.” Therefore, murmuring can be another form of mocking God’s plan of salvation. Yes, such individuals say, God has an overall general plan, but we don’t care for His specific timing. Yet the scriptures specifically advise us that “all things must come to pass in their time.
"Yes, such individuals may acknowledge God, but they criticize His ways. We want things to be done in our ways, even though our ways are much lower ways. "
(Neal A. Maxwell, "Murmur Not", Oct 1989 General Conference)

Day 3645