Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 17:22-23

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 17:22-23
"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you."

I was interested in the phrase "too superstitious" so I looked at the footnote, "GR most religious, i.e, careful in divine things." That wasn't what I imagined at all. They knew enough that there was a God, but didn't know him. This opened the door for Paul to preach to them of God and Jesus Christ. It reminded me of Ammon and king Lamoni. The importance of meeting the person you are teaching at their level.

"Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again, for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows all things?
Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not."
And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth.
And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit?
And he said, Yea.
And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?"
(Alma 18:18-19, 24-28)

Day 4159

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 16:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 16:9-10
"And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them."

Paul is first forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel in Asia. Then when they came to Mysia they were told not to go into Bithyania. When they got to Troas Paul is told by the Holy Ghost that he needed to go to Macedonia. Paul was obedient to all of this and they had success there. They were also thrown into prison. All of this prepared the way for greater things. We do not always know the course we should take but the Lord is ever guiding us.

"While serving a mission in England in 1840, President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98), then one of the Twelve Apostles, was prompted by the Spirit to go to the south of England. Through his efforts and the efforts of others serving with him, about 2,000 people were converted in the area of Herefordshire, Worcester, and Gloucester. Reflecting on this extraordinary period of his life, President Woodruff wrote: “The whole history of this Herefordshire mission shows the importance of listening to the still small voice of God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Lord had a people there prepared for the Gospel. They were praying for light and truth, and the Lord sent me to them” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 91).

Day 4158

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 15:5-6

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 15:5-6
"But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter."

I thought it interesting that it was converted Pharisees that were pushing for the gentile converts to be circumcised. Rightly so the discussion went to the apostles and elders to come to an understanding and agreement on the matter. I couldn't find anything more on these Pharisees.

"Pharisees: A religious party among the Jews. The name denotes separatists. They prided themselves on their strict observance of the law and on the care with which they avoided contact with things gentile. Their belief included the doctrine of immortality and resurrection of the body and the existence of angels and spirits. They upheld the authority of oral tradition as of equal value with the written law. The tendency of their teaching was to reduce religion to the observance of a multiplicity of ceremonial rules and to encourage self-sufficiency and spiritual pride. They were a major obstacle to the reception of Christ and the gospel by the Jewish people. For the Lord’s judgment on them and their works."
(Bible Dictionary, "Pharisees")

This made me think about how important it is for us to listen to the prophet and apostles, and not just the understanding of scholarly men. Though these Pharisees were learned they did not have authority to speak for the church.

Day 4157

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 14:11-12, 14

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 14:11-12, 14
"And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,"

The people believed having witnessed Paul healing a man with impotent feet since birth. The problem was they were idol worshippers and accredited it to their gods, and not Jesus Christ. They were ignorant and needed to be taught which Paul did. Then certain Jews persuaded the people to not believe and they stoned Paul and dragged his body out of the city. Thankfully he rose up again. I pondered on how witnessing miracles does not always convert. There must be a change of heart, and a true conversion to Jesus Christ. Repentance and receiving the Holy Ghost as our guide will keep us from being deceived by every wind of doctrine.

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
(Ephesians 4:11-14)

Day 4156