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

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 13:27

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 13:27
"For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him."

The Jews had the scriptures, the words of the prophets, they had prophesy to tell them how to identify the Messiah. Yet, they could not recognize Him when he came. They had determined incorrectly what the Savior would be. They thought of physical salvation from their enemies, and not salvation for their souls.

I pondered on how we can also miss prophesy if we do not ponder the scriptures. We can picture the wrong course of events and even be deceived. We need the Holy Ghost as our guide and be willing to be taught. I have found that what I pictured decades ago as the last days is nothing that I imagined would be happening now.

Day 4155

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 12:2, 17

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 12:2, 17
"And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place."

I was following the timeline where it first mentions Herold had James the brother of John killed by the sword, and it pleased the Jews. Then an angel released Peter from prison. When Peter arrives at the house of Mary, the mother of John, he tells them to go tell James what happened. I did a double take. Did Peter not know James was dead? Could he mean the other apostle James, the son of Alphaeus? I had to look that one up. It appears the James he is speaking of is the half-brother of Jesus, that is still alive.

Day 4154

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 11:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 11:26
"And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

It doesn't say who first called the disciples "Christians". Was it the non-believers like what I read with King Agrippa, and in the Book of Mormon? It is clear that God referred to his followers as saints. Saints is mentioned 36 times in the Old Testament, 62 times in the New Testament, and 28 times in the Book of Mormon.

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:"
(Ephesians 1:1)

"And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—
For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.
And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored."
(Alma 46:13-16)

Day 4153