Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 53:2, 7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 53:2, 7
"Behold, I, the Lord, who was crucified for the sins of the world, give unto you a commandment that you shall forsake the world.
And again, I would that ye should learn that he only is saved who endureth unto the end. Even so. Amen."

What does it mean to "forsake the world"? As I pondered on this I thought about how to forsake doesn't mean you just leave it behind. You must be filled with something in its place. That would be a heart turned to Jesus Christ and eternal life. The focus and heart's desire is for something better, and the things of the world will not stop you.

"Therefore, forsake the world and save your souls; for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
(Matthew 16:29)

"What is the meaning of these scriptural cautions and commandments not to be “of the world” or the modern commandment to “forsake the world”? President Thomas S. Monson summarized these teachings: “We must be vigilant in a world which has moved so far from that which is spiritual. It is essential that we reject anything that does not conform to our standards, refusing in the process to surrender that which we desire most: eternal life in the kingdom of God."
(Dallin H. Oaks, "The Plan and the Proclamation", Oct 2017 General Conference)

"The Prophet said that if we would go where God is, we must be like him; that is, we must develop the characteristics and the attributes and the perfections which God has. The struggle which we face is whether we will overcome the world or whether we will be overcome by the world. All men forsake the world when they come into the Church; they then overcome the world if they continue in righteousness and in diligence in keeping the commandments of God.
No one has overcome the world, the world of carnality and corruption, until he has given his heart to Christ, until he uses all his talents, abilities, and strength in keeping the commandments of God, and in causing this great work to roll forth."
(Bruce R. McConkie, "Overcome the World", April 1955 General Conference)

"Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
“In the Church, we often state the couplet: ‘Be in the world but not of the world.’ …
“Perhaps we should state the couplet … as two separate admonitions. First, ‘Be in the world.’ Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, ‘Be not of the world.’ Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right.
“… In spite of all of the wickedness in the world, and in spite of all the opposition to good that we find on every hand, we should not try to take ourselves or our children out of the world. Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven,’ or yeast. (Matt. 13:33.) We are to lift the world and help all to rise above the wickedness that surrounds us” (“The Effects of Television,” Ensign, May 1989, 80).
(Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual "Chapter 20: Doctrine and Covenants 51-56")

Day 3642

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 21:16

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 21:16
"And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt."

That highway is the covenant path. The straight and narrow path, not a physical highway built of asphalt, cement or stone.

"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
(Isaiah 35:8-10)

"And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.” The revelation to Joseph Smith says no more on this point than these words convey. Isaiah gives a somewhat more expansive view in these words: “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those [who are worthy, and]: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.” It appears that a way will be provided to assemble the outcasts of Israel again in their promised land. The safe and secure physical arrangements, whatever they may be, will, in fact, be but symbolical of the way of holiness whereon only the righteous can find footing. The way of holiness cannot be other than the strait and narrow path. The wayward tribes, having forsaken the ancient holy way, having been scattered for their wickedness, shall now be gathered because they forsake the world and seek again that whereon the footprints of their fathers are found.
(Bruce R. McConkie, "The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man", Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1982, 327.)

Day 3392

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:1

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:1
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting."

What stood out to me was James writing to the scattered twelve tribes. I wondered did they already know where they were back then? I found this in the New Testament Student Manual.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the following about James’s audience: “Paul wrote to the saints of his own day, and if his doctrine and counsel blesses us of later years, so much the better. But James addressed himself to those of the twelve scattered tribes of Israel who belonged to the Church; that is, to a people yet to be gathered, yet to receive the gospel, yet to come into the fold of Christ; and if his words had import to the small cluster of saints of Judah and Benjamin who joined the Church in the meridian of time, so much the better” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1966–73], 3:243).

So this was written for my day as the lost tribes are being gathered. It's interesting to think how one verse in this chapter had a particular influence in the restoration of the gospel.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

From this verse Joseph Smith, Jr. went into a grove of trees to ask God which of all churches was right. That answer ushered in the last dispensation of time.

Day 3306

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrews 7:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrews 7:3
"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually."

How could Mechisdec be without father or mother. The Joseph Smith Translations explains this.

"For this Melchisedec was ordained a priest after the order of the Son of God, which order was without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life; and all those who are ordained unto this priesthood are made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually."
(JST Hebrews 7:3)

It is the Mechizedek priesthood that is without father or mother, meaning it's not inherited.

"This phrasing indicates that, unlike the Levitical or Aaronic order in ancient times, the Melchizedek Priesthood is not conferred based on lineage alone. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles further explained: “The right to this higher priesthood was not inherited in the same way as was the case with the Levites and sons of Aaron. Righteousness was an absolute requisite for the conferral of the higher priesthood” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 478).
(New Testament Student Manual, Chapter 49: Hebrews 7-13)

Day 3299

Today's Favorite Verse: Ephesians 1:13

Today's Favorite Verse: Ephesians 1:13

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

It is one thing to have an ordinance performed. It is another to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. The ordinances is then ratified, and you are sealed up to eternal life. Another name is having your "calling and election" made sure. I have many quotes on this subject, but the one that settled the matter for me, and gave me peace was this one.

"Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though is far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he's on the straight and narrow, he's going to go on to eternal reward in his Father's kingdom. We don't need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don't. There's only been one perfect person, and that's the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path--thus charting a course leading to eternal life--and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I'm not saying that you don't have to keep the commandments. I'm saying you don't have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved. The way it operates is this: you get on the path that's named the "straight and narrow." You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that's called eternal life. If you're on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you'll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you're working zealously in this life-- though you haven't fully overcome the world and you haven't done all you hoped you might do--you're still going to be saved. You don't have to do what Jacob said, "Go beyond the mark." You don't have to live a life that's truer than true. You don't have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church--keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you're on that path when death comes--because this is the time and the day appointed, this the probationary estate--you'll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure." 

(Bruce R. McConkie, "The Probationary Test of Mortality," Address given at Univ. of Utah, 10 Jan 1982)

Sometime we make things harder then they really are. Our Heavenly Father wants us to succeed and one day live with him again. Stay true, stay faithful, stay on the covenant path and that promise is sure.

Day 3257

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 7:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 7:9

"For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?"

The children of Israel went up against the Ai and were defeated. Joshua mourns and turns to the Lord. What are they to say, for all the inhabitants of the lands around them will hear of this defeat. Then Joshua is told it is because some had transgressed and kept of the accursed things of Jericho. They had stolen and placed them among their own stuff. Joshua then brought the tribes of Israel before him and found what Achan had done. He and his family were removed from the camp, taken to a field and stoned to death. Wow, was that penalty swift and sharp. There is no messing around.

The concern of Joshua on how their defeat would look is something we still face today. Those that apostatize from the church never seem to go quietly. Their sins at times are even broadcasted over the airways and it makes others guilty by association. Thankfully we do not stone people. Now they are just given time to repent until like Joshua did they are called before him, and then ushered out. The cleaning of the camp needs to happen. I just pray some will wake up to the road they are on and state they are in before it is to late.

Here is some very wise counsel given by Elder Bruce R. McConkie.

"Please do not put too much stock in some of the current views and vagaries that are afloat, but rather, turn to the revealed word, get a sound understanding of the doctrines, and keep yourselves in the mainstream of the Church."

"Bruce R. McConkie, "Our Relationship with the Lord", BYU Devotional, March 2, 1982)

Day 2353