Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:40-41

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:40-41
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory."

There is knowledge of the degrees of glory in the New Testament. I've known this since childhood, I've read about it in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Though it is a foreign concepts to other faiths. The highest degree of glory is the celestial glory, it is as the glory of the sun. Those that dwell there are in the presence of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The sun has and gives off its own light. The next degree is terrestrial, which is the glory of the moon. The terrestrial glory is borrowed or reflected light from the sun. Those that reside there will enjoy the presence of the Son and the Holy Ghost. The only reason these individuals are not celestial is because they were not valiant in the testimony of Jesus.They were blinded by the craftiness of men. They receive glory but not the fulness of the Father. We cannot live on borrowed light we must have our own testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel.

The last degree of glory that Paul doesn't give by name is telestial glory. It is the lessor glory, the glory of the stars. They didn't receive the gospel of Christ, nor a testimony of him. They will only receive the presence of the Holy Spirit through the ministering of those terrestrial. I think of telestial glory as those that receive the world as we live in, but with all the good people removed. They will have an eternity to try to find some comfort in the presence of the Holy Ghost. Something they could have learned while living in this world. That is not a place I want to be.

It isn't immediately after death that people receive their eternal glory. There is a time after death and before resurrection where those that had never heard of Jesus Christ can be taught. Everyone will have fair opportunity before they stand at final judgment before the Lord. It is only after this judgment that our fate is sealed and our eternal reward is given us.

Day 4201

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 2:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 2:7

"To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:"

Patience = the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

I pondered on patience. I know that it is a divine Christlike attribute, and very desirable. I know I have made progress in this area, where once the lack of it was my agony and made me suffer. What has made the difference I wondered? I don't think age has anything to do with it. Then I remembered what President Nelson said to "Think Celestial!" It is looking at things through an eternal perspective. It changes your perspective on everything. How you value things. How you look at trials you face. How you put faith in the Lord to get you through what needs to be endured. How you can appreciate the agency of others, and accept their choice. In the eternities things will be made right.

"Consider the Lord’s response to Joseph Smith when he pleaded for relief in Liberty Jail. The Lord taught the Prophet that his inhumane treatment would give him experience and be for his good. “If thou endure it well,” the Lord promised, “God shall exalt thee on high.” The Lord was teaching Joseph to think celestial and to envision an eternal reward rather than focus on the excruciating difficulties of the day."

"As you think celestial, you will view trials and opposition in a new light."

(Russell M. Nelson, "Think Celestial!", Oct 2023 General Conference)

Day 3207

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 8:36-37

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 8:36-37

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I thought about these questions. It made me think of how fleeting everything in this world is. Mortal life is just a tiny dot compared to eternity. It's over in the blink of an eye. "You can't take it with you." What a horrifying thought to spend eternity in sorrow because you wanted something shinny that only lasted for a moment. I am again reminded of President Nelson's "Think Celestial".

Day 3124

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 66:21-22

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 66:21-22

"And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain."

I pondered how after the Savior's second coming and the beginning of His millennial reign the righteous among all faiths will be together. Those remaining will be people that live a celestial or terrestrial life. Only those the lived a telestial life will be gone. There will be peace upon the earth.

It took three years for everyone to be converted after Christ's resurrection and appearance in the America's. How long will the process take for all to be converted?

"And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another."

(4 Nephi 1:1-2)

Day 2904

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 60:21

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 60:21

"Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified."

They say that where we will be in the next life is where we will be the most comfortable. If you cannot abide a celestial law then you would live in the terrestrial or telestial world. I cannot imagine spending eternities in a world as we have now, with all types of sins are entertained and in come cases celebrated. I also cannot imagine how glorious a world it would be to be among all those that are righteous, but I certainly want to be there. That would certainly bring peace and rest. I imagine we will be able to get so much work done.

Day 2898

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 137:7-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 137:7-9

"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;

Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;

For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."

One thing I love about the gospel is it's fair. Everyone has a chance to receive eternal life in the celestial kingdom. If you did not have a chance to hear the gospel and be baptized in this life, there is an opportunity to accept that work done vicariously afterwards. The Lord judges us on the desire of our hearts. The one thing we cannot do is procrastination the day of our repentance. Having received the gospel in this life we must be faithful and endure to the end. Repentance is the gift to be used every day.

Day 2140

Today's Favorite Verse: Revelation 21:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Revelation 21:4
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

The thought of this helps me endure. Everything I go through will be worth it in the end. I will be with my Savior, Jesus Christ and God will wipe all my tears from my eyes. I cannot comprehend now a life like this, but I want it.

"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)



Day 1761

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 113:7-8

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 113:7-8
"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifeth the needy out of the dunghill;
That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people."

This reminds me of something I was pondering on last week. It started with reading the June Ensign and all the stories commemorating the 1978 revelation on the priesthood. I looked at all the sacrifices my black brothers and sisters endured until the priesthood was available to them. I had also been reading stories of the early saints and the sacrifices of the pioneers. I knew I was not worthy to wipe the dust from their feet.

I wondered how could I ever be with them in the celestial kingdom. What they had been asked to do I had never been through. I sat dwelling on this for a while. Then I realized the celestial kingdom would not be a place of who had the worse trial on earth. It would not be telling of the battle stories and who was the strongest. What was the element that made them all equal?  It was faith in Christ. The test may be different for people depending on what is needful for their faith. Faith is the element you cannot see. Faith such a primary answer is actually the answer. It is the greatest thing to obtain in this life. Faith opens the door to eternal life. Faith is how I come to know the Lord. It is how I will be with Him.

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest."
(Hebrews 8:10-11)

Day 1166

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 137:7-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 137:7-9

"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;

Also all that shall die henceforth with a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;

For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."

Not all the visions that Joseph Smith received are in the Doctrine and Covenants. This one was added later to the scriptures. When this vision of the celestial kingdom was opened up Joseph saw his brother Alvin there. He wondered how that could be when he had died prior to receiving the ordinance of baptism. As I pondered on this I thought of the scripture that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. Which would make me conclude that we would know his judgments are just. That no opportunity to receive His gospel had been denied any one of us. The gospel plan is just and fair for all of God's children. He will know our doings and intents of our hearts and judge us based upon them. 

Day 556

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 130:7-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 130:7-9

"But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, future, and are continually before the Lord.

The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. 

This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's."

Today is my temple day and while I was sitting in an endowment session my mind wandered over the beauties of this earth. Then I thought of all the places I have never seen and probably will never get to. I had a sadness come over me as I always do when I think of such things. There is so much beauty in this earth and I would love to appreciate all of God's creation, but I know I will never have the money to travel and go there. I shall leave this earth and never have the chance in my body to know what it feels like to see a volcano, travel upon the vast ocean, or look down the grand canyon. Will the end times destruction erase the man made attractions I have never seen, like the Eiffel Tower or Disneyland? There is so much beauty on this earth and I know I will miss it. I recalled somewhere in the scriptures the earth being turned into glass and the thought made me sad to not see mountains, hills, streams and all that green. I even thought about little children born in abject poverty that never witnessed even the amount of beauty I have seen. I already felt bad, now I felt even worse for them. 

While I sat thinking about this a thought came to me "God doesn't take away, he gives you more." I didn't understand how glass could be more beautiful than the beauties of this earth. Then as my habit, after the session I went into the celestial room to settle in a favor chair and read my scriptures. What do you know, this chapter talked about the very thing my mind had been wondering on. That was no coincident, the spirit seems to like to teach me things this way. I learned the place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummin, a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things in their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before him. One day I can live in such a place. I thought if my God can have anything he wants and he wants that, then it must be far better than what I have. 

What I hadn't recalled earlie was the part about the past, present and future continually before the Lord. I felt like I was being told, "See you won't miss anything. You will see far more than what the time of your life existence could have ever shown you. It will be presented in such away that will be more real than what is possible now. The poor among the earth that follow Christ will obtain celestial glory. It isn't less, it's more. When you loose your life for Christ's sake the return is a hundred fold." I know to some the sadness over not being able to travel may seem trivial to them. But, this experience has brought me such comfort and peace over the whole matter.

Day 549