Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11-12

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11-12
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it."

I pondered on how it depends on where you stand if you are in the midst of a feast or famine in hearing the words of the Lord. I am so blessed to belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is no famine in hearing the words of the Lord. There is continuous revelation and prophets and apostles speaking to us. Yet, with all this bounty a person could be starving if they chose not to sup.

Even in the world where prophets and apostles are not known there can be a feast if they open the bible and read it. Start where you are and feast on the words of the Lord that you have. Then when you want to have more come and see me.

Day 4039

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:"

I was pondering on how there was no famine in hearing the word of the Lord today. I have so many resources. I love having the Gospel Library app on my phone. There are so many scriptures and talks at my finger tips. I have access 24/7 to talks and videos online about various gospel subjects. Just yesterday there was a Facebook post by the prophet. This is such a wonderful time to hear the words of the Lord.

Then I realize there are people that starve to death with food all around them. They can be on self imposed hunger strikes. That's a famine to them. If you are not wanting food your in famine. More than any time on this earth we have more people ignorant of the scriptures. There is such a famine today I wonder if more people heard and knew the scriptures before they were in print? Simply because they attended church weekly and the priests would read from the scriptures. Right now when technology has the capability to bring the word of God to every person on this earth, there is a self imposed hunger strike by many. They are in famine and don't know it.

Day 3046

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 4:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 4:7

"And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD."

The Lord used a warning voice by pouring out famine, pestilence, swords, and burning upon Israel. Even with all that "yet have ye not returned unto me". The Lord use calamities and disasters as a voice of warnings, as a opportunity for us wake up and turn back to him. It is a stiff-necked people when they don't listen. It reminded of a television interview I saw once after a shooting, and the people were saying "Don't pray for me. I don't want your prayers. Prayers do nothing." I felt so sorry for them because prayers help so much. What I noticed in these verses is that God would cause rain to fall on one city, and not on others. People turn to others in times of disasters. We are only made satisfied when our hearts are turned to Him.

"How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!"

(Doctrine and Covenants 43:25)

Day 3042

Today's Favorite Verse: Lamentations 4:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Lamentations 4:9

"They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field."

This made me think of Nephi, son of Helaman, who was given the sealing power. He prayed for famine instead of the sword.

"O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.

And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi. And there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth year the famine did continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the sword but became sore by famine."

(Helaman 11:4-5)

Maybe the manor of a quick dead is easy by the sword. But, with famine there is time for the soul to think and to repent. As I pondered on this I thought how I wouldn't want my death to be a punishment for sin. It is better to repent daily and strive to do better each day.

Day 2960

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 14:14-15

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 14:14-15

"Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed."

The very thing the false prophets prophesied were to be, was what God would use to destroy them. They thought there would be no sword or famine in the land, and that was what Jeremiah was told would come because of their wickedness. It made me wonder where I have seen that before? All I could think of is some doom and gloom "prophets" that are always saying its the end of our economy and we will be in bondage. I guess that's the benefit of getting older, I haven't see it happen yet. I used to get in a panic and all concerned, until I found its a story they continually repeat. Creating fear and panic retains viewers and revenue. Now if a true prophet of God prophesies its coming then I will take heed.

"My enemies say that I have been a true prophet. Why, I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false prophet. When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones."

(Joseph Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith", p. 365)

"For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant."

(JST Matthew 1:22)

Day 2918

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 33:18-20

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 33:18-20

"Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield."

I belong to some food storage groups and new people all the time are asking where to begin. They are afraid of a coming famine. The fear is real for them because they have nothing. I don't know what's coming. My life has not changed. We store what we can and rotate it. This is our normal life. Do I have a year supply? Probably not. Why? Because, I simply lack the room for the number of people I have in my family. Am I afraid? No, I am not. Does that mean I think there is nothing to this? Nope, I think the concern is real. So what makes the difference?

It is a personal relationship with the Savior. You can store all the food in the world, but if you don't make your relationship to the Lord your number one priority, it won't calm your fears. I know I can only do what I can do. He sees me and guides me, he knows my efforts and my limitation. I want His eye upon me especially when hard times comes. I need his mercy and kindness. I do believe that if it's His will to keep me alive in a famine, He will do so. He has shielded me so many times in my life, I have no doubt that he will do it again in the future.

Day 2670

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Kings 17:12-15

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Kings 17:12-15

"And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days."

The story of the prophet Elijah and the widow of Zarephath always reminds me of food storage. Elijah had the sealing power and the heavens were shut up for three and a half years. I do not have the space to store three and a half years worth of food, much less a year supply as is the goal. What I do is make sure I store as much as I can as well rounded as possible. Then we rotate it as we eat from our stores. When the pandemic hit in 2020 I was so grateful for what I had put aside.

Though there was one item in my food storage that I was low on before the pandemic hit. I kept asking my husband to stop by the Home Storage Center to pickup a case of powdered milk. It's cheaper to pick it up than to order it online. I felt the need was urgent but he never did. Weeks went buy with it on the shopping list but never picked up. Then as if overnight it was suddenly to late. The pandemic hit and the Home Storage Center was cleaned out. I couldn't even order any powdered milk online. It just made me sick that he never listened to my request and bought it as I had asked. I was down to just a few packages of powered milk at this point. Each time I opened a package of milk I would place it in a large glass canning jar. That jar seemed to empty so slowly, that handful of packages of powered milk lasted me for months. I was down to the last package before I could finally order more again. So many times I thought of the widow of Zarephath's barrel of meal that never wasted as she feed the prophet Elijah, her child and herself throughout the famine. When we honestly try our best blessings do come. The important thing is to listen to the council of a prophet and follow it.

When President Nelson told us in the October 2020 Women's Session of General Conference to never stop preparing I took those words to heart. My level of preparedness has not change throughout this pandemic.

"For decades, the Lord’s prophets have urged us to store food, water, and financial reserves for a time of need. The current pandemic has reinforced the wisdom of that counsel. I urge you to take steps to be temporally prepared. But I am even more concerned about your spiritual and emotional preparation.

I promise that as we create places of security, prepare our minds to be faithful to God, and never stop preparing, God will bless us. He will “deliver us; yea, insomuch that he [will] speak peace to our souls, and [will] grant unto us great faith, and … cause us that we [can] hope for our deliverance in him.”

As you prepare to embrace the future with faith, these promises will be yours!"

(Russell M. Nelson, "Embrace the Future with Faith", Oct 2020 General Conference)

Day 2467

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 21:1

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 21:1

"Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."

I wonder if David used the ephod or Urim and Thummim to inquire of the Lord? It's interesting how many times in the scriptures that famine lasts three or three and a half years, and if really bad seven years. Famine is used to bring people to remembrance of the Lord, and a voice of warning to repent.

"O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee."

(Helaman 11:4)

"How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!"

(Doctrine and Covenants 43:25)

Day 2447

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 9:28, 34-35

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 9:28, 34-35
"And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them - that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent.
And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.
And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine."

A lot of wickedness happens in this chapter. The kingdom passes from one person to another with bloodshed. The terrible thing is they first did it under secret combinations until eventually they just committed murder outright. When the wicked no longer hide their sins the Lord gives a warning through his prophets. The people don't repent and famine does cover the land. Then it is infested with poisonous serpents which prevent the people from moving past them. Until finally death stares them in the face. Now they repent and humble themselves until rain falls again on the land.

This all reminded me of the cycle I was once in. Terrible things would happen and then I would turn to the Lord and try to do what's right. Good times would come and I'd turn to my old ways and wasn't as close to the Lord. I would repeat this cycle over and over, until one day I finally saw the pattern and realized this had to stop. If I would just remember the Lord every day then these hard times wouldn't come. I found that life isn't always a bed of roses just because your doing what's right. But the Lord doesn't leave you when hard times comes because he's right beside you to begin with. There is peace in the mist of the storms, and the storms come to have a purpose that move me into a better place.

Day 1986

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 8:11
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:"

This is talking of the great apostasy that happened after all the original apostles died. There was a falling away, and a famine in hearing the words of the Lord. The gospel has once again been restored to the earth. Prophets and apostles speak the words of the Lord. In fact in eight more days I will sit at their feet and listen to them in general conference. I can't wait!

I also thought of its other meaning. How this famine in hearing the words of the Lord is still happening today. In this case it is self-imposed. For there is an epidemic of apathy for reading the scriptures around the world. Years past if there was only one book in the home it was the Bible. Families would gather to read from it. Now not only is a bible a rare commodity, it's even rarer for a family to gather and read it.

I am grateful for the counsel given in the last general conference. The emphases on home-centered gospel learning. Where as families we gather to read from the New Testament each day. My family was already reading the scriptures together, but I love the feeling of synergy that comes with being part of this worldwide. There is unity in our church as we gather together to discuss what we are learning in our homes. I enjoy these discussions and seeing each family embrace learning the gospel in their homes. There is a different feeling that I cannot find words to describe. We are being feed and it is good.

Day 1462

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 4:6

Today's Favorite Verse: Amos 4:6
"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

Very fitting day to read this. In my living room sits 25 lb bags of various dry goods that we purchased today. I took the money from savings to purchase it because I know the price of corn, beans and wheat is going to go up. Gratefully the prices in the store are the same as our last purchase right now. We have been counseled for years to have a food storage. With the recent floods in Nebraska and Iowa, and water heading south into all the farm lands of the Midwest it was time to reassess what we had on hand. I know the price of beef with go up but I am not so worried about storing that if I have plenty of beans for protein.

The Lord may use natural disasters and famines to give people the opportunity to return to him. I would much rather turn to Him and have the spirit guide me on when to store in time of plenty for the famines to come. It is no loss to my lifestyle, this is food we eat and rotate anyways. I just wish I had space to store more while the prices are good.

This is from an article my friend Amy Archibald sent me Saturday.

Why the devastating floods in Nebraska should have you concerned.

If you don't have adequate food storage in your home, now is the time to get food before prices start to sky rocket.

Nebraska is the:
* National leader in beef production
* #3 leader in corn production
* #1 for Great Northern Beans, #2 for Pinto Beans, #5 for ALL DRY edible beans
* #10 leader in egg production
* #4 in soybean production
* 55-70 million bushels of wheat annually

"Across parts of the Midwest, hundreds of livestock are drowned or stranded; valuable unsold, stored grain is ruined in submerged storage bins; and fields are like lakes, casting doubt on whether they can be planted this year."

Day 1458

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 47:15-16

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 47:15-16

"And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for money faileth.

And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail."

This chapter is talking about the great famine in the land that Pharaoh's dream had warned of. Joseph had received the interpretation that it would last seven years. I figure this chapter is at least in year four, maybe five. 

These verses really jumped out at me. The money system failed due to the famine. It cemented my impressions I've had on food storage and preparedness. I have never thought it wise to store up gold or silver as many people proclaim. You cannot eat it. What was tradable?  Other food items - namely their animals. The people could have eaten their animals to survive, but what they wanted more than anything was grain. That is what was life sustaining for them. Joseph had stored up all grains during times of plenty to preserve life. This is what people wanted and needed. That is what can be bartered and traded for. This is how the Lord provides for his people for the day of want. There is so much to ponder on and learn from in this chapter on the subject of preparedness.  

Day 622