Today's Favorite Verse: John 10:4-5

Today's Favorite Verse: John 10:4-5
"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."

I want to be one that flees when a stranger tries to make me follow. I don't want to stray from the Lord, but always know His voice and follow Him. I pondered on several experiences I have had when I had to flee. When the Spirit whispered "That's a priestcraft don't follow them.", "Throw that book away!", "That is a false preacher, turn that video off!", "He is lukewarm, spit him out." I don't ever want to lose the ability to hear that warning voice.

Day 4131

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 8:21-22

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 8:21-22
"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."

I wanted to understand these verses better. The student manual referred me to Luke 9:59-60). Maybe he wasn't referring to the first burial of his father.

"And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."
(Luke 9:59-60)

"Respect for parents was very important in Jewish culture and included the responsibility to provide a proper burial for them when they died. After preparing a body for burial and placing it in a tomb, family members typically returned a year later to place the bones in a stone box called an ossuary, which remained in the tomb as a secondary burial. If the disciple was speaking of his father’s secondary burial, the Savior’s response would seem to communicate that now was the time for the man to serve a mission (see Luke 9:59–60). The man could be at peace about letting his deceased father remain in the tomb with other dead members of the family. It is also possible that the Savior’s response could be understood, “Let the [spiritually] dead bury their [physically] dead.”
In either case, the Savior’s words do not mean it is wrong to mourn the loss of a loved one or give proper respect at a funeral. Rather, these words emphasize devotion to the Lord as a disciple’s highest priority."
(New Testament Student Manual, Chapter 17: Luke 9-14, "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead")

Day 4061

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 33:12

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 33:12
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."

I pondered on how you cannot place into law or force a nation to be followers of God. The nations are blessed that follow the Lord only by their own free will and choice. The Lord looketh on the heart, and not forced compliance. If it were by law you could have a nation that calls themselves Christian, but their hearts are far from Him.

Day 3913

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 10:13-14

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 10:13-14
"Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation."

This verse made me think of this.

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."
(Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)

I can remember clearly the day I realized I was only turning to the Lord to deliver me from my latest trial. Once rescued I went back to my old ways. The cycle repeated over and over again, and I was sick of it. I finally realized I was doing it all backwards. I needed to be seeking the Lord always, not just when I thought I needed Him. Our relationship changed and there is more peace in the midst of trials because I know He's right there for me.

"That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:"
(Acts 17:27)

Our pains, afflictions and trials are there for us to learn to turn to and rely on the Lord always. The key is to walk with the Lord, then when darkness tries to over take us He's already there.

"They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me."
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:7-8)

"And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him."
(Helaman 12:3)

"Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy."
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:9)

Day 3819

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrews 5:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrews 5:8
"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;"

I wondered "Have I learned obedience by the things I have suffered?" The answer would have to be yes. The only way I have come through my trials and suffering is to turn to the Father and the Son. For His grace and mercy have strengthened me. When you experience that, and come to know Him, you want to follow him. That does bring a desire for greater obedience to His will. To love Him is to follow Him.

Day 3297

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 1:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 1:30

"The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;"

As I thought about God going before I realize that he always is, but it might be me facing a different direction and not seeing it. If I'm not facing the direction the Lord is traveling, and following him, then he cannot fight my battles. I'm not where he is promised to help me.

Day 2313

Today's Favorite Verse: Helaman 6:35-36

Today's Favorite Verse: Helaman 6:35-36

"And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.

And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words."

Lately, I've had a reoccurring theme, to not go to far to the right or the left, but to head down the middle. Staying between all the divisions happening between people right now. This is also good spiritual advice, to stay in the main stream of the church. This does not mean sitting on the fence in gray areas on subjects, because that is just inviting how far can I go before I fall. Instead I mean to not be distracted by the noise coming from opposite sides. Instead I am to follow that straight and narrow path the Lord has set, and it will keep me from danger. From observing, I am now seeing how both sides have valid points, but can also twist things to fit their agenda. I cannot put into words what I am learning, but I'm totally ok with it not having a name. It's one of those watch and be mindful things. It will all make sense later. 

I've also seen those I listened to in the past falling to far to the right or the left and are now off neutral ground. I started to clean out the Facebook groups and YouTube channels that I follow and have been surprised when I revisit them how many people and groups have morphed into something that leaves me feeling uncomfortable.  

In this chapter I see how the Nephites that were once righteous have now turned wicked. At the same time the Lamanites who were wicked have become righteous. It made me ponder on how a once righteous Nephite if he insisted on blinding following someone he has put on a pedal stool, never questioning where the person was headed, they just might follow them right out of the church. It really is a good thing to step back without having all the answers and just observe where people are headed and change course direction before it is to late. If you do not have the spirit as your guide you really can go off into strange roads and get lost. 

Day 1927

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 5:13

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 5:13
"For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

This made me think of a conversation I had and I was trying to explain something and why a certain behavior troubled me. Then I had this thought to say "Just ask yourself what would President Nelson do in that situation?"  As soon as I said that the matter was very clear on what the correct position should be.

So why did thinking of President Nelson make a difference in the discussion?  Because we've seen President Nelson all these years and know his goodness. He is not a stranger to us. As a prophet we know he would do as the Savior would have him do. That he would seek to understand the Savior's heart and will. 

As I ponder on this verse I know that as I read the scriptures and faithfully do as I have been asked that I will come to know the heart of my Savior and master, Jesus Christ. He will not be stranger to me. I can picture what he would want me to do. In that way I will work to serve and do good things as he did. With that thought close to my heart I will have the compass that I need that will bring me back to Him.

Day 1834

Today's Favorite Verse: John 17:4

Today's Favorite Verse: John 17:4
"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

I pondered on how the Savior could say that he had finished the work the Father had sent him to do. And, how I need to follow His example, and be able to say when my life is over that I have done the same. That when I account for my actions, that I pointed the way back to Christ and the Father. That I did as I was sent to do. The challenge is knowing what that is. That is why I need the spirit as my guide. Somehow, somewhere I will accomplish all that I need to if I follow Him.

Day 1587

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 3:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 3:3
"And they commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it."

I could visualize Israel following the ark as I read this. I knew it had meaning for me. Then I saw it. The ark of the covenant was the earthly dwelling place of Jehovah. Where His spirit would reside. It was treated with great reverence. The Lord would speak from the mercy seat to guide and direct the prophet of the church. We have that still today. I must follow the ark or the prophet. If the church moves forward, so must I. If I dig my heels in and don't move in the direction they are being lead, then I have moved away from the Lord, even though I didn't go anywhere. The council of the prophet is a living thing. It is moving forward to accomplish God's work upon the earth. I remove from my place to follow the will of the Lord. It doesn't stay put to suit me. "Go after it" means I must ever be striving to do the will of the Lord.


Day 765