Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:20

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:20
"But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him."

This reminded me of the words of President Nelson.

"Here is my promise to you: Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. You will feel His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel."
(Russell M. Nelson, "The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again", Oct 2024 General Conference)

I've had the experience where I knew the Savior was visiting his temple. It was the second session of the newly dedicated Payson Temple. I knew that if I got up and left the endowment session I was in that I could find my way to Him. Yet, I understood that I was not to do that. He was overseeing the workings of the temple and accepting it. Where I was, was where I needed to be. I have wondered how we should react if the Savior revealed himself to us in the temple? I'm sure there would be silence and awe. Would we keep silent that he was there, or would the world need to know? When I think about Jesus' appearance to the Nephites after his resurrection, they spent the whole night spreading the word of His appearance, and that he would come again to the temple the next day. I have no doubt persecution would come to us if it was revealed.

"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children and did return to his own home.
And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he had ministered unto them, and that he would also show himself on the morrow unto the multitude.
Yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning Jesus; and insomuch did they send forth unto the people that there were many, yea, an exceedingly great number, did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should show himself unto the multitude."
(3 Nephi 19:1-3)

Day 4045

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:17-18

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:17-18

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

I selected this verse because it is so odd I read this today. I had a phone call this afternoon from someone that I haven't spoken to in a while. They told me that they needed the rain that maybe coming. They have not had rain all summer. It has been so dry that the trees had buds that never opened. There never were blossoms. It made me wonder what kind of crops would be harvested this year with those conditions. Such a small simple conversation, then I read these verses. What are the odds of that timing? It always make me think about how God knows what I will read today, so he gives me a little experience to make it more meaningful and thought provoking. I do rejoice that He is in the details.

Day 3065

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:14

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:14

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

One day every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is the Christ. Until that day I pictured us preparing for that event. It made me think of all the temples dotting the earth.

Day 3064

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:2-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:2-4

"O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth."

Habakkuk wants to know why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Why God allows those that are wicked to overcome his people. I think that is a question everyone has asked at times. I was reminded today of a difficult period in my life and after thirty-plus years I see it in a different light. I can see what I learned and how it marked my path. How I learned to rely on God and his grace and mercy offered me. Sometimes we are just so close to the pain and injustice we don't realize how the Lord is molding us into what he needs us to be. The master's hands are upon us the whole time. We do not pass through it alone.

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

(Doctrine and Covenants 122:7)

Day 3063

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:4
"And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand; and there was the hiding of his power."

The footnote for "he" is "OR rays of light are at His side".  I did wonder what horns coming out of his hands meant. I figured it had to be a symbol of the temple ordinances used in the law of Moses. I found a great explanation by Erastus Snow.

"For through the laying on of hands the sick are healed. Through the laying on of hands the Holy Ghost is given. Through the laying on of hands the Priesthood is conferred upon those who are counted worthy to receive it. Herein is the hiding of the Lord's power. It is this that the Prophet Habakkuk refers to when he speaks of the Lord coming in glory, and says: “He had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.”

Horns we know in the Scriptures are often used as figures to represent power. Horns in the Apocalypse and in the prophecies of Daniel represent kingdoms and dynasties, and when one horn fell, another came up in its place, thus representing the fall of one dynasty and the rising of another. And so on. And the same may be said of the Priesthood: the ruling power that God bestows for the salvation of the human family, is that which is given by the laying on of hands.

But does this apply to the wicked, to the disobedient, or to the unbelieving? No, not at all; nor does remission of sins come to the wicked and unbelieving by merely being baptized. We have an example of this kind in the New Testament when Philip baptized the people of Samaria, and Simon the sorcerer, was baptized also; but he was a hypocrite and a corrupt man, and he only sought to gain power whereby he might hoodwink and deceive the people and filch money from them. And when Peter and John came down and prayed with the people, and laid their hands upon them, they received the Holy Ghost. When Simon saw this, he offered them money saying, “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.” This he sought, as I have said, that he might obtain power to carry on his craft and to make money; but Peter answered him saying, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

There are other similar instances. But remission of sins cometh by baptism to those who believe and repent of their sins with all their hearts; the Holy Ghost is received by the laying on of the hands of the Elders; and the powers of the Priesthood are conferred in the same manner. Simple as the ordinances are, simple to look upon and to think upon, there is power in them, power accompanies them, power is made manifest among the people. The people are gathered together; the people are made one; the differences that existed among us depart. The traditions of the fathers are cast away. We are united in receiving the light and truth from above. Our hearts are made as one, no matter where we were born, or what race of people we have sprung from. This spirit working among the people, and going abroad in the earth is accomplishing what the Lord and His servants have predicted. It is preparing a people for the coming of the Savior."

(JD 25:194, "How Judgment Should Be Formed, Etc." Discourse by Apostle Erastus Snow, delivered in the Stake Meetinghouse, Ephraim, Saturday Afternoon (Quarterly Conference), May 31, 1884)

It is the priesthood. When I think of the power in those hands, laid upon my head for the gift of the Holy Ghost and for healing, I stand amazed and what it has done for me. Now this verse makes sense.

Day 1481

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:3-4, 14

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:3-4, 14
"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

At first I focused on the earth being filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord, but I wondered why at the same time this chapter speaks of the prideful and disobedient? Realizing this vision is for the end times I looked at it as happening right now. So I asked myself "Are there some with knowledge of the glory of the Lord and others that don't see it?" Of course! Some are preparing for the second coming of the Lord, and others are lifted up in their pride and have no need for Him. Even with the internet anyone that wants to know of the Lord can find information on Him. It is a beautiful tool to preach the gospel to the earth. Knowledge is not hiding if you are seeking. The difference is what they are looking for.

Day 1480

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:4
"Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth."

This made me ponder on how laws are being enacted that go against the laws of God. You cannot legalize sin and make it change God's opinion of it. It is only when the voice of the people choose iniquity that destruction will come. I think we are ripe for this to happen. At least the warnings are being given.

"The effect of God’s commandments and laws is not changed to accommodate popular behavior or desires." 
(President Dallin H. Oaks, "Love and Law", GC Oct 2009)

"Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God!"
(President Russell M. Nelson, "Decisions for Eternity", GC Oct 2013)

"The laws of man often move outside the boundaries set by the laws of God."
(Elder Neil L. Andersen, "The Eye of Faith", GC April 2019)

"Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law - to do your business by the voice of the people.
And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land."
(Mosiah 29:26-27)

Day 1479