Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 18:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 18:9
"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"

I struggled to decide which verse was my favorite in this chapter. I decided on this one because not only have I seen this, it also made me think of something President Nelson said. I just couldn't remember what talk it was in so I spent a lot of time tonight looking for it.

"In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.
At this point you may be thinking that this message would really help someone you know. Perhaps you are hoping that it will help him or her to be nicer to you. I hope it will! But I also hope that you will look deeply into your heart to see if there are shards of pride or jealousy that prevent you from becoming a peacemaker."
(Russell M. Nelson, "Peacemakers Needed", April 2023 General Conference)

I loved that wisdom in looking at ourselves and not just pointing the finger that someone else needs to do better. It is the same when you think we are more righteous that others, and then we despise or mock those that just sin differently than us. We are all in need of the Lord's mercy and grace, and we need to in turn give it to others. The world seems to be losing it's humanity. It all just makes me really sad.

Day 4115

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 13:22-23

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 13:22-23
"And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons."

The story of Absalom, Amnon, Tamar and David is such a sad one. I wondered how did this lead Absalom to go after his father to take over the kingdom? I came back to these verses. It was hatred that festered unchecked for two years. Even it was understandable at first, this dislike of his brother after what was done to his sister, it was carried to far. After two years he plotted to have his brother killed. I pondered on how anger and hatred are never good. It will absolutely lead to a loss of the spirit and doing even worse things. It would have been far better for Absalom to speak to David about justice for his sister to settle the matter. Then to exercise forgiveness so it didn't poison his soul. Instead this part leads to destruction.

Day 3838

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 10:12-13

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 10:12-13
"They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;
And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness."

I pondered on false traditions and how believing an incorrect narrative can lead us and future generations astray. The Lamanites had believed a false narrative handed down by their fathers, which gave their descendants an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi. This reminded me of how a First Presidency letter made me look at my traditions and rethink what I was supporting.

“Merely voting a straight ticket or voting based on ‘tradition’ without careful study of the candidates and their positions on important issues is a threat to democracy and inconsistent with revealed standards,”
(The Church News, "First Presidency letter emphasizes Latter-day Saints’ participation in elections and civic affairs, reaffirms political neutrality", 6 Jun 2023)

Day 3425

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 35:2, 4-5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 35:2, 4-5

"Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

Mount Seir is in the country of Edom. Edom is where the descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother are. They were to be destroyed because of their perpetual hatred of the children of Israel. In the chapter it describes multiple offensives. They had shed their blood and spoke against the Lord, and rejoiced at Israel being desolate.

This made me ponder on how important it is to not buy into any perpetual hatred of others. I have to say it does bother me when people write off others because of their race, nationality or any classification. President recently spoke on this.

“Any abuse or prejudice towards another because of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, culture or any other identifier is offensive to our Maker and defies the first and second great commandments—that we should love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. We firmly believe in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. …

“We do not have to act alike or look alike to love each other. We can disagree on a matter without being disagreeable. If we have any hope of creating the goodwill and sense of humanity for which we all yearn, it must begin with each of us, one person and one interaction at a time.

“May we as sons and daughters of God—as eternal brothers and sisters—do all within our power to build up each other, learn from each other and demonstrate respect for all of God’s children. May we link arms in love and brotherhood.” —President Russell M. Nelson (“Morehouse College Peace Prize Award Acceptance Message,” Apr. 13, 2023, newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Day 2996

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 69:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 69:4
"They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."

I happened to stumble upon this dream by Joseph Smith and this verse made me ponder on it.

"In the evening I attended meeting in the Seventies' Hall. George J. Adams preached and I made some observations afterwards, and related a dream which I had a short time since. I thought I was riding out in my carriage, and my guardian angel was along with me. We went past the Temple and had not gone much further before we espied two large snakes so fast locked together that neither of them had any power. I inquired of my guide what I was to understand by that. He answered, "Those snakes represent Dr. Foster and Chauncey L. Higbee. They are your enemies and desire to destroy you, but you see they are so fast locked together that they have no power to themselves to hurt you. I then thought I was riding up Mulholland street, but my guardian angel was not along with me. On arriving at the prairie, I was overtaken and seized by William and Wilson Law and others, saying, "Ah, ah! we have got you at last! We will secure you and put you in a safe place!" and, without any ceremony dragged me out of my carriage, tied my hands behind me, and threw me into a deep, dry pit, where I remained in a perfectly helpless condition, and they went away. While struggling to get out, I heard Wilson Law screaming for help hard by. I managed to unloose myself so as to make a spring, when I caught hold of some grass which grew at the edge of the pit.

I looked out of the pit and saw Wilson Law at a distance attacked by ferocious wild beasts, and heard him cry out, "Oh Brother Joseph, come and save me!" I replied, "I cannot, for you have put me into this deep pit." On looking out another way, I saw William Law with outstretched tongue, blue in the face, and the green poison forced out of his mouth, caused by the coiling of a large snake around his body. It had also grabbed him by the arm, a little above the elbow, ready to devour him. He cried out in the intensity of his agony. "Oh, Brother Joseph, Brother Joseph, come and save me, or I die!" I also replied to him, "I cannot, William; I would willingly, but you have tied me and put me in this pit, and I am powerless to help you or liberate myself." In short time after my guide came and said aloud, "Joseph, Joseph, what are you doing there?" I replied, "My enemies fell upon me, bound me and threw me in." He then took me by the hand, and drew me out of the pit, set me free, and we went away rejoicing. (June 13, 1844)
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 368-369)

I pondered on the enemies of righteousness can be mighty, in their own strength. But, I have seen them fight amongst themselves and accomplish nothing.

"But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed."
(Mormon 4:5)

While they are fighting amongst themselves the Lord's work continues to move forth.

"That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 109:25)

At some point evil will think it has won. Yet on judgment day they will be restored to exactly what they are.

"And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame - mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption - raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on the one hand, the other on the other -
The one raised to happiness according to his desire of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh."
(Alma 41:5)

Day 1122

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 13:14-15

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 13:14-15
"Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
Then Amnon hated her exceedinghly; so that he hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise be gone."

It was a pretty terrible thing that Amnon did to his sister Tamar. What I noticed though was his behavior afterwards toward her. He acted like he had a right to hate her. This hatred was driven by his guilt, yet he didn't want to acknowledge his actions in this. He made it the victim's fault. It was anyone else's fault but his. He could not even acknowledge what he had done was wrong. It made me think now things never change. I see this behavior still happening today.


Day 855