Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 1:8, 12

Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 1:8, 12

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink."

Purposed = Commitment

What stood out to me is that Daniel committed in his heart to not defile himself by eating the king's meat. He wasn't stubborn about it. He first requested from the prince of the eunuchs in charge that he be allowed to not defile himself. Daniel was asking not demanding. Then he listened to the prince of eunuchs concern that they may become sickly looking, which in turn could threaten the eunuchs life, Daniel didn't belittle or demand, or challenge his beliefs. Instead he offered to conduct a test to prove which way was best. It was a short 10 day trial of them eating pulse and drinking water. This was a short enough time period that the eunuch could feel confident any health risk from the attempt could be undone. After-all it would be three more years before the king saw them again.

Of course Daniel has faith that in ten days it would show the prince of the eunuchs they were healthier than the others. I thought about how when you have faith you don't go about challenging or belittling the beliefs of others. You respectfully listen and know that God will show the way.

Day 3010

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 17:22

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 17:22

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

I had to chuckle at this verse. It's been a little over a week that we've all been sick in our house with Covid-19. When not asleep I've been resting by binge watching one of my favorite series. Yesterday, I hit the storyline where the main character's husband died. I cried so badly, and honestly my symptoms got so much worse. I actually said to myself, "Well that wasn't good for my healing." I decided I needed to watch something a bit more uplifting in spirit. I wonder if this verse is where the saying "laughter is the best medicine" came from?

Day 2804

Today's Favorite Verse: Leviticus 11:46-47

Today's Favorite Verse: Leviticus 11:46-47

"This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:

To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten."

As I'm reading this I'm thinking "I'm so glad we don't have to live the law of Moses anymore. I would have a hard time understanding this." I'm sure this was not only for obedience but a matter of health and safety given the time frame and means of food preservation and sanitation. Then I remembered a discussion our family had during scripture reading. There was something I need to do some research on regarding what the church leaders are saying today. As I reflected on this I could see my time frame isn't much different. Guidance during the pandemic was spelled out on what would keep us safe.

Day 2260

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 6:2-3

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 6:2-3
"Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?"

I could not help but think of me. I have been in pain for months now with my rotator cuff. I can barely move my arm. I can't even run my fingers through my hair. I can hardly sleep for the pain of it. I've had a blessing and have not been healed, even though I was told I would be. I know I have the faith to be healed, for I have been healed many times in the past. All I know is that not being healed is the Father's will right now for me. What I am going through is what I must go through. I truly wish the Lord would have mercy on my poor arm. I don't know how long this must last. I don't know what the answer is yet for it either. I ask every day for help in finding out what I should do to heal this. Mostly I'm told it takes time.

The one thing I cannot say is that my soul is vexed. I feel no sorrow of being deprived, no anger for not having my prayers answered. I know that not being healed has a purpose. Someday I will understand all the whys. Time just takes patience and this experience will make me stronger in it. In the mean time I have plead for assistance in doing what I cannot do, that must get done, and have felt my arm supported just enough to get it done. I am grateful for those tender mercies while I am passing through what I must endure. Even though my prayers have not been answered it doesn't mean He has left me alone. That might be the greatest lesson I have learned out of it yet. I'm sure many more will come.

Update: Sometimes I am able to write my favorite verse several days in advance. Such is the case with this one. The day I wrote this I afterwards went over to friends for dinner. My friend told me about her frozen shoulder and how taking Glucosamine & Chondroitin helped her. I remembered taking this supplement years ago at the advice of a doctor with much success. I knew I needed to try this. I also received the impression to take my turmeric in the same dosage as I would Tylenol. With this combination within a day and a half I had relief. Each day has seen improvement, and I am filled with joy over it. I know it is healing.

I wondered for a moment if I should change what I wrote for today. Seeing it didn't apply to me now. Then realized no, I need to keep a record of this event, and the rest of the story with it. For I am sure that my feelings on the matter of being healed lead to me learning about what was needful to be healed. For faith without works is dead, and sometimes a little patience is needed too. Maybe this record will also help someone else.

Day 1059

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 20:31-33

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 20:31-33
"For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?
And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David."

Wow, this didn't make sense. Saul anger is kindled against Jonathan because he was protecting David. He then says to Jonathan that as long as David lives you won't have a kingdom. Trying to turn Jonathan against David by tempting him with gain. Then Saul tries to throw a javelin to smite him. Well that only means he tried to kill Jonathan too. If Saul was so worried about Jonathan inheriting the kingdom after him, then that made no sense. I feel that Saul was just plain mad or insane at this point. His jealousy of David has made him totally out of control. It actually made me ponder on the increase of murder suicides I have seen in the news. People have just plain gone mad. Why is that? It's just like what I read yesterday they are possessed as was Saul with "an evil spirit, which was not of the Lord".

This also made me reflect on a conversation we had in family scripture reading the other day. We discussed illness and how many times in the New Testament Christ cast out an evil spirit to heal them. The story that stands out to me is in Mark 9 where the father asks Christ to heal his son, after the other apostles were unable to. What he describes as his son's condition sounds like epilepsy. When asked if he believes the father says "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

"When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him."  (Mark 9:25)

This just makes me wonder how much illness has a root of an evil or foul spirit effecting a person? How much mental illness is really the spirit leaving and an evil one taking its place. I know I won't have an answer to this in my lifetime. But, there must be a reason why Christ cast out evil spirits to heal people, even when it's a condition we think of medicine controlling today. Which do I have more faith in medicine or Christ?  How is one to know the balance? I have to think it is only by having the spirit to be with me. I have to take care to not make the spirit leave and have an evil one take its place. I must have faith in Christ to be healed, so I must have faith in Christ to not have the evil overtake me. I have no idea on the balance regarding illness, but I do know how different issues I once had changed, when I turned to the Lord to be healed.


Day 831

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 7:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 7:2
"And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me."

Gideon's army was 32,000 strong as it was coming up to battle against the Midianites. Then the Lord tells Gideon to reduce their numbers. For that large of an army would tempt them to say they did it of themselves. In the end there was only a tithe of 300 men remaining. In the end they succeeded. I pondered on how they succeeded by relying on the Lord. I reflected on various scripture stories of the weak being made strong. I also thought of the times I have plead to the Lord to give me strength that was not my own, in order to accomplish what was needful. Then I was strengthen to do things I was otherwise not physically able to. I have also seen help come to assist in answer to my prayer.

I reflected on a time when I was given strength that lasted over several days. When the days job was done I would make it to my car and drive home. Then complete exhaustion would hit me, and I could barely walk into the house. I was left physically drained, and in terrible pain. Yet the next day somehow I could do it all over again. The miracle of it all left me in amazement. I knew the only reason I was given the strength beyond my own was simply to assist another in greater need. I would be crippled in pain at home, but in their home I had a strength and energy that was not my own.  I knew I had experienced a miracle because I trusted the Lord to help me do what was required in order to serve him. I have come to learn that when I put my trust in the Lord, and give it my all to serve him, he will make me strong enough to finish the task.

The thought now occurs to me, maybe that's why my physically strength has been reduced. Simply so the Lord could show me what wonderful things he can do for me, when I serve him.


Day 793

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 8:19

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 8:19

"And I have given the Levites as gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary."

The words "that there be no plague among the children of Israel" made me think of one a signs of the last days, plagues. I pondered on the temple and the blessings I have received from attending. I remember after being so ill and unable to hardly do anything I started to go to the temple. At first I went in a wheelchair, then a walker, now with a cane. I could feel myself become stronger after each trip. Slowly I recovered and I knew that I was being blessed and strengthened for temple service. I have experienced physical, mental and spiritually healing through temple attendance. I guess I hadn't thought until now about it protecting me from the coming plagues. This made me do some scripture chasing. 

"Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."

(Psalms 91:10-11)

"And Araunah said, Wherefore is my Lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people."

(Samuel 24:21)

"And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles

(Revelations 15:6)

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

(Revelation 18:4)

"Nevertheless, Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her.

But if she observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire.

Nevertheless, let it be read this once to her ears, that I, the Lord, have accepted of her offering; and if she sin no more none of these things shall come upon her;"

(Doctrine & Covenants 97:25-27)

"And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations;

That the cry of the saints, and the blood of the saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies.

Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen."

(Doctrine & Covenants 87:6-8)

I think of a plague as being an epidemic, covering large numbers of people. It would appear among the faithful covenant keeping saints the number affected will be few, if not at all. I sat and thought about how many temples now dot the earth. How they are there to bless the saints that walk inside their doors. How not only are they spiritually made stronger to endure these days, there is a physical protection over them. I am sure there are many more blessings for active temple attendance than I am even aware of. As each year passes I have heard more and more emphasis on temple attendance. With the increase in temples being built all saints can obtain that blessing. There will come a time when not only is temple attendance vital to us spiritually it will also be to us physically. Maybe it already is? Did not temple attendance heal my depression so long ago? Is depression not an epidemic in our land? There is so much to ponder on this matter. All I know is that the call to stand in holy places is vital to my eternal exaltation, and peace and protection upon this earth. 

Day 700