Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 8:35, 38-39

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 8:35, 38-39
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I pondered on being fully converted to Jesus Christ. This would be the only way, relying on Him, that you could endure all these things and not be separated from him. We can separate ourselves from God by sin. His love for us is always there, but we may have hid it. Enduring to the end is my favorite part of the gospel. It is how we come to know Jesus Christ.

"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
(Isaiah 59:2)

Day 4178

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 23:23

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 23:23
"Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?"

I felt to ponder on this question. Was God near or far off? I feel Him near me so He is a God at hand. Then I pondered on what it meant to be "a God afar off". The distance is probably of our own making. At that point you would feel God is afar off, and possibly doesn't see what you are doing. That would be a great lie to ourselves. For God sees and knows all of what is done by man. We cannot hide our sins, like we can from our fellow man.

Day 3999

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 22:1-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 22:1-4
"Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.
In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again."

Hiding yourself was what I pondered on. It is basically ignoring the need of others, and by looking the other way. It made me reflect on the parable of the Good Samaritan, and not be like the priest and Levite in the story. Pretending to not see someone's need does not excuse yourself from helping. We are to do what we can to help.

Day 3804

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 15:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 15:3
"And I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone—"

God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We cannot hide anything from Him. He knows our sins and earnest desires. He is a perfect confidant and friend.

"Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart."
(Doctrine and Covenants 6:16)

“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?”  (Mosiah 5:13)
Now, you will still be startled, as President Benson said you would be, to realize how familiar the face of our Heavenly Father is. But when you see him, you will know his voice, because you will have prayed, listened, obeyed, and come to share the thoughts and intents of his heart. You will have drawn nearer to him."
(Henry B. Eyring, "To Draw Closer to God", Apr 1991 General Conference)

Day 3604

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 13:9

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 13:9
"The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves!"

The people reach such a level of wickedness they can no longer hide it. Jeremiah says they can no longer blush.

"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD."
(Jeremiah 6:15)

They think sin no longer bothers them, but deep inside they must know, for God knows. They can live a lie to themselves but they will never get away from it, unless they repent.

Day 3384

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 139:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 139:7

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"

Joseph Smith said: "You cannot go anywhere but where God can find you out." As I reflect on this I think it actually is a comforting thought to know that God's love and concern for me is always there. I do remember when there was a time I would have wished to hide. I suppose it's a good marker, to know if you would like to hide from God or have yourself found?

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

(Revelation 6:15-17)

Day 2776

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 32:1, 5

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 32:1, 5

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah."

I pondered on the only way to cover a sin, is to uncover it. Sin is never hid from the Lord, so he knows what sins we are trying to hide. When we no longer hide them, but confess them to the Lord, he in turns will cover them and remember them no more.

"I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

(Isaiah 43:25)

"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

(Jeremiah 31:34)

"Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more."

(Doctrine and Covenants 58:42)

Day 2669

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 18:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 18:15

"Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh."

When Sarah overheard the three holy men's news that she would bare a child she laughed within herself. No one heard her, but the Lord. He acknowledges to Abraham that he heard it and what she said. Then Sarah denies it. Now I see why the story of Sodom and Gomorrah fits so well with this.

"And the Lord said, Because of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know."

(Genesis 18:20-21)

Once again Abraham is told the Lord will know the truth even if someone hides it.

"And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, he had no understanding?"

(2 Nephi 27:27)

Day 2177

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 1:2-3

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 1:2-3
"For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.
And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life."

Moroni finished abridging the Jaredite records and having not yet perished he writes to us again. The condition is the Lamanites will kill anyone that will not deny the Christ. I hope if I was in that same condition I would say "I, Renee, will not deny the Christ." What is interesting to me is that he wanders. He's not staying put where it isn't safe to be. We know eventually he wanders to where he will hide up the record where young Joseph Smith one day lives.

Day 1993

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 22:15-16

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 22:15-16
"And not it came to pass when the Lamanites had found that the people of Limhi had departed out of the land by night, that they sent an army into the wilderness to pursue them;
And after they had pursued them two days, they could no longer follow their tracks; therefore they were lost in the wilderness."

It is always amazing to me to see that after two days pursuit the Lamanite army could no longer follow the tracks of Limhi's people. There were men, women, and children, flocks and herds that all left their tracks upon the land as they were fleeing. The Lord was protecting these people and that is the only way a migration of people and their animals could simply disappear. There is a lot to be said for not standing out in a crowd. It can be a protection. It did make me think about the curse upon this land, if we are not righteous.   

"And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasure in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.
For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and curse be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasure unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.
And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord."
(Helaman 13:18-20)

Day 1851

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 17:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 17:15
"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."

I want this.

"Behold, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
(1 John 3:2)

At the resurrection I want nothing more than to be able to look into my Savior's face, after having worshipped at his feet. I want to be built upon His rock, and not desire the rocks and mountains to fall upon me and hid me from his presence.
.
"For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence."
(Alma 12:14)

I want to see his reflection inside of me. That I became like him, and can now live with him.

Day 1070

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 32:22, 23

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 32:22, 23
"And the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out."

I had to ponder on the phrase "your sin will find you out".  What does that mean? I thought how God see everything and nothing can remain hide.

"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known." (Luke 12:2 )

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (Proverb 15:3)

But, I don't think that is what this is taking about. I think "your sin will find you out" means you will have a consciousness of your guilt. It will rack your soul and fill you with remorse. The children of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, wanted their inheritance in the land of Jazer, across from Jordan, as a place for cattle. They promised Moses if he would give them this land that they would arm themselves for war before the Lord, until their enemies were driven out. I think if they failed to support the other tribes in this, leaving them to destruction, their souls would be racked with guilt and remorse over the matter. I think that is what this means. I went on a scripture chase of all the verses in the topical guide on "Guilt, Guilty"

"Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt an remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set a defiance the commandments of God?" (Alma 5:18)


Day 724