Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 11:30

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 11:30
"If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities."

Why would you glory in your infirmities? Then I thought of these words.

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
(Ether 12:27)

Through our weaknesses we can become humble. With being humble we can find God's grace and mercy, and our faith can grow. In these we receive strength greater than our own. It is a thing to glory in.

Day 4213

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 14:11

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 14:11
"For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Jesus went to the chief Pharisees house to eat bread on the sabbath day. They were watching him and saw him heal a man of dropsy. Then Jesus explains that when you are invited to a wedding to not sit down at the highest room, or place next to the host. He explains that when you assume you are the highest place that you may be asked to move, being replaced by someone more honorable. That you should sit at the lowest place and be invited to come up. Then He speaks of not exalting yourself for you will be humbled. This made me reflect on President Benson talk on Pride. There sure is an issue with pride right now.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
(Proverbs 16:18)

Day 4111

Today's Favorite Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:13

Today's Favorite Verse: Ecclesiastes 4:13
"Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished."

When we stop learning or being willing to change we soon grow foolish. We are to become as a little child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, otherwise we cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:4)

"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."
(Mark 10:15)

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
(Mosiah 3:19)

"Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."
(3 Nephi 9:22)

Day 3964

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

I pondered how these words the Lord gave to Solomon apply to us today. We are to humble ourselves, pray and seek the Lord. We are seek forgiveness of our sins and He will grant it. Our land needs much healing and only these things will heal it.

Day 3869

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 9:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 9:5
"Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

I pondered on how very humbling those words are. The children of Israel were not possessing the lands of their inheritance due to any righteousness on their part. It was due to the promises the Lord made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in their righteousness. The other nations had a cause for their destruction. It was due to their own wickedness that had become fully ripe after many generations. The warning was also given to the children of Israel that they also would be scattered when they forgot their God. The timing of all things is in the hand of the Lord.

Day 3799

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 108:1-2

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 108:1-2
"Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed.
Therefore, let your soul be at rest concerning your spiritual standing, and resist no more my voice."

I pondered on we can all know our standing before the Lord. We do not need a revelation to be received for us. We can inquire for ourselves at any time through honest and sincere prayer. This is one thing the Lord will tell the humble seeker. He will especially impress on us if there are things that need correction. If we have not received personal revelation then fasting and prayer is needed.

Day 3697

Today's Favorite Verse: Helaman 6:39-40

Today's Favorite Verse: Helaman 6:39-40
" And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.
And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction."

If we see the poor, meek and humble followers of God being trampled we will know we are ripe for destruction. It feels like we are ripe and ready for this to fall on us in the "space of not many years". I keep thinking of the weeping, and wailing and gnashing of teeth". Yes, persecution will be dreadful, but with God you can have peace in the storm. What I would not want, is to be in the shoes of those that sanctioned it, and brought it upon others. That realization of what they had done would be a terrible grief to bare. I feel sorrow for them.

"Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up."
(Ether 8:23-24)

Day 3513

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 37:33-34

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 37:33-34
"Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls."

Alma is speaking to his son Helaman. He is giving him charge of the plates of Nephi, brass plates, the twenty-four Jaredite plates, the interpreters, and the Liahona. With the twenty-four plates he is told what to share and what not to share. Then Alma gives Helaman a charge on what he is to preach to the people. As I read this I thought how this is exactly the counsel given to us during general conference. Prophets of old, and prophets today teach the same things, for it makes no difference in what era we live the natural man and his weaknesses are the same. The plan of happiness is for us all.

"Some may wonder why General Authorities speak of the same things from conference to conference. As I study the utterances of the prophets through the centuries, their pattern is very clear. We seek, in the words of Alma, to teach people “an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.” We preach “repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. We praise humility. We seek to teach people “to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. We teach our people “to never be weary of good works.
Prophets say the same things because we face basically the same problems. Brothers and sisters, the solutions to these problems have not changed. It would be a poor lighthouse that gave off a different signal to guide every ship entering a harbor. It would be a poor mountain guide who, knowing the safe route up a mountainside, took his trusting charges up unpredictable and perilous paths from which no traveler returns."
(Spencer W. Kimball, "The Stone Cut without Hands", Apr 1976 General Conference)

"Recently I have found myself drawn to the Lord’s instruction given through the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Say nothing but repentance unto this generation.” This declaration is often repeated throughout scripture. It prompts an obvious question: “Does everyone need to repent?” The answer is yes."
(Russell M. Nelson, "We Can Do Better and Be Better", Apr 2019 General Conference)

Day 3481

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 32:6

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 32:6
"And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word."

This made me think of the increased disasters we are seeing. I knew they were a warning voice, but I guess I didn't grasp what the purpose is. God isn't out to destroy us, he's trying to gather us to Him. If we will not listen to His servants, then he will preach his own sermons by the forces of nature. The Lord brings about circumstances that will prepare souls to hear the word. Yes, some do turn against God in their trials, and that is sad. But, really it's an opportunity to humble themselves and turn to Him.

"O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!
How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!"
(Doctrine and Covenants 43:24-25)

Day 3476

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 7:23-24

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 7:23-24
"And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.
And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."

This is a wonderful list of virtues to strive for, for they are Christlike attributes. The one that stood out to me this time was gentle.

Gentle = having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character. Make or become gentle; calm or pacify.

It reminded me of being a peacemaker.

Day 3451

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 22:13-14

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 22:13-14
"And after being many days in the wilderness they arrived in the land of Zarahemla, and joined Mosiah’s people, and became his subjects.
And it came to pass that Mosiah received them with joy; and he also received their records, and also the records which had been found by the people of Limhi."

Through inspiration king Limhi and his people were able to safely take their women and children, flocks and herds, and precious things and flee from bondage. They left while the Lamanite guards were drunken and fast asleep. It was a journey of repentance and humbling themselves before they knew what to do. I pondered on how important the records were that they brought to Mosiah. It was not only their story but also of a people whose civilization was entirely wiped out. There are lessons to be learned from both.

Day 3437

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 21:13-15

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 21:13-15
"And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.
And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.
And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage."

So much happens in this chapter. I asked myself what was one of the most important things that happened? It was the process of the people of Limhi to humble themselves. The Lord did not delivery them from bondage right away. It doesn't mean he ignored them. He softened the hearts of the Lamanites to ease their burdens. He inspired them to try to send out men to search for the land of Zarahemla. Even though they thought they failed they were actually sent by the Lord to discover the record of the Jaredites, the book of Ether. Those secret records needed to go back with them to Zarahemla where king Mosiah could translate them. The Lord also prepared people from Zarahemla to look for them. They would have help in going back to Zarahemla. Even though the Lord can answer our prayers with a yes, but not now, there is a reason for it.

Day 3436

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 20:21

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 20:21
"For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us—and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities?"

I pondered on how important it was for the people of Limhi to recognize the prophesies of Abinadi were being fulfilled. It softened their hearts and began to humble them. They still were in bondage to the Lamanites, but they knew who to turn to for deliverance. The latter day signs and tribulations we go through are slowly opening the eyes of people. There is purpose in tribulation.

Day 3435

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 6:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 6:5
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts."

Before I was reading this I was reading in Exodus 9 and 10 and noticed the footnotes. Every time it said "And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh" in the footnote it is corrected and says "And Pharaoh hardened his heart". At one point Moses is told "for he hath hardened his heart, and the hearts of his servants, therefore I will show these my signs before him;" (JST Ex. 10:1) The Lord God does not harden his heart against his children. His arms of mercy are always extended towards us if we will repent. It is man that will harden his heart against God. Pharaoh was given every opportunity to repent and soften his heart. Sometimes we pass through hard things before we are humble enough to do it.

Day 3410

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 18:1, 4

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Nephi 18:1, 4
"And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.
And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord."

Nephi's brothers helped build the ship and when completed they saw that it was good. Then they humbled themselves before the Lord. I pondered on how important it is to recognize God's hand in helping us to accomplish things we need to do. No matter how big or small those things maybe. If only they had remained humble and teachable. By the end of the chapter the whole family is almost swallowed up in the depths of the sea. I can see that God has given them opportunity after opportunity to turn to Him.

Day 3367

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:12

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:12

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

We were just talking about this during family scriptures. The one tool the adversary always has to use against a righteous man, pride. Even if its pride in how righteous you are. Remaining humble before the Lord, and praying without ceasing will preserve us. When we feel we can stand on our own two feet, and don't need the Lord, he will give us every opportunity to learn otherwise.

Day 3231

Today's Favorite Verse: Micah 6:8, 12

Today's Favorite Verse: Micah 6:8, 12

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth."

I pondered on how verse 12 doesn't change verse 8. No matter how how full of violence, lies and deceit someone is we are still required to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. We never know when someone will change. We never know when we are called to forgive and let them start a new. Even if they never change we can't let them change us for the worse.

Day 3058

Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 10:2-3, 12

Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 10:2-3, 12

"In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words."

Daniels mourning is in an act of humbling himself and seeking forgiveness for himself and his people. He was in this condition for three weeks. I love how it shows the Lord heard him from the very first day. Sometimes we are left to feel we are not forgiven, to find out how sincere we are. Daniel not only prayed he also fasted. If we feel our prayers for forgiveness are not heard then add fasting to it.

Day 3019

Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 2:29-30

Today's Favorite Verse: Daniel 2:29-30

"As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart."

Prior to this I was reading in the Book of Mormon where Alma speaks to his son Shiblon. He was a faithful son, that had been persecuted for righteousness sake. One word of counsel he gave him was to be aware of pride.

"See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength."

(Alma 38:11)

I see that Daniel is careful in this also. If he would have desired to take credit for having wisdom in knowing Nebuchadnezzar's dream and interrupting it, the Lord would have never given it to him. He would have perished with all the other wise men of Babylon. Daniel could only be an instrument in the Lord's hand because he was humble. Pride is the only tool the adversary has to take a fully converted righteous man down. It is the only thing that can crack the armor of God around him. It is a crack that comes from within.

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments."

(Doctrine and Covenants 59:21)

Day 3011

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 25:17

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 25:17

"And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."

I've seen that statement "they shall know that I am the Lord" mentioned many times in Ezekiel. It is said after some type of destruction is to come upon the people. It made me think of "every knee shall bow". How when the Lord comes on that great and dreadful day all will know Him, and bow the knee to Him. I wonder if some simply won't acknowledge the Christ until they realize how powerful He is, and how insignificant they are. They truly will be humbled.

"I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

(Isaiah 45:23)

"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

(Romans 14:11)

"Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye."

(Mosiah 27:31)

"And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come."

(Doctrine and Covenants 88:104)

Day 2986