Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 12:2, 17

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 12:2, 17
"And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place."

I was following the timeline where it first mentions Herold had James the brother of John killed by the sword, and it pleased the Jews. Then an angel released Peter from prison. When Peter arrives at the house of Mary, the mother of John, he tells them to go tell James what happened. I did a double take. Did Peter not know James was dead? Could he mean the other apostle James, the son of Alphaeus? I had to look that one up. It appears the James he is speaking of is the half-brother of Jesus, that is still alive.

Day 4154

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 9:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 9:9-10
"And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean."

I pondered on how Peter, James and John may have not understood at the time what rising from the dead would mean. Though I am sure they understood it when they saw the resurrected Lord. As we are drawing closer to the second coming things I used to envision are not coming about like I imagined. Yet, as I see things I recognize how they fit. I have stopped trying to figure out any timelines or how things will happen. I know after the Lord comes he will explain all things. Until then I will watch and be ready.

Day 4090

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:16

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:16
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

This made me think of when I see friends request prayers online. If I see it and say that I will pray I really do. I stop right then and say a prayer just for them. There was a time I would say I would and then I would go on my way and forget to do it. That is why now I make sure I really do.

Day 3310

Today's Favorite Verse: James 4:7-8

Today's Favorite Verse: James 4:7-8
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

This made me think of this.

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
(Matthew 6:24)

We have to either submit ourselves to God or the devil, or resist the one or the other. We cannot serve both. That would be double minded to think you can have it both ways. It would be living a lie to try, yet Satan will tempt and fool you to think its possible. For God knows everything, and to him you cannot lie. The choice is simple, and we are given the agency to chose. The difference is who to you want as your master and to spend eternity with?

Day 3309

Today's Favorite Verse: James 3:5

Today's Favorite Verse: James 3:5
"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"

I reflected on how much trouble the little member of the body called the tongue can get into. Wars have started over some not able to hold their tongue. The greatest loss of control over it is pride. Pride has a way of humbling us, especially when our words come back to haunt us. The tongue really is in much need of control.

"We learn from  James 3:5 that often “the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.” No thinking Latter-day Saint will permit his comments, attitudes, or expressions to be construed as boasting in his own strength. Those who persist in boasting fail to recognize the true sources of personal achievement.
History teaches us that those who boast in their own strength cannot have lasting success. Constantly we should be reminded that we must not boast of faith nor of mighty works, but instead should boast of God in his blessings and goodness to us. God will help us to understand that humility must be our foundation if the goodness of the Lord is to continue to come to and from us. The boasting man will certainly fall, because in his own strength no man endures. The boasting or conceited person in life is not expected by his peers to achieve great heights because he conveys an attitude he is already there.
One of the most common of all sins among worldly people is relying on and then boasting in the arm of flesh. This is a most serious evil. It is a sin born of pride, a sin that creates a frame of mind which keeps men from turning to the Lord and accepting his saving grace. When a man knowingly or unknowingly engages in self-exultation because of his riches, his political power, his worldly learning, his physical prowess, his business ability, or even his works of righteousness, he is not in tune with the Spirit of the Lord."
(Marvin J. Ashton, "Neither Boast of Faith Nor of Mighty Works", April 1990 General Conference)

Day 3308

Today's Favorite Verse: James 2:22

Today's Favorite Verse: James 2:22
"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?"

The footnotes in this chapter for works refer to good works, obedience, and commitment. These made me ponder on the role of trials in our lives. How trials have a perfect work in turning our hearts in love and trust to the Lord. Many things work upon us to give us experience in this mortal life. This is when we can exercise our faith and grow it. If we do not then faith will fail. It made me think of how Adam and Eve couldn't exercise faith completely in the garden of Eden since they knew neither good nor evil.

"And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient."
(Moses 5:10-11)

If we don't have experiences good or bad that work upon our faith then we cannot obtain it.

Day 3307

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:1

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:1
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting."

What stood out to me was James writing to the scattered twelve tribes. I wondered did they already know where they were back then? I found this in the New Testament Student Manual.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the following about James’s audience: “Paul wrote to the saints of his own day, and if his doctrine and counsel blesses us of later years, so much the better. But James addressed himself to those of the twelve scattered tribes of Israel who belonged to the Church; that is, to a people yet to be gathered, yet to receive the gospel, yet to come into the fold of Christ; and if his words had import to the small cluster of saints of Judah and Benjamin who joined the Church in the meridian of time, so much the better” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1966–73], 3:243).

So this was written for my day as the lost tribes are being gathered. It's interesting to think how one verse in this chapter had a particular influence in the restoration of the gospel.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

From this verse Joseph Smith, Jr. went into a grove of trees to ask God which of all churches was right. That answer ushered in the last dispensation of time.

Day 3306

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:5

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:5
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."

That power comes from priesthood authority. Paul was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those same keys were given to this dispensation.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:“The true gospel consists of two things: The Word, and The Power. Anyone can have the word; the books in which it is written are universally available. But the power must come from God; it is and must be dispensed according to his mind and his will to those who abide the law entitling them to receive it. The word of the gospel is the spoken or written account of what men must do to be saved. …“But actual salvation comes only when the power of God is received and used; and this power is the power of the priesthood and the power of the Holy Ghost. These must operate in the lives of men; otherwise their souls cannot be cleansed; they cannot be born again; they cannot become new creatures of the Holy Ghost; they cannot put off the natural man and become saints; they cannot be sanctified by the Spirit”
(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:42–43).
(New Testament Student Manual, "Chapter 46: 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians")

Those priesthood keys were restored by heavenly messengers to the prophet Joseph Smith. First, came John the Baptist and the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood. Then came Peter, James and Johns to restore the Melchizedek priesthood. Followed by Moses committing the keys of the gathering of Israel, Elias the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, and Elijah with the sealing power. All I know is belonging to a church that holds these priesthood keys. I am so grateful for the blessing it has brought into my life.

Day 3271

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:7

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:7
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."

This verse made me ponder on the wheat and the tares. I guess I had always thought more on the tares. How by their wickedness the tares would be plucked up and thrown into the fire. This made me think of how the Lord is waiting for the wheat to be fully matured and ready. What determines the harvest is that the wheat is finally ready.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants, concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tares:
But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.
Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned.
(Doctrine and Covenants 86:1, 6-7)

"Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:65)




Day 1724

Today's Favorite Verse: James 4:4

Today's Favorite Verse: James 4:4
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

I had this note in my scriptures.

"When are we friends with the world?  When we leave the council of the church, to feel a greater love is to embrace or support sin."

It is amazing how Satan will deceive, and twist things. Agendas that support sin seem to produce some of the most unloving and intolerant of people, that are blind to what they have become. They really do become enemies to God and his people. The amazing thing is once they leave the church and their faith, they just can't leave it alone.

Day 1723

Today's Favorite Verse: James 3:10

Today's Favorite Verse: James 3:10
"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

This made me think of this.

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
(James 1:8)

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purity your hearts, ye double minded."
(James 4:7-8)

Day 1722

Today's Favorite Verse: James 2:19-20

Today's Favorite Verse: James 2:19-20
"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

I found this point on faith without works is dead something to ponder on today. For even the devil and his angels know who Christ is, yet it is by their works that we know them. How much more important is it for a person of faith and belief to do good works as the Savior did.

"When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not."
(Luke 8:28)

This video is of another story of Jesus healing a man possessed, but the story is the same the devils knew who Christ was.



Day 1721

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:12, 26

Today's Favorite Verse: James 1:12, 26
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."

The footnote refers the tongue to gossip and profanity. I have to say the handling of these two situations expose many people and their commitment to their faith. Nothing grieves me more than to hear swearing, especially the Lord's name in vain.

Nothing pleases me more than to see one overcome the temptation to swear or speak ill of others. We are all tempted and it is through overcoming that temptation that spiritual maturity comes. The love of God becomes true, deep and abiding.

President David O. McKay said, “Spirituality is the consciousness of victory over self.” It is the sure knowledge that we are winning the struggle for the soul. Sensuality is the realm of self-indulgence. Spirituality is the realm of self-victory.
(Douglas L. Callister, "Seeking the Spirit of God", Oct 2000 General Conference)

Day 1720