Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 140:11-12

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 140:11-12
"Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor."

Before I read in the Old Testament I was reading in the Book of Mormon. I was on the part where Alma and Amulek are speaking to the people in Ammonihah. Alma was sent to tell them to repent of their wickedness or that great city would be destroyed. They rejected the prophet and in one day the city was totally destroyed by the Lamanites. They fell upon the people so quickly that the Nephites could not come and defend them. I reflected on how we never know how God is going to fulfill His words, but he does. How long are evil men allowed to reign? We don't know, but eventually the sword of justice does fall on them. They cannot escape it, even in death.

As wicked as a people of Ammonihah became I found it interesting that is was the plot to destroy the liberty of the people that brought them under condemnation. This was before they even murdered the people of God.

"And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.
For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people."
(Alma 8:16-17)

Day 3949

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 50:35

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 50:35
"And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni, which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners, and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi"

In this chapter is another character with traits we have to be aware of. This tells the story of Morianton. In the land of Morianton they started to have warm contentions over part of the land of Lehi. Morianton wanted it. The people of Lehi flee to the camp of Moroni because they were not in the wrong. Morianton put fear into the hearts of the people that the army of Moroni would come after them. They fled to take possession of land that was northward. That's when Morianton, a man with much passion, became angry and beat one of his maid servants. She also fled to the camp of Moroni. There was a concern that if the people of Morianton obtained the land northward they would overthrow their liberty. The army of Moroni and Teancum did meet the people of Morianton there. This is where we see the people of Morianton are stubborn, they are inspired by Morianton wickedness and flattering words. Why would you want to follow someone like that, that only causes trouble? That is an age old question. But, the important lesson is to not follow them in the first place.

Day 3494

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 21:22

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 21:22
"And he also declared unto them that they might have the liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land which was under the reign of king Lamoni."

I pondered on how the freedom of religion only comes when you allow people to worship according to their desires. You cannot force everyone to believe the same thing, or be of the same religion. That is not the Lord's way. Man must be free to decide. It is that agency to choose that gives a true and honest heart when they come to the Lord and worship Him.

"We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."
(Article of Faith 1:11)

Day 3465

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 10:11, 14

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 10:11, 14
"And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.
For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words."

Jacob is speaking about this, the American continent. Tomorrow is Independence Day, and it seems so ironic when we are on the verge of the voice of the people setting up a king. I never pictured the end times looking like this. I don't know how the Lord will stop this. His promise is sure that those that raise up a king will perish. Will it be at the Lord's coming or before? I don't know, but I feel like Ether. Instead of viewing these things within the cavity of a rock, I'm viewing them online.

"Now the last words which are written by Ether are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen."
(Ether 15:34)

Day 3381

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 1:5-7

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 1:5-7
"But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.
Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever."

I do believe that anyone that was brought to the America's was led here by the hand of God. Only He knows the purpose. My ancestors came many decades ago and fought to found this nation. My husband's family came more recently and he is first generation American. War, civil unrest, religious persecution, even those with evil intent have been led here. Those that are here may serve the living God or bring captivity and cursing. The test is for us on how we respond and treat others. Regardless, the blessing is still here if you remain righteous.

Day 3372

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 2:18-19, 20

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 2:18-19, 20

"Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. "

This is the story of Rahab that protects the two men that Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. She helps them escape by letting them down over the wall with a cord. In return for her help and silence she is to identify her window with a line of scarlet thread with a promise none will die within. She then has several things she needs to do. Gather her family into her home for safety, and none of them are to go outside the door. This made me ponder on obedience and how vital these instructions were to not only her but to the preservation of her family. Jericho was going to come under siege and the Israelites will kill anyone outside their door.

Talk about your freedoms and liberty being taken away in order to be obedient. For the people of Jericho it was because of their wickedness that the Lord was going to give their land to others. Is there not some parallels we can learn here from this pandemic. I am reminded of the First Presidency's August 12, 2021 letter and they said "We find ourselves fighting a war against the ravages of COVID-19 and its variants, an unrelenting pandemic." If I was told to put a line of scarlet thread around my window so protection would come to anyone inside my door and stay there, I would have done it. Just as I listen to the prophet's counsel on what I should do now.

Day 2348

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 46:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 46:6-7

"Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions, notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea, notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for they were high priests over the church.

And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord."

I can see a parallel to this today. The prophet has warned us and pleaded with us to be cautious but it breaks my heart to see people much more interested in listening to the flattering words of others. It is a deception to make them think they are serving a high cause, that they are being patriots. When you seek to be a patriot over listening to the warning counsel of the prophet you have stepped on dangerous territory. 

Day 1904

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 44:5-6

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 44:5-6

"And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us -

Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against us."

As the Nephites are at war with the Lamanites the reason they won was because of their faith in God, which strengthened them. They were fighting for their wives and children and liberty. They did not want bloodshed and only proceeded to fall upon the Lamanites when they would not make an oath that they would come no more against them. I cannot help but feel it is a very weak stand people make against wearing a mask in the midst of the pandemic because of their liberties. The consideration of slaying others is not even close to what Moroni did. 

Day 1902

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:17

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:17
"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

As I see our liberties being taken, so does wickedness gain momentum in our nation. The one builds upon the other.

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
(Romans 8:2)

"But where the Spirit of God is, there is union, harmony and liberty, and where it is not there is strife, confusion and bondage. Let us then seek to be one, honor our God, honor our religion, and keep the commandments of God, and seek to know His will, and then to do it"
(JD 22:38, John Taylor, The Organization of the First Presidency, Etc., Oct 1880 General Conference)

"Through our faith in Jesus Christ, believing in His Atonement, repenting of our sins, and being baptized, we may then receive the supernal gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift provides knowledge and understanding, guidance and strength to learn and gain a testimony, power, cleansing to overcome sin, and comfort and encouragement to be faithful in tribulation. These incomparable blessings of the Spirit increase our freedom and power to do what is right, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
As we walk the path of spiritual liberty in these last days, we must understand that the faithful use of our agency depends upon our having religious freedom. We already know that Satan does not want this freedom to be ours. He attempted to destroy moral agency in heaven, and now on earth he is fiercely undermining, opposing, and spreading confusion about religious freedom—what it is and why it is essential to our spiritual life and our very salvation.There are four cornerstones of religious freedom that we as Latter-day Saints must rely upon and protect.

The first is freedom to believe. No one should be criticized, persecuted, or attacked by individuals, or governments either, for what he or she believes about God. It is very personal and very important...
The second cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to share our faith and our beliefs with others...
The third cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to form a religious organization, a church, to worship peacefully with others...
The fourth cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to live our faith—free exercise of faith not just in the home and chapel but also in public places..."
(Elder Robert D. Hales, Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom, Apr 2015 General Conference)

Day 1654