Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 8:13

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 8:13

"Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

I found two really good stories that explain this verse and not offending others weak in the faith.

"Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed Paul’s response to this issue: “The Corinthians had asked Paul for counsel about eating meat sacrificed by pagan people to their idols. He replies that in theory it is completely immaterial whether the saints eat such meat or not, because idols are not true gods, and there is actually no religious significance to the pseudo-sacrifices one way or the other. But, he reasons, in practice it may be wise not to eat this meat, since such a course might cause those who are weak in the faith to assume there was virtue and benefit in the sacrifices themselves and therefore to be led astray”. For Paul, the greater concern was to avoid doing anything that might weaken the faith of others, unintentionally leading them into sin."

(New Testament Student Manual, "Paul's Counsel about Meat Used in Pagan Sacrifices", Chapter 38: 1 Corinthians 1-11)

"I had with me an old cloak which I got in Tennessee when traveling with Brother Smoot over forty years ago. It had once been a dandy cloak, and had on keg buttons, and when new had a good deal of trimming and fancy work about it; but it was then pretty well threadbare and worn out. I wore it in Kirtland and I carried it to England with me; and when I was called by revelation to go to John Benbow’s and preach the gospel I wore that cloak. I went there and found over six hundred people, called United Brethren, and among them were eighty-three preachers, and they, as a people, were prepared for the word of the Lord, and I wanted to catch them in the gospel net. Before embracing the doctrine of the United Brethren, Sister Benbow had been what is called a “lady” in England, and she had worn her silks and satins; but after obeying the doctrine of this religious body she cut up and burned and destroyed her silks and satins and wore the plainest calicoes she could get, because she thought that was religion. When I went there to preach she looked at me with this old cloak with the keg buttons on, and the Spirit of the Lord bore testimony to me that religion, so far as she was concerned, had a good deal of tradition about it, and that her faith could be tried by the coat a man wore; and as Paul said, if eating meat offended his brethren, he would never eat any more, so I felt a good deal, and one morning I went out and cut off the buttons from my old cloak, and never had a button on it afterwards. By doing this and some other things, which some perhaps would call foolish, I, through the blessing of God and with the assistance of Brother Young, George A. Smith and Willard Richards, caught the whole flock and baptized every soul except one solitary person into the church and kingdom of God. Many of them are here in this room today, and some of them have passed away. I mention this just to show our position. We traveled without purse and scrip, and we preached without money and without price. Why? Because the God of heaven had called upon us to go forth and warn the world."

(Wilford Woodruff, "The Resurrection, Etc.", JD 18:122)

Day 3229

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 19:26-27, 34

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 19:26-27, 34

"Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:

So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

Paul's conversion of the Ephesus affected the livelihoods of those that made idols and profited from those that worshiped Diana. Paul wanted to go into the theater at Ephesus and speak to them but was persuaded not to. For two hours the people cried "Great is Diana of the Ephesians". This made me ponder on where is that theater and those that worshiped Diana today? They are all gone. Yet, the name of Jesus Christ lives on, and people still worship Him.

Day 3196

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 6:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 6:3-4

"And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols."

What was happening that was so grievous to bring destruction on mountain, hills, rivers and valleys? It was the wickedness performed on top of them. It was their places of idol worship. When you think of the children of Israel, you don't think of idol worshippers. Yet, this is where their apostasy had lead them. They embraced the pagan gods and practices around them.

All these places needed to be torn down and destroyed and the idol worshippers removed from among them. It made me think of wolves among the sheep. People that call themselves saints or christians, yet are unaware of the occult practices they have embraced and heaven forbid teach to others.

The greatest protection a person has against embracing false doctrine is to know the doctrine, to read and ponder the scriptures. I am forever grateful that as I committed to read my scriptures daily that the spirit told me to just read the scriptures, and not books about the scriptures.

"And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments."

(Mosiah 23:14)

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."

(Matthew 22:29)

"And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them."

(Doctrines and Covenants 10:63)

Day 2967

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 7:9, 18

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 7:9, 18

"Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger."

I pondered on the danger of creating or worshipping a god you know not. This made me think of Elder Renlund's excellent General Conference talk where he spoke of the fabrication some have created of praying to and worshipping a heavenly mother. I have read some of their stuff and they are most intense about what they think they know. I do not share their ranting's and feel it is most dangerous. I feel it is not a coincidence that many false gods mentioned in the scriptures have been feminine. There is a reason why we are to leave this alone.

"Very little has been revealed about Mother in Heaven, but what we do know is summarized in a gospel topic found in our Gospel Library application. Once you have read what is there, you will know everything that I know about the subject. I wish I knew more. You too may still have questions and want to find more answers. Seeking greater understanding is an important part of our spiritual development, but please be cautious. Reason cannot replace revelation.

Speculation will not lead to greater spiritual knowledge, but it can lead us to deception or divert our focus from what has been revealed.

We follow this pattern and direct our worship to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ and do not pray to Heavenly Mother.

prophets...authorized to speak on His behalf...do no pronounce doctrines fabricated "of [their] own mind or teach what has not been revealed...Demanding revelation from God is both arrogant and unproductive."

(Dale G. Renlund, "Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny", Apr 2022, General Conference)

Day 2911

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 18:3-4, 6

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 18:3-4, 6

"And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses."

I was just so happy to read about Hezekiah reign as king of Judah. It seems like such a long dry spell of having a righteous king. Over two hundred years this has been a continual issue. I did wonder why it included breaking the brasen serpent that Moses made. This article shed even great light on the subject.

"Israelites often murmured against God and His prophet, Moses. The Lord sent among the people “fiery serpents” that threatened great destruction as a punishment. As a means of physical salvation and as a type of the spiritual salvation to be wrought by Jesus Christ, Moses made a serpent of brass, placed it on a pole, and taught his people that if they would gaze upon the serpent when they were bitten, physical healing would follow. The brass serpent was preserved in Israel and, in time, became an object of adoration and was worshiped by the Israelites much as they worshiped idols. In his zeal to eradicate all forms of idolatry in Judah, King Hezekiah had the brazen serpent destroyed along with the idols.The word nehushtan comes from the Hebrew and means an object made of brass. The implication may be that Hezekiah was speaking contemptuously of the object being worshiped, saying it was merely a “thing of brass” and nothing more."

(Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, The Fall of the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 14-20), (12-20)

It made me ponder on the importance of not worshipping craftmanship and history over the ordinances in the house of the Lord. If the brass serpent had long turned from being a symbol of looking to the Lord and living, to only an idol to worship, then yes it truly did need to be removed. It wasn't what Moses had fashioned for a particular need and time, it was the words that Moses taught of the Lord that needed to be honored and obeyed.

Day 2490

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 1:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 1:8

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

I looked up the definition for meditate and found Satan's counterfeit right at the top.

1. think deeply or focus one's mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.

2. think deeply or carefully about (something).

3. plan mentally; consider.

The Study Helps on the church website tells us meditate means this.

Meditation, Meditate: see also, Consider, Ponder; Prayer; Scriptures, Study of; Think

Ponder: To meditate and think deeply, often upon the scriptures or other things of God. When combined with prayer, pondering the things of God may bring revelation and understanding.

The English meditation is derived from Old French meditacioun, in turn from Latin meditatio from a verb meditari, meaning "to think, contemplate, devise, ponder".

The purpose of meditating and pondering is to understand the things of God. It is never to empty ones head to bring oneself into a form of relaxation. Yes, there is peace as you ponder the things of God, but there is always control of ones thought. To do otherwise, especially in combination with pagan practices, will destroy the soul.

This made me think of an excellent video that I watched. The women on it are not of my faith, but I was so impressed with how in keeping with the gospel their understanding was in following Jesus. Wonderful explanation of how followers of Christ would not participate in the practice of yoga, and how Satan will deceive in calling evil good. The scriptures they quote are not from the Kings James version of the Bible that I read, but the interpretation of what the chapters meant I was in agreement with. I just finished reading Deuteronomy that they referenced. We cannot serve two masters so we better make sure who we are following.

"Why I Stopped Teaching Yoga and Reiki, to Follow Jesus" - Jessica Smith interview.

Day 2347

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 23:19

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 23:19

"The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."

Footnote for "seethe"

OR cook..., i.e., Israel must not do such fertility-cult practices. Ex 32:26

Well that was interesting I wondered why Jews could not cook or eat meat and milk together. It comes back to a fertility-cult practice. There was a Canaanite religious practice and a Lavantine ritual that it could have stemmed from. Both would cook the young goat in the milk of it's mother. They would obtain supernatural assistance to increase the yield of their flocks by sacrificing to a pagan god. It was inhumane, and the practice was compared to the barbaric slaying of nursing infants.

How even more offense to bring the firstfruits (sacrifices) to the temple and include a pagan practice. Especially when the firstfruits represent Jesus Christ. That would be like going to the temple and doing yoga in the celestial room. Sometimes people don't understand what they are involved in. In this case Moses had to spell it out letter by letter. It does leave me with a question of the three annual feasts that were all mentioned in this chapter. Could continuing to practice them after Jesus Christ's atonement and resurrection be considered cooking a sacrificial animal in it's mother's milk?

Day 2232

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 22:21

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 22:21

"Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

It's been over 30 years since I moved to Utah, it was the best decision our family ever made. When I hear people speak badly of those moving into the state, I cannot help but think of how it once was me. I am settled now, because I just got here before them. They need to find homes, settle and feel welcomed.

Day 2231

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 8:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 8:2
"And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth."

One thing I have seen this time reading the Old Testament is that when the people start to practice sorcery, witchcraft, worshiping the stars and the moon, trees and in groves, they are ripe for destruction. That is why I grow concerned the more I see people leave God and worship the earth and nature. They even begin to put the earth above the value of human life. The thing is I don't even think they realize they are worshiping it. They are just following a movement or cause, yet they do not speak of the God that created the earth, or worship him. To them He is not real, he is a fable that does not exist, and to be mocked. They see no evidence of Him, even though his very creations speak of Him. Truly they love God's creation more than Him.

Day 1328

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 2:10-11

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 2:10-11
"When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee;

This and the verses that follow it, really speak to me. I have had to learn wisdom in order to reside peacefully with someone on a very crooked path. Discretion preserves me, allowing the spirit to remain with me, and not destroy my peace. There is wisdom in knowing who and what you are dealing with. It reminds me of young Mormon at the end of the Book of Mormon.

"And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of iniquity.
And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite."
(Mormon 1:16, 19)

Day 1205

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 8:11

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 8:11
"And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come."

There is a footnote on My in this verse, in Hebrew "No wife of mine shall dwell." I went back and read 1 Kings 11 where it speaks of king Solomon loving strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh. When he was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods.

It made me wonder how Solomon could have wives that he thought unclean and not able to be in the same city as the temple, yet it was ok for him to be with them? That really is very telling, about what later happened to him.

"No servant 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."
(Luke 6:13)


Day 950

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 18:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 18:3-4
"And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan."

It looks like Judah finally has a righteous king. Hezekiah begins by cleaning out the pagan places of worship. That is something I have been paying attention to each time they have mentioned if the king was righteous or not. There has been a long stretch of those that were righteous but kept the high places. In the end they were not completely righteous. Now there is hope.

What I pondered on was the brass serpent that Moses made. Moses lifted it up on a pole so those that were bitten by the firey serpent could look towards it and live. This symbol represented Christ and looking towards it was looking towards him. Some just wouldn't do it because of how simply an act it was, and so they died. So now we have people not only looking towards the brass serpent, but they are burning incense to it. They are worshiping it, and not what it actually represented. It is a perversion. I sat and tried to think of what I could liken it to in my day. I know there is an example but it wouldn't form in my mind. I can tell it will be something to ponder on in the coming days. All that kept coming to me were those that appear to worship the last days, reading all types of signs for his coming, but in their zeal forget the Lord and their preparation to meet him. They would much rather see the signs of his coming, then see Him. I do believe the faithful will see the Savior before he ever appears to the world as a whole.


Day 906