Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 73:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 73:3
"For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

I sat and had to wack my brain on where I had heard a story about the wicked being prosperous. I knew it was rather recent. Then I recalled, it was at the funeral of President Jeffrey R Holland the other day by his son Matthew. This is a transcript of the parable his father had related to him and his family.

"Children, there was once a diligent farmer who tried to do everything right. He never worked on Sunday. He always paid his tithing. He regularly served others with kindness and generosity. But, come October, his fall harvest was paltry.
By contrast, his neighbor was a vain and worldly man. He worked every Sunday. He hoarded every dollar he ever made. He acquired additional lands through questionable means. Yet, come fall, the worldly farmer enjoyed a bumper crop.
In his vanity, the worldly farmer gloated about this to his poor neighbor.
At this point in the story, my father’s voice broke, and tears started to trickle down his face as he continued: “The righteous farmer replied, God does not settle His accounts in October.”
Whatever other virtues my father had, the greatest source of his sweeping, righteous influence was his faith—his deep, rock-ribbed conviction that Jesus Christ is always and forever the unimaginably generous “rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Nothing, absolutely nothing, could persuade him that God was anything other than a high priest of good things to come, and that the restored gospel was a true gospel of happy endings, particularly for those who do their best to keep the commandments, receive their priesthood ordinances, and honor their eternal covenants.
Such faith is the thing we all most need, and the thing he most wanted to share."

I just loved that phrase "God does not settle His accounts in October."

(Start at 43:30)

Day 3927

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 24:20

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Chronicles 24:20
"And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you."

This made me reflect on how belief in God is at an all time low world-wide. People have been leaving their churches as they become disillusioned with them. The world does not always see the connection between the loss of faith and the lack of prosperity that follows. They point to wicked leaders and governments as the fault. But, in reality that is only the result of where men's hearts have taken them, and the choices they have made.

On the flip side I thought about the exponential growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I thought about living prophets and the guidance and counsel given us. Today the Stake Presidency asked that a few excerpts from the church emergency preparedness website be read in both Sacrament and Relief Society. It took me a while when I got home to find what was read off the website.

"Members of the Church have been counseled for many years to be prepared for adversity. Preparation, both spiritual and temporal, can dispel fear. (See Doctrine and Covenants 38:30)
”With the guidance of Church leaders, individuals and families should prepare to be self-reliant in times of personal and widespread tragedy.
As members of the Church, we know that it is our responsibility to provide for ourselves and our families both in good times and in bad. Part of fulfilling that obligation is making preparations now to face whatever challenges may come our way.
Church members are encouraged to make an emergency plan and update it regularly.
Elder L. Tom Perry instructed, “Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. … The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future."
(Gospel Topics, "Emergency Preparedness", ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

We were asked to review the "Emergency Preparedness Guide" and use it to create or update our personal or family plan. I know that as I follow counsel like this from my church leaders I do not fear what is ahead. Spiritual and temporal preparedness is an individual and family matter. I know after all I can do the Lord will not forsake me.

Day 3874

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 7:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Kings 7:6-7
"For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life."

This made me think of fake news. Even though this was a fulfillment of prophesy by Elisha. He had told the king that tomorrow fine flour or two measures of barley would sell for a shekel in the gate of Samaria. The king did not believe him, in fact he said if the heavens could open this could not happen. Then the Lord caused the Syrians that surrounded them to hear the noise of an army coming upon them in the night. They fled for their lives, leaving all their belongings behind them. Hearing those sounds were in a way fake news. There was no army upon them but they believed it. It made me think there could be a purpose for fake news. Even if its for the wicked to believe their own lies, or flee. The Lord will fight out battles. The care is to not believe the lies, but believe the prophet.

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."
(Isaiah 54:17)

Day 3851

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 10:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 10:2
"And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters."

I pondered on the importance of history, especially our forbearers. There is much to learn from the past otherwise it will repeat itself. We would learn that being righteous, and not a wicked people would bring prosperity and happiness.

Day 3573

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 54:17

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 54:17

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."

I love this promise. I have seen it in action. The Lord keeps his church and saints always one step ahead. Changes may look insignificant but later so vital to the mission of the church and our lives.

Day 2892

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 129:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 129:5

"Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion."

I thought about how the Lord has kept us one step ahead of those that wish to confound His work. They will not prosper.

"Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as ye are faithful their shame shall be made manifest.

Wherefore, let them bring forth their strong reasons against the Lord.

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;

And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time."

(Doctrine and Covenants 71:7-10)

"Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away."

(Ether 13:8)

Day 2766

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 9:3-4, 16

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 9:3-4, 16

"And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them."

Wilily = craftily, with cunning.

I thought about how even though the men of Gibeon had tried to deceive the Israelites, the Lord made sure they were exposed. It made me think of this -

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you—there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;

And if any man lift his voice against you he shall be confounded in mine own due time."

(Doctrine and Covenants 71:9-10)

Day 2355

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 71:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 71:9

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you - there is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper."

The Lord will always directed this church to be at least two-steps ahead of those that wish to destroy it. This also made me reflect on all the revelations that were given to the saints before this pandemic hit. In April 2015 President Nelson speaks on keeping the Sabbath day holy, and it being a sign unto God in how we honor it. In 2016 we were given the Teaching in the Savior's Way classes. So all the members could learn to teach the gospel as the Savior did. In April 2018 we learn to minister to others in a new way. Jan 2019 we begin Come, Follow Me as we begin to worship in our home every day by studying the scriptures together as a family. Jan 2020 a new Youth program starts. Then March 2020 all that changed with the pandemic and we needed to now worship in our homes instead of going to church. Even if that weapon is a virus causing a world-wide pandemic it does not stop the church from moving forward, and the saints from worshipping the Lord. He has made sure we were prepared and had time to practice before it was vital for us to use what was in place.

Day 2074

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 22:21

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 22:21
"I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice."

I thought about prosperity and how much harder it is to desire the Lord with it. Money can be just as big of a trial, if not more so, than poverty. Not just money but  anytime things are going well. It is easy to forget the Lord and where our blessings come from, when we appear to be doing well on your own. We begin to feel we don't need God. I think that is one of the reasons I am grateful for the trials I have had. For it is through my trials that I have learned to depend on and trust the Lord. It really is the greatest test when we turn to him in our prosperity. 

Day 1342

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 21:7-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 21:7-9
"Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them."

Job admits that the wicked sometimes do prosper in this life. I can wholeheartedly agree. Is that unfair? When I think of how brief a moment this earth life is, in the scheme of the eternities, then what the wicked experience in life will be incredibly brief and the only version of "happiness" they have. If anything that makes me incredibly sad for them.

I reflected on the words of Alma to his son Corianton on mercy, justice and restoration. What agency would there be, for man to be punished immediately after he commits a sin. He would learn to not sin simply out of fear of punishment, and not out of a desire to keep God's commandments or to love Him.

"Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.
If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God."
(Alma 42:27-28)


Day 1032

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 23:26-27

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 23:26-27
"And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
"But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land."

This scripture made me think of Doctrine and Covenants 109:25
"That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;"

While Saul was intent on killing David he left the land open to the invasion of the Philistines. Was he not the Philistines prey as David  was for Saul? The hunter becomes hunted. This tells me that when I going chasing after what I shouldn't, the enemy will come in through the back door. You simply cannot prosper when you are fighting against God.


Day 834

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 24:27, 40

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 24:27, 40

"And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not let destitute my master of his mercy and his truth; I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.

And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:"

I love this story of Isaac and Rebekah. I do believe that the Lord will send his angels and prosper the way. His ways will not be frustrated but move forward. It is only "I being in the way" that hinders it. I wondered how many times have I been in the way of what the Lord has prepared for me to go? Maybe I don't want to know that answer. I pray with the spirit as my guide I will stop hindering the way. 

Day 599