Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 2:1, 5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 2:1, 5

"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them."

What stood out to me was regardless of the rebellious listening to Ezekiel or not, they would know there was a prophet among them. I think God gives us every chance to repent and turn back to him. At some point we will all stand before the bar of God, having to confess our unrepented sins and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ. We will all know His judgments are just.

"Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?

Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen."

(Jacob 6:9, 13)

"Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil—"

(Mosiah 16:10)

"And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?"

(Alma 5:22)

"And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works."

(Alma 12:12)

"And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?"

(Moroni 10:27)

Day 2963

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 17:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 17:9

"The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."

I thought of this story given in general conference and the mention of a toy punching bag and how it kept bouncing back up, because it was standing up on the inside and was all in. Before that story is a little explanation of this verse. As we grow in the gospel and become all in, we will become stronger and stronger for what lays ahead.

"As we continually repent and rely upon the Lord, we gain strength as we come full circle in possessing the humility and faith of a little child, enriched with the wisdom borne from a life of experience. Job proclaimed, “The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” It was Tennyson who wrote, “My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.” The Lord has counseled, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved.”

Our son Justin passed away at age 19 after fighting a lifelong disease. In a sacrament meeting talk he gave not long before he left us, he shared a story that must have resonated with him about a father and his young son who went into a toy store where there was an inflatable punching bag in the shape of a man. The boy punched the inflatable man, who tipped over and immediately bounced back after every punch. The father asked his young son why the man kept bouncing back up. The boy thought for a minute and then said, “I don’t know. I guess it’s because he’s standing up on the inside.” In order to be “all in,” we need to “stand up inside,” “come what may.” 

We stand up inside when we wait patiently upon the Lord to remove or give us strength to endure our thorns in the flesh. Such thorns may be disease, disability, mental illness, death of a loved one, and so many other issues.

We stand up inside when we lift up the hands that hang down. We stand up inside when we defend the truth against a wicked and secular world that is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with light, calling evil good and good evil and “condemning the righteous because of their righteousness.”

Standing up inside in spite of difficulties is possible because of a clear conscience, the strengthening and comforting assurance from the Holy Ghost, and an eternal perspective which surpasses mortal understanding. In our premortal life we shouted for joy at the opportunity to experience mortality. We were “all in” as we excitedly made the decision to be valiant defenders of our Heavenly Father’s plan. It is time to stand up and defend His plan again!"

(Elder Gary B. Sabin, "Stand Up Inside and Be All In", Apr 2017 General Conference)

Day 2612

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11
"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"

One delusion people can have is that Satan doesn't have any power, or that he doesn't exist. He can create lying wonders and deceive. God will allow it if what they are seeking is not the truth. I pondered on why it's important to seek truth, and the word of God. To stand in holy place and be not moved. To have the spirit always to be with me.

"Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen."
(Doctrine and Covenants 87:8)

Day 1691

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 66:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 66:1

"Behold, thus saith the Lord unto my servant William E. McLellin - Blessed are you, inasmuch as you have turned away from your iniquities, and have received my truths, saith the Lord your Redeemer, the Savior of the world, even of as many as believe on my name."

When I read that last part "even of as many as believe on my name" I had the thought "He wasn't just taking to William E. McLellin". So I went back and read this verse again and put my name in place of William E. McLellin. If fact I said my name twice because I had first used my married name. The second time I used my maiden name, which I never hear spoken anymore. The effect was so different and personal, I wept. I need to not only liken the scriptures to my day, but sometimes I just need to put my name in the place of others. The spirit testified about my standing. I have another way to check-in and know if I'm doing what is right. These little check-points are so important because I never want a major blowout to make me get back on the right path.

Day 485