Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:40-41

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:40-41
"There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory."

There is knowledge of the degrees of glory in the New Testament. I've known this since childhood, I've read about it in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Though it is a foreign concepts to other faiths. The highest degree of glory is the celestial glory, it is as the glory of the sun. Those that dwell there are in the presence of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The sun has and gives off its own light. The next degree is terrestrial, which is the glory of the moon. The terrestrial glory is borrowed or reflected light from the sun. Those that reside there will enjoy the presence of the Son and the Holy Ghost. The only reason these individuals are not celestial is because they were not valiant in the testimony of Jesus.They were blinded by the craftiness of men. They receive glory but not the fulness of the Father. We cannot live on borrowed light we must have our own testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel.

The last degree of glory that Paul doesn't give by name is telestial glory. It is the lessor glory, the glory of the stars. They didn't receive the gospel of Christ, nor a testimony of him. They will only receive the presence of the Holy Spirit through the ministering of those terrestrial. I think of telestial glory as those that receive the world as we live in, but with all the good people removed. They will have an eternity to try to find some comfort in the presence of the Holy Ghost. Something they could have learned while living in this world. That is not a place I want to be.

It isn't immediately after death that people receive their eternal glory. There is a time after death and before resurrection where those that had never heard of Jesus Christ can be taught. Everyone will have fair opportunity before they stand at final judgment before the Lord. It is only after this judgment that our fate is sealed and our eternal reward is given us.

Day 4201

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 66:21-22

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 66:21-22

"And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain."

I pondered how after the Savior's second coming and the beginning of His millennial reign the righteous among all faiths will be together. Those remaining will be people that live a celestial or terrestrial life. Only those the lived a telestial life will be gone. There will be peace upon the earth.

It took three years for everyone to be converted after Christ's resurrection and appearance in the America's. How long will the process take for all to be converted?

"And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another."

(4 Nephi 1:1-2)

Day 2904

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 60:21

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 60:21

"Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified."

They say that where we will be in the next life is where we will be the most comfortable. If you cannot abide a celestial law then you would live in the terrestrial or telestial world. I cannot imagine spending eternities in a world as we have now, with all types of sins are entertained and in come cases celebrated. I also cannot imagine how glorious a world it would be to be among all those that are righteous, but I certainly want to be there. That would certainly bring peace and rest. I imagine we will be able to get so much work done.

Day 2898

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 120:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 120:2

"Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue."

What I pondered on is how do you get away from being on the receiving end of liars? Then I read this talk by Marion G. Romney.

"Lying was initiated on this earth in the Garden of Eden when Satan told Eve that she would not die in consequence of partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Satan, as a matter of fact, was and is the father of all lies. The Lord said to Moses: “Because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.”

(Marion G. Romney, "We Believe in Being Honest", Oct 1976)

Well, I guess I don't get away from having to deal with liars. It's been an issue from the beginning of this world and it will be until the end of it. All I can do is stay true, to not become like them. To live my life worthy to have the Lord deliver me from them.

I read some scriptures about liars and the telestial kingdom. It all rather made me sad. I think it's because as hard as it is to have to deal with liars and the hardship and baggage they leave behind, its harder to know where they are going. That's because there are some liars that I truly love. I just wish they would choose to do better.

Day 2757

Today's Favorite Verse: Nehemiah 11:1-2

Today's Favorite Verse: Nehemiah 11:1-2

"And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem."

It doesn't sound like it was very desirable to live in Jerusalem. They had to cast lots for who was to live there, and blessing those that did it willingly. I would think as a holy city that the lots being cast would be because they all wanted to live there. There has to be some special challenges for living in Jerusalem. I pondered on what could be the issue.

Jerusalem was basically a ghost town. The walls were repaired but not necessarily the homes inside it. I could see the concern that if Jerusalem was overthrown once it could happen again. I would also think there was more freedom to use the land outside of the city walls. Maybe the concern was they didn't feel worthy to live there. It made me think of the different degrees of glory after this life. How those living a telestial law will never feel comfortable in the celestial kingdom. What they receive is what they are comfortable with. If they didn't feel they could represent and converse with others in Jerusalem then it would be a hard thing for them to live there.

Day 2583