Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 101:64-66

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 101:64-66
"That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.
Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;
While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.

Most unfair chapter to pick a favorite. So may wonderful verses to ponder on. I selected this one because it gave me a new thought. As I pondered on the wheat being gathered and secured in the garners it made me think, "They are in the temples. They are in the House of the Lord." We must be a temple going people.

"Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;
And prepare for the revelation which is to come, when the veil of the covering of my temple, in my tabernacle, which hideth the earth, shall be taken off, and all flesh shall see me together."
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:22-23)

Day 3690

Today's Favorite Verse: 3 Nephi 18:15, 18

Today's Favorite Verse: 3 Nephi 18:15, 18
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."

I noticed that in verse 15 the Lord is speaking to his disciples. In verse 18 he says it a little differently to the saints gathered there. The disciples are warned they will be led captive, or in bondage to the devil. The people are warned that Satan desires to sift them as wheat. Similar to the warning the Lord gave to Simon Peter before he was given the keys to lead the church.

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:"
(Luke 22:31)

"Jesus cautioned that Satan desires to sift us like wheat which means to make us common like all those around us. But Jesus taught that we who follow Him should be precious and unique, “the salt of the and “the light of the world,” to shine forth to all men."
(Dallin H. Oaks, "Unselfish Service", Apr 2009 General Conference)

I pondered on what the difference meant between these verses? One thing that stands out to me is the Lord is first speaking to the priesthood leaders of His Church. Bondage would be a way Satan could stop the work. Amen to that man's priesthood if he knowingly gives into Satan's temptations. For they have a sure knowledge of the divinity of the Lord.

"All gifts and endowments given of the Lord to members of His church are not given to control the church; but they are under the control and guidance of the priesthood, and are judged of by it. Some have erred upon this point, and have been led captive by the devil"
(Brigham Young, "Summary of Instructions", JD 11:129)

Among the saints Satan will work to shift them as wheat. Remove what is unique and precious among them, the spirit. They will no longer be a light to others to lead them to Christ. Both the priesthood leaders and the saints are to watch and pray always so they are not tempted and fall.

Day 3541

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 13:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 13:30

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

The parable of the wheat and the tares applies to the apostasy, restoration and the end of the world. It is later then many think. The harvest is now taking place, the wheat are gathering to the stakes of Zion, and the tares are binding themselves in bundles to make ready to be burned.

“God has held the angels of destruction for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those angels have left the portals of heaven... and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my duty, we’ll have protection, and shall pass through the afflictions in peace and in safety.”

(Wilford Woodruff, “The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” Young Woman’s Journal, Aug. 1894, 512–513.)

“Now I want to make some comments in regard to the statement by President Woodruff and this parable [the parable of the wheat and tares in D&C 86].

“The Lord said that the sending forth of these angels was to be at the end of the harvest, and the harvest is the end of the world. Now, that ought to cause us some very serious reflections. And the angels have been pleading, as I have read it to you, before the Lord to be sent on their mission. Until 1893 the Lord said to them no, and then He set them loose. According to the revelation of President Woodruff, the Lord sent them out on that mission.

“What do we gather out of that? That we are at the time of the end. This is the time of the harvest. This is the time spoken of which is called the end of the world.”

(Joseph Fielding Smith, Signs of the Times (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 11-21.)

Day 3101

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 106:47

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 106:47

"Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise."

This made me think of the wheat and the tares. In General Conference Elder Andersen mentioned how the tares will be with us until the Savior comes. It also means the wheat are being gathered. I pondered on how you cannot be gathered from among the heathen unless you decide to leave.

Day 2743

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 24:24

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 24:24

"They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn."

Chapter header: "Murderers, adulterers, those who oppress the poor, and wicked people in general often go unpunished for a little while."

These are the footnotes:

Little while: "For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

(Psalms 37:10-11)

Low: "And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell."

(2 Nephi 26:10)

Tops: HEB heads of grains

Which made me think of the sifting of the wheat and tares.

"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."

(3 Nephi 18:18)

"Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;

While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire."

(Doctrine and Covenants 101:65-66)

"Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned."

(Doctrine and Covenants 86:7)

As I pondered on these verses I thought about how the wheat will be gathered first, and how important it was to stay within the main stream of the church. Then I realized I was thinking majority and that may not even be quit right. What if the main stream or majority went astray? Then I pictured that stream being full of living water and standing in the full course of it. It wouldn't be determined by numbers it would be those that #HearHim and remain true.

Day 2619

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:6-7

"But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned."

I know we are right here in time. The shifting among the saints may come in my lifetime. I have no idea what will finally sift us. If fulfillment of prophecy has taught me, it's nothing I ever envisioned. So I cannot picture even what would cause it to happen. Instead of focusing on what is a tare I thought I would focus on what it means to be a wheat.

The faith would have to be strong to be a wheat. One would have to be fully matured spiritually to stand out against the tares. For when the wheat is mature it bows down, and the tares stand straight and proud. So, I would need to work on what is needful to strengthen my faith. There is a purpose for wheat and tares to grow together. I pondered on how my testimony has been strengthened as I have interacted with tares among the wheat. For it has caused me to turn to the Lord for guidance and support, and learning to forgive and place things in His hands. It has taught me a lot about the plan of salvation. I will be eternally grateful for what living among tares have taught me. I wonder if the separation comes because there are no more lessons for the wheat to learn from living among the tares?

Day 2089

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:7

Today's Favorite Verse: James 5:7
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."

This verse made me ponder on the wheat and the tares. I guess I had always thought more on the tares. How by their wickedness the tares would be plucked up and thrown into the fire. This made me think of how the Lord is waiting for the wheat to be fully matured and ready. What determines the harvest is that the wheat is finally ready.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servants, concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tares:
But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.
Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned.
(Doctrine and Covenants 86:1, 6-7)

"Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:65)




Day 1724

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 86:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:6-7

"But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned."

I had to sit and reflect on how living among the tares has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I truly have learned faith. I have had to learn to turn to the Lord and rely on him and not man. These are lessons I could have learned no other way.

The other thing I thought about is how merciful the Lord is to have the wheat and tares grow together. I know the tares are planted by Satan, but with them living among the children of God there is always a chance the now wicked will change before they become fully ripe. Repentance would never happen if they didn't have examples around them of the mercy of the Lord. It really is for both our sake we are growing up together.

When I have fully grown in faith, and they have fully become ripe to wickedness, there is no longer any benefit we can receive from each other. Then God is merciful to his saints to gather them from the field. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord will move me to a better place when the time is right. Right now because I know there are things I can still learn, I wouldn't change a thing.

Day 505