Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14
"The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly."

This made me reflect on the hastening. How many changes I have seen that show a hastening of the Lord's work is taking place. Now more than ever we are told we are preparing for the Lord's Second Coming. It's not someday down the road. It's soon, you hear it, can feel it, and know it. His coming will be a great and dreadful day, depending on your relationship with the Lord. .

I was thinking today about Simeon and Anna that the Spirit inspired them to be at the temple when the infant Jesus was brought there. Wouldn't it be something to have the promise you would not see death before He came? My patriarchal blessing says I will rise in the morning of the first resurrection. That's a wonderful promise, but the morning of the first resurrection has been on going since Jesus Christ's resurrection, and will continue through the Millennium. I could be on either side of the veil when the second coming happens.

"And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
(Luke 2:25-30, 36-38)

Day 4046

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:11, 15

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:11, 15

"In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more."

This made me think of this verse in Malachi.

"But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:"

(Malachi 3:2)

It makes you sit still and weep knowing there are some that won't abide that day. Then I thought "How do I know I will?" I thought upon my prayers and ponderings and how the spirit guides me on what I need to correct and work on. I know I am hopelessly flawed. I'm a work in progress. Daily repentance helps me know that. When we pray and ask where we stand He will let us know. He will refine and wash you clean if you let Him. This isn't something that's a one and done. It's something you work at every day. Only pride would make you think otherwise.

Day 3068

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3, 15

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3, 15

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! everyone one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand."

Seeking meekness and righteousness is how we prepare for the Lord's second coming. What will destroy others is carelessness and pride. Pride is the only tool Satan has to overcome a righteous person. Pride will crack the armor of God around them.

Day 3067

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

"The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung."

Zephaniah is speaking to those in the last days, where we are now. He speaks of it being a day of trouble, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness, gloominess, thick clouds of darkness. Men will cry and be in distress. This is the key part, that men will be blinded because of their sins. The reason this day is so dreadful and full of despair is because of their iniquity.

"And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity."

(Moroni 10:22)

There is peace in Christ, though storms may rage, we can walk in peace through it, when we put our trust in Christ. By his grace we will be strengthened to endure all things. Repent every day so you will not be blinded and be found worthy of His grace.

Day 3066

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:8-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:8-9
"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

These verses reminded me of preparation. The Lord will come when his people are prepared. There is much preparation still needed to become a Zion people. I think the new home-centered gospel learning, along with the Self-Reliance initiatives are part of that preparation. Looking at this quote from President Wilford Woodruff seems to support that.

"The hand of God is in all the operations we are trying to carry out. We have to build up Zion independent of the wicked; we have got to become self-sustaining, and the Lord is inspiring His prophets to preach to us to lay the foundation for the accomplishment of this work. The day is not far distant when we shall have to take care of ourselves. Great Babylon is going to fall, judgment is coming on the wicked, the Lord is about to pour upon the nations of the earth the great calamities which He has spoken of by the mouths of His prophets; and no power can stay these things. It is wisdom that we should lay the foundation to provide for ourselves."
(Wilford Woodruff, Improvement in the South, JD 12:11)

The last verse about a pure language reminded me of the PathwayConnect program I am taking. It is the church's world-wide low-cost education program that helps people start or return to college.  It is connected to BYU-Idaho and the Learning Model is to Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder and Prove. Teaching and serving are important in the learning process. Learning by the spirit is emphasized. Giving you the ability to learn greater than your own.

At the end of my first semester I discovered that people attending world-wide are required to learn English. All the classes are in English. My gathering meeting had a break-out session for those learning English. Now I'm not saying that English is the pure language spoken of in verse 9, but I can see the importance of a common language among the people. When the Lord returns we will have the language of angels, the language of God the Father, and will all understand one another and will have no need for the gift of tongues. The ability for us to learn and to serve will increase.

Day 1484

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3
"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."

What a beautiful promise. As I repent and humble myself I am seeking the Lord in meekness. When the day comes when the nations will face the Lord's anger I will be hid from it. He will protect his sheep. Now I don't suspect I would escape all that will happen, I will witness it raging around me. But, the spiritual distress that comes upon the wicked will pass over me. There will be a peace in the midst of the storm. He will be my shelter and refuge from the storms.

"For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."
(Isaiah 25:4)

"And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."
(Isaiah 4:6)

"And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth."
(Doctrine and Covenants 115:6)

Day 1483

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-15

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-15
"The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness."

I like to look for the hope in the scriptures but today I felt to look at the worst part. This whole chapter is the worst. It speaks of the second coming. Yes, horrible things will happen at the end. But, it's the spiritual mourning and destitution that overcome the unrepentant that is the worst to go through. It reminded me of two messages from General Conference - repentance, and time is running out.

"As we speak of our temples old and new, may each of us signify by our actions that we are true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. May we renovate our lives through our faith and trust in Him. May we access the power of His Atonement by our repentance each day. And may we dedicate and rededicate our lives to serving God and His children—on both sides of the veil."
(President Russell M. Nelson, "Closing Remarks", April 2019 General Conference)

"Now, as President of His Church, I plead with you who have distanced yourselves from the Church and with you who have not yet really sought to know that the Savior’s Church has been restored. Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out."
(President Russell M. Nelson, "Come, Follow Me", April 2019 General Conference)

I do not like days on end that are rainy and gloomy. It's depressing and I long for the sunshine. I cannot imagine the despair the comes to those when time has run out for repentance. I could not spend an eternity is such conditions. I must look to the Lord and repent daily so time never runs out.

Day 1482