Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 2:13
"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."

Paul is speaking of missionaries and their converts to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what every missionary would want to say about those that converted. That they were not converted because of who the missionary was, but because they embraced the truth of the gospel. This reminded me of the words of Ammon as they were finishing their mission to the Lamanites.

"But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."
(Alma 26:11-16)

Day 4237

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:3
"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"

I pondered on the phrase "patience of hope". Patience is something everyone wants to have, but it is the hardest to achieve. It truly is a Christ-like attribute and worthy to obtain. Is patience unobtainable if one has no hope? For when we have hope in Christ we are willing to say thy will be done. When we know God has a plan and things will work to our good, we can have patience to wait upon the Lord's timing.

Day 4236

Today's Favorite Verse: Colossians 4:16

Today's Favorite Verse: Colossians 4:16
"And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea."

I had two thoughts after reading this. First, the epistle of Laodicea is lost scripture. It made me think of other scriptures that we know will come forth. I can't wait. I hope I am doing justice to treasuring the scriptures I have by supping from them daily. I want whatever new scriptures that come forth to just harmoniously fit into what I already know, but add more.

The second thought is how we receive letters from the First Presidency that are read in our sacrament meetings. They were doing the same thing in their day.

Day 4235

Today's Favorite Verse: Colossians 3:16

Today's Favorite Verse: Colossians 3:16
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

I thought about all the hymns that I love and how I have learned gospel lesson through them. Such profound wisdom can be found in the hymns. I wondered on what the Savior's voice would sound like when singing. He must have sung with his apostles. I reflected on how I am trying to memorize the words to the hymns. I have found if I memorize the words that when I sing I can picture scenes around the hymns and they come to life for me. One of my favorite primary songs I loved as a child was "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus". I love it to this day. I remember hearing it again at this past April's General Conference. The Tabernacle Choir sang it right before our new prophet President Dallin H. Oaks spoke to us. The rarely heard fourth verse was sung, but with one word changed. Instead of Jesus is King, they sang Jesus in Here! That was so powerful.

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

Oh, let me hear how the children stood round his knee.
I shall imagine his blessings resting on me;
Words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
All in the love-light of Jesus’ face.

Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea,
Tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee!
And how the Master, ready and kind,
Chided the billows and hushed the wind.

Into the city I’d follow the children’s band,
Waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand.
One of His heralds, yes, I would sing,
Loudest hosannas, “Jesus is Here!”
Loudest hosannas, “Jesus is Here!”

Day 4234