Finding God in the Darkness

Day one hundred twenty

I had a great day with my husband yesterday and was still filled with gratitude this morning! I love when I wake up in a good mood, filled with gratitude for the blessings in my life, and ready to have a great conversation with the Lord.  I prayed this morning with gratitude and love in my heart.  It was a great way to start the day!

Exodus 7-11

I remember as a little girl being afraid of the dark and needing to sleep with a night light.  I just knew that something would come out of the closet or out from underneath my bed and get me.  I was one of those kids with a very active imagination and often had bad dreams or night terrors.  I knew that the darkness was real and it scared me!  My poor mom would wake up to my screams and come in to calm me down. The darkness has always presented a challenge for me, so whenever I find verses regarding the darkness in the scriptures I take a little time to try and understand it.  Here is what I learned today:

Genesis 15:12 speaks of an experience that Abraham has with the darkness:  "And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him."  [He saw the misery of Egyptian bondage that would come upon his posterity, the children of Israel]

This reminds me of when Joseph Smith felt the darkness in the Sacred Grove: "Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction." (JS-H-1:15)

Exodus 10: 21-23 speaks of darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt, a thick darkness.  [This is one of the ten plagues and is followed by the death of the firstborn]

This makes me think of the darkness connected with Christ's death (Helaman 14:20; 1 Ne 19:10; 3 Ne 8:20-23; Luke 23:44-45)

None of these verses was making me feel any better about the darkness, but there is another side to the darkness.  I would find some inspiration in Exodus 20 that shed some light on the darkness: "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was" (Exodus 20:21).  Wait God is in the darkness!  I went back and looked at each of the instances mentioned, could I find God in the darkness? 

The darkness Abraham felt let him experience the wickedness and pain behind the Israelites bondage, it made an impression on him.  He drew closer to the Lord from this experience.

The darkness helped Joseph recognize evil, this would be helpful throughout his life as he would face much evil as he restored the gospel.

The darkness would prove to Pharaoh that the Hebrew God had power over the Egyptian Sun God.  It also helped distinguish the wicked from God's chosen people the Israelites, for they had light in their dwellings. 

The darkness during Christ's death was necessary because God had given a prophecy regarding the darkness as a sign of Christ's death.  All prophecies must be fulfilled.

This physical darkness is not a bad thing, it is actually a warning sign from God. Finding God in the darkness  has given me a different perspective, it is actually a good thing.  I am meant to learn from it. 

When I was a child my mom taught me to pray when I was afraid of the darkness, to ask God to protect me.  As an adult it seems to me that when I "feel" the darkness in my life I should stop and ask myself, what am I supposed to be learning from this experience?  I wish I would have learned this lesson earlier in my life it would have made bedtime so much easier! 



 

A Parable About Marriage

Day one hundred nineteen

Today I would celebrate being married to the same man for twenty-two years.  As I reflected on the fact that I have shared half of my life with this one person at my side, I was filled with gratitude to the Lord for giving me such a great blessing.  My prayer was focused on the amazing gift I have been given of such a great man to be my eternal mate. Along with the gratitude came a request: Please Lord, let me always be blessed to see him as you see him and help me to be the woman that he needs me to be.  May our love always grow stronger with every year!

I came across a parable sometime ago that I thought described my marriage, I would like to share it with you.

Once upon a time there was a man who entered eternity with his records lost so the angels did not know where to send him.  The angels decided to let him choose his final destination. They took him to a large banquet room where there was a table set with every conceivable food. The table was beautiful and the food looked sumptuous. "This is Hell," he was told by the angel. And just as he was thinking that the place did not look half bad, in came people with their arms in splints. They could hold the food, but they could not get the food to their mouths. So they writhed in hunger and gnashed their teeth in pain.

"Let me see Heaven," he said. "I'm sure that will be my choice." So the Angels took him to another banquet room. "This is Heaven," the angels said as they opened the door. The room looked the same as Hell - a table set with every conceivable food - the table was beautiful and the food looked sumptuous. Just as he was expecting to see people who were different come to the table, in walked people with their arms also in splints. But an amazing thing began to happen in Heaven. Each person picked up food and began to feed his neighbor.

When two people get married and each tries to extract his/her needs from his/her spouse, that marriage is about as close to Hell as anything gets here on earth. Both are asking: "What can he/she do to make me happy?" Neither gets their needs met. They writhe in emptiness and gnash their teeth in great want.

But when two people get married and each tries to feed the emotional needs of his/her spouse - "How can I help you achieve your goals in life?" "What can I do to make our marriage fulfilling to you?" - that marriage is about as close to Heaven as anything gets here on earth. Both partners get their needs met.

I love this parable because that is how I feel about my marriage, a little bit of Heaven.  It is not perfect, but I am fortunate to have a man in my life that loves me enough to recognize when I need to be fed, and is always there to lift the spoon.  I hope he feels the same way about me!  

  

I will, but...

Day one hundred eighteen

Yesterday I was reading an article about why people don't go to church, when one of the reasons jumped out at me: There are too many hypocrites in the church – Better to sit with them in church than to fry with them in Hell!  I had never really thought about it in these terms, in fact, at first, it made me giggle.  But then, as often happens, it sat in my mind and I couldn't let it go.  I had to think this through.  If someone doesn't come to church because there are hypocrites there doesn't that make them a hypocrite too!  In reality we are all hypocrites on some level, so that would mean that no one would be at church.  Then I started to think, what if I'm the hypocrite that is keeping people from coming to church.  Now I had made it personal! 

So I prayed this morning that the Lord would put those things in my life that would help me not be a hypocrite.  I also prayed that if I had offended someone because I had been a hypocrite that the Lord would give me the opportunity to fix it.  Some deep thinking going on at 5am!

Exodus 7-11

Initially I wanted to focus on Moses and what we could learn from his interaction with Pharaoh through the whole plague saga, but it was Pharaoh that caught my attention this morning.  I tried to focus on Moses, but questions about Pharaoh kept popping into my head:  Why the hard-heartedness over and over again?  and why, when he appears to concede, does he try to control the situation by putting stipulations on the Israelites? 

The second question is where I learned the greatest lesson today.  

Exodus 8:25-27   Pharaoh is saying, “Moses, you can serve your God, but you don’t have to leave Egypt to do it.  Serve the Lord, but do it here.”

There are two reasons this will not work:

• Their sacrifices would have offended the Egyptians leading to other problems
•  And it wasn't what God had commanded, He said they would be taken out of Egypt

Exodus 8:28  Pharaoh is saying, “Moses, if your people must separate, then go, but do not go too far away.”

Again, this isn't what God commanded.

Exodus 10:7-11  Pharaoh is saying, "Moses, you can take the men and go serve God, but leave the rest of family out of it.”

Not what God commanded.

Exodus 10:24-26  Pharaoh says, “Moses, if you must serve God, then go ahead, but leave your flocks and herds behind.  Take yourself out of Egypt, but leave your possessions here.”

This wouldn't work either because:

• The Israelites would need their flocks and herds to perform the sacrifices to God.
• And it wasn't what God commanded.

I kept thinking, what is wrong with Pharaoh, doesn't he see the power of God?  Why doesn't he grasp that you can't put stipulations on God? Then the realization hit me that I sometimes, like Pharaoh, add the 'but' statements to the things that the Lord requires of me. Here I was condemning Pharaoh for something I am guilty of. Oh no, I am a hypocrite!  It didn't take long for the Lord to point that out to me.  I did ask Him to put those things in my life that would help me not be a hypocrite, and the example of Pharaoh does make me want to be less of a hypocrite, but so quickly!  It seems a bit harsh.  Wait, I am doing it again...help me Lord be less of a hypocrite, but don't make me feel bad about it! 

I think my problem is bigger than I originally thought.  I am finding myself a living example for this quote:
 
It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.  ~Alfred Adler

I am reminded of the doctrine that Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount about hypocrisy:
Fight it with:

meaningful prayer (Matt 6:5-13)
seek forgiveness and be forgiving (Matt 6:14-15)
meaningful fast (Matt 6:15-21)
focus on the Lord (Matt 6:22)
trust your life to the Lord (Matt 6:25-32)
seek the Kingdom of God first (Matt 6:33)

 It is apparent that I needed this reminder.  I need to work on changing my "I will, but..." statements to just plan "I will!".  Thank goodness for the step by step instructions that Jesus gave us, there is hope, even for a sinner like me!

Discerning Evil -Part 2

Day one hundred seventeen

This morning I heard the song "Outcast" on the radio.  It is a song about being considered an outcast because of your beliefs in Christ and the fact that you aren't afraid to show it.  It was fitting that this is the first song that I heard, since the seminary lesson today was on preaching the gospel. I said my prayer with this thought in my head, "Do people think of me as an outcast because of my beliefs and actions" and then "Do I care what they think?" I thanked the Lord for the gospel in my life and for the opportunities I have to teach and share it.  I asked Him to please let me share my enthusiasm with the youth in a way that would let them know how much I love the gospel and invite the Spirit to fill them with enthusiasm too!

Exodus 7-11

The Prophet Joseph Smith once said, “The nearer a person approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes.” 

I have found this to be true.  During the spiritually high moments in my life I have felt both greater peace and joy, but also greater pressure of temptations and enticings.  Also, when I have to make important decisions that have long term, eternal consequences, I have found that Satan is always there trying to throw in his two cents. We know that Satan is relentless in his work, and if he thinks that you are getting too close to overcoming him, he throws everything he has at you. He is very good at what he does and it can be difficult to know if the Spirit is talking to you or Satan.  So how do we discern the good from the evil?

Know The Enemy
In the previous post we discussed the techniques that Satan uses to pull us away from God, so I will not repeat them in this post. 

Am I Living Righteously?
Understand that "when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:20-21). President Faust suggests the following:

"All who come unto Christ by obedience to the covenants and ordinances of the gospel can thwart Satan’s efforts. The humble followers of the divine Master need not be deceived by the devil if they will be honest and true to their fellow men and women, go to the house of the Lord, receive the sacrament worthily, observe the Sabbath day, pay their tithes and offerings, offer contrite prayers, engage in the Lord’s work, and follow those who preside over them."

Receiving promptings is a blessing, if we are not living our lives righteously, yet we feel we are receiving promptings, we are being mislead.

The Holy Ghost
Some thoughts from President Faust's talk The Forces That Will Save You:

"Satan has had great success with this gullible generation. As a consequence, he and his angels have victimized literally hosts of people. There is, however, an ample shield against the power of Lucifer and his hosts. This protection lies in the spirit of discernment through the gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift comes undeviatingly by personal revelation to those who strive to obey the commandments of the Lord and to follow the counsel of the living prophets. This personal revelation will surely come to all whose eyes are single to the glory of God, for it is promised that their bodies will be “filled with light, and there shall be no darkness” in them" (D&C 88:67).

The gift of discernment is essential. Through this gift we are allowed to recognize that if something comes from God, it will have the potential to draw those involved toward the Lord.  If it is a counterfeit from Satan or his evil spirits, it will have the potential to lead away from embracing the full gospel (Moroni 7:12-13).  For those who are spiritually in tune there is an uncomfortable feeling given by the Holy Ghost that signals that something does not come from God.

Evaluate your Thoughts
We are told in Doctrine and Covenants 8:2: "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart" (D&C 8:2) and in 1 Kings 19:12 that the promptings come as"a still small voice."

Sometimes we have thoughts that suggest that we are different or that because of our circumstances we are exempt from certain things the Lord asks us to do. We must be careful with such thoughts. "One way that Satan attempts to overcome us with such feelings is by telling us lies about our worth and about God’s feelings toward us. These lies may originate as simple thoughts that, repeated many times in our minds, can develop into entrenched habits of belief. These falsehoods are then reinforced by the media, things other people say, or even by misinterpretation of the scriptures." (Truths and Lies By Jennifer Nuckols, Ensign, Oct 2009).  This is one of Satan's favorite ways to persuade us to his way of thinking.

Evaluate your Desires

Does the desire behind your request affect the prompting?  We are told, "He that hath clean hands and a pure heart shall receive the Lord’s blessings" (PS 24:3-5).  Elder Dallin H Oaks gave a talk at the latest conference titled Desire in which he stated:  "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming... To achieve our eternal destiny, we will desire and work for the qualities required to become an eternal being."   Ask yourself, is the prompting I'm receiving bringing me closer to this goal?

Evaluate your Feelings

No one can tell you exactly what you will feel when the Spirit is acting on you. Some speak of a burning in the breast, others of a calm, peaceful feeling. The sensation has been described in many different ways. You will have to learn from experience how the promptings of the Spirit affect you. Here are some thoughts to consider:

Uncomfortable feelings usually come when there is a clashing of beliefs and attitudes. You get these feelings when you believe one way and behave another. Your behavior and your beliefs will lack agreement, and you will experience discomfort. This would be a good time to stop and think about what voice you are listening to.  God has described the promptings of the Spirit as:  they "filleth with hope and perfect love" (Moroni 8:26) and a "burning in your bosom" (D&C 9:8).  If the promptings are from the correct source you will have positive feelings, feelings that bring you closer to the Lord.

When we are struggling with recognizing the source of our promptings it often leads to frustration,confusion and doubt.  The confusion we experience may not be bad in and of itself. Feelings of confusion and doubt can have a positive effect in our lives if we allow them to serve as a starting place rather than as a stopping place. (But I’m Uncomfortable by Darwin Thomas and Charles Beckert, Jan 1975). 

A starting point to what?

Go back and follow the advice given to Oliver Cowdery in Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9, about receiving inspiration:

“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

“But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.”

Take a long, hard, careful look at the way those promptings you’re receiving will steer you. Are they in agreement with the scriptures and the teachings of the Church? Will they bring you closer to Heavenly Father? Will they help you to help your friends or family? Or is there some potential for harm, physical, spiritual, or otherwise, involved?

This whole train of thought started with my desire to understand how the magicians of Pharaoh were able to duplicate the miracles God performed through Moses and Aaron. I learned that Satan was behind such things and I wanted to know how I was supposed to recognize the good from the evil.  I am not an expert at discerning good from evil.  In fact, I am fighting the battle daily like most people do.

My studying has helped me to understand just how good Satan is at his job and why discerning his work can be so difficult.  It has helped me to understand why the Egyptians and even some of the Israelites would fall for his counterfeit miracles.  It has also made me realize how much I need to rely on the Lord for guidance and how important it is that I continue to build my relationship with Him.  I am not meant to fight Satan alone and the Lord has made sure of this by giving me the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gives me a feeling of confidence, because I know that God's power is superior to Satan's!    

Discerning Evil Part 1

Day one hundred sixteen

I had the privilege of teaching the Sophomore seminary class this morning.  The topics today were of a sensitive nature, dealing with persecution and Satan's pattern of trying to influence the youth.  We would talk about the temptations, challenges, and sins that the youth face each day.  Some of the youth in the class have had personal experience with some of these things and I knew that it could be awkward for them.  So my prayer this morning was focused on the youth and especially this seminary class.  I prayed that the Spirit might be not only with me, but with each member of the class as we tackled these topics and that when they left the class they would feel like they could make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of those around them.

Exodus 7-11

We are now to the confrontations between Pharaoh and Moses that lead to the ten plagues.  There are many lessons in these chapters, more than one post worth, so I will use these chapters for the next couple of posts to pull out the lessons that stood out to me.  Today I would like to talk about discerning evil.  As Moses goes before Pharaoh he will perform some miracles to try to show the power of God, but Pharaoh will call his wise men and sorcerers to perform the same acts.  They are successful with some of the challenges, but not all, and it is important to recognize that God's miracles always trump their efforts.

It is Satan who is behind these acts. Satan, the devil, is the enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God. (BD Devil). I wanted to know more about what power Satan has and how are we to discern the evil from the good in our own lives?

Knowing the Enemy

Names for Satan
Satan is known as the "great counterfeiter" or the "great imitator".  He wanted to be the Redeemer (Moses 4:1-3), he claimed to be the Only Begotten (Moses 1:19), he is a master of great secrets (Moses 5:29-31), and he is also known as the "great deceiver".  He is called the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11); the adversary (1 Pet 5:8); Beelzebub, meaning the prince of the devils (Mark 3:22); the wicked one (Matt 13:38); the enemy (Matt 13:39); Lucifer (Isa 14:12; D&C 76:26)); Devil (D&C 29:37); prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2-3); Perdition (D&C 76:26)); son of the morning (D&C 76:26-27); that old serpent (Rev 12:9; D&C 76:28); the great dragon (Rev 12:7-9); a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44); a liar from the beginning (D&C 93:25); and the accuser (Rev 12:10). When he accomplishes his work through men they are called False Christs and False Prophets.

All these names and none of them nice, that should be our first warning sign!

Satan strives to lead men and women from the work of God. What techniques does he use to accomplish his work?

Techniques of Satan
Miracles
He is a worker of miracles, by which he deceives many upon the earth.  One of the major messages in Exodus 7 is the fact that Satan and his evil spirits, who are upon the earth, have power to perform miracles.

Revelations 16:14  "For they are the spirits of devils, working  miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."

We see examples of this power in the rods turning to serpents (Ex 7:10-12) and the water to blood (Ex 7:19-22).  As Moses and Aaron, under the direction of God, performed these miracles, Pharaoh's magicians, with their enchantments, duplicate the miracles.

It is important to note in verse 12 God's show of power over Pharaoh's magicians, as Aaron's serpent swallowed up their serpents.

Imitator
He tries to imitate the work of God by transforming himself into an angel of light."And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Cor 11:14)

Since the devil and his premortal angels have no physical body of flesh and bones, they often seek to possess the bodies of mortal beings.

"The Savior declared that Satan had the power to bind bodies of men and women and sorely afflict them (Matt 7:22-23; Luke 13:16). If Satan has power to bind the bodies, he surely has the power to loose them.  It should be remembered that Satan has great knowledge and thereby can exercise authority and to some extent control the elements, when some greater power does not intervene." (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:176, 178)

Deceiver
One of the major techniques of the devil is to cause human beings to think they are following God’s ways, when in reality they are deceived by the devil to follow other paths.

His voice is enticing.  Here is President James E. Faust's description of Satan's voice: "His voice often sounds so reasonable and his message so easy to justify.  It is an appealing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones.  It is neither hard not discordant." (The Forces That Will Save Us, Liahona Jan 2007)

He can cite scripture to make his point seem plausible. He even tries this with Jesus: "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." (Matt 4:6)

The First Presidency described Satan like this: “He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods. There is no crime he would not commit, no debauchery he would not set up, no plague he would not send, no heart he would not break, no life he would not take, no soul he would not destroy. He comes as a thief in the night; he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”Satan is the world’s master in the use of flattery, and he knows the great power of speech, a power his servants often employ.  He has always been one of the great forces of the world."  (The Forces That Will Save Us, Liahona Jan 2007)

In the book The Art of War there is a quote that I have used many times when talking about Satan:

"Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” ~Sun Tzu

Today I learned more about my enemy.  I am familiar with his characteristics, his tactics and strategies. Tomorrow I will focus on knowing myself and how that will help me discern evil so that I can fight a hundred battles without disaster.

I Will...

Day one hundred fifteen

The good memories of a great Easter day with my family have given me a good attitude today, in spite of all the rain!  I prayed with gratitude for the good memories that I can lean on when I need to bring some joy into my life and asked that my life might be filled with many more!

Exodus Chapters 5-6

"It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it." ~ Lena Home

This could be the theme for the Israelite slaves of the Book of Exodus.  Moses had come and shared the message that God loved them and would deliver them from their present bondage (Ex 4:29-30).  It appears this message was met with excitement as the "people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped." (Ex 4:31).  Their burdens seemed lighter with the knowledge that God was taking care of them, but Pharaoh would put an end to the excitement.  He increased their work and ordered the taskmasters to be more cruel than usual.  It didn't take long for the excitement to turn to anger: "And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us." (Ex 5:21)

I can understand their frustration and anger towards Moses.  There have been times in my life when the burdens I have had to bear felt overwhelming and I have thought to myself: How can it be true that God loves me if He lets these things happen to me?  I believe a lot of people have felt this same way. We lose site of the fact that God is still there, we try to carry the burdens all by ourselves, and that is when we start to break down. If we were to stop and really evaluate the situation we would have to ask ourselves; who walked away from whom?    

In his frustration, Moses goes to the Lord with his concerns and receives seven "I will" statements from the Lord. (Ex 6:6-8).  These are promises that the Lord intends to do on the behalf of the slaves.  As we consider each promise, it becomes clear that they were meant to bring hope to the hearts of the people of God.  Since we are also the people of God I want to look at how these promises relate to us too.

I will...

bring you out from under your burdens. 
Burdens are those things that trouble us; our worries, our concerns, our problems.  We all have burdens.  What a great blessing this is to know that the Lord will help you deal with your burdens.  How does this work?  We are told to "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psa 55:22).  We have to turn them over to the Lord.

rid you out of bondage.
Bondage is created by those things that control us, whether it is people, substances, sins, or attitudes. These are the things that keep us from building our relationship with God. We all have experienced some behavior that has kept us in bondage, like pride, anger, or contention.  How does the Lord free us from our bondage? "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).  It is through the Atonement that we are freed from bondage.  Our part requires us to use the Atonement, repent, and be forgiven.

redeem you with a stretched out arm.
Redeem means "bought back", for the Israelites it meant being "bought back" out of slavery by the mighty power of God.  For us the call to be "bought back" comes in the form of three words, "Come follow me."  It is through Christ that we are redeemed and 'saved' so that we can return to our Father in Heaven. Ephesians 1:10 states: "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:"  We have to choose to follow Christ to benefit from this promise.

take you to me for a people.
What does it mean to be a part of God's people?  It means that we can have a special relationship with God, a closeness, a state of blessedness, and a constant companion.  God has labeled His people as a "peculiar treasure' (Ex 19:5) or a "peculiar people" (Deut 14:2; 26:18; Psalm 135:4; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9).  This means that they are a favored people in the sight of God.  How do we become God's people?  We start by having faith! (Mark 11:22)

be a God unto you.
This is one of my favorite promises because of the blessings that it brings:
"And  I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God." (Exodus 29:45).  He will live among us! 

"For Moses had said,  Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, ...that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day." (Ex 32:29)  Think of all the blessings that the Lord bestows on you, the needs He meets, the prayers He answers, the burdens He lifts, the gifts He extends, the grace He passes out.  God is so good to us every day of our lives!

bring you unto a land.
God promises to take the Israelites our of Egypt and to the promised land.  Where does God promise to take us?  For some it will be to the land of Zion, a place that is described as, "I, the Lord, hold it in mine own hands" (D&C 63:25).  Ultimately, He will take us to dwell with Him once again in Heaven (John14:1-3).  I can think of no place that I would rather be! 

give it to you for an heritage.
According to the scriptures an heritage includes: children (Ps 127:3), land (Ps 135:12), protection (Isa 54:17; D&C 105:15), a testimony (D&C 58:13), and the chance to be an example to others (1 Peter 5:3). His promises always carry with them more blessings than we are aware of.

Seven great promises from the Lord in three verses!  Unfortunately, when Moses shares these blessings with the Israelites they "hearkened not...for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage." (Ex 6:9).  I do not judge them too harshly, we know the ending of their story, they did not have that benefit.  However, we do not know all the details of where our own journey will take us and we have to face the challenges with faith.  How do we keep from breaking down under the load we are carrying?  How do we prevent ourselves from falling into despair like the Israelites? 

I don't have all the answers, but I do know that remembering the promises of the Lord has helped me to keep a positive perspective.  The Lord was willing to make these "I will" promises to each of us, in return  I would like to make an "I will" promise back to Him:  I will not forget!  What would your "I will" statement be?

My Hero

Day one hundred fourteen

He lives!  He conquered death and we can too! What an exciting message that is for us.

Instead of my usual post, I decided to share this song with you, it expresses how I feel about my Savior in a way stronger than just words. He is my hero!  I hope you enjoy it and have a great Easter remembering the Lord!

Happy Easter!!
Hero by Abandon

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Day Seven-Holy Saturday

Day one hundred thirteen

I love this time of year when people aren't afraid to act like true Christians. They feel the need to express their love for the Savior and don't really worry about what other people think.  They have been spending time thinking about Him throughout the week and are grateful for the Atonement and they want others to feel the joy that they do.  So my prayer today is one of gratitude for the chance that we have to refocus our lives on Christ and to renew our faith and efforts in sharing the gospel.  May we take advantage of these moments to fill our spiritual cup and receive the blessings that the Lord has for us!  

The Last Week of Christ's Life

Holy Saturday
Many Christians believe that on the seventh day of the week Jesus rested in the tomb. In the first three Gospel accounts this was the Jewish Sabbath, which provided appropriate symbolism of the seventh day rest. While some church traditions continue daily services on Saturday, there is no communion served on this day.  Some traditions suspend services and Scripture readings during the day on Saturday, to be resumed at the Easter Vigil after sundown Saturday.

It is traditionally a day of quiet meditation as Christians contemplate the darkness of a world without a future and without hope apart from God and his grace.  It is also a time to remember family and the faithful who have died as they await the resurrection, or to honor the martyrs who have given their lives for the cause of Christ in the world.

While Good Friday is a traditional day of fasting, some also fast on Saturday as the climax of the season of Lent.  An ancient tradition dating to the first centuries of the church calls for no food of any kind to be eaten on Holy Saturday, or for 40 hours before sunrise on Sunday. (The Days of Holy Week by Dennis Bratcher)

A Latter-day Saint Perspective
The four Gospels don't have much to say on the events of the seventh day, Luke tells us that they "rested the sabbath day according to the commandment." (Luke 23:56)

It would be Peter who would later give us more details on the events of this day.  He tells us that Christ "went and preached unto the spirits in prison." (1 Pet 3:18-19; 1 Pet 4:6).  If you go back and read John 5:25-29 you will see that the Savior had prophesied concerning his activities in the post-earthly spirit world earlier in his ministry:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

President Joseph F. Smith gives us more details on Christ's visit to the spirit prison in Doctrine and Covenants Section 138. My favorite verse in this section is 15.  I love the description of how those in the spirit prison felt:  "I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand."

The Book of Mormon tells us that Christ spoke to the Nephite survivors during this time (3 Ne 9:13-17). He did not appear to them on this occasion, but spoke to them out of the darkness.  Even in death, Christ was about doing His Father's will, delivering his message of joy and hope.

Holy Saturday for many Christians will be a time of reflection, waiting, and weeping. However, my time reflecting on the events of the seventh day of the last week of Christ's life has lead me to believe that this would be a good day for us to follow Christ's example and share the message of joy and hope with those around us.  What a great way to honor Christ on this Holy Saturday!    

Good Friday

Day one hundred twelve

It was great this morning to sleep in a little and then to wake up with the sunshine streaming through the window.  I think I actually woke up smiling!  So my prayer was filled with gratitude for the things that make me happy and bring joy to my life.  May I remember these things on the not so sunny days! 

The Last Week of Christ's Life

I never really knew much about Good Friday other than it is always the Friday before Easter Sunday and it is the day that many Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is more than just acknowledging the crucifixion, many Christians spend this day in fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross. I think that any day that you can get people to focus on Christ is a good day. 

I did an in depth study of this day and the techniques used to torture and kill Christ when I prepared my seminary lesson a couple of years ago.  It was very difficult and affected my mood for several days.  My disposition is such that I had a hard time grasping that people would do these things to each other, let alone to an innocent man.  It was through prayer and meditation that I came to have a clearer understanding of what the Lord went through before and after He was hung on the cross.  It changed me and my love for Him forever.

It also helped me to understand the crucifixion's part in the Atonement.   His atonement included his suffering for the sins of mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane, the shedding of his blood, and his death and subsequent resurrection from the grave (Isa 53:3-12; Mosiah 3:5-11; Alma 7:10-13).  The death of Christ on the cross was not the final event of the atonement, it was the end of his suffering.  The resurrection from the grave is the final event of the Atonement.

One of the most touching parts of the crucifixion are the statements that Christ speaks as he is hanging from the cross and to whom he is speaking to:
 
To the Father on behalf of the soldiers that are crucifying him:
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

He was concerned for the spiritual well-being of the persons who pierced Him. He looked beyond their apparent motives, and showed concern for those who did not know what they were doing. (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

The thief hanging on a nearby cross:
"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)

One thief who was crucified recognized that he was like a sheep who had gone astray and turned to his own way (see Isa 53:6).  The Savior graciously answered and gave him hope. Truly the Savior cared for the thief who hung beside Him. (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

To his mother:
"he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26-27) 

In her own pain, she must have sensed He was fulfilling the will of God, His Father. (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

To John the Beloved:
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!" (John 19:26-27)

John the Beloved would now see to her needs. These words teach an everlasting lesson from the Firstborn on family responsibilities: honor God’s will from generation to generation, honor parents, and see to each other’s needs. (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

To the Father:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say,  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"  (Matt 27:46)

Jesus’ loneliness in suffering reminds us that in His infinite love and respect for His children, God our Father may at times be silent so as to allow our meager efforts to gain the humble victory and to represent the “all we can do,” after which He will save us by His almighty grace (see 2 Ne 25:23). (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

To those around him:

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst" (John 19:28)

These words confirm in part the awfulness of Jesus’ physical agony on the cross. His bodily needs cried out for relief. His tongue struggled to articulate as it clung to His parched lips. In terms of physical suffering, we have a God who has “descended below them all” (D&C 122:8). (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

To the Father:

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30)

From the first words of His prayer in Gethsemane to His last words on the cross, Jesus did the will of His Father. He drank out of the bitter cup that the Father had given Him, bringing glory to the Father and salvation to all humankind (see 3 Ne 11:11). (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."  (Luke 23:46)

The Son of the Almighty gave His life voluntarily. He gave His life to bring to pass the Resurrection of all humankind. (Words of Jesus on the Cross by Elder Alain A. Petion)

After pondering these statements I too feel like the centurion who stated: "Truly this man [is] the Son of God" (Mark 15:39).  In the final hours of his mortal life Christ continued to be an example of the characteristics he is looking for in us; a forgiving nature, love for others, and the resignation of our own will to do the Father's will.   I love Christ for what he has done for me, it overwhelms me with sadness and guilt, but also gratitude, love and joy. It definitely is a Good Friday!

Connection, Direction, Reflection

Day one hundred eleven

Last night on the radio I heard the song Lucy by a group called Skillet.  I have heard this song many times and knew that it was about a girl named Lucy who had died, the pain that her death caused, and how Christ helped the person get over the pain. When the song was over the radio announcer gave some details behind the lyrics and it became so much more.  The song is written from the experience of two teenagers who find themselves pregnant and decide that an abortion is the answer.  After the abortion they are filled with regret and deep pain. They realize they have made a mistake and turn to God to help them through it.  It is through their turning to God that they find comfort and hope.  I thought about all the times in my life when I have leaned on the Lord to help me get through the mistakes I have made.  So this morning my prayer was filled with gratitude for all the times the Lord has carried me and helped get me back on track. Gratitude for the Atonement and the possibility for forgiveness that it brings to each of us.  And gratitude for the love that I feel which brings peace, comfort, and hope into my life.  

The Last Week of Christ's Life

As I was going through my lessons from the New Testament I came across a handout that I had given my seminary class that discussed the parable of the vine found in John 15:1-8, it had three words on it Connection, Direction, and Reflection.  In the parable the vine represents Christ, the husbandman - Heavenly Father, the branches- us, the fruit - good works and God's love, and the withered branches - those that are disconnected from Christ.  What is the Connection?  The branches draw it's life from the vine and we must draw our life from Christ.  The Direction?  Pruning with a purpose, we must get rid of the things in our lives that draw us away from the healthy connection with Christ.  The Reflection of what?  God's love.  We must live our lives so that the character of Christ is in ourselves.

This is the day in the last week of Christ's life that He atoned for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The three words Connection, Direction, and Reflection kept going through my head, did these words also apply to the Atonement?  It was definitely worth investigating.

The Connection
What is our connection to the Atonement?
Salvation: "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation" (Heb 5:9) 
I cannot think of a more personal connection with Christ than the Atonement, every person from Adam to those in the future rely on this act for their salvation.  All mankind is connected to each other through Christ and the Atonement. 

Forgiveness: "Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son..."  (Jacob 4:11)
The realization that the pain and agony he suffered was caused by the culmination of each person's sins, weaknesses, inadequacies, and illnesses, makes each of us accountable to Him. It is through the repentance process and the Atonement that the repentant sinner is forgiven and reconciled with God.

Love: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13)
To understand that his motivation for this selfless act was love for each of us, and that He willingly gave His life, only makes the connection stronger.

The Direction
What direction does the Atonement lead us to?

To receive the blessings of the Atonement a person must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of his sins, receive the ordinances of salvation, and obey the commandments of God.

Faith:  Faith is confidence and trust in Jesus Christ. (Hab 2:4; Matt 9:22; Matt 21:21; Mark 11:22; 1 Cor 16:13)
Repent:  To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.  (Ezek 18:30; 2 Ne 2:21; 2 Ne 9:23; Mosiah 4:10)
Ordinances: Sacred, formal acts performed by the authority of the priesthood, such as: baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing. (D&C 84:20; 2 Ne 9:23-24; John 3:5; Acts 2:38)
Obey:  To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of. (Ex 19:5; Deut 30:20; 1 Sam 15:22; John 7:17; 1 Ne 17:3)

The Reflection
What do we reflect if we use the power of the Atonement?

To become as Christ is, we must also do the things He did. The Lord has said, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."  (John 13:15)

Christ said these were the two greatest commandments:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matt 22:37)

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt 22:39)

These two commandments sound like a great place to start!

As we reflect on the Atonement this Easter season, it would seem appropriate that we would also take the time to evaluate our words and actions to ensure that they reflect the feelings we have for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Applying the Atonement to my life in three words: Connection, Direction, and Reflection, has been amazing.  I don't think I will ever think of these words in the same way again. I have always loved the story of the Atonement, it touches my heart to know that the Savior loves me so much. My act of love to Him will be to strive to be more like Him, to connect in a more personal way, to heed His advice and follow the direction He has placed before me, and to behave in a way that allows others to see His reflection in my countenance.  What will your act of love be?  

Silence

Day one hundred ten

My thoughts are still on those in my life that are struggling with some tough situations. For those seeking direction, I prayed that they would be able to discern the message the Lord has for them from that of the world.  I prayed that those who are reluctant to speak up and stand up for what they truly know to be right would find their voice today. And for those that are filled with concern regarding the outcome of their situation, I asked the Lord to bless them with the comfort and peace they need to move forward. 

The Last Week of Christ's Life

There is some confusion as to what happened on the fourth day of the last week of Christ's life, many scholars clump the third and fourth day events into one discussion because the record is not clear on the timing.  The Institute Manual skips the fourth day and goes directly to the fifth, and several articles on the Church website state that there is no record of the events on the fourth day. They simply state that it was perhaps a day of preparation. 

I will not try to speculate what happened on that day, it is not necessary for us to know every detail of the week to appreciate the events of what is called Holy Week.  But I did find it interesting that the silence of this record has caused much discussion and has focused many people's attention on to Christ.  The lack of information has created an opportunity for the minds of His followers to explore the character of Christ and to think about what He might have done on that day to prepare for what was coming.  Out of the silence comes an opportunity to draw closer to Christ, to get to know Him in a more personal way, to try to think like Him.  Now that is a special kind of power and my topic for today.

There are some events during the last week of Christ's life that stood out to me where the power of silence is evident:

Silence and Teaching Moments
While at the temple mount several groups of people came to challenge Christ.  They had devised questions that they thought would trick him and were eager to present them.  Christ would answer questions first from  a delegation representing the hierarchy of the temple. They questioned his authority (Matt 21:23-27).  The Herodians would be next (Matt 22:17-21), then the Sadducee's (Matt 22:28-32; Luke 20:39-40), and the final group would be the Pharisees (Matt 22:36-46).  Christ gave each group the opportunity to ask their questions and He responded.  What was the result?

"And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions."  (Matt 22:46)

Silence.  The tension must have been palpable as the message sent by the silence of the questioners showed that Jesus had prevailed.  I have been on both sides of this silence, the satisfying feeling when you know that you have been able to successfully share your perspective with someone and the awkward silence when you realize that you are the one who needs to change your perspective. Strong teaching moments can come through silence. 

Silence and Emotions
Jesus would be brought before Herod, a ruler of the province of Galilee, who was also in Jerusalem for the Passover season (Luke 23:7-15).  The scriptures tell us that Herod "questioned him in many words." And Christ's response?  "but he answered him nothing." (Luke 23:9).  "And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe." (Luke 23:11).  Still no response from Christ.

Herod was a wicked king and Jesus made his feelings for Herod known without uttering a single word. It is clear that Herod did not appreciate the silence, in fact, it seems to have angered him, because his gladness to talk to Jesus quickly turned to mocking and abuse. Sometimes saying nothing is the best choice to get your message across, strong emotions such as love or hate are often more powerful when expressed through silence. 

Necessary Silence 
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken‍ me?" (Matt 27:46)

This is a necessary silence, but it is also a silence filled with love.  Here is a quote from Melvin J. Ballard regarding this silence:

"In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even he could not endure it any longer; and, like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child, has to be taken out of the room, so as not to look upon the last struggles, so he bowed his head, and hid in some part of his universe, his great heart almost breaking for the love that he had for his Son.  Oh, in that moment when he might have saved his Son, I thank him and praise him that he did not fail us, for he had not only the love of his Son in mind, but he also had love for us. I rejoice that he did not interfere, and that his love for us made it possible for him to endure to look upon the sufferings of his Son and give him finally to us, our Savior and our Redeemer.  Without him, without his sacrifice, we would have remained, and we would never have come glorified into his presence.  And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in Heaven to give the gift of his Son unto men."  (Sermons and Missionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard)

After I read that statement I sat in silence for a moment to soak it in and this quote came into my head:

"There are times when silence has the loudest voice." ~ Leroy Brownlow 

This is the silence with the loudest voice for me, the silence that touches my heart the most.  So much emotion attached to this silence from all perspectives.  The necessary silence, where you have to sit back and watch events unfold even if it will cause heartache for many others, this is the hardest silence for me to participate in. 

It is my hope that the Christians of the world will take some time this week as they prepare for Easter, to listen to the silence and to see what the Lord is trying to teach them, what emotions he is expressing to them, and to recognize the necessary silence in their lives.

The Stories of Jesus

Day one hundred and nine

It was a rough night last night, my husband got called into work, my youngest son was up with a stomachache, my oldest son woke up with a stomachache, and to top it all off there is a critter under the house that was scratching and making noise until this morning!  This is going to be a long day.  The amazing part about last night is that no one got angry or upset, we all just tried to work together to get through the night, even though we really just wanted to go to sleep.  I am so grateful for the positive attitudes that helped us get through the night!  That is what I prayed about, a family that can pull together and stay positive even when things aren't going so well.  We have come a long way!

The Last Week of Christ's Life

I can remember as a child being read stories that had morals intertwined in them; they made an impact on me.  I still remember them today and I taught them to my own children hoping that the stories, and the morals they taught, would stick with them too.  What makes this type of story effective?

I'm not sure what it is about storytelling that makes such an impact on someone, maybe it's the fact that we can relate to those that are involved in the story and thus it becomes personal.  Whatever the reasons, it is a teaching technique that the Savior loved to use.  He was the master teacher when it came to parables or stories with a lesson.  I love this quote:

"Jesus of Nazareth could have chosen to simply express himself in moral precepts; but like a great poet he chose the form of the parable, wonderful short stories that entertained and clothed the moral precept in an eternal form.  It is not sufficient to catch man's mind, you must also catch the imaginative faculties of his mind." ~Dudley Nichols

And so it makes sense that during the last week of His life He would teach through parables, not only to His followers, but His enemies also.

The Parables and The Lesson

The Two Sons (Matt 21:28-32)  Hypocrisy
The Wicked Husbandmen (Matt 21:33-46) Rejection of Christ
The Wedding of the King's Son (Matt 22:1-4) Peoples Response to the Gospel
The Olivet Discourse (Matt 24:1-51) Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, destruction of the world at the Second Coming
The Fig Tree Leaves (Matt 24:32-33)  Look for the signs of the Second Coming
The Faithful and the Evil Servant (Matt 24:42-51) Spiritually prepare for the Second Coming
The Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1-13) Prepare for the Second Coming
The Entrusted Talents (Matt 25:14-30) Develop the gifts we receive from God
The Sheep and the Goats (Matt 25:31-46)  Separation of the righteous from the wicked; Be willing to serve one another


I think sometimes the parables are hard to understand, the message is not always clear to us, and so we read through them hoping to learn something and then move on.  It took some research for me to figure out what the parables were teaching those of Christ's time and how they apply to me in this time. But these are the last lessons that Jesus Christ would publicly teach before the crucifixion.  These are the topics that He thought were so important that He taught them the last week of His life. It seemed to me that they deserved more attention than a quick reading with the hopes of some inspiration to help me understand. I found this quote that inspired me to keep digging until I found what I was looking for:

"Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message." ~ Malcolm Muggeridge

Along with the messages that the parables were teaching I also recognized how important teaching was to the Savior.  If you knew that you only had one week to live what would you choose to do?  Would you spend it teaching others? Helping others to understand the Gospel was important to Christ, so important that He used the precious moments of His last week to teach and prepare those around him. What a great show of love this is to me.  I hope that I can be as passionate a teacher as He is!

Faith and a Fig Tree

Day one hundred and eight

There are some important people in my life that are facing some difficult challenges and trials in their lives.  They have decisions to make that will affect not only their future, but those that they love.  In these times, when they are seeking the strength and courage to do what they know to be right and to show the Lord that they trust Him, I believe that praying for them can help. And so with my ever growing list of people to pray for I knelt in prayer this morning on behalf of them and pleaded with the Lord to bless them with all that they need to do His will. To bless them with the comfort and peace that comes with knowing that you are doing what's right, regardless of the outcome.  And bless them that they might remember who they are and believe in themselves.

The Last Week of Christ's Life

One of the stories of the last week of Christ's life that I like is the cursing of the fig tree (Matt 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-26; Luke 13"6-9). Remember as you read through these verses, that this is the Savior's last week.  Everything He does has a purpose, there is no time to waste, all things need to be prepared for the coming events, especially the people. In the Institute Manual it explains that there were at least four reasons why the cursing of the fig tree is important:

1. To Demonstrate His Power to Destroy (If blessings are born of righteousness, their opposite, curses, must come from wickedness.  True gospel ministers seek always to bless, yet curses attend rejection of the message.)
2. To Teach Faith to His Disciples (Jesus said, ‘Have faith in God’; and then He repeated some of His former assurances as to the power of faith, by which even mountains may be removed, should there be need of such miraculous accomplishment, and through which, indeed, any necessary thing may be done. The blighting of a tree was shown to be small in comparison with the greater possibilities of achievement through faith and prayer.)
3. To Bear Witness of His Control over All Things (To the apostles the act was another and an indisputable proof of the Lord’s power over nature, His control of natural forces and all material things, His jurisdiction over life and death. He had healed multitudes; the wind and the waves had obeyed His words; on three occasions He had restored the dead to life; it was fitting that He should demonstrate His power to smite and to destroy)
4. To Show the Fate of the Nation That Rejected Him (The religion of Israel had degenerated into an artificial religionism, which in pretentious show and empty profession outclassed the abominations of heathendom. The Judaic people would suffer for this.)

This was a teaching moment between Christ and his disciples. Suppose you had a friend who wanted you to help him/her to develop the kind of faith Jesus describes in these verses.  What advice would you give them and how would you present it?  What are you doing to cultivate your own faith?

How does one acquire faith in the first place?  Desire it (Alma 18:35; D&C 11:17, 43:12). Faith is a gift from God (1 Ne 10:17; D&C 46:13-14).

What must we do to cultivate faith? Be obedient, humble, seek diligently, ask for the gift of faith (John 7:17; 1 Ne 10:18-19; Alma 32:21-27).

What must we do after faith has been given?  Continue to nourish our faith by study, prayer and obedience (Mark 9:23-24; Rom 10:17; 2 Ne 31:20; Alma 32:28-37; Hel 10:4-5).

As the week progresses we will see that faith, even the faith of the Apostles, will be tested.  Those that had personally seen the miracles and were taught by the Savior would struggle with the events that will unfold.  It makes sense then, that in our own lives we may also struggle with our faith from time to time.  There is a quote that I like that helps me when I am struggling with faith:

"Faith isn't faith until it's all your holding on to." ~ Unknown

This week, as I am focusing on the Savior's last week, I want to take the opportunity to not only hold on to my faith, but to cultivate it, to nourish it and watch it grow.  I will continue to study the scriptures, say my prayers, attend my church meetings, but mostly I will be looking for the Lord in my life and sharing my feelings about Jesus with those around me. For me, this is the best way I can celebrate the Easter holiday.  What will you do to cultivate your faith this week?

Palm Sunday

Day one hundred and seven

Last night around 9:30 pm we realized that one of the hoses on the water heater had burst.  There was nothing we could do to repair it last night so we shut the water off and went to bed.  So this morning my prayer was focused on asking the Lord to please bless us that we might be able to fix the plumbing without losing the Spirit that is with us on the Sabbath.  We have experience with plumbing and it usually doesn't go as smooth as you hope and frustration sets in.  Once that frustration sets in, the whole mood of the day can be trying.  So I am seeking some divine help to assist in keeping our attitudes in check today!

 Palm Sunday
I love this time of year because as Easter approaches Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Christ.  The Christian world starts this celebration with the recognition of Palm Sunday, which is today.  This is the day of the triumphal entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem.  As a seminary teacher this was the beginning lesson that set the tone for the study of the last week of Christ's life and I wanted it to be great.  I wanted to keep the  Savior in the hearts and minds of my students.  Now I want to keep the Savior in my own heart and mind this week. So I am taking a break from Exodus to go back and study the last week of the Savior's life. Here are some thoughts from the lesson I taught about Palm Sunday:

As I describe what was going on in Jerusalem on that day try to picture it in your mind, put yourself there.

All Jerusalem is in an uproar. It is the season of the Passover, and everywhere in the city thousands of travelers arrive, lambs and pigeons for offerings are being sold, and sacrificial coins clatter in the coffers of those who have perverted the stewardship of caring for Israel.  As you walk around gathering the items you need for the Passover you keep hearing the same phrase, the “Prophet of Galilee.” The common people and the Pharisees are asking the same question: “What think ye, that he will not come to the feast [of the Passover]?” ( John 11:56 .)

You go about your day not realizing that this commemoration of God’s blessing to ancient Israel would be the last authorized Passover—the killing of paschal lambs after this year would be apostasy. You begin to wonder where this "Prophet of Galilee" might be.  He is receiving an anointing under Mary’s hand in the quiet of Simon’s house at Bethany. He is preparing to enter Jerusalem.

There is an excitement in the city, Jesus has been seen approaching.  Suddenly, the doors open and you see Jesus riding in on a donkey.  The excitement of the crowd cannot be contained, they start laying their garments down and placing palm branches before Him on the ground. They start shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hasanna in the highest."

Can you feel the excitement? In your mental picture where are you standing? Are you up front so you can get the best view? What would you have said or done as He passed by?

I would hope that I would be up front with my palm branch shouting Hosanna. Although I was not there when Christ made His triumphal entry, I can still praise Him today.  Whenever I pray, sing hymns, keep my covenants, take the Sacrament, share my testimony, or use the blessings of the Atonement, I am praising Him.  As this week builds up to the Easter celebration I want to make sure that I keep the Savior in my thoughts. I am looking forward to following Him once again through the last week of His life and re-energizing my desire to be His disciple.  Oh how I love my Savior!

Changing Directions

Day one hundred and six

This morning my prayer was focused on the teachings of the gospel.  Because of the things I have been taught my relationships with my Heavenly Father and my Savior have been strengthened and I am able to see things with a different perspective, a more eternal perspective, which gives me some peace and comfort in this crazy world! 
Exodus 3 & 4

I've been thinking a lot about how the Lord directs us in our lives and how it usually takes us in a different direction than we thought.  We make a plan, we pray about it and we are sure this is the right direction we should be going, but somewhere along the journey we are placed in a situation that makes us stop and think about where to go next.  When that happens a whole set of questions pop into your mind: Why is the plan changing?  What happened to the old plan? What if I'm not comfortable with the new plan?


 In Exodus 3 & 4 Moses is taken out of the shepherds life that he has been living for forty years and called to the position of prophet for the Lord.  I think Moses reacts like many of us do, with excuses. 

Moses’ first excuse is that of inability (Ex 3:1-12). Often we feel that we're not as qualified as someone else, or that we just don’t have the ability to get the job done properly.  We forget one important truth – God chose us. Who knows best, you or God?

• If God has called us, He has done so with full knowledge of our weaknesses and inabilities. He knows you intimately. ( Psa. 103:14)
• If God has called us, He knows that we can accomplish the task through His power (Phil 4:13).
• When He sends us out into His work, He never sends us alone (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5; John 14:16-18; John 16:13).
• After the work has ended, He will gather us unto Himself where we will experience His great presence for eternity (John 14:3; Rev. 22:3).

God comforts Moses, and us, with two promises. First, He tells Moses, "I will go with you." This is the promise of His presence. Secondly, He says, "After you accomplish what I have sent you to do, I will meet you here." (Ex 3:12) This is the promise of a glorious reunion someday.

Moses' second excuse is that of inadequacy (Ex 3: 13-22).  In these verses, Moses is saying to the Lord, "I just don’t know enough about who you are!" Most of us might feel the same way. Not only do we feel that we are incapable of serving the Lord as we should, we also feel that we are just inadequate, that somehow, we just don’t know enough about God, His Word, etc, to get the job done.

God’s response to Moses is to remind him that He is the "I AM!" While Moses may be inadequate, the God who calls him and equips him certainly is not! God is in essence saying to Moses, "Just do as I say, and I will show you who I AM as you need me to."  I think the same applies to us!

Do you think Noah felt adequate beside that Ark? What about David facing Goliath? All through the Bible, God’s people have been placed alongside obstacles against which they looked and felt inadequate, but with the power of God working through them, they were able to overcome them all. If God will do it for them, He will do it for you too! He is no respecter of persons (Rom.2:11).

Moses' third excuse is one of inferiority (Ex 4:1-9).  Moses decides that if he tells people that he has had a personal meeting with God Himself, they will decide that Moses is lying. In other words, no one will believe what he tells them. Have you ever been in a situation where you did something because you felt it was what the Lord wanted and the people around you are looking at you like you are crazy?  It makes no sense to them.

God’s response to Moses is to let him know that when the Lord gets through working in and through him, there will be no doubt in the minds of others as to the truth of Moses’ story! In fact, God makes it plain in verse 9 that no matter what the skeptics say, He will keep working in Moses until they are sure that his story is genuine!  Remember it's not us, but Him that is doing the work, He can't fail! 

Moses' fourth excuse is one of infirmity (Ex 4:10-17).  Moses appeals to some sort of a speech impediment. It may be that Moses just thought and responded slowly, or it may be that he stuttered. Whatever the infirmity, Moses thinks it will keep him from doing the Lord's work.  What is it that you tend to use as an excuse?  Maybe you have a learning disability or depression, listen to what God has to say to Moses about such things: 

God’s response to Moses is that He made man’s mouth and He made man’s mind, and He was able to give man what he needed when he needed it! There is no arguing with God, He always knows just what to say!

Eventually, Moses comes to accept what the Lord is asking him to do and visits Pharaoh.  He gives up the life of a shepherd to go in a new direction, to lead God's people.  That choice will lead him on a journey that is filled with challenges, blessings and more direction changes.  It also provided him with the chance to grow into one of the most loved prophets of the Lord!

What direction changes has the Lord put in your life lately?  How are you responding to these requests?  It is hard to let go of one direction for another, especially when you felt like you were doing the right things to begin with.  The cool thing about changing your direction to meet the Lord's is that you become a better person.  A person whose new knowledge, trust and faith in the Lord leads you in new directions.  So the next time you feel like giving the Lord a list of excuses, stop and think about the purpose of the changes and ask yourself if you are willing to give up the blessings and growth that comes from letting go and changing directions. 

 

Why A Shepherd?

Day one hundred and five

There is a lot going on at our house, we are being blessed with some amazing opportunities, each opportunity brings with it excitement and a little anxiety, which creates a good energy in our home.  My prayer this morning was filled with gratitude for recognizing the Lord's hand in my life and for the Spirit that is in my home lately. Gratitude for the team work that goes on in my family and the laughter that eases the tense moments.  George Bernard Shaw once said, "A happy family is but an earlier heaven."  That is how I am feeling today!

Exodus 3

The scriptures divide the life of Moses into 3 forty year periods:

• Forty years as a prince in Egypt.
• Forty years as a shepherd.
• Forty years as a prophet of God.

The first forty years as a prince in Egypt made Moses "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and mighty in words and in deeds" (Acts 7:22-23).

So what about the second forty years as a shepherd, what did he learn from that experience?  Why a shepherd and not a merchant?

The Lord appears to have a special place in his heart for the shepherds of the Old Testament.  Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and even King David were shepherds.  Christ would even label himself a shepherd (John 10:11).  What is it about being a shepherd that prepares a person to be a leader for God's people?

Job Description:

The shepherd watches over his flock, rescues any wayward or injured lambs, guides them to food and water, protects them, and helps the sheep bed down at night in a safe area.

Watching over his flocks
Elder John R. Lasater tells of an experience where a sheep had been hit by a car.  He observed the following: "the old shepherd picked up the injured lamb, place it in a pouch in the front of his robe, stroke its head, and call it by name. The interpreter told him, “All of his sheep have a name, for he is their shepherd, and the good shepherds know each one of their sheep by name.” (“Shepherds of Israel,” Ensign, May 1988, 74–75). 

Attribute: A good leader has the ability both to lead a big group and to touch the lives of each individual.

"The true shepherd does not run to and fro, chasing the sheep. He walks among them and gains their trust. He teaches his sheepdogs and gives them assignments. Some will lead, and some will be behind. He then leads his sheep and goes before them. Along the way he uses voice and hand signals to direct his trusty dogs. From his vantage point, he watches over the sheep and leads them where they need to go." (Elder Robert D. Hales)

Attribute:  A good leader is in the midst of those that he is called to lead, he earns their trust, and he is the example they should follow.

Rescuing the wayward
I think of the parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15) when I think of rescuing the wayward. A shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to go and find the one lost sheep.

Attribute:  A good leader knows that all members of his team are important and treats them that way.

Guides them to food and water
"An entire flock of sheep can starve to death if the shepherd doesn’t provide them with food and water, either through leading them to the pasture or through bringing the feed out of the barn." (Sheep, Shepherds, and Sheepherders by James R. Moss)  This is important, Jesus commanded Peter to "Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17)

Attribute: A good leader knows the importance of feeding those he is to care for, including things of a spiritual nature that help the individual survive and grow.

Protect them and helps the sheep bed down at night in safety
The shepherd would bring the flock home to the fold at night. He would then lay down in the gate physically to protect the sheep from wolves coming into the sheepfold. He literally put his life on the line for the sheep.

Attribute:   A good leader is willing to sacrifice all that is required of them for the life of those they lead, whether that means dying for them or the more difficult task of living for them in quiet dedication on a daily basis.

I have a better understanding of the attributes of a good shepherd and it makes sense that the Lord would chose shepherds to be spiritual leaders. There is a quote by Sally Johnson Odekirk that states:  "When we learn the qualities of a true leader, we become true spiritual shepherds." Considering the challenge that Moses faced of leading the Hebrews out of Egypt, the forty years of preparation as a shepherd seems appropriate. His mission would require him to have mastered each of these attributes.

The challenge for me is to master these attributes in my own life. I can see how they would make me a better mother, teacher, and disciple of Christ. Moses had eighty years of preparation for his calling, this is good news to me, I still have time!

Being Prepared

Day one hundred and four

My new niece was born yesterday which means today I have the opportunity to play with my little nephews!  They are ages 2 and 3 and are hilarious.  So this morning my prayer is filled with gratitude for the arrival of a new member into our family and for the chance to spend some time with my nephews. I hope they know how much I love them!

Exodus 2

After reading chapter 2 I really wanted to write about the qualities of a godly women, but that is not what I was to focus on.  The Lord directed my studies towards recognizing the preparation that is going on in this chapter.

Ex 2:1-4
I noticed that just at the time when Pharaoh's cruelty rose to it's height by ordering the Hebrew children be drowned, the deliverer (Moses) was born.  Thoughts of the Second Coming popped into my head, that's the situation the world will be in before Christ comes again, just when we think all hope is lost He will come and save us.

Lesson:  When men are striving to ruin God's people, God is preparing for their salvation.

I also noticed that Moses' parents were prepared for their challenge.  In Hebrews 11:23 we learn that, "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment." 

Lesson:  Faith in God will set us above the fear of man.

Ex 2:5-10
Just when it seems that Moses is at his most vulnerable (a helpless baby alone on the water) we see that God was with him as Pharaoh's daughter finds him and takes him for her own.  Then to top it off, his mother is chosen to be his nursemaid.  Moses was able to learn both the Hebrew and the Egyptian ways.

Lesson:  When we seem most neglected and forlorn, God is most present with us. He puts us where we will benefit the most.

Ex 2:11-15
Moses now 40 years old seems ready to protect his people.  He protects a Hebrew slave from an Egyptian, but instead of keeping his secret and protecting him they turn on him. This incident leads to Moses leaving and travelling to the land of Midian, exactly where the Lord needs him to be.

Lesson:  Don't be too quick to judge the actions of others, you never know who is behind their actions or where it will lead you to.

Ex 2:16-22
Moses helps Jethro's daughters at the well.  This act would lead to Moses marrying, starting a family, and being spiritually prepared for his call as a Prophet of God.

Lesson:  Serve others, you never know how it will affect their life or your own life.  It's one way the Lord  prepares us spiritually.

Ex 2:23-25
The Israelites, feeling the weight of their burdens finally cry out to the Lord. He hears them and soon will deliver them from their bondage.

Lesson:  Sometimes the process of being prepared is painful and happens over a long period of time, we need to turn to the Lord and he will help us through it. 

The lessons learned from this chapter are all pretty basic doctrine, but sometimes when we are in the midst of going through this preparation process we forget them.  It is hard to stay focused on the positive aspects of the situation when we are feeling the growing pains. Keeping the proper perspective is a challenge that I struggle with. I needed this reminder, it put me back on track, exactly where the Lord needs me to be!   

Does Hate Have a Purpose?

Day one hundred and three

Everyday, for three years, I prayed for the students in my seminary class.  It created a really cool bond between us.  They knew that every morning I would pray for them individually and that I had grown to love them more for it.  When I no longer taught the class I continued to pray for them, but with time it became more of a group prayer instead of individually. Lately I've been thinking a lot about that class, many of the young men are preparing for missions and the rest of them are either in college or working.  I realized that they still need my prayers, they are facing some of the most important decisions in their lives, plus the challenges and temptations of the world, they need the blessings more than ever.  So my prayer this morning was dedicated to each individual in my seminary class, may they know that they are very loved and that the Lord is with them.

Exodus 1

One of the themes of this chapter is hate.  The Egyptians clearly have a strong disliking for the people of Israel, enough that they make them slaves and later command that any male babies born are to be killed.  I wondered if the Israelites felt the same way about the Egyptians.  A passage in the Old Testament Institute Manual shed some light on this:

"Their bondage (the Israelites) certainly was not all on the negative side. It too served a good purpose.  The cruelty of the taskmasters, the hatred that existed between the Hebrews and the Egyptians, and the length of the trying servitude fused Jacob's children into a united people...The hatred felt towards the Egyptians prevented intermarriage between the Hebrews and their neighbors.  To reap the benefits of the Abrahamic promises, Israel had to remain a pure race, and the Lord used this means to achieve it..." (Peterson, Moses, pp. 27-30).

Leave it to God to make a positive out of a negative!  Now I was intrigued, does hate have a purpose?  From this quote it appears the answer is yes.  What else do the scriptures tell us about hate?

"To every thing there is a season, and a  time to every purpose under the heaven...A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecc 3:1,8)

 So when is the time to hate and how does the Lord feel about hate? 

In Proverbs 6:16-19 we are given a list of things that the Lord hates:

"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren"

These things would be considered sins and therfore it makes sense that the Lord would hate them.  There is a purpose to hating sin, we are less likely to sin ourselves.   

It is God that puts enmity between us and Satan:

"And I will put enmity thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen 3:15; Moses 4:21) 

Enmity is defined as deep-seated, often mutual hatred (web dictionary).  This sounds similar to the Egyptians and Hebrews feelings.  What purpose is there in enmity?  Satan is an enemy of God and therefore an enemy of those that love God.  If there is enmity between us and Satan, we are less likely to become like him.

The Psalmist tells us:

"Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?   I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies"  (Psalms 139: 21-22)

It appears that hating those that hate God has a purpose too, to unite us with God. We have to choose a side righteousness or wickedness, if we choose righteousness, then we hate wickedness (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9).

There is a pattern to these verses, do you see it?  It's not about hating people that hate us, but hating those things (sins and the wicked) that are enemies of God.  The Egyptians cause their own grief because they are mistreating God's chosen people, not a wise move on their part. Yet God uses that hatred for a wise purpose, to prepare His people.  We will see this pattern of God's people suffering throughout the scriptures and each time He will deliver them and their faith is increased.

We see another example of this in Deuteronomy 28. The Lord is trying to teach the people about obedience in this chapter. The lesson is: obedience leads to blessings and disobedience leads to:

"Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee." (v 48)

The Lord will use the opportunity to humble His people so that they are teachable. If we know that there is a puprose behind hate how should we feel about it?

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matt 5:44)

That's right we are to learn to overcome our hate, which leads us to love, which in turn leads us to be closer to God.  So one purpose of hate is to teach us to love, who saw that one coming? It sounds a lot like the law of opposition comes into play here (2 Ne 2:11, 15).  And with the law of opposition involved it leads to a discussion on agency, justice, mercy, obedience, etc.  Wow!  I had no idea that I would be led to such deep thoughts in my study of hate.  I'm sure I've only touched a small portion of the lessons that could be learned from this topic.   

What it all comes down to for me is:  If I am having feelings of hate towards something or someone I need to ask myself what am I supposed to be learning from this experience.  The process of overcoming those feelings will teach me to grow and then I can be closer to the Lord.  If I can do that, then I am even becoming a little more like God and learning to make a positive out of a negative!