Proverbs 5:21-23 -- On Gaining Instruction and Avoiding Folly

"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray."
Proverbs 5:21-23


This is a good reminder that if we continue in our sins that that is what will bring us down. God doesn't have to devise special punishments, because we do it for ourselves.

Another thing that these verses point out is that the wicked die without instruction, which happens clearly because when we are wicked we refuse to listen to or learn from God... and God is our biggest benefit / advocate / friend down here. Everything that we want that is good, that is the source. That's the greatness of our folly, really--that we look elsewhere for the things that we need, when God is the ultimate source and the only thing that can make us truly whole.

Today, let's remember God and look to him rather than trying to find our selves or our desires elsewhere. Let's avoid iniquity and folly by seeking instruction from the Lord.

James 2:19 -- On Moving Beyond Belief

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
James 2:19


James is talking about faith and works here, and he says this part to make the point that belief isn't enough. Satan and his followers know exactly who God is, and they believe, but they still work against everything that God stands for. There are many things going on here, but I think it comes back to love. We not only have to believe in God, but we have to love him and his plan and have faith that his way is the right way... and we have to act on that knowledge and support our beliefs with our actions, being obedient and inviting the spirit into our lives.

In saying that, I'm not saying we have to be there already or get there overnight. We can start wherever we are... with a little bit of belief, or a little bit of obedience, whatever. We can start by attending church, or reading our scriptures, or kneeling down to pray. God appreciates every effort, and the more we listen and learn, the more he can help us, and the closer to him we will get. It doesn't matter where we start if we eventually move closer to that wholeness that is becoming like God, and being filled where we once felt empty. It takes time, and effort, but it leads to perfect joy, which sounds pretty worth it to me. :)

Today, let's move beyond just belief and start filling ourselves with all the good that God is offering. If we stick with him, endure our temporary hardships and doing good, he will fill us to overflowing, and when we have no more room for happiness, he will increase our capacity. :)

Galatians 5:6 -- On Faith and Love

"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
Galatians 5:6


I like the idea here that faith works by love. I don't think that I ever really thought of it that way before, but in reading and thinking about this today, it makes sense. If we are talking about having faith in a person, we love and trust them enough to have deep confidence in their motivations and actions. And if we have faith in a thing, then it is something we envision or idealize... an idea that we have grown to love.

So, the power of faith, the power of love, and the power of God seem to overlap a lot. To be effective, we have to believe in and love something real and true... and of course the source of all truth, and the embodiment of love is God, so in him all these things come together and are whole and complete ideas with incredible power. Today, let's revisit love and work with God to develop it further, to find out what real love is and not the washed out, manipulative, or twisted versions that we sometimes run into, but rather the wellspring of what love should be, and as we learn that, I think we will also learn some faith. :)

Proverbs 13:22 -- On Inheritance

"A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just."
Proverbs 13:22


This is interesting, and a good idea to give a boost to people who come after us. It might not always be possible to leave a monetary inheritance for further generations, but we should do what we can, and I think there are probably other things that we can leave for an inheritance as well. For instance, passing on our family histories or our individual personal history... stories of faith and overcoming obstacles, of repentance and endurance... could be valuable for future generations.

Probably the older generation aren't all worse people passing things down to better people either, but I don't think that is really the point. The wealth of the sinner could be any of us, because we are sinners, even if we have repented thoroughly... and the just could be several generations down the line. The idea is to just do as God asks and pass it along, and God will get the inheritance where it needs to be.

Today, let's think about and talk to God about what kind of inheritance we want to pass on, and what God feels is important in that effort, and make sure we make time to prepare for the future a little, even if we feel too young to worry about such things quite yet. :) How can we help the future?

Proverbs 20:20 -- On Loving Our Parents

"Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness."
Proverbs 20:20


Not only does obscure darkness sound pretty bad, but there is also a specific commandment for this, telling us to honor our parents. ... I think this one gets ignored a lot because, as children, we know firsthand at least what we think of as our parents' injustice or hypocrisy. Unlike God, our earthly parents are fallible and do not always have our best interests in mind. But God asks us not to curse then, but rather to love and honor them.

I don't think that God means for any of us to stay in an abusive situation. If that is the case, then God wants us to get to safety first, and worry about forgiveness later. In most normal situations though, our pride as children (of whatever age) often gets in the way of seeing our parents clearly. We don't actually know more than they do... it just feels like it. :) Sometimes it is difficult to learn compassion in such close quarters, and family relationships can be sensitive, but just as God asks us to love everyone, even our enemies, God also asks us to love our parents, and honor them for the sacrifices that they have made in our behalf.

Today, let's remember not to compare our parents' weaknesses to our strengths, but to have compassion for them as we have compassion towards ourselves and our own weaknesses and hypocrisy. If we are having trouble forgiving them (or anyone), let's look to God, who can change our hearts and help us to feel love for all people, if we are open to learning it. Let's work on avoiding obscure darkness and find a way to peace, in our families and with all others as we learn to draw closer to God and love as he loves.

James 4:5-8 -- On Submitting to God

"Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
James 4:5-8


I like how these verses help us to know not only that we have to submit to God, but also why. The first verse mentions the spirits within us, reminding us of the idea of the "natural man" and that we have to overcome some aspect of our own natures before we can unite with God. I always thought of that part as the physical part, and that the struggle was spirit vs body. These verses describe it in a different way, but it is the same idea of needing to overcome the natural man and to learn from God instead.

I like the ideas here that Satan will flee if we resist him, and also that God will draw close to us if we draw close to him.

Today, let's work on overcoming the resistant, rebellious, and lustful part of ourselves. Let's cleanse our hands and purify our hearts and do all we can to put God's will before our own and learn the kind of self-mastery we need to ensure that our souls are not smothered by our pride.

Proverbs 21:13 -- On Stopping Our Ears

"Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard."
Proverbs 21:13


This is along the lines of other scruptures that advise us that how we treat others is effectively how we are treating God. If we love God, we have to love other people because everything that we do for or to them is reflected in being symbolically how we have treated God. When he says "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" and then follows it up with "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me" (Matthew 25:40,45), the symbolism might not be all that scary at first. However, if we imagine God's face at the other end of our actions, it makes it all a little bit more real. His advice here is serious. God takes our treatment of the poor very personally.

This verse is similar to that second one. We're going to be evaluated on how we treated the poor, but not just actions. Also inactions. If we want to be heard by God, then we will open our ears to the cries of those in need. This isn't anything new in the scriptures. We're told to treat others as we wish to be treated, to forgive if we would seek forgiveness, to give if we would have God give to us. Today, let's actually think about this, and about what we need from God. Whatever that is today for us, is it something we are providing for others? Let's unstop our ears and listen and act, so that we may be able to confidently ask God to listen and to act on our behalf as well.

Psalms 26:2 -- On Inviting The Lord In

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."
Psalms 26:2


I think we are often afraid to invite God to examine us and prove/test us because we feel inadequate and we don't want/don't think we can handle any extra trials or criticism. I like this though, because it indicates a willingness to have God come and work in our lives, and I think he can do a lot more good for us when we are open and willing to be examined and changed/encouraged to change than he can when we are curled up in a scared little ball, worried about our imperfections.

We're all imperfect, all flawed, and we'd definitely break if the Lord wasn't watching over us... but he is, and we don't need to be afraid of that. I mean, better to be afraid of God than afraid of what the world will think, and maybe we are going to be afraid either way, because change sometimes hurts, even when it is the best kind of change... but God is the only way we are going to become the people that we want to be... and the only way that we can be even better than that, because God knows we can be even more than we realize or dream of.

Today, let's invite the Lord in, even when we are afraid of the changes that he will make and the effort it will take to overhaul ourselves. Let's invite him in because that is the path to our best selves, to knowing and loving God better, to caring more for the people around us, and also the way to heaven.

Romans 14:13-16 -- On Stumblingblocks

"Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:"
Romans 14:13-16


This is an interesting selection. The first verse gives us some excellent advice about not being impediments to other people's faith, and the rest of it explains that a little bit. The part about things being unclean is likely a reference to the Law of Moses and unclean beasts that they shouldn't eat, but could be applied more generally as well. Perhaps Paul is saying that, like the law of Moses, a lot of what we think of as good or bad comes from our personal experience or societal mores and God forbids things for health reasons sometimes even when they aren't inherently evil.

The third verse goes on to say that if we run into something where someone believes strongly that they shouldn't do something for a specific reason, even if we don't believe it, we should conform to their tradition out of respect for them, not rub our differences in their faces, daring them to call us evil and trying to change their minds. For instance, if we are going to dinner with a family that keeps kosher, we shouldn't bring along a cheeseburger. Or if someone avoids certain things because it helps them stay close to God, we shouldn't introduce those things as activities when we are hanging out with them.

Today, let's remember to respect the positions and opinions of others, even when we don't agree. Let's not put stumblingblocks in each other's way, or do things that other people think are evil around them. We won't always be able to avoid offense, but let's at least respect other people's beliefs and traditions and not let our good be called evil because we are trying to *intentionally* offend.

Mosiah 18:9 -- On Empathy and Joining God in Loving Others

"Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life."
Mosiah 18:9


This is part of a list that Alma was asking the people about basically as qualification for baptism. There is a lot of great stuff here and in the surrounding verses, but the specific thing that I liked today is the "mourn with those that mourn" idea... basically the idea of feeling empathy and having compassion for our fellow beings. I really like that. I think we think of baptism a lot as a way for us to be clean... or about other benefits of a committment to God, but I love that Alma is basically asking them "If you love people and care about them, join up with God... that's what he is all about." :)

Today, let's join with God because we are willing to love each other... and also for all of the other reasons. Let's also learn more about God so that we can love him better, and stand as his witnesses.

John 18:10-11 -- On Swords, Cups, and Temporary Tragedies

"Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?"
John 18:10-11


I like Simon Peter here, seeing how utterly wrong things were, and knowing where his loyalty was, despite likely facing some serious personal consequences for fighting with these powerful leaders in their society. He was fierce and loyal and ... unfortunately wrong. Christ teaches him, and us, a huge lesson here, as he heals the servant (Luke 22:51) and helps Peter understand that we all need to do God's will, even when it seems to lead to personal tragedy.

I say seem not because I think that Christ's death wasn't a tragedy. It was absolutely a tragedy despite it being necessary. And none of the rest of the things that we are afraid of happening to us or loved ones are easy to face either. I only say that because we know that if we stick with God all tragedies are just stalled or unfinished stories. They don't stay that way (Mosiah 16:8). If we keep turning the pages they turn into triumphant happy endings. Good wins, everyone is whole, and even star-crossed lovers get a chance to recover from their unwise choices.

Today, let's be thankful for Christ's sacrifice, and be also willing to drink whatever cup God gives us. Let's remember too though that God truly loves us beyond our capacity to understand, and even if the cup is bitter now, it won't always be that way. Let's move forward in patience and faith, trusting in that love, and also learning the joy that he is teaching us along the way.

1 Peter 1:13-15 -- On Girding Up the Loins of Our Minds

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"
1 Peter 1:13-15

Tunic
(AI-generated illustration)

This is interesting. Girding your loins was something that you would do when you were wearing a long tunic and preparing to do some heavy work or go into battle. There is an illustration HERE of how to do it physically. It's a phrase that basically means "get ready to do some hard work."

When it says here to "gird up the loins of your mind," I think it is telling us something similar... get ready to do some difficult mental work. Watching our conversation isn't easy, but God is still asking us to take the time to train ourselves and avoid mental lusts as well as physical lusts, and to be holy in our words as well as our deeds.

Today, let's gird up the loins of our minds, getting rid of things that could tangle us up, and be willing to make the heavy mental effort that God asks.

Mosiah 16:8-9 -- On Death

"But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."
Mosiah 16:8-9


I like the idea that the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ... that he can make up for something so vast and scary. I also love the idea that life overwhelms death and actually wins... completely and utterly, banishing death entirely. Media never shows it that way, and I would love to see it. :)

Today, let's remember that Christ is the boss even of death, and there is nothing that can stand before him. If he can help us with that, there is nothing that he can't help us with. Let's reach out to him and work together with him to overcome our obstacles and become more like God.

Alma 26:27 -- On Depression and Patience

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Alma 26:27


This is part of the story of the missionary journeys of Ammon and his brothers. They are looking back at a lot of the things they had suffered on the journey, including being imprisoned and living through several attempts on their lives. I like this verse especially because it is cool that the scriptures confront depression... aknowledging that it happens and that sometimes we just want to give up. There are miraculous moments of course, but God doesn't typically have a quick fix for this. We aren't just lifted out of a bad situation and teleported to a better life. God does care, and he will help us, but we have to be patient with his timing.

This reminds me of when Lehi's family was wandering in the wilderness living on raw meat. There was a lot of grumbling, especially when Nephi broke his bow, but God helped them, and strengthened them so that they could handle it. Another similar story is when the people of Alma were enslaved by the Lamanites and Priests of Noah. They were very much not happy, but as they looked to God for help, God strengthened them as well. They still had to endure it, but God helped them get through it, and past it.

I think that it is the same for us... even in the midst of depression, we can turn to God who can strengthen us and help us endure our trials. With his help, we can have the patience and faith to endure, and stay sane and whole until our deliverance. Today, even though it is not easy to have patience when we are going through something hard, let's turn to God for help, and work on our patience and our faith.

Deuteronomy 6:5 -- On Loving God

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Deuteronomy 6:5


We're commanded to love God, but of course it is hard to feel emotions at will, especially if we need/want them to be sincere, as in this case. I don't think God here is asking us to do that though. We don't need to become actors and learn to fake it, or pull emotion out of the air... rather, I think he is giving us an important quest/goal, and asking us to figure it out, somewhat the way that God asked the Brother of Jared to figure out a certain problem.

I think we have the information we need to figure this one out. God has given us scriptures in part so that we can learn about him. He has given us prayer so that we can communicate with him. As we participate in both of those activities, we learn more and more about God and will be better able to feel his voice. And of course those are just the basics. We can learn to get closer to God through other things as well as we strive to feel the spirit and keep God's influence near.

Today, let's not give up on our quest because we think that we don't have the inclination or that God isn't revealing his will to us. Let's figure it out. Learning this primary commandment takes time and effort and investment, just as getting to know and learning to love someone else would. Let's make it a priority and stick with it, learning to talk to the Lord and to get to know him through his word, enriching our lives immeasurably in the process.

Matthew 5:4 -- On Mourning and Comfort

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Matthew 5:4


This verse seems like a small lesson that reflects all of life. We come to earth to learn, and mourning and cofort go together, at least during the learning process. Later we can live in a perfect world where only one is preset, but in mortality, we have to experience grief in order to perfect our understanding of joy.

I think the other side of this is that, once we learn the concept and we know that Christ grants us eternal life, we can allow at least some of our mourning to be turned into joy and comfort *now* because we have faith in the comfort to come, knowing that pain and grief are temporary and that our loved ones are happy.

Today, let's remember that mourning and sorrow are things that we will someday leave behind, and let's live for the promised future of joy and comfort that Christ offers us.

Romans 13:14 -- On Putting on Christ

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
Romans 13:14


A couple of verses before this it asks us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, which is cool and symbolic. This verse is I think restating and clarifying that. The armor of light is taking on Christ, bearing his name as armor and looking to him for protection. Works of darkness are when we schedule in time *away* from God for physical desires rather than spiritual ones.

I don't think that means that we shouldn't have toilets in our houses, or that we shouldn't see the doctor/dentist etc... those are physical needs that we do need to schedule into our lives, but when it is something that can detract from our devotion and get in the way of it, we need to avoid scheduling in those things. For me, I notice that there are a lot of seemingly normal things that drive away the spirit and distract me from thinking good thoughts. Definitely not perfect at avoiding those things, but I think that is what God means... avoiding not just obviously bad things like murder, theft, adultery, etc., but also things that get us into a mental state where God is absent, where we're indulging our own desires and have to fight ourselves to get back into a place where we feel like praying... the risk being that every time we walk away from God to take time for whatever else is blocking him out, it is harder to come back, and easier to stay in a state where we can't hear him, normalizing the absence of God in our lives rather than his presence.

Today, let's work on normalizing the presence of God in our lives rather than the absence. Let's put on God's light and not take it off for other things.

Romans 13:8 -- On Law and Love

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8


This is an interesting idea, first that we shouldn't go into debt, but also the idea of owing other people love. I like that idea. Even when we have a hard time respecting or obeying someone, it is good that love is required since so many scriptures talk about how important it is.

Today, let's remember love, and if obligation and God's law are the motivator for us, let's start there. We owe other people love--a basic human need, ours to provide, even in the most difficult circumstances. Let's fulfil our obligations, and also pray and ask Heavenly Father for help in being filled with his love so we aren't just acting on obligation, but also feel it down to our toes.

Psalms 46:10 -- On Stillness and Trust

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalms 46:10


This is good advice. I think it is hard for us to be still sometimes--to relax, to let go of whatever is stressing us out or bothering us, and to remember that God is in charge of those things that we can't control, and he will make everything right in the end.

It is good to take what actions we can to make the world better and to improve the lives of the people around us, of course. It's going farther and trying to control everything that often makes us crazy though. We can't control wars, natural disasters, downsizing, or death... and so many other things. Of course, we know that Christ stilled the storm, and that the Brother of Jared moved a mountain with faith, so there is a lot that we can do when God wills it, but all of us have limitations, and sometimes we need to be still and remember with absolute confidence and faith that God can and will handle it.

Today, let's look to God for help learning which things we can affect and which things we can't, and for the things that we can't affect, let's pray to and trust in God, asking for his intervention and knowing that he will make things right according to his will and his timing. And for the rest, which we can affect, let's also pray and trust, and get God's help in taking action, making sure that we are affecting the world and others for good and not evil, with confidence in the Lord's timing. :)

Isaiah 17:7-8 -- On Respect and Priority

"At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images."
Isaiah 17:7-8


I like the idea of a time when we will all respect the Lord and not look to anything else before him. As to the works of our own hands... I don't think that God hates what we do at all. He wants us to excel, to succeed, and to enjoy our hobbies and our work, and to do a good job. I think the idea here is to make sure we aren't living for those things exclusively, or even mainly, but that we remember that there is a larger purpose and that God needs to come first.

It's the same with people, really. God wants us to love other people and to lift them up and value them, but if we start putting a person or any number of people before God, then we're going to go astray. In the April 1988 conference, President Ezra Taft Benson said "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." Often it isn't about choosing between, but rather just correcting our priorities. Sometimes it *is* about choosing between, of course, but with most good things, adding God into the mix and putting him first actually just makes everything better, including relationships, work, school, hobbies, etc.

Today, let's find ways to pursue our interests and satisfy our desires in a healthy way, by putting God first and letting him help us figure out what needs to drop out of our lives and what can stay.

Matthew 18:18-20 -- On Heaven and Earth

"Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:18-20


The beginning of this is likely talking about the sealing power, because that is the same way it is talked about elsewhere... but it also seems interesting from a "this is not temporary" standpoint. A reminder that what we do on earth very much matters to our eternity. In that context it is also interesting to move on to the next verses about people agreeing together about things, and having God in the midst, because it seems like that is the overall lesson here, that we need to agree together and be in tune with God by having the spirit, and that is the way that we synch heaven and earth together a little more, both unifying ourselves with God and getting help from the other side.

Today, let's remember how important it is to have the spirit and to be on the same page with God. Things that will help with that are prayer and scripture study. Let's *also* remember the idea of joining together with others and coming into agreement along with that spirit, which is something that we get more of through family prayer, studying with others, and, importantly, going to church and participating in the lessons there. As we work on these things, our lives will get more heavenly and we'll feel more help from heaven as well. :)

Isaiah 14:3 -- On a Few Examples of Rest

"And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve."
Isaiah 14:3


We hear a lot about rest in the scriptures, that the Lord will eventually give us rest, and I like that this verse explains it a little bit. This is talking about the Millennium, and God tells us a little bit about what rest means, and gives some examples: no sorrow, fear, or slavery. That seems like a good start, and really already a giganitic change from our current world.

A couple of verses after this he mentions "The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing." Quietness is a new example, but obviously not pure physical silence, since people (and possibly things) are breaking forth into singing. Clearly a happy silence, even for the trees, which it mentions in verse 8 are rejoicing. :) Perhaps mental and emotional quietness where we aren't stirred up to anger about whatever offense or political situation? That seems super promising as well. :)

Today, let's look forward to the rest of God--a future without sorrow and fear, where slavery is gone, and we're so happy (and so are the trees) that we spontaneously break into song. :)

4 Nephi 1:15-17 -- On Progressing Towards Happiness and Perfection

"And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God."
4 Nephi 1:15-17


I love the idea here of zero contention, zero envy, zero strife, zero lying. It is sad after this to read about evil slowly working its way back into their society, and I wonder why it did... why they couldn't also be like the city of Enoch, and continue in that perfect righteousness. And then, on the other side... how do we get there? I think God's plan is designed to get us there, so every effort that we make in that direction will be multiplied. For the world overall, it's a long term project leading us to a Millenium of peace, and God will have to make several changes himself, but on the smaller scale of we as individuals becoming people who could live in this kind of ideal/Zion/utopian society every little thing that we do to make the world better also makes us better, and brings us closer to God (Matthew 25:40, D&C 42:38).

There are many challenges as we strive to get to the level of zero contention/zero any other kind of evil, but we don't have to tackle everything at once. Today, let's do what we can to make the world and ourselves better and grow closer to God, little by little. God will assist us as we strive towards that perfection, and eventually, with his help, we'll get to that "perfect day" (D&C 50:24).

Isaiah 51:7 -- On Fearing Reproach and Making Changes

"Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings."
Isaiah 51:7


I was thinking about this today, and I feel like we do this a lot. Fearing that "reproach of men" is some of the reason that we often have separate "selves"... the real self that we look at in the mirror each day and that we are in our own minds, and the somewhat less real appearance-only self that we show in public, wanting to look better than we are, or at least not reveal all of our failures and insecurities in public. Some of it is just not wanting to set a bad example, but on the other hand, maybe repentance and some deep honesty ARE the good example that we need to set.

Not saying that we necessarily need to air our dirty laundry in public, or give the whole world way too much information that will make life and relationships awkward, but maybe today we should think about why we change the message of our lives based on our audience, and make sure that we aren't making our choices out of fear, but rather making those choices in conversation with God. I think that leaving our biggest mistakes out of everyday conversation can still be wise, but let's make sure that it is about being uplifting rather than deceptive, and when we're prompted to reveal those things appropriately, to help someone else who struggles, or as part of the repentance process, let's not recoil in fear, but face up to our past selves, determined to change and improve.

This also reminds me of Isaiah 8:13... instead of worrying about what other people think, and changing who we are, or who we look like for them, when they often do not love us or have our best interests in mind, let's worry about what *God* thinks, and change (appropriately) for HIM... who loved us more than his own life, and who always seeks our best interests and ultimate happiness.

Abraham 3:27-28 -- On Pride and Premortality

"And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him."
Abraham 3:27-28


Thinking about this today and realizing that I usually think about the premortal existence as sort of vanilla... everyone in harmony, living with God, awesome sauce, but sort of limited on the knowledge side. (I love vanilla, by the way.) But I think that's wrong. This was before the veil, so we likely knew more than we do now, at least on a spiritual level, and perhaps intellectually we understood perfectly what we were getting into, even though we couldn't know physically yet. And also, as we see here, there was emotional difference and disagreement. God's plan apparently seemed like a risky move to some. Great potential for increased knowledge and joy that we couldn't get without bodies, but some of us didn't want the associated risk and temporary pain and hardship that is part of having a body, and they bailed.

I have no idea what to compare it to, but I imagine maybe something like 'failure to launch" ... God had to deal with a LOT of his children who just didn't want to grow anymore, felt they were good enough already, were too afraid of failing, or other reasons for going along with Satan that I can't imagine. I think the core here is that they felt that they knew better than God did.

I have confidence that God was and is a perfect parent, so the problem wasn't with him, but rather the same error that we see in ourselves, over and over again--pride. Even though none of us are intellectual equals with God (or really equal in any other way), we start assuming that our ability to reason and choose makes us experts, most often because we don't have all the information but madly assume we are right anyway. I wonder how it worked in the premortal existence though, because... didn't we have all the information, and some of us chose poorly anyway? Like "Yes, I understand that what you are suggesting is a better way, but I want to do it my way anyway." ... Which actually doesn't seem that bad. Small rebellious kid type stuff, until you realize that what we are really saying is that we reject Christ's gift to us, and we'd rather suffer than allow him to help us. We often forget that we don't get to pick the consequences of our rebellion, and that God's way IS love and joy, and those are the things that we are walking away from.

Today, let's remember this story of the premortal existence, and remember what we are choosing. Let's turn back to God and choose love and life and joy rather than risking empty, humility-challenged rebellion. :)

Moses 7:32-33 -- On The Tears of God

"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;
And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;"
Moses 7:32-33


This is the beginning of the Lord's explanation to Enoch when he asks "How is it that thou canst weep?" The eventual answer is that he is weeping because some of his creations were going to suffer, at least temporarily, until Christ came (Moses 7:37-40).

What really strikes me about this part is how clear it is that God cares for us. Enoch's question was a good one. God has everything to infinity, so many other things and places and beings to care for, but he was still really sad about the ones that were choosing evil, and who were going to suffer for a time before Christ came to redeem them.

What I think with all of this is that none of us really understand love, and we don't understand God either. When God asks "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?" and then says "yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee" (Isaiah 49:15) I think he is explaining, as he is trying to explain to Enoch here, that no matter what else eternity and Godhood hold, it doesn't lessen his love as a father for his children... and it isn't a scattered and thin love that can be broken or cut off. It is stronger and more pure than even the strongest love that we know.

We think of God as overwhelmingly strong and powerful because that's what we look for in a masculine superpower, but God is so much more than we expect. He also has superpowered compassion and love. He is beyond our societal image of what a role model should be, but is a better role model for all that, because in God is the perfection of every good aspect we find of any gender role, of any strata of society, of any ideal of nature even. He helps us learn to let go of the world's rules and live by his rules. His perfect love isn't weak. He cries because he is honestly sad when we harm ourselves by working against him, not because he is emotionally compromised. No one can manipulate him becasue he loves by claiming that they won't love him UNLESS... he knows that line and how empty it is. His love is always striving to teach us and help make us better rather than helping us destroy ourselves.

Today, let's take a moment to reconsider how we think about God, and see if we can picture him both as perfectly strong and perfectly compassionate... because he is both, and so much more. He can help us, and he wants to. Let's trust that, and reach out to him for help today with our questions and our challenges. Let's open our hearts to him and learn of him. Nothing in the world can change our lives more.

Alma 7:7 -- On The Most Important Event

"For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people."
Alma 7:7


It's pretty amazing to think that of all the events in history, Christ's life was the most important. It makes sense, because if not for that, even the great act of creation itself would have ended in disaster. It is the event that brings all other events together and helps them to make sense.

Even though Christ's life is in the past rather than the future for us, we can give it the importance that it deserves by taking time to consider the importance of the event in our own lives, and to honor Christ's sacrifice with some appropriate sacrifices of our own, such as a broken heart and a contrite spirit--a willingness to follow the commandments and to repent and change.

Today, let's honor Christ's sacrifice by taking advantage of the opportunities that he gave us to learn and grow and to prepare to return to God's presence.

Luke 22:31-32 -- On Intercession

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Luke 22:31-32


I love the idea of Christ praying for Simon, standing in between him and Satan and protecting him from faltering at the crucial moments. And I think that this applies to our lives as well. Christ knows very intimately what we are going through individually because he suffered for our sins. He loves us just as he loved his disciples, and he pleads with his father for us as well, to help us when we are on that edge between giving up and getting up to try again.

Today, let's remember that Christ himself is on our side, and is petitioning the Father for us. Let's do all we can, with the confidence that he will be there to help us with his strength when we run out of our own, and that his petition is heard and honored, and when we are struggling, he is always there, rooting for us, and giving us the power and the space to make the right choices.