Build Up, Don't Destroy Others

Today I read Job 30 where, just like all men throughout history when they get older, he laments about the up and coming generation.  It makes me smile to realize that older men have been complaining about youth for thousands of years.  When Job's afflictions struck the youths of his neighborhood started treating him like a leper, like someone less than the dirt they stood on.  Why is it human nature to destroy those around us to make ourselves feel better?  Wouldn't it be better to build up those around us?  Wouldn't it be more Christlike to find the good in those we associate with in order to make ourselves feel better?  If Jesus were here, He would definitely try and make those people He came into contact with feel better.  If we hope to one day become like He is, we need to spend our time on this earth doing what is right and it is better to help others than it is to hurt others.  The feeling of the Spirit when we do what is right is incredible and better than almost any feeling there is.  Why not do all that we can to make sure He can be our constant companion?  Until tomorrow.

Job Helped Those Around Him

Today I read Job 29 where Job talked about his life before his recent trials.  He was wealthy but he used it to bless the lives of those around him.  He would help the poor and needy that he saw.  That is the way we are supposed to live our lives.  Jacob taught the Nephites to seek after God first and if they seek after riches afterwards, then it will be with the intent to do good and to bless the lives of those around them.  People looked up to Job because of his charity that he showed to other men, he says that people sought him out for his counsel.  This is because people respected him.  It reminds me of the song, "If I were a rich man" from the Fiddler on the Roof.  Tevye sings that if he were rich people would come to him for advice and it would not matter if it was good advice because he would be rich.  And in some instances he is right, but in Job's case it had more to do with the fact that he was known for his charity work.  We can live our lives as Job did, helping those in need the best we can.  If we do that, we can be assured that God is pleased with us and our works.  Until tomorrow.

Job Counsels Wisdom is More Valuable than Money

Today I read Job 28 where Job talks about the value of wisdom.  It reminded me of several scriptures and quotes.  The first scripture that came to mind is from the Doctrine and Covenants, section 130 where God tells Joseph Smith that knowledge is the only thing that we take with us into the next life and that any person who gains more knowledge in this life will be farther ahead in the life to come.  I'm also reminded of the Lord's counsel to seek out the best books and learning.  Clearly accumulating the right kind of knowledge is important to our Heavenly Father.  And if it is important to Him, it should be important to us.  We would be wise indeed if we spent our time learning the important things of the world instead of wasting our time.  Until tomorrow.

Job Affirms that Wickedness is not Happiness

Today I read Job 27 where Job talks about the awful state of the wicked.  Such chapters always remind me of Alma when he tells his son Corianton, that wickedness never was happiness.  It can be confusing for those that are young because the world does a great job of making us think that things like alcohol, or sexual sin are things that bring great enjoyment.  Those that are older know the truth that alcohol cannot hide you from your problems and that sex is meant to be shared between a husband and a wife only.  Satan will always try and cloud this issue however if we listen to God and follow his commandments we will always know peace and true happiness that only the righteous can enjoy.  Until tomorrow.

God is Ever Mindful of Us

Today I read Job 25 and 26 where Job's friend states that man is lower than a worm and then Job talks about all the virtues of God.  As I was reading these chapters I could not help but think of how in the Dark Ages people thought they had to suffer like Jesus did in order to be righteous.  They don't understand that to God, we are his children.  If a parent takes on a burden so that his/her children don't have to, that same parent does not expect that same child to suffer anyway.  In fact it may cause that parent extreme sadness because his/her efforts to spare the child were in vain because the child suffered anyway.  God loves us, we are His most precious creation and He wants us to be happy.  Lehi taught us that in the book of 2 Nephi chapter 2 verse 25.  We are created in God's own image and as such we are special to Him.  He loves us and is ever mindful of us as Jesus taught when He was here on the Earth.  All we have to do is follow His commandments and do as He asks of us.  Until tomorrow.

The Wicked Are Unpunished for a Season

Today I read Job 24.  I often wonder when I read these chapters, especially Job, if the people of the day actually talked like that.  They have already made their point and now are just belaboring it.  This chapter talks all about how the wicked go unpunished for a little while before they are brought low, something that has already been said more than once and already.  Job's friends remind me of people who really enjoy hearing themselves talk and so go on and on when they have already made their point.  In that spirit, to keep myself out of that category, I will end here, since we too have already made that point more than once.  Until tomorrow.

Job Knows His Life is Acceptable to God

Today I read Job 23 where Job talks about God and how he has followed all of God's commandments and that he has kept God's ways.  What a wonderful sense of peace that must be for him!  To know that you are clean before God and He is pleased with your life.  It is a joy that we all can know each and every day.  When God sends us the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion, then we know that our life is acceptable to Him.  We can also know our life is worthy in His sight by living the commandments to their fullest, and not just the ones we want to follow.  Several people in this day and age have fallen into Satan's trap that all is well in Zion and that God will save us in the end regardless of how we live our lives and what we do, as Nephi of old foresaw.  Satan is carefully leading this world down to hell by convincing us that anything we choose to do is not a sin.  We must not buy into so false logic as Jesus Himself taught us when He was here on the earth that there are certain thing we must do to return to Heaven, such as being baptized.  We must live our lives in a certain way if we expect to return to live with God one day.  Until tomorrow.

God Delights in Righteousness

Today I read Job 22 where his friends continue to insist he is unrighteous.  However, one of them shows the total ignorance of the nature of God right from the start in his questions to Job.  He asks Job if God finds any pleasure in the fact that Job is righteous.  The answer is absolutely He does.  The fact that this man would even ask such a question calls into question his understanding of God and that plan of salvation.  We learn in the Book of Mormon that God delights in the chastity of women.  He does delight in His children's righteousness.  He likes it when we are like He is, just like our parents looked on in joy as we were growing up and we made wise choices.  Heavenly Father absolutely enjoys us being righteous.  If you need proof, just think about how you feel when you do what is right.  You feel happy and content.  Now compare that to the guilty feeling you get when you do something wrong.  It seems so obvious to me that the idea of even asking such a silly question is, well silly.  As with anything relating to God, all you have to do is try it out and you will find the truth.  Until tomorrow.

There is No Hiding From the Judgements of God

Today I read Job 21 which continues along the thought process of the wicked having success in this life.  Job acknowledges that the wicked will sometimes prosper in this life but just like we talked about yesterday, he says that God is just and the wicked will have their final punishment.  This life is unfair a lot of times and it may seem like what you sow is not always what you reap, however in the eternal scheme of things, what we sow is in fact what we reap.  If our works are works of righteousness and we do what is right, what is asked of us by our Heavenly Father, then we will have eternal rewards.  However, if we do that which we shouldn't and do things that make our Heavenly Father not be able to tolerate our presence, then when we finally meet Him on the other side again, we will be ashamed and like Alma the Younger, we will wish we could cease to exist and that the very rocks of the earth would hide our presence from Him.  But we all must stand before Him and be judged for what we did in this life, none can escape His righteous judgements.  Until tomorrow.

The Wicked Have Joy for a Moment

Today I read Job 20 where Zophar talks about the life of the wicked.  He talks about how the wicked may have joy or triumph as he calls it for a moment.  And while this may not seem like the case for those who do not do that which is right in this life, if we remember that this life is but a fleeting moment in our lives, as we too are without beginning and without end, we will live forever and never die after this life is over.  So if we are wicked, our triumph will seem short indeed compared to the eternal glory of the righteous.  We will rue the day we did not follow the commandments when we realize what reward could have been ours and we sold it for a fleeting moment of wickedness.  Joy for a moment indeed.  Until tomorrow.

Job Knows His Redeemer

Today I read Job 19 where Job shares his testimony with his friends.  He states that all his friends, servants and even his wife have forsaken him, however he knows that his Redeemer has NOT forsaken him and knows that even though he dies, he will be resurrected in the end and will stand before God accountable for what he has done.  This scripture should be very familiar to all seminary students as it is a scripture mastery.  It also shows that even before Christ came, those who understood the scriptures knew about the resurrection.  It was only in the time of Jesus that people seemed to forget what he was there to do.  From the beginning, starting with Adam, those who searched the scriptures understood the true mission of Jesus and how we all fit into it.  Job knew that Jesus was coming to Redeem us from our sins and to overcome death.  His testimony in this chapter shows us that.  It's amazing to me that people seemed to believe better before Christ came and performed the Atonement than they do now, when we have hundreds of witnesses showing us that it is true.  Some people just won't believe until they see it with their own eyes.  Until tomorrow.

Job's Friends Still Don't Believe Him

Today I read Job 18 where Job's friends tell him all about the horrible plight of the wicked, which is nothing new to anyone who has read the Book of Mormon.  It must have been really hard for Job to even after his declaration of righteousness to have his friends still doubt him.  I could not imagine having such thankless friends.  Like we talked about the other day, it is best to surround oneself with friends that make it easier to live the Gospel, not that drag you down.  Poor Job.  Until tomorrow.

The Frailty of Life

Today I read Job 17 where Job talks about the frailty of mortality.  Recently I had a friend celebrate their son's first birthday, or it would have been his first birthday but he died at birth.  As my wife and I were talking about it, we realized that we knew several people who recently had lost children at birth or shortly there after due to birth defects.  It make me really marvel at the harshness of life and how things can be hard.  Our bodies are so fragile that any number of things can happen to them.  All it takes is one muscle to be out of alignment and it throws our entire equilibrium out of whack.  And so many things can extinguish this life.  But we don't have to worry about that, because we have our Redeemer who has paid the price for our lives and has given us all the gift of another life after this one.  We owe Him so much!  Until tomorrow.

True Friends Make it Easier to Live the Gospel

Today I read Job 16 where Job finally talks to his friends and tells them that they are not being true friends and if he were in their position he could judge them as well, but he would rather give them comfort and not judge them, as true friends should do.  Job understands that true friends are meant to uplift one another, not drag them down.  We are supposed to help one another and as true friends we are to help each other and make it easier to live the Gospel, not harder.  That is the measuring stick by which we should judge all potential friends.  That is how I knew I had found my wife, when I met her it was so easy to be righteous and live the Gospel.  That was how I knew she was a woman I could marry.  That should be how we judge others, not on what kind of trials they have and whether they are righteous or not.  Until tomorrow.

Job's Friends Continue to Insist He is Wicked

Today I read Job 15 and I have to wonder if these men really talked like this?  I mean it's almost like reading a poem and I'm not sure if I was hearing it live and in person if I could take it seriously.  That aside, one of Job's friends, Eliphaz this time, again proceeds to tell Job how his punishments are just and he is not greater than God and spends a lot of time talking about mankind in general and how he is wicked.  He also goes as far as to call Job crafty and imply that he is bold face lying.  Again I just have to wonder what kind of friends are these that Job surrounds himself with.  It is interesting how they think they are so learned and that God only does certain things to the wicked.  But it is all things we have already explored since we started reading Job so here I will end for today.  Until tomorrow.

If a Man Dies, Will He Live Again?

Today I read Job 14 where Job asks the question that most people ask themselves at some point in their lives, "if a man die, shall he live again?".  Mankind has almost always feared death and what it brings.  I don't imagine Adam and Eve feared death because they understood the Atonement and had a perfect understanding of God and Jesus Christ because they had talked to them in person.  But at some point, perhaps even with their children, man has wondered what happens after we die.  Even if you have faith in Jesus Christ and the Atonement, it can be hard for some people to believe perfectly that we will be raised up again after we die.  But we have faith and we know that God cannot lie and He has decreed it, so it MUST be true.  That is a very comforting thought and one that keeps me going when I lose friends and family members and makes me very happy when I think about the fact that even in death my wife and I will be together.  Until tomorrow.

Job Asks God to Let Him Know His Sins

Today I read Job 13 where Job finally tells off his friends.  He tells them to be quiet and they will be counted wise.  This is because his friends, as we already know, have been accusing him of being wicked when Job knows he is righteous.  However, he pleads with God to tell him his iniquities.  Job knows that while he may not have committed any sins that he knows about, he may still have done something wrong for which he is being punished.  And he wants to make sure that if that is the case, he can be told what it is so that he can make himself right with the Lord.  And who among us would not do the same thing?  If we thought maybe we had sinned but didn't know in what regard, wouldn't we ask God to make known unto us our transgression so that we could make it right?  I sure would.  We really can learn a lot from Job, not just patience, but how to handle obnoxious friends and ensure your standing before the Lord!  Until tomorrow.

The Wicked Seem to Prosper in this Life

Today I read Job 12 where Job raises a question that plagues many people.  He states that the wicked will prosper in this life.  This is true and it causes a lot of people to question God and His methods, or even question if He exists at all.  The simple matter is though that God will judge us based on our deeds in this life, be they good or evil.  What He may or may not do, is punish us in this life.  I have noticed in my reading of the Old Testament that God seemed to take a much more personal hand in things in the days before the Savior was born.  Now it is much harder to see God's hand in things but it is still there if you look.  Some struggle with the idea that those who are wicked seem to prosper in this life while the righteous don't or suffer.  This is sometimes true but we can always have comfort in the fact that in the end, there will be justice.  God will give righteous judgments and will reward the righteous and punish the wicked, it just won't always be in this life.  Until tomorrow.

Zophar Accuses Job of Being a Sinner

Today I read Job 11 where one of Job's friends, Zophar, tries to convince Job that he is in the wrong.  He goes as far as to say he wishes that God would speak right then and there and prove Job a sinner.  Job really does have a lot of patience because if that had been me, and my friend said that to me after I had just lost everything I owned including my children, I'm not sure I would have been very polite about removing such a "friend" from my presence.  But Job is known for his patience and for good reason, he does not get upset with his friends and keeps his cool no matter what happens to him.  Perhaps it is the knowledge that he has done nothing wrong that bolsters him up.  Whatever it is, the rest of us could learn a lot from him.  Until tomorrow.

Job Continues to Bemoan His Fate

Today I read Job 10 where Job is still upset as his lot in life, which is understandable as we have said before.  When we are in the middle of a trial it is very hard to keep proper perspective and understand that we will grow from it.  That is because trials are meant to be hard.  If they were easy to overcome, we would not grow and would not turn to God to get through them.  In that sense, Job is not doing a very good job of enduring this trial.  He is still saying it would have been better if he had not been born.  Now I have never had a trial like Job's so it is easy to look from the outside in and say that Job should be handling this better, but we each of us do not know how we will handle things unless we are given that trial ourselves.  Our trials are meant for each of us and not for anyone else.  What is a trial for us, might be very easy for someone else, that is why they are our trials.  Good thing for Job, after a little while he will perk up and handle his trial alright.  Until tomorrow.

Job Admits God is Just

Today I read Job 9 where Job admits that God is indeed just.  This is one of those chapters in Job that I am a little unclear on.  I personally think that Job is arguing this point to show that God is just and does not pick on people, He does not punish the righteous.  On the surface that seems to indicate that Job did something to bring down God's wrath on himself.  That is part of what confuses me about Job's statement.  He seems to be arguing that God is punishing him for a purpose.  Now we have already talked about how God give us trials and doesn't just punish people for the heck of it.  And Job's case is a strange case.  It is almost like Abraham's trial.  Job was required to give everything he had and still remain faithful.  Fortunately Job did in fact stay faithful and gave us a good example for all of us to follow.  If we could all become like Job, this world would be a better place.  Until tomorrow.

Trials vs. Punishments

Today I read Job 8 where Job's friend Bildad starts asking questions to Job.  One of the questions that he asks Job that made me think was "Doth God pervert Judgment".  The reason Bildad is asking this question though is to make his point that God doesn't punish the righteous, or in other words, Job has done something to deserve this.  However, we all know that trials are not a punishment.  It seems Bildad needs to learn this however, because he does not understand this point.  He thinks that all of Job's calamities are because he has offended God and done something wrong.  Judgment is God's domain, not ours and so it is not our place to judge whether or not the reason a person has trials is due to their own actions.  We don't know the reasons, unless it is something really obvious, like contracting AIDS after living a promiscuous lifestyle.  But even then, final judgement is God's and God's alone, not our responsibility.  Our job is to mourn with those that mourn.  If Job's friends really understood the Gospel, they would be sad with him, not blame him for what is happening to him.  Until tomorrow.

Job Wonders What is Man

Today I read Job 7 which reminds me a lot of Moses 1.  Job asks in this chapter "what is man".  Moses asked what was man that though art mindful of him after seeing the glory of all creation.  Sometimes when seeing all of creation even just on this planet, it is easy to wonder why God takes notice of us.  However, it is not that difficult to understand why.  Think on your own children, there are dozens of distractions in this life and lots of things we can be proud of that we made from scratch, but our children carry a unique place in our heart that never goes away.  No matter how special things in this life are, they are no comparison to our children, and God feels the exact same way about us.  We are His greatest creation.  By His own mouth, we are His glory.  It is no wonder that He is mindful of us and wants us to be happy.  Until tomorrow.

Job Longs for Death

Today I read Job 6 where Job states he wishes God would just let him die, or cut him off as he puts it.  I can understand his grief.  I have not lost any children, but I have lost friends and loved ones to the cold merciless grave.  Even having a knowledge of the Atonement, that we will one day live again and be together, is little comfort in the moment of grief when we bemoan our fate and our loss.  The knowledge of the resurrection gives peace and lasting comfort, but the pain of loss here and now is immediate and never quite fades away.  Humans are very good at feeling sorry for themselves.  It is a trap very easy to fall into, but we do in fact need to look forward to that ultimate victory over death, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and make sure we keep things in perspective.  Until tomorrow.

Man is Born into Trouble

Today I read Job 5 where Job's friends state that man is born into trouble.  And truly we are.  Each of us are born into an imperfect world.  Of course we all knew that is what awaited us when we chose God's plan to send us here.  We knew we would be tried and tested and we rejoiced in the opportunity because we would be able to have a physical body.  We had progressed as far as we could in our previous life as spirit children only.  We were more than willing to suffer the consequences of living in an imperfect world for the opportunity to progress further.  The fact that we are here on this earth, shows that we accepted God's plan for us.  So we really have no one to blame but ourselves for our life of imperfectness.  Of course that is very hard to keep in mind when we are in the middle of a trial.  But as I always say, it is all for our own good.  Until tomorrow.

Job's Friends Ask Him Questions

Today I read Job 4 where his friends start to ask him questions.  It must have been very frustrating for Job to not even have his best friends believe him when he says that he has done nothing wrong to deserve God's punishments.  I am getting a little ahead of myself as in this chapter all his friends ask him is the question will a mortal man be more righteous than God?  I personally don't understand why his friends would ask him such a question.  I don't think that Job was elevating himself above the level of God.  I think rather that Job was lamenting his loses and who wouldn't in his circumstances.  I mean he lost all of his children.  I would have a hard time remaining good and faithful if I lost all of my children also.  And then to top it off his friends come to "cheer him up".  Poor Job has insult piled on top of injury.  But Job keeps his testimony, as we all should during times of crisis.  Until tomorrow.

Job Feels Sorry for Himself

Today I read Job 3 where the natural man rears his head for a little while.  I can sympathize with Job so easily, it is so easy in the midst of trials to bemoan our fate and to say things like what Job is saying in this chapter.  I could not even imagine such a trial as Job was put through, he lost all of his children, all his earthly possessions which he most likely spent years acquiring.  And now his wife is telling him to curse God and die.  I could easily see someone in this position wonder why God did not just kill him in infancy or in the womb. It would be so easy to fall into despair and bemoan your fate.  I can't really blame Job for not having perspective all the time, it would not be easy to lose all of that and still keep calm and say the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  I know I could not do it.  Until tomorrow.

Job Loses His Health and Teaches His Wife about Trials

Today I read Job 2 where the Lord brags to Satan how Job is still true and faithful to God even after losing all of his family and worldly possessions.  Satan replies that if Job loses his health he will curse God.  So God allows Satan to take his health but not to kill him.  I have often wondered about Job's friends and his wife.  They are a good example of the old saying "with friends like these, who needs enemies".  His wife in this chapter tells Job that he should just curse God and die.  She clearly did not understand the true nature of God.  Job takes the time to educate her that God doesn't just give us good things, He allows us to be tried and to be tested. 

Job understands that just because he has done nothing wrong, does not exempt him from trials.  Quite honestly, when we are righteous, that is when we can expect more trials than normal.  Trials come in 2 flavors, those that are caused by our own actions, such as if we use drugs, then we will have poor health.  The other kind of trial is when we are doing what is right and we need to grow.  That is when God will step in and give us a trial to help make us even more righteous, to help us grow closer to God.  Job understands this, although as we will see in the coming chapters his friends clearly don't.  But just because you have a trial does NOT mean you have done something wrong.  Keep that in mind for a happier life.  Until tomorrow.

Job Loses His Family

Today I read Job 1.  I have always been intrigued by the book of Job.  No one can really agree if it is real or a story meant to prove a point.  In this chapter God gives Satan permission to take away the blessings that Job has enjoyed.  The reason Satan is given permission is because Satan believes that Job is only loyal to God because of his blessings.  Satan maintained that if Job lost everything he would curse and blame God.  I think a lot of people would in fact of done just as Satan predicted would happen.  Job however, did not curse or blame God.  He merely got upset and said that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  I have to be honest I'm not sure that would be my response if I lost all of my children and all of my fortune in the same afternoon.  I'm not sure I would curse God either, but I don't think I would be so calm as to say something like "Oh well them's the breaks I guess".  But Job is certainly a good example of a faithful servant and understands that just because someone is good and obeys the commandments it does not stop them from having trials.  Trials help us grow, even the really, really challenging ones.  Until tomorrow.

Mordecai is Made Second in Command of Persia

Today I read Esther 10 where Mordecai is put as second in command of Persia.  He reminds me a lot of Joseph who was sold into Egypt.  After interpreting the dreams of the Pharaoh, Joseph was put in charge of all of Egypt except the Pharaoh himself.  Just like his ancestor, Mordecai was put in charge of all of Persia except for the king.  We are not told how much good Mordecai was able to do as Persia's second in command.  But I will wager that he did much good in the name of God for his fellow Jews.  By small and simple things the Lord brings about his purposes.  It is a wonderful thing to be an instrument in the hands of God, it is something I wish more people could experience.  Knowing that what you are doing is the Lord's work is a great feeling!  Until tomorrow.

The Jews Slay Haman's Sons

Today I read Esther 9 where the Jews rise up against their enemies and have a day of celebration.  Part of the problem I have with this chapter is that the Jews kill Haman's sons, for the simple reason that they are his sons.  There may be more to it, but we are not told.  I really don't like how in the Old Testament people seemed to have this gangster mentality that if you did something wrong, not only will you be killed, but your whole family will die also.  Perhaps that is where gangsters got the idea from?  I don't know but to me it is barbaric that because their father tried to kill the Jews, and was slain for it, Haman's sons are killed.  Perhaps they were in on the plot and were co-conspirators, I really don't know, but the way the chapter is written, it makes it sound like they found his sons, and just killed them for the simple crime of being his sons.  I have a real problem with that and with the idea that God would punish the son for the sins of the father.  So either the Jews were in the wrong, or there is more to it.  Until tomorrow.

Esther Saves the Jews

Today I read Esther 8 where the king makes a new decree safeguarding the Jews.  If this king never does another noteworthy thing in his life, he has secured for himself blessings in heaven.  I can certainly understand his feelings however, if I were in a position of power and learned that someone was trying to kill my wife and/or her family, I'm not sure I would take it nearly as calmly as this king appears to be doing.  Of course I am a passionate man and sometimes let my feelings run away with me.  This king does a great job of keeping his head, finding out what is needed and then doing it.  As all great leaders should do.  And because he saved the Lord's people, I am positive that he will be blessed for it.  Until tomorrow.

Esther Reveals Haman's Treachery

Today I read Esther 7 where Esther reveals that Haman's plot will slay her, her cousin Mordecai, and all the Jews.  Fortunately for the Jews the king loves Esther and believes her and has Haman slain on the very gallows that Haman had built to kill Mordecai on.  Justice was served.  This story indeed has a happy ending, however, not the Lord will not step in every time to save the righteous.  I turn to the sad example of Amonihah in the Book of Mormon.  There were righteous in that city and yet the wicked were allowed to kill them in front of Alma and Amulek.  Alma stated it was for a testimony against the wicked and so it was.  There are times when the wicked are allowed to carry out their evil designs and slay the righteous and then there are times that they are not allowed and the righteous are spared.  I am quite certain that the Jews, Mordecai and Esther were grateful this is one of the latter times.  We must each of us accept the will of the Father and do that which is right in His sight.  We are all called to suffer trials however and must endure them with faith and humility.  Even the greatest who ever walked this earth was called upon to suffer the worst pains, sickness, loneliness and every other horrible human emotion there is and He did it with perfect faith and humility, as an example to us.  Can we do anything but emulate Him in order to be profitable servants?  Until tomorrow.

Mordecai is Rewarded for Saving the King's Life

Today I read Esther 6 which has got to be one of the most funny chapters in all of scriptures!  In this chapter the King is reminded that Mordecai saved his life, but that nothing has been done to reward him.  So the king summons Haman and asks Haman how he, the king, should reward a man that had done him a great service.  Haman, stupidly, thinks that the king means himself and so comes up with the most lavish thing he can think of, dress the man in the kings own clothes, let him ride the kings own horse, and let one of the kings most trusted men guide the horse through the city proclaiming how pleased the king is with this man.  The king agrees and tells Haman to do all that he just said to the guard Mordecai and he himself, Haman, should be the one to proclaim his deeds.

This chapter makes me laugh every time I read it and convinces me that God has a sense of humor.  I mean, of all the things or ways that Haman could be forced to swallow his own pride, this way is the absolute best!  To have to parade Mordecai through the city telling everyone what a great man he is, is absolutely perfect!  All I can say is, don't mess with those that God favor.  You won't like the results.  Until tomorrow.

Esther Feeds the King and Haman

Today I read Esther 5 where Esther goes to the king and finds favor in his sight, or in other words, he does not kill her for showing up unannounced.  Esther invites the king and Haman to her house for a banquet, so that she can tell the king what Haman is planning.  However, for reasons not explained she instead invites the king to another banquet the following night.  Now, for most people, the fact that the queen had invited him over to dinner would be enough, but not for Haman.  I have a really hard time picturing these characters from the Book of Mormon and the Bible who are so set on murder and are literally so sad that there are people who do not bow down to them.  And so they decide to commit murder.  It's disgusting really.  As I have said before, I can't even warp my mind around the concept of killing someone, let alone killing someone because you feel they disrespected you.  It's ridiculous and yet some people are still acting this way in this day and age.  If we instead focused on pleasing God, not only will be feel happier, but it will be a better world.  Until tomorrow.

Standing Up for What is Right in the Lord's Way

Today I read Esther 4 where Mordecai hears about what Haman is planning for the Jews.  Obviously being distraught, he goes to Esther and tells her what is happening and asks her to go before the king.  Esther is very reluctant because the king of Persia had one of the most ridiculous rules I have ever heard of, you could not come into his presence unless he sent for you.  Talk about a man who loves his privacy!  So it is very natural that Esther is scared to approach the king about this matter, especially considering Haman is in the kings good graces.  But Mordecai reminds her that her life is not worth more than the entirety of the Jews.  It reminded me of the covenant we all make at Baptism.  To stand as a witness for God in all times and in all places.  The covenant doesn't ask you to only do it when it is convenient for you, to only do it when times are good and easy.  We promised to do it at all times, no matter what. 

Currently we each of us, who live in the United States, have an opportunity to stand for what is right.  The United States Supreme Court is debating whether or not to allow homo-sexual marriages.  As Latter-day Saints, we understand that marriage is only between a man and a woman as decreed by God.  Satan has done a really good job of convincing the people of the USA that in order to love and accept all men and women no matter what, we have to accept what they do.  That is categorically false!  We can love the sinner, but hate the sin.  When Jesus was on the earth, He would tell people to "sin no more".  He loved everyone, but was very firm in His commands that some people need to change their life style.  I have several friends, male and female, who are more attracted to members of their own sex than the opposite sex.  I love them and carry on friendships with them, but I do in fact consider their choice of lifestyle to be wrong.  And let's be clear that while they may be attracted to members of their own gender because of biologics or whatever reason, it is their choice to act on it.  I may be attracted to pictures of naked women, but it is my choice to indulge that attraction or not.  Likewise they can choose to indulge it or not. 

Now, standing up for what is right, especially in this situation, is not a matter of condemning those who do not believe as you do, or as God has commanded.  Rather if the situation comes up, we are to point out God's way, and that we agree and follow God's way.  Nothing the Supreme Court will decide in these next few days, perhaps weeks or months, will change that God has condemned ALL sexual relations except those between a lawfully married man and woman, man and wife.  And if God is against it, I promise you that if we want to be in God's good graces, we need to also be against it.

I cannot stress enough that the question of whether or not two men, or two women, should be allowed to marry is not a question of civil liberties.  It is not discrimination.  It is a question of what is right.  God has always had a stance on those who have sexual relations with those of their same gender, and it is not a kind one.  I have heard many of my friends who indulge in homosexual relations state that they feel God is OK with them and I just smile and keep my comments to myself.  I don't have the heart to tell them that they are dead wrong.  God of course loves them and wants them to be happy and so if they choose to sin and be happy in their sin, God IS OK with their decision, but I promise you it breaks His heart and makes Him sad, because that is 2 sons, or 2 daughters, that will not be coming back into His presence.  It is, again, no different from the heterosexual male, or female, who chooses to look, listen or other wise view pornography.  Such a man, or woman, will not be allowed back into God's presence until, if, they decide to get rid of such a habit, which may in fact require lots of help from God and the Savior's Atonement. 

Satan has done a great job of making those who love the sinner and hate the sin look like bigots and intolerant heathens.  This is not the case, for most of us.  Some of those opposed to same sex marriage ARE bigots and intolerant heathens, but I think the majority of them are just those trying to follow the will of God to the best of their ability.  Those who actively practice a same sex relationship, just like those who get abortions for reasons other than abuse, or the life of the mother is in danger, are not allowed into the temple of God.  This should spell out very clearly to those Latter-day Saints who might be on the fence about either of these two topics where the Lord stands on them.  Yes there are those leaders in the LDS community that might abuse their power and forbid entry into the temple for unrighteous reasons, but the Lord takes His temple and the entry into it, VERY seriously.  The handbook outlining the procedures for the temple are written by the Quorum of the Twelve, the First Presidency and those that they have chosen to help them through revelation of God.  In short, God wrote them and gave the leaders of this church on the earth those rules and regulations.  This is not a thing of man, but rather a thing of God.  His will, WILL be done.  We can either be on the right side or it, or the wrong side of it.  The choice is ours to make. 

I make no apologies for anything I have written above.  They are the words of God and I am sorry if any choose to take offense at them, again, another choice we can all make, to be offended or not.  God has always been clear on His stance on this subject and so we need to decide if we will align ourselves to His will, or try and force Him to our will.  If you choose the latter, I promise you will fail.  Satan will fall, all his efforts will come to nothing.  While you may not regret your choice in how you handled these times and may still feel you are right, when the time comes that all is revealed, God will let us all know that His thoughts and desires on this subject have not changed.  There are certain things that are SO important that God has not left them ambiguous in the slightest, ever.  One of them is sexual relations and the creation of life.  God cares greatly how people enter into this world, and how they leave it.  And the procreative powers of our bodies are sacred and should be handled as such, and one more time, should only be used in the confines of marriage between a man and a woman, ONLY.  If that ever changes, God will let us know.  And until He does that, I don't care what names you call me, label me, or do to me, my feelings and thoughts are in line with His.  I choose God over Mammon.  Jesus Christ lives.  Our Father in Heaven lives and He is very concerned with what happens in this life.  True happiness is only found in keeping His commandments and if you want to know what those are, well He has written a couple of very famous books I would invite you to read and every six months His prophet on the earth, currently President Thomas S. Monson, speaks to the world and reveals His will to us.  I love Him, He is my Father and Jesus is my elder brother and they, and ONLY they, know the way to true and everlasting happiness.  I follow them and no other!  Until tomorrow.

Haman Plots to Kill the Jews

Today I read Esther 3 which introduces us to one of the most evil men in all the scriptures, Haman.  Haman is the king's right hand man and for no reason other than he hates the Jews and Mordecai in particular, conspires to kill them all.  I have a hard time wrapping my head around wanting kill a single person I could not even imagine wanting to kill an entire race of people, but that is what Haman is conspiring to do and again, for no reason other than the guard Mordecai does not show him the respect he thinks he deserves.  I would certainly hate to be him on Judgment day.  Until tomorrow.

Esther is Chosen to be Queen

Today I read Esther 2 where Esther is chosen to be the new queen of Persia.  This is also the chapter where her cousin, Mordecai who has raised her from her childhood, exposes a plot to kill the king and he prevents him from being killed with the aid of Esther.  I have to say that as I was reading this particular chapter, I could not help but think about the Veggie Tales version of the story of Esther.  My daughter is 2 years old and so we watch a lot of Veggie Tales in our house and this one is particularly interesting and gives some unique spins on the story.  However, despite the comicalness of Veggie Tales, these were real people and the story of Esther is a powerful one as we will learn soon when we read the rest of it.  Until tomorrow.

The Queen of Persia is Put Away

Today I read Esther 1 where the king commands his queen to come appear before him during a party.  The queen refuses to come out and because of the kings wisemen, he decides to find a new queen.  The wisemen told the king that when the story of the queen not coming before the king, all the women of Persia will start refusing their husbands.  Honestly it is a pretty ridiculous notion and I have to wonder if God had something to do with it in order to protect His people through Esther.  I'm sure I will find out someday.  But we all know that God's ways are not man's ways and that He does things in His own way and in His own time.  We cannot force God to do anything on our timetable but I can assure you that if your goals are righteous, He will help you meet them.  Until tomorrow.

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

Today I rad Nehemiah 11 - 13 where Nehemiah teaches the people to keep the Sabbath day holy.  This has always been such a controversial topic in the church, some think that some activities are acceptable while others are not.  I have always thought that oir activities on the Sabbath day should lead us to the Savior, that is why prophets have counseled us to visit the sick, write to missionaries, do your home or visiting teaching and attend church meetings.  As a personal covenant with God I have never worked on the Sabbath.  Unfortunately at this point in my life with the job I have, I have been asked to work on the Sabbath.  This was really hard for me and caused me much anguish of soul and much prayer.  After much prayer I felt that the Lord had a plan for me and that I should stay with this job and so I have.  I don't know why I am supposed to work on Sundays at this time, but I know for a fact that it is the will of the Lord and so I follow His plan for me until I can keep the Sabbath Day Holy in the way I desire again.  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites Covenant to Obey God

Today I read Nehemiah 10 where the Jews and Nehemiah make covenants with God to follow His commandments.  They also covenant with God that they will not marry outside of the covenant people, or the Jews themselves, and that they will pay tithing.  Tithing is an interesting law.  I have never had a problem with paying tithing.  As a matter of fact, when I was a missionary and later as a college student with no income, I missed paying tithing.  I felt great satisfaction and something akin to relief when I was able to pay tithing once more because I had monetary income.  These days  I don't really think about paying tithing anymore, it is something that is so ingrained into my being that the first thing we do each Sunday after payday is write the check for tithing and take it to church with us.  I can't wait until my daughter is old enough for us to start teaching her about tithing!  Until tomorrow.

Nehemiah Prays for Israel

Today I read Nehemiah 9 where Nehemiah offers a great prayer to Heavenly Father.  It always makes me wonder when I see a prayer recorded in the scriptures.  Prayer with Heavenly Father is such a private thing that to make it public like that is very strange to me.  And it is not a temple dedication like we have in the Doctrine and Covenants, but rather just a prayer that Nehemiah offers on behalf of the children of Israel.  I'm not sure I would remember giving a prayer like that for one thing or comfortable having it recorded in the scriptures for all generations to see like that.  I think for me I will keep my prayers private.  Until tomorrow.

In Order to Keep the Commandments, We have to Know What They Are

Today I read Nehemiah 7 and 8.  Chapter 7 is mostly the genealogy of those who came to rebuild Jerusalem.  Chapter 8 however is where Ezra reads the Law of Moses to the people and educates them on the sacrifices and ordinances that are required of them.  It reminds me of Nephi and his father Lehi.  When they left and went into the wilderness they had to go back and get the brass plates because they knew if they did not have them, their descendants could not obey the law, because they would not have it.  Likewise Nehemiah and Ezra are making sure that the people know what the Lord expects of them and what they need to do in order to please Him.  Joseph Smith taught that it is impossible to please God without a proper understanding of His character.  When we have that, we can have perfect faith in Him and can please Him by obeying His commandments.  But we have to first know what they are.  And that is what Ezra did for his people.  Until tomorrow.

"I Am Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down"

Today I read Nehemiah 6 which has long been one of my favorite chapters of the Old Testament.  The reason I like it so much is because it gives us a great example to follow.  The enemies of the Jews sought to make mischief and so they tried to lure Nehemiah out of the city under false pretenses.  Nehemiah's response is a perfect response for all of us to follow.  He tells the messenger that he is doing a great work and cannot come down.  In other words, he gives the exact same response that the Savior Himself gives later on in history, "I am about my Father's business". 

This is the exact same attitude that all of us should have.  We need to be focused on our Father's work and not get distracted by the things that are around us.  This life is full of distractions.  If we want to have an eye single to His glory, then we need to make sure that His priorities are our priorities.  We need to be about His business.  And when the challenges of life come our way, we need to say like Nehemiah did, that we are doing a great work and cannot come down.  If we were to always follow this principle, then we have nothing to fear from Satan and those that follow him.  We will always be safe.  Until tomorrow.

Nehemiah Speaks Out Againt Jews Holding Other Jews in Servitude

Today I read Nehemiah 5 where some of the Jews are in bondage to other Jews.  This to me is absolutely reprehensible.  To hold another human being in bondage, I don't understand how anyone who even half way professes a belief in Christ can engage in such behavior.  The idea of holding another human in servitude or even outright slavery is cruel and evil in the extreme.  It is akin to rape in my mind.  To take away someone's freedom like that is exactly what Satan wanted to do to us and why he was cast out of God's presence and denied a body in the first place.  Well he was actually cast out for rebellion and because he wanted to take the glory of God for himself, but the reason for the rebellion is because he wanted to take away the agency of man, exactly what happens during a rape or being a slave.  This topic is so reprehensible to me I don't even want to discuss it any further.  Until tomorrow.

The Correct Way of Tolerance

Today I read Nehemiah 3 and 4.  It is so interesting to me the various tactics that Satan will use to frustrate the work of God.  In Nehemiah's time he caused the enemies of God to rise up and try and slay the workers of Nehemiah to kill them and to stop the work that way.  In our day and age Satan has tried a much more subtle approach, a misguided interpretation of tolerance.  Satan has convinced good people that the right and correct thing to do is not to stand up for what is right, but rather to accept those who see things differently than us and to let them do what they feel is right.

This is a falsehood perpetuated by Satan to frustrate the work of Heavenly Father.  As God has told His people all throughout time, there are certain things that are correct and right.  For example marriage is between a man and a woman, no other way is acceptable in God's eyes.  Satan however has worked hard these past 30 years to the point now that most people think it is acceptable to have marriage between two men or two women.  This is false and an abomination in the eyes of God.  If you ever want to know if tolerance about a subject is of God, just pray.  I promise you that He will tell you.  However, a good measuring stick to use is to ask yourself if the act or principle in question is in line with God's commandments.  If it is, then it is good to have tolerance.  If it is not, then it is of Satan.  Let God be your guide.  Until tomorrow.

Nehemiah Returns to Jersualem

Today I read Nehemiah 2 where he is given permission from his king, Artaxerxes to return and rebuilt Jerusalem.  As I was reading this I could not help but think what a huge gesture this would be for a monarch of any nation to do.  I mean here is a man, who is a conquered foreigner, asking for permission to not only leave the kingdom, but to rebuild a city that the monarch's ancestors conquered, destroyed and carried away captive all the people.  That would kind of be like in America's history after the Trail of Tears happened, some of the American Indians asking the government if they could go back to their homeland and rebuild their tribe there.  Could you imagine the government ever granting such a request?

And yet the kings of Persia did!  They had to have had their hearts softened by the Lord.  I can think of no other explanation for what happened.  And so Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, not only allowed to rebuild the city, but with letters to men who control resources in the area stating that they are to help Nehemiah in any way he needs.  Simply incredible!  But the Lord really wanted the temple built in Jerusalem so He softened the kings of Persia's hearts.  It truly is amazing what the Lord can accomplish!  Until tomorrow.

Nehemiah Prays for His People

Today I read Nehemiah 1 which reminds me a lot of the Lamentation of Nephi.  This chapter is a prayer that Nehemiah offers to God in regards to his people and his own sins.  It also reminds me of the prayer of Nephi that he offered on the garden tower in the book of Helaman for the corruptness of his people.  Like Nephi, Nehemiah knows the sins of his people and he makes no excuses for it.  He wants forgiveness for his people, just like Enos, and is offering up his heartfelt prayer for such a thing to happen.  This is true love, charity, for another human being being displayed in this chapter.  The pure love of Christ.  Until tomorrow.

Date the Right People so You will Marry the Right Person

Today I read Ezra 10 where the people of the Jews take Ezra's correction to heart and put away their wives who are out of the covenant.  Now I do not know how Heavenly Father feels about such things but I personally think that once you are married, you should stay married.  Unless the marriage is abusive or otherwise harmful, I think that it is better to stay married, especially if there are children involved.  You have made a commitment to your spouse and you should honor it. 

However, maybe Heavenly Father was more pleased with them putting away the women who were not in the covenant.  I am really not sure and suppose I will find out one day.  I am very sure though that Heavenly Father probably was pleased to see His people repent for taking the women as wives in the first place.  Heavenly Father delights in those who keep the commandments, we know that for a fact.  My advice is just date the right people to begin with and then you will fall in love with the right people and it won't be an issue.  Until tomorrow.

Jews Marry Outside of the Covenant

Today I read Ezra 8 and 9 where the names of those who had gone down to Jerusalem are listed.  In chapter 9 the Jews start to marry outside of the covenant.  This is the equivalent of not marrying someone of your own faith in our modern day and age.  This can be a really big challenge when you are trying to merge a family together. 

I once dated a girl in college who while she believed in God, was not a member of the Latter-day Saint faith and it caused several arguments and problems.  Just for example, she could not wrap her mind around the idea of praying to Heavenly Father and asking His advice on something like dating or marriage.  She felt that was a personal choice that should be made and that making it a matter of prayer was like asking your parents for permission.  No matter how I explained it to her she just could not accept it and even grew quite angry at times about the subject.  From that point on after we eventually broke up, I made the choice to only date Latter-day Saint women because it causes so much of a problem with trying to merge two different cultures together, especially one as fundamental as religion.  So I can imagine Ezra's sadness and frustration at finding his people marrying outside of the chosen people.  It can be very hard on a spiritual leader to see their people made choices like that.  Until tomorrow.  

Ezra Goes to Jerusalem

Today I read Ezra 7 where Ezra is given permission to return to Jerusalem and do what ever he needs to do in order to sacrifice to Heavenly Father.  It is so strange to me that the kings of Persia would be so concerned over God and gods that they don't worship.  It makes me wonder if perhaps they were like the Greeks and the Romans, afraid to offend gods that they didn't know and possibly thereby offend them.  Because every king of Persia that we have read about so far in the book of Ezra is very concerned with making sure the Jews are able to worship their God, the true God, in the proper way.  Perhaps it's just as simple as God stepping in to soften their hearts so that the Jews can build their temple.  I'm not really sure but it is nice to see those who have no reason to be nice to the Jews being so nice.  Until tomorrow.

Darius Allows the Jews to Complete the Temple

Today I read Ezra 6 where Darius tells the Samaritans to leave the Jews alone and let them build their temple.  It is good that Darius took the side of the Jews and ordered those in authority on the site to assist the Jews in any way possible, however it is a little disappointing that it was only after he had reviewed the original degree of king Cyrus.  I'm not sure if Darius was worried about going against the decree of a previous king or what his reasoning was for waiting until after he had reviewed the decree to issue his own.  Whatever his reasoning, he did the right thing and recognized that he was doing the work of God.  Or course not as impressive as if he had done the right thing for the sake of doing that which is righteous, but a good story nonetheless.  Especially considering the kings of Persia were not the most God fearing of individuals.  Until tomorrow.

The Samaritans Try and Halt the Work of the Temple

Today I read Ezra 5 where the Samaritans write a letter to King Darius of Persia  in order to stop the Jews from completing the temple.  Once you read the Old Testament, it's really no surprise that the Jews in the time of Jesus Christ really hate the Samaritans.  I mean here they are they sabotaged the building of the temple, now they are acting like a 5 year old running to tell mom and dad if you will on big brother and what he is doing to get him in trouble.  It's really sad that they could not help the Jews in their efforts and save thousands of years of bad blood between the two cultures.  Until tomorrow.

The Jews are Not Distracted

Today I read Ezra 4 where the enemies of God are trying to frustrate the work of God by trying to sabotage the building of the temple and Jerusalem herself.  But the people of Judah were smart and would not let them assist when they posed as helpful seekers of Heavenly Father.  So the saboteurs wrote instead to the new king of Persia to get them to stop building Jerusalem.  Unfortunately they accomplished their design and production on the temple was halted.  However I have to say that this generation of Jews is much smarter than those of previous generation.  It could be because each of these Jews chose to come back to Jerusalem from Persia to rebuild the temple so they are really committed to doing what is right.  Whatever the reason, they give a good example to follow for us.  When you are committed to the work, don't let anyone distract you.  A good lesson for all of us.  Until tomorrow.

Serve God With All Your Heart

Today I read Ezra 3 where the priests finish building the altar and started offering sacrifices on it.  It is wonderful to read how excited they were to start worshiping their God in the proper way again.  It is always wonderful to see people who want to be doing what is right and what the Lord wants them to be doing.  Here are men who are so excited to be worshiping the Lord in the manner that they see fit that they cannot even wait until the Temple is completed.  What would it feel like to be so excited about keeping the commandments?  I think we should also have the same level of excitement and joy at doing what is right that these men had.  If we did that, we would not need to worry about falling away from the Lord or doing what is wrong in His sight.  We would be so consumed with being righteous we would not have time for anything else.  What profitable servants we could be then!  Until tomorrow.

Jews Allowed to Rebuild the Temple

Today I read Ezra 1 and 2 where Cyrus, the king of Persia, listens to the Lord and is told to allow as many of the Israelites as desire to do so, to return to Jerusalem and build the temple of God again.  The rest of chapter 1 tells how Cyrus gathers the items that Nebuchadnezzar stole from the temple when he sacked Jerusalem.  Chapter 2 lists all the people who heeded the call to return and rebuild the temple of which there were more than 42,000 of them.  I am really impressed by Cyrus, he is truly a man who feared God and wanted to do what he had been told.  I'm sure there were plenty of them throughout history but we don't always get to hear about them, especially in the Bible which focuses primarily on the Hebrews and their struggles throughout the ages.  It is nice to be reminded that not only were there good people in other cultures, but they feared God also.  Until tomorrow.

Jerusalem is Destroyed

Today I read 2 Chronicles 36 which tells the story of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah by Babylon because of the wickedness of the people.  It is sad that an entire kingdom should suffer because of the stubbornness of one man, however, as the Book of Mormon prophet, Alma teaches, a wicked king causes much wickedness to come among his people.  These past few months of reading the 2 book of Kings and Chronicles has shown that whatever kind of person the king is, that is how the people will act also.  If the king follows the Law of Moses then his people will also.  However, if the king is wicked, the people fall right in line with what he is doing then also.  It is really sad to see honestly.  Now we enter a new portion of the Old Testament, the writings of the prophets!  It should be much more enjoyable to read.  Until tomorrow.

Josiah is Killed When He Disobeys God

Today I read 2 Chronicles 35 where the Feast of the Passover is kept by Josiah and his people.  It goes into quite a bit of detail of the feast and then afterwards tells a brief story of Josiah's death.  Josiah was killed because he did not listen to the Lord and he did that which was wrong in His sight.  There was a band of Egytians who were fighting another people and when Josiah came out against him, the king of Egypt sent a message to Josiah stating that he has no quarrel with Judah.  However, Josiah ignored the message and the advice of the prophet and went out to war and was killed by an arrow.  It just goes to show that no one, not even those favored of the Lord, are immune to the consequences of ignoring His will and His warnings.  A hard lesson to learn for some.  Until tomorrow.

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them

Today I read 2 Chronicles 34 which starts the story of King Josiah who started his reign when he was only 8 years old and he loved the Lord.  Not only did he obey the commandments of the Lord, but he also destroyed all the high places, groves and altars to the false gods.  He did that which was right and had his people turn back to the worship of Heavenly Father.  I wonder if the fact that he was so young had anything to do with his being so righteous?  Most young people have a desire to serve God I think.  I think they carry a residual memory of their life with Him if you will.  I have no idea if that is the case, but I know that our daughter who is 2 years old loves to talk about Jesus and see pictures of Jesus.  I have met many people in my life that tell me their children are more interested in going to church than they are.  If only we could be like children and have the desire to do that which is right at all times and to please our Father in Heaven.  But somewhere along the way we lose that.  It's sad really.  Until tomorrow.

Manasseh and Judah Repent

Today I read 2 Chronicles 33 which tells the story of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah who brought idolatry back to Judah.  This is an interesting story because despite the idolatry that he practiced, when push came to shove, when his kingdom was threatened, he repented and served Heavenly Father the rest of his days.  This is a man one can emulate.  We all sin and we all drift away from time to time.  Some of us worse than others, but if we can see the error of our ways and repent of our own volition, and stick with it, then we are better than someone who is righteous their entire life and then falls away never to return.  Like the prodigal son, the reason his story is so significant, is because after he returns to the right way, he stayed the course.  Manasseh served God the rest of his life and stayed righteous even after the danger to his life and his kingdom had passed.  That is the kind of man you want to emulate.  The kind of person we should all strive to be, when we repent, we need to truly repent and forsake the sins we love, and never return to them.  Until tomorrow.

God Protects the People of Judah

Today I read 2 Chronicles 32 which completes the life of Hezekiah.  In this chapter it contains a story where the Lord protected Judah against the kingdom of Assyria.  The King of Assyria was coming to war against the Israelites and was trying to intimidate them by telling them that all the other nations of the world he had fought had fallen and none of their gods were able to stop him.  The humorous part to me however is that in the midst of all of this, king Hezekiah and the prophet, Isaiah, prayed to God and Heavenly Father sent his angel who slew the king of Assyria's generals.  When the defeated king of Assyria returned home, his children killed him.  A very pathetic end for such a warrior king.  But what a testimony for the people of the kingdom of Judah!  The Lord spared them and they did not even have to fight at all.  When we put our trust in Heavenly Father, things are better for us and we will never be let down.  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites Turn to the Lord

Today I read 2 Chronicles 31 where King Hezekiah continues to help his people turn towards the Lord.  It is really neat to read about an entire people getting rid of all the false worship from admist them, almost like cleaning out an infected, or cancerous wound.  It is wonderful that Hezekiah was so able to motivate his people that they all turned back to the Lord with one accord.  I wonder if there were any people who didn't want to turn to the Lord and how that was handled.  I sometimes think it would be easier to force everyone to worship the Lord, but I know that is against the very foundation of what we fought for in the pre-earth life.  If we don't have our agency, or the ability to choose, then everything we stood for is pointless.  The whole point of this life is to choose for ourselves what it is we want, and then seek after it.  So it is really neat to see an entire people doing just that, choosing for themselves to worship Heavenly Father!  Until tomorrow.

The Kind of Leader We Should All Have

Today I read 2 Chronicles 30 where King Hezekiah holds the Feast of the Passover.  The more I read about him, the more I like Hezekiah.  I think I will be quite interested to meet him when I pass over to the other side.  He was a man who truly had the best interest of his people in mind.  When he decided to hold the feast of the passover it was so that his people could grow closer to Heavenly Father and return to the proper practice of following the Law of Moses and keeping the commandments that God wanted them to.  He even prayed that Heavenly Father would forgive those who were not properly cleansed for the feast of the passover and Heavenly Father heard his prayer and pardoned those that did not come properly prepared.  It is really awesome to see a king so devoted to his people, just like King Benjamin.  This is the way that leaders should be, they should be concerned for the welfare of their people, not for their own comfort.  That is the mistake that most people in power today make.  They are more concerned with making money and staying in power as opposed to taking care of those that they have stewardship over.  If every country was a leader like this, there would be no hunger, no poverty and no crime.  It would truly be a paradise.  Until tomorrow.

The Children are More Righteous than their Fathers

Today I read 2 Chronicles 29 which starts the story of King Hezekiah a good and righteous man.  I have wondered this before, but what makes a man desire to be righteous when their father is as wicked as king Ahaz was?  We see the same thing with King Limhi, the son of King Noah, in the Book of Mormon.  Abraham, the son of Terah, forsook almost all of his people and desired the blessings of the priesthood.  These men, and I am sure women that we don't know about, are unique.  They have a testimony and understanding of the truth that their parents did not.  They desire that which is right in the sight of the Lord when those around them want nothing but to sin.  As far as I am aware that is not the most common of traits.  Most people just follow what their parents do.  Although I have noticed that it is becoming more common these days with the spirit of Elijah being here on the earth.  The children are enjoying church and even if their parents don't want to participate, they want to attend church and do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.  It really lends a lot of weight to the idea that God has saved His most valiant and righteous Spirits for these Latter-days.  Until tomorrow.

Ahaz Ruins Himself

Today I read 2 Chronicles 28 which tells the tale of king Ahaz who was, in my opinion, ridiculously stupid.  This man basically offered sacrifice to all the gods of his enemies, every god he could think of, except the true God, Heavenly Father.  His reasoning was that his enemies were triumphant on their military campaigns so maybe if he sacrificed to their gods they would help him.  I guess this man never once bothered to open up the scriptures and read the doings of his own people. 

As I was reading this chapter on this sorry excuse for a king, I couldn't help but wonder something.  It stated in the scriptures that king Ahaz brought back the idolatry that was present when the Israelites first arrived with Joshua and Moses.  So it got me thinking, I wonder just how fast the Israelites would have left their God and the true path of righteousness if they hadn't totally destroyed those civilizations?  Some people, myself included, get bent out of shape when we read those chapters and hear the Lord order Joshua to destroy every man, woman, child and animal of those cities.  And yet, if they hadn't, the Israelites were weak and would have fallen away that much quicker.  The Lord does not delight in bloodshed, there is a reason when He orders and entire civilization destroyed.  And when the Lord orders something done, we should probably align ourselves with His wishes.  Until tomorrow.

The Lessons We Learn From the Scriptures

Today I read 2 Chronicles 27 which tells the very short story of king Jotham.  All we can gather from this chapter is that Jotham was righteous and he made war, quite successfully, with his enemies.  It is interesting that the wicked kings seem to get talked about much more than the righteous ones in the Old Testament.  I wonder if this is because we have numerous examples of doing that which is righteous because of Jesus Himself and the Book of Mormon.  Or because we have more to learn from an unrighteous king by way of what NOT to do?  What ever the reason, it is very effective, it doesn't pay to be wicked, something bad always seems to happen to you in the end.  Until tomorrow.

No Exceptions to the Commandments

Today I read 2 Chronicles 26 which tells the story of King Uzziah who was blessed by the Lord and then pretty much spit in God's face.  King Uzziah was blessed by the Lord when he went to war and by conquering his enemies.  However, afterwards, the king did that which was forbidden for him to do.  He went into the temple and offered incense to the Lord, an act that is only permitted for a Priest of the house of Aaron, or someone with the Aaronic Priesthood.  As a result, he was struck with leprosy. 

As I was reading this, I couldn't help but wonder why he thought just because the Lord helped him win some battles, that he could perform ordinances that he knew for sure he wasn't supposed to do?  Why do people make the mistake of thinking they are the exception to the commandments, or the rules?  Why do Latter-day Saints, or other Christian denominations even, hear a commandment and completely disregard it?  Whether we say to ourselves that it doesn't apply to us or not?  If we have no intention of following it, then we are doing just that, whether we say the words in our mind or not. 

I hope all of you who might read this understand that there are no exceptions to following the commandments, not a single one.  Remind yourselves why Jesus was baptized.  There are a couple of reasons, but not the least of which, was because it was a commandment of our Heavenly Father.  Jesus Himself taught that a man must be born of water and the Spirit or we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and that went for Himself also.  There are no exceptions to the commandments, all are subject to them, and if we one day hope to be as God is, then we have to obey them just as He does.  It is a lesson we should all learn early and learn well.  Until tomorrow.

Commandment Buffets

Today I read 2 Chronicles 25 which tells the story of yet another king.  It is interesting that while I was reading this chapter, the new king killed men who slew his father, but did not kill their children so that he would be following the Law of Moses.  It is strange, because that is the only commandment that we are told he followed.  It is very similar to some Christians today.  They will pick and choose what commandments they want to follow.  Almost no one follows the Law of Chastity except Latter-day Saints.  No one but LDS follow the rule against drinking alcohol, attending your meetings and a host of other commandments.  But there are some commandments that they just will not break.  It is very interesting and I wonder if their justifications that they tell themselves will ring hollow in their ears when they stand before Heavenly Father and give their excuses.  I just hope that I will not be one of them and have to find out first hand!  Until tomorrow.

Joash the Righteous

Today I read 2 Chronicles 24 which continues the story of the kings of Judah.  The king, Joash, was righteous and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.  Sometimes when I read the scriptures I feel like when I write my blog I'm almost writing a chapter heading because there really is not much to talk about.  Kings rise and kings fall, some are righteous and some are not.  On a lot of these chapters, there just isn't really all that much to say.  Until tomorrow.

Find your Path

Today I read 2 Chronicles 23 which tells the story of Judah cleansing itself of the priests of Baal and of turning back to the Lord.  It is interesting to me that it doesn't take long for people to fall from the Lord and to stop doing that which is right.  I used to be really confused how the Nephites and Israelites would let it happen after only a few years, however, now that I have seen it firsthand in my own life with the aftermath of September 11, 2001 here in America, I no longer am confused, but it still blows my mind how people have such short memories and don't seem to stay the course when it comes to doing that which is right.  I know that sin can be enjoyable and Satan has had a very long time to perfect his art of deception and trying to get us to do what is wrong, however, the ultimate reward is incalculably better than anything the world has to offer.  When I am tempted by the world, I try and remember that and it helps.  Each of us must find our own way of dealing with the temptations of the world and figuring out how to do that is right.  When you do, things will be much better for you, I promise.  Until tomorrow.

The Rise and Fall of a Wicked King

Today I read 2 Chronicles 22 which tells the story of yet another unrighteous king.  What is sad to me about this chapter however, is the fact that Ahaziah killed all of his siblings so that he could be king over the land.  How can someone's lust for power be so great that they are willing to murder those who should be closest to them for it?  I love my siblings like no one else on this planet.  They are special to me and I have a bond with them that is unique among all other relationships.  The idea of harming them in anyway or form is anathema to me.  I sometimes make the mistake of thinking everyone is like me, but when I read something so sad like this, I wish everyone was like me.  The world would be such a nicer place, probably pretty dull however.  Variety is the spice of life so the saying goes.  But I think I would rather have boring as opposed to murderous.  What a much nicer world it would be, to not have to think about murder or others doing you harm.  Maybe I'll live to see the millennium and get to experience it first hand.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Removes Jehoram from Power

Today I read 2 Chronicles 21 which tells the very short story of Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram.  Jehoram was not righteous like his father and caused his people, or rather some of them, to do that which was wrong in the sight of God.  After coming on the heels of 2 righteous kings it would appear even the people were not pleased with his behavior.  When he died, he was not given a burial like they had given all the other kings.  He was buried, but not in the sepulcher of the kings.  It's pretty sad when even the people don't like you and didn't want you around. 

It is interesting that God will suffer some kings to be around if they are unrighteous however there are others, like this one, that Heavenly Father steps in and forcibly removes by way of disease or other means.  I suspect it has to do with the damage such a king might do if left unchecked, I really don't know.  What I do know however is that it is a comfort that not all the people, I daresay not even the majority of the people, were not fooled by such a man.  They knew the difference between him and his father and they preferred the father.  IT is chapters like these that give one hope for humanity.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Helps the Righteous

Today I read 2 Chronicles 20 which details the events of a battle that Judah takes part in and how they are told not to worry, that the Lord will be with them and will fight the battle for them.  As I sit here wondering what it must be like to take part in a battle like this where the Lord does miraculous things, 2 things occur to me.  First of all, I have never taken part in a battle of any kind so such wondering is kind of silly.  Secondly, I have seen many miraculous things in my own life, not the least of which resulted in my life being saved in a manner that cannot be explained in any way other than what my friend characterized as "righteous living" or God stepping in directly and helping out.  Which reminds me of D&C 82:10 that when we follow the commandments, God has promised to bless us or to step in and do what is necessary to help us out.  But when we don't, we don't have a promise and it is at God's discretion whether to help us or not.  He loves us however, so more often than not, as long as we don't need to learn a lesson or it is not our time, He will help us out.  Just like a righteous earthly father will.  Until tomorrow.

Accepting Correction from the Lord

Today I read 2 Chronicles 19 where Jehoshaphat was reprimanded for aligning himself with Ahab, the king of Israel.  The nice thing about Jehoshaphat is that he takes the reprimand well and straightened out his life and got back in right with the Lord.  A man after my own heart.  Everyone makes mistakes and can make a wrong turn at times, the real test is when we get such correction, how do we receive it?  Do we happily go along with the correction and make the changes, or do we kick against the pricks and bewail our fate and talk about how horrible our life is?  If we are smart, we will remember that when God corrects us, it is because He loves us and wants us to improve.  He is giving us another opportunity to become better than we are.  As any good parent should, and remember, God is the best parent there is.  Until tomorrow.

Stand for What is Right

Today I read 2 Chronicles 18 where Judah and Israel go to battle against Syria.  Most of this chapter actually focuses on the kings of Judah and Israel asking the prophets of the false gods, and the Lord if they will be successful.  The king of Israel, Ahab, does not care for the true prophet because he says the prophet only speaks ill words to him, nothing good.  The prophet replies that he only speaks the words that God tells him to speak.

I have found myself in the same situation from time to time.  We live in a very immoral world and as such, we can find ourselves at odds with those around us.  If we choose to follow the Lord our God and do what is right then we will put ourselves in direct opposition of most of the world and what they think is right.  But, like Elder Dallin H. Oaks reminded us in a recent General Conference, just because the world thinks something is right and might even vote on it, does not change the fact that God has decreed something to be wrong a morally reprehensible in some cases.  We have to stand for what is right even if no one else will, that is an oath each of us took at the time of our baptism into this great church.  And we promised the Lord we would do it for Him, and that is not a promise we should take lightly.  Until tomorrow.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Righteousness

Today I read 2 Chronicles 17 which tells of the next king of Judah, Jehoshaphat.  I have always loved that name.  It is so funny to me.  Anyway, this entire chapter is about Jehoshaphat's preparations for war and how he intended to guard himself against the kingdom of Israel.  It does however also tell us that he was righteous in the sight of God and did not go after Baalim and other false gods.  It can be quite monotonous at times to read so much and get so little spiritual fulfillment out of the Old Testament.  But we have it all for a reason, not the least of which is a good lesson for what we can learn and how we can avoid pitfalls others have made in the past.  Until tomorrow.

Put Your Trust in the Lord

Today I read 2 Chronicles 16 where Asa is attacked by the Kingdom of Israel.  Instead of relying on God like he should have, he turns to the King of Syria for assistance first.  This angers the Lord and he is struck with a disease that ultimately ends his life.  Now, one has to wonder, was King Asa's sin really so grevious?  By today's standards not really.  Today we have plenty of people who when they are faced with a challenge turn to other people instead of the Lord.  But why are the consequences of doing so in our day and age so much less than it was in the days of King Asa?  I truly don't have an answer.

I think the real problem with what Asa did is that it didn't even occur to reach out to the Lord for help.  I think he relied completely on outside help instead of reaching out to the Lord.  Currently I am having an issue at work with my schedule and I have to admit that my first instinct was to talk to my wife, not pray about it.  I did pray and it was on my mind even, but my first person I wanted to talk to about the situation was my wife.  So I have to wonder after reading this today, how different from Asa am I?  Is there more to the story than is recorded in the scriptures?  I don't have the answer to either of those questions.  What I do know though is that we need to put our trust in God.  Despite the fact that I turned to my wife first, I still knelt in prayer and poured out my heart to my Father in Heaven that night and every night since.  I think it is more what is in our hearts and where our focus is.  I don't think Asa had it in his heart to trust in God.  Perhaps he didn't think God could or would help him, I don't know.  I do know however that my trust is in God and I will rely upon Him no matter what.  Until tomorrow.

A Ray of Sunshine

Today I read 2 Chronicles 15 where the scriptures talk more about Asa and what he did for the people of Judah in helping them to be righteous.  As I said yesterday he reminds me of King Benjamin and it is really nice to see not everyone was a self-serving ruler back in the Old Testament days.  It is nice that the Lord includes these nice examples to show us that there were in fact good people during these many years of what seems to be only just evil individuals and people who did not follow the commandments.  Until tomorrow.

King Asa Reigns in Righteousness

Today I read 2 Chronicles 14 which talks about the king of Judah named Asa.  He reminds me of King Benjamin from the Book of Mormon.  He set his kingdom affairs in order and encouraged the people of his kingdom to turn back to the Lord.  He urged them to build cities and fences to protect themselves from their enemies.  The way he talked to his people and his actions let us know that he is a king not for the power, but rather so that he can serve his people.  That is the best kind of leader, the kind that views himself as a servant.  Jesus Himself declared that anyone who would be the greatest among others must be the servant of all.  Asa appears to be a king who has these qualities.  Just like King Benjamin in the Americas.  I'm sure there are others too that we could name, men and women who spent their lives in the service of others.  What a way to live!  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Uses the Wicked to Punish the Wicked

Today I read 2 Chronicles 13 where the Lord lists out the various ill deeds of Jeroboam.  It amuses me when the Lord uses the wicked to punish the wicked.  It reminds me of in the Book of Mormon when the Lamanites destroyed the city of Ammonihah.  The Lord will always fulfill His word and will use the resources available to Him.  The key to remember for us is, we don't have to worry about anything as long as we are righteous.  Bad things may still happen to us if we are righteous, but we can always remember that it will be the will of God and we can learn something from it.  It is only when we are wicked that we have to fear His wrath.  Hopefully none of us will fall into that category.  Until tomorrow.

What Kind of Life will you Live?

Today I read 2 Chronicles 12 where Rehoboam's reign is described.  When reading about such a man I have to wonder what he will think when he gets to the other side and sees his life reviewed.  Will he be pleased with what he sees?  Which of course makes ME wonder what I will think when I see my life reviewed.  Will I groan and cover my eyes as I see hours of wasted time that could have been used in building up the Kingdom of God?  Or will I be pleased as I see myself give service in the temple, doing my home teaching, giving an honest day's labor to my employer and raising my family in righteousness?  The key is, I don't have to wait until judgement day to know.  I can decide right now where my focus will be and what I want my life to be about.  No one can decide for me, I can choose to follow God or not, the choice is mine and all the subsequent choices that go along with that decision.  And that goes for all of us.  Choose wisely.  Until tomorrow.

Rehoboam Does Wrong in the Sight of the Lord

Today I read 2 Chronicles 11 where Rehoboam prepared for war to reclaim the tribes of Israel that left his kingdom due to his own stupidity.  However, God spoke to His prophet and told Rehoboam not to do it.  What is amazing to me is the fact that Rehoboam listened to the prophet.  I mean here is a man that in this same chapter, although it does not give any time frames for reference, setup the high places, or fertility groves for false gods, and took 18 women to wife.  It's almost as if he knows God is real and the true God but doesn't care as long as God leaves him alone and doesn't talk to him directly. 

Anytime I read about people having that many wives it just disgusts me.  Here is a man who cannot control his own lusts.  And you cannot tell me it is anything more than sexual gratification to have that many wives.  I love my wife and cannot imagine being with any other woman.  It is true that from time to time I find another woman attractive and it will stir the primal side of my brain, particularly if they are dressed in a provocative manner showing too much cleavage.  However, I have control over myself and do not dwell on such women or such thoughts and remain faithful to my wife.  However, with Rehoboam as with Solomon and David before him, he cannot control these thoughts and apparently makes no attempt to because how else could you end up with so many wives and a ridiculous amount of concubines?  It is sad when a person cannot contain their own appetites, whatever they may be, but for some reason sexual appetites in particular are sad when they cannot be controlled because it brings in so many children who cannot be properly cared for and loved.  Until tomorrow.

Rehoboam Loses His Kingdom Through Arrogance

Today I read 2 Chronicles 10 which outlines the way Rehoboam lost the kingdom of Israel.  I have to day, everytime I read this chapter or hear about it, I have to give Rehoboam the idiot of all time award.  I mean the man is a moron.  He clearly does not understand that power comes at the desire and willingness of those underneath you to serve and be placid.  When the people ask for relief, he spits in their face, metaphorically speaking, and tells them that what they have had before is easy compared to what is to come.  I can't think of a better way to incite rebellion among his people than what he did.  What a class act moron!  Now, it says that it is in fulfillment of prophecy.  That to me could mean several things.  It could mean that God influenced Rehoboam or some of his advisers or that God was just telling a prophet in days past what was going to happen. 

Just because God had a prophet prophesy it, does not mean God had a direct hand in it.  God could have prophesied using his prophet that America would suffer a Recession in 2008, but that doesn't mean God caused it to happen.  Knowing an event is going to happen doesn't mean that person caused it.  We all know that here on earth, if you hold an object up in the air and let it go, it will fall to the ground.  But we do not cause that to happen, nevertheless we can prophesy that it will take place because we know the laws of gravity are in effect.  So it is with God, He knows us so well that He can tell what we will do in a given situation, not to mention that all time is before Him, past, present and the future.  We too could speak with confidence about future events if we saw them happen.  So it is no surprise that God can say that Rehoboam will cause the kingdom of Israel to leave the house of David and be correct.  I don't think that God had anything to do with it happening, just that He saw it happen because Rehoboam and his young advisers were idiots.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon's Reign

Today I read 2 Chronicles 9 which catalogs the reign of King Solomon.  It is amusing to me that at the end of Solomon's reign in the book of Kings it states that the rest of his acts are listed in the book of the Chronicles.  However, in this book it states that the rest of his acts are in the book of Nathan, or the book of the Kings.  It's a circle where nothing is actually contained it would seem, although the book of Kings does contain more information on Solomon than does this chapter.  This one is more like the cliff notes, it does not even contain the most famous story of cutting the child in two in order to determine the true parent, which I still think is a pretty twisted story.  But we did not learn anything new in this chapter that we didn't already know about Solomon so it truly was a review.  Solomon was favored of the Lord, until he made the same mistake his father did and let his lust rule his judgment.  It is sad how many people fall prey to the sins of the flesh.  But that is what we are here for, to be tested on just such things.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon, with God's Help, Sets Things in Order

Today I read 2 Chronicles 8 where the rest of Israel's affairs are set in order.  It never fails to amaze me how orderly the Kingdom of Heaven is.  I mean, God has it all down to a science, which shouldn't surprise me, I mean He put the star in the heavens that heralded the Savior's birth so far in advance that it appeared at the exact moment of the Savior's birth here on Earth.  So why should it surprise me that God is so orderly about lesser things, including the way we do things here for His Kingdom?  That is just my human nature that is surprised I guess, the Spiritual side of me is not really all that surprised, just pleased that my God can be relied on and counted on no matter what.  Until tomorrow.

God Accepts Solomon's Temple

Today I read 2 Chronicles 7 where the Lord accepts the temple that Solomon built.  It never fails to amaze me how God will straight out tell us what we need to do in order to stay in His good graces, and yet we can't, or won't do it.  And Heavenly Father, rightly so, states that if all these calamities befall us, it will be because we did not stay true to Him, He who never fails us.  I believe it was Jeffrey R. Holland that once said life is the only game where we know the outcome, we know who will win, and yet we are still trying to decide which team to join.  When put into those terms it seems very silly that we don't do a better job of keeping the commandments.  Especially when we see first hand how sin can ruin lives completely.

Why do we struggle and falter?  The answer of course is because of the natural man.  We have to overcome the natural man and to do that, we have to desire to become better than we are.  That's what it all boils down to, our desire.  Where do you want to end up?  Sure you may have a desire to do that which is wrong and wicked, but do you like the fact that you have those desires?  Or do we wish that we could better control ourselves and what we are doing with our lives?  I know I do.  I have desires that are unwholesome as far as God is concerned and that bothers me.  I want to change, I want to be different and don't want to have those desires anymore.  And that in my opinion makes all the difference.  I choose to fight against the current, to overcome the temptations that beset me.  And with God's help, I can do just that.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

Today I read 2 Chronicles 6 which is essentially the dedicatory prayer that Solomon offered for the temple.  As I was reading I could not help but wonder about something that was completely unrelated to this chapter.  It has always been interesting to me that Jesus Christ chose to be born through the line of David that went through Solomon.  In other words, Jesus was born through David and Bath-Sheeba, the woman that David sinned with and later married.  Now, Solomon was not the child that was born of their adultery, that child died.  Solomon was a legitimate child through their marriage, but it is still interesting to me that Jesus was born through that line.  I'm not sure why this thought popped into my head today since it really had nothing to do with the chapter.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon Builds the Temple

Today I read 2 Chronicles 3 - 5 which details the building of the temple.  Again it is great from a historian's point of view and I am glad we have it.  It does give a good picture of what the temple must have looked like.  I wonder what Solomon must have been feeling when he was building the temple?  I wonder if he realized how sacred the temple would become and how it would be a status symbol for all of Judaism?  Probably not.  I don't think people and events that we now consider famous considered themselves famous when they were happening.  I think the people were trying to do the best they could of what they had and we view them as famous now because of the extraordinary circumstances.  It makes me wonder what history will think of me, if I will even be a blip on the page?  Time will tell I suppose.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple

Today I read 2 Chronicles 2 where Solomon trades with other kingdoms for materials and laborers so he can build the temple for the Lord.  It never fails to amaze me how a kingdom ruled by a single monarch can be so influenced by the whims of a single man or woman.  I can't help but wonder if the people fall in line with their monarch and what percentage they do, or if they resent the fact that they have to go along with whatever the king says.  I know that in America, during the Cold War, most Americans bought into the idea that the Russians were the bad guys hook line and sinker.  It makes me wonder if other cultures fall in line as easily with their monarch's wishes and desires?  More food for thought.  Until tomorrow.

Solomon Seeks Wisdom

Today I read 2 Chronicles 1 which recounts the story of Solomon's conversation with the Lord and how he asked for wisdom and how impressed the Lord was.  It is always very interesting to me how things are written.  The Lord knew what Solomon was going to ask for but still let Solomon feel that he had done a great thing in what he asked for, and truly he had.  If there is one thing that we can take with us from this life, it is our intelligence and wisdom that we have gained.  We can always ask Heavenly Father for help in obtaining more wisdom and becoming better men and women and we can be sure that He will help us.  Heavenly Father has always taught us to seek out wisdom and learning.  When we follow that directive, we make Him pleased and that is always a good thing.  Until tomorrow.