People Want To Know It's Ok to Sin

Today I read Hosea 2 where the Lord tells Hosea of the abominations of the Israelites and His people.  You would think, that if you were an Israelite, that perhaps there is something to all these various people who are coming around and saying the exact same thing.  I mean it's one thing to have one person come around and say that they are wicked and need to repent or the Lord will destroy you, but to have dozens of men saying the exact same thing?  The idea is out of the mouth of two or three witnesses right?  I just don't understand why people would not listen.  Actually I do understand.  When people are in sin and they are happy with being in sin, they don't want to be told that they are wrong.  All you have to do is look at today's culture especially when it comes to homosexuality.  People only want to be told they can do whatever they want and God is ok with it, which of course is a lie.  But it is what they want to hear.  For some reason, even in sin, we want the approval of others.  People sure can be funny at times.  Until tomorrow.

Hosea is Chosen by the Lord

Today I read Hosea 1 where the Lord commands Hosea to take a wife and tells him what to name his children as signs.  I've often wondered what it must be like to be a prophet and have open dialog with the Lord like that.  I remember as a missionary my prayers were full of faith and I had a great relationship with God, but I don't remember Him ever talking back to me in the same manner.  God would always respond to me and answer me in various ways.  But I never heard the voice of God.  I honestly think it would freak me out if I was alone and heard a random voice talking to me.  I suppose you would get used to it rather quickly, but at first I would probably jump out of my skin.  I wonder if it was that way for the prophets?  I suspect it was but anything becomes regular if repeated enough so I bet they got used to it pretty quickly.  I want to be that way too, and fortunately it's just a matter of doing what's right and living the Gospel.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel's Vision Ends

Today I read Daniel 11 and 12 where Daniel's vision continues.  As I was reading I was struck by some of the language and I know that most visions the prophet is shown the events and they come up with the wording to write it down on their own.  But I couldn't help wonder as I was reading these chapters if Daniel was given the words to say.  For example he states in one verse that news from the north troubles a king.  What would that even look like in a vision?  I assume Daniel can hear as well as see in this vision and most likely given the give of tongues, at least temporarily, to understand what is being said.  I just cannot help but wonder again, what must it be like to be shown something in vision.  I think if I ever was shown something in a vision, I would prefer to have a guide like Nephi did, to help me understand and make sure that I was correctly understanding what I was seeing.  I think it would probably be a little scary too.  So it would be a comfort to have someone to share it with.  But I most likely will never have a vision of my own so I don't have much to worry about.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel Sees the Savior

Today I read Daniel 10 where Daniel sees the Savior in a vision.  What a wonderful treat that is!  I am very envious of Daniel and those who have seen the Savior of the world in this life.  It is possible for everyone to have this highest of honors, if they live appropriately.  Joseph Smith taught that it is possible to receive the second comforter, which is Jesus Christ, and have your calling and election made sure.  To do so however, one must live the kind of life the Savior would live if He were here on the earth today.  It is up to us what kind of life we want to lead.  We don't have to participate in the filth and horror that surrounds us.  We can choose a better way.  It is a choice that is made each and every day by the things we choose to spend our time on.  I can see it happening in my life.  Things that used to be so important to me, as I grow closer to the Spirit, are growing less and less important.  I still enjoy them on occasion, but I find I would rather search the scriptures, or listen to General Conference talks instead.  My very nature is changing, and I am very happy about that!  Until tomorrow.

Daniel is Shown Yet Another Vision

Today I read Daniel 9 where he is shown yet another vision, this one appears to me based on what is being shown him and the dates given him, seems to be about the final destruction of Israel by Rome in 70 A.D.  It makes me wonder why Daniel is being shown all these visions and if the people who live in the time frames that he was shown paid attention to the prophecies that concerned them.  I suspect that some did and some didn't.  After all, how many people pay attention to the prophecies that have to do with right now?  Not nearly enough that's for sure.  I suspect that it was the same back then.  Some listened and took precautions, but most did not.  I wonder if Heavenly Father is saddened by this fact or resigned to it?  Perhaps neither.  He does know everything from the beginning to the end so He already knows who is going to believe and who won't.  I would imagine that the main feeling He has towards His children through is sadness.  Let's make sure we are not contributing to His sadness.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel is Shown Another Vision

Today I read Daniel 8 where Daniel sees another vision, this one about kingdoms of the earth.  As I was reading this, I thought to myself that it would be really neat and cool if someone in these kingdoms that were talked about read this prophecy at some point and it was useful to them.  I would like to know such things.  I think that would be interesting to see the other half of the story, the people that the prophecy is meant for and how they received it.  I wonder if the prophets who received these visions and then recorded them for others were shown in vision the people using the prophecy?  I suspect not.  But then again, the prophet's job is just to record what they are shown.  It's up to others to use it appropriately.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel Sees a Vision

Today I read Daniel 7 where Daniel is given a vision of some beasts that represent kingdoms of the last days.  I honestly don't know why Daniel was given this vision.  It really doesn't give us any insight other than kingdoms will arise and some will destroy, which we already knew.  Maybe that was new knowledge at the time.  I really don't know.  I think it is interesting though that Daniel sees Adam, the Ancient of Days in a vision prevailing over the beasts.  To me it seems clear that the church will prevail over the world and the devil.  Perhaps Daniel just needed that reassurance.  I'm not sure.  It must have some purpose for us to know about though since Daniel was shown the vision for our benefit.  If the Lord wants me to know, He will let me know.  Of that I am certain.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel in the Lion's Den

Today I read Daniel 6 which is the famous story of Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den.  As I was reading this chapter today the thought occurred to me.  Was God honoring Daniel’s faith by keeping him safe from the lions, or Darius’ faith?  I ask that because as Daniel was being taken into the lion’s den, Darius told Daniel that his, Daniel’s, God would protect him.  That is great faith!  Darius spent the night in fasting, and I’m sure prayer, to God in order to secure the safety of Daniel.  Now, I’m sure Daniel was doing some heavy duty praying too, however, I think the Lord chose to spare Daniel not because of his own faith, but rather because of the faith Darius was showing and the good Darius would be able to do in all of his kingdom with that faith.  How many people were brought to the knowledge of the truth because Darius was converted?  We know from the Book of Mormon that the Lord will allow the blood of innocents to be spilt as a testimony against the wicked.  So the only thing that makes this story unique is that more good was done by sparing Daniel, than would have been accomplished if God had allowed him to become a martyr.

I also find it sad, and strange that Darius would punish not just the men who had conspired against Daniel, but he also fed their wives and their children to the lion’s den.  I mean if I were to go out today and rob a bank, get caught and sent to jail, they would not throw my wife and daughter in with me!  So why would Darius do such a thing?  I honestly don’t know why he would do that.  Similarly in the Book of Mormon Amulek states their just law would not condemn a man’s brother in place of the man that committed the crime.  It seems like an overly harsh and cruel thing to do and I’m honestly surprised that Daniel did not put a stop to it.  It seems to me that there is more to the story that we will find out someday I think.  Until tomorrow.

Learn From Other's Mistakes

Today I read Daniel 5 where Nebuchadnezzar's son makes poor choices and the Lord takes his kingdom away.  It is sad really to see so many people not learn from other's mistakes, they seem to always make their own.  I have always tried to watch those around me, especially those closest to me, to see what they do.  If they get good results from what they do, then I try and emulate them, but far too often, I see them do things they should not be doing and so they end up with results that are less than pleasant.  My brothers growing up did not make good choices.  As a result, I avoided a lot of heartache and pitfalls that could have hindered me in my growing up because I had examples of what to avoid.  I had plenty of good examples too, but sadly it seems most of the examples I had from friends and some family, was what to avoid.  I am glad I learned from them though and did not have to discover for myself just how bad some mistakes can be.  Until tomorrow.

Nebuchadnezzar is Compelled to Be Humble

Today I read Daniel 4 where King Nebuchadnezzar is shown a vision of himself being cast down and losing his mind and thinking he is an animal.  He thinks he is an animal for seven years and then finally he regains his sanity and praises God before he dies.  God will have a humble people or they will be compelled to be humble!  It is a shame that so many people try the patience of God and force Him to take steps and compel them to be humble.  I wonder why we as mankind have such a hard time doing the right thing? 

I know it all comes down to the natural man, but you would think that when we are shown so many signs and wonders that we would be more prone to do what is right.  Of course, we only need to look at Laman and Lemuel to know that such thinking is faulty.  For some people, no matter what is done to them, they just will not change themselves and so God has to step in and change them.  I guess we just have to make sure that we are not compelled to be humble.  Because it does not seem fun at all!  Until tomorrow.

Signs and Wonders Do Not Convert

Today I read Daniel 3 where Nebuchadnezzar creates his image of gold and demands that everyone worship it.  As all familiar with the story knows, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refuse and are thrown into a furnace a fire.  A furnace so hot, that the poor men who put the 3 Israelites inside of it, died.  Heavenly Father chose to reward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego's faith and saved them from the furnace. 

I have often wondered why the Lord saved those three, why did He reward their faith when so many others were martyred?  I believe it has to do with their deliverance becoming a testimony against Nebuchadnezzar.  That man was given many opportunities to repent and become a better man.  He was given sign after sign by God through Daniel and the others, but despite proclaiming that their God was the greatest, he never repented nor did he change his ways at all.  He keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. 

We are not much different really.  We keep getting chance after chance to change our ways and become better men and women, but we generally don't take them.  Or if we do, they are not a permanent change.  We might change our ways for a little while, after the initial awe and wonder of what we experienced, most of us then revert back to our old habits and ways.  This is why God does not try and convert with signs.  A sign does not change hearts and does not make us different men and women.  Rather the change must start with our own desire, then after we have become converted, then we will receive signs if desired.  That is the natural order of things for true conversion.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel Interprets Dreams

Today I read Daniel 2 where the Lord shows Daniel King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the interpretation.  It is really interesting to me that in the days before Jesus came people put such great stock in dreams.  Perhaps it is this very reason that God used them to communicate with mankind at that time.  These days we really don't put much stock in our dreams and I can see how a dream sent from Heavenly Father might be passed off as nothing more than a dream.  It makes me wonder if dreams sent from God are clear and easily discerned as coming from Him?  We don't hear many stories of Latter-day Prophets or Saints getting communications from God this way.  Perhaps the Saints keep such visions sacred as we all should, or if God just communicates in different ways to us?  We'll know some day, that's for sure.  Until tomorrow.

Daniel Eats Healthy

Today I read Daniel 1 where the king of Persia, Nebuchadnezzar, attacks Israel and carries off captive Daniel and his friends.  They are brought to the palace of the king and Nebuchadnezzar orders then to have a portion of his meat and his wine for 3 years.  Daniel asks to have foods other than meat and to not have wine.  He works out a deal with the chief eunuch of the palace to let them have the food Daniel requested for 10 days and then to see if they were healthier than the other children, which of course they were.

This story is, rightly so, considered to be a story about following the Word of Wisdom.  Daniel desire to eat his meat sparingly and to eat the foods that God has said is good for man.  Heavenly Father has taught us that we should eat meat sparingly and that we should eat grains, vegetables and fruits rather than indulge in fatty foods.  Heavenly Father has promised us in this age that if we eat the right foods we will have stores of wisdom and health.  This is proved with Daniel and his friends.  When we eat healthy, our bodies react appropriately.  Our minds are clear, we think faster and easier.  We can  have more energy, etc.  We should take Daniel's story as a success story and follow in his footsteps.

I remember when the Atkins diet first gained in popularity.  I was 22 years old and living with some friends out in Fresno, California.  The mother, father and daughter all decided to try this diet.  After a few days they quit it stating that they were not feeling very healthy or happy on it.  They also cited Daniel and how this diet is exactly the kind of diet he avoided.  And they were right.  Eating nothing but meat and no vegetables is not a good thing.  We can each of us have a testimony of this on our own if we desire.  All we have to do is try it out on our own and see the difference for ourselves.  Until tomorrow.

The Dead Sea Will Be Healed

Today I read Ezekiel 45 - 48 where the Lord continues to show Ezekiel His plans for the Israelites.  These chapters include lands to be portioned out to the various tribes as well as the ordinances of the temple.  All very important.  The cool part of this section though, is chapter 47 where Ezekiel is shown that the Dead Sea will be healed.  This prophecy has always intrigued me.  Why heal the Dead Sea at all?  It is a wonderful way to prove you are God and to have a prophecy fulfilled for sure, but is there another reason?  There are times that the Lord will do things to prove who He is, His conversation with Moses on Mount Sinai comes to mind, but most of the time, He has a purpose when He performs miracles like this.  It's very cool to think about honestly, but I don't know why it will happen.  I'm sure I will find out some day.  Tomorrow we start the book of Daniel and new ground for me.  I have never read beyond the book of Ezekiel before.  I have read the book of Jonah and Malachi, but that is all.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Old Testament.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Shown the Measurements of the Temple

Today I read Ezekiel 40 - 44 where the Lord shows Ezekiel the future temple in New Jerusalem and the ordinances to be performed there.  I read all of these chapters together as most of them are measurements of the temple, which will be extremely valuable when it comes time to build it.  The people given the task of building it will know exactly how big to make it and how big to make each room, each arch way, etc.  It contains no doctrine that I can find but is of immeasurable worth to those who will need to build the temple.  It is a very good thing we have it.  Until tomorrow.

The Aftermath of the Battle of Gog and Magog

Today I read Ezekiel 39 where the Lord continues His prophecy against Gog and Magog.  This is the chapter that states after the battle that Israel will spend 7 months burying all the dead people.  I can't even fathom that.  I mean spending 6 days a week, 8 hours a day most likely, dozens if not hundreds of people helping, that is a staggering amount of dead people!  I mean it's not exactly a task you would put on the back burner and be lackadaisical about. 

And then the other half of this prophecy is that the Israelites will burn the weapons of war for 7 years!  Now, before today, even though I have read this chapter before, I had assumed that there was going to be a great big bon fire that everyone would toss the weapons onto and watch them burn and there would be so many weapons that it would take 7 years to burn up all the weapons.  However, after today's reading I now think that the Israelites will use the weapons of war as fuel for their fires instead of trees.  The Lord says that they will burn up the bows and bucklers and will not cut down any trees for seven years.  This makes a lot more sense than my original idea of it taking seven years to burn all the weapons.  It still doesn't make much sense to me though, if this is the battle before the Second Coming, why are they using wooden weapons?  Why would they not be using guns and explosives?  I'm sure it will all make sense in the end.  I personally try to focus more on the doctrine than on prophecies like this.  The doctrine is far more useful to me now and as long as I am clean and living the commandments, I will be just fine when the Lord comes again.  Until tomorrow.

The Battle of Gog and Magog

Today I read Ezekiel 38 where the Lord shows Ezekiel a vision of the battle of Gog and Magog.  Most people are fascinated with this battle because it will usher in the Second Coming of the Lord.  I read somewhere that Gog and Magog are where Iraq and Iran now are, although I have no idea how anyone would know that.  Perhaps Joseph Smith saw it in a vision or a revelation, I really don't know.  What I do know though is that no one will be able to miss this battle and so all the naysayers and people talking about the rapture coming don't understand the Bible and its prophecies.  But the Bible tells us of this too, it tells us not to believe people who say Christ is in the desert of "lo here" or "lo there".  No one knows the hour of the Second Coming except God.  Anyone who isn't the prophet of the Lord and tells you otherwise is mistaken.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Shown the Book of Mormon Would Come Forth

Today I read Ezekiel 37 where the Lord takes Ezekiel and gives him a vision.  It's a rather strange vision of a field of bones that the Lord tells him to prophesy will get skin and flesh.  The 2nd half of the chapter is very familiar to most Latter-day Saints who went to seminary.  It is a scripture mastery where the Lord tells Ezekiel that He will have two books of scripture and they will be used as one.  I'm not sure what the rest of the world thinks of this scripture, but Latter-day Saints believe that this is a prophecy about the Book of Mormon and the Bible being used together. 

It's not secret that I love the Book of Mormon.  From a doctrinal perspective, there is no comparison to the Book of Mormon.  It is clear, no way to misunderstand it, and it is so easy to feel the Spirit while reading it.  If I could convince every Christian to read it I would in a heartbeat.  It would make the world such a better place.  Even if those who read it did not become a Latter-day Saint, there is no way you can read this book with real intent and not be changed by it. 

Of course there are other ways to grow closer to Heavenly Father and understand His doctrine, but none are more effective than reading the Book of Mormon.  I've had more spiritual experiences reading the Book of Mormon, than with anything else I have ever done in my life.  I can't say enough good things about it.  I'm glad that Ezekiel got to know it was coming and I'm sure he was filled with joy and happiness to know that it would come forth one day and spread the good news of the Gospel to all the earth!  I sure would have been!  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites are Very Concerned with Where They Live

Today I read Ezekiel 36 where the Lord talks about Israel being restored to their lands.  This is a very popular topic in the Old Testament I have found.  The Israelite culture seems very concerned with land and inheritances.  Different cultures have different values I suppose.  To me it does not matter where I live so long as I have my family with me, but to other people, it is important where they live.  They don't feel they are home unless they are on the land of their ancestors.  And it's not just the Israelites who feel this way, other cultures around the world are very concerned with their ancestral lands too.  It would be interesting to see if perhaps those other cultures that are so concerned with land and inheritance have some of the ten tribes in them.  I suppose it's another one of those things I'll find out one day.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Gives Extra Chances

Today I read Ezekiel 35 where the Lord explains to other nations how He will destroy them because of how they have treated Israel, His chosen people.  I definitely understand this mentality.  It's much the same as when I am talking to my 3 year old calmly explaining why she is being punished, how she made her own choices and had the opportunity to change what she was doing.  She does not always make wise choices, nor does she change the behavior when told to.  Adults are no different and will often continue to make wrong choices even when told exactly what to change.  Just like I love my daughter and will give her chance after chance, the Lord will give the His people more chances than justice requires because He loves them.  It's nice to know for when we make mistakes, but some days I wish He was a little less merciful with the wicked.  I guess I should be grateful He loves them enough to let them change.  Until tomorrow.

Our Stewardship Matters

Today I read Ezekiel 34 where the Lord talks about those that did not take care of the people in their stewardship.  I often wonder what the Lord will say to me when I stand before Him.  I often wonder if I do enough.  I try to magnify my calling and do what I am asked to do.  I try and be a good home teacher, a good husband, a good father, but I wonder if I am doing enough.  I know I don't make it to the temple often enough.  It is hard to juggle everything that I know to be important. 

The one thing I know I am doing well though is keeping work in perspective so that I can spend enough time at home with my family.  I never wanted to be one of those men who worked all the time and never saw their families.  I knew from a very young age that the reason for working was to provide for my family.  But money is only one aspect of a families needs.  Money will not take care of their spiritual or emotional needs. 

More than anything children crave family time and attention.  When I am awake my daughter rarely leaves me alone and when I am at work, she calls me every night to say hi and that she loves me.  I know that more than toys, new movies, books or whatever else I could buy her, she wants to spend time with me.  Similarly, my wife would prefer I help her around the house to show my love as opposed to buying her new things. 

If you feel you are working too much and don't get to see your family as often as you would like, then you are right, you are working too much.  I understand that we have to earn a living and it has to be enjoyable to us, but do our children really need a smartphone a piece, a new tablet and a TV in every room?  Or do they need a pleasant home, nutritious meals and good quality time with their parents and siblings?  Read any article that talks about what people on their deathbed regret and everyone of them will say they wish they had spent more time their loved ones.  I have personally never read one that said they wished they had earned more money.  When this life is over, will you have memories of the office that you smile over, or the time you spent chasing your 3 year old through the house playing tag?  I know what I want to be thinking of when it's my time.  Each of us needs to make a similar choice and I would advise us all not to delay that choice.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Will Always Reward the Righteous

Today I read Ezekiel 33 where the Lord talks to Ezekiel and the people of Israel.  It's kind of nice because the Lord is telling the people of Israel why they can't have their homeland back right now.  The answer is obvious, they defiled it.  The Lord gave them certain commandments to follow and obey and they either could not, or would not do it.  The Lord will not always suffer the wicked to prevail, even if it seems like it.  He will always step in and right the ship so to speak.  It may not seem like it sometimes in our world but I promise that the Lord is very concerned with Justice and doing what is right and making sure that the righteous are given their due.  It may not be in this life, but the Lord will always reward those who do what is right, always!  Until tomorrow.

Feeling the Spirit of God

Today I read Ezekiel 32 where Ezekiel speaks about the destruction of the Egyptians.  Like we have discussed before, a prophet of the Lord feels the love of the Lord for everyone alike.  God loves everyone, even when people are doing what is wrong.  Just as a parent loves his or her child no matter what, God loves all of His children.  He does not approve of what they do sometimes when they make incorrect choices, but He still loves them.  But He will not always tolerate them to continue to make wrong choices.  When people are ripe in iniquity He will wipe them off the earth out of respect for the Earth.  The Lord is the ultimate source of Good and all Good stems from Him.  When we do what is right, we feel His Spirit.  That is the real joy of living the Gospel, becoming closer to Him who made us.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Will Overthrow Egypt

Today I read Ezekiel 31 where the Lord talks about the Pharaoh of Egypt and his fall.  As I have said and thought before, the Israelites must really have disliked the Egyptians for the Lord to spend so much time on the fall of Egypt to His prophet.  I suppose that would be like in our day the Lord telling us of the fall of Afghanistan or Iran and Iraq.  Personally though if I were a prophet receiving the revelation of God, I would not want so long and so much effort spent on the downfall of people.  No matter how many atrocities they have committed, they are still people and knowing that the Lord will make them face justice is enough for me.  I don't need to dwell on it or know the gory details.  Perhaps I am different and am not the norm, but I tend to forgive and not dwell on such things.  Until tomorrow.

God Prophesies He Will Destroy Egypt

Today I read Ezekiel 30 where the Lord tells Ezekiel that He will use Babylon to destroy Egypt.  I suppose this might be welcome news if the Israelites did not like the Egyptians, but as I recall they were kind of ambivalent towards them.  I'm honestly not sure why the Lord made a point of telling the prophets that He was going to do this, unless it was just to prove that He was God, which is always important.  In order to have faith in God, we have to know that He is God and that we can trust Him.  We have to know that He will follow through on what He says He will do.  We have to have a correct understanding of His character.  Perhaps that is what this prophecy is all about.  I'll just have to ask God one day to find out for sure.  Until tomorrow.

No Lesson Learned

Today I read Ezekiel 29 and it may be because I am so tired, but I did not really get anything out of it.  It is one of those chapters that prophesies what is going to happen and so is profitable for learning and for showing the might of Heavenly Father, but beyond that, I got nothing out of this chapter.  Perhaps I would have done better if I were not so tired but it has been a great day and I am pleased with it.  Perhaps I will read this chapter again in the morning to see if the Spirit has anything to teach me from this chapter.  Until tomorrow.

We Will Want to Please the Lord

Today I read Ezekiel 28 where the Lord promises to bring the Israelites back together some day and protect them.  It is always wonderful when the Lord promises something.  When the Lord promises it, you know for a fact that it will come to pass.  The Lord is trustworthy and will always bless us when we follow His word.  When we do what He says, we have His promise to bless us.  President Ezra Taft Benson said that nothing will surprise us more when we pass through the veil than how familiar Heavenly Father's face is to us.  There's a reason we feel inclined to seek Him out and do as He asks of us.  We love Him and want to please Him.  Just like our earthly children love us and want to please us.  I am excited to see Him again and remember Him.  I look forward to the day.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Laments the Loss of Tyrus

Today I read Ezekiel 27 where he laments the loss of Tyrus.  He names off all the good that is in the city and among the people.  It is heartwarming to see Ezekiel focusing on the positive of the city that the Lord is going to destroy.  It shows that Ezekiel has the love of Christ in Him and that he loves all mankind, even those that are in the wrong.  It goes hand in hand with loving the sinner but hating the sin.  When I was a missionary it was so easy to feel the love of Christ for everyone I was serving.  It would just pour out of me and help me love all of those around me.  It really is no surprise that Ezekiel is the same way since he is a prophet.  When you are full of the Spirit it is easy to feel love.  What a world we would have if we were all full of love and the Spirit always!  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Takes Care of His People

Today I read Ezekiel 26 where the Lord tells Ezekiel that He will destroy Tyrus because they against Jerusalem.  This reminds me a lot of when the Lord would protect His people and destroy a city that was not taking care of their righteous people.  Like the city of Ammonihah in the Book of Mormon.  They killed the righteous women and children that lived in their city and as a result the Lord destroyed their city in just one day.  The Lord will always take care of his people and will not leave them to suffer without recourse forever.  He loves all His children, but He absolutely will not suffer the wicked to persecute and slay the righteous men and women.  When we obey His commandments we have His promise that He will give us blessings.  It will not always be in the way we imagine, but He will always come through for us.  We can count on Him.

God Destroys the Israelites' Enemies

Today I read Ezekiel 25 where the Lord states that He will destroy the civilizations that were cruel to the Israelites.  Knowing the nature of God helps in this matter because it would be really hard to understand why the Lord would destroy and entire civilization just because they were not kind to the Israelites.  But understanding that the people mentioned are corrupt and full of iniquity are the real reason they were destroyed.  God does not kill people just for being unkind.  He does remove them if they are ripened in iniquity and ripe for destruction.  The fact that they refused to help His chosen people was just the icing on the cake.  But if you need proof of this, just look at Rahab who was spared.  Even though Rahab was a harlot, she was spared for showing kindness to the Israelites.  Our God is a God of mercy.  He loves those that follow His commandments, and those that repent.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel's Wife Dies as a Sign

Today I read Ezekiel 24 and the Lord had Ezekiel prophesy about the downfall of Jerusalem.  For a sign the Lord caused Ezekiel's wife to die however, He did not make Ezekiel feel sorrow or cause him to cry as a sign.  As signs go, this one would be fairly effective I feel.  It would be hard not to just lose my mind if I lost my wife, and so if I were not to cry because of it, something would be wrong for sure.  However, I think it is a very tender mercy on the Lord's part that Ezekiel would not feel sorrow at her passing.  I'm not sure how the Lord accomplishes any of the miracles that He does, but this one in particular is miraculous for sure.  I hope if my wife goes before me that the Lord will be similarly merciful to me.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Tries Another Way to Explain the Israelite's Sins

Today I read Ezekiel 23 where the Lord makes a comparison of Samaria and Jerusalem.  He likens them to two sisters and then talks about how they turned themselves into whores and did not stay true to their love, the Lord.  There are times I wonder why the Lord makes so many comparisons about the sins His people are committing and if He is not just beating a dead horse.  But then there are other times where I remember being in school and having the teacher explain something to the class and it makes perfect sense to me, but then to others it is as if the teacher were speaking a foreign language.  But then the teacher explains it another way and suddenly it clicks for some more people.  The Lord is not trying to shove the fact that the people did not do that which was right down the throats of His people, He is trying to help everyone of them understand so that they can amend their ways and repent.  At least that is what it appears to be to me.  Until tomorrow.

We Sin the Same Way

Today I read Ezekiel 22 where the Lord lists out all the major sins that the Israelites have committed over the centuries.  And you know what?  It's not anything we don't have today.  For all our sophistication and technology and learning, we are still committing the exact same sins they were thousands of years ago.  Nothing has changed.  This tells me that if we don't want the same fate as the Israelites had, we need to repent and do better.  Because the Lord will only give so many chances to repent and become better than we are.  If we squander them, there generally aren't second chances.  We have to make the most of our time here and repent when we make mistakes, daily.  Otherwise, how can we expect our fate to be any different sine God does not change?  Until tomorrow.

Heavenly Father Tries to Warn Us Over and Over Again

Today I read Ezekiel 21 where the Lord lets the Israelites know that they will be destroyed for their iniquities.  On the one hand, it seems like the Lord is just beating them over the head with this information, but then again, I think of my own daughter, just 3 years old, and how often I have to tell her things that seem obvious to me.  We are finite beings and have finite understanding.  When we try and grasp some things, it is beyond our reach.  Much like understanding why a stove is hot is beyond most toddlers comprehension.  Some of them get it, but not many.  Most have to experience it first hand.  And the rest of us are that exact same way when it comes to matters of the Spirit.  We try to understand and we sometime succeed.  But more often than not, we fall short and have to be told time and time again.  It is only through repetition that we will learn.  Fortunately, unlike some earthly parents, our Heavenly Father never gives up on us.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord's Wrath

Today I read Ezekiel 20 and it honestly reminds me a lot of a parent reminiscing about a child who tried their patience over and over again.  We all know that adult that when we hear about their childhood we are amazed they are still alive and their parents did not kill them in their sleep.  This chapter reminds me a lot of that.  The Lord is listing out all the things that the Israelites did wrong and exactly why He did not pour out His wrath upon them.  The Lord had plenty of opportunity to wipe out the Israelites, they did not have a good track record for keeping His commandments and doing what was right.  But He spared them time and time again for the righteous sake, because it was not everyone who was doing that which was wrong.  I can only think of 2 instances where everyone was participating in the sins, the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah.  With the Flood all the righteous were taken up to live with Enoch and we all know about Sodom.  We also know that God does not do anything unless it is justified.  I am sure when we know every little detail about those two incidents, we will wonder how God was so merciful for so long.  Let's not have that said of us.  Repent and be better.  Until tomorrow.

Being a Prophet is Like Being a Parent

Today I read Ezekiel 19 where Ezekiel laments for Israel.  It must be hard to be a prophet.  I think of it as being like a parent.  You want the best for your child but can't force them to be good and so you sit back and have to let them make mistakes.  It is hard to let them run off and do their own thing, but it is the only way they will learn.  God is the same way.  He knows we will make mistakes, but if he does not allow us to make the mistake, then we won't grow.  I have to allow my daughter to learn from her own experiences and she will not grow if I always tell her no, that's not a good idea.  She needs to learn and understand it on her own.  Just like the rest of us, if Heavenly Father doesn't give us the space to grow, we won't become better than we are today.  I understand it is really hard for Him to watch us make such silly mistakes, but it is the only way we will learn and grow.  It's a challenging thing for sure.  Until tomorrow.

We Will Not Be Punished for the Sins of Our Fathers

Today I read Ezekiel 18 where the Lord tells the Israelites that they will be punished for their own sins, and not for the sins of their parents.  That is a comfort to know, especially if you have parents that are not doing what they are supposed to do.  It reminds me a lot of the second article of faith, that man will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgressions.  We each of us have to make our own choices in life and we will have to stand by those choices one day.  A good rule of thumb is, if you don't want to have to stand before God one day to explain why you did something, don't do it!  Because each one of us will have to stand in front of Jesus Christ one day and explain our lives and the way we lived.  That can either be a relaxed and enjoyable interview, or a very uncomfortable and heart-wrenching interview.  The choice is ours and no one else's.  Do what makes you truly happy.  People who are sinning know that they are doing what is wrong, they can feel it, they have just turned down their conscience so that they cannot hear it anymore.  But it's there and they will have to own up to what they have done like the rest of us.  Just remember that God is always watching you and that helps curtail just about everything that we could do wrong out of your system.  Try it.  Until tomorrow.

Don't Stick Around for Oathbreakers

Today I read Ezekiel 17 where the Lord explains to the Israelites why the Pharaoh of Egypt did not save them from the king of Babylon.  I have always wondered why people would trust a traitor, or someone who does not keep their promises.  What makes them think that the person in question won't do it to them one day also?  It's the exact same thing with becoming involved with a person who is married and then continuing when you find out they are married.  Why do you think that even if that person leaves their spouse they are not going to cheat on you?  What makes you so special?  The answer of course is nothing.  But for some reason so many people don't look at it that way.  People are fickle, I get that much.  But why would we knowingly put ourselves in the path of such people and stay there even after their true nature is exposed?  That is what we really need to ask ourselves.  Until tomorrow.

The Sin of Sodom

Today I read Ezekiel 16 where the Lord tells Ezekiel about the many sins of Israel.  You know it's bad when the Lord compares Israel to Sodom!  I have looked everywhere for the scripture that appears in this verse though.  The Lord tells Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that the sin of Sodom was haughtiness and failing to take care of the poor and needy.  People always tend to think of the sexual perversions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that certainly was a problem, but the main issue was always the lack of compassion for their fellow man.  To be told that you are worse than Sodom is quite an issue in my opinion, however, I would wager strong money that we are worse than Sodom today in our culture.  We need to become better about becoming one, like the saints of Zion were.  They were of one heart and one mind with no poor among them the scriptures say.  If we hope to live with God again, we need to get that way too.  Until tomorrow.

The Spirit of the Lord will Not Always Strive with Man

Today I read Ezekiel 15 where the Lord compares Israel to a vine that does not produce anything.  He draws the analogy of what good is a tree that has vines and that is all.  He says it is no better than any other tree and He is right.  Once the Israelites stop fulfilling their covenants there is really nothing that makes it special.  The Lord Himself said that if we will obey His commandments, we will have blessings but if not, then we have no promise.  It is up to Him whether He will bless us or not.  Just because you are the chosen people, does not mean you are any more precious than other people.  You need to live the commandments and do as the Lord asks to continue to be the promised people.  The Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man God says, we have to earn it and keep it with us through our actions.  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites Would Not Believe the Ancient Prophets

Today I read Ezekiel 14 and I find it sad and a little amusing that the Lord tells Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that even if they were preached to by Noah, Daniel or Job they would not repent.  This reminds me a lot of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man.  The rich man asks Abraham if he can go back and warn his brothers about the awful fate that awaits them if they don't change.  Abraham replies back that they have all the prophets writings.  If they won't believe the prophets and change for them, then a visit from the rich man, even from the grave, would not change them.  Likewise the Lord tells Ezekiel that even a visit from revered prophets of old would not be enough to change their behaviors.  That is really a sad commentary on the state of the Israelites, but would that be any different from today?  If Jesus Himself appeared in Time Square, New York performing miracles, how many people would actually acknowledge Him as the Savior?  How many would declare it to be phony and a trick?  Almost everyone I suspect.  Although the prophecies of the Second Coming do state that everyone will know Him and will recognize Him for who He is, so maybe I am doing the people a disservice.  Somehow I doubt it though.  We have become a very cynical people, slow to believe anything, even when witnessed with out own eyes.  Until tomorrow.

False Prophets Shall Know that God is God

Today I read Ezekiel 13 where the Lord speaks directly to those false prophets who purposefully lead the Israelites astray.  He condemns them and tells them that He will take His people away from them and they will know that He is the Lord God.  It almost makes me think that the false prophets don't even believe in God and are doing what they do as a spite to the people that believe in Him.  It reminds me of the cliche about those old southern preachers that preach miracles that are charlatans and don't even really believe in Christ.  Such will not be treated lightly and are absolutely taking the Lord's name in vain.  I would not want to be in their shoes for any reason when they come face to face with God.  Just like with Sherem in Jacob 7 from the Book of Mormon.  He knew his fate was awful and feared to come face to face with God with good reason.  No, I would not trade places with him for anything.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Continues to Prophesy About the Fall of Jerusalem

Today I read Ezekiel 12 where the Lord has Ezekiel prophesy the scattering of Israel.  He also has Ezekiel do things that will signify the scattering of the Israelites, and then the gathering them in at the last day.  It is more of what we have read before.  It never fails to amaze me how the Lord will give so many chances to His people and while He lets them know that it will certainly happen, He tells Ezekiel to warn the Israelites nonetheless.  He really does love us and gives us every chance.  And we know from the Book of Mormon that He will save the righteous and give them an opportunity to escape.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Sees the Future in Vision

Today I read Ezekiel 11 where Ezekiel is shown a vision of the destruction of Israel and the gathering again in the latter days.  What must it be like to be shown a vision of the future?  I imagine it must be really weird to be honest.  I mean to be living in the middle ages and be shown visions of cars and airplanes?  That would be really mind blowing I think.  But I will wager that the prophets of old when they were shown such visions were not so focused on our technology as they were what kind of people we are.  And we know from Moroni's account that he was not impressed at all.  Probably the other prophets were not either.  We are not a people that puts God first in our lives, or even second, third, fourth or fifth.  God is almost an afterthought to most people.  And yet the very first commandment is no other gods before Him.  We are not doing a good job of following that commandment.  Now, I am not saying that other demands for our time are not as important as Heavenly Father, but what I am saying is that we allow other demands to become MORE important that God.  This is not pleasing to Him at all.  We all have some repenting to do.  No time like the present!  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel See Exaulted Animals in a Vision

Today I read Ezekiel 10 where Ezekiel has a vision that reminds me a lot of John the Beloved's vision as recorded in Revelations.  John sees animals with four faces and four wings, much like the animals that John saw that the Lord later revealed to Joseph Smith were animals that were exalted for fulfilling the measure of their creation.  It is interesting to me, because apparently other worlds have different animals than we do, which I think is really neat.  I like our animals here, but it is kind of awesome to think that other worlds have other animals that seem really weird to us but then again, our animals would seem really strange to us if the inhabitants of the other worlds could see them.  It does kind of make you wonder however why Heavenly Father shows His prophets these visions, it does not seem to have been terribly essential to Ezekiel's salvation that I can tell.  Perhaps Heavenly Father just wanted to show Ezekiel something he would appreciate.  Like an artist displaying his artwork.  Until tomorrow.

Heavenly Father Knows Who You Are

Today I read Ezekiel 9 where the righteous are marked and passed over when death comes.  It honestly reminded me quite a bit of the 10th plague of Egypt where the Israelites painted their door frames in blood for the passover and the destroying angel did not slay their children.  This type of chapter is a comfort to me, that I am known to my Heavenly Father and He knows of my desire to be righteous.  I knew that He knows me by name already, but it's always nice to be reminded!  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel is Shown the Wickedness of Israel

Today I read Ezekiel 8 where the Ezekiel is shown in vision the wickedness of the people of Judah.  It is interesting that Ezekiel would need to be shown.  Surely like Mormon he recognized the people being wicked and sinning on his own?  Perhaps this was just to help him learn even more conviction for the calling he had been given.  I do not envy those prophets that lived during this time, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Lehi.  Their lot was a tough one.  But they played well their part!  All I can hope to do is emulate them.  Until tomorrow.

Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed Because of Idol Worship

Today I read Ezekiel 7 where the Lord tells Ezekiel about the destruction of Jerusalem and its inhabitants.  Part of the reason they were going to be destroyed is their fixation on idolatry.  I can understand that putting other gods before God is easy to do, we do it all the time here in modern times too, but what always baffles me is making idols.  Why would you care so much about worshiping a golden calf?  Or any other statue?  It sounds so lame and dumb to me personally.  Maybe because I was reared in the church so I know better.  Maybe it sounds really wonderful to other people, but I really can't imagine why.  It sounds so foreign to me.  Oh well, I don't have to worry about that in myself, I just have to make sure I am not putting other gods before Him.  And that I am focused on what I should be doing!  Until tomorrow.

God's Word WIll Be Fulfilled

Today I read Ezekiel 5 and 6 both about Israel being punished for their sins.  I liked a phrase that the Lord used in chapter 6, "and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them."  People sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that when the Lord has said something will happen, perhaps it won't.  Now, I am not speaking of when the prophets say that we need to repent or this will happen.  In those settings, if we repent we will absolutely avoid the calamity that the Lord caused to be prophesied.  However, people sometimes mistake the goodness of God as a carte blanche to sin and avoid His warnings.  Make no mistake about it, God does not want to punish us, anymore than we want to punish our children.  But He is God, which means He has to keep His word, or the universe would cease to exist.  So if we don't shape up when He gives us the opportunity to do so, then we will absolutely pay the price He warned us about.  God's word cannot pass away, and unless He retracts His word, which I can only think of two times that He has done that, we had better believe that what He is warning us about is going to happen.  Until tomorrow. 

The Lord Prepares Ezekiel to Preach

Today I read Ezekiel 4 where the Lord told Ezekiel to make a type and shadow of the siege of Jerusalem and how the Israelites would live when they are scattered.  Parts of it are very interesting indeed.  It is interesting that the Lord is instructing Ezekiel to do this, to give him first hand knowledge so that when he preaches to the people he will be convincing.  At least I imagine that is the reason behind it.  I cannot imagine it being for anything else really.  It really does amaze me how the Lord will go to such great lengths to warn His people and try and help them repent and do what's right.  He really does love us just like our earthly parents love us and want to help us.  I imagine if we could feel even 10% of the love He has for us, we would be amazed at what we would find.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Learns the Word of God

Today I read Ezekiel 3 where the Lord tells Ezekiel to eat a scroll with the word of God on it.  It honestly reminded me of the Lord's admonition to seek not to declare His word, but seek first to obtain it.  If we want to spread the word of God on His behalf, we first have to learn the word of God.  We do that by studying and through prayer and fasting as the scriptures state.  In the days before Jesus' mortal ministry, it was the same way.  Ezekiel is taught the word of God in a vision, but the fact remains that he was taught it before he could preach the word of God.  Once he had learned the word, he was able to preach and was made responsible for the welfare of the people.  Their blood was on his hands as the Lord said.  We have the same admonition to preach the Gospel or we will be held accountable to those we might have helped.  If we have the same responsibility, then we likewise need to learn the word before we can declare it.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel is Called to be a Prophet

Today I read Ezekiel 2 where Ezekiel receives his call to be a prophet unto the Israelites.  This chapter reminds me a lot of Isaiah's call to be a prophet.  He speaks with the Lord and receives his call to preach unto the Israelites.  The Lord tells Ezekiel that the people will most likely not heed his words, however they will know that a prophet has been among them.  I wonder if that means they will feel the Spirit of the Lord or if like the Nephites and Nephi, they will not be able to disbelieve his words because of the faith and righteousness of the prophet?  Just because the people know the man is a prophet does not mean they will repent and do what is right.  When the Millennium arrives everyone will know the Savior has arrived and where He is residing, but that does not mean they will want to be with Him.  They may choose another path.  Similarly with Ezekiel, they knew a prophet was among them, but I am sure many of them still chose to do their own thing.  Just like we do when we disobey the Lord.  We know we are choosing the wrong.  It is our choice to make.  Until tomorrow.

Ezekiel Sees Animals Worshiping God

Today I read Ezekiel 1 where Ezekiel sees in vision 4 animals and the throne of God.  I don't know about you, but I have often wondered how Heavenly Father thought of all the animals that are on the earth.  And from what John the Revelator saw, there are other animals that we don't even have on this planet.  Is Heavenly Father just copying animals that He had on His world when He was mortal?  I'm not sure.  But I sometimes wonder, there are some very strange animals out there and I can't help but wonder where they all came from and who dreamed them up.  The animals that Ezekiel describes in this chapter are very strange indeed, not like anything we have on this planet at all.  It is interesting to me that in just about every vision of Heavenly Father that I can think of, the people see animals praising God in addition to people.  I find that very telling and oddly comforting.  For some reason I take comfort in knowing that even the animals praise and love their creator.  Should we do any less as "higher" beings?  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah's Journal

Today I read Lamentations 4 and 5.  It was interesting as most of the time Jeremiah was talking about how it is better to die by the sword that it was to die by famine.  I personally agree, I would prefer a quick, probably painful, death as opposed to one where I starve to death over weeks.  However it is strange that a prophet of the Lord would write about this in what appears to be his own journal and not necessarily a revelation from the Lord.  That's another interesting part, I wonder if Jeremiah ever in his wildest dreams thought that this would one day be considered scripture that billions of people read daily.  I know if I was a prophet I would not really want my journals, not even this one I am writing now, to be taken as scripture one day.  That would just be strange to me.  I think it will be interesting to speak to Jeremiah one day and get his perspective on things, of course, I can't wait to talk to a lot of prophets.  I think that will be a lot of fun!  Until one day.

The Lord Does Things for Our Good

Today I read Lamentations 3 and I really like how Jeremiah comments on how the Lord is not picking on people or civilizations.  He does not gain pleasure from it.  Too often mankind makes the mistake of thinking that the Lord is some giant kid with a magnifying glass on us little ants.  Such a statement is a huge disservice to our Master and Creator.  Those who know the Lord's true character know that He never does anything that is not for our benefit, or for the protection of His followers or to keep His word.  He has destroyed entire civilizations but that has always been in fulfillment of His promises that He has made to others.  However, on the individual level, I cannot think of anytime when He has done something that was not a natural result of our choices or would help us grow.  That is just who He is.  He wants to help us be better.  We just need to let Him.  Until tomorrow.

A Virtuous Woman is to be Prized

Today I read Lamentations 2 where Jeremiah laments the loss of the daughters of Zion.  It is a shame that in days past we prized women for their virtue and for their goodness.  It is a real shame that we do not look for such qualities in women anymore.  Now we just look for physical beauty and for other qualities that should not be prized at all.  It is a real shame that as a society we have done such a great job of degrading women that women have abandoned their virtue for debasement more worldly pursuits.  It would seem that Latter-day Saint women and a few other notable exceptions, are the only ones that prize virtue in women and appreciate the sanctity of virtue.  We must set the example and show the world that virtue is still the quality we should find in women.  If we don't, who will?  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Loves the People He Serves

Today I read Lamentations 1.  From this chapter it is easy to see that Jeremiah loved the people of Jerusalem and that their sin caused him pain.  This reminds me of Nephi when he admitted to crying for his people.  It is hard to serve people and not feel love for them, especially if you are serving on behalf of the Savior.  The love of God seems to overflow and fill our own meager cups.  And because of such profound love, it makes it hard to see the people we are serving make such poor choices.  Just like being a parent.  It is hard to watch your child make wrong choices and even harder to discipline them but you know as an adult that if you don't the behavior will only get worse and so you show your love by correcting the poor choices, even if the child doesn't understand right away.  I can only imagine how hard it must be for Heavenly Father.  I'm sure I'll know some day.  Until tomorrow.

Jerusalem is Destroyed

Today I read Jeremiah 51 and 52 where the Lord tells Jeremiah He has used Babylon as His tool to punish the nations of the earth but despite that He will overthrow Babylon one day.  Chapter 52 tells again the story of Jerusalem being destroyed.  It says that Jerusalem was destroyed in the 11 year of the reign of Zedekiah and Lehi left during the first year so Jerusalem was destroyed 10 - 11 years after Lehi left Jerusalem.  About the time they arrived at the promised land.  I cannot even imagine what it must have been like to be in a city that is conquered by an opposing army.  And to be besieged for months before that would be just awful.  And only about one thousand people being spared to be captive out of all the inhabitants of Jerusalem!  Such slaughter wounds my heart, even if they were unrighteous.  I am glad I did not live in that time.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Tells Jeremiah of More Cities He Will Destroy

Today I read Jeremiah 49 - 50 which tells Jeremiah about cities and lands that will be destroyed.  I have to wonder why the Lord is telling Jeremiah all this and why it is included in the scriptures.  Especially when at least some of it is verbatim what the Lord said about other civilizations that He has destroyed.  It is good to know from a history perspective, but I really miss the doctrine of the Book of Mormon and how happy and peaceful I feel when I read it.  Fortunately I am over half way done with the Old Testament and will be reading the Book of Mormon next.  There is just a different feeling when you read the Book of Mormon.  There's nothing quite like it.  Until tomorrow.

The Destruction of Moab is Told

Today I read Jeremiah 48 where the Lord goes into great detail on how He will destroy Moab.  As I was reading this I could not help but wonder what in the world Moab's people has done to cause the Lord to desire their destruction so completely.  We know that the Lord does not delight in destruction and so when He takes it upon Himself to destroy a people, it is always for a reason.  I often wonder why the Lord doesn't destroy more people.  I cannot even begin to imagine how He puts up with people abusing His precious sons and daughters who are new to this mortality.  As I am today, I could never have His power.  I actively hate those who abuse their children, especially physically.  I have no room in my heart for them.  I don't care what their past was like, I don't care what their reasons are, there is NO excuse for hurting an infant or toddler.  I have a long way to go if I want to be exalted and every time I read about such things or see it on the news I ask Heavenly Father how He can stand such atrocities.  I know He will tell me one day and help me understand because honestly, that is my one fear about exaltation is I don't see how I can allow such things to happen and how I can comfort those who need it and not just cry for the horrors all the time.  I need His help to learn how because I do want to be like He is one day, and He will help me.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Tells Jeremiah He Will Destroy the Philistines

Today I read Jeremiah 47 where Jeremiah foretells the destruction of the Philistines.  At first glance, some people might feel that Jeremiah would be happy to know that the people that have plagued his own people for centuries were going to be destroyed.  But such people would not understand the nature of God and that when the Spirit of the Lord works on you, you change.  Poor Jeremiah was privy to some very awful things and I am sure they caused him much anguish of heart to know.  When you are in tune with the Lord even an enemy's death is painful and causes the heart to hurt for them.  The Lord does not delight in bloodshed.  He does not delight in wickedness and so when a people reach a fullness of iniquity, they are wiped off the face of the earth so that they do not infect others, much like a malignant tumor would be removed from the body so as not to spread to other areas.  I bet Jeremiah was honored to be the Lord's mouthpiece, but I bet that he took no pleasure in the stating that a culture would be destroyed.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Foretells Egypts Destruction

Today I read Jeremiah 46 which is mostly Jeremiah foretelling the destruction of Egypt.  I am a little surprised this chapter is in here.  I don't understand why Jeremiah received this prophecy and why he needed to know that Egypt was going to be destroyed.  Today it would be a little different.  President Monson is the prophet for the entire world now, not just for Israel like Jeremiah was.  I can understand if President Monson was told that a country was going to be destroyed unless they repented, but otherwise, it's strange that Jeremiah would be told about this.  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that some of the Israelites were wanting to flee to Egypt and the Lord was trying to warn His people.  I'm not really sure but like the others, it is in here for a reason I know.  It is important to have and like the other passages I am unsure about I will make it a matter of pondering.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Tells Baruch the Lord's WIll

Today I read Jeremiah 45 where Jeremiah tells Baruch that the Lord will give him his life.  I can certainly understand wanting to know the will of the Lord concerning you.  There have been many times I have sought out a blessing to better know the will of the Lord concerning me.  And I have never really been disappointed, the Lord always tells you what you need to know.  It may not be what you want to hear, but it is what you need to know.  The Lord loves us and will always help us out when we ask Him for it as long as it does not interfere with our own growth.  If you ever want to know your standing before the Lord, just ask, He will tell you.  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites Tell Jeremiah, and the Lord, That They WIll Be Disobedient

Today I read Jeremiah 44 and I was floored by the fact that the people of Israel were willfully being disobedient.  Jeremiah told them not to burn incense and told them the word of the Lord, and they flat out said they did not care and were going to do it anyway.  Now, to be fair, people who knowingly break the commandments are doing the same thing, they just are not saying it out loud to the prophet of the Lord.  Now, there are those that have a weakness that make it very hard to overcome and so they sin a lot more than they might want to.  As long as they are working on correcting the behavior and working with Heavenly Father to get better, I think the Lord looks favorably on them.  But those who willfully disobey Him are another matter.  We need to be getting better little by little each and every day, our heart must be in the right place.  Because where our heart is, that is where our effort will be.  Until tomorrow.

The People Disbelieve Jeremiah

Today I read Jeremiah 43 and I am just dumbfounded.  Here are people that despite the fact that all of Jeremiah's other prophecies have come true, call him a liar about the fact that the Lord has told him that the people should not go down to Egypt but should stay in Judah.  At times I will be called a liar in my job and every time I have the same response, what purpose would it serve me to lie?  I think the exact same thing about Jeremiah in this instance.  What does it matter to him if the people go down to Egypt or not?  It never fails to amaze me how people will believe what they want to believe no matter what.  No amount of evidence to the contrary will convince them.  In this case though it is really sad because these few people disbelieving Jeremiah will cost the lives of others who are under their command.  Those are the real losers in this situation.  Until tomorrow.

Feel God's Love for Us

Today I read Jeremiah 42 where several of the Israelites go to Jeremiah to find out the will of the Lord.  The Lord tells them that if they stay in Babylon they will be fine, but if they go to Egypt like they plan they will die by the sword or by famine.  The main feeling I got from this chapter is that the Lord loves His people.  Life is really tough at times and it can be very hard to try and handle everything that gets thrown at us, but the Lord has given us prophets and counsel to try and help us overcome all that we have to handle in this day and age.  If you can't feel the love our Heavenly Father has for us through all He has done for us, try pondering it a little more.  Because I can feel the love He has for me as I write this.  I feel His love for my wife and daughter when I care for them.  For His children when I give service, when I do home teaching and all the other ways I can give service to those who need it.  It is a wonderful feeling.  Until tomorrow.

A Random Chapter

Today I read Jeremiah 41 which I am honestly not sure why it is even in the scriptures.  It deals with Ishmael, who I think was made governor over the land by the king of Babylon, killing some men for some reason that I am unclear on.  I really am not sure why this chapter is in the scriptures.  It has nothing to do with the house of Israel that I can tell and Jeremiah is not even mentioned in the chapter.  Perhaps I should make it a matter of prayer and pondering.  Joseph Smith did not change anything in it, did not add anything or take it out, so it must be in there for a reason.  At this time I do not know what that reason is, so I will need to think on this and ponder it.  If I find out, I will certainly let you all know.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah is Allowed to Rest for a Season

Today I read Jeremiah 40 which talks a lot about people serving one another and people that I am honestly not even sure who they are.  But one thing I did like about this chapter was Jeremiah going to dwell with people he knew and was comfortable with.  Poor Jeremiah had a really rough time serving the Lord and doing as Heavenly Father wanted him to do so I am really glad that he was rewarded, to a point.  No one does the will of the Lord to be rewarded, however it is always nice when the Lord does reward His servants in this life.  It is very heartwarming to see Jeremiah being treated well after so many trials.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah is Set Free by the Babylonians

Today I read Jeremiah 39 where Babylon sacks Jerusalem, kills King Zedekiah's sons and takes him prisoner.  I imagine far from being happy that he was vindicated at last, Jeremiah was very sad to see his beloved city laid to waste.  He must have been heartbroken that the people would not listen to him.  I know I would have been.  Just like the Savior lamented about the people of Israel in His day, so too did Jeremiah shed any tears over those he would have saved if they had but listened and heeded his words.  I am quite sure of it.  The prophets of God are not concerned with saying I told you so, but rather of sparing their fellow brethren and sisters unnecessary pain and suffering.  I imagine that Jeremiah is no different.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Fulfills His Assignment

Today I read Jeremiah 38 where Jeremiah is cast into a dungeon and sinks in the mire, basically a sewer is the way I read it.  Jeremiah is absolutely not afraid of man, he endures more than many other prophets combined and everything except death at the hands of his fellow Israelites.  He is truly concerned with doing the Lord's work and nothing else.  We can all learn a lot from him.  Just like our Savior, he was faithful in everything he was entrusted with and did his part, no matter the personal consequences.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Fears God, not Man

Today I read Jeremiah 37 and I like how Jeremiah approaches being cast into prison.  After being in prison for some time, he is brought before Zedekiah, the king and he asks what has he done to him to deserve his treatment.  He also asks what his soothsayers and witchdoctors and all the other people are saying to him, if they are saying that Babylon will not come in and destroy them.  One thing I always admire about the prophets in the scriptures, they most certainly do not fear anyone other than God.  They will say whatever God has asked them to say, and they don't run from it or fear it at all.  Jonah of course is the notable exception, however, even he repents and does as the Lord asks of him.  There are several lessons we can learn from the prophets, however perhaps the best one is to fear God, not man.  Do as God asks and don't worry about what others might think.  Until tomorrow.

Truth Doesn't Change Because You Don't Like It

Today I read Jeremiah 36 where the king reads the prophecies of Jeremiah and burns them and then tries to have Jeremiah and his scribe arrested.  Just for telling the truth!  This is a situation I have to deal with all the time at work in customer service.  I have to remind people, as gently as possible, that the truth doesn't change just because you don't like it.  For some reason, people seem to think they can change what they don't like by getting upset and yelling, cursing or using threats.  It is sad to see grown people be so in able to deal with their emotions, but it seems to be happening more and more.  As our tolerance of inappropriate behaviors increases, we see more and more lack of even trying to control their own emotions from people.  We were put here to try and become better men and women and to learn to dominate our bodies that God has given us, not be dominated by them.  But we are quickly sliding into the realm of anything goes and if you have a problem with it, well you are a bigot.  Such thinking is not pleasing to God at all.  We need to be respectful of other people and their thoughts, beliefs, etc, but that does not mean we have to accept their wrong or inappropriate behavior.  The key is finding the right balance, and we do not have it in today's society.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Blesses Those that Keep Their Promises

Today I read Jeremiah 35 where the Lord speaks to a group of people known as the Rechabites.  It is interesting that this group of people obey the command of their ancestor to drink no liquor and to not build any houses, generations after he is dead and gone.  Why are people so willing to obey the commands of earthly people, but not God our Father?  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the earthly people are here in the flesh in front of us, but God is not.  But that does not explain why a group of people would continue to obey a command from an ancestor generations later.  It is very interesting for sure and I would be curious if it is repeated with other cultures.  I am really glad that this culture is doing this and remaining true no matter what, and apparently so if Heavenly Father as He commends them in the chapter.  Heavenly Father wants a covenant keeping people, so if the people keep the promises they make, even to each other, He is pleased.  He wishes we would all be so faithful.  Until tomorrow.

The Israelites Fail to Uphold Their Covenants

Today I read Jeremiah 34 where the Lord commands the Israelites to let all their servants go, just as He told them to do in the law of Moses.  Every seventh year all debts are supposed to be paid and all servants were to be set free.  Indentured servants I should clarify.  Apparently the Israelites were not doing this but they did when the Lord commanded them to, but then they went back afterwards and made them all servants again.  Of course the Lord was not pleased by this at all.  It is just sad how fickle people are and how they give a semblance of obeying, but in reality, they have it in their hearts to go back on their word as soon as they can.  Such duplicity is not pleasing to the Lord at all.  If He wants us to be honest in our dealings with our fellow man, how much more does He want us to be honest with Him?  It would behoove us all to treat every dealing with the Lord with the utmost integrity.  We will never go wrong if we do.  Until tomorrow.

Power Corrupts

Today I read Jeremiah 33 which contains a clear reference to Jesus in my opinion.  Jeremiah prophesies that a branch of David will grow up and will execute judgment and righteousness.  Now, this could actually be talking about the Millennium because that is when the Savior will rule and reign over all of the world personally.  These passages, and others like them, are probably why the Israelites did not recognize the Savior when He came the first time.  They were looking for the conqueror, the Second Coming, not the Redeemer.  It just always blows my mind that they couldn't recognize Him after all the miracles He performed.  Like we said just yesterday, they were too concerned with staying in power to want to believe.  Power corrupts the old saying goes.  Heavenly Father said it slightly differently in Doctrine and Covenants 121, He said that most men when they get a little authority as they suppose immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.  For some reason the natural man is not fit for power at all.  Such a man, or woman, is not fit for all that the Father hath.  Such ultimate authority would be abused to no end.  Heavenly Father knows this and so gives such people the opportunity to grow and learn to control such desires here on the earth.  It is to our benefit if we take advantage of those opportunities.  It may be the only ones we get.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah is Imprisoned

Today I read Jeremiah 32 where king Zedekiah put Jeremiah in prison because he prophesied that Zedekiah would be taken captive by the Babylonians.  If I knew nothing else about Zedekiah that would tell me that he was a weak king who abused his power and had no business being king.  From history we do know other things about him, but everything else I know about him just reinforces my opinion of him.  Weak people fear what others think about them.  They worry about it, they get upset when they find out that others don't think they are amazing and awesome.  They do things only because they think it help improve their standing.  It is quite sad honestly.  And unfortunately, you almost always find such people in politics.  They are so afraid of losing their power that they don't focus on doing what is right, but rather on doing what they need to in order to stay in power.  I really wish we would go back to the way the Founding Fathers envisioned it, where people are elected to serve their fellow men for a period of time, then after their service is over, they return to their normal lives.  Career politicians was probably the single worst idea for our country that has ever been had.  It has led to all kinds of evil.  Fortunately, it will not last forever.  When the Savior comes again, He will reign upon the earth in true righteousness.  Until tomorrow.

Jeremiah Continues His Preaching to Israel

Today I read Jeremiah 31 and it might have to do with the fact that I am physically sick today, but seriously the thought that kept going through my mind this morning as I read was, how many different ways can you say the exact same thing?  This chapter is more of the same as the last 30 chapters have been.  Israel is being punished, but they will be redeemed.  It is worth knowing and hearing for sure, but not over and over again.  It is good for historical records I am sure and I am confident that the people at the time rejoiced in hearing it.  For me and my spiritual growth though, I hope Jeremiah moves on soon to another topic.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Promises Israel Will Be Restored to Its Glory

Today I read Jeremiah 30 where the Lord tells the Israelites that they will be restored to their former glory one day.  As I have stated in the past, I have a hard time understanding the importance of this in most cases.  I pretty much just live my life the best way I can without worrying about whether I am part of a larger community or not.  Now, I would have a problem if I had been taken captive like the Israelites were, but as for if America were scattered to the four winds, I don't think I would lament the fact that all the American's are now spread all over the world.  But it was a different world with a different culture, maybe that was very important and even vital to those people.  I just don't know.  I'm sure I'll understand it one day.  Until tomorrow.

The Lord Counsels the Israelites in Captivity

Today I read Jeremiah 29 where the Lord counsels the people in captivity that they will be there for seventy years.  He advises them to marry and have families.  To have their children marry and have families and to go on with their lives.  He tells them that He did not want them to have this captivity, that it is a result of their unrighteousness and their leaders wrong choices.  I can liken it to being an earthly parent and telling your child not to touch the stove and stopping them every time they try, but that one time you are not looking they touch it anyway.  You warn them and try to help them understand how dangerous it is, how much it will hurt, but they don't listen.  Sometimes, no matter how much you warn and beg them to listen, they have to make the mistakes on their own and discover how wrong of a choice it is.  But even when they choose poorly, we still love them and care for them and want their happiness.  Is our Father in Heaven any different?  Of course not.  He always wants what is best for us.  Until tomorrow.