The devil cheateth (cheetah) their souls

In this week's "Come, Follow Me" reading, Paul's talked about the Second Coming.  I had never noticed what Paul said about Satan:  That "the son of perdition" would "be revealed" before "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:1,3).  So it's interesting that Elder Bednar in general conference would so clearly teach us of the nature of Satan and his efforts to fight against Heavenly Father in these last days.

My wife pointed out with a smile the word play in Nephi's prophecy of the last days:  "the devil cheateth (cheetah) their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell."

Paul the Apostle prophesied:
Let no man deceive you by any means: … the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ … shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God….
2 Thessalonians 2:1, 3-4

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

A cheetah is a predator that naturally preys on other animals. All day, every day, a cheetah is a predator.

The Father’s plan of happiness is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them experience enduring joy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies.

The devil labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy and to hinder their eternal progression. The adversary works relentlessly to attack the elements of the Father’s plan he hates the most.

October 2019 General Conference

Nephi the prophet taught:

The devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

2 Nephi 28:21

Love, Reverence, Honor, Nuture

Continuing to think this week about Paul's writings to the Ephesians for Come, Follow Me, I appreciated his counsel about parents loving and reverencing each other and nurturing their children with a family focus on Jesus Christ.  This is so applicable today.

I'm grateful for clarifying counsel by modern leaders in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World".

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it
Ephesians 5:25

Wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:33

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  Honour thy father and mother;
Ephesians 6:1-2

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4

It also reminds me of the counsel of King Benjamin in Mosiah 4:

14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.

Why Apostles and Prophets...

Paul explains why the Lord calls prophets and apostles....  Clearly, they are so sorely needed today.

The apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Ephesians 4:11-15

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free

In this week's Come, Follow Me studies, Paul reminds us that we should "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" and later teaches that being "called unto liberty" means we should "serve one another" and "love thy neighbour as thyself" (Galatians 5:1,13,14).

I've been pondering a lot lately what it means to be a Christian--a follower of Christ--and I think these teachings of Paul embody the core of this. The Book of Mormon gives us some great examples of standing fast in liberty and loving others (see Mosiah 23:13-15).

 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free…
 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 5

Be of One Mind

Paul's message of unity and peace ("be of one mind, live in peace") is applicable today and will lead to the love and peace that we and the world need.

Note that his counsel to "be perfect" in the ancient Greek carries the meaning to "be what you ought to be".  Let's not get discouraged if we are not yet Godly.  Jesus Christ will make that happen through his grace.  He says, "Come, Follow Me."  Let's do what we can and turn to him.

This is one of the things we've been ponderizing this week from the Come, Follow Me reading.

Be perfect,
be of good comfort,
be of one mind,
live in peace;
and
the God of love and peace
shall be with you

2 Corinthians 13:11

Peace, peace be unto you,

because of your faith

in my Well Beloved.

Helaman 5:47

Eternal Weight of Glory

I am grateful for the eternal perspective the Gospel gives us and the hope and peace it offers. Paul talked of this in his epistle to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) which reminded me of similar principles learned by the people of King Benjamin in Mosiah 5:3. We have been reading 2 Corinthians this week for Come, Follow Me.

we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come;
Mosiah 5:3

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Meet Together Oft to Partake

In this week's Come, Follow Me reading, Paul emphasized the importance of gathering to take the sacrament in remembrance of the Savior.  Regularly coming together for this simple act unites us and provides a common healing that we need in the divisive world.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians:  "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."  In in Moroni, we read that the members "did meet together oft to partake ... in remembrance of the Lord Jesus."

Moroni 6:
 5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
 6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

Be kindly affectioned one to another

I really appreciate Paul's teachings to the Romans (in Romans 12) regarding evil. He counseled us to abhor evil but at the same time encouraged us to overcome evil with good and to do good to and show kindness to all people, even our enemy.  I believe this is what the Savior would have us do, so I will strive to do the same.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12

And charity suffereth long, and is kind...
Moroni 7:45

Faith is an Anchor

Faith in Jesus Christ is the anchor which has helped me weather the storms of life.  Sometimes in the darkest, loudest, most violent moments of the storm, faith may be the only sure thing we can trust to hold us firmly from crashing to pieces against the hidden rocks near the shore.  Paul wrote to the Romans about faith, so we're pondering this principle this week.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith
Romans 1:16-17

by faith all things are fulfilled—Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men….

Ether 12:3-4

Hearts Knit Together in Unity

The gospel of Jesus Christ brings people together in love.  Regardless of our diverse backgrounds, the gospel unites.  We are all brothers and sisters, children of a Heavenly Father who loves us.  The Lord teaches this principle through his prophets and apostles in all times and places.

I have enjoyed studying the ministry of Paul this week for Come, Follow Me (Acts 10-15).  His story shows how we can all change.

  Paul and Barnabas … went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
  - Acts 13:50, 14:1

  And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
  - Mosiah 18:21

He Did Deliver Them

Come, Follow Me....

I love Stephen, a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, who gave his life testifying of the Savior.  One of the principles he taught in Acts 7 was that Christ, our Savior, can deliver us from bondage and affliction, just as He did Joseph and his family as well as the Israelites at the hand of Moses.

The Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, confirms this eternal truth.

  And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
  And delivered him out of all his afflictions….
Acts 7:9-10

  I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them.

Acts 7:34

  For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.

  And it came to pass that he did deliver them….

Mosiah 23:23-24

Go Quickly

I've been impressed this week by the diligent heed that Mary and Mary paid to the invitation of the angel at the Savior's tomb (Matthew 28:1-9).  Their obedience allowed them to witness evidence of His resurrection followed by the opportunity to see and embrace Him.

I believe this is a pattern for all of us.  Diligent obedience to God's servants will lead us to evidence of the living Christ and will eventually lead us to the Savior himself.  And we see examples of this throughout the Book of Mormon and all the scriptures.

 5 And the angel answered….
 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him….
 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
 9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
- Matthew 28

 2 I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

- Mormon 1 

They That Passed by Railed on Him

This week I've been pondering the final moments of the Savior's mortal ministry. He truly set an example of enduring to the end through the ridicule of the world and despite carrying that burden alone.

I think we all have moments where we feel alone. Jesus understands. And following the words of 2 Nephi 9:18, I'm grateful that he led the way.

And the superscription of his accusation was written over,

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And they that passed by railed on him….

Mark 15:26,29

But, behold, the righteous,

the saints of the Holy One of Israel,

they who have believed in

the Holy One of Israel,

they who have endured

the crosses of the world,

and despised the shame of it,

they shall inherit the kingdom of God,

which was prepared for them

from the foundation of the world,

and their joy shall be full forever.

2 Nephi 9:18

The will of the Father

I am deeply grateful that Jesus Christ was willing to suffer the will of the Father in all things, paying the ultimate price to the very end.  If he can endure to the end for me, I can try to do so for him, in love and service.

O my Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will,
but as thou wilt.
- Matthew 26:39

I have suffered the will of the Father

in all things

from the beginning.

- 3 Nephi 11:11–12

A House of Prayer

I love the temple and how it points me to God. To my good friends in Virginia, it's that building just off the beltway in Maryland. There we learn about Jesus Christ and commit to be more like him.

This week we're reading some in Matthew, and I thought about Christ's statement that his house shall be called the house of prayer. God will hear our prayers anywhere, but we can definitely feel the Lord's presence and receive answers to prayers in the temple.

Interestingly, when I read about going up to the mountain (in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon), I'm reminded that it represents the Lord's presence and the temple.

My house

shall be called the

house of prayer

Matthew 21:13

The voice of the Lord came unto me, saying:

Arise, and get thee into the mountain.

And it came to pass that I arose

and went up into the mountain,

and cried unto the Lord.

And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me.

1 Nephi 17:7-8

With Great Power, Minister

This week as we've been reading in the New Testament, I was impressed again by the great love our Savior has for us and his example of loving and ministering to others.  The most powerful person to ever walk this earth, Jesus Christ could have reigned in personal glory on the earth.  Instead, he associated with the downtrodden and outcast, blessed the sick and afflicted, washed the feet of weary travelers, and taught us all to love and serve one another.

Whosoever will be great among you,
  let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you,
  let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but
  to minister, and
  to give his life a ransom for many.

 - Matthew 20:26-28

Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe.

 - Alma 9:11

Gratitude of a Leper

This week as we study Luke 12–17 and John 11, we'll have a chance to think about the healing of the ten lepers.  My hope is that we'll remember to be like the one, full of gratitude to the Lord for his tenderloving kindnesses.

Luke 17:

 11 ¶ And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

Alma 34:37-38:

And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should …worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

The Good Shepherd

I'm happy we're studying John 7-10 this week. In John 10:27-28, we're reminded that Jesus is our Shepherd. At the same time he cares for and protects us, his sheep, we can minister to others as fellow shepherds.

John 10:27-28
       My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Alma 5:60
       The good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold….

Humble As This Little Child

It seems appropriate this week to look back at Easter past and ponder what Christ did for us and see in his sacrifice the perfect example of child-like humility in doing the Father's will.  As we continue to study the New Testament and learn how we can be better followers of Jesus Christ, we can look to both His words and life.

"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 18:4)

"The Lamb of God … humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments."  (2 Nephi 31:6-7)

He is risen!

With Easter fast approaching, we'll be pondering this week the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his miraculous resurrection.  With all the physical challenges we face in life (especially those I discover as I get older), it's so comforting to know that eventually, we will all be resurrected and free of physical pain and suffering.

Alma 22:14

Christ ... breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory

Matthew 28:5-6

Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen

The Atonement and Compassion

In our study of Matthew 16–17; Mark 8–9; and Luke 9, I was reading about the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  I couldn't help but notice the love and compassion the Savior had for the people in their temporal distress.  As I pondered that, I found Abinadi in the Book of Mormon commenting on the Savior's compassion in the context of His death and resurrection.  That brought me back to the Savior's prophecy to the apostles of His crucifixion.  I am grateful for a loving older brother who cares about every want, from the smallest earthly concern to our need for eternal salvation, and for his willingness to provide.

Mosiah 15:7-9

  Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

  And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

  Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

Matthew 17:22-23

 Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.

Mark 8:1-3

 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,

 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

"Moses ... wrote of me"

In John 5:46, the Savior said, "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." That reminded me how often we learn of Christ from prophets in the Old Testament and Book of Mormon. What great faith they had to look forward to one who had not yet come. We are fortunate today to have a record of his earthly ministry.

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:46).

And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.  (Alma 34:14)

Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.  (Alma 33:19)

I Will Give You Rest

This week we're pondering the comforting words of a loving Savior who will shoulder our load if we just follow him...

Matthew 11:
  28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
  30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Mosiah 2:
  41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Service in the Face of Scorn

I love the story of the daughter of Jairus.  Acting in faith, a man asks the Savior to heal his dying daughter.  Jesus does so in the face of ridicule.  I am grateful for the Lord's example of willing service despite the world's scorn.  I can strive to do the same knowing that I'm in good company (see 3 Nephi 12:11-12).

3 Nephi 12:11-12
  And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake; For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 9:18-19,23-25
  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

The Golden Rule

This week we're studying Matthew 6-7. The Savior teaches us in Matthew 7:12 to treat others as we would want to be treated: The Golden Rule. To help us ponder what this means, I looked at the covenant the Lamanites made when they accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ (Alma 24:18). This shows how peace and prosperity follow when we turn to the Lord, love one another above ourselves, and consider the impact of our actions on others.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.  (Matthew 7:12)

And this they did, ... covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.  (Alma 24:18)

The Beatitudes

So much to ponder this week in Matthew 5 and Luke 6.  Reviewing the Beatitudes made me think of how grateful I am for the Savior whose teachings lead many millions around the world to do good, to show mercy, to make peace.

These beautiful verses remind me of the counsel in the Book of Mormon to do good and become children of Christ (Moroni 7:13, 19):

  13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

  19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

And of course, the Beatitudes (from Matthew 5):

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

But There Is a Resurrection

I began studying John chapter 2 for this week's Come, Follow Me section on John 2-4, and as I read about Christ prophesying that he would be resurrected after three days, I thought about all the teachings in the scriptures about resurrection, and how we will all be resurrected in some future day without any of the physical challenges we now deal with.  So this week, I'll be pondering one of those prophesies of the resurrection from Mosiah 16.

John 2:
 18 ¶ Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

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

His Promises Are Sure

As we'll be studying Matthew 4 and Luke 4–5 this week, I was reading about Satan's efforts to tempt the Savior.  In Matthew 4, Satan promised the Savior all the kingdoms of the world.  Satan will make any promise to get his way, even if he can't (or won't) deliver.  It reminded me that we can always count on the Lord.  His promises are sure.  So this week, I'll be pondering Alma 37:16-17 which teaches that principle.

God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.  For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.  (Alma 37:16-17)

The false promises of Satan and those who follow his evil ways are also evident in the Book of Mormon.  Remember when a Lamanite army was lost and stumbled across the people of Alma and promised to free them if Alma told them the way home?  When Alma showed them the way, the Lamanites did not keep their promise (Mosiah 23:36-37):

36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites promised unto Alma and his brethren, that if they would show them the way which led to the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty.
37 But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of Nephi the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set guards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren.

Who Shall Be His Seed?

This week's New Testament lesson asks the question, "What does it mean to 'become the sons of God'?" (John 1:12).  To help us think about this principle, we'll be pondering Mosiah 15:10-11 which answers the question, "who shall be his seed?"

Notice the chiastic patterns in both John and Mosiah.

Mosiah 15:10-11

And who shall be his seed?  Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has…
 - heard the words of the prophets…
 - hearkened unto their words, and
 - believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and…
 - looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins….
I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

John 1:12

But as many as received him,
 - to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name….

No Contention Because of the Love of God

In preparation for next week's lesson, I reviewed Luke 2 today and was reminded that the Savior is the true source of peace, so this week I'll be pondering this verse from 4 Nephi.  Given all the contention in the world, I think we need more of the love of God.

And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.  (4 Nephi 1:15)

His Promises Are Sure

For our weekly ponderize scriptures this year, I plan to identify a concept from the upcoming New Testament (Come, Follow Me) lesson and find a related Book of Mormon scripture to ponder.

Our scripture this week is Mosiah 7:33 which teaches me to trust the Lord and his timing. The promised blessing will come when it's right for us. Elisabeth and Zacharias, both faithful people, were unable to bear children until much later in life when Elisabeth finally gave birth to John the Baptist. He came to the earth in time to prepare the way for the Savior.

But if ye will a turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.  (Mosiah 7:33)

Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.  (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)