Jesus himself drew near (Come, Follow Me)

From this week's Come, Follow Me reading...  If we gather and speak of Christ, He will walk with us.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luke 24:15

I have overcome (Come, Follow Me)

From today's Come, Follow Me reading in John comes these comforting words.  Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of peace and joy.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

He loved them unto the end (Come, Follow Me)

Studying Come, Follow Me this week, I found this comforting verse. Because of His love for us, Jesus Christ endured to the end, in the garden and on the cross. As a result, He opened the door to salvation and eternal happiness for all. May I follow His example in exercising enduring love for others.

He loved them unto the end.
John 13:1

The house of prayer (Come, Follow Me)

My house shall be called the house of prayer

Matthew 21:13

Come Back Podcast: "the Book of Mormon didn't do anything for me personally"

Reading the Book of Mormon can signal to God that we are open to his divine help.  Some may wonder, "why don't I feel anything when I read the Book of Mormon?" or "why didn't I get an answer that the Book of Mormon is true?"

In this Come Back Podcast interview, Lauren Rose shares her experience reading the Book of Mormon and how it was a turning point in her life.  After reading it, she said, "the Book of Mormon didn't do anything for me personally", but she recognized that it opened the door to Heavenly help:

Sometimes the Lord uses small acts of faith, like reading the Book of Mormon, to start making changes in our lives that lead us to the happiness we seek.

I love the Come Back Podcast.  So many people have finding their faith in Christ and coming back.

With God all things are possible (Come, Follow Me)

I have seen so many miracles in my life, that I know this is true:

With God all things are possible.
Mark 10:27

ChatGPT and Scripture Study

Many are concerned that ChatGPT might be used for questionable or unethical purposes or that it might take away the need for learning.  I like to believe that technology is inspired to help carry out the work of the Lord and spread His truth.  If used wisely, I believe ChatGPT can be another instrument that brings us closer to God.

To that end, I decided to try out ChatGPT.  I asked a series of questions and was pleased with the results.  Here are some examples.

Chat:  Please list ten names or titles of Jesus Christ from the Book of Mormon.

1. The Lord God Omnipotent
2. The Holy One of Israel
3. The Redeemer of the World
4. The Light and the Life of the World
5. The Savior of Men
6. The Prince of Peace
7. The Good Shepherd
8. The Great Mediator
9. The Resurrection and the Life
10. The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Chat:  Please list ten names or titles of Jesus Christ from the Bible.

1. Son of God
2. Lord
3. Messiah (Christ)
4. Immanuel (God with us)
5. King of Kings
6. Lord of Lords
7. Lamb of God
8. The Word
9. The Way, the Truth, and the Life
10. The Bread of Life

ChatGPT provided some insightful comments in response to several questions, but occasionally it gave unusual responses that made me think.  Here's one example:

Chat: What symbols in the Book of Mormon point us to Christ?

The Book of Mormon uses several symbols that point to the Savior Jesus Christ. Some examples of these symbols include:

• The Tree of Life: The tree of life is a symbol of the love of God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It represents the source of eternal life, and it is an invitation to partake of the love and grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
• The Iron Rod: The Iron Rod is a symbol of the word of God, it represents the way to eternal life, it is a guide to navigate the difficulties of life and come to the presence of God.
• The Liahona: The Liahona is a symbol of the guidance and direction that God provides through the Holy Ghost. It reminds us that we are not alone and that God is always with us, guiding and directing us along the path to eternal life.
• The Atonement of Christ: The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a central symbol in the Book of Mormon, and it is frequently referenced throughout the text. The Atonement represents the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity, and it reminds us of the infinite love and compassion of God.
• The Temple: The Temple is a symbol of the House of the Lord, the place where God dwells, the place where we can make covenants with God and receive the blessings of salvation and eternal life.
• The Word of God: The Word of God is symbolized by the word of Christ, the scripture, the teachings of the prophets, the voice of God, it points us to the knowledge of Christ and the path of salvation.

I think ChatGPT is a useful tool for discovering and synthesizing information in response to human input, but its results should be evaluated in light of true sources of information.  It will likely improve over time.  Careful use of this tool may provide valuable learning opportunities.

In this place, peace (Come, Follow Me)

Comforting counsel and a ray of hope from this week's Come, Follow Me reading in Haggai

in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

Haggai 2:9

His glory covered the heavens (Come, Follow Me)

I love these words from Habakkuk 3:4-6.  Whenever I see new images from the Webb or Hubble telescopes, I see the evidence of God's power and love.

His glory covered the heavens,
And his brightness was as the light
His ways are everlasting

Gracious and Merciful (Come, Follow Me)

I am grateful for a kind, merciful, patient, and gracious Savior who I can turn to.

Turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Joel 2:13

The Appearance of the Bow (Come, Follow Me)

Even in challenging times, the Lord is with us, and we can see evidence of His presence and love in the beauty of the earth that He created.

As the appearance of the bow
that is in the cloud in the day of rain,
so was the appearance of the brightness round about.
This was the appearance
of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Ezekiel 1:28

The Lord Is Good (Come, Follow Me)

From this week's Come, Follow Me reading comes this comforting verse:

The Lord is good unto them
that wait for him,
to the soul that seeketh him.
Lamentations 3:25

While my life has been full of challenges and trials, I know these words are true.  The Lord has given me guidance, strength, and wisdom, and continues to sustain me as I seek Him. 

Righteousness and Praise to Spring Forth (Come, Follow Me)

Hope and beauty in this week's Come, Follow Me reading:

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth the things
that are sown in it to spring forth;
so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Isaiah 61:11

He Will Comfort All (Come, Follow Me)

From this week's Come, Follow Me reading in Isaiah comes this comforting verse.

For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.  (Isaiah 51:3)

Why Life and Freedom?

I believe life and freedom are two of the highest ideals that we should defend and uphold.  A review of the scriptures shows why.

• Jesus Christ, our Creator, gave us our life and then gave His life that we might all be resurrected and delivered from certain death.
• "the Spirit of God ... is also the spirit of freedom" (Alma 61:15)
• One of the primary messages of all scripture is that the Lord delivers from captivity and death.  Look at the example of the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt and so many other examples of deliverance.
• "God will deliver ... all those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them free." (Alma 61:21)
• "we honor individual agency. Most are aware of this Church’s great efforts to promote religious freedom. These efforts are in furtherance of our Heavenly Father’s plan. We seek to help all of His children—not just our own members—enjoy the precious freedom to choose." (President Dallin H. Oaks)

Meaning of Human Life

“A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.” (D. Elton Trueblood)

The Way of Holiness (Come, Follow Me)

The Lord is the Way.  He guides us on a path (Isaiah 30:20-21) that leads to everlasting joy and gladness (Isaiah 35:10).  In the temple, we can hear His loving direction along that path.

Lovingkindness and Tender Mercies (Come, Follow Me)

From this week's Come, Follow Me reading in Psalms...  

The Lord forgives, heals, redeems, and crowns us with His kindness and mercy, for which I'm eternally grateful.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities

Who healeth all thy diseases

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction

Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies

Psalm 103:2-4

The Church and Abuse

I am grateful for all the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does to protect the innocent as the Savior would have us do.  My faith in Jesus Christ, my covenants with Him, ministering opportunities, service, and many other aspects of the Church have enabled me to help others in need and to bless my family and children by putting them first.

A recent article about sex abuse and the failure of Church policy to stop it has raised questions about the Church and its efforts to end abuse.  I encourage all who have questions and want answers and perspective to read and listen to these resources:

• https://www.deseret.com/2022/8/5/23292405/i-survived-abuse-church-help-line-ap-story-broke-my-heart-latter-day-saints-associated-press-mormon
• https://leadingsaints.org/reporting-abuse-church-helpline-the-bishop-an-interview-with-jennifer-roach/
• https://leadingsaints.org/update-reporting-abuse-church-helpline-the-bishop-an-interview-with-jennifer-roach/

I love the Lord.  I believe Elder Kearon when he said this:

"Jesus specializes in the seemingly impossible. He came here to make the impossible possible, the irredeemable redeemable, to heal the unhealable, to right the unrightable, to promise the unpromisable. And He’s really good at it. In fact, He’s perfect at it." 

Thou are mindful of him (Come, Follow Me)

We are children of the God of the Universe who created the heavens.

When I consider thy heavens,

the work of thy fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which thou hast ordained;

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

Psalms 8:3-4