How oft we get lost in the surf of everyday life. Tossed about by the waves of oppression. Left in the cold dark deep. Yet the Lord says to have faith. It is well, it is well. For in the end, if we accept the offering of the Lord, we will be exalted on high, and the first shall be last, the last shall be first. We must not be focused on being lost in the sea, but on the whole of our existence. For when we look around, we see that everyone has their challenges, and that we are not alone in the waves. Join hands and gain strength from each other. Keep each other afloat. Share the great message that "The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,Even so, it is well with my soul!" For sometimes, the greatest angels are the ones we can see, our friends and neighbors. For together, we can proclaim that Christ has shed his blood for our souls and together we can rest from our labors in his kingdom.

6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

8 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

So often we fear things in life. We let fear stand in our way of accomplishing things. More importantly, we let fear stand in our way of our relationship to God. We fear he will not accept us as we are, that somehow we must be perfect first. We fear Satan and the havoc that he can cause in our lives. We fear the world and the turmoil that surrounds us daily. This world is spinning out of control more and more everyday. But, we cannot fear.

We must remember that God is in control. He provided a savior for us, so that we could be saved in spite of our imperfections. He cast Satan out of heaven, so he surely can cast him out of our lives. He created this world, so surely he knows and understands our sorrows and has placed them here for a purpose. We must never forget that the trials we face are there because God wants us to learn and grow from them. He is in complete control and will never let them become so great that we cannot shoulder their weight. We cannot fear what life will throw at us, for God will raise us up wipe the tears from our eyes.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

I keep coming back to this scripture over and over again. We do not spend enough time in life seeking God. He created the Heavens and the Earth, surely he can provide for his children.

We get caught up in the daily pursuits of life. We have work and bills and school and sports and this and that and everything. So many of those pursuits are worthwhile and help us grow, but how many are of an eternal nature? How many help us grow closer to God? We need to spend more time in the scriptures and on our knees. If we do, God will provide for our needs and open the pathways before us. If it were not so, He would have told us. (John 14:2) Let us be more faithful and trust that the Lord will provide for our needs as we seek to do his work first.

Malachi 3:8-12

8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Tithing is not just a temporal law. It is about acknowledging that God is the source of all we have. By giving back to the Lord, we recognize that it is by his grace that we enjoy his blessings. So often now, because tithing is usually paid in money, we equate it with money or paying a bill. However, tithing historically was paid in kind. As people were blessed, they would give part of it back for the building up of the Lord's church and work.

The blessings of paying tithing are many. The main blessing is that God will rebuke the devourer. What a wonderful blessing that is for us. He will not just rebuke the devourer of our temporal goods, but our spiritual lives. Often this is the greater blessing. For man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Our temporal goods are not taken with us when we leave this life, but our spirituality is. God will rebuke the devourer of our spiritual growth and allow to grow closer to him.

We will see an increase of the spirit such that there is no room to receive it. Our mortal souls will not be able to proclaim the joy that shall fill our hearts. Such that our joy will be evident to all. They will see the full, happy and meaningful lives that we lead and we shall stand as a testament of the Lord's grace and power.

How often do we worry about where our next meal is coming from or how the bills will get paid? Everyday we have worries about everything but 'How will we grow closer to God?' Living the commandments taught in this scripture takes a great deal of faith.

If we will put first the idea of seeking God, he will provide for us. We may not live in a mansion and have a wealth of worldly possessions, but we will have a roof over our head and food on our table. The most important thing is that we won't care. When you seek the kingdom of God first, you learn to find what matters most in life.....the things you can take with you.

So often we underestimate the importance of grace in our lives. We forget that it is by the grace of God that we live and breath. It is by His grace that we have an earth to live upon. It is by his grace that we have challenges to grow from. It is by his grace and mercy that we are forgiven of our sins. That is what true faith is. Believing that God can do what he says he can do.

We are often disheartened by challenges in our lives and can't see the way out. We must remember that Christ stands at the door and knocks(Revelations 3:20). He simple say to ask and we shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you(D&C 4:7). How simple this is, but we are often distracted by the easiness of the way (Alma 37:46). It really is that easy, look to God for direction, and he will guide that paths.