A Brilliant Hope

Moving

2009-10-06T18:15:00.001-07:00

I've decided to consolidate my blogs, you can read my musings at Waxing Platitudinous!!!

2009-01-31T09:37:00.000-08:00

It is Well With My Soul
Horatio G. Spafford, 1873

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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.

Do not fear

2008-11-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 31:6&8

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.

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

2008-10-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

3 Nephi 13:33

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.

Not room Enough to Receive It

2008-09-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God

2008-09-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6:28-34

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

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

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

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.

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

2008-09-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Robert Robinson (1726 - 1790)

1. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

2. Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I'll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

3. Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;

How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

4. O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

5. O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

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.

Be still and know that I am God.

2008-09-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God (D&C 101:16).

We are busy people. We run to and fro doing this and saying that. Always an errand or job. We never seem to have enough time to do anything of importance. When things go wrong, we panic or worse get depressed. All flesh is in God's hand. And why shouldn't it be. He created it! He loves us more than we could imagine and He has the power to help us, whatever the problem may be.

Always take a minute to be still. Before reacting, take a moment to meditate and ask for his help. Then move forward in faith trusting that he will see you through. It is hard to do, but we will be better off for having done so.

I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

2008-09-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

How Firm a Foundation
Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787

1. How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

5. When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

6. E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.

7. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

While pondering what I could write today. I turned on Music and the Spoken Word. Lloyd D. Newell was talking about the Hymn, How Firm a Foundation. The choir then sang a rather inspiring version of that hymn. It's message is that in spite of all opposition, and in the face of sin and life's great challenges, God will always be our help and our guide.

I have decided that we must always sing the last verse. The strength of singing that verse together re-invigorates the soul. " I will not, I cannot desert to his foes." Then the final chant of, "I'll never, no never, I'll never, no never, I'll never, no never, no never forsake!" When you sing these words of power it shakes the very foundation of hell and all of the heavens shout for joy.

Our God will never forsake us, why should we forsake him? Often when burdened by our sins that as Nephi said, "which do so easily beset me," we shrink (2 Nephi 4:18). We forget that Christ has suffered so that all of our sins can be forgiven. His work and glory is to bring eternal life (Moses 1:39), not to condemn. He gave us our weaknesses so that He might make us strong (Ether 12:27). He did not give them to us to condemn us. I ask again, why should we forsake? Our God's purpose is to raise us up and bring us hope. Men are that they might have joy (2Nephi 2:25).

Christ has always said his burden is light (Matt 11:30). If we trust in him first and seek his kingdom first then he will ease our burdens so that we cannot feel them upon our backs. Then we can stand as a witness that God does visit us in our afflictions (Mosiah 24:14).

That is why we should sing this hymn often and always the last verse, to remind us to never, never, no never forsake!!

A Brilliant Hope

2008-09-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

Jehovah Creates the Earth - Walter Rane

This world is quickly growing dark. People losing hope and love while falling deeper into despair. It is easy to grow jaded and forget that which brings us the most joy in life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a brilliant glowing fountain of hope that sheds light into even the darkest abyss.

Through his atonement for mankind, He experienced the darkest recesses of humanity. Not only has He provided a way back home, he knows exactly how to comfort us in our trials. He knows our pain and knows how to turn it into hope. He will make our burdens light so that we cannot feel them upon our back. He will gather us under his wing as a hen gathereth her chicks. He is the shinning brilliant hope that give light to the world.

In this turbulent world with all its comings and goings, there is one constant source of hope and peace. Remember, He created it and He is in control of it. As we meditate upon His words, our minds will fill with light and we will see clearly the path that lies before us. Join me on this journey through life's ups and down as I share the insights He has shared with me.