Day 356 Today's reading: Ether 15:1-17 // Luke 24

Question of the day: What caused Coriantumr to have a change of heart? When have you experienced a change of heart?

His change of heart came once it was too late to go back. The comment I added to my scriptures was, do I have a tendency to push past the opportunities from the Lord to pursue my own wants, as self defeating as they are?

I finished the Book of Luke. This last chapter made me think more about the temple. I'll start John today or tomorrow.

Day 354 Today's reading: Ether 13:19-14:7 // Luke 24

Question of the day: What can we learn about the danger of coveting from these verses? How can we avoid coveting and selfishness?

I guess we are watching the destructive influence of coveting power. Each of these people is so concerned with governing the people that they are willing to sacrifice their lives and their family for it. And the people are so wicked that in the end no one really gets to keep the kingdom in any kind of peace.

How can I right my own selfish behaviors and attitudes?

Luke 24: Christ is Risen, he visits with 2 men on the road to Emmaus.

Day 353 Today's reading: Ether 13:1-18 // Luke 23

Question of the day: What do you think Moroni meant when he wrote the first shall be last and the last shall be first, in relation to the gathering of Israel?

Ether 13:15 - War begins as soon as Ether is forced to leave the Jaredite people. To me this is not a coincidence. The Lord's blessings diminish when the righteous are removed from among a people. I think we see the opposite when a temple is placed in the midst of a people. I see it as one of the great miracles of our day that we have temples already dotting the land and fixing in place the Lord's holiness to bless and strengthen that city and that people. Never in the world's history has something like this even been remotely possible. 

Luke 23: The Lord's crucifixion. I am reminded that Christmas would mean nothing without Easter. There is no importance to the Lord's birth without his atoning sacrifice including his death and subsequent resurrection. Praise be to God for the matchless gift of his beloved Son! 

Day 352 Today's reading: Ether 12:22-41 // Luke 22

Question of the day: Why do you think it is important for us to recognize our weaknesses? Why do you think we need to be meek in order to overlook the weaknesses of others?

I feel like Moroni was prompted to see clearly his weakness in writing so that as he asked for the Lord to make it available to us, he would know it was only by His grace that it would be done. When we receive any blessing from the Lord it is by and through His grace that it is done. 

I suppose the meekness means that we accept the fact that God has given each of us weaknesses and yet he still has charity towards each of His children. And this should affect how we treat each other.

Luke 22: suffering in Gethsemane

Day 351 Today's reading: Ether 12:1-21

Question of the day: How has faith been an enabling power in your life?

Ether 12:4: This is a good verse to start with to study faith.

Ether 12:21: How do we grow our faith to be like that of the brother of Jared's?

Luke 21: about the second coming. 

Day 350 Today's reading: Ether 11:1-23

Question of the day: Are prophets today rejected like they were in these verses? How can we stand up for the prophets? My initial thought is that how we receive, act upon, and share the words of the prophets ultimately is the best way to stand up for them. 

How do I harden my heart towards the prophets and their words? I don't rebel against them but do I resist some promptings I get when I hear, read, or study their words?

Luke 20: I enjoy these chapters where we read of challenging questions posed to the Lord, which he handles perfectly by addressing the real issues at hand such that those with ulterior motives are foiled. We need to learn how to ask of God the right questions and carefully listen for the answers.

His Crucifixion - Luke 23

Acouple of quick thoughts: Pilate listened to the voice of the people and because of what I will term "peer pressure" he would not release Jesus.  But what if he had?  For his own soul's sake.  What example would that be to me.

On the cross Jesus said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they doeth."  I want forgiveness to come to me more freely like this, even in the worst of situations

What if as part of our evening prayers we read from the Book of Luke until Christmas. 

Snares for the Savior - Luke 20

This chapter seems to me to be very descriptive of the efforts of the scribes and pharisees to capture the Savior in His words.  It shows how futile their efforts were and how they would get so angry with him as to kill him.  In the first section chief priests, scribes and elders came to him to ask from whence His authority came.  But he turned the question on them and said was John's baptism of men or of Heaven.  They couldn't answer and so he didn't answer.

Then the Savior gives the parable of the husbandmen and the wicked men listening knew that the savior was condemning them.  The rest of the sections review their attempts to catch him in his words to have wherewith to arrest Him.

Towards the End - Luke 19

It always makes me happy to hear of someone who has wealth but still seeks the Savior and His will.  Zacchaeus in this case was just that, he sought to know Jesus, but he was also a wealthy man a tax collector if I'm not mistaken, being called a publican.  The people saw him as a sinner.  In seeking Jesus he was blessed to host Him in his home.

Next is the parable of the pounds, which I assume is money.  This money is distributed from one who is to be king for collection upon his return.  The servants use their money differently and some have returns and one does not.  Those with returns are blessed and those without are not.  When we value and improve upon what is given us of the Lord more is given. When that which we receive is disregarded it is taken away.

The Lord approaches Jerusalem on the back of a colt that has never been ridden on before.  The people show great respect by laying their clothes down before him.  If they hadn't shouted their praise the rocks would have cried out.  I long to be in His presence and express directly my praise and gratitude. 

Gratitude - Luke 17

The two sections that stand out here in this chapter are the one about the lepers being healed, no mention of hands laid on them, only that they were instructed to do something and then as they went to do it they were healed.  What I love about this story is the emotion and gratitude that the samaritan showed when he realized he was healed.  He turned and gave praise, he fell on his face and kissed the Saviors feet.  What faith to not only be healed but then realize that you are in the presence of the Savior.

The other section talks of the wickedness that will prevail in the last days when the Savior will come again.  Our wickedness is compared to that of the people of Noah and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.  We are commanded to not look back, and reminded that if we make efforts to save our lives we shall lose them but if we make efforts to lose our lives in the service of the Savior they shall be saved.  We need that protection in such wicked times.

Riches of the World - Luke 16

Of the sections of this chapter it seems that most of them have to do with loving money and the unrighteousness of it.  There is a section in the middle that talks about how wrong divorce is, but I wonder if there isn't some kind of suggestion here that by loving money we put at not the most important of convenants which is marriage.  Maybe the divorce being condemned is that of the person who loves money so much that he puts his marriage at risk and decides to divorce thinking that that would provide better for him, or allow him to make more money.

I really don't follow the parable of the unjust steward.

I find the story of the rich man, Lazarus and Abraham to be very interesting. Where am I in this story?  How willing am I to share my great blessings with others.

Follow the Savior - Luke 14

Verses 15 - 24 In this chapter we read the parable of the great supper.  I think it is like a wedding feast or something along those lines.  Regardless, those that are close to the family are invited and many say they have other things to do like organize their sock drawer, and etc.   The master of the house is pretty upset about it and says, go get whoever you can find from the streets and the highway and fill my house. And they do this. Is not the message for us that the humble will follow the Savior and participate in his feast?

In one or more of the other Gospels is a line about how one of those people invited someone in from the street and he was not wearing the appropriate apparel and was cast out. For me these parables are sometimes difficult to understand as they do not closely reflect customs or cultures that I'm familiar with in my day.  However, I have been taught that what we wear and how we present ourselves to the Lord in holy ordinances is very important.

Verses 12 - 14 I also noticed some verses in this chapter that I don't remember hearing before, as is often the case when studying the scriptures.  The Lord taught that when we invite to a feast we don't invite the rich or the close family member, or anyone that is easy for us to invite, because they will always try and return the favor.  He taught that we should reach out and bless those that cannot return the favor.  How selfless is that?

Verses 7 - 11 are also not familiar to me as they review this process of choosing a room according to status.  But that you will be embarrassed or ashamed if someone of higher status than yourself comes along and displaces you.  So he teaches them to choose the lowest station and that that should be a lesson for life that we should seek to humble ourselves and not be lifted up in pride.

Verses 25 - 33 I'm struggling with as well.  At the beginning of these verses we are taught to hate father and mother, which I think is a poor translation.  I think we are supposed to be prepared to regard our relationship and service to Father and Son before that of our parents.  Certainly elsewhere (Exodus 20) we are taught to honor our father and our mother.   But if we do not "hate" them we are not worthy to be his disciple.  (The reference for 'hate' is Matthew 10:37, which does indeed say if you love them more than me, we have a problem).   Is this the scenario where we want to do the work of the Lord and our family is frustrated with us or has other expectations for us?  How do we work through these situations.  I know that the Savior told his parent at one point, "wist ye not that I be about my Father's business?"

It is commitment to serving Father at all cost that is to be desired here, to humble ourselves, seek to know and then to do His will.

Are there few that be saved? - Luke 13

I don't believe that there are few that be saved.  Certainly we have to be baptized into the one true church of God by proper authority and then we must continue in repentance and enduring to the end until the time of judgement.  But if we receive the ordinances and principles of the gospel and strive to be like Jesus, I believe there will be mercy and forgiveness such that our sins will be forgiven and we can enter into his presence.  Obviously we need the sealing ordinance and to seek for a Celestial marriage in order to attain Exaltation.  I know this is not necessarily all the points being taught in this chapter but I think the Savior's point was that we should enter into His one true church by baptism and then continue in repentance and stave off hypocrisy so that we can enjoy His presence one day, so that he will recognize us as part of his fold.  He tells us here that so much of Jerusalem as a community is wicked and not in that right path.

I think it needs to be said that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the one true church that has the authority given in the proper way from God to bring about salvation.  Anyone who will investigate the church thoroughly with a heart to seek heaven's witness will know this to be true.

Hypocrisy - Luke 12

Hypocrisy was the leaven of the Pharisees.  Jesus must have been concerned about it affecting the Apostles and disciples that followed Him as he started and ended the chapter mentioning this 'hypocrisy'.  In the middle of the chapter he talks about where there hearts are.  The focus of the heart determines whether we are acting in hypocrisy or not.  Why do we do the things we do is it to be seen of others or is more to do the will of the Lord.  If it is the latter we will find that this desire of our hearts brings peace and joy and a preparation for the coming of the Lord.  I believe this coming of the Lord is a very real possibility for individuals and groups that attain to certain levels of righteousness.  We should prepare and be worthy now.  

Hear the Word of God - Luke 5

In the first phrases of Luke 5 we hear that the people pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God.  It was his message that was so compelling.  Isaiah teaches us that he was not impressive to look upon, but His message was one that would cause hearts to burn within them.  Even after His resurrection this is what caused people to know that he was no angel but our resurrected Lord.  When he descended out of Heaven in 3rd Nephi of the Book of Mormon, the people thought just that, that he was an Angel - even though God had just proclaimed him as the Son of God.  It wasn't  until he began his message and invited them to feel the prints/scars in his hands, side and feet that they worshiped Him for who He was/is.

This is important to me because of all the joys I can feel in this world the one I want the most is to feel the love of God in my heart -- to know more fully His love and concern for me.  This is the only true satisfaction in this world.  It is a Love that is supported and learned in family circles.  It is also a Love learned through serving others, but purest form of it comes from truly hearing the word of God, studying it, pondering it, having it opened to our understanding through His direct teaching of it.

Women of Jesus Time - Luke 2

I'm reading in sequence the chapters of the 4 gospels so I just finished the book of Mark and am starting the book of Luke.  As I'm reading Mark it struck me that there were faithful women mentioned who remained by Jesus at the crucifixion, and faithful sisters who went to see Him first at the tomb.  What strikes me again is the mention of the women who were relevant to his Birth.  Obviously His mother.  And we read about how she "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart".

We also read about Anna, a widow of 47 years who spent all of her time in the temple.  What a great example of dedication.  I hope that at some point I can spend time daily in the temple, you know, once I'm retired and have that kind of time.