Scripture of the Day-Before Birth

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee..." Jeremiah 1:5

This passage God was talking to Jeremiah but it can be applied to us as well, as if God was talking not just to Jeremiah but to us individually.

For many faiths the life after earth and the life before earth is unknown and most likely looked over. Though there arises questions and assumptions of these very trivial questions they are not suggested a means of a factual answer.

Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do indeed believe with understanding of these questions that are left unanswered to other denominations. Our understanding comes from the verses contained within the Book of Mormon relating to this topic as well as in the Bible.

This verse here in Jeremiah gives us this understanding of our life before we came to earth to live. Just as God told Jeremiah that he knew him before Jeremiah entered the womb it also goes for each of us that God knew us before we came to earth. This here helps us to know that before this life we knew God and lived with him for he has told us. Our Spirit, part of the element that makes up our soul when joined with our body of flesh and bones, lived before and continues even after this life.

Scripture of the Day-Increasing

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52

I remember the first time I understood this scripture more meaningfully. My understanding of Jesus Christ changed as I came to know that Jesus was like any of us a child. He had to grow in wisdom and learning just like the rest of us.

The verses that lead to this one spoke of just how Christ gained this increase in wisdom and favor in God. He was searched out by his parents who did not find him in their company back home. As they looked for him they found him in the temple listening to the scribes and asking questions. He stated that he was doing his fathers business. From these simple acts and short verses we can come to know that Christ gained an education and knowledge through constant learning and effort.

Christ has shown us the way and we can and should grow in wisdom and knowledge just as he has done. It takes effort and consistency but if we learn and increase in wisdom we will find favor in God. Learning is a life long journey and act that should be implemented in our daily life now.

Mormonism 
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Scripture of the Day-Made Alive

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15:22

I love the Bible because it gives so much light and reference to those things spoken of in the Book of Mormon and within my belief in Mormonism. This scripture helps us to understand the purpose and why we need Jesus Christ. Many people don't believe in a God and fairly everyone doesn't know why we need Jesus Christ.

Adam was the first man created on earth and with Eve the became one together. They both partook of the fruit which God commanded them not to, in so doing they were driven from the Garden which was in essence the presence of God. From this act Adam became a fallen man, given to the nature of the flesh, acting and being enticed by the devil. The act of Adam and Eve being driven from the Garden was symbolic as well as actual. They were taken out of the presence of God because no unclean thing can dwell in his presence.

Since Adam and Eve could no longer stand in the presence of God there had to be a way and means for them to come back into their presence. God has a plan called the Plan of Salvation and at the center of this Plan is Jesus Christ. Our way back to God's presence is Jesus Christ. He has atoned for our sins, but so much more than that he taught us the way of heaven how we are to act and become like God. For he has told us that we should become perfected even as God is perfected. So we all have died because of Adam but we are all alive because of Jesus Christ. This does not shorten our duty and way of becoming just because the Atonement was made, we have plenty of things to do and strive to overcome.

Scripture of the Day-Communication

"Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you, and which shall dwell in your heart." D&C 8:2

God is always near to us and always talking to us. He speaks to us in different forms but always by the same source, the Holy Ghost. If we want to talk to God we must pray to him but if we want him to talk to us we must be meditative and read the scriptures. It is only by reading the scriptures that we learn to hear his voice through the Holy Ghost.

As God speaks to us they may be small subtle thoughts or feelings within our hearts, but if they are good and they bring us closer to God then we shall know by their fruits it is from His hand that we receive these impressions.

God will answer our prayers and help us through this earthly sojourn of life. He will help us to have the gift of discernment and to know how to aid those in need. God knows all things and he knows us perfectly. As he speaks do we listen? Are we hearing him in our daily life? We must make sacrifices in our daily life so that we will be able to hear his voice and feel His Spirit in our hearts and minds.

Mormonism
Missionary Chat

Scripture of the Day-Angels

"I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, mine angels around about you to bear you up." D&C 84:88

This is one of my favorite quotes from Doctrine & Covenants. We all face difficulties its part of life. We even sometimes ask ourselves though if God is with us because it doesn't feel like it at those moments where we are down. But this scripture tells us that He is always with us. He sends forth angels to surround us and even His Spirit within our hearts. God is always near us.

Mormonism
Missionary Chat

Scripture of the Day-Believe in Prayer

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24

Such a enlightening verse. As I read this today it reminded me of one of my favorite talks called "Christ Centered-Faith Moving Mountains in Your Life". I reflected on how we must have faith and my perspective of faith now compared to where it was just a few years ago.

Believing is having a hope for something that good will come about. Hope is linked to faith because a hope in something produces or is in essence faith.  Faith is believing and knowing Jesus Christ, it is knowing He is who he says he is which is all knowing all powerful. When we center our faith in Christ we see miracles happen. Of course there are basic acts that help establish our faith and help it continue to develop.

Prayer is such a powerful tool and act that we can do. It is our way to talk to God. We have the privilege and opportunity to talk to an all knowing, perfect, and infinite God who knows us more than we know ourselves. But I love this scripture because it says that if we ask for something and will believe that we will receive it shall be given unto us.

Our minds are powerful things and along with prayer astounding things can happen and will happen. God promises that if we will believe (have faith in Him) and ask him for the things which we desire he will give it unto us. Many of us have this obstacle of being positive and hoping that good things will come. If we have a positive attitude and believe that we will receive it will happen. God loves us so much because we are his children and he wants to bless us, if we just ask we shall have them. Do you believe in your prayers?

Scripture of the Day-Servant

"And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." Mark 10:44

This is such an amazing scripture because it teaches one our role and more understanding of those who proclaim to be in great authority. I think of King Benjamin when I read this passage. King Benjamin ruled over a group of Nephites but his life and what he did was the most influential of all. He did not tax his people nor did he put hard burdens upon them. King Benjamin served his people in various ways, some are he worked for his own wages, supported himself by farming his own food, and many other things that pertain to his self-reliance. He did not cause others to support him but he served them and helped them.

In our society today we have this misconception that those who are in high rankings or high positions should be labored to by the people instead of them laboring to us. It always makes me think of this phrase "what makes you better than us that you do not have to work and serve others."

I love what Christ has taught here because Christ was and is the most high God, he commands everything but yet he did not come to earth to have people serve him living in luxury. Rather he went about his earthly life helping others, uplifting them, serving them, cleaning them, healing them, teaching them. He took no thought of food from day to day or how he would get from one place or another. In a way you can see him as a beggar or homeless person because these characteristics are in a way what Christ did. But this is the principle and deep understanding behind this passage. Even though he was of royal and eternal blood did not make him above everyone else. He could have done so but that is not heavenly characteristic of him.

We are all called to be servants for we are not better than the next person beside us or even the stranger on the side of the street. We are to follow the example of Christ and be a servant to all people, for that is the way of Christ. 

Scripture of the Day-Believe

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23

 I love this verse. As I read it today it stood out to me so much. Christ was approached by a man whose child had a dumb spirit and he asked Him (Christ) if he would have compassion on his child and cast out this spirit that was in him. Christ told him this verse, "if thou canst believe, all things are possible."

This is such a powerful message to all of us because we today lack faith. Here we are told that if we just believe having a little hope then we will come to see that all things are possible. But we must believe first, Christ takes that belief or hope and runs with it because he knows that we are trying and we desire to have the faith required to come unto him and be changed.

Faith is the first principle of the gospel. Many of us struggle with this understanding of faith and we don't know how to have faith, but Christ here is referring to faith when he says believe. Believe is a hope of something that good will happen, this hope is in fact an aspect of faith. Faith is believing in something for the better good of things, its believing that God is real and that through him he can do all things. If we just believe things will be good and we believe that he can do all things he will bless us to know and see that they will happen.

What do you believe in?

Scripture of the Day-Service

"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." Mark 8:34-35

I love these verses. I have grown to understand these things so much more in the past years. I never really understood how this is possible but as I implemented this into my life I have come to see how true it is. When we follow Christ we are doing as he has done which is serving others. These verses connect so well to one of my favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon.

"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" Mosiah 2:17

We serve God through serving other people. And as we do the things which he has asked us to do, taking up his cross and following Christ he will bless us to find our lives. It is through service that we forget ourselves becoming concerned with others that all our worries and troubles fade away. God blesses us as we help his children and continues to do so, it is his promise to us that he will bless us and we shall truly find ourselves in the service of our God.

Mormonism
Missionary Chat

Scripture of the Day-Perspective

"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then fact to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12

I have heard this verse on numerous occasions of "seeing through a glass darkly." It frustrates me at times because I don't understand nor comprehend what it means but today I have been blessed to see just a little glimpse of this phrase that I hear so often. It may not be what I in the very beginning when I first heard this was anticipating what it meant but it has brought in a whole new understanding about perspectives.

We see things differently in our lives then other people do. It is not a bad thing nor is it wrong. Its amazing and delightful to know that we all do not think alike nor do we see the same as everyone else. But at times it can be a stumbling block for us at times. There is opposition in all things there is good and bad, right and wrong. When we look at something we can either see the good in it or we can see the bad in it. It is ultimately our decision and if we cultivate the desire to change our views we will be enabled to see things differently. Things that use to irritate us will no longer irritate us. Its all about our perspective of things in this life.

I love this scripture because it teaches about perspective but it also teaches more than just our perspective it teaches about Gods perspective. In the end it will be God's perspective that means every thing and nothing else will matter. Its about having an eternal view of things. We are not like God so we do not see what he sees for he sees all things, knowing all things therefore his perspective is perfect perspective. We can come to see from his perspective as we come to him and he will bless us with this desire and ability. Eventually we will be able to see past this dark glass that construes our view, our sights will be changed and when we look at things the things we see will be different than when we looked at them before. We will see Christ as he truly is without this dark glass obscuring our view.

How do you see things? Do you see an eternal perspective? Is the glass half full or half empty? Do you truly see God they way you should or would like to? We can see God by feeling him, we will not have the ultimate perfected view of him until after this life but we can come to see him.

Scripture of the Day-Miracle

"For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened." Mark 6:52

Christ was with his disciples for many days and performed many miracles but this is such an intriguing scripture to consider especially for us in our day to ponder about. Christ performed the miracle of feeding thousands of people with very little food, five loaves and two fishes. His disciples didn't even consider this act as a miracle though because their hearts were hardened.

Many of us today to like wise. We do not even consider these mighty miracles around us that happen every second because our hearts are hardened. Miracles happen each and every day but do we really see them and give them the thought that it is Gods hand in our lives?

In order for us to truly see the miracles at hand we must come to listen, feel, and know God. It is through His way and means that we can see these blessings and miracles produced in our lives. We must be converted to him, this is the way that we are not hardened in our hearts but are believing and having faith in Him to know that he is near us and that we see his miracles and love in our life. Miracles do happen, they are real but do we consider them no matter how small they may be?

Mormonism
Missionary Chat

Scripture of the Day

Knowledge comes to all who seek it

"That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they would be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." Mark 4:12

There is so much in this short verse that we can come to study and ponder different parts of it and gain even more wisdom and knowledge. The thing that stood out to me the most is when I was reading excerpts from the Bhagavad-Gita and it said "veiled in my mystery and power, I am not perceived by most men; their deluded minds cannot see me." Then in another chapter it says "only by single-minded devotion can I be known as I truly am." These two verses made me reflect on this passage I read from Mark and gain so much more from this verse.

We think that if we live our life we will just automatically come to know God without effort or sacrifice. Mark says that we all hear and we all see yet we do not hear nor do we see. From the Gita we see that most men do not perceive him because of a deluded mind cannot see God. But we can see him if we are converted as Mark says by a single-minded devotion to him. We must come to him, its not that Christ will come unto us for he is already near us waiting for us to do our part to come to him so that we may know and understand him. As we change our lives, becoming converted by changing our hearts we will come to know him as he truly is. As we change our hearts and lives we will become new creatures in God putting off the natural man and as we change he will forgive us of the things we have done wrong.

God is always near to us, He Lives and is real but we do not know nor understand because we are so distracted and far from hearing that we cannot truly see him. Miracles are around us each and every day and we are blessed with them in our daily life but we do not see for we are not single-minded to God. Its through God that we see things as they truly are, the beauty and truth comes from Him.

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Book of Mormon Testifies of Jesus Christ

Nephi fore saw him (1 Nephi 11:6-23)

Jacob persuaded men to come unto him (Jacob 1:7)

Enos cried unto him (Enos 1:4)

King Mosiah served him (Mosiah 2:16-17)

Abinadi died for him (Mosiah 17:20)

Alma preached of him (Mosiah 18:2-4)

Sons of Mosiah taught of him (Alma 17:4)

Alma converted to him (Mosiah 17:2)

Lamoni believed in him (Alma 18:24-40)

Aaron taught redemption through him (Alma 22:13-15)

Alma the younger glorified him (Alma 29:9)

Amulek testified of him (Alma 34:8)

Helaman preached faith in him (Alma 37:33)

Captain Moroni fought for him (Alma 44:11-12)

Stripling warriors believed deliverance in him (Alma 56:47)

Samuel the Lamanite stood for him (Helaman 16:1-3)

Nephi bowed himself before him (3 Nephi 11:19)

12 were called by him (3 Nephi 11:22)

Little children were blessed by him (3 Nephi 17:21)

Mormon recorded him (Mormon 1:1)

Brother of Jared saw him (Ether 3:13-16)

Moroni would not deny him (Moroni 1:3)

Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is God (Mosiah 27:31)

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Scripture of the Day

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt 28:20

After His resurrection Christ appears unto his disciples and teaches them. This verse is one of the things that was taught to the disciples before Christ leaves them. The first part is for us all. Those that are followers of Christ understand their duty and responsibility to teach people all things which he has commanded. We are to observe those commandments that come from Christ. Observing is more than seeing them and understanding them, when we observe we implement that commandment and way into our life. As we observe (do) we are in a sense teaching those people around us by just living those commandments.

The thing that I love the most about this verse as I read it was "I am with you alway." There are moments that feel like we are the only one there, no one is with us. But this verse helps us to remember that Christ is always with us. We may even think to ourselves well yes he may be with us but what about this one time, he isnt always with me. Christ goes on and diminishes those false thoughts when he says "even unto the end of the world." He isnt with us only when we have a bad day, hes not there when we lose a loved one, hes not there when we feel depressed or struggle with a relationship. Christ is ALWAYS with us even unto the end of the world. He is there for us when we have those bad days but also when we have those good days, he is there when we lose a loved one but he is also there when we welcome a loved one into this world. No matter the circumstance or situation in our life good or bad Christ is always with us. He knows our pain and feels our sorrows but he also rejoices when we rejoice and is happy when we have those moments of joy in our life. Through all things we can know and always count on Christ being there in our daily life. We may not feel him but oh he is there. If we desire to feel him in his all presence we must learn to feel what he feels like, it is us that cannot feel him not that he isnt there.

Scripture of the Day-Strength

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

All of us have our struggles and when they come we need that hope that will sustain us. More times than not within those moments that consume us we ask how and where that relief will come. We desire for hope, peace, comfort, care, love, and value but in those times the words that we once said only seemed the easiest when we weren't in the midst of our trials. For me as these trials come I turn towards the scriptures, for I now that as I do I find those things that I need the most. This scripture illustrates how this is possible and the power in which we find in our life to endure a little longer. Christ is the source of all things good and righteous, we are strengthened by him even when we don't know or believe in him.

No matter what it is that comes into our life, no matter how large the mountain or rough the terrain we will be blessed, strengthened, to do that which we may think we cannot do. Christ is all powerful and we can find so much more strength from him through the scriptures which testify of him. As we read the scriptures we draw our hearts closer to God enabling us to tap into the true source of strength the Atonement of Jesus Christ.