LATEST POSTS

Uncategorized

Marriage

Strong marriages are built on trust. Proverbs describes a woman whose husband “doth safely trust in her.” Jacob confronted the men among his people, telling them that they had “broken the hearts of [their] tender wives, and lost the confidence of [their] children.” Fidelity provides stability for marriages and for families.

Wealth

Wealth

1. Money confers privileges (at least temporarily). 2. Some things are more important than money. 3. Money doesn’t last, and you can’t take it with you to the next life. 4. Be generous, and that generosity will pay dividends. 5. We are all children of God, however rich or poor we may be.

Fear

The Fear of the Lord Had Come Upon Them

Fear isn’t always a bad thing. King Benjamin taught his people to always remember God’s greatness and their nothingness. Enos worked to keep his people “in the fear of the Lord.” When coupled with trust, that fear transforms from despair into confidence, because God responds with mercy and grace.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

COME, FOLLOW ME

  • Let Every Thing That Hath Breath Praise the Lord

    Solomon Dedicates the Temple at Jerusalem, by James Tissot

    Psalms 120-134 are commonly known as “songs of ascent.” They were sung anciently during pilgrimages to the temple and, according to Jewish tradition, by the Levites on the stairs leading up to the temple. The King James Version labels them as “songs of degrees.” One of those songs begins, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help” (Psalm 121:1). All of them encourage us to look up and to ascend, drawing closer to God.

    As we study the last fifty psalms this week, we’ll read more psalms of David, all of the songs of ascent, the shortest psalm (117), the longest psalm (119), some important Messianic prophecies (110 and 118), and finally the closing Hallel: five psalms of pure joy (146-150). The final psalm exclaims exuberantly, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

    One example of collective praise in the Book of Mormon happens when the people of Alma miraculously escape from their captors. After traveling for a full day, they pitched their tents in a valley, which they named “Alma” after their leader. In that valley, “they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them. … And they gave thanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God” (Mosiah 24:21-22). Perhaps everyone that can speak isn’t identical to everything that hath breath, but the description of Alma’s people is certainly in the spirit of Psalm 150.

    This week, as we study Psalms 101-150, let’s also raise our voices in praise to God.

FEATURED POSTS

  • A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions

    A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions

    Book of Mormon authors made it clear how much they were leaving out as they wrote this “abridgment” of their history. Here’s a diagram showing how many words are dedicated to each of the 103 decades in the book.

  • Jesus Christ’s Sermon at the Temple in Bountiful – 3 Nephi 12-16, 20-22

    Jesus Christ’s Sermon at the Temple in Bountiful – 3 Nephi 12-16, 20-22

    Following His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ visited a group of people in the Americas. He taught them principles to help them deepen their discipleship, and He expanded their perspective by teaching them about God’s global, multigenerational work.

  • Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

    Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

    In March, 2019, I studied 20 different names or titles of Jesus Christ which appear in the Book of Mormon. I was particularly interested in the way each name was used, both in the Book of Mormon and in the Bible.