How would you like to receive a calling like this: Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.... Ezekiel... Continue Reading →
Fear Not
Is fear a choice? God told Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, and Jacob not to be afraid. (See Genesis 51:1, 21:17, 26:24, 46:3.) An angel gave the same direction to Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and a group of shepherds in Bethlehem. (See Luke 1:13, 30, Matthew 1:20, Luke 2:10.) And the prophet Isaiah several times gives us the... Continue Reading →
The Fear of the Lord
Throughout the scriptures, we are counseled to overcome our fears. God told Abraham, Hagar, and Jacob to "fear not" as they passed through troubling experiences (Genesis 15:1, Genesis 21:17, Genesis 46:3). Moses told the Israelites not to be afraid when they saw the glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:20). Then, as they... Continue Reading →
“Be Strong, and of a Good Courage”
As the children of Israel prepared to enter the promised land, Moses admonished them to move forward and not let challenging circumstances intimidate them: 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... Continue Reading →
Hagar and the Hidden Well
Be'er Sheva is a city in southern Israel, with a population of about 200,000. It's so far south, in fact, that Old Testament authors spoke of the land of Israel extending "from Dan even to Beer-sheba." (See Judges 20:1, 1 Samuel 3:20, 2 Samuel 3:10, 2 Samuel 17:11, 2 Samuel 24:2, 15, 1 Kings 4:25, 1... Continue Reading →
“Be Still”
Near the end of the 46th psalm, there is a curious sentence. The rest of the psalm is narrated by a person who reassures us that God is has all power. Even though terrible things might happen—"the earth be removed," "mountains be carried into the midst of the sea," "the heathen [rage]," and "kingdoms [be]... Continue Reading →
Spare Not
The Lord told Isaiah to preach the gospel whole-heartedly, holding nothing back. "Cry aloud," He said, "spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet" (Isaiah 58:1). In another passage, he instructs the children of Israel to prepare for massive growth and prosperity: Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the... Continue Reading →
Confounded
After prophesying of difficult days ahead, the prophet Isaiah foretold a time of prosperity and peace, when the children of Israel would be protected from both physical and verbal abuse: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of... Continue Reading →
Stripped of Pride, Stripped of Envy
There are some things we need to acquire as we prepare to meet God. There are also things we need to abandon. As Alma spoke to the people of Zarahemla, he specifically identified two things they needed to eliminate from their lives in order to be ready to be with God: Behold, are ye stripped... Continue Reading →
“Fear Ye Not the Reproach of Men” – 2 Nephi 8:7
Faith in God includes prioritizing His words over the words of other people. To ancient Israel, through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord counseled, "Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings" (2 Nephi 8:7, Isaiah 51:7). Then He asked the following rhetorical question: Who art thou, that thou shouldst... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 