Knowing what the Lord has done for prior generations can help us in 3 ways: 1. It provides a foundation for our faith. 2. It helps us recognize that apparently small miracles may be larger than we realize. 3. It keeps us humble and grateful.
“Him That Rebuketh in the Gate”
Nobody likes to be corrected. Our brains are really good at constructing arguments to prove that we are right. We bristle when we are chastised, and even if we are able to override the initial defensive instinct and be civil, we can't seem to escape the initial sting and the instinctive desire to ignore or... Continue Reading →
Joshua and the Book of Mormon
This week, I reviewed the book of Joshua, summarizing the content of each chapter and identifying related Book of Mormon passages. The book can be divided into four parts: The children of Israel prepare to enter the promised land (chapters 1-5)With divine intervention, they conquer various cities in the land of Canaan (chapters 6-12)Land is... Continue Reading →
His Hands Were Steady
Not long after the children of Israel escaped from the Egyptian army through the Red Sea, they confronted a new enemy. In a place called Rephidim, they were attacked by the Amalekites. God told Moses to stand on the top of a hill and hold up his rod—the same rod that he had held over... Continue Reading →
What Is It?
Shortly after passing through the Red Sea on dry ground, the children of Israel became hungry and worried aloud that they would starve to death. In response, God promised Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you" (Exodus 16:4). The following day, as they emerged from their tents, they discovered scattered across the ground "a... Continue Reading →
Your Birthright
Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage (Genesis 25:29-34). We all know this. We might have to be reminded that "pottage" is a soup or a stew and that the original meaning of "mess" was a meal. But what's a birthright? The word only appears ten times in the Bible, always referring to... Continue Reading →
Going to Egypt
I've been reflecting today on Abraham's time in Egypt. God led him to the land of Canaan and promised that his descendants would live there, but shortly after, Abraham and his family moved to Egypt, seeking relief from a severe famine. (See Genesis 12:6-10, Abraham 2:18-21.) Abraham's grandson Jacob moved to Egypt years later, again... Continue Reading →
Day by Day
When it was time for Lehi and his family to begin their journey in the wilderness, God gave them a tool to help them steer a straight course toward their destination. Nephi refers to it as "a round ball of curious workmanship" (1 Nephi 16:10). Alma later explains to his son Helaman that it was... Continue Reading →
“The Way Whither We Should Go” – 1 Nephi 16:10
After living in a tent for some time, Lehi and his family were commanded to begin their journey to the promised land. The following morning, they were given some assistance in the form of a mysterious device—"a round ball of curious workmanship" made of brass. The ball contained two spindles, one of which pointed "pointed the... Continue Reading →
Stirred Up
What would possess a group of people to invade and occupy their own Capitol Building while their elected representatives were conducting official government business on their behalf? How could they convince themselves that this action was morally acceptable, or that it was even helpful to their cause? The troubling events this week in the United... Continue Reading →