Daily Scripture Reading

The Savior invited us to, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). Modern-day prophets have also invited us to make this a daily practice. Taking some time each day--even if it is only for a few minutes--will strengthen us to overcome the temptations of daily life, temptations that are made more and more alluring as the world descends into ever greater wickedness.

The scriptures will also help us to face adversity with faith, hope, and courage--especially as we come to feel and understand what a loving Savior has done and is yet prepared to do to help us through life's trials.

Consider these words of scripture: "We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

The Savior, in his great atoning sacrifice, suffered and overcame every temptation and tribulation we will ever face.  Therefore, He is perfectly able to come to our aid in time of need.  As we go to him in faith, we have the opportunity to call on his grace to strengthen us in our time of trial.  The scriptures help us to know and to feel the love of a gracious Savior and Redeemer.

William Tyndale paid the ultimate price for having made an English translation of the Bible from the original Greek and Hebrew.  Because he made this sacrifice, “Millions have come to experience for themselves what Tyndale taught throughout his life: ‘The nature of God’s word is, that whosoever read it, . . . it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man’” (Elder Robert D. Hales, “Preparations for the Restoration and the Second Coming,” Ensign, Nov. 2005, 90).

 President Spencer W. Kimball said, “I feel strongly that each of us must return to the scriptures…and let them work mightily within us, impelling us to an unwavering determination to serve the Lord" (Ensign, July 1985, 5; http://www.lds.org/ensign/1985/07/how-rare-a-possession-the-scriptures?lang=eng).

I have found that the statements of William Tyndale and Spencer W. Kimball are true.  As we read the scriptures daily and apply their teachings in our lives, we are strengthened in serving the Lord. We are given peace.  We are filled with hope.  We are filled with love for Him who sacrificed His all for us, even Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God.

"A New Heart . . . Will I Give You"

The first heart transplant was performed in 1967, opening the way for many individuals' lives to be extended.  The first few surgeries garnered worldwide attention.  Now the operation is almost routine.

While our physical hearts sometimes fail to perform as they should, more often the symbolic centers of our deepest feelings, our spiritual hearts, become hardened and require a transplant.

What causes us to have a hardened heart?  In the rough and tumble of daily life, all of us frequently or occasionally experience anger about our circumstances or the actions of others.  A common example of this is when someone driving a car near us does something that is rude or jeopardizes our safety.

In pondering the consequences of anger, consider the following words of ancient and modern scripture:

 ...If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:15).

 8 My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.
 9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.
 10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. (Doctrine and Covenants 64:8-10)

So how do we go about undergoing the kind of "heart surgery" that will give us a new heart to replace one that has become hardened?  Forgiveness is the key.  As we sincerely forgive others who have offended us, as we pray for forgiveness of our hardened feelings, as we seek the healing balm that comes through the grace of a loving God, a new heart will come.  As the Lord said to ancient Israel: "A new heart . . . will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).

I know this is true, from personal experience.  A number of years ago when I was working in my office an employee entered and said some very unkind things to me.  In response I became angry.  However, in this instance, I quickly offered a silent prayer.  I told Heavenly Father that I didn't want to feel upset; I didn't like the way I felt.  I asked Him to remove these ill feelings from my heart.  In response, almost immediately the anger melted away.  Peace replaced ire.  Forgiveness replaced resentment.  I did receive a "new heart" and a "new spirit."

Relief from angry feelings doesn't always come immediately.  Sometimes it requires frequent prayers over an extended time to obtain the needed result.  However, be it soon or late, the result is certain.  The truly penitent individual who has pure motives will always gain the sought-for blessing of a new heart through pleading prayer to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, His Beloved Son.

I pray that we will each put our names on the waiting list for heart transplants of the spiritual kind.  We can do this by daily praying to have a forgiving heart and for the patience to avoid taking offense.  We can do it by consistently strengthening our faith in Jesus Christ.  We can do it by frequently remembering the warning that Jesus gave to his chief apostle: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:13).  These words were spoken shortly after an argument among the apostles (see Luke 22:24).  Satan desires to spiritually destroy each of us.  To be aware of this is to be armed with the means to combat his wiles.

We can all thereby qualify for the same blessing the Prophet Samuel gave to Saul when he anointed him king of Israel: "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee . . . and [thou] shalt be turned into another man. . .  [And] God gave [Saul] another heart... (1 Samuel 10:6, 9).

It is my sincere prayer hat we may all lay hold of that promise as often as our human weakness requires.  God's promises are sure.  What hangs in the balance is our willingness to lay hold of His loving grace.

"We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet"

Because God loves His children and wants us to be happy, He has provided prophets for us through the ages.  The first prophet was Adam, through whom God revealed His gospel.  God also gave Adam His priesthood--the power and authority given to man to act in God's name for the salvation of His children.  Prophets learn their responsibilities and the gospel through revelation from God.  They teach what they have learned and testify to the divinity of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer.  Their teachings are found in the scriptures.

Whenever people choose to disregard, disobey or distort God's word, they distance themselves from God.  If not corrected, this leads to a condition called apostasy.  When apostasy becomes widespread, God withdraws his priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel.

The above pattern of calling a prophet who is later rejected may be observed in the Bible.  Each time a prophet is called he heads a new dispensation, a new revelation of the gospel.  We see that Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses were each called to begin a new dispensation of the gospel.  To each of them God gave priesthood authority and revealed eternal truth.  Unfortunately, each of them faced rejection leading to apostasy.

When the Savior came on earth, He once again established His Church on earth, initiating another gospel dispensation.  He organized the Church with a "foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20). He ordained his Apostles, giving them His priesthood authority.

After the death of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and Church members were persecuted and many were killed. When the Apostles were killed, priesthood authority was taken from the earth.  Without the Apostles, the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel became corrupted and the Church fell into apostasy, precipitating a period referred to as the Dark Ages.

After many years, when the time was right, Heavenly Father once again established His gospel on the earth by calling a young man named Joseph Smith as prophet.  Through him the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to earth.

Many in our day reject the reality of a living prophet among us.  They contend that shortly after the death of Christ, when all of the Apostles had been killed, God ceased to speak through prophets.  In considering this concept, please consider the questions raised in the the narrative below.

The following account was shared by President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  (commonly referred to as the Mormon Church):

Prior to his service in the First Presidency, President Brown spent some time in England working as a barrister, or attorney. He befriended a prominent Englishman who was a member of the House of Commons and a former justice of the supreme court of Britain. The two men often discussed various subjects, including religion.

In 1939, when it appeared that World War II would soon break out, the English gentleman called Brother Brown into his office. He asked Brother Brown to defend his religious beliefs in the same way he would discuss a legal problem. In a general conference address, President Brown recalled part of their conversation:

“I began by asking, ‘May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?’

“‘I am.’

“‘I assume that you believe in the Bible—the Old and New Testaments?’

“‘I do!’”

The English gentleman said that he believed the biblical accounts of the Lord speaking to prophets. However, he maintained that such communication had stopped soon after the Resurrection of Christ. The conversation continued with another question from Brother Brown: “Why do you think it stopped?”

“‘I can’t say.’

“‘You think that God hasn’t spoken since then?’

“‘Not to my knowledge.’

“‘May I suggest some possible reasons why he has not spoken. Perhaps it is because he cannot. He has lost the power.’

“He said, ‘Of course that would be blasphemous.’

“‘Well, then, if you don’t accept that, perhaps he doesn’t speak to men because he doesn’t love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.’

“‘No,’ he said, ‘God loves all men, and he is no respecter of persons.’

“‘Well, then, … the only other possible answer as I see it is that we don’t need him. We have made such rapid strides in education and science that we don’t need God any more.’

“And then he said, and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war, ‘Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why he doesn’t speak.’

“My answer was, ‘He does speak, he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1967, 117–18; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1967, 36–37).

To the testimony of President Brown, I add my own.  God does speak through a prophet today.  The first prophet of the latter-days was Joseph Smith.  Since his death, other prophets have been called in an unbroken chain to our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  God speaks to us through Him, giving us counsel to help us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.  Through the priesthood keys that he holds we can receive the saving and exalting ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know this is true, through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost--the only way we can be certain of discerning eternal truth.

"A Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath"

I saw the scriptures in action today.  One of my acquaintances said something harsh to another friend.  Instead of replying with equally harsh words, the response was thoughtful and kind.  It brought to mind the scripture that says, "A soft answer turneth away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1).

It occurs to me that a soft reply turns away angry feelings in both individuals--the one that receives an unkind communication and the one who was its source.

We live in a world in which all too often, coarse language and biting comments are greeted with even more caustic responses.  This only leads to increasingly bitter feelings in the hearts of both parties.  True followers of Jesus Christ, filled with charity, will respond softly and kindly to turn away the angry feelings of another.

Peace can come to the world one soft answer at a time.

How Can I Know If There Is a God?

A friend of mine has studied many religions--Christian and others. He asked me how he can tell if there is a God.

This is one of the most important questions anyone could ask. Marion G. Romney, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the Mormon Church) said, "No person is, nor can he be, justified in rejecting [the] teachings and commandments, which have been revealed by the Lord, on the basis that he does not know they are true, because everything the Lord does or says has within itself the evidence of its own authenticity, and every person is divinely endowed with the means to discover that evidence and know for himself that it is true" (Marion G. Romney, "The Way of Life," Ensign, May 1976, 81, https://www.lds.org/ensign/1976/05/the-way-of-life?lang=eng).

When Elder Romney made this statement, he was referring to John 7:14-17, which states:
“Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
“And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
“Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/7?lang=eng)

What the Savior is saying in these verses is that if an individual wants to know the truth of His gospel, they must live the commandments.  Doing so will bring the testimony that is sought.

The means by which that testimony will come is the witness of the Holy Ghost.  As is stated in John 14:26, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things."  As we live His commandments, and pray to know if His gospel is true, the Holy Ghost will bear a confirming witness to us.

In the Book of Mormon, a king among the Lamanite people didn't know if there was a God.  He obtained the confirming witness that he sought, in response to this pleading prayer: "O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day" (Alma 22:18; http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/22?lang=eng).

In answer to this prayer, the king received a witness that what he had been taught was true.  His answer came in a very dramatic way.  Such a powerful witness of the truth is unusual.  For most people, it comes through a quiet, peaceful, confirming feeling.  For those who are sincere and have a desire, as did this king, the answer is sure to come.  Perhaps it won't come all at once, but it certainly will come.

Learning from Our Mistakes

"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief" (Proverbs 24:16).

We all make mistakes.  We are all human, and erring is part of the human condition.  Only Jesus Christ lived a perfect life.

Therefore, when we do something we regret, we shouldn't be surprised or discouraged.  We should pick ourselves up and learn from the mistake. Sometimes mistakes, when confronted in a positive way, can lead to great success.

For example, the story is told of an ice cream vendor who ran out of cups in which to put the ice cream.  Obviously his sales stopped abruptly.  Then he saw a vendor nearby who was selling waffles.  He bought waffles from him and formed a cones from them and resumed selling ice cream.  In fact his sales actually increased!  When we have the right attitude, a problem can become a gold mine.

Of course, we should never intentionally sin.  However, even with our best efforts to obey God's laws, we will fall pray to sin.  As the scriptures tell us, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).   The key is to quickly recognize our sin, repent of it, learn the necessary lessons, so that we don't do it again.

Our efforts to repent and refrain from the sin shouldn't cease if we don't at first succeed.  As stated in the first scripture quoted above, we should rise up again and seek God's help and blessing in overcoming our weaknesses.  He wants us to succeed and will give His help in overcoming every weakness in our lives.

Obedience to God's Laws Brings Freedom

In reviewing the sermons given in the October 2012 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the Mormon Church), one of the statements that captured my attention is this one:

"It is exciting to realize that we can expand our freedom by perfecting our obedience" (D. Todd Christofferson, "You Are Free," Ensign, Mar. 2013, 40).

The reason this is such an interesting statement is that Satan wants us to believe that to obey God's laws limits our freedom.  Korihor, one of several anti-Christs described in the Book of Mormon, said, "O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things?  Why do ye look for a Christ?  For no man can know of anything which is to come" (Alma 30:13).

It takes little thought to realize that in truth those who are "bound down" are those who choose to reject the loving invitation of Jesus Christ and instead choose to follow Satan.

Those who have chosen to consume harmful drugs know from bitter experience the terrible way they are bound to their addiction in a downward spiral.  They become captives of their habit in a prison from which many never escape.

The same can be said of pornography.  Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).  The Lord gave a similar warning through the Prophet Joseph Smith: "He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:23).

In spite of these and other warnings, many choose to consume the filth that is pornography.  Many who fall prey to this evil find themselves with an addiction even more powerful than drugs.  Having yielded themselves to Satan's lies, they are dragged "carefully down to hell."  In their wake, they leave broken promises, broken hearts, and broken families.

Let me hasten to add that Jesus Christ can reach down and lift up those who have become the victims of the adversary's deceptions.  Through the power of the Atonement, such individuals, when they have faith in the Redeemer of all mankind, repent of their sins, and walk in obedience to His commandments, can be rescued from their prison of addiction.  It won't be easy, but it can be done.  His promises are sure.  He will never let us down, if we do our part.  His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9) for all who exert their best efforts.

What Elder Christofferson says is true.  When we bind ourselves to God through ever increasing obedience, we are given ever greater freedom.  Freedom from addictions, freedom to grow and to develop and to become, little by little, day by day, more and more like our Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son.  True freedom is found in obedience to God and His laws.  To believe Satan's lies is to be "bound down by the chains of hell" (Alma 13:30).

As the Savior said to his followers: "If ye continue in my word (in other words if we are obedient), then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31-32).  This is my prayer for all of us--that we may have faith in the Savior, demonstrated by the repentance of our sins and our obedience to His commandments.  He can then indeed make us truly free.  Through Jesus Christ, "the prisoners shall go free" (Doctrine and Covenants 128:22).