A few of my favorite things - New Testament

Have you ever noticed how trials make us "abound" or more charitable, compassionate, kind to others? What is a trial you have had in your life that you now consider a blessing?

Ambassadors for Christ- God's army as Pres Nelson said

Be ye Enlarged- Praise Jesus

Ye are the temple of the LIving God- I will dwell in them, and walk in them and I will be their God and they will be My people

How have you refreshed someone's spirit? Who has refreshed yours?

Solomen asked for the gift of wisdom when told he could ask for 1 gift from God. Wisdom is the knowledge of how to act as God would act - Charity- Love as God would love.

We got the opportunity to be the leaven. To come when the Earth would be veiled in darkness. To bring others to the Feet of the Savior. To learn from each other (to thank Christ for that opportunity) and be made more.

"We cannot diviate from Heavenly Father's course and then blame Him for inferior outcomes." Dale G. Renlund

Pres Oaks once said we are called to preach the Celestial glory. He spoke of there being 3 kingdoms but their resposibility to teach us the way to dwell with God eternally. Alma 42: 29-30 "Let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you...bring you down unto repentance... deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point...."

God loves all, but there are laws and consequences. We determine by our desires, our fruits where we will want to dwell, comfortably after this life.

Pres Nelson told us we needed to learn how the spirit speaks to us

Paul shares his conversion story 3 times- no guilt. God remembers our sins no more, we remember so we safe guard and change.

The Lord knows the desires of our hearts, will bring those to our path who are waiting to hear the gospel message

Paul had no fear of Man. He was told to preach boldly and did. He went where the spirit led and even his hankerchief healed those with diseases. We too are called to swallow our will in the will of the Father and by our actions lead others to Him.

Pres Nelson told us to look for those looking for God to prevail in their lives- Israel. Those who seek Christ are all one team! How grateful I am for all who seek Him and bless my life by their examples

We have examples of so many disciples of Christ in these 3 chapters. What are the patterns we see, so that we too can be chosen to lead others to the Savior?

As Peter and the apostles moved forward to teach Christ's words, we read what it means to be a witness, so we too can bring others to Christ.

The angel tells the women to tell the Disciples He is risen, that He will meet them in Galilee. Peter comes running to see. Most do not believe. If you knew where He was going to come (for the 2nd coming) what effort would you make to be there? We can find Him today, in the scriptures, in prayer, in the temple! GO find HIM!

God is a God who delights to honor and bless us! He is not a God of punishment! How will these people who showed up in these accounts be blessed? What greater blessings are we keeping ourselves from because we fear man, or we choose not to follow our Savior?

Light, delivered, comfort, peace

Darkness, despair, bound, secret, doomed, destruction

The scriptures illustrate the way our Father in Heaven and His son appear in our life, and how the advesary does. We are endowed with his power so that we can cast Satan out when we recognize his influence in our lives.

Let not your heart be troubled...

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak- help thou my unbelief." Both Judas and Peter betrayed Christ- the difference is their desire and what they learned from that.

Luke 19:14 citizens hated him? - They did not want the master. Did not honor Him or want His rules. They did not want to follow Him. Do we?

Jesus Beholding him LOVED him. He saw the desires of His heart. God is a God that delights to honor and bless us. He has so much He wants to give us. All we give to Him- He will give 100 fold In Heaven. Eternal Perspective. What blessings am I keeping myself from?

And Jesus Wept. I love these examples of the Savior's love and compassion for us

Acting no Hypocrisy- God is a God of truth and Canst not lie! We reflect the Light He shines. We want to be HIs so we Hear and Follow Him. By our Fruits

Martha was "cumbered"- bothered comparing what she is doing with Mary doing "nothing". Comparison is the theif of joy. Who is greatest in the Kingdom- a little child. We are but babes in the gospel. Heavenely Father loves us and treats us with such compassion.

Matt 15: 11 "Not that which goeth into the moth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man." Pres Nelson shared in conference a time in the operating room- making the decision never to hurl anything in anger- including words. Elder Holland gave a conference talk in 2007 "The tongue of Angels" In it he said "In this long eternal quest to be more like our Savior, may we try to be "perfect" men and women in at least this one way now- by offending not in word...by speaking with a new tongue, the tongue of angels."

"If it be thou....... we believe and are sure thou" It is a pendulum swing our entire lives. What do you believe, what do you know for sure?

As Conference approaches we need to pray to have hearts open to receive God's message and be Healed! we have to seek and to act so that He can heal us.

Matthew 12: 33 "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit." 

Wise as serpents, Harmless as Doves. We are given God's power- to make others whole. Bringing them to the Savior just as these 4 friends of the paralytic man did. 

He that hath much forgiven, Loves much. Are we Pharisees, publicans, sinners or disciples? At times we are all of these. 

A good tree bears Good fruit, a bad tree bears bad fruit. Too often we think we need to cut down the tree because we make mistakes! God knew we would need repentance. No turning to the Right or the Left- a straight course that needs course correction! 

Blessed are those with any lack- because they sought Jesus to be healed. Woe to them who have all they think they need, because like the pharisees and Sadducees their pride prevents them from seeing the miracles and the good Jesus brought. How easy it is to be kind to those who love us, the challenge is to be like Christ and learn to love those who do not show love in return. "He is kind to the unthankful" we can practice that.  

John 2: 5-6 "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it...

and they filled them to the brim."

John 4:23 "The hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seekth such to worship Him." 

Christ was full of the Holy Ghost when Satan came to tempt Him. We can follow the Savior's example- in scripture, prayer, our wilderness' being with God to be filled with the spirit and prepared when Satan comes. He came at Christ, He came at Joseph Smith, he will come at all of us he views as a threat to him. Take it as a compliment he sees you as a threat and do what we can to be prepared, be filled with the Holy Ghost.  

Like John we are to lead others to Him- He who works miracles. Who offers grace and truth! 

Jesus went into the wilderness to spend time with His father and was tempted of Satan. It was right after His baptism. Right before He chose His apostles. Right before He preached in the synagogue and healed many diseases and diverse afflictions. This is a pattern Satan exhibits in all our lives. Before and After spiritual experiences with our Father in Heaven, Satan shows up to interrupt our rejoicings. We need to follow our Savior's example and cast him out.   

So many who were seeking the Savior. The Shepherds, the Wisemen, Simeon, Anna- all who knew what the signs were and went with Haste to where he was, following the star, or to the temple. What do you seek?  

What have you done in your life because God commanded you to?

Have you ever taken the blame for something because you wanted to protect or sheild someone else?

Struggles and trials are not a sign that God wants you to fix something. That the works of God might be made manifest

What has God done that has been impossible in your life (what miracles has He worked)?

Willingly submit- marriage, parenthood, callings? - Abraham, Nephi, Esther, Joseph Smith

Huge miracles= Huge sacrifice

Just as with Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau... God knows if He is our priority. He knows our heart. He never turns from us! We need to repent often and check our hearts! 

"It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can." Pres Nelson (Oct 2022)

Joseph Smith History 1: 15- 20 Illustrates the way Satan presents himself, and the way our Heavenly Father and the Savior present themselves, their fruits. There are two distinct choices. The enemy is Satan. We can find God in the temple. He is the way to peace, to light, to progression.  

3 in the scriptures means Divine, or complete.  We have the promise that God will confirm all truth in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  The God head is 3 people. Jonah was in the belly of the whale, cried out to God from the "depths of Hell" and was "vomited" by the fish back onto dry land.  Alma the younger tells his son Helaman he was 3 days in the "darkest abyss." When he seemed to remember one Jesus Christ whom his father had testified of. The pains are swept away and Joy fills his heart! Alma spends the rest of his life trying to help others feel the joy he felt from God's gift of repentance. Jonah did not.  

God will not remove "punishment" consequences of our actions. He wants us to learn and to grow and to CHOOSE to pair with Him. Our Prophets "roar" His message to the world. Whether they hear it or not! God's law makes life easier. Gives us peace, His enabling power, and ultimately a life with Him.  

God showed Nebuchadnezzar 3 times He is the only God. First through Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego eating the food they are used to for 10 days and the King proving them. He found them far superior.  Then through testing the magicians, the sorcerers, all his "wise" and seeing who could find out his dream and then tell him what it meant. God shows Daniel the dream and tells him the meaning. Only a God could do that the king declares. The King then builds a 90 foot statue of himself- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow to and worship it. The king is furious and throws them in the fiery furnace. They are accompanied by an angel and come out not even smelling of smoke. God wants all. God shines HIs light through Daniel and his friends, Working miracles! Proving to many He is the only God!

As parents, as missionaries, in callings...we are the shepherds. We are called to go after the sheep. To speak the words God calls us to speak! We are accountable to deliver God's message so we stand blameless before God. We can't control if they hear. We each get to answer how deep we want to be. Ankle, knee, thigh- or immersed in His living water. Water that brings life to the desolate land, to dry bones.  

Jerimiah is weary with preaching and feels no one is listening. Do you ever feel that way as a parent? Baruch is asked to write the words of the prophet and go and read them in the ears of the people, since Jerimiah is in prison. Do you think he was afraid? He does it! Isn't that what we are asked? As parents, as followers of God- take the words of His prophets, the words of God to the hearing of the people?!  The reward if we are faithful will come!  We are promised all will know!