Bev Psalm 55: A Hallowed Cave

Why did Jesus live in deserts?

My desert in Arizona is like the desert

   on the Arabian Peninsula.

Why is keeping records so important?

Personal journals contain inspired writing.

Prophets record not only the law and commandments,

   but also what God wills for future generations.

The plates from a family leader, record Lehi’s

   genealogies and records from the tribe of Joseph.

Sacred stories in the language of the fathers so that

   their progeny will know the law and commandments.

Deserts, records, family writings, all necessary;

A sacrifice was needed to save thousands

   who follow the Savior, from the entire world.

We will benefit from the beatings the older brothers

   gave Nephi in a cave in the desert.

Their anger was due to pride; not recognizing the

   Lord’s calling their little brother as a teacher and

   ruler over them.

That cave where they’d fearfully fled to in the desert

   from wicked Laban’s soldiers, became hallowed by

   an angel appearing to stop the abuse.

Like the Capulets and Montagues, the Hatfields and the

   McCoys, a family blood-feud begins here between the

   Lamanites and the Nephites;

Their story continues throughout the Book of Mormon.

A battle between wickedness and righteousness

A battle between darkness and light.

One man, Laban, died so that a nation might be born.

A symbolic sword of Laban made of gold and tempered steel

   not only cuts off the head of the serpent,

But becomes the double-edged metaphor of God’s words

   cutting asunder both soul and spirit; a discerner of

   thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hide not in a cave of fear or ignorance.

Shine forth as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Learn His ways, as we travel the covenant paths

   in our present-day deserts.

The fled in fear to a cave in the rock

Bev Psalm 54: Light bursts Forth

Better than science fiction; better than time travel.

Our human hearts seek eternity and wisdom

God answers with a brilliant pillar of light.

His glory shines upon His prophets, seers, revelators.

In Zedekiah’s day, Lehi saw the heavens open.

In 1820, Joseph Smith beheld two personages

   In a pillar of light.

God speaks to men; they hear His voice and His son

   Jehovah, the premortal Christ, shows prophets a book.

God commands these prophets to write and speak.

They obeyed in ancient days when

   His will was to be revealed.

Today prophets write and speak His words,

   timely guidance for a troubled world.

The Book of Mormon with the prophet Nephi

   writing, begins with his own introduction.

Nephi testifies that he alone wrote it and it’s true.

His father, the prophet Lehi, saw a bright vision and

   dreamed dreams to guide his family.

Nephi’s desire was to know the mysteries of God

He prayed and his heart was soft and open.

The Lord chose him, over rebelling brothers to

   write His story, and the story in the Book of Mormon.

We give thanks that he was born of goodly parents

   and obeyed God’s commandments.

Because now truth is again on earth, a burst of light.

God’s mercy is over all those He hath chosen because

   of their faith, enabling them to shine a beacon of light, 

   helping a darkened world find it's way.

Prophets of old saw our day.

The Book of Mormon was gathered from many prophet’s

   writings, abridged and condensed to speak to us.

Let us read, study and ponder the words found there

   each day, that we might have the light of revelation

   to guide us in the deserts of our own wilderness,

   even cyberspace, is my prayer.

Bev Psalm 53: Key to Understanding

Before you read a book, you must understand its structure.

Modern literary format uses chapters and often an introduction.

The Book of Mormon is no different.

Abridged by the prophet, Mormon, who once lived upon this

   continent, explains within the text about the sources he used.

To the average reader this is hidden within 531 pages of text.

Modern scholars give us the Key to Understanding with a brief

   explanation before that text begins.

The Plates of Nephi, some small, some large, are one set.

The Plates of Mormon include abridgement, commentary and

   continued additions by Mormon and his son Moroni.

The Plates of Ether, my favorite, records a journey so ancient

   that it refers to the tower of Babel and the confusion of

   tongues that divided the world into nations.

The Plates of Brass, kept by one family with their genealogies,

   God’s interactions with them in Jerusalem, were brought

   to the New World so that their language and history would

   not be lost, changed or forgotten and taught to their children.

The chapters are called books, usually named for their

   principal author; fifteen in all.

As predicted, this sacred record was sealed up to come

   forth in our day. Selections included just for us.

Read it to find answers to the very problems we face today.

God saw us and knew what we needed.

Reading with prayer, brings inciteful revelation.

Therein lies the greatest story ever told of

Jesus Christ and His doctrine and Plan of Happiness for

   all of God’s children in the troubled times we live in.

The key that unlocks eternity and our place in it

   with our Eternal Father, and His son, our elder brother,

   Is Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is another testament

   of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

Jesus is the Key to Understanding

 

Bev Psalm 52: Law of Witnesses

A story unfolds on the 23rd of September 1827

   almost two hundred years ago on the Hill

   Cumorah, in Manchester, Ontario, New York.

A young boy visits the sacred place where

   an ancient record has been hidden.

Years pass, one by one, with an angel from

   God’s presence instructing him.

Joseph Smith, Jr. translated this ancient

   record written on shining golden plates

   into modern speech by the gift and power of

   God, as testified by eleven witnesses who

   saw them, and heard the voice of the Lord

   command them to bear record.

Out of these documents that testify of its verity,

It has been published to the world in 1830 as the

Book of Mormon.

Now is the day when all people of every nation

   read it in their own language.

May God’s light shed forth upon all His children.

Receive my word; then I reveal more!

 

Bev Psalm 51: Sacred Words

Action words found, reveal truths profound.

Words written twice add emphasis.

What was hidden now becomes known.

God sends forth His words to a world so hungry

   for hope and truth, peace and rest.

Once hid up by prophets of old, from the earth

   His doctrine shines so convincing.

The plan of salvation outlined, and delivered.

Will we abide in the precepts presented;

   study and ponder, ask and gain a

   testimony of this divine translation?

Consequences follow:

Turn away and be separated from God to

   progress no more;

Accept the invitation and blessings will

   pour, like living water, leaving us to

   desire more.

 

Bev Psalm 50: Scattered Sheep Now Gathering

 You and I are works in progress!

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of

   Latter-day Saints, our first article of faith reads:

We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son Jesus Christ

   and in the Holy Ghost.

As the Book of Mormon declares, "Salvation was, and is, and is to

   come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, 

   the Lord Omnipotent."

How much faith is enough? Is it a once kind of thing, or is it more?

Strong faith requires more than strong desire, our Prophet Dallin H Oaks

   said in his recent talk, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for All."

It means daily trying, one step at a time with prayer and scriptural learning.

There are two ways to gain knowledge.

The first is by scientific methods and digital information. This could be AI

   formulated and may or may not be accurate.

The second is by the spiritual method which begins with faith in God, 

   relies upon scriptures and inspired teaching and personal revelation.

Oaks says, "There is no ulltimate conflict between these different methods

   because God, our omnipotent Eternal Father, knows all truth and 

   expects us to learn by both methods."

At age 90, and a former lawyer and judge, his experience with these

   methods is a witness to their truth. His counselors are a physicist and 

   a lawyer, and previous President Russell M. Nelson, now deceased 

  (at age 101) was a world-renowned heart surgeon; they all know

   from experience that these are truths.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ has the solutions to so many

   world and individual problems.

Many in the world are hungry for our Savior!

The believing, hopeful people are like scattered sheep.

The Savior is gathering them from the four corners of the earth:

   North, South, East and West,

He is calling to them, Come Follow Me, and find joy in the 

   Plan of Happiness, established before the foundation of the world.

His is gathering His sheep and lambs to His fold.

Bev Psalm 49: God's Promise to Us

I am unintimidated by life's challenges, Why?

Because God has promised that He will never break his covenant with me!

God asked Moses, "Why don't they trust me?

Despite all I have done, why won't they believe me?

Jesus Christ promises spiritual peace no matter our circumstances.

Faith in Jesus Christ frees us from uncertainty because our hope

   rests on His Faithfulness and righteousness not our own.

One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to show us "what 

   great things the Lord hath done...that (we) may know the covenants

   of the Lord, that we are not cast off forever."

The ancient prophet Moroni exhorts us, "that (we should) remember

   how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men

   (throughout the ages), and ponder it in (our) hearts."

Jesus Christ knows the situation of both the living and the dead, and

   has made provisions, whether for in this world or the next.

Will I incline my ear to hear what He says, when I call upon Him?

   as the psalmist said in Psalm116:2... "Because He hath inclined His

   ear unto me, will I call upon Him as long as I live"

Listen O ye Saints to Elder Dale G. Renlund's words in his talk,

   "How Long Will it Be Ere They Believe Me?"

Let us not focus on the here and now and lose sight of the bigger

   picture, both where we have been and God's promises to us.

Lend Me Thine Ear; Living and Dead