Ask

We are told repeatedly in the scriptures to ask for the things we want.

God already knows what we want. Why do we need to ask?

Because when we ask God for what we want, our describing it in the question allows us to recognize the blessing when it is bestowed upon us.

It's not so that he'll know. it's so that we'll know.

Daily Ponderings: Care Not for It

1 Corinthians 7:21

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

My happiness is a result of what I choose to focus on, and is mine to choose, independent of my circumstances.

Daily Ponderings: Justified, Washed, Sanctified

1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I am justified (separated from my sins and counted as innocent) by my belief in Christ's atoning sacrifice. Baptism (washing) is the act that transforms my belief into faith. Sanctification occurs as I exercise that faith to hear and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost, transforming to become more like Him, progressing to not just bear his name, but to assume, as far as I can, his very identity.

Daily Ponderings: Purge Out Therefore the Old Leaven

1 Corinthians 5:7

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

There are old habits and choices that are no longer useful to me because they don't do anything to help me to become more like Him. I should take time today to notice whether what I'm doing is taking me forward along the path I need to travel.

Daily Ponderings: And Are Buffeted

1 Corinthians 4:11

Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

Even if I am beset by physical and mental misery, I can keep going, in spite of the adversary's seductive counsel to quit.

My Time Away From the Light

On the desk in my office is a potted geranium. There is only one window, and it's the only source of sunlight in the room. Every day I turn the plant 1/4 turn so that all the leaves don't grow toward one side of the pot and make it look lopsided.

Today, when I turned it, I was noticing the leaves that were being turned to be farthest away from the window, and I thought "it's their turn to be away from the light." Then I thought "that applies to my life, too."

There are times in my life - hard times, times of trial - where I feel like I'm away from the light. But I know that if I persist in patience and faith, eventually my time in the light will come again.

Daily Ponderings: Build Upon This Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:12

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

I have the choice to build anything I want on the foundation of my soul. Best to build the things that will make me happy in the long run.

Daily Ponderings: Receive the Things of God

Daily Ponderings: Receive the Things of God

1 Corinthians 2:12

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

As I lift up my eyes in horizon vision, I can see not only where I need to go, and how to get there, but I can also attain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of godliness within me that I will be able to use to assist me along this chosen course.

The mechanisms of godliness are things like anchors, pattern interrupts, reframing, and force of habit. These are tools I already use unconsciously, but which, if I recognize them consciously, I can use to help me in my quest to become more like Him.

The Goal of It All

We do not seek to imitate the masters, rather, we seek what they sought.
-Stephen R. Covey, paraphrased from a Japanese poet.

In worship, we declare our intention to become like God. But the quote above makes me wonder if that misses the mark. So I ask myself, "what is God seeking?"

I have no idea.

But, projecting from what I know of human psychological needs, I'm guessing that he is seeking to be understood. Completely understood. And the only way he can do that is by creating children who will one day create their own universe and populate it with their own spirit children, giving them bodies, and a savior, and a path to exaltation of their own.

And until we reach that point, and truly understand what possessing godhood feels like, he is still pleased by every step we take to grow along that path, just as we are pleased watching our earthly children mature and understand adulthood.

Love

Love is the act of recognizing the value that the loved one adds to your life over the long term.

In love, the overall value remains, even if value is not being added in the moment.

See Also this post...

Daily Ponderings: God Hath Prepared

1 Corinthians 2:9

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

I need to look and listen and open my heart to receive his promptings, diligently obey them to show my love, and thank him for the blessings he rewards me with as a result of me qualifying for them.

And a word about qualifying for blessings:

In a Reddit thread about whether we "earn" or "qualify" for blessings (the consensus was "qualify"), I found the following comment enlightening:

Qualifying for blessings is like preparing for a marathon. If you want to grow stronger, you put the work in and you get the blessing of being able to run with greater strength because you had prepared. You did not earn that blessing. You received it because you had prepared yourself to receive it. We do not earn blessings. We prepare to receive them.

The activity that "qualifies" us for the blessing is not a particular kindness bestowed upon another person (that's actually the view of the "earned" school), but rather the act of opening our hearts that makes us willing to do our kindnesses that makes it so that he can put the blessing into us. He can't bless a closed heart.

It's not the act; it's not the willingness to do the act; it's the choosing to be willing to do the act.

His Work

To worship is to stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let him do his work.

His work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

His work is to help me transform to become more like him.

The Master Teacher

Why did Jesus need apostles?

He's God. Why did he need help?

My first thought was so that he could practice teaching the apostles first, and then, once he got his talk down, he could use it on the multitudes.

But that would mean he taught imperfectly at first, and needed improvement. That doesn't sound right.

Yet there were definitely times when the apostles didn't understand what he was saying, and he had to explain it again in plainer language.

It occurs to me, though, that that is how we learn.

First before we can learn, we have to be made open to receiving new knowledge. When Jesus taught the apostles and they didn't understand, their minds opened as they puzzled and searched and wanted to know the answer. When that wanting led them to say "what do you mean, master?" THEN they were ready to be taught. And then that plain and simple answer could enter them and become part of them. Remembered and integrated into the whole of them.

Had Jesus started with the easy answer without opening the apostles up to receive it first, it would have bounced off them and immediately been forgotten.

You can't teach someone unless they want to know the answer.

He can't teach me unless I want to know the answer.

Daily Ponderings: Testimony Confirmed (The Chord)

1 Corinthians 1:6

Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

Having a testimony means I have a sure knowledge of something. He has a sure knowledge of everything. As I acquire more knowledge, I become more like Him.

I can acquire knowledge through experience, or through the Holy Ghost testifying to me that what I just heard or thought fits into the entirety of the body of my personal knowledge without contradiction.

If it does contradict something I know, it feels different. Dissonant. Like listening to a piano chord with one note a half-step off, instead of the pure, sweet harmony that testimonial level knowledge presents.

Daily Ponderings: In Every Thing Ye Are Enriched

1 Corinthians 1:4,5

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

Grace is not just divine assistance regarding forgiveness of sins, grace includes assistance in ALL things that you strive to do, including making everything you say sweeter, and all your knowledge truer.

Daily Ponderings: I May Glory

Romans 15:17

I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

I can transform to be more like Him every day.

Hope, Faith, and Charity

Hope comes first. First you select a righteous goal. You have to answer the question "what do you want?" If you don't know what you want, you can't get anything or go anywhere. You are adrift and at the mercy of whatever random trivia passes before you in your environment. When you hope, you exercise godliness to spiritually create your future.

Faith is next. It's your plan to achieve the goal. Faith has two meanings. First, it's the empowering belief you hold, which makes you see your hope as achievable. Second, it's also the action you take as a result of your empowering belief that brings you closer to your goal.

Charity is kindness, and it's HOW you act to achieve your goal. Zig Ziglar said it best:

"You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

And you do that by being kind to them.

Daily Ponderings: Make for Peace

Romans 14:19

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Feeling peaceful is the sign that I'm doing it right.

Daily Ponderings: Shall Give Account

Romans 14:12

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Not just at the end, but I am also accountable to Him every day.

I should stay watchful that my voice sounds like His every hour so that I can continue to be more like Him.

Daily Ponderings: Hear, Hearken, Heed

From Russell M. Nelson's "Go Forward in Faith"

We pray that you will begin anew truly to hear, hearken to, and heed the words of the Savior. I promise that decreased fear and increased faith will follow.

Increased faith (taking action in the face of an uncertain outcome) means I will be willing to act in the face of increased levels of uncertainty about the outcome.

Daily Ponderings: No Ill to His Neighbor

Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

The way to peace is to, at the very least, not wish any specific harm on anyone. Depending on the situation, this may be difficult, as news stories often feature people who are a threat to my freedom and liberties. I should only wish for them to soften so that the Spirit can touch their hearts.

Daily Ponderings: As Thyself

Romans 13:9

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But also remember to love myself. Do not kill myself (slowly through unhealthy habits); do not steal from myself (waste time on worldly things); do not lie to myself; do not covet the way I used to be and waste time looking back.

Adultery... not exactly sure how that transfers... maybe keep all the promises I make to myself.

Daily Ponderings: Owe No Man Any Thing

Romans 13:8

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

I should avoid leaving texts, emails, or letters unanswered. I shouldn't let it be my fault that a conversation ends between myself and someone I care about, but rather I should return attention in kind.

Daily Ponderings: Serving the Lord

Romans 12:11

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Whatever you do, do it in a way so that the Spirit can be your companion, and what you do will serve the Lord.

Daily Ponderings: He Will Make Room

Romans 11:19

Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

He will make room for me where there is no room.

This is grace. This is also miracles and blessings.

---

It occurs to me that I don't really know the difference between grace, miracles, and blessings, but after some pondering, I think they're all points on the spectrum of "divine assistance".

At one end are blessings. These are divine assistance you qualify for by your righteous living, which make your life better or easier, but which you probably wouldn't have felt anything missing had you not gotten them. Sometimes the blessing seems directly connected to the righteous living (like good health for obeying the Word of Wisdom), sometimes it seems more coincidental (like being a full tithe payer, and always seeming to be in the store when they're selling items you need at a stock-up price). My wife refers to the latter as "tender mercies".

In the middle are miracles, which are divine assistance you qualify for by your righteous living that seems instant, improbable, and immensely helpful, allowing you to escape a serious problem with only underwhelming consequences. They seem mostly to occur as way for God to make His power manifestly visible as a sign to his children to build their testimonies.

Grace is at the far end. It's divine assistance that you did nothing to deserve or qualify for, but which is given to you, regardless. Mostly this is used to describe the portion of our salvation provided by Christ and is contrasted to "works" which are never sufficient to save us.

So: blessings - tender mercies - miracles - grace

I think that's about right.

Daily Ponderings: Shall Not Be Ashamed

Romans 10:11

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Shame is the adversary's trick to get me to stop attempting to move forward when confronted by criticism.

And I'll note that he's always quite happy to provide that criticism for me, if no one else will.

Often in what sounds like my own voice.

Deeper in Our Hearts

A phrase that jumped out at me during conference:

"Help get the gospel of Jesus Christ deeper into our hearts"

I couldn't quite figure out what it meant in a practical sense.

After pondering, I think it means that I should more frequently USE the knowledge that I can turn to Him for help in becoming more like Him.

Ideally, this turning should become a habit, where it's my first reaction at the slightest sign of struggle, rather than waiting until I'm up to my neck in sorrow before asking for help.

The hard part about forming a habit is that, for the first month or so, it has to be conscious and deliberate, and it's easy to forget.

Practice, practice, practice...

Interrupting Satan's Party

Talking about voices, my wife mentioned that, while hearing a discouraging voice list her shortcomings in the middle of the night, she said that she realized - and said in her head - "that's not my voice". And that voice of discouragement immediately went silent.

Later, when a discouraging voice started reciting a listing of things I should be irritated by, I realized that wasn't my voice, and said, "Nobody invited you."

Silence.

Actually did that a couple times today.

Satan doesn't like it when we interrupt his party, but there's nothing he can do about it, because he only has the power we give him. When we take it away...

I'm very much put in mind of the ending of ST:TOS "Day of the Dove"

Daily Ponderings: Confess With Thy Mouth, Believe in Thine Heart

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Confess with thy mouth... believe in thine heart: If I speak the truth and know the truth, I will be given to know more truth. This is what it means to increase in righteousness.

Daily Ponderings: That I Might Shew My Power in Thee

Romans 9:17

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

One way or another, I will serve God's purposes. My choice is whether to do it as a role model or as a cautionary tale.

Daily Ponderings: Manifestation of the Sons of God

Romans 8:19

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

I need to choose to want to be more like him. And I need to choose that repeatedly, day by day, hour by hour, and sometimes literally minute by minute. Course corrections are easiest during the first degree of deviation.

Daily Ponderings: Sold Under Sin

Romans 7:14

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

God is the knower of truth. When I sin, I pretend not to know the truth about what is right and wrong, and deny even the limited degree of godliness I possess in order to indulge myself in a worldly desire.

The solution is for me to pray and ask for help before the sinful desire becomes a sinful act.

Daily Ponderings: Working Death in Me by That Which Is Good

Romans 7:13

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Falling short of the mark is not a problem caused by having a mark.

The solution is keeping my eyes firmly affixed to the mark, NOT giving up on having a mark altogether.

Despite Satan's artful attempts at discouragement telling me otherwise.

Daily Ponderings: Neither Yield Ye Your Members

Romans 6:13

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

"Just a little sin" is not as good of an idea as the adversary wants me to believe it is.

Daily Ponderings: Grace May Abound

Romans 6:1

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

I could let grace do all the work - and it will - but this is also about peace and joy in this lifetime, which are a byproduct of kind and righteous works. Sin gets in the way of that.

Grace

Grace - divine assistance

More specifically, the divine assistance that is added to our own act of faith that allows us to attain our hopes, which we didn't have the power to attain on our own.

Assistance that is needed but not deserved.

Worship

Max Lucado said it best:

Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship.

Definitionally, though, I'd say:

Worship - to declare something to be good and to seek to become more like it.

Daily Ponderings: Suffereth Long and Is Kind

1 Corinthians 13:4

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Am I patient and kind with myself?

Is Jesus patient and kind with everyone? Is He patient and kind with me? Shouldn't I follow His example?

When I feel peaceful and loved and accepted, it's easier for me to be patient and kind to others. I am able to see others as a blessing instead of a burden.

Daily Ponderings: What Shall We Say Then?

Romans 4:1

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

I should ponder to understand the root of the blessings I already have. Understanding will allow me to bring those blessings more abundantly into my life.

Daily Ponderings: In Their Ways

Romans 3:16

Destruction and misery are in their ways:

My "ways" are my habits, not my isolated choices. A single mistake merely brings regret. Repeated mistakes are a habit. A bad habit is a repeated choosing of one of Satan's counterfeits, which brings misery; it's the opposite of pursuing a righteous goal, which would bring happiness.

If I develop a good habit in an area, there won't be room in my life for a bad habit to grow in that space.

Daily Ponderings: What Advantage Then?

Romans 3:1

What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

We are all - including me - equally entitled to the love and blessings of God.

Daily Ponderings: Wherein Thou Judgest Another, Thou Condemnest Thyself

Romans 2:1

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

When I judge others, I should pause to consider how that judgment applies to myself, and let that realization and that insight lead to a change in myself that will progress me along the path of righteousness.

Daily Ponderings: After Three Days

Acts 28:17

And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

After a period of patience, comes a time for action on my own behalf. I will not be left alone or comfortless when this time arrives.

Daily Ponderings: Suffered to Dwell by Himself

Acts 28:16

And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

The more faithful I am to God's path for me, the more the world will single me out for special treatment. Stay steady. He will give me all the strength I need, as long as I continue to ask for it.

Do I believe that? Some days more than others. But on the days that I do, I've never been wrong.

Daily Ponderings: He Thanked God and Took Courage

Acts 28:15

And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

Or, as Live Action Cinderella phrases it: "Have courage, and be kind".

Promptings

When we give advice, we often say "you should do this". Sometimes we say "I would do this," which has a very different feeling. More testimony than advice.

A prompting is God saying, "this is what I would do".

And after we receive this, then we get to choose to follow Him or not. Although it's simple, the act of choosing obedience to a prompting is not a small thing. Because every time we choose His way and set aside our will in favor of His, we are - to some degree - permanently transformed to be more like Him.

UPDATE: Also, "being transformed to be more like Him" is what is meant by "the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ".

Charity

Having already done faith and hope, it's time for the third of the triad: charity

Charity - kindness

It's when you reach out to someone else with the sole intent of improving their situation.

Looking at the 24 times that "charity" is used in the New Testament, this definition only fails twice (1 Cor 13:4, 2 Pet 1:7), and only because charity is described as "kind". I suppose in these cases, I can think of it more specifically as "unselfish kindness", "sincere kindness", or "nonjudgmental kindness"

I'd always heard charity defined as "the pure love of Christ". I don't find that definition helpful. That definition feels discouraging, like if I don't love perfectly, then I've failed.

Kindness... I feel like I can do.

UPDATE: Charity includes being kind to myself, too.

UPDATE 8-3-22: Charity is effortless, habitual kindness

Daily Ponderings: Whose I Am, and Whom I Serve

Acts 27:23

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Am I His? Probably more obviously at some times than others. Do I want to act more like I'm His more often? Even if it's inconvenient?

If so, if I ask Him, He'll tell me how.

Daily Ponderings: Delivering Thee

Acts 26:17

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

The Lord will protect me and guide me as I go about doing the work He has asked me to do.

Daily Ponderings: What Would You Tell Festus?

Acts 25:1

Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

As with many first verses, this one sets the stage for Paul, rather than immediately discussing what Paul was saying or doing. In this case, yet another person is coming to judge Paul by the rules of man.

Knowing Paul, I can guess the outcome, in that he will defend himself based on the fact that he was doing God's will.

Do I have a similar confidence that what I am doing is God's will for me?

Have I asked lately?

Sin

Sin is the act of choosing a short term goal that is in opposition to your long-term righteous goals. One that delays or even actually impedes your progress.

It is a goal, because you are trying to achieve one of Satan's counterfeits of happiness, or peace, or joy, or satisfaction, or contentment, or belonging, or love.

Daily Ponderings: After Five Days

Acts 24:1

And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

Sometimes passing through a hard thing requires waiting - and then passing through the hard thing. I can use this time to prepare spiritually.

Daily Ponderings: In All Good Conscience

Acts 23:1

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Do my best, in all things. That is enough.

I don't have to be perfect, I just have to be intentional.

Daily Ponderings: My Defence

Acts 22:1

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

The truth can always be explained, but first I have to admit it to myself. Then the Holy Ghost will testify to its hearers - including myself - that it is the truth.

Daily Ponderings: Embraced

Acts 20:1

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

I should always express my love to those who are precious to me.

Daily Ponderings: Recognize, Identify, Change

Acts 19:18

And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

They recognized, identified, and changed the things that weren't taking them to where they wanted to go, or helping them become who they wanted to be.

But before I can do this, first, I need to know where I want to go, and who I want to be. And then I have to choose it. Make it my hope and my righteous desire.

And I'll have to choose it again every day.

Daily Ponderings: Passed Through

Acts 19:1

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

Not everywhere I pass by is where I need to stop. He can guide me to my destination if I ask Him for directions.

Which I should do every day. And every hour. And every minute, if necessary.

Daily Ponderings: Departed and Came

Acts 18:1

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

When the work is done in one place, leave that place, and move on to where new work awaits. Embrace progress.

Daily Ponderings: Then Came He

Acts 16:1

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:

When I come to where I've been called, the one who needs what I have to offer will be there.

Christlike

To hold a belief is spiritual.

To act on a belief - physically act - is faith.

Faith unites the body and spirit in a single direction.

Having body and spirit unified in a single righteous direction is what it means to be Christlike, because He was always unified in body and spirit. He always did what He knew was right, and always knew what He did was right.

In those moments when we know similarly, we are Christlike.

Grace

Grace - Divine assistance that we need, but don't deserve

It is added to our act of faith, and it allows us to attain our hope (righteous goal) when we don't have the power to attain it on our own.

Glory

This is a tough one, but, tentatively:

Glory - transformational power

In other contexts, it also refers to manifestations of transformational power, like visible light.

Or sometimes the change caused by transformational power.

Or, as a verb, "to show transformational power" or "to reflect God's transformational power"

And it's not always God's transformational power. Men can have glory, too, as they have power to transform by organizing the matter and energy around them. However, that is merely a portion of God's transformational power that was delegated to man. Matter and energy themselves are God's handiwork.

Anyway, as I come across this word more, I may have to refine this...

In 3 Nephi 12:16, "glorify" may mean "focus attention on"

Justified

Came across this in Romans 5:1, and had to do a little research to figure it out

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

Justified - being separated from our sin and counted as innocent

I think this use of faith actually means "empowering belief". I don't see any action here.

Daily Ponderings: Teaching the Brethren

Acts 15:1

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Men are free to choose what to say and do and believe. The antidote to incorrect teachings is correct teachings. The Spirit will help people decide which one to choose.

Daily Ponderings: And So Spake

Acts 14:1

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Open my mouth, and if I speak the truth, I will be believed. Let that be my empowering belief. Don't limit it.

Daily Ponderings: Move Forward

Acts 13:51-52

But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Leave the troubles and the troublemakers behind and continue to move forward in the Lord's work, and in His joy, guided by the Holy Ghost.

Daily Ponderings: Where You're Most Needed

Acts 13:1

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

I should prepare myself to be a man of God, then be where He needs me to be to bless the lives of His children. Most often, this "where" will be my own home. I should make every effort to learn how to keep the Spirit in that home at all times.

Daily Ponderings: Stretch Forth

Acts 12:1

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

There is opposition in all things. In this case, the evil of Herod faces opposition from God's people who are stretching forth their hands to bless. There's always something to be happy about.

Daily Ponderings: Worth

Acts 10:1

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

Every individual - and that includes me - has worth, and is worthy of notice and love from Heavenly Father. I should never let the doubting whispers of the Adversary convince me otherwise, no matter what quiet, plausible lies he offers.

Daily Ponderings: The Advocate

Acts 9:27

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

I should never go it alone if I don't have to. It's always good to have someone who's trusted be an advocate on my behalf.

Daily Ponderings: Who Are You Listening to?

Acts 8:1

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

No matter where I am along the gospel path - even if, like Paul, I were not even on it - I can always learn to listen to a better voice.

Daily Ponderings: Judging

Acts 6:12

"And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him and brought him to the council,"

The world will try to judge me by its standards. I should remember that God's standards are the only ones that matter, and judge myself by them.

Daily Ponderings

A while back, I was thinking about how I can get more revelation, and I was prompted to - first thing in the morning - read the next verse in my regular scripture reading, and ponder it until I could extract from it some sort of lesson that would apply to myself. Not as easy as it sounds, because some of these verses are generally intended solely as an introduction to the succeeding verses.

Still, operating on the theory that everything in the scriptures is there for a reason, I will attend the exercise as best I can, knowing that some days may be harder than others, and hoping that, like lifting weights, the harder I have to work at it, the more spiritual strength will be imparted in the process.

I remember several years ago joking with someone that no one will ever choose Philemon 1:24 as their favorite verse. No one will ever memorize it. No one will ever quote it. Because there's simply nothing of substance there:

24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Almost immediately, I extracted the lesson:

"Give recognition and praise to those who help you. There were many in the church. These four are the ones Paul singled out and honored with the title 'fellowlaborers'. This is the blessing that is the reward for all their labors of faith."

And this has been one of my favorite verses ever since.

In the coming days, we'll see what else pops up...

Inner Voice

The late John Pontius said that people generally hear three different inner voices: your own, the Holy Ghost, and the Adversary. This is about "your own".

I was thinking about the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, and it occurred to me that an implication of that is that you need to love yourself, too, and treat yourself at least as kindly as you would a complete stranger.

I would never go up to a stranger on the street and growl and complain and criticize him. I'd be kind and polite. Minnesota nice is the bare minimum.

But it occurred to me that I am not always this kind to myself, and I was saying this to myself in my not-so-nice voice. I then thought, "if I were saying this to a stranger, that is NOT the tone of voice I'd use. Try again."

So I tried saying it as though it were to a person who I was trying to be polite to. It was the same words, but the tone of my voice was softer, warmer, more patient, and about half an octave higher, lacking the original stern gruffness of criticism. It was more... just informational... with no implied criticism of the person I was speaking to. Like I was trying to help correct an innocent error, rather than to shame and punish a wrongdoer.

I find I like it better when my inner voice is nicer to me. It'll take practice, but I think it's a direction I want to go.

Eventually I hope to ramp it up to habitually speaking to myself in the same tones I use in speaking to people I actively love and respect.

UPDATE: Another way to warm things up: start sentences with "hmmm..." and a pause to consider. Very gentle and inoffensive.

Huh... never thought of trying not to offend myself before...

UPDATE (4-6-20): I need to make my voice sound more like His voice.

Hmmmm... we are often told the goal should be to become more like Christ. Maybe His voice, in addition to his actions, is a good place to start. I don't think I've ever heard anyone advocate for this approach, though.

UPDATE: Light Googling confirms: people tend to only think of hearing Christ's voice in terms of the actions he tells you to take. One site talked about word choice, saying "we sound like Jesus when our words echo those of the gospel and when our deeds match with what we say."

There's just no discussion of tone. The closest that gets is "still" and "small".

UPDATE: OK, better Googling ("the tone of Christ's voice") gets a little play, but it only talks about what tone you use when you read his words in the scriptures.

UPDATE (4-13-20): Satan often disguises his voice to sound like mine. I can tell them apart, but I have to be paying attention.

Righteousness

Righteousness is a word that shows up in the scriptures a lot, and I don't have a succinct translation for it yet. Until I get one, I think this one works well enough so that I don't feel like the word is just a pretty-sounding abstraction with no specific meaning.

Righteousness = to strive to know the truth, speak the truth, and learn more truth

Or:

Being in accordance with a standard

Peace and Power

I was pondering on how to use Priesthood power, and was told:

"Without peace you cannot wield power"

Which I know is true, but I'm not exactly sure what to do with it. It might possibly relate to that tranquility I was told was necessary for hearing the Spirit.

Peace and tranquility... I'll need to ponder those further...

UPDATE 4-2-20:

Through peace comes power, through tranquility comes revelation.

Hearing the Spirit

I'm trying to listen to the Spirit more, since that's the only way to get revelation. The Spirit is often described as "a still, small voice", and we're often counseled to go to a quiet place, and pray, and listen for that whisper.

Which is not always easy, convenient, or even possible.

When you share a house with other people, the ambient volume is usually somewhere between zero and cacophony.

Which made me wonder if it's possible to hear that still small voice in the midst of a tumult.

Googling didn't help much, but during a quiet moment, I was told:

"To hear the spirit, you have to be tranquil, but you don't have to have silence"

I imagine that it's like learning to pick out one voice in a crowded room. You have to focus in a particular way. For me, listening for the Spirit's voice feels like the mental equivalent of standing on tiptoe. It takes effort, and it expends energy, and I can't hold it forever.

But, I imagine if I were to practice standing on tiptoe every day, and did so for increasing periods of time, eventually I'd be able to do it for hours with very little effort.

I'd like to do that spiritually. So I suppose I need to practice that mental tiptoe position during the crash-bang-boom of my life, and eventually, my spiritual ears will be able to pull His voice through the chaos.

And as long as I focus on first being tranquil, I think it will work.

But it won't be easy, because my first reaction to noise is not usually tranquility.

Ah, well... baby steps...