"Our attitude is more important than our actions. Why we do a thing has more significance than the thing we do. I was reading the Book of Mormon a few days ago, when a familiar passage was clarified. The passage from Moroni teaches:
"'For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness. For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God. And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such. Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good; neither will he give a good gift' (Moroni 7:6-10)."
This is from Ted L. Gibbons' commentary on Old Testament Lesson 22: The Lord Looketh on the Heart. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
"Some years ago I spoke to the young men of the Church about overcoming the Goliaths in their lives. I would like to apply that same theme to all of us, for few of us do not have at least one Goliath to contend with. As we study the Old Testament this year, we will come to realize that the story of David and Goliath is a wonderful example of what we can learn from the pages of this great book of scripture. I recount only a portion of the story, for I am confident you are already familiar with it. It is the story of David, the son of Jesse.
"As you will recall, the army of Israel under the leadership of King Saul was engaged in a deadly war with the army of the Philistines. One army was poised on one hill, the other on an opposite hill, with a valley in between. Now, the Philistines had among their men a great giant of a man named Goliath of Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. If I have figured correctly, that would put him somewhere in the neighborhood of nine feet tall. What a basketball center he might have made!
"Clad in his armor, he came down to the valley and called out to the army of Israel:
“'Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
“'If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. …
“'I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.' (1 Sam. 17:8-10.)"
This is an excerpt from an article by President Gordon B. Hinckley entitled "Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives," in the January 2002 Ensign magazine. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
• Comments on 1 Samuel Chapters 2, 3, 8
"How can we honor the Lord more faithfully? What attitudes and efforts will keep us from honoring ourselves or others or the world in inappropriate ways?
"The Lord spoke powerfully about the idea of honor. He said 'Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed' (1 Sam 2:30)."
Wrote Ted L. Gibbons in his commentary on Old Testament Lesson 21: God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
"Should parents be responsible for the unrighteous acts of their children? The Lord has said that parents have a duty and are accountable before Him to 'bring up [their] children in light and truth' and 'to set in order' their families (see D&C 93:40-43). The story of this Old Testament family reminds us that no matter how well we may perform our duties in the Church, sorrow will come if we neglect to correct our children in righteousness."
This is an excerpt from an article by Area Authority Seventy, Paulo R. Grahl, entitled "Eli and His Sons" in the June 2002 Ensign magazine. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
"The Lord spoke powerfully about the idea of honor. He said 'Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed' (1 Sam 2:30)."
Wrote Ted L. Gibbons in his commentary on Old Testament Lesson 21: God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
"Should parents be responsible for the unrighteous acts of their children? The Lord has said that parents have a duty and are accountable before Him to 'bring up [their] children in light and truth' and 'to set in order' their families (see D&C 93:40-43). The story of this Old Testament family reminds us that no matter how well we may perform our duties in the Church, sorrow will come if we neglect to correct our children in righteousness."
This is an excerpt from an article by Area Authority Seventy, Paulo R. Grahl, entitled "Eli and His Sons" in the June 2002 Ensign magazine. If you would like to read this article, click this link.
• Comments on Judges 13–21 and Ruth 1–4
"Samson could have been one of the greatest leaders in Israel since Joshua if he had been true to his Nazarite vows and to his Lord. If Samson, foreordained and chosen by the Lord, had been able to master himself, he could have set an example of spiritual and physical courage that would rank with the finest in history. But we can learn from Samson’s failure to avoid self-justification and uncontrolled passion so that we might join modern Israel in becoming a mighty and pure people before the second coming of the Lord.
"There were some, however, who did not falter during the last years of the rule of the judges. Ruth, a true convert to Jehovah, lived a quiet life devoted to righteous principles. Through her devotion and faith, Ruth chose the better part and was blessed to marry Boaz. They became the parents of a noble posterity that included King David, Mary, and the Messiah. Elder Thomas S. Monson said:
“'In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example of fidelity—even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law, who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." ( Ruth 1:16.) Ruth’s actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame.'” (“My Personal Hall of Fame,” Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 108.)
This is the introduction to the notes and commentary on Judges 13–21 and Ruth 1–4 in the church educational system's institute course on the Old Testament. If you wish to read this, please click on this link.
"Like Ruth and Hannah, all of us will experience adversity. We may not always understand the Lord’s design for our lives, but it is my testimony that we are never alone."
This is a quote from the an April 2006 Ensign article by the then Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, Elaine S. Dalton. If you want to read 'Lessons from the Old Testament: Lessons from Ruth and Hannah' in its entirity, click this link.
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"There were some, however, who did not falter during the last years of the rule of the judges. Ruth, a true convert to Jehovah, lived a quiet life devoted to righteous principles. Through her devotion and faith, Ruth chose the better part and was blessed to marry Boaz. They became the parents of a noble posterity that included King David, Mary, and the Messiah. Elder Thomas S. Monson said:
“'In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example of fidelity—even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law, who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." ( Ruth 1:16.) Ruth’s actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame.'” (“My Personal Hall of Fame,” Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 108.)
This is the introduction to the notes and commentary on Judges 13–21 and Ruth 1–4 in the church educational system's institute course on the Old Testament. If you wish to read this, please click on this link.
"Like Ruth and Hannah, all of us will experience adversity. We may not always understand the Lord’s design for our lives, but it is my testimony that we are never alone."
This is a quote from the an April 2006 Ensign article by the then Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, Elaine S. Dalton. If you want to read 'Lessons from the Old Testament: Lessons from Ruth and Hannah' in its entirity, click this link.
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Comments on Ruth
"Like Ruth and Hannah, all of us will experience adversity. We may not always understand the Lord’s design for our lives, but it is my testimony that we are never alone." This is a quote from an April 2006 Ensign article by the Young Women General President, Elaine S. Dalton.
If you want to read 'Lessons from the Old Testament: Lessons from Ruth and Hannah' in its entirety, click this link.
If you want to read 'Lessons from the Old Testament: Lessons from Ruth and Hannah' in its entirety, click this link.
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