#059: Leaders Cause Them to Err

Reflection: Does this apply to our day? Am I one of those leaders or a servitor to such a leader?

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 ¶ For wickedness burneth as the fire: ...

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Old Testament | Isaiah 9:16-18

#058: “The Bondage of Sin”

Reflection: What is the focus of our present culture, including religious? Am I amongst those who treat lightly the things God has given? How much time do I spend remembering Him?

50 And by this you may know they are under the bondage of sin, because they come not unto me.
51 For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin.
52 And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me.
53 And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now.
54 And y our minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—

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Doctrine and Covenants | Section 84:50-54

#057: “Veil of Unbelief”

Reflection: When we review world conditions, do we see an awful state of wickedness, hardness of heart, and blindness of mind? Do I see any of these in myself?

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you— ...
18 Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.

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Book of Mormon | Ether 4:14-19

#056: Condemning and Killing the Just

Reflection: If the nature of man is good (as the “romantics” claim), why have we seen so much of this in every age if history?

1 GO to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

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New Testament | James 5:1-6

#055: False Prophets and Teachers

[From Lutes edition of Joseph Smith Translation showing deletions (strikethroughs) and corrections (bold) by Joseph Smith.]

Self-reflection: Am I tuned to this warning? Do I know enough and study enough to discern “false”? Or do I make assumptions?

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable abominable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ...
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

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New Testament | 2 Peter 2:1, 10 (from Lutes, Kenneth and Lyndell. Joseph Smith Translation (p. 2702). Lutes Publishing. Kindle Edition.

#054: Provoking to Anger Continually

[From Lutes edition of Joseph Smith Translation showing deletions (strikethroughs) and corrections (bold) by Joseph Smith.]

Reflection: Has the nature of man changed that much from Isaiah's day?

1 I am sought found of them that who asked not seek for after me, I give unto all them that ask of me; I am not found of them that sought me not, or that inquireth not after me.
2 1– 2 I said unto my servant, Behold me, behold look upon me; I will send you unto a nation that was is not called by after my name, for I have spread out my hands all the day unto to a rebellious people which who walketh not in a my way ways, and that their works was are evil and not good, and they walk after their own thoughts.
3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments; which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things beasts, and is in pollute their vessels;
5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

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JST Old Testament | Isaiah 65:1-5 (from Lutes, Kenneth and Lyndell. Joseph Smith Translation (p. 1685). Lutes Publishing. Kindle Edition.)

#053: Watching for Iniquity

[From Lutes edition of Joseph Smith Translation showing corrections in bold by Joseph Smith.]

Reflection: How much of our entertainment might be described as “watching for iniquity”? Do the other descriptions apply?

31 20– 21 For, assuredly as the Lord liveth, they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off, and they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.

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JST Old Testament | Isaiah 29:31 (from Lutes, Kenneth and Lyndell. Joseph Smith Translation (p. 1618). Lutes Publishing. Kindle Edition.)

#052: Full of Greediness

Reflection: Could this 90-year old complaint be levied against us today?

31 Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.
32 These things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them;

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Doctrine and Covenants | Section 68:31-32

#051: Smooth Things

Reflection: Do we see this in our churches and in our attitudes today?

8 ¶ Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

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Old Testament | Isaiah 30:8-11

#050: That Ye May Be Numbered

Self-reflection: Will I accept this invitation?

2 Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

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Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 30:2

#049: “In the Likeness of the World”

Self-Reflection: Am I like “every man”?

16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.

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Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:16

#048: “All We Like Sheep”

Reflection: Consider the historical and latter-day proofs of this statement.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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Old Testament | Isaiah 53:6