#043: Will We Choose to Be Gathered?

Self-Reflection: Could my name be substituted for “Jerusalem”?

36 Then Jesus began to weep over Jerusalem, saying,
37 O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Ye who will kill the prophets, and will stone them who are sent unto you; how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.

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JST New Testament | Matthew 23:36-37 (Bold are Joseph Smith corrections.)

#042: Déjà Vu Daniel's Day?

Reflection: Do Daniel's words ring true for our day?

5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

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Old Testament | Daniel 9:5-6

#041: How Oft Have I Called You?

Reflection: Are any of these various voices calling us today?

24 O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!
25 How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!

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Doctrine and Covenants | Section 43:24-25

#040: Spreading Rumors and Contentions

Reflection: Does this describe our present media? How much do I participate?

22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.

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Book of Mormon | Helaman 16:22

#39: What is a Man Profited?

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

Self-Reflection: What is my personal cross?

25 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
26 And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments.
27 25 Break not my commandments for to save your lives; for whosoever will save his life in this world, shall lose it in the world to come.
28 25 And whosoever will lose his life in this world, for my sake, shall find it in the world to come.
29 26 Therefore, forsake the world, and save your souls; for what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?*

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*Lutes, Kenneth and Lyndell. Joseph Smith Translation (p. 2152). Lutes Publishing. Kindle Edition. (JST Matthew 16:25-29)

#038: “Vain Things of the World”?

Self-Reflection: Do these words offend me?

4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!
5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths!

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Book of Mormon | Helaman 12: 5

#037: “Their Eyes THey Have Closed"?

Self-Reflection: What am I refusing to see, hear, or understand about the world and my human condition?

14 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

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JST New Testament | Matthew 13:14

#036: Doing No Justice?

National Reflection: How much of this prevails today?

4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment–seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; ...
21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.

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Book of Mormon | Helaman 7:4, 21

#035: An Open Sepulchre

Reflection: Does this describe anything in our day?

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

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Old Testament | Psalms 5:9

#034: Destroying the Foundation of Liberty

Self-Reflection: Am I sustaining those who seek to destroy the foundation of liberty?

8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous' sake.

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Book of Mormon | Alma 46:8-10

#033: Companions of Thieves

Reflection: Do we see these descriptions in our political and judicial systems today?

23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

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Old Testament | Isaiah 1:23

# 032: Light or Darkness?

Self-reflection: What is the evidence in my life that I love light more than darkness?

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

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New Testament | John 3:19-21

#031: World Condition: Age After Age?

Reflection: Do we witness any of this in our day?

1 THE burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

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Old Testament | Habakkuk 1:1-4

#030: Source of Praise?

Self-reflection: What is the source of praise that I seek?

43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

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New Testament | John 12:43

#029: Acts of Indulgence?

Reflection: Do I see this in the world? Can I see any of it in myself?

32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.

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Book of Mormon | Alma 1:32

#028: Works of the Flesh | Fruits of the Spirit

Self Reflection: What do my thoughts and actions reflect?

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.*

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*New Testament | Galatians 5:19-23

#027: God or Mammon?

Self-reflection: Am I trying to serve two masters?

13 ¶ No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.*

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*New Testament | Luke 16:13-15

#026: The Justice of God

Self-reflection: Do I consider this life as a probationary state?

10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state. ...
30 O my [child], I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.*

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*Book of Mormon | Alma 42:10, 30

#025 : Saint or Sinner?

Self-Reflection: Can I honestly evaluate myself?

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.*

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*New Testament | Luke 18:9-14

#024: Our Own Judges

Self-reflection: How much of my life is contrary to the nature of God?

7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. ...
11 And now, my [child], all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.*

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*Book of Mormon | Alma 41:7, 11

#023: Choosing Salvation?

Self-Reflection: How much do I hearken?

26 And yet, notwithstanding his mighty works, and miracles, and proclamation of the truth, in great power and authority, there were but few who hearkened to his voice, and rejoiced in his presence, and received salvation at his hands.*

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*Doctrine and Covenants | Section 138:26)