Today's reading...Rejoice in the Lord

I have been reading a chapter everyday in the Book of Mormon for 4 weeks now. It has really changed everything. I have always been a regular scripture studier/reader, but have lost the consistency that I like. Once I took the challenge from my Bishop to be "consistent" and read one chapter everyday, it has been really fulfilling and I've been learning a lot from them.  Combined with my institute class, I have been able to understand war, Israel, Judah, the lost 10 tribes, the Jews and so much more. It is ironic that I'm at the prophecies of Isaiah and he is talking about the second coming and the return of the lost tribes and that the Jews will get Jerusalem back.  When you understand it, it makes so much more sense and is really a testament of the truth of the Book of Mormon and much more. I particularly liked the scriptures today that I read.  They brought peace to my heart.  That the Lord really is in control and that our job is to have him be the head of our lives and all will work out. When the destruction comes (as it has been coming a lot lately) if we are obedient His wrath will not be upon us, but will save us from harm, if we follow Him and have been following His servants the prophets.

I particularly liked these words today that I read in 2 Nephi 22:

1 ^aAnd in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will ^atrust, and not be afraid; for the Lord ^bJehovah is my ^cstrength and my ^dsong; he also has become my salvation.

3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw ^awater out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say: ^aPraise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 ^aSing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.

6 ^aCry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

In verse 1, I am constantly amazed at how many times the Lord turns away His anger when we haven't done our part or what's right and it takes us a long time to recognize His hand or to accept His will, atonement etc.  He is always wanting us to come unto Him and be saved in Him, but won't ever make us do anything. He only allows us the choice to do it and then we do and we believe what verse 2 says, that God is our Salvation and so we trust in Him and we aren't afraid of our fears, becuase Christ is the strength we find when we are just too weak on our own. We sing a song of redeeming love, because we have found hope in Christ and in doing so He can become our Salvation. He already paid the price for sin, but it doesn't give us any comfort unless we accept it.

I have always struggled to understand the Isaiah chapters, but this is the first time that I understand it and that I crave to read my consistent one (or more) chapter (s) a day.  I have enjoyed it and feel the Spirit in the morning, when I put it first and do what's right from the get go in my day. It gives me the confidence I need to know that I'm doing something to be better and put forth effort to do as my Bishop has asked me to and it feels good to be obedient. Obedience is the highest law of the heavens as I learned from my ever faithful mission president.

  "I, the Lord, am ^abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no ^bpromise." Doctrine and Covenants 82:10

I for sure want His promises!  I'm trying to be obedient so I will get all that He has to offer.  And man, does He offer a lot! I love it! I love the Lord. I love the gospel and feel so blessed to know what I know.

  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

James 1:5-6