"Sunday Sermon" The Lord rebuked His people for their faithlessness and their plethora of sins. They asked, "How can we get back in your good graces?" "How about we offer you 'thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?'" "Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins?" (Micah 6:3-7 NLT) … Continue reading “Do Justly,” “Love Mercy,” “Walk Humbly with Thy God,” Micah 6:8
"Sunday Sermon" “No matter how thin you make the batter, there are always two sides to the pancake.” One Side of the Story: The Biblical Israeli Account The Bible records [my "version"], King Mesha of Moab stopped paying taxes to Israel. In response, the King of Israel and his allies attacked the Moabites. (2 Kings … Continue reading Two sides of the same Bible story: the Israelite account versus the Moabite account
"Sunday Sermon" "A friend loveth at ALL times." (Proverbs 17:17) The Prophet Joseph Smith cherished friendship. He declared, "Friendship is one of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism." (Teachings, p. 316.) “If my life is of no value to my friends, it is of no value to me.” (Essential in Church History, p. 374) C.S. Lewis, … Continue reading Friendships are Sacred – “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”
"Sunday Sermon" The Prophet Elisha grew up in the desert. When his mentor, the Prophet Elijah was translated, Elisha became the prophet and adviser to the kings of Israel. He performed mighty miracles during his ministry. Renaissance Painting - Mocking Children in "Modern" Attire: Even the Lord’s “anointed” isn’t always treated with respect. As Elisha went up to … Continue reading Prophet Elisha Sends Bears to Attack Annoying Children
I learned in church as a child that Goliath was about 10 feet tall. I was impressed! According to the King James Version (KJV), based on the Hebrew Masoretic Text, Goliath was “six cubits and a span” (1 Sam. 17:4). “Cubit” comes from Latin meaning “elbow.” A cubit is the length from the tip of … Continue reading How Tall Was Goliath — Really?
"Sunday Sermon" Moses instructed Joshua, his military commander, to prepare the Israelites for battle against Amalek and his people. While Joshua fought in the plains, Moses oversaw the battle from a hill top. “I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” Aaron and Hur accompanied Moses. … Continue reading The Role of Counselors – Moses, Aaron, and Hur (Exodus 17:8-13)
One of the challenges of studying the scriptures, especially the Old Testament, is knowing which verses were meant to be interpreted literally and which verses were intended to be interpreted figuratively. Studying ancient literature, I learned that certain numbers were intended to be figurative, symbolic, or even magical. One key to spotting these figurative numbers is their repetition. Their too frequent use goes beyond mere coincidence. The Number “8” is … Continue reading The Number “8” in Scriptures Means “New Beginnings”
"Sunday Sermon" Levi & Simeon Massacre and Pillage Stories in the Old Testament make me cringe. They are full of sex and violence. They are disgusting and disturbing. They include: rape, robbery, murder, torture, incest, fraud, betrayal, massacres, pillage, homosexuality, and prostitution. Indeed, the Old Testament is X-rated. “What is the Lord trying to teach … Continue reading Why Are There So Many “YUCKY” Stories in the Old Testament?
"Sunday Sermon" Genesis Account: "Where art Thou?" In the Genesis account, after Adam and Eve transgressed by partaking of the forbidden fruit, God asked them the all-important question. “Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9) In other words, “Where are you?” God was not asking Adam and Eve where they were located physically. He already knew that. They … Continue reading God’s First, and Most Important Questions, to Mankind
"Sunday Sermon" There are two falls from grace. The first is the fall of Adam and Eve. The second is our own personal fall. The Fall Brought Physical and Spiritual Death The fall of Adam and Eve brought two kinds of death into the world: physical death and spiritual death. Death is a separation. Physical … Continue reading The Fall of Adam and Eve and ME
The London Edition 