“He Trusted in the Lord God of Israel”
I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life…God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning “let God prevail.” God then promised Israel that all the blessings that had been pronounced upon Abraham’s head would also be his. Sadly, Israel’s posterity broke their covenants with God. They stoned the prophets and were not willing to let God prevail in their lives. Subsequently, God scattered them to the four corners of the earth. Mercifully, He later promised to gather them, as reported by Isaiah: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee [Israel]; but with great mercies will I gather thee.”... The gospel net to gather scattered Israel is expansive.
- President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail
The Lost Ten Northern Tribes (Week 29, Part 1/6) 2 Kings 17-25 | July 11- July 17
Nephi Explains the Gathering of Israel in the Latter Days | 1 Nephi 15
[W]e can choose to see commandments as limitations. We may feel at times that God’s laws restrict our personal freedom, take from us our agency, and limit our growth…trust God. Trust in His eternal plan for you… God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do. We can trust Him “because God wants His children back.” And He has provided a way through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ…During the sacrament, I watch as hands and arms extend to pass the bread and the water. As I extend my arm and partake, I covenant that I am willing to take His name upon me, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. And He promises “that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us].”
- Carole F. Stephens, “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments”
Inspiring Short: Trusting in God, Day by Day | D. Todd Christofferson
Do our baptismal, priesthood, and temple covenants mean more to us than the praise of the world or the number of “likes” on social media? Is our love for the Lord and His commandments stronger than our love for anything or anyone else in this life? ...The Savior and His early followers dealt with serious internal and external opposition, and we experience the same. Today it is almost impossible to courageously live our faith without occasionally attracting a few actual and virtual fingers of scorn from the worldly …Should we be intimidated or afraid? Should we live our religion at periscope depth? Surely not! ...We can accept and respect others without endorsing their beliefs or actions that do not align with the Lord’s will.
- Jörg Klebingat, Valiant Discipleship in the Latter Days
Inspiring Short: These Noble Pioneers | Gordon B. Hinckley
Choose to Serve the Lord - by Blake Gillette and Angie Killian
[S]eeing and believing the Lord’s miracles in establishing His kingdom on earth can help us see and believe that the Lord’s hand is at work in our own lives as well. The Lord declared, “I am able to do mine own work.” We each try to do our part, but He is the grand architect. Under the direction of His Father, He created this world. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” …Can you see the hand of God moving His work forward?... Can you see the hand of God in your own life? “And in nothing doth man offend God … save those who confess not his hand in all things."
- Neil L. Andersen, Thy Kingdom Come
Because of Jesus Christ, All Things Are Possible | #BecauseOfHim
Sacred ordinances and covenants that bind us to God and set us on the covenant path clearly manifest “the power of godliness.”… How fundamental it is to know that He is our God, that we are His people, and that whatever circumstances surround us, if we are faithful and obey the covenants we have entered into, we can be “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” ...May we make and keep covenants with God, which will secure us firmly in the path that leads back to His presence, and may we rejoice in the blessings of the glorious light and truth of His gospel.
- Alan R. Walker, The Gospel Light of Truth and Love
Friend to Friend: Keeping Baptismal Covenants with Elder Soares - Animated
[F]or the gospel to be written in your heart, you need to know what it is and grow to understand it more fully. That means you will study it...for conversion you should care more about the amount of time you spend in the scriptures than about the amount you read in that time...you may not read a lot of chapters or verses in a half hour, but you will be giving place in your heart for the word of God, and He will be speaking to you...You will know that the gospel is being written in your heart, that your conversion is happening, as the word of the Lord from His prophets, past and present, feels more and more delicious to your soul.
- President D. Todd Christofferson, When Thou Art Converted
Know Christ Through the Scriptures
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The Scriptures Turn My Heart to Christ | Animated Scripture Lesson for Kids
We have organized the topics from the Come, Follow Me lesson manual into six lessons per week that work for our growing family. We hope sharing this content will make scripture study easier for your family as well!
*NOTE- We have no connection to or affiliation with Hank Smith/John Bythway's podcast FollowHIM*