Come Follow Me- Daily Dose

It cracks me up that they Psalm dedicated to the musicians is the Psalm that talks about how it's ok to be poor! But in all seriousness, this Psalm reminds us not to get too caught up in the things of this world, because at the end of the day, there is only one who can afford the cost of redemption. And because the Savior has paid so much and invested in us, He is anxiously engaged in our salvatio...

What does it mean to have clean hands and a pure heart? How do we get them? Is it by our own grit and willpower, or does God expect something more of us. Today we discuss the Savior's atonement as we strive for those 2 things. 

The 23rd Psalm is arguably the most famous Psalm in the Bible. "The Lord is my shepherd." But do we fully understand what the Lord means when He calls Himself the Good Shepherd?

Today we talk about how all of God's creations testify of the creator, as His creations shouldn't all our works testify of Him as well? We also talk about some of the Savior's last words on the cross, and how with that one sentence He preached a sermon. 

Today we talk about what praising God looks like. Here in this Psalm, this "prayer of the heart" David's words become a form of worship and praise. It made me reflect and think about my prayers. Is my gratitude a form of vain repetition? I feel like maybe I am expressing things that I am truly grateful for, but I am forgetting the miracles and love of God behind each of those things. Are my prayer...

Today we talk about 3 titles that David gives the Savior: Glory, a Shield and a Lifter of Heads! I love those titles! When we understand His glory and when we witness the fortifying strength of a testimony built firmly in Christ, then, come what may, we can lift our heads and feel hope in Him. 

Something that I love about Psalms is that we get to see the words and feelings of a redeemed David. So often we think of David the warrior, or David the sinner, but do we remember David the repentant sinner? The Psalms of David show me that no one is beyond the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.  Bowen https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2006/10/the-atonement-can-clea...

Today we get to talk Psalms. The hymnbook of ancient Israel. Music just hits me different, and if we look closely at the Psalms and the testimony of Christ found there. The Psalms can be a powerful book of scripture for us. 

Here, we get the opportunity to see one of Job's lesser talked about trials, the trial of not feeling God close. I think we can all relate on some level. Sometimes it is by our choices, other times, like a parent teaching a kid to ride a bike, God's steps back to see how we will endure. Either way, as we continue in faith we can trust that we will come out better for it. 

Today we see how all the fear and loneliness we may feel can be relieved as we remember Christ. 

I love what we see in these chapters. I love how we see Job ebb and flow a little bit. Not in his faith, but in his optimism. Maybe that sounds bad...or mean? But I love that we see Job's humanity. As faithful and hopeful as he was, he had moments of struggle. Moments when he cursed the day he was born. But never God. He always held fast to his faith in, and love for God. 

Today we talk about Job's friends, who later on would become some of his difficult trials, but who responded initially the very best way they could.

Today we talk about Jobs reaction to the first 4 unthinkable trials. In his grief he mourned and he turned to God! In our trials, our only way through them is for the Savior to lift us and give us rest. 

Here as God and the adversary speak, the adversary bets that if Jobs blessings were taken away, that Job would no longer love God. It leads me to question myself, "Why do I love God? Why do I trust Him?" Is that love and trust based on my blessings or does it go deeper. It is my belief that a love of God based in a knowledge of who He is will endure our hard times when we need Him the most.  

Job helps us understand that trail and hardship are in no way shape or form a sign of sin. 

Today we are going to flip things on it's head. We have talked about the king all week like a bad guy or a follower. Today as he extends love and grace to Esther we see him as a type of Christ. 

Often time we talk about faith to be healed, or faith to move mountains. But in these verses we see that Esther had faith to be delivered, or faith to die. Do we have faith to not be healed? Do we have faith for the mountains of our trials not to be removed? Do we have faith that God will work all things together for our good, even when His answers to our prayers is no?

Today we talk about how we have been saved "for such a time as this." Do you know your purpose? Do you know why God sent you here now? If not, it is my belief that Heavenly Father is anxious to reveal that to you. 

Today we talk about a small little detail in the story of Esther that we often overlook and we discuss why it isn't insignificant at all!

Today we learn more about the qualities of Esther through small details found in chapter 2.

Today we talk a little more about what happened to Vashti, and the difficult circumstances of Esther's life. 

Today we learn about the other strong female in the story of Esther. Queen Vashti knew her worth and was willing to stand for it! 

Nehemiah refused to be distracted from his work. In our lives, with distractions all around us, it can be easy to get caught up in the thick of thin things. To get distracted by good things but to loose sight of the best things. 

Today we see how ordinary people banded together to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And they are successful because God is with them. For me, one of the most beautiful things about the Church of Jesus Christ, is watching average ordinary people come together to fill needs and to serve where they are called. Ready and willing to do all they can to build the kingdom of God in their own piece of it!&...

Today we see that the first thing that the children of Israel do in an effort to restore the temple is to restore the altar for sacrifice! Sacrifice was their priority. In our lives we have been asked to sacrifice as well. Our sacrifice looks different than theirs, but can change our hearts and make us holy.