DAY 72 of #100daysofJesus - Be United

 DAY 72 of #100daysofJesus

Jesus was ironically accused of casting out devils by the power of the devil.

This led to His famous teaching that a "house divided against itself shall not stand."

Abraham Lincoln, a very religious man himself, is often credited with a similar quote, which he obviously found in the New Testament. Credit goes to Jesus!

Unity is an important and powerful concept. And, unfortunately, it's opposite (division) is equally powerful and also destructive.

We have seen great divisions in society lately based on race, sexual orientation, gender, wealth, and political preferences. The media exacerbates our differences and profits from the human preference for confirmation bias. There are many that seek to divide us.

Tolerance for each other's differences is waning.

The United States is becoming more and more divided. Even within religious institutions and political parties, where once unity dominated, there are increasing levels of division.

Diversity of preference, experience, and opinion are important, but does it require the sacrifice of love and harmony? I don't believe so.

Unity is a common thread throughout Jesus' teachings. Jesus is a unifier and seeks to unite all of us!

Jesus prayed that we "all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me...that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one."

Through the prophet Joseph Smith, Jesus also declared, "I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine."

Unity is not just a dream - it's a commandment and a requirement of Christian discipleship.

President Russell M Nelson said a couple months ago:

"God does not love one race more than another. His doctrine on this matter is clear. He invites all to come unto Him, 'black and white, bond and free, male and female'... Today I call upon our members everywhere to lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice. I plead with you to promote respect for all of God’s children. "

Our success as a nation, as a community, as a church, as a family, and so forth depends to a large degree upon our unity.

The people of Enoch were perhaps the most successful of any at unity in the history of mankind. They were described as being "of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them."

Let unity be our goal. Let us appreciate and respect our differences while building on our sameness.

When one considers our shared human condition, or even our DNA, we are much more similar than we are different. And we are all children of the same loving Father in Heaven. We need to act like it.

May we each trust Jesus and be united in Him!

(Matthew 12:22-30, John 17:20-23, Moses 7:18, D&C 38:27, http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../2020/10/46nelson)

DAY 71 of #100daysofJesus - Go and Sin No More

 DAY 71 of #100daysofJesus

One day while Jesus taught in the temple, a group of scribes and Pharisees came to Him hoping to ensnare Him in a devious plan.

They brought with them a "woman taken in adultery, in the very act." She seemed to be unquestionably guilty. They posed the question to Jesus:

"Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?"

If Jesus replied that she should be stoned according to the law, He would be suggesting the violation of Roman law, which forbade the Jews from inflicting capital punishment. Adultery was not even a capital offense under Roman law.

On the other hand, if Jesus suggested a light punishment, or none at all, he would be blatantly disrespecting the Law of Moses, which was clear about the consequences or such sin.

At first Jesus ignored them, writing on the ground with his finger "as though he heard them not." Yet they persisted, eager for His response and cause to convict Him.

Jesus then answered, consistent with the Law of Moses, this profound statement: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

The scribes and Pharisees went away disappointed:

"And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one...and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

It's an interesting story to this point, but what happens next is life-changingly powerful.

Jesus sees that He is now alone with the adulteress and asks her, "where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?"

The woman replies, "No man, Lord."

"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

James Talmage explains the exchange this way:

"The woman was repentant; she remained humbly awaiting the Master’s decision, even after her accusers had gone. Jesus did not expressly condone; He declined to condemn; but He sent the sinner away with a solemn adjuration to a better life."

I'm reminded of the beautiful verse penned by John: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Jesus' purpose and role is not to condemn us for our sins. It saddens me that many people avoid Jesus solely because of their own guilt and even shame. Their shame prevents them from worship at church, personal study, and even prayer. This is based on a misunderstanding of Jesus Christ.

Jesus did not come for the perfect (hint: there are no perfect); but rather, He came for the sinful (hint: that's all of us) to offer us salvation through second chances.

This poor woman must have been terrified, full of shame, and expecting the worst (death by stoning). But lucky for her, she was brought to Jesus, who is a God of compassion and a God of second chances.

The words He spoke to her are the same that He speaks to you and me: "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

I hope that our mistakes can turn us towards Jesus for healing and second chances rather than away from Him in shame. It really is His pleasure to offer healing and to give us as many second chances as it takes before we become like Him (for me, that's a lot!).

This is a miracle Jesus offers the world, offers to each of us individually.

Let Jesus help you change, help you grow. Trust Jesus.

(John 3:17, John 8:1-11, Jesus the Christ by James Talmage (ch. 25))

DAY 70 of #100daysofJesus - Healing the Bent Woman

 DAY 70 of #100daysofJesus

Unfortunately, we do not know her name, but the poor woman had suffered for 18 years with a horrible infirmity. Her back was permanently bent or bowed, and she was unable to stand up tall and straight. This impacted every moment of every day and had for the past nearly two decades.

Jesus saw the woman and compassionately "called her to him" with a promise of healing. Next, "he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God."

The ruler of the synagogue was angry "because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day." But Jesus stood his ground, "and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him."

But what about this woman? Imagine how her life just changed in a matter of minutes.

She obediently came to Jesus, which must have required some effort considering her bent condition, and then He healed her!

Leaving her old malady was liberating. She was truly a new woman with a new future, one that she could only have dreamed of minutes earlier. I suspect she quickly joined the group of Jesus' disciples, devoting her life to Christian service - how could she not?

Many of us go about our days stooped or weighed down with heavy burdens, busy with many things, and feeling trapped. Jesus is the answer. Come unto Him, as this woman did, and He can heal you.

I'm on day 70 of this challenge, and it may feel like this message has been repeated many many times.

Have you read the Gospels of the New Testament?

I don't think it's coincidental that they contain example after example of Jesus healing and blessing.

Why are there so many examples of Jesus healing? Why do I keep reiterating this message?

Because Jesus truly is the Master Healer with power to heal us and a desire to do so. And I've both experienced and witnessed His healing touch.

He invites us all to come unto Him and be healed. He heals all that He touches because that's His character and great pleasure. Trust Jesus, come unto Him, and be healed.

(Luke 13:11-17)

DAY 69 of #100daysofJesus - My Grace Is Sufficient for Thee

 

DAY 69 of #100daysofJesus

Jesus says: "My grace is sufficient for thee."

Paul shared with the Corinthians that he was struggling with a "thorn in the flesh" that held him back. Paul had "besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from [him]".

Have you ever prayed for a trial to be taken from you? I have.

Paul admits to having prayed multiple times for his trial to be removed. He described this trial as buffetings of the "messenger of Satan," so I imagine it was intense and stretched him to the limit.

How were Paul's prayers answered? Grace and perspective.

The answer to his prayer was "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Paul learned that Jesus' grace is greater than this thorn in the flesh and that through his weakness Jesus could manifest His strength.

This encouraged Paul who famously said, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Our struggles and trials bring us closer to Jesus when we let them. They can create a crucible experience (as I discussed yesterday) that provides the proper atmosphere for us to grow through Jesus' grace. Our challenges can bring us to Jesus and help us become more like Him.

Jesus' hand is always stretched towards us. His offer of grace does not waver.

May we seek Jesus in our darkest moments. May we glory in our trials with the perspective that they are helping us become who we are meant to be. As difficult as it is at the time, may we trust the process and trust Jesus, for when we are weak, then are we strong.

(2 Corinthians 12:5-10)

DAY 68 of #100daysofJesus - Crucibles

 DAY 68 of #100daysofJesus

Today I've been thinking about the word "crucible" and how 2020 has been a crucible year for many of us.

Most of us probably think of a crucible as the "container in which metals or other substances may be melted." But there is a second definition in the dictionary that really resonated with me:

"A situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new."

I also learned that the origin of the word "crucible" comes from Medieval Latin "crucibulum" or "a night lamp" and then originally from the Latin "crux" or "cross".

Wow!

Our trials (our personal crucibles), if we allow them, can refine us into something completely new as we bump up against or mix with the challenges presented.

As we are in the midst of our trials, we can be a light to others by authentically sharing our experiences and allowing them to make us more empathic. Like glowing molten metal, our light can shine. As we allow our trials to turn our hearts to Jesus, our light can point others to Him as well.

This new understanding of the derivation of the word from the Latin "crux" also gave new meaning to Jesus' invitation to take up our cross and follow Him.

Jesus is inviting us to leap into our own personal crucible. Our crucible is a chance at personal transformation, a chance to become more like our Exemplar, Jesus Christ.

I want to look back at 2020 and this period of pandemic as a crucible of time for me where I relied on Jesus' grace to transform into a better version of myself.

It's been a hard year for me, but I trust that my tears of sorrow can be turned into tears of joy through my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I make the same invitation to you. Let this crucible of time transform you, through the grace of Jesus Christ, into the version of yourself that you want to become. It's possible! Trust Jesus.

DAY 67 of #100daysofJesus - The New Star

 

DAY 67 of #100daysofJesus

The new star that appeared in the heavens was a perfect symbol for Jesus.

In Matthew 2 we read that the wise men saw "his star in the east, and [came] to worship him." And "the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."

Stars give light, and Jesus taught that He is the light of the world.

This star offered direction, and people have used the stars for navigation for millennia. Jesus taught that He is the way. We should follow Him just as the wise men followed the star.

When I'm in the mountains and look up at a clear night sky, I see the countless stars and am filled with wonder and reverence. How could I ever deny the existence of a God when the evidence for Him is so abundantly around me? I feel like the stars connect me to God - just as that star connected the wise men to God by bringing them to Jesus.

In the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, we read, "and it came to pass that a new star did appear, according to the word."

Samuel the Lamanite had prophesied of Jesus birth saying, "There shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld."

Men and women all over the world saw and noticed the new star. Jesus did not come to give light to the Jews alone but to the entire world. He is the God of all the earth and invites ALL to come unto Him.

I'm grateful for Jesus' light that helps me see more clearly. His gospel plan brings clarity around the purpose of this life. It provides context around who we were before birth and what will happen after birth. Jesus illuminates the path to joy and peace and invites us to walk thereon.

I hope that Jesus can be both Light of the World and also the Light of each of our individual daily lives. I'm working on that. Let us seek the Light and let it guide us. Seek Jesus.

(References: Matthew 2, 3 Nephi 1:21, Helaman 14:5)

DAY 66 of #100daysofJesus - The Christ Child - A Nativity Story

 DAY 66 of #100daysofJesus

Today I want to share this beautiful depiction of the well known and beloved Nativity story.

I am moved each time I watch, especially as I see the emotion of the wise man at the end when they've finally found Jesus and are able to worship Him.

It's easy to coast through this holiday season getting caught up in gift exchanges, delicious food, and colorful decorations.

But if, as Christians, we lose sight of the true reason for the season, then we miss out on a precious opportunity to deepen our faith in, commitment to, and love for Jesus, our Savior. He is the reason.

I'm grateful for this #100daysofJesus challenge that I'm doing because it helps me think about Jesus every single day and ensures He's a part of my day. He means so much to me.

Jesus has changed my life, and He continues to do so. It's been a difficult year for all of us. My hope is that each of us can focus a little bit more on Jesus during this holiday month and seek Him the way the wise men did. Jesus offers growth and strength, forgiveness and redemption, peace and hope. #seekJesus

DAY 65 of #100daysofJesus - Moroni Writes of Jesus' Grace

 DAY 65 of #100daysofJesus

The Nephite people lived in the Americas more than 1500 years ago. A man named Moroni was the last of that civilization, and it was he who put the finishing touches on a book compiled and abridged by his father, The Book of Mormon.

Moroni had a difficult life. He witnessed the slaughter of the remainder of his people, lived alone for 20 years in hiding from those who sought his destruction. Through his trials his faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ became so strong that he saw Him.

Moroni also saw our day in vision, and his final writings, and really the entire Book of Mormon, was prepared for us now. I think it's safe to say he saw us in 2020 and wrote some words of encouragement and advice geared towards you and me - we are his intended audience. Let me share some of it:

"I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift...

"Yeah, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

"And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."

Isn't that a beautiful message of encouragement to us?

Where you read the word "perfect" think whole, complete, and clean, not "never making mistakes."

Jesus' grace is sufficient for each one of us. Moroni came to know that personally, and his dying words are a pleading for us to learn the same.

Moroni teaches us to come unto Jesus, to get rid of ungodliness in our lives, and to love God. If we can do these things, Jesus' grace can take care of the rest.

His grace is not dependent on our action; rather, it enables us to act. His grace helps us come unto Him. His grace helps us cleanse our lives from ungodliness. His grace helps us more fully love God. And his grace cleanses and completes us.

I #givethanks for Jesus Christ's grace in my life. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, that contains so many clear teachings about Jesus' grace, complimenting the Bible.

Let us rely on Jesus' grace and come unto Him. Trust Jesus!

(Reference: Moroni 10)

DAY 64 of #100daysofJesus - Wise Men Still Seek Him

 DAY 64 of #100daysofJesus

"Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

Three wise men traveled a great distance, following a star, to come worship Jesus.

These wise men are sometimes described as magi or kings because of Old Testament prophesies (Isaiah 60:1-6 and Psalm 72:11) as well as later Christian writers. However, Matthew 2 only identifies them as wise men, so we'll stick with that for now.

Not much is known about these men except for their great faith and expensive gifts. They must have had some spiritual experience back home that compelled them to seek out Jesus and give them confidence that the new star would lead to Him.

Although their arrival was likely much later than the shepherds (maybe months or years), they had much the same reaction to finding Jesus: "they rejoiced with exceeding great joy...and fell down, and worshipped him."

Their joy was not that of fans meeting a celebrity but of redeemed men finding their Savior. They came offering the best that they had - expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Jesus came not only to save the poor and humble, but to save the all mankind. Anyone who is willing to seek Him out, offer Him their best gifts (He asks for our heart), and worship Him can be saved by Him.

I'm reminded of the prophetic words of Nephi in the Book of Mormon about Jesus, that He "invites all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26:33)

I love the clever and popular phrase that "wise men still seek Him."

Let us be wise, always seeking Jesus, even when it requires a great journey of faith, and to be willing to offer Him our best gift, even ourselves. Seek Jesus!

DAY 63 of #100daysofJesus - Shepherds Abiding in the Field

 DAY 63 of #100daysofJesus

"I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day...a Savior which is Christ the Lord."

These are the words spoken by an angel to a group of shepherds at the time of Jesus' birth. The words were followed by "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

After the angelic visit, "the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see...And they came with haste."

I can envision them nearly running towards the town with joyful anticipation. Their long awaited Messiah had been born!

After finding Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, they couldn't keep this great news to themselves. The shepherds "made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."

And then a second time, the shepherds "returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen."

As I think about the shepherds, I can't help but smile. What a lifechanging and joyful experience!

Interestingly, shepherds were among the poorest, least educated laborers in Jewish society. They would have been among the last invited to any great event in town.

Yet, it was these poor shepherds who were visited by glorious angels, had the VIP seats to worship the newly born Messiah, and received the honor of spreading the word of His birth among the town.

God works very differently than man. The angels didn't visit the religious rulers, the noblemen, the most successful merchants, or the innkeepers. They appeared to shepherds.

Consider Jesus' ministry. He similarly did not spend much time interacting with nobility or the religious or political leaders. He ministered among the poor, sick, and humble.

Maybe we spend too much energy and effort trying to not be poor, sick and humble in our longing to be noble, successful, and a leader in the eyes of the world. I know I fall into that trap.

Perhaps greater humility would help us more easily receive our own heavenly witness of Jesus' divinity.

I'm not suggesting God loves the humble more than the prideful or the poor more than the rich. I believe all are loved with a perfect love and receive the same invitation to dine at the Savior's table. But who is more likely to accept such an invitation?

Who realizes their need for Jesus more?

There's a lesson here - do you see it?

While the innkeepers (whose business was thriving!) had no room for Him, the shepherds were waiting for their Messiah, ready to receive and worship Him, and in their humble circumstances, they gratefully partook of that miracle.

In contrast, we'll soon see that the wealthy also have a seat at Jesus' table if their focus is in the right place, even though it may take them a little longer to get there (yes, I'm talking about the three wise men).

DAY 62 of #100daysofJesus - No Room in the Inn

 

DAY 62 of #100daysofJesus

"There was no room for them in the inn."

As Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, Mary could feel that her delivery was imminent. They desperately needed a place to stay. All the local inns were full due to the large crowd that had arrived to be taxed.

As we read in Luke 2, they ended up in a stable, and a manger was used for the baby's bed. It's hard to imagine more humble circumstances for the birth of a baby than a stable while traveling far from home.

What was significant about the innkeepers turning them away, and indirectly, turning Jesus away?

I believe any of those innkeepers would have let them in had there been space for them. What decent person would willfully turn away an expectant mother in her time of need?

The denial was likely not personal nor was it conspiratorial. Their inns were simply full, and a full inn cannot accommodate more.

We can apply this to our own lives.

Do we have room for Jesus?

Or are we too full of the cares of the world and other things to make space for Him?

How are we prioritizing our focus this Christmas season?

Or more importantly, how do we prioritize the focus of our lives?

I suggest that we should not only make space for Jesus but that we should reserve the BEST space in our lives for Jesus. This will look different for everyone. Give Jesus the presidential suite of your heart and life, not the dirty stable out back.

We could apply these same questions to our families and our homes. Is there room for Jesus?

Don't be the innkeeper. Make room for Jesus. Make the best room for Jesus. He's not just the reason for the season, HE IS THE REASON. PERIOD.

If we don't have room for Him, it won't ultimately matter what we did have room for. Jesus loves you. Trust Jesus. Let Him in.