1:8, 10, 13 There was obviously a problem with the Israelites sacrificing impure, lame, sick animals to the Lord. "And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts." For us, we do not offer animal sacrifices. What do we sacrifice? Here's a few: A broken heart and contrite spirit. Time and energy and effort. Mon

Nahum 1:7 We all have days of trouble. We experience days where everything seems to go wrong. A job or relationship may be lost in a day. "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." What aspect of our lives can never be taken away? Our testimony of and relationship with Christ. The foundation of our happiness should be based on Jesus Christ. If we do, our happiness is never at risk. We can keep the big picture in mind even i

1:3 Jonah doesn't want to preach in Nineveh. He wants to outrun the presence of God. "But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." I find it hard to believe that Jonah truly believed that he could hide from the Lord. I think perhaps it was that he might come upon another group that the Lord would want him to preach to...that wasn't Nineveh. He maybe thought that his proximity to an area might affect God's direction. That God might forget about Ni

2:4 Some people despise rules. They don't like being prevented from doing precisely what they want to do. "...they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked." It's usually not that someone says, 'I hate God's rules.' It's usually something like, 'President Nelson has really stepped out of bounds in last conference.' Or, 'I think God is nature and we should do whatever is

Hosea is a sad but important love story. It is essentially a love story between God and Israel that is represented by a story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife. Gomer was her name and she was unfaithful from the beginning. After bearing children (probably of other men), she leaves Hosea. "I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink." (Hosea 2:5) She thinks that these other men will fulfill her needs. Hosea takes her

1:8, 17, 20 We are all, at one time or another, tempted or pressured to lower our standards. Sometimes, it's about a large transgression. But, often, it's about something small and simple. We aren't pressured to rob a bank but may be pressured to enjoy a cocktail with friends or coworkers. The question is, do we give into the pressure? Daniel and his friends didn't give in. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat,

2:4-5 It is hard to want to do something that we know will be futile. I don't like building something that doesn't work. I don't like working when I won't get any compensation for my effort. I certainly don't like attempting to convince someone of something when I know they aren't listening. I've often stopped mid-sentence when I think someone's mind is wandering. For both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, they knew that the people weren't going to receive their teaching. The Lord said,

30:12 This verse isn't as negative as it sounds. It's actually comforting. The JST changes it to: "Thy bruise is NOT incurable, although thy wounds are grievous." It is a message of hope to those of us who feel like we have strayed too far. Sure, we may have committed very grievous sins. But, our wounds are never incurable. Christ's atonement has infinite power. Our sins may trouble us but only with that trouble that brings repentance. No one is past saving because of Jesus

1:5 God has known us for a very long time. He knew us in the premortal world. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He foresaw what we could and would accomplish in our lives. He knew the trials we would face. He certainly knew Jeremiah. "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Knowing us very well doesn't set our fate or take away our free agency. You know

58:3 We often want immediate results from our effort. Whether that's weight loss or spirituality or quick responses to our prayers. Israel felt this way. "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?" The people are asking why they aren't seeing results from their fasting. They are fasting to receive something. They're seeing their fast as a transaction. Quid pro quo. It doesn't work this way. Wha

50:1 Christ will not leave us. He will not go back on his word. "Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves , and for your transgressions is your mother put away." The only person that can separate us from Christ is ourselves. We sell our future reward for present iniquities. We value the pleasure over the potential. The p

40:6-8 It is important that we view ourselves in correct context. Yes, we have divine potential. But, compared to the glory of God, our mortal bodies and lives are like grass. "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word

13:7-8 "Therefore shall all hands be faint , and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid : pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them ; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another ; their faces shall be as flames. " Six predictions: All hands be faint. Every man's heart shall melt. They shall be afraid. Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them. They shall be amazed one at another. Their faces shall be as flames. This

1:3 The one of the big problems with society is the lack of understanding that we are children of God. Many don’t know who they are on a basic level. “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Animals know their relationship with their owner. They know who they depend on and whose they are. Humans don’t. Not knowing who we are and whose we are leads us to do things that are lower than animals. Not knowing

1:7 What frame of mind nurtures knowledge? “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Why is fear of the Lord a good starting point? Elder Bednar said, “Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence. … [It] encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ.” If I’m attempting to gain knowledge, I should focus that learning o

103:13 “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” How much would your earthly father take pity on you? How often would he forgive you? Consider your own children. Imagine that you had a child who had stepped off of the path. How quickly would you welcome that child as they decided to repent? I think you would forgive and accept immediately. Imagine how our perfect Father will demonstrate mercy and love? We know that he won’t tolerate sin.

49: 6-7, 10, 17 It’s easy to trust money. Money pays the rent and buys food and clothing. Money gets us a car to go where we want. It is easy to believe that money is the thing that provides for us. Why wouldn’t we ‘trust’ money? “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever.) All

1:1 We want to be blessed. In this verse, we learn of three ways to be so. Blessed is the man that: “Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” There will always be someone who is giving you incorrect counsel. Those who are off the path want others to join them. The Light of Christ is testifying to them that they have chosen wrong - joining them validates their choices. This is so prevalent in the world today. Everyone has a theory about morality. Their words often sound lo

1:1 “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” Obviously, Job was a good man. He wasn’t perfect but he was perfectly striving to be a good man. A healthy ‘fear’ of God is a good thing - it keeps us obedient. He avoided evil. It sounds like he didn’t have favorite sins that he hung on to. There wasn’t anything wrong with Job. But, he might not have been progressing much. It is possi

1:17 Vashti refused to come when King Xerxes requested. The king was frustrated with her refusal. Memucan was one of the king’s princes and advised him, “For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.” This is an early example of someone being worried about negative press. The king certai