Day 39 ~ Comforter (John 14:18)

There are four unsung heroes in the New Testament. Four friends who carried a buddy on a stretcher to the house where Jesus was teaching. Unable to get to Him through the door, they open up a section of the roof and let the stretcher down through the ceiling. Jesus, upon seeing THEIR faith forgives the sick man of his sins and heals him. (Mark 2:3-12). We all need friends like that. Sometimes, though, people are in need in ways that are not so physically obvious. They need a friend to lift them up, to listen and just encourage them.

To encourage someone is to put courage in them. In Latin, the word cour means "heart." We give someone heart. In the New Testament the word is Parakaelo, PARA, meaning "beside, near, with, alongside," and KALEO, meaning "to call or summon." In scripture the Holy Ghost is called the Paraclete, literally the "one who comes alongside." Jesus promised the Holy Ghost to His apostles, to walk beside them, to lift them, to encourage them. He also promised himself as a paraclete "I will not leave you comfortless (encourage-less); I will come to you" (John 14:18). The translators chose to render this word "paraclete" or encourager with the English word "comforter."

On the night of Gethsemane Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him into the inner Garden. He knew that His hour was upon Him. The Great Atonement could be wrought by Him alone. But He takes Peter, James and John with Him. There are many reasons why they went with Him, and one of them is because He needed them. They were there to encourage Him, to come alongside, give heart, and encourage. They were His friends. He asks them repeatedly "watch with me." In the sorrow "even unto death" Jesus felt the need for His friends to lift Him and to help Him go on through the darkest hour. He was in need of comfort.

In Matthew 26:41 He says to the three, "the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak." The usual interpretation is that the disciples were weak because they kept falling asleep. And that is true. But also, Jesus was a mortal man. His flesh was weak, too. He was spiritually prepared to do all that was required, but physically He was being ripped apart. His body was breaking down under the stress. The agony was such that He was falling on His face, He was sweating blood. Three times He comes back to His friends. They were not awake. Perhaps, the simple act of thinking of them and checking on them relieved some of the pressure of the moment. Perhaps, it was a temporary diversion. The JST of Mark 14:43 has the disciples saying to Jesus "The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." In other words "we're doing the best we can." Maybe, they knew they were also there to encourage the Lord but found they could not endure Gethsemane's gloom.

Jesus completely submitted His will to Heavenly Father. And in doing so, the spirit was completely withdrawn from Him as He became "sin for us." In that hour, without His mortal friends to help Him, the Spirit withdrawn from Him as He endured the wrath of Hell, The Father did send comfort to His son. "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him" (Luke 22:43). The effect was positive because the next verse reads that "being in an agony he prayed more earnestly" (v 44). The angel was the paraclete that gave encouragement.

Jesus repeatedly told Peter, James and John to pray "lest ye enter into temptation." Gethsemane, though the night was tortuous, would later become a source of strength and encouragement to the apostles as they went forth in Christ's name. It is easy to accuse them of weakness and apathy as they slept. But Jesus was encouraging them and preparing them for greatness to come. He knew what they would become.

In China, there is a special bamboo. Once planted the bamboo does not grow for four years. All during those four years it has to be watered and cultivated. If neglected during the first 4 years it never grows. The fifth year it does. It often reaches a height of 90 feet. We have great potential, evidenced by the price paid for us. We just need comforters to encourage us along.

Day 38 ~ The Resurrection (John 11:25)

(The characters in the following are fictional, but they represent real people and real dialogues. This was originally written in 2003. The research and the players have progressed since that time)

Prof : So you see its really all in the genes. Dr. Hamer's excellent research shows that the tendency
that some people have to "believe" in God is nothing more that a genetic predisposition. It is literally hard-wired into your biology. The gene is VMAT2. It is why some, like you believe in the unseeable, the unprovable and the unknowable. Whereas, some like me, are free from the effects of VMAT2 and are not so affected.

Believer : But Professor, how do you explain the spirit and the peace that comes from knowing that God exists. I have had these spiritual experiences, and I know these things are true. I didn't just make them up. I have received answers in prayer.

Prof : But that is exactly the point. VMAT2 carriers have mood-altering chemicals in their brains which make them perceive that they are having a spiritual experience when actually it is just free flowing brain chemistry. Read Matthew Alper's work. His research postulates that we all have a "god spot" in our brain. A biological remnant from pre-historic ancestors who needed it for community and ritual to survive in a harsh world. We no longer need it. It is just a genetic determination, like some are able to curl their tongues and some can't.

Believer : Well, what about Christ? Was He a liar then? Was He just a phony? And what about all those who followed Him and saw miracles and wonders?

Prof : My friend, I hate to tell you this but there is no proof that such a person as Jesus actually existed. The "New Testament gospels" are a late fourth century creation. But let's assume that they are real testimonials. Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, Joan of Arc, Joseph Smith and others of that type, no doubt were profoundly affected by VMAT2, except they weren't satisfied as being mere followers. They saw themselves as God's mouthpieces. Jesus even claiming to BE God. It really is quite remarkable.

Believer : Well, let's just stick with Jesus. What about the miracles? The signs?

Prof : Well, again, I have to say that we have no real witnesses of miracles. But say the stories are handed down by actual disciples in Jesus' day (if He existed at all). They would have seen what they wanted to see - it is cosmogeny of the brain. VMAT2, again. They wanted to perceive the miraculous in the common, to see the supernatural in the natural. In some cases, it would have simply been "stone soup." Nobody claims they have any food. Jesus talks one person into sharing what he has, and soon everybody is pulling out their secret stashes of food. Viola, Jesus has done a miracle and they were all fed. Healings and exorcisms done by the power of suggestion. Maybe even some trickery involved.
Believer : Okay, say I go along with all you say - what about the body?

Prof:  What? The body of evidence? I just laid that all out for you. What didn't you understand?

Believer : I'm sorry, I meant, where is the body of Christ? The tomb is empty, Professor. You say there is no proof that Christ existed. But there is. The gospel testimonies were canonized in the fourth century, but they were written in the first. Secular historians confirm Jesus' existence. We have as much proof of His life as any man of his age. He lived. He was executed by Rome. Those are facts. Now suppose everything else you say is true. I ask, where is His body? If He is still in His grave than all His enemies had to do was produce the body. But it is not there. Did His followers steal the body? The penalty for Roman soldiers leaving a guard post was death by flogging. And Christ's enemies would have had an explanation to deny a resurrection. So no, they didn't. Did the soldiers fall asleep? Even less likely. Whatever happened in that tomb was without human intervention, and yet, it is empty. Professor, make any argument you want to explain away an "irrational" belief in God, but there is no explaining away the physical proof of the empty tomb.

Day 37 ~ Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53)

When Christ came to Gethsemane, He told eight to stay at the outer garden and He took Peter, James and John with Him into the inner garden. And oddly, even though their Master and close friend was suffering, bleeding and enduring tremendous agony, it appears they decided to take a nap. Many sermons have been given with the topic "sleeping through Gethsemane." True, we do have a tendency to miss the greatest and most important things. But is that what happened in Gethsemane? Did the three disciples really "miss" what was happening? Is it really that simple?

When my son, Steven, was just a few months old, he fussed and cried for a bit while his mother tried everything she could think of to calm him. He didn't want fed, changed, or even held. She was baffled by what could be wrong with him. Finally, she stripped off his clothing to see if he was being poked or irritated somehow by his clothing. She took his feet out of their little footies and found out that somehow he gotten a thread twisted around his toe. In fact, it was twisted so tightly that his toe was swelling around the thread. We couldn't get at it to remove it or cut it. We had to take him to the doctor's office to take care of the situation. Obviously, it was very painful for Steven. The thing that amazed us was that after an hour or so of crying, Steven went to sleep. As he slept, his face had a troubled look upon it and his breathing was shallow and rapid. The little guy was obviously in great discomfort, but nonetheless, he had gone to sleep. Health professionals know that this is a protective mechanism that babies and children use when they are under great duress. It is known as the General Adaptive Syndrome. Adults also show this ability to fall asleep when mental strain is such that they cannot handle it. The mind actually starts to shut down and it stops processing information. People will sleep to protect themselves from strain and trauma. Grief and depression are most often the cause in the adult syndrome. They sleep for sorrow.

When Christ became "sin for us" in Gethsemane, He took upon Himself such a burden that the grief and anguish caused even He, the Son of God, to be "exceeding sorrowful unto death." So great was His mental anguish that he apparently suffered hematidrosis, a condition where the strain is so great that the capillaries burst and mingle blood with the sweat. His physical distress was such that He was at the threshold of death. Yet, He had obtained His life from His Father and would not die until it was time. He alone could suffer so and live, for His life could not be taken until He laid it down.

But this was not so for the disciples. They were mere men and could not handle this type of stress upon their systems. We read that even though Jesus left them a stone's throw distance away, they too seemed to be profoundly engulfed in the thickening mists of Gethsemane's horrifying gloom. In JST Mark 14:36 we read that the disciples were sore amazed and very heavy in their hearts. Luke 22:45 is even more clear for as Jesus "rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples," the JST reads "he found them sleeping; for they were filled with sorrow."

Though they had not understood it, Jesus had prophesied that they would partake of Gethsemane's bitter cup with Him. Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, had come asking that her sons have a place at Christ's right and left hand. He replied, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" Uncomprehending they replied, We are able. "And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with" (Matt 20:22-23). Usually, this verse is interpreted to mean that the disciples would face martyrdom just as their Master had been crucified. Yet John the Beloved was included in Jesus' statement and he was not killed for the Faith. But they did share the cup in the Garden. They drank of it in Gethsemane, where Jesus "cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: it is enough" (Mark 14:41). They had experienced what they could bear. They had partaken in small measure of the same cup. But only Jesus could drink fully of the cup and drain it to the dregs.

Day 36 ~ King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)

In 1926, Dr. James Allan Francis preached on “one solitary life.” His sermon concludes that all the armies, navies, parliaments, and kings “put together, have not affected the life of mankind on earth as powerfully as that one solitary life.” True. But the jist of the piece is that Jesus was great even though he was an obscure itinerant preacher of peasant stock. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Jesus was the legal heir to Israel’s throne. He was far from unknown. Not only that, but His kingdom was a strategic foothold in Rome’s control of the eastern Mediterranean. Consider these few facts:

• Joseph, heir to David’s throne, lived in Galilee just outside of Herod’s immediate attention. Joseph did not live in Bethlehem, for Herod had a palace there. Instead he lived in Nazareth where any approaching army could be seen for thirty miles in three directions. Nazareth also was on the Jerusalem Road and all information would pass through town. Nazareth seems a pretty decided location for the displaced king of Israel. It would have been folly to challenge Herod. Herod was not only powerful but he was a friend of Caesar, and had Rome’s support. Jesus also very rarely walked openly in Judea. He mostly went when crowds and commotion hid Him from authorities.
• When Mary was found to be pregnant, Joseph worried over the right course to settle the matter. We often think of his putting her away privily as a kindness. Actually, it was the only “safe” option. Marrying her, if she were known as a woman of loose morals, would cast doubts of legitimacy on not only Jesus, but upon any future children’s true parentage. Also, putting Mary off publically would bring dishonor to the house of David and create doubt as to Joseph’s sense of judgment. Putting Mary away quietly was the only politically expedient course of action for a royal candidate.
• When Herod slaughtered the innocents the family fled to Egypt. More Jews lived in Egypt than in Israel at that time. Joseph would be known, sheltered and provided for by the Jews in Egypt.
• Jesus was often greeted with cries of “son of David.” The people knew who he was. He walked openly as David’s descendent and heir. The Triumphal entry was no fluke. His correct pedigree caused His disciples to proclaim Him Messiah, and they also argued over who among them would be greatest in His kingdom. The scribes and Pharisees could not dispute His claims until someone informed them of the circumstances around His birth. They spread lies of His paternity - hinting that His father was in reality a gentile. Mary was a Jewess, which was not in doubt, so Jesus was still a Jew. But His royal claim would be destroyed. Only a son of David could be the Messiah.
• When Jesus returned to Nazareth, He returned as a visiting dignitary. He was given the seat of honor in the Synagogue. He was not just a returning son, He was a VIP.
• At the Roman trial, Pilate never once denied Jesus’ claim to the throne of Israel. He asked Jesus if He would now try to claim His crown and restore His kingdom to Jewish control. To Pilate the issue is the intent, not the right. Pilate even tried to save Jesus - political prisoners were valuable.
• The soldiers charged to scourge Jesus took extra delight in heaping abuse upon Him. There was evidently much built up rage against the rebellious and often seditious Jews. Now they had their true King, and the Romans took extra care to inflict upon Him the frustrations of their Judean post.
• When Pilate asked the crowd “shall I crucify your king?” the crowd did not deny Jesus was their king. They didn’t protest His legitimate claim with arguments of “He is not the king” or “He lies to His claim.” Instead, they reject their true king for a foreign one - “We have no king but Caesar.”

There are dozens of proofs that the Jews knew Jesus was the true heir of David. They rejected Him out of political and economic expediency. They rejected him out of the sin-riddled hardness of their hearts. When given the chance, they rejected Him. Pilate’s question is still valid to us today - with all the evidence at our disposal that He is the Son of God, we are still asked, what will ye do with this Jesus?

Day 35 ~ Creator (Isaiah 40:28)

I am on the road to see both the sunset and sunrise for most of the year. I have to tell you that there are some which are so breath-taking that I have to pull over and take a good long look. Brilliant colors swell and fade, leaving me awestruck by God's handiwork. Just when I think I've seen the pinnacle of beauty along comes another that supersedes all others. No two are ever alike. Beauty surrounds us. Creation is literally bursting with pleasing and inspiring variety. And it is always changing. The Lord is forever changing the face of His creation and making new beauty.

The Lord made man as the crowning work of the creation as recorded in Genesis. He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave commands to them. They transgressed and were cast out. But it wasn't the end. Adam and Eve didn't blow it for the human race. The creation wasn't over. Mankind was never meant to stay in the Garden. The creation wasn't complete.

1 John 3:2 says "it doth not yet appear what we shall be."

It amazes me how many different metaphors there are for God's continual work of creation in us. And how scary it is that most of those metaphors sound like the process is painful. In Jeremiah 18, the prophet is told to go down to the potter's house. He watches the potter as he shapes a vessel in his hands. But somehow the vessel goes wrong. So the potter takes the nearly complete and hardening clay and breaks it and reshapes it upon the wheel. God calls himself the potter and we are the clay. There are times when we must be broken on God's wheel if we are to be useful.

Then there is the refiner of Malachi 3. God sits as a refiner of silver. He takes the impure silver and puts it into the hot fire where it sputters and flares as the impurities are literally burned out of it. The heat is intense. But the wise refiner knows just how hot the fire and just how long the baptism until we can come forth shining as the sun. The work of creation goes on.

When C. S. Lewis' wife died, he noted that God's plan placed Him in the role of surgeon who must continue a surgery even though the patient is awake and violently protesting. Yet, the Physician must continue else "all the pain up to that point would be useless" and all would be in vain. We knew this. We accepted it. We wanted it.

If only we could see life like Chris Tomlin writes:

    I want to live like there's no tomorrow                I want to give like I have plenty
    I want dance like no one's around                       I want to love like I'm not afraid
    I want sing like nobody's listening                       I want to be the way I was meant to be
    Before I lay my body down                                  I want to be the way I was made.

Foolishly there are those who resist God in their lives. They don't understand the plan. They believe that man is, as Morris West writes, "Conceived without consent" and "wrenched whimpering into an alien universe." They want God to have nothing to do with their "creation," because they do not understand the plan.

In Hanover, Germany, a cemetery contains an unusual gravestone. A woman who didn't believe in God directed in her will that her burial place be made so secure that just in case there was a resurrection it couldn't touch her. Huge slabs of granite were fastened together with heavy steel clamps and securely placed over her grave. Engraved on the marker were these words: "This burial place must never be opened." In time a small seed germinated just beneath the edge of the stone. As it grew into a tree and its trunk got bigger, the heavy slabs were gradually shifted and the steel clamps were wrenched from their sockets. The massive pieces of granite could not withstand the dynamic life-force within that small seed. Man cannot thwart the creative power of God. It will not be complete until "all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth" (John 5:28-29).

Day 34 ~ Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

Of all of God's creations and designs, perhaps none have captured the imaginations of men more than the stars. They are a wonder. Mankind has watched the heavens since Adam. Even today, when we have moved our entertainment indoors we still are fascinated with the stars. Most "experienced" people can remember where they were when astronauts walked on the moon. Younger members of society have been fascinated with Star Wars and Star Trek. We want to reach out to the stars, even though they remain so very far away.

Have you ever stood outside on a clear night and looked up at the heavens? The stars can be so magnificent. They are so bright and so captivating. As your eyes adjust to the darkness you can see more stars in the spaces between the really bright ones. After a moment or two more, you can see more stars behind those ones and in the space between those. Soon you see the whole sky as a wonderful mosaic of twinkle and light.

So how many stars are there? Well, if you can answer that question then you can answer how many grains of sand are on the beach, or how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. We don't know. NASA is currently mapping the position and brightness of 100 million stars. That sounds like a lot. But it really is only a drop in the cosmic bucket. Physicists estimate that there are about 400 billion stars in our Milky Way. Science offers numbers in the field of 3 thousand million billion stars (that's a 3 followed by 16 zeroes) in the universe. NASA alleges that there are zillions of uncountable stars. Yes, they actually use the word - zillions.

As you look into the beauty of the heavenly scene it is hard to not think of God's mighty hand, and of how truly small we are in the face of such majesty. Stars keep us humble. Have you ever seen that picture of the Milky Way with a little arrow pointing to a little insignificant speck on the edge of the swirl of galaxies. The arrow reads "You are here." We feel very small. We should. We are insignificant in the cosmic dance of the universe. Yet the spirit cries out to us the mind-numbing reality that we are God's children and all that we see was created for us. It is a staggering reality. Yet there it is - an object lesson of galactic proportions. So it should seem no wonder that as the Father gave unto us the gift of His Son, that He would publish it upon the grand easel of the heavens.

Samuel the Lamanite prophesied unto the city of Zarahemla of the coming of Christ into the world. He gave signs of His coming, among which we read in Helaman 14:5 "And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you." How big and how bright was this new rising star which was greater than any they had ever beheld? Did the entire world see the Star of Bethlehem and wonder at its appearance? When Christ returns at the ushering in of the Millennium He shall appear as the Bright and Morning Star which heralds in the coming of a new and brighter day. The dark night of ignorance, wickedness and despair will be shattered in the brilliant light of brand new day. The whole world will behold the brightness of that star.

At Christmas we remember the magi, or wise men, who followed a star so hopefully and so faithfully to their determined but unknown destination. They saw a phenomenon in the heavens and it led them on. As we remember that star we can also remember the purpose served by all the stars. They stir our hearts to wonder and to ponder and to praise. They lift our minds and hearts and imaginations toward God. The star of Bethlehem shone brightly on those nights. But it was not the only star or the most important star. The wise men also had a star within that enabled them to see the star without. Though it is no longer manifest in the heavens, that star still exists today. Today we may still follow a brilliant star - the star in our heart that leads us to Christ.

Day 33 ~ Angel of the Lord (Exodus 3:2)

Angels. We live in a very pro-angel society. We're angel obsessed. We're angel crazy. We've even been "Touched by an Angel." What do you think of when you hear the word "Angels"? Do you think of Clarence getting his wings? How about Monica explaining patiently that God loves us and has a plan for our lives. Have you heard the stories about the sudden appearance of three strangers who arrive just in time to help a church leader meet an important appointment. Were they Nephite disciples? What do we really know about angels? What is the truth about angels? Do we have it right?

Jesus is known as the Angel of the Lord. It makes perfect sense as the word angel means "messenger." As the "messenger of Jehovah" Christ has pre-incarnationly appeared to His prophets and brought them the good messages of the gospel as well as warnings to those who would not heed the commands of God. After His resurrection He appeared to John as the Angel of the Lord.

One of the most important duties of angels is to give heavenly assurance of God's eternal truths. Alma taught that angels are sent by God unto men to "converse with them," that they may "behold of His glory" (Alma 12:29). In Moroni 7:22, Mormon writes to his son that Angels are sent to "minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ, and in Christ should come every good thing." He continues in verse 25 that by the ministering of angels and by the word of God, "men began to exercise faith in Christ." Furthermore, in verse 31 we read that in the office of their ministry, angels are to declare "the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of Him."

Certainly, if anyone comes to mind as a chosen vessel of the Lord it would be Mary, the mother of Jesus. She received the visit of an angel. An angel named Gabriel,"that stand(s) in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee and to show thee these glad tidings" (Luke 1:19). He declared unto her "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33). Gabriel declared the good word unto Mary and Joseph. He also declared unto Zacharias and Elisabeth that their son John would be the Messiah's forerunner. What a glorious and wonderful mission entrusted to Gabriel! He will forever be known as the harbinger of the good news; a messenger of the advent of the birth of Christ, and the coming of God in the flesh.

We may think of Gabriel when we think of Angels at Christmas time. But perhaps we more readily think of another manifestation of angels during that blessed season; the angels singing to the Father's glory on that first Christmas Eve. A question could be posed here - What does God's voice sound like when He sings? Certainly He sings. Logic dictates it. His children sing. His creations sing. He surrounds himself with heavenly strains of praise. The Lord called David a man after His own heart - remember that David wrote hundreds of Psalms unto the Lord - it is not coincidental. We read that Christ sang with His disciples at the Last Supper. A song of praise is at once two prayers unto the Lord. Music has power. So perhaps the image of angels that we are most drawn to is the heavenly concert that was performed on that sweet Judean night. When angels sang the sweetest notes which were ever heard upon the earth as shepherds listened in the field. Shepherds are a strange choice of audience. They were the lowest of the caste system. Smelly, dirty, and rugged, they didn't fit into polite society. Yet God in His Grace made them "chosen vessels of the Lord", and sent angels to declare unto them the word of the coming of Messiah, the birth of Christ, the Hope of Israel. Perhaps the Father Himself joined in as the angels sang at the promised event.

Day 32 ~ Amen (Revelation 3:14)

Occasionally you come across a name that just makes you smile. The thought of parents deliberately inflicting humor upon their progeny's monikers can make you shake your head. But evidently some just can't resist. They bring home from the hospital a little bundle of joy named (and you may have to say some of these out loud) Anna Graham, Alf Abett, Oliver Sudden, Gene Poole, Paige Turner, Hugh Dunnit,, and Hugo First. There is Lou Natic and Lew Pole, Dan Gerous and Rick O'Shea. It might be cool to be Justin Credable, Justin Thyme, Claire Voyant, Jim Nastic, Iona Bigyot or Vick Tree. But you have to feel sorry for Arthur Ritus, Hal Hitosis, Lewis Morrals, Harry Mann, Wilma Cargo and Jean-Anne Tonique. Questions arise, such as, do Moira Less and Penny Less know Xavier Money and Xavier Self? Will Honour Mission could go out with Elder Berry and see Hugh Mannaty? I think my favorite is the poor kid named Juan Moment. He probably was confused every time he was in line.

These names are funny because they mean other things in our language. But there are some names that carry true English meanings in and of themselves. We have Faith, Hope and Charity. Amber, April, Patience, and Joy. It seems to be mostly a girl thing. But we do have a boy in our church ward named Courage. I have an ancestor with the unfortunate name of Hateevil. But most of the names we use are borrowed from other languages and new parents search baby books to find a good name with special meaning to give their new baby.

As we have studied the names and titles of Christ, we have often explored the various meanings of those names in the original languages. I know that some have gone screaming into the night "AHHHH, HE'S QUOTING THE HEBREW AGAIN!!!!" But there are insights to be gleaned as we look and see why the translators would have chosen certain words as they struggled to interpret the text. Hebrew is a very expressive language. Names are very important in Hebrew. Richard Kirkham in his article "What's in a Name" explains "because Hebrew names always have significance, their meanings are often wasted on the Anglo reader who causally reads the scriptures with no familiarity of the ancient language. A little knowledge of Hebrew often can help us gain greater insight to situations in the scriptures." With that in mind he took the names of the antediluvian fathers and strung their names together. Taking the English meanings from the names he came up with a sentence "Mankind (has) fallen! Mortal man (is) possessed. What? Praise! God came down (as) the dedicated one! (His) death sends powerful rest!" Is it actually an intended occurrence, or just coincidence? I don't know. It does seem rather cool. And it works.

With that in mind, we should look at what is meant when the Lord takes a name for Himself.

In Revelation 3:14 He calls Himself "the Amen." Amen is a form of the word Emunah - faith or belief. Amen really doesn't mean the end, though colloquially we have made it that. Whenever we respond amen to a prayer or statement it means that we believe or have faith that what was said is right. Amen became a legally binding word of agreement as the Law was read to the children of Israel. The Hebrew root [ahman] means to be firm and permanent, and thus true or faithful. It is conceptually related to "I Am." We find Ahman as one of Christ's titles in D&C 78:20: "Wherefore, do the things which I have commanded you, saith your Redeemer, even the Son Ahman."

Amen is also an acronym. It is the first letter of each word taken in the phrase "God is a true and faithful king" (Aiy'l Melech Ne-eman). Jewish Law teaches that an individual should say these three words before reciting the Shema if praying alone. One Jewish source says there are "three concepts ... ensconced in the word Amen. The Hebrew word Aiy'l represents God's trait of kindliness with which He created the world. Melech: He is our King due to the Torah we have received from Him. And Ne-eman: He is faithful and will one day reveal His grandeur to the world and bring redemption to all mankind."

Day 31 ~ The True Vine (John 15:1)

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus gathered His disciples around Him teaching deep doctrine. Perhaps the disciples did not quite understand the promises that Jesus was making to them. But one thing is for certain, He left no doubt that if they were faithful God would accomplish His purposes through them, and in return they would have His presence with them. Calling Himself the True Vine Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned" (John 15:4-6).

Not far from the Upper Room there was another place where men of God were to bear fruit. The problem was they no longer drew sustenance from the True Vine. They had corrupted the temple of God and used it for their profit. Outwardly the Priests followed the Law of Moses. They could explain that people needed to buy animals suitable for temple sacrifice at the temple, because it was too far to transport the animals themselves. Plus, having sacrificial animals already at the temple saved valuable time because the priests need not examine outside animals for marks or blemishes. The animals at the temple were pre-approved – and priced for maximum profit.

Also there were men who were exchanging money in the temple courtyards. They were cheating the people. All Jews 20 years and older were to pay a temple tax annually. The coinage paid was to be of a high quality of silver and temple coinage was minted just for such requirements. People coming from long distances would need to convert their homeland currency for the right temple coinage. Moneychangers were lawfully needed, but they were taking advantage by charging exorbitant fees for the exchange, as well as cheating people in the exchange rate itself.

While in Jerusalem, Jesus cleansed the temple. And He "found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up" (John 2:14-17).

But there was one other thing that probably burned Jesus up more than those already mentioned. The place where all of the commerce and wheeling and dealing was going on was in the outer courts, called the Court of the Gentiles. That was where the gentiles were allowed to go and worship the True God. Isaiah 56:6-7 says "the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

How could a gentile come to the temple to serve the LORD, to make joyful sacrifice and to pray, if they were brought to a place like the Chicago stockyards and Wall Street put together? Temples must be places of quiet and reverence while we are there or we never feel the Spirit or have communion with Heavenly Father. Perhaps most irritating to Jesus was that the children of Abraham, who were to be a light and a blessing to the world, were arrogantly polluting the place of worship of the gentiles, and even getting rich off of it. The Jews would never have dreamed of doing such things in their own courts inside the Ballistrade where the Gentile could not pass.

36 years later, the great temple and those who had ceased to abide in God were cast off like a dry branch and thrown into the fire of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.

Day 30 ~ Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)

After Jesus had resurrected He went to His disciples. He left no doubt in their minds that He was the Lord. He let them feel the prints of the nails, and the wound in His side. He did many signs and miracles and the disciples had no cause to disbelieve any of His words. They knew without a doubt who He was. But they were ships without a rudder. After three years of walking with the Lord it had climaxed in the greatest miracle of all. So, now what? Where should they go from here? It is easy to imagine Peter would feel the greatest sense of loss of purpose. Maybe he carried the greatest guilt. Jesus was about to solve both problems.

Peter declared he was going fishing. He was going back to the life he knew. James, John, and four others went with him. The night was fruitless, they caught nothing. At dawn they spied a man on the shore. The man asked if they had caught anything. They did not. So the man said to them, cast on the right side, and ye shall find. On the right side they caught so many fish they could not haul it in. A lightbulb went off in their heads – they had seen this before (Luke 5:4-7). John announced to Peter, "It is the Lord." Peter dove in and swam to Jesus. The Lord already had coals glowing and fish cooking. The rest of the story is in John 21:15-17.

Verse 15 - "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" The word Jesus uses for love is the word agapao {ag-ap-ah'-o}. It is a form of the word agape or charity, the pure love of Christ. It is the highest form of love. Christ is asking Peter if he loves him with that highest form more than anything else. Peter's response is measured and deliberate. "He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee." The word Peter uses for love is not agapao. Peter uses the word phileo {fil-eh'-o}. It is fondness, or liking, the brotherly love. From it we get the word Philadelphia - the city of brotherly love. Jesus doesn't respond to it. "He saith unto him, Feed my lambs."

Verse 16 - "He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest (agapao) thou me?" The question is deliberate, obviously born of Peter's first response. Again the word is agapao. All references to other things are left out. It is an interview question from the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." There is no doubt what Jesus is asking Peter. But Peter won't say it. He cannot go where Jesus wants him to go. Peter "saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee." Jesus says to him, "Feed my sheep."

Verse 17 - Twice asked, twice responded, the Lord "saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest (phileo) thou me?" Peter has refused to acknowledge the agapao Jesus has asked for the first two times. So the Lord asks for confirmation of the form of love Peter has already expressed. Peter picks up on the Lord's asking about the lesser form of love and "Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest (phileo) thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee." Peter appeals to Christ's omniscience, it is a careful answer. It seems to matter little for again "Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

It is almost impossible to know exactly what transpired between Jesus and Peter in their conversation on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. They had their own relationship and it is hard for others to understand the dynamics of any relationship. The placement of the verbs for love in the narrative show a deliberate pattern on John's part as he witnessed the dialogue and certainly would have conversed with Peter about it as they were companions for many travels. But one thing Christ made certain – no matter what your relationship with Him, whether that relationship be at the beginning and still weak, or perhaps He has become your "magnificent obsession" – His command is the same "feed my sheep." All of us will be called to positions of leadership and service and all of us will have to report to the Chief Shepherd and give account of how we cared for His flock.

Day 29 ~ Friend (John 15:15)

Moses 1:39 says, "For behold, this is my work and glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Heavenly Father could have said this. But this is Jehovah (Jesus Christ). He's speaking as if he is Heavenly Father. It's called Divine Investiture of Authority. Jesus is a partner in the work. He is obedient to the Father's will in all things. But He is more than just obedient. He has with all of His heart and soul made it His own work. He's a partner in the family business.

One day I sat across from a boss asking for a raise. He looked at me and said, "All right, but I'll have to pray about it first, because I don't do anything unless the Lord tells me to do it." My first inclination was to quote, "behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant" (D&C 58:26). But I figured that would pretty much shoot down my chances for that raise. It did make me think. It is easy to wait to be commanded. It is harder to take initiative and do the right thing without being told.

Somebody wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, but sometimes I wonder what He can do through me." Jesus told the twelve "I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15). In other words, you know the goal, you know the plan, work with Me and not just for Me. When we become a friend of Christ, we take on responsibility to do what is right. We're not waiting to be commanded in everything, but take the initiative for ourselves to do the things that we know to do. We help the work along. Now that doesn't mean that we don't check in, we don't pray, we don't ask for inspiration, and we never go against the Lord's direction in our own wisdom. But we're not just sitting around waiting to be told what to do. "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:23:24). Abraham knew what the Lord had in mind for his family, and he tried to bring about that purpose. Many people blame Abraham for the way the world is today. If he hadn't had Ishmael there would be peace in Middle East. But Abraham receives no condemnation from the Lord. In fact, it seems that because of Abraham's efforts the Lord drew closer and closer to him.

We need to use the gifts that God has given us. We all have areas where we can contribute as well as and often better than those around us. These talents are given to help each other, to build community and to honor God. There is one very important caveat. We should never become swelled up in our own pride. Jesus let the disciples baptize and teach and heal. He didn't always do it Himself, even though He could have done everything infinitely better. A wise friend of Christ is alert to where he can help others grow and not seek to be "seen of men."

Sometimes when we magnify our talents others may become irritated by us. Laman was offended by Nephi's righteousness and his gifts. Even our good brothers and sisters in the gospel may become offended when we seem to be hogging the spiritual spotlight. Neal A. Maxwell taught that because "others may be so offended is not reason for us to reduce such righteousness as we have, of course, but awareness of this irony is a reminder for us to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others who can be greatly inflamed with resentment."

Aristides was one of Athens leading citizens. As he was walking the streets one day he came across an illiterate citizen with an ostrakon. An ostrakon was a petition that if signed by enough Athenians could get another citizen banished. Aristides asked the man if he needed help filling out the ostrakon. He did. What citizen did he want banished? The man not knowing to whom he spoke replied, "that Aristides." Surprised, but without revealing himself, Aristides asked why. Because the man had grown sick and tired of hearing about the "noble" and "great" Aristides.

Be a friend of Christ, grow up and share the work. Be sensitive and wise. Jesus was.

Day 28 ~ The Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)

When God created man in the garden he named him Adam which means mankind. All through the Garden experience the word is mankind. It is our story. When Adam is cast out a definite article is placed before his name – he becomes "the Adam" or just one man – it is now his story. He becomes an individual. But all that happens to him in Eden is what happens to mankind. We are inseparably connected to those events as if they are our own. 1 Corinthians 15:22 says "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The shared fate of the fall is overcome as we will share a resurrection. Christ becomes another Adam for all of us. We will share the resurrection and it will be our own. All of us partake. We are family. We belong together.

When I was in seminary we studied JST Matthew 5:24 "Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcha, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire." Our manuals said that Raca is an untranslatable Hebrew profanity. "Really?" went my teenage mind. How can it be untranslatable? Wonder what the word really means? So I explored. Raca is an Aramaic word which basically means "fool." In the next line of the text also reads "fool" but it is not Raca, it is the Greek word moros. Both words basically mean the same thing. Just that to the Jews, Raca was "the bad word," a public indecency. But they would say the Greek word because it did not carry the shock value of a profanity.

Obviously, Jesus is teaching that the intent of the heart is as important as the choice of words we use. This is good doctrine. But it didn't seem exactly complete to me. An untranslatable Hebrew profanity - so easily rendered "Fool"? And didn't Jesus himself call the Pharisees and Sadducees "Fools"? So I sought out the meaning of Raca. Bruce R. McConkie said it means empty. Prof. Nibley said it means curse you. Other commentaries were equally unsatisfying. I decided to go to those who make a lifetime study of the ancient languages. When I read their translation I believe that I audibly gasped. I knew this word Raca. I was as familiar with its meaning as if I had been a Judean. Raca is not so much an intellectual insult as a social one. It has the connotation of being without God. It means "a worthless person with no legitimate connections to others." It is the word that the devil hurls at us in our moments of weakness. He longs to convince us that we are Raca.

Remember the infamous position of court jester in histories of old? He was the official fool of the palace. He was the pet of the king and lived and served at the pleasure of the Sire. The fool's lot was often to entertain and amuse a cruel streak in the King – usually in degrading and humiliating ways. And if he displeased the king then he could be whipped and no one protested. He could be maimed and crippled in torture and no mother would seek redress. Why, he could even be killed and no family would seek justice or vow revenge for his death. Nobody would reprove or even care. He was just a fool - he was a worthless person, and he had no legal relationship to anyone of any worth. Royalty did not serve as Court Jesters. The children of Kings were sometimes foolish but they did not serve as fools. They were never considered as the ancient term "Raca."

No wonder the Lord hates this word. It is an insult to His children, and an insult to Him. It is a mockery of the divine nature. It denies the realities of Heaven's greatest truths. We alone can make ourselves Raca. We alone can separate ourselves from the love of God.

The devil is a liar from the beginning. To heed the accusation of Raca is to partake of the spirit of darkness and of those who love or make a lie. Raca makes foolish the Plan of our Father in Heaven whose Work and Glory is our immortality and eternal life. Raca makes a mockery of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This surely was one of the cruel barbs Satan hurled at Christ upon the cross - "why are you suffering like this for these worthless ones? They are not worth the price. They are Raca." But Christ knows our worth. And by the Gift of the Holy Ghost we learn our true worth, we know our identity and to whom we belong. We are family. We belong together.

Day 27 ~ Redeemer (Doctrine & Covenants 31:13)

A prince lived in splendor and love in the kingdom of his Father. All things were before him, but the prince had no way to appreciate all that he beheld for he had never known want, pain or loss. The prince did know that he wanted to be like his Father who was a great and mighty King. So he went out into the world to seek an education and to gain experience.

The prince was quickly overwhelmed by all the new sensations and choices of the world. He quickly forgot his Father and the splendor of the kingdom from which he came. It was not long before he felt like this new world was his real home. The prince did not know that his Father was always watching over him and standing by ready to respond should the prince remember to call upon Him. Nevertheless, this was the prince's journey, and the King let his child decide for himself what he would do. Bad choice followed bad choice and soon the prince was in misery and despair, he found no happiness in pleasure, nor fulfillment in his pursuits. He found himself enslaved.

The King sought to call back the prince (and all of His children) who had gone out into the world. So He sent out His Eldest Son, the Heir, with an invitation for His children to come home for a great feast. None could respond to the invitation. They had all forgotten. And they had all incurred debts which enslaved them in chains of captivity. Because He loved them, the Heir, at great cost to Himself, paid the debts of all His brethren in bondage. He called upon them to come home. But most still would not. They had forgotten.

When the prince heard of his Father's invitation, he was doubtful and suspicious. But he could not help himself and he would go to the gates of the palace and watch. He dare not go too close to the gates. He was aware of his shabby clothing and his filthy state. He did not remember he belonged there. And his debtor had not told him his debt was paid. He just knew that he was unworthy.

One day he decided that he would come closer to the gate. He humbly approached. As he came near he began to lose his nerve and he turned to go. Just then the gate opened, and his Brother, the Heir, called out to him. The Heir embraced His brother and wept with joy. The Heir took his brother into the palace and washed him and bound up the wounds and sores incurred in his journeys. Then He dressed him in the most splendid robes, and took him to the great hall. When the prince entered the great hall he saw his Father the king. All of his memory came back to him and he was filled with love and joy as he embraced his true family. He was restored. Gratitude and love for his Eldest Brother filled his heart and he adored and worshiped Him forever after.

The Old Testament prophets came to see Jehovah in the light of the social laws of Israel. In that law was the condition that if a man or family lost its possessions or inheritance than a brother, uncle, cousin or some near relative could come forward and stand up for them. This relative could ransom family members from slavery or bondage. He could redeem the original property inheritance and restore the unity and integrity of the family or tribe. This savior of the family was called the go'el or "next kinsman." It was important that the go'el be a family member for only a family member had the right to restore a lost inheritance for the family unit. The go'el was the "kinsman-redeemer."

When the prophets began applying the term go'el to the Lord they understood that the LORD was indeed our kinsman. Jesus is related to us. He is our Brother in the spirit, a kinsman by blood through Abraham, and He has adopted us spiritually. He has every right to function as our Kinsman-Redeemer and rescue us from sin and death. Far from being a remote and distant God, He is our Captain, and the Head of our household. As our Redeemer, He brings us home, restores our inheritance and clothes us in the robes of His righteousness (which is good, because if we were clothed in the robes of our own righteousness we would be arrested for indecent exposure). Christ upholds the creations of His hands, the integrity of His kingdom and the dignity of His family.

Day 26 ~ The only Living and True God (D&C 20:19)

There is a great power that watches over this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). He prefers to stay hidden from the world letting mankind put their faith in his ways even though he is a powerful god. He has control of the air (Ephesians 2:2), and the water (D&C 61:19). He has, at times, caused the very earth to shake (Moses 1:21). Unknown to most world leaders the great god exerts influence and pressure behind as many decisions as he can (Moroni 7:17). He is the power behind the ruling of the masses which populate the earth. He is an organizer; he planned for us before we even came to earth (D&C 29:36). He was a son of the morning and the heavens wept over him when he died (D&C 76). Today he rules over legions of angels (Revelation 12:9) from his throne. He is a being of light and influences men by his appearance (2 Nephi 9:9). He rules over men by their worship of him (Moses 6:49). His religion has existed through synagogue (Revelations 2:9) and church (1 Nephi 13:6). The oath and covenant of his priesthood draw men to him (Moses 5:29-31). He has a doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3) and ministers (2 Corinthians 11:15) to spread his word. Men come to worship at his sacrament table and commune with him through the cup (1 Corinthians 10:21). Some would say he is a pretty impressive god. The only problem is he is a big fraud. His death that the heavens wept over – was his spiritual death. This god is Satan.

Somebody once remarked, "The devil is a big copycat. Satan hasn't had an original thought in his life." He is, however, a great imitator. And imitation is not always the highest form of flattery. In Satan's case he imitates for the purpose of mockery, deception, corruption and hateful spite. You see, one time Satan applied for a job. He was pretty vain about it. His condition for employment was that, if he got the job, He wanted all the glory for himself. The One in charge went with another applicant - a better choice, most of us thought. But not everyone at the meeting agreed. In fact, a third of the company thought that Satan should get the job. So let's look at their track record since that day:

    Jehovah                                                               Lucifer
    Our advocate (1 John 2:1)                                  Our adversary (1 Peter 5:8)
    Light of the World (John 8:12)                            Prince of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)
    Gives sight to blind (Matthew 15:30)                 Blinds men's minds (2 Corinthians 4:4)
    The Truth (John 14:6)                                         Liar (John 8:44)
    Creator (Isaiah 40:28)                                         Destroyer "Abaddon" (Revelation 9:11)
    Friend (John 15:15)                                             Enemy (Matthew 13:39)
    The Life (John 14:6)                                           Murderer (John 8:44)
    Captain of Salvation (Hebrews 2:10)                 Angel of the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:11)
    Seeks for men to have joy (3 Nephi 17:17)        Seeks for men's misery (2 Nephi 2:27)   

The list could go on and on - but even this cursory look proves that the Father made the right decision. In fact, one of Christ's main duties has been to overcome the damage done by Satan. He has had to wield truth to combat the father of lies, and conquer death so He could bring life to all men. He is the True and Living God. He should always be our focus.

Billy Graham and his wife were invited to attend a state dinner. All of the important dignitaries were there. Ruth Graham found herself sitting beside the man who oversaw the Treasury in the counterfeit division. Making small talk she remarked, "You must spend a lot of time studying counterfeit bills!" "Oh no!" he replied. "I only study the real thing. Then I can spot a counterfeit in a second." There can be no doubt. We know who is for Truth and Life. And we know who is for Deception and Death. We know who is for us. And we know who is against us. We made the right decision in the Preexistence. Let's not be deceived now. We're almost home.

Day 25 ~ Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)

It was a frustrating week.

Tuesday: Early in the evening my oldest son informs me that he can't connect to the internet. Not a problem, just unplug the modem and wait for about half a minute then plug it back in. That always seems to work. Nope, Dad, it didn't work. OK, save whatever you're working on and restart the computer. Nope. Didn't work. Perhaps the network is down. We'll try again later.

Wednesday - Check the IP configuration. Release all license, reacquire, still nothing. Check all connections. Make sure DSL filters are secure on all phone lines. Frustration.

Thursday - Ignore problem - pretend everything is fine. Get reacquainted with Minesweeper.

Friday - Still no internet connection. Not good - the connection is needed for work. Kids inform me that they have a big project on Tuesday and they need to do research on the web. Call Verizon Support. Wait on phone for first available rep. Watch two TV shows while on hold. Finally someone comes on the line, I can't understand half of what they're saying - Indian accent too thick. Evidently, somehow the tech rep deduces that the problem is resolved, he thanks me for being a customer and hangs-up. Call back. Enjoy SportsCenter, check the weather, and watch part of Alias. Get another tech on phone. She has her mic so close to her mouth that it sounds like the speaker at a fast food drive-thru. She has no clue either - she finally declares that my IP address has been revoked and gives me an 888 number to restore privileges. I hang-up and call the 888 number - which is no longer in service. I try to do a reinstall of the Internet Explorer. It is a desperation move, but who knows? No success. Move on to bigger desperation and bigger re-install. Pull out Recovery Disks and do a complete application restore. That doesn't work. The reward is that next time we shut off computer it will not reboot. It freezes during the Windows load. I start PC on DOS prompt. Go through Boot and Startup configurations. Can't figure it out. Hair noticeably thinner.

Saturday - Take entire computer to store and ask "Geek Squad" what the startup problem is. After taking a look, no less than five "Geeks" can't see what problem is - suggest hard drive reformat. "It's the only solution." No, it's not. I haven't done a backup in about four months and all the pictures of the new baby are on the hard drive. They are the only copies we have. So I buy a new hard drive and make it the master, and use the old drive as the slave. Windows works wonderfully. All data on the old drive is accessible. But wait, the internet connection still will not work. Consider hammer.

Sunday - Not really ignore the problem. I just realize that whatever I might do at this point would probably be a sin. I have no control over my temperament. I believe that I could probably claim temporary insanity - but why risk it?

Monday - Buy a new 10/100 LAN card, who knows? It could work. Nope. I leave for work a newly converted Luddite.

On Monday night I call my wife from the road and suddenly on the line comes all this static and noise. "Wow, what is that?" asks my wife. "It's not on my end," I reply. On the line comes my seven year old daughter's voice, "Hello Daddy." Why was the line so bad? Where was she talking from? Suddenly the blinding light of revelation was upon me. It turns out that my 10 year old son had received a small cheap five dollar phone for his efforts in a school fund-raiser. Anxious to use his phone he had found an empty phone jack in the basement and plugged it in. And when had he done it? It was last Tuesday night, of course. His phone had so much static that it interfered with the digital signal of my internet connection. Disconnect his phone and Bingo Bango Bongo the internet access is fully restored.

All of us have five dollar phones in our lives. We want to connect to Heavenly Father, but in spite of all we do there is something amiss that disrupts the connection. His side is perfect, but we have something – sometimes things we aren't even aware of - which prevents us from "connecting." Jesus Christ is the Mediator between us and The Father. He is the intercessor. He fixes our "five dollar phone" problem and makes it possible to communicate with our Heavenly Father.

Day 24 ~ Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)

Slavery as a human institution has been around since the beginning of history. We are most familiar with its face in our national record. Slaves were property. Men learned to look upon their brothers as nothing but something they owned and used as property. Eventually some in American society came to accept the idea that you could do about anything you wanted to with your "property." You could lock it in chains and fetters, you could set it free. You could beat and starve, you could feed and pamper. You could maim and cripple - or worse. And you were free to do so. It was your property. But there was one thing you could not do. You would be punished severely if you were caught doing one thing with your property. You could not teach it to read. You could not expose your property to the knowledge that there are choices placed before us; that even though our bodies may be bound, our minds and hearts are free to be anything we want to be. We are free to strive for dignity. We are free to fight to free ourselves from the restraints which keep us enslaved. That knowledge is dangerous to those who would bind us under any type of slavery.

Joseph Smith said, "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power." When Satan sought to take away our agency – he planned to enslave us so we could not learn and know, and in so doing we could not choose who we would be. He would have all the glory and we would be his slaves. We would not be allowed to read.

Lucifer lost the war in heaven and was cast out. Now that he had been thwarted in his efforts to prevent us from gaining knowledge he would tempt us so we would make ourselves spiritually blind and willfully ignorant. Joseph Smith taught, "evil spirits...have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth." Yes, men would be able to choose their course. But as long as evil had the upper hand in knowledge, it would also hold the power. Joseph Smith continued, "Hence (men) need revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God." Men could only be righteous if they were lawful, and to be lawful they must have knowledge of the Law. Knowledge truly is power.

The thirst for knowledge is part of our nature. I have seen my children when they begin to really want to know something. Sometimes the not knowing drives us crazy. When the serpent told Eve in the garden that the fruit would make her wise, she looked upon it, and the scripture says that it became pleasant in her eyes. She wanted it more and more. It was knowledge. She wanted to know. And she partook. Paradise may have been lost, but attainable exaltation loomed ahead. The children of Eve were given the power to gain sufficient knowledge and deliberately choose freedom and eternal life for themselves. Eve did not thwart God's plan, she put it into motion.

When God drove the couple from Eden, He did not drive them away from Himself. He set them on the course that would save them. He drove them out in an eastward direction. In the scriptures, east "is the direction that represented God. Something that came from the east was representative of the idea that it was of God, sent by God, or godly in nature. If something moved eastward, it is symbolically moving 'toward God.'... Therefore the Fall was not a tragedy wherein all was lost and thrown into chaos...On the contrary, the expulsion from Eden began the mortal journey along the only path that would prepare them for eternal glory; it was a movement toward God in the truest sense" (Alonzo Gaskill, The Lost Language of Symbolism, p 151-152).

The "wisemen" came in search of Jesus from the east. God's house of knowledge and learning, the Holy Temple, is orientated so that it faces toward the east. Christ at the Great and Terrible day "will come from the East" (Matt 24:27). Christ is the Morning-Star (Rev 22:16) which rises in the east. He is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2) which rises with healing in His wings that we go forth and grow up. We must orient (which is in the east) ourselves toward God and learn of Him, that we may know, and choose wisely; that we may choose to be righteous.

Day 23 ~ Stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24)

Israel is a country of stones. Anybody who has visited the Holy Land has seen the miles and miles of rocky landscape that covers much of the territory. There are some garden spots to be sure. But there is much that is not really what you would call prime real estate. It is a testament to its sacred history that mankind has fought over that little piece of stony earth so vehemently down through the corridors of history.

One of Israel's unique characteristics are the tels. You may have heard of Tel Aviv or Tel Amarna or any of a bunch of cities in Israel which start with Tel. A tel is simply an ancient city mound. Throughout history, when a Palestinian city began to fall down, its residents simply knocked down the walls and built on top of the rubble. They didn't clear the spot because what was under was just as stony as what was on top. So it didn't matter much. Over the centuries the level on which a city is built rises on this mound or tel. The city on top literally sits upon its ancestors. There are approximately 50,000 known tels in the Middle East. These tels are wonderful for archeologists. All the scientists have to do is dig down through the tel, and the stones underneath tell (no pun intended) the story of the place.

Perhaps Jesus had these tels in mind when He said "I am ...the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall." (D&C 50:44.) Christ is the stone foundation upon which all men must build. When Jehovah came to Abram, He promised Abram many blessings -- peace, priesthood, posterity and property. God changed his name to Abraham and gave him the land of Israel and promised him a great posterity. The two ideas are inseparably connected. Both are sacred as both are gifts from a generous God to a childless wanderer upon the earth. Abraham set up stone altars as memorials of the promise throughout the land.

The Old Testament contains many other instances of stones being put up as memorials to sacred events. The stones were to tell the story of the place. In many cases the stones were to represent the children of Israel, such as the monuments left at the crossing of the Jordan River. It was kind of a natural thing since the word for stone in Hebrew (abanim *ah-bah-neem*) is nearly the same as the word for children (banim). Altars were to consist of stones of certain dimensions. Houses were built of stone. The land was stony, but it was sacred. Stones represented land and children, the promises of God. The banim were tied to the abanim. The children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were to inherit the land of Israel.

One day as John the Baptist was ministering in Jordan, the Jewish leaders came and questioned his authority. They were angry that the people were coming to John and not them. John told them to "think not to say within yourselves, We are the children of Abraham, and we only have power to bring seed unto our father Abraham; for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children into Abraham" (JST Matthew 3:36). Usually, bible expositors say that John was referring to the Gentiles standing around. Maybe, but I don't think that's all of it. The usual derogatory designation for the gentiles (which actually means "nations") was as dogs, used even by the Master to the woman of Canaa. "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." (Matthew 15:26-27) To belittle someone as stone would have been more of a gentile attitude and not a Jewish one. I believe that John was referring mostly to the poor Jews (the people of the land) who came out to see the new prophet the Lord had raised up.

John's words were a rebuke of the Pharisees' and Sadducees' attitude towards their fellow Jews. The leaders were wealthy, therefore they thought they had God's blessing; they were powerful, therefore they had been made judges of the people; their attitude was condescending. John's words would have called up all the sacred symbols and images impressed upon the Jewish mind. It was a rebuke of pride and a reminder of Israel's humble and unsophisticated past with Jehovah. The covenant was for all of the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was not the leaders who offered salvation. They held no monopoly. It was a gift from God. They weren't exclusive agents.

Christ renamed Simon, "Cephas" or stone. Peter is a testament to Christ's work. Peter called those in the kingdom "lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:6) As children of the Kingdom, we are to be memorial stones of God's goodness and mercy, built upon Jesus Himself "the stone which the builders rejected, the same [which] is become the head of the corner" (Luke 20:17-18).