From Fasting to Feasting

I had this post started and all mapped out as to what I wanted to say.  It was going to be easy because I've really learned this concept. Then the last two weeks happened.  Suddenly it didn't feel easy anymore.  It was hard.  It was impossible. Except that it wasn't.  I've learned a more profound meaning of this doctrine in the last couple of weeks - which is why I've put off posting this.  May I share with you?  I'll start off with what I was originally going to write and then I want to add a little to it. The Lord has said, in the book of Matthew: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." What does it mean when He says His yoke is easy? What does that feel like? What does He mean when He says, "...my burden is light."? Naturally, I t...

Okay.  We are taking on the flaming sword today. What exactly do cherubim have to do with all of this?  I'm going to do my best to give to you the understanding I have - and I hope I don't leave out anything.  All of these truths came to me in small increments through periods of extended study.  Sometimes I feel like I'm leaving things out because I don't remember all of the steps in order.  But I'm doing my best.  By the way, if ever I've lost you or you have questions about what I'm sharing, please ask.  Please comment or email me and I'd love to share more or help clarify things. Now on to cherubim. Cherubim are gate-keepers for knowledge.  They dictate how far along the path to the way of the tree of life we go, depending on our internal state.  They block the way only when we are not ready to progress and moving along would do us eternal harm.  They guard and keep the way when we are ready to move forward on that path which le...

In Ether 12:27 we read: 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. And then verse 37 in part states: 37 And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. So let's start with verse 27.  The Lord says that if we come unto Him, He will show us our weakness.  I love this because it means I don't have to listen to anything anyone else says about my faults or flaws.  I don't have to be worried about what order they think I should work on things.  It's about me and the Lord and no one else.  Now, this is not to say I should be proud or stubborn.  I'm not saying anything like that.  Jus...

When the words of Isaiah 29 first began to sink into my consciousness, I was shaking and scared, thinking about what I understood.  Isaiah was telling me that the Lord wanted me to just be real with Him.  He was telling me to say things to the Lord, to admit to Him the things I wasn't even willing to acknowledge to myself for fear they would prove just how horrible of a person I was.  He wanted me to just talk with Him about everything.  To let it all just come out - everything.  To not worry about whether or not I was being respectful by my parents' definition or following protocol as laid out by manuals, but just really get in there and let those strangers and terrible ones become known. I had several hours of driving ahead of me and so I just began, as I was driving my big 18-wheeler down the road.  I started off very timid and scared.  The first thing I said was, "Please don't kill me if I'm wrong.  This is what it seems like Isaiah is sayin...

Okay.  So let's just dive in.  The actual verses from the KJV will be in black and my added comments will be in blue.  Also, as we begin please know that I respect and honor men and women equally.  I also think it is very silly to change wording to reflect gender.  When I say "man", I'm speaking of mankind unless the context is clear that I am speaking of that gender.  When I say "natural man" I don't feel it necessary and in fact, feel it a little silly to add "natural woman."  Besides it always puts that song in my head.  A song I don't particularly like.  So please don't be offended by me.  I simply think the extra work is a waste of time which could be spent sharing our hearts rather than speaking to our pride and ego and separation. 1  Woe   to   Ariel, to Ariel, the city   where   David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Ariel is another name for Jerusalem, which is symbolic of Zion...

Today I want to share with you the why  behind this path of living.  It is the hardest thing you'll ever do, so to understand why you're doing it is essential. It is also important to build our common foundation so you will understand what I'm saying in future posts. In the parable of the talents, as related to us in the book of Matthew in the New Testament, there are three servants who are each given a sum from their master.  This amount was their responsibility and stewardship.  No one was there to tell them what to do with it or how to use it.  You know how the story goes.  Those with 5 and 2 talents were able to double them into 10 and 4.  The servant who was given 1 talent buried it and returned that which he was given.  The master then called the last an unprofitable servant and said to "cast that unprofitable servant into outer darkness" - which is one of only 9 times the term "outer darkness" is used in the entire Bible and one of only 2...

Hi friends.  Up to today, the blog has just been writing some of the thoughts I've written in the margins of my scriptures as I studied them.  This morning, however, I am feeling pulled to change this blog in a different direction. All of us have baggage from life.  Maybe we were abused.  Maybe we thought of ourselves  as abused.  Maybe we didn't have the kind of parents our friends had.  Maybe we had the perfect parents and still felt sad.  Maybe we were struggling with fitting in so much that we completely changed who we were and now have no idea how to find ourselves again.  Maybe we were so popular that we felt constant pressure to perform and live up to the expectations of those around us.  Maybe life is lovely and we feel ungrateful because there is this nagging feeling that something is missing - but life is good and all of our needs are met.  Maybe we feel like our best isn't enough no matter what we do.  Maybe we fee...