ye shall prosper 2 Nephi 4:4

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper
and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth 3 John 1:2

Prosper:  Verb: to succeed in an enterprise or activity; especially : to acheive economic success; to become strong and flourishing, (14th century) From Middle English, Anglo-French prosperer, from Latin prosperare to cause to succeed, from prosperus favorable. flourish, thrive, do well, bloom, blossom, burgeon, progress, do all right for oneself, get ahead, get on, be successful; 

A few weeks ago I gave a lesson in church on a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland entitled "The First Great Commandment." Elder Holland expounded on the feelings and thoughts of Peter just after the Savior's crucifixion.  His words helped me understand the deepness of the  Savior's love. He lived his life to set a pattern, and example for Peter (and me) to follow. He helped Peter learn about the power that we receive when we live our life for God and others. After the Savior ascended into Heaven for the last time, Peter was in charge of the young church. Peter had only the Holy Ghost and the experiences he had shared with the Savior to guide him. 

My studies led me to ponder and consider Peter's life as a follower of Christ. Elder Holland explains that the Savior had died and Peter did not know what to do, so he went fishing (John 21:3) Like a scene from three years prior, the disciples joined Peter in the boat and all that night they caught nothing. In the morning the Savior walked on the shore but the disciples did not know who he was. He instructed them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. Again, like the three years previous, their nets were so full they could not draw them in.(John 21:6) Clearly the Lord knew how to fish.

Upon recognition of his Savior, Peter leaps from the boat to share a most joyous reunion. They count their 153 fish and then the Savior asks him, "Peter do you love me?" Peter answers three times in the affirmative. (John 21:15) And here is where Elder Holland's talk struck me. Here is where Elder Holland with great emotion in his voice, elaborates, 

“Then Peter, why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation? Wasn’t it obvious then and isn’t it obvious now that if I want fish, I can get fish? 

We all want fish. We like all of God's creations need fish, a means to live by. Peter was a fisherman. He fished. It was what he knew. 

So how do we meter out the efforts that we must give to finding our fish of prosperity and serving the Lord? 

What is prosperity? 

I know this is one of the words we all read and it seems like a "no brainer." We all seek it. We need it in order to procure security. And the scriptures make it clear that the Lord wants us to have it. He has made a way for us to find true prosperity. We must only obey him? 

But then I thought about all of the people I know who have prosperity and wealth but don't know God. What's that all about? Why don't they have to follow the commandments to find wealth?

So I searched through the scriptures looking for all that I felt would help answer my questions. As I did the words Elder Holland believed the Savior might have said rang in my head. 

"If I want fish, I can get fish." 

The Lord of the earth is in charge, for "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." (Psalm 24:1) And the "riches of the earth are 'his' to give;" (D&C38: 38-39) All he "requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.” (Mosiah 2:22) 

I thought about this a bit and realized that wealth, riches and prosperity may not be the same thing? When we prosper we grow, we succeed in all aspects of our life. We have peace. Remember the psalmist who said, “Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.…Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.(Psalm 122:7-9) Most who seek wealth without God cannot find peace.

David spoke of the prosperity of the wicked in his 73 Psalm. He says they "prosper in the world" and are "un-godly" as they "increase in riches." (Psalms 73:2-12). Nephi speaks about prosperity when he admonishes those who are "rich as to the things of the world," because they will "despise the poor, persecute the meek, and their hearts are on their treasures." He says, "their treasure is their god. And behold their treasure shall perish with them." (2Nephi 9:30) And Jeremiah asks us if the wicked do prosper? He asks, wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?"  

The difference is not what prosperity brings you, but what you love in order to obtain it, or what you love after you obtain it. Jacob taught us about perspective when he said, “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.” (Jacob 2:18) And to the prophet Joseph Smith the Lord taught, “And if ye seek riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must be that the riches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old. (D&C 38:38-39)  

Pride in our wealth, in our success, in our station destroys our prosperity – it destroys our peace. When we love God first, we love others more than wealth, we love the joy and the feeling that comes from helping those in need more than we love the possessions our wealth brings.

President James E. Faust in his talk “What’s in it for me” reminded us the pitfalls of covetous pride.

 The Savior warned us, as recorded in the book of Luke: "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

 "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: "And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? "And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. "And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)2002 October General Conference, What's in It for Me? 

Now when I think of prosperity as I read about it in the scriptures, I will not merely think of the acquisition of wealth and power. Prosperity- in my mind – has come to represent not only security and success but also the peace that comes from living a life filled with truth, integrity, service and gratitude toward God.

Wealth does not always equal prosperity, and prosperity does not always equal wealth. Prosperous people are happy people. 

 David teaches us that "Happy is that people,... yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.(Psalm 144:15) And John says  "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."(3 John 1:1-2)

And they are happy not because of their temporal prosperity but because of their deeper understanding of spiritual joys. They are able to understand the eternal treasures that await those who learn to love God and eternity more than the riches of the earth. Alma explains this to his son Helaman.

43  And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.44  For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.45  And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.46  O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.47  And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.Alma 37:43-47

Prosperity then is not to be measured by our collected wealth, but rather by our desire to "look to God and live." I know that when I am looking toward my God and all the wisdom he desires to teach me, I have a wealth greater than all the riches the earth can bring. I have friendship. I have a feeling of peace that comes from helping others and I the strength and love of my family. Trust and integrity grow plentiful in my life and the lives of my children are not set upon the things of this world, but upon the prosperity that only God's love can bring.  


 Some scriptures verses  that I found:
 __________________________________________________________________

For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence   2 Nephi 4:4


And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people had multiplied, insomuch that they were spread upon all the face of the land, and that they had become exceedingly rich, because of their prosperity in Christ.
4 Nephi 1:23

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  Joshua 1:7

Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.  Alma 9:13

I give unto you this privilege, this once; and behold, if you proceed to do the things which I have laid before you, according to my commandments, all these things are mine, and ye are my stewards, and the master will not suffer his house to be broken up. Even so. Amen  D&C 104:86

Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do Deuteronomy 29:8-9

And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:  1 Kings 2:3

11 Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee
12 Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God
13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
1 Chronicles 22:-1-13

12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden
13  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.  Proverbs 28:12-13

11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.  Jeremiah 20:11

13  And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land.  
2 Nephi 5:12-13

31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church.
32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.  Alma 1:31-32

Genesis 22 A Lamb for an offering

When God asks us to sacrifice, he always provides a lamb in the bushes.

It's been a long week for me. A week of second guessing myself and choosing direction.  A week of travel, meetings, and family time that has caused me to wonder why I read and ponder and study the scriptures the way I do.  Why am I on this scripture journey? And that led me to consider if Abraham ever wondered why his love for God had brought him to the place where he was willing to listen to obedience and love for God over ethical reason, over family security?  His faith was so sure that he didn't know how God would answer his pleas, but he knew he had to obey, and that his answer would come in and through his obedience. In practicing obedience he would find the answers and understanding of God's law that he longed for.  God had kept his promise before, why would God forsake him now? He didn't know where the Lamb for an offering would come from, but surely as he prepared and did all that God required of him, he knew that the lamb would be there. He trusted God. And in trusting God, he learned to trust himself. God knew how Abraham would respond. The test was for Abraham to learn how Abraham would respond. 

Concerning Abraham, President Hugh B. Brown said,  

"God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac because "Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham" (in Truman G. Madsen, The Highest in Us [1978], 49). 

Elder George Q. Cannon spoke about Abraham in the April 1899 Conference. He said: 

“Why did the Lord ask such things of Abraham? Because, knowing what his future would be and that he would be the father of an innumerable posterity, he was determined to test him. God did not do this for His own sake; for He knew by His foreknowledge what Abraham would do; but the purpose was to impress upon Abraham a lesson, and to enable him to attain unto knowledge that he could not obtain in any other way. That is why God tries all of us. It is not for His own knowledge; for He knows all things beforehand. He knows all your lives and everything you will do. But He tries us for our own good, that we may know ourselves. ... He required Abraham to submit to this trial because He intended to give him glory, exaltation and honor; He intended to make him a king and a priest, to share with Himself the glory, power and dominion which He exercised” (GeorgeQ. Cannon, in Conference Report, Apr. 1899, 66).

Sometimes it feels like when I sit down to write I am listening to obedience over reason. I don't have a clue how many people I am reaching?   Do my words matter? Is it a wise use of my time, my faith? But I know, like Abraham,  that God is reaching me: one person, one mother, one daughter, one sister, one grandmother, one handmaiden of the Lord, one family.  When there are so many other things I can with my time I wonder why I write so deeply about what I learn? The beauty is that every time I write... every time I am obedient to the promptings to analyze and present my thoughts on the scriptures, I find "a lamb" in the bushes, some surprise that God has prepared for me that I would not have seen if I had chosen to disobey. Usually it comes in a learned principal that raises my spirit up, or stabilizes the ground I stand on. Or it might teach me a new perspective that becomes imperative in my own families peril of survival, but not always. Sometimes it merely brings me peace. A peace that I am certain Abraham felt when he realized where his loyalties lay and the rewards that his faith would bring him and all of his likewise obedient progeny. 

The sister missionaries in my daughters mission

I have a daughter who is currently on a mission for our church. Her leaders have kept a mission blog and I read it from time to time. Tonight when I read through it I was amazed at how much sacrifice is given by each missionary and by each leader. There is one photo of the mission president and his wife washing dishes. Mission Presidents come from all walks of life: wealthy, poor, educated, not so educated, successful businessmen, farmers, sportsmen, educators, etc. When they come to serve the Lord they come to serve. The only prerequisite they need is a willing heart to sacrifice what or whom they love so that others can learn and feel of God's love.  Fortunately the law of blood sacrifice passed with the atonement by Jesus Christ. God now proves us by asking us to present our willingness to serve and love one another. It starts in our family with our spouse, our children, our parents and then moves to our neighbors our church community, our school or city of residence. We are asked to forsake selfish pleasures and desires for the welfare of something larger than ourself.  When we do this we find .... our own joys.  But mostly.. we find ourself. We discover what we hold dear. Each choice to serve and obey defines us. It draws us into the circle of God's love. 




It's not because God needs to know who we are and what we are capable of, it's because like Abraham who was given a commandment to sacrifice the very thing he had lived his entire life for, the very promise that God had given him, we are brought to our own personal trials so that we too might know where our loyalties and our joys lie. 


I have found that when I read and contemplate the scriptures each week, I am able to make my relationship with him more active. No longer am I a passive receiver of words.  By writing what I learn the lessons become imprinted on my heart and act as a guiding star in my daily decisions. How often have I considered Sarah and Abraham and their love for one another, their epic story of love, fidelity, faith, and what they sacrificed for me so that I might have a higher understanding of God's law. How grateful I am to my friend who challenged me a year ago to read Genesis. Never in my wild imaginations could I have conceived how profoundly this book of holy scripture would forever change me. By making a consistent effort to commit to feast on his words I have found great peace and comfort in my trials. I have learned to let anxiety pass me by and understood better what it means to trust in the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I have not known fewer trials, but I have had the strength to use my trials as stepping stones. And isn't it true that with each trial we face if we don't make it into a stepping stone, it becomes a stumbling stone that stresses us and causes us to loose our way. 

Concerning the stress and trials that Abraham went through to discover these truths Elder Neal A. Maxwell  said our lives “cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free....

“Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1991, 117; or Ensign, May 1991, 88 ).

Most focus in Genesis 22 is on  the fact that he is offering his son, that he has ignored the moral law of not killing your own, that it goes against everything God had taught him, or that it is just so horrible to consider that he would give his son. We focus on Isaac and his grief and pain. Abraham's sacrifice is hard to consider because Abraham's trial is our own. It is why we have a hard time pondering it. It is the sacrifice we forsake to serve another, to stand as a witness, to show God and ourself that the love within us is the love we believe it is. 

Peace in the Land through Gratitude Helaman 11: 17-22

Seven o'clock, time to wake. Time to get the son out of bed. Time to eat breakfast. Time to shower and dress. Time to go to school. Time to ...... What makes it all bearable?

Our lives run in cycles. One clear message of the Book of Mormon is that there are many cycles in our lives. Cycles of nature and cycles of human nature. Unlike nature that lives a course bound to preprogramed cycles, we have within us the ability to recognize the cycles and correct them, but only if we will heed the lessons of history, the lessons of scripture.

When my son looks up at me and says, "Good Morning." When he reaches out for that one hug that he needs to energize his determination. When my husband gives me one last snuggle before charging into his day. When I feel appreciated for all that I do, I feel peace. Gratitude brings the "energy of peace" to my life.

Gratitude is not a cycle of nature. Gratitude comes to us as a virtue. To garner it we must purposefully reach deep inside and seek it out. We must identify it, label it and then share it. We share it through smile, attitude, gesture, manners, kindness, selflessness, words, prayer, body language, and communication. We find it by receiving gratitude as it passes like a spark of electricity from one human to another.

Gratitude is something that tends to be easily forgotten in the day to day trials and responsibilities of life. Gratitude tends to be wrung out from us in the cycles of life, but it need not be. We can learn to balance our lives and find the daily joy that gratitude can bring. When we find the balance, we find peace.

The people of Nephi's time had lost all sense of their gratitude towards God and towards their fellow man. They had allowed the cycles of their lives to put them into holding patterns of "greed and need." Only when God intervened and helped them remember the importance of the basics of life did they once again find peace. Only when their lives were reduced to a form of basic functionality and almost death, did they remember to show gratitude first to God and then to one another.

Words and Phrases

vs 17 the Lord did turn away his anger - gratitude turns away anger. respect turns away anger. love for and appreciation for what others do for you turns away anger. service to others turns away anger. Remembering others turns away anger.

vs 18 the people did rejoice and glorify God, - They were happy to be alive. Happy to not have perished as did the thousands. Happy to have made it through a great trial of faith. But still they believe ... not because of Nephi's words, but because of his signs and miracles. I wonder how many years will pass before they forget? I wonder how convicted they are to the God who has saved them?

vs 18 they did esteem him as a great prophet - Look what he had to do for them before they would believe. I'm not so sure that Nephi should be happy with this, but he is and it is a good thing that they did not die by sword or famine. Finally he receives some respect and the people begin to see peace for the gratitude that is within their hearts.

vs 19 not a whit - not any less, not any lower than Nephi, but this is Nephi's story not Lehi's.

vs 20 began to prosper again - gratitude is a good thing... it brings blessings of esteem, respect, and honor to all people. Gratitude shares the wealth. Gratitude is about all people, not just one or one group. Gratitude teaches respect, honor, discipline, hope, love, communication, and understanding.

vs 21 exceedingly great peace - prosperity, gratitude, blessings, hope, = peace... no greed, no need, no stealing, not robbery, ... just a balance of life's cycle and gratitude.

vs 22 and also they had peace ... 3 years now they have known peace. 3 years of no grief, of no trial, of rebuilding their lives after the great destruction of famine. Three years? is that long enough? How do you keep the balance? Will they keep their gratitude? manners, respect, communication and love for one another.?

Withersoever

Helaman 6:8-14

Withersoever

Withersoever: To which ever place. poetic.. archaic

Traveling withsoever we will, is a great blessing of freedom that comes with being an American. We have a fifty states with a wide diversity of geography to explore and experience. The ability and freedom of traveling withsoever we want is not free. It comes because states have learned to live in harmony with other varying state laws. Being able to travel withsoever we will brings about free trade and affords us the blessings of varying markets. Peace brings great blessings and freedoms. Peace, however is not free.

We have traveled quite a bit across the United States. Our children have likewise traveled quite frequently from the west to the east coast. When we lived in Wisconsin we traveled from the north to our family in the south. Always we encounter different cultures, laws, and situations. The reason we could travel was because of the peace our country has experienced.

A look at history will reveal that this has not always been so. During the Revolutionary War travel and free trade did not exist because peace did not exist. Great prices were paid with the blood of our ancestors to ensure that we could cross state lines, share state currency, and fish in shared waters. During the Civil War... well you get the picture. Peace needs to be part of the equation for us to be able to travel withsoever and enjoy the blessings of having whatsoever.. free trade.

Words and Phrases

Vs 8 did go whithersoever they would - only possible because everyone obeyed the laws. Only possible because of tolerance, acceptance, and adherence to higher laws of respect, forgiveness, compliance, obedience, service, selflessness, friendships,

vs 9 exceeding plenty - again caused by the majority of the people living a higher spiritual law that helped everyone focus on respecting one another over profit or to "get gain".

vs 10 curious workman - art is a sign of prosperity. Without the leisure time that prosperity brings there is little time for art, technology, and growth. Something caught my eye..

Is there a difference between prosperity and "they did become rich"? I tend to believe that where there is time to create works of curious workmanship.. then you have prosperity, but when you have excess or have attitudes where you begin to focus on your prosperity then you have "rich".

vs 12 they did flourish exceedingly - it appears that they also have had a prosperity of weather that helped them produce "grain in abundance", to the point where their population grew as they "did wax strong in the land".

vs 13 women did toil and spin and make all manner of cloth- fine twined linen and cloth of every kind. This is just an addition to the men's curious workmanship. There was such great peace that it fostered prosperity to the point where art and creative expression extended to the women. They now have time to weave not just basic cloth, but all manner of cloth. Now we have the predecessor for pride. It will be soon that the pride cycle will begin. We have great art that can be used to separate out the classes, and cloth of every kind that can be used to show off one's status.

vs 14 great joy and peace.. and much preaching and prophecies - there is religion and concern over more spiritual matters. There is discussion and teaching about this. The people have accepted one another's differences and have lived in tolerance of the differences. But mostly they have remembered their conversions and what it was that changed them spiritually.

We now have a new generation that did not know this conversion, nor did they have trials for which to gauge a contrast to. We now have an entire generation who believe because their parents believed. They have known little constraint, little conflict, little difficulty. They have enjoyed great peace, great diversity of culture as the people were allowed to go withsoever.

Will this change their perspective? Will they have the strength within them to stay close to the Lord? Will they have the memories of speaking with angels.

Enough

May you always have

enough happiness

to keep you sweet,

trials to keep you strong,

success to make you eager,

friends to give you comfort,

wealth to meet your needs,

enthusiasm to look for tomorrow,

and a growing love to make each

day better than the day before.

an old Irish wedding blessing

Which is the greater blessing? Being allowed to speak with angels and experience an eternal change of perspective or being able to travel whithersoever and having whatsoever we want?

Out of the Waters (My Father's Baptism)

1 Nephi 20

Out of His Waters

Out of his waters,

Come I.

I know, by the

Name of the Lord.

I swear, by the

truth within me.

A transgressor from the womb

I didst not know,

My brass brow,

My iron neck,

My molten image.

Suddenly, I saw.

The Lord of Hosts,

whose right hand spanned the heavens,

And causes us to stand up together,

He has cut me,

He has refined me,

And chosen me, to

utter and tell

with a voice of singing.

New,

and hidden things,

that flow

from the rock,

He clave.

Out of his mouth,

have his words gushed.

Not in secret,

But for the glory

of His name.

For He is the first.

He is the last.

He is the river of peace.

His righteousness is

As the waves of the sea.

Through the desert he leads me,

Staying my soul upon His name.

Multiplying my seed as the sand,

Teaching me profit,

Making my waters flow.

I have seen.

I have heard, and

That his anger might be deferred

I will declare.

The Lord hath loved us. Beware for

The arm of his pleasure shall

fall upon Babylon.

Out

of his waters

Come I.

Redeemed

His servant

Quenched

of my

thirst.

Linda Conkey Shaw C June 28 2010

Isaiah can be hard to understand. But I love the poetry within his words. Nephi told us he read the words of the prophets. One of these prophets was Isaiah from the Old Testament. When I read this chapter I was reminded of the zeal those who are newly baptized feel.

My father was a very zealous convert. He knew it was true and he declared to any who would listen. I am his sand.. that has multiplied. I am the quenching of his thirst. For I have been born to a new understanding (not a secret) but something that has been declared from the foundations of the world. I dedicate this poem to my father for Father's Day 2010 and to the newest members of our ward, the Michael and Sandra Babb family. I thought of their fire and how they accepted "the spirit" that allows him to declare with gladness all that they feel.

It is a joyous thing to be around those who "know" by the name of the Lord and swear by the truth within them.

I hope that you enjoy this poem. I hope to write many more.

(Words and Phrases)

(vs 1) Out of the waters .. Isaiah is speaking of all those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, either by Judah or by baptism. Waters change us. They clean us. They refresh us and bring us peace.

(vs 1) they swear not in truth - Many of us mention God. How many of us mention him in truth or sincerity. I hope that I can be more mindful of the times I mention his name.

(vs 2) do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel - It is to God that we must look. He has promised he will guide our paths and quench our thirst while he leads us through the desert.

(vs 3) I did show them suddenly - the epiphany. the moment when we get it. The light clicks on. We understand. We find truth suddenly. We feel it and We know. We just know.

(vs 4) thou art obstinate - whoa... I have been very obstinate. I have been brass browed. It is a reminder to me to consider all that I am before I declare what I think I know. God will help me understand. When we declare what we know with the spirit of the Lord, it is received with greater understanding.

(vs 5) my molten image hath commanded them. - I can only think of today's preoccupation with media and image. The molten image to me is our own image in the mirror. This image tends to command what we eat, how we dress, how we perceive ourselves, how we perceive others see us, IT DOES NOT COMMAND HOW GOD SEES US. Only if we allow it.

(vs 6) new things... even hidden things... I love this phrase. Why? Because every time I read the scriptures I find new things. I find hidden things that the spirit teaches me. I find them because I am looking for them. I find them because God helps me to see and this not only teaches me but it puts me afloat upon his river of peace.

(vs 7-9) God's words have always been. They are written so that we can never say... I heardest not. But God know's that we are hard of hearing, he will defer his anger and allow us time to learn, time to listen, time to declare.

(vs 15) I have called him to declare - Once we have heard, and understood, we all are called. Some of us hear better than others. Some of us declare in ways different than others. I declare through my blog. It brings me such joy.

(vs 16) God's ways are not in secret. His words are not in vain. His love is for all who will enter the waters and come out to a new understanding.

(vs 17-20) Isaiah helps us understand the blessings of listening to the words of the Lord of Hosts. We can find profit, peace like a river, leadership, promise for our family (offspring), ... a voice of singing will be within us. He will bring us water...

(vs 22)... no peace unto the wicked - How true. Look at those who refuse God. Anxiety, fret, worry, dismay, sorrow pain, anger, darkness. I know when I am separated from my God when I feel out of sorts. I lose my peace.