Saturday, January 14, 2017

First Nephi 22:15

For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.

Satan has power,  but unlike God who has power in himself because of his very nature,  Satan's power is external.  It comes from us.  Satan would have no power if no one paid him any heed. And in a day to come,  that will be the case.  All who choose to follow him and give him power will be removed.  Satan will have no power on this earth when those who uphold him are no longer here. God's power is infinite and eternal.  The devil's power is limited and temporary.  He struts about and glories in his little power today, but one day he will be nothing.  We do not have to let the devil have any power in our lives.

Friday, January 13, 2017

First Nephi 22:14

And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.

It is hard to fathom the total collapse of the world order that we have known for most of recorded history. The great and abominable church is not just a church, or even a group of churches. It is governments and congresses and commissions and ministries and secret combinations. It is all powers, principalities, dominions, and worldly organizations that are not Zion. The world will be hard to recognize when these institutions are gone.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

First Nephi 21:24-25

For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives delivered? But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

Isaiah's promises applies to all of us. Satan wants to make us all his prey and his captives, but God will deliver us. He will fight our battles. Whatever sin we are contending with, he will deliver us from it, and he will save us and our families.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

First Nephi 21:23

And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

Nephi and Isaiah offer hope to all who wait upon the Lord, meaning all who serve him. Though we may have hard times, we will not be disappointed.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

First Nephi 21:15-16

For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Nephi quoted the words of Isaiah because they were full of hope and comfort. God could not forget us any more than a new mother can forget her baby. Each time the resurrected Savior looks at the marks in the palms of his hands, he remembers us because he took the stripes for our guilt with those nails.

Monday, January 9, 2017

First Nephi 21:9

That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

The atonement of Christ frees us and brings us into God's light.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

First Nephi 19:24

Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.

Though many of Isaiah's words are of warning, his overarching message is of hope in the Messiah, who is Christ. Every dire prediction is followed by a promise of hope based on repentance, faith, and mercy. Nephi told us earlier to "liken" the words of Isaiah unto ourselves. This ancient prophet's message of hope and mercy is for us.