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Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees In our Come Follow Me reading for the week, we covered a few of the same stories as in previous weeks, and so I searched for something new to focus on. The result is a somewhat obscure verse with no cross-references that is not oft-quoted and rarely dissected and […]

Why Resurrection Has Always Been Inevitable As the entire Christian world celebrates Easter, it seems at times to be largely symbolic of new beginnings, an emergence from a dormant Winter into the rebirth of Spring, or the emergence of new life represented by baby chicks and bunnies; it also seems to discount the reality that

The Exponential Nature of Understanding In a 2011 conference talk, Elder David A. Bednar compared the spirit of revelation to a sunrise. The light of morning begins as a faint glow at the horizon. This glow does not illuminate our surroundings, and we remain in darkness for a time, but we know that light will

Are You Sure? Matthew 11:2-3 reads, “Now when John had heard in prison of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” When I read this, a question came to mind. Knowing that when John baptized Jesus,

Transfiguration to the Cross I have always been fascinated with the account of the transfiguration of Christ on the mount. I have several thoughts about the why and how of the event, some doctrinal and others theoretical. I will lay out a case for each later. Most people probably read the story and think it

The Greatest Miracles of Jesus When we read about the many miracles the Savior performed during his ministry, there are many things we should consider about the effects of each. If you were blind and now you can see, or deaf and now you can hear, lame and now you can run, I can only

Practical Application of Christ’s Teachings: Part 2 As we continue to study the Sermon on the Mount, we see that the Savior understands us and our needs better than any psychologist, philosopher, guru, or self-help author in history. He knows our concerns, trials, motivations, and proclivities to act as we do. He knows where and

Practical Applications of Christ’s Teachings I wish I had better words for what I want to say today. Going into this week’s study, I knew that I would not be able to clarify anything the Savior taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Instead, I will share my thoughts about what these teachings have done

Semantics, Salvation, Symbols, and Spirit Today’s message will focus on four different but related themes. Before I get into the meat of my thoughts, I want to mention the beginning of the miracles; turning water into wine. This miracle, along with the miracle of the loaves and fishes, baffles me. It is easier for me

Preparing For Temptation As I read about the Savior’s forty days in the wilderness and subsequent temptations, I was impressed with how he handled each of them. First, having eaten nothing for that extended period would devastate him and make him desperate for relief. Those conditions made him most vulnerable to temptation, and Satan pounced.