The Temple, Marriage and Family - Things you'll never be ready for.

You are not perfect, I am not perfect, marriages are never flawless and families are the most complicated organizations known to man. You are not ready and you never will be. No amount of schooling, money or maturity will prepare you for the challenges of a family. None of us will be ready in this life. Luckily we don't have to be, because the Lord has provided a way to fulfill his commandments and bring us ever lasting joy.

As far as I'm concerned there is no more important building on this earth outside our homes than the Temple. A loving home has indispensable value but an eternal family built on the principles of God isn't possible without the ordinances performed in the Temple. LDS Temples are literally the Lord's house on this earth today. In these temples we are able to perform baptisms and other saving ordinances for our loved ones who passed on without having a chance to accept the gospel. Couples and families are married and sealed for time and all eternity. The House of the Lord provides families ever lasting joy. I don't care how nice heaven is as Apostles have stated in the past any place is hell without my family.

The Lord commanded Haggai and his people to build a temple in the Old Testament.

 Haggai 1: 4-6" Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?

  Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

  Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye beat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes."

The Lord shows us in these verses why it is so important to build a temple. Without doing the Lords work, temples being a major part of that, our work values us nothing. No matter how much money we have or how much material we own we will have no value if we are not doing the Lord's work. The Lord literally gives us commandments because he knows that living in that manner will absolutely bring us the most happiness possible and obedience to the Lords commandments allows Him to bless us beyond measure.

Proposing to my wife was definitely the scariest thing I have ever done. I felt deeply that it was the right thing to do and so I decided to take a huge leap of faith. Neither of us are perfect but we knew that we would not get married unless we could get married in the temple. It would have been easy to get married civilly and avoid the responsibility that comes with entering the temple. Celisse and I knew that there really was no other option. We would get married in the temple or we wouldn't get married at all. If your marriage is not ordained of God, if it cannot last forever what is the point? Becoming deeply connected to someone only to lose them with the eternities? While facing such a tragedy is courageous it is not necessary, our marriages do not have to cease at death.

Being married has no doubt been my greatest challenge. Nothing compares with the effort it takes to find balance and meaning between two people. When the initial passion wears off all that remains is the invested effort and work that the couple chooses to contribute. Temple marriage provides eternal meaning to this struggle because you know your marriage and family has a greater purpose just than providing earthly companionship for two people. The Lord is always there to support your effort. I see his helping hand in my life every day as I try overcome my weaknesses.

This world is complicated I could go into my personal opinion on a variety of issues surrounding marriage and "love" but those issues are not worth my effort. I know that the Lord God loves all his children with all his heart. He has given us temples in order to unite our families and bring us ever lasting joy. Raising a family is scary and it is difficult beyond imagination but those who choose do not take part in this eternal responsibility are missing out on unimaginable blessings and happiness. You cannot know the joy that comes unless you experience it. The overwhelming feeling of the spirit and of joy when I enter the temple or when I see my children smile is beyond compare. Nothing else matters.

Hubakkuk

Habakkuk is a little known old testament Prophet. He only has three short chapters in the Bible but they are valuable pieces of work. In chapter one we learn that the Lord has caused that the Chaldeans, a wicked people, will rise up and over run. Habakkuk is very troubled that the Lord would do this and he pleads unto him for answers as to why this will be.

"Understanding and Obtaining the Knowledge and Glory of the Lord."

LDS Article of faith #9 "We believe that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God"

In Habukkah we learn that God plans to pour out a great knowledge of the Lord in the latter days. 

Habukkah 2:14 "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Thus we see that even in Old Testament times the Lord was planning to pour out his word unto the world so that it would reach all corners of the globe. Even with his word spread across the globe and available to all there will still be those who will not believe. Twice in chapter 2 he mentions the prideful taht will drink to themselves and he rebukes those that will worship false idols.

We know that coming to an understanding of the Lord is available to all of us but not always easy. There will be challenges. Many of us will be too prideful to see through our ways but the word will come unto every nation, kindred and tongue.

Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-34 "Yea, verily I say unto you, that in that day when the Lord shall come, he shall reveal all things-

Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the purpose and the end thereof-

Things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven."

It's not just the standard word of God that we already know. It's not just that every corner of the earth and every people will know what we know. We will be learning more than we could ever imagine. Amazing wonderous things will be revealed about God, the earth and everything else we can (and can't) possibly imagine. This is already begun, we know that the word of God is spreading and that our own knowledge is expanding but I am confident that much more is on the way. God is greater than we can ever understand in this life but the small glimpses he is beginning to give us will humble our hearts and build our testimonies like we never could have imagined.

Saviors up on Mount Zion

Obadiah 1:17 "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions."

We know that the Lord will gather his people. Often we think of this as a very literal gathering and in part it will be but the Lord talked of all of his people. Every man, women, and child from every corner of the globe that has ever lived is a child of God. The simple fact is that almost all of them will have died long before the second coming of Christ. Many of them have never even heard the gospel or not really given a chance to accept it. What of these people, are they doomed because of their circumstances?

God did not say the faithful and extraordinarily lucky, he just said the faithful and those that come unto him and believe on his word. In the LDS church we believe that God has given us a solution to this problem. The temples where we perform work for the living and for those who have passed on. We believe it is up to them to accept it but we believe we have been commanded to give them the opportunity. God commanded that we all be baptized so we do baptisms for the dead by proxy. This way those who have passed on but wish to follow the Lord will be able to do so.

To some this may seem peculiar, but the house of the Lord is a house of order. To gather the living we use missionaries, to gather the dead we use temples. Temples serve a wonderful purpose, couples and families can attend the temple and be sealed for eternity not just for life. Once we have completed our own work we can return to the temple to seal our ancestors both to themselves and to us. It is a wonderful feeling knowing you can help reunite families and couples. This may sound strange but God loves his children and he will always have a way to provide for them. I know the spirit I feel in the temple, I know how strong that spirit is when I am performing work for those have passed. It is a wonderful truth and that is what makes it so special.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O bgrave, where is thy victory?The sting of adeath is sin; and the bstrength of sin is the law.But athanks be to God, which giveth us the bvictory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Daniel, King Darius, and the Lord (and yes of course the Lions) Daniel 6

Daniel was preferred by Darius above all others because "an excellent spirit was with him". As we know Darius was tricked by those presidents and priests who Daniel was preferred over to make a decree that would sentence Daniel to the lion's den. Despite his best efforts Darius was legally bound to carry out this decree. He showed faith in the Lord when he told Daniel that his God would deliver him. King Darius continued to fast and pray for Daniel all night as he remained captive in the Lion's den.

Daniel was of course spared through the night and Darius was able to take him out of the Lion's den. Those who schemed up the decree in the first place were sentenced and killed in the Lions den as were their families, which on a side note seems like a bit much but as was the times.
Darius later made a decree in which he referred to Daniel's God as the living God, as a God who delivereth, rescueth and worketh the wonders of the earth.

Having faith in the Lord does not go unnoticed. The Lord has demonstrated that he will provide for the faithful. It's not always in this manner but he always provides for those who are faithful and loyal.

Daniel Chapter 6

What will happen to the Lost Tribes?

We are often told that the Lost Tribes of Israel will be gathered. What does that mean? What else is in store for those that have been scattered to the far reaches of the Earth?

"O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity;" - Jeremiah 46:27

We know that they will be gathered and we also know that they will be saved from their captivity. In this day in age very few know who they are and are completely captive to their ignorance. God will save them from this and he will do much more.

 "17 ¶Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath abroken his bones.

 18 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

 19 And I will abring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

 20 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will apardon them whom I reserve." -Jeremiah 50:17-20

As we can see these lost sheep have been through a lot. They have been beaten and broken but the Lord has not forgotten them. He will seek justice for their persecutors and he will pardon and reward those who have suffered.

Christ will plead their case just as he pleads for the souls of all men whom he died on the cross for. Salvation will be sought for the lost tribes. Those who have held them captive will be forced to let them go and the Lord will gather them just as he has promised.

Hope For Those in Sin Jeremiah 29-30

Basically everyone knows about repentance. Repentance is a common promise throughout the new and old testament. Christ ultimate sacrifice was dying for our sins, paying for our mistakes and paving the way for us to return to the Lord. We all know there is a way out but in the depths of guilt it is easy to forget.

It is hard to forgive ourselves, and it is difficult to ask the Lord for forgiveness when we are so ashamed of our actions. The first thing to remember is that the Lord already knows our mistakes and loves us in spight of them. In Jeremiah 29 the Lord promises that he will carry us from captivity (of sin) and back to where we were before we were driven away by the Lord because of our wickedness. When we sin we cannot be in his presence (spiritually and physically) and as a result we feel deep sorry and confusion.

All we have to do is change our ways and search for him. He will find us and he will save us.

We live in an imperfect world. Our world must be managed by the rulers of man in order to keep order and peace. As we all know men can only rule men so well, especially when men cannot seem to rule themselves. Because of our own imperfections mortal rulers are necessary to rule mortal affairs.

Our true King is Jesus Christ who will stand for truth for eternity. When we fall into sin, or we are tempted to go down the road of the world we must remember that Jesus Christ is the one we will ultimately have to face. He has shown us the path and only he can deliver us from death. We may think our mistakes are too big, we may feel the temptations of the world are too great but they are temporary. Christ will rule in benevolence forever and has already saved us from our sins if we will just follow him.

Stop It! Isaiah 58

As you may know The Old Testament blog that I write each week is part of an assignment in a college course which I am currently taking. The blog posts are written by me but structured around a specific prompt. This week is a little bit different. The LDS Church just released a ten minute video against bullying and it is probably the most powerful message on the subject that I have ever heard. I will still be completing my assignment as usual but I felt it was important that I tie this weeks blog into this very important topic.

If you haven't been bullied as you watch the video think about how you would feel if you were in the girl's shoes. For those who feel trapped by bullying try to see how foolish the bully's really are. See past the fear and understand that there are people who love you and that the Lord will always love you.

"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning," Isaiah 58:8 Is a promise to those who follow the Lord. It is easy to feel alone when you are the subject of bullying and it is difficult to see the other side. The Lord promises that when you call he will answer. The Lord is always there for those who need him.

What about those who are not bullied themselves but have the courage to stand up for those who are, those who choose not to participate, those who stand on the right side regardless of the social consequences? In verse ten they are promised this.

 "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and they darkness be as the noonday:"

Again we see that the Lord will be with you too.

The Lord speaks to the bully's as well

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Corinthians 2:14

The Spirit of God is not with those who find cheap entertainment at the expense of another. These are God's children. Only he truly knows them, he knows their potential and you (the bully) know nothing.  Not only are you destroying your own value as a person and a child of God but you are attempting to do the same to someone else.

I was fairly blessed during high school. I had a great group of friends and tried my best to stay on the right path. We protected each other and I feel like I had a pretty good experience. There were a few ugly incidences though, like the time I returned from my freshmen gym class to find that someone had jammed my backpack into a school toilet.

It was much worse before high school. I was made fun of, I had stuff stolen, and constantly given ugly looks just to see how I would react. I was too skinny, my grades were too good and I was an easy target. As I've grown up I have been able to overcome a lot of that and have found that maturity allows people to appreciate those who don't play football.(i.e. fit in with the popular crowd) Looking back, I pity those people. Those that bullied me turned out to not really be that cool in the adult world. I wish them well. They are children of God too and to be honest who hasn't been a bully to somebody. I think it is important to not only stop bullying for the sake of the bullied but also for the sake of the bully.

Isaiah 25-26

Much of Isaiah seems to deal with Armageddon, destruction and just all around doom. While the future may look dark Isaiah also lays out many of the wonderful things that the faithful have to look forward to.

Isaiah 25-26 answers these questions

• Isaiah specifically mentions many blessings in these chapters. He says that dead men will rise, and that the Lord shall come to save us. We will also find peace, righteousness and everlasting strength when we trust in him.
• Isaiah desired that all the great people would praise the Lord. Isaiah praised the Lord himself as well and desired that all would see his greatness.
• The Lord promised that he would swallow up death in victory and wipe away the tears of his people. He also of course promises the blessings mentioned above.
• The most important things to take from these chapters and the things I would share if given the chance to speak at a funeral are the promise of resurrection and the saving power of the Lord. We know from Isaiah that this is not the end. All men will rise again, the Lord promises to give us peace and strength in the end. This life may be difficult to handle now but in the end the Lord will raise us up and wipe away the tears.

Isaiah 25:1, 4, 8–9; 26:3–4, 9, 19

Why Isaiah?

The book of Isaiah has many wonderful and powerful things written on its pages. There are many reasons to read Isaiah, here are just three.

1. The Lord has commanded us to read it. This might seem like a shallow reason but it is the single most powerful endorsement a piece of writing can ever receive. The Lord commands us to do things in order to bring us happiness. These are things that help us learn and grow and keep us away from sorrow causing temptations.
2. It will come to pass. - We have been told that the things of Isaiah are true, his prophecies have and will continue to come to pass. These are not predictions, they are facts. It would behoove us to understand the signs of the times. Not only does this prepare us for the future but it provides proof of God and his teachings in modern events.
3. His words apply to all of us. - It might be easy to assume that Isaiah's words were written for ancient people in ancient times. This is simply not the case. His words were written for the Jews and the Gentiles and his prophecies applied from the moment Isaiah wrote them until the end of humanity.

Themes of Isaiah

• The main theme of Isaiah for me is this. "the fear of the the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"(1: 7;9: 10) This quote probably looks familiar from last week and it applies well in this post too. Fear as we discussed earlier is more of a respect and understanding. If you trust the Lord and choose to obey his commandments because of the deep respect you have for him you will find great wisdom.
•  The Love of God - This is surely a theme throughout all scripture and it applies greatly in Isaiah. The Lord has taken the time to share what will come, something we cannot do and in so doing has given us many signs of his great power. He also shared with us the coming of Christ and gave ancient people hope that there would someday be a savior. 2014 years after the Savior's birth we sometimes take his existence for granted, but the ancient people there had been no Christ. His teaches of Love were not yet ready to be heard. The Lord took the time help the people understand that their existence had purpose and hope. 

All of this information can be found in Isaiah itself and numerous other locations in the Bible but it was best exemplified in these verses from the Book of Mormon and the Bible Dictionary entry on Isaiah.

• 3 Nephi 23:1-3, 2 Nephi 25: 1-7, 3 Nephi 20:11, 1 Nephi 15:20;19:23, 2 Nephi 11:2-5; 25:4-8, 3 Nephi 20:11-13 Bible Dictionary "Isaiah" (pg. 707)

Proverbs. Wisdom and Knowledge from God

In the Bible Dictionary Proverbs, the book of is defined as:
The Heb. word rendered proverb is mashal, a similitude or parable, but the book contains many maxims and sayings not properly so called, and also connected poems of considerable length. There is much in it that does not rise above the plane of worldly wisdom, but throughout it is taken for granted that "the fear of the the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"(1: 7;9: 10)

A Proverb is therefore a Parable then is a short story or tale that is meant to convey spiritual meaning. Jesus's parable of the good Samaritan teaches us to help our neighbor judging. Much of what we find it the book of Proverbs are these themed stories. There is so much more in Proverbs though, giving it untold value.

Proverbs 1:7; 9:10 as partly quoted above really illustrates the theme of the Book of Proverbs. These verses remind us that the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. He has the ultimate wisdom and "fearing" or respecting and having admiration for that power opens the gates of knowledge for us. This is a wonderful realization but it's not without its challenges. In Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."

Adam really comes to mind when reading Proverbs 3:5-6. In the garden Adam knew very little, even after he had eaten the fruit his knowledge was limited. The adversary worked very hard to persuade Adam away from the path. Adam knew that he lacked the understanding to safely converse with such a being without being tricked. He relied on what the Lord had told him to shape his actions. Many of the Old Testament prophets showed great faith by following the commandments of the Lord. They had no access to the amount of scripture and discussions that we do. They had to rely solely on the promptings of the spirit and instruction from the Lord.

In Proverbs 6: 16-19 The Lord lists six things that he hates:

• A proud look
• A lying tongue
• Hands that shed innocent blood
• A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations
• Feet that be swift in running to mischief
• A false witness that speaketh lies
• He that soweth discord among brethren

Here are six opposite actions that could be practiced in place of the above:

• A humble countenance
• Truth in all things
• Hands that work to preserve precious life
• A heart that seeks to please the Lord
• Feet that be swift in running to the spiritual and physical aid of our brethren
• A witness to the Lord, proclaiming to all who shall hear that Jesus is the Christ
• He that buildeth up and unite his fellow man in righteousness

Proverbs 16:32 calls those who are slow to anger greater than the mighty. This is something that I and I'm sure many more of us need to work on. Anger is a difficult thing to tame. Those who do are showing immense self control. One of the best ways to tame anger that I have found is to remember that God is all powerful and that life is very short. When I realize how short this life his and how insignificant I am compared to the Universe I realize just how insignificant my problems really are. Yes they seem serious to me, but keeping this perspective has helped me to gain better control over my emotions.

Further light is shed in Proverbs 23:7. What we think, we are, where are hearts are is where we are. This is incredibly significant. How many of us have gone to church and praised the Lord outwardly but inwardly doubted him or had sinful desires. This is an easy trap to fall into but it is not inescapable. We will make mistakes from time to time but if we strive continually to have our hearts with the Lord we will find our way back.

At the end of Proverbs (Proverbs 31:10-31) a virtuous women is described and it is one of the most beautiful and telling descriptions I have ever read. A virtuous women is good to her husband and her family all the days of her life. She reaches out to the poor and needy and she fears or respects God. What I found most interesting was that these verses but a lot of emphasis on the fact that a virtuous women isn't afraid to work in the field and get her hands dirty, she is a strong women both physically and spiritually. She provides the clothing and the food of the household and she raises her children in righteousness.

Queen Vashti, Modecai, and Esther

     This week we will be examining the righteous acts of three people in the Old Testament. Queen Vashti, Mordecai, and Esther give great inspiration to help us live our own lives closer to God.

Esther Chapters 2-8

     In Esther 1 the king is throwing a party of sorts. He has all of his important people at this party and he is having a grand time indulging them anyway he can. He's showing off his riches and his possessions. They are all drinking and having a being merry. Meanwhile Queen Vashti is elsewhere with the wives and they are likely celebrating as well. Everything is great but as the night goes on the King starts to get an idea. He calls for the Queen and sends his servants to fetch her. He's already shown off his riches and belongings, now he wants to show off the Queen to these men he is entertaining, because Vashti is very beautiful.
     What Vashti does is a great example on avoiding evil. It's not just that she is tempted to do evil, the king is trying to compel her to show herself off to these men. She refuses the kings request. It's not entirely clear why she does so or if she knows the King's intent but the consequences come regardless. The king disowns her but he goes farther than that. He thinks that women will be empowered to refuse their husbands. So he passes a decree putting them in even more bondage to their husbands.

     Mordecai was a God fearing and loving man. He worshiped God and no one else just as he was commanded to do. When he would not bow to a political figure he likely knew that there would be consequences as well. Haman, the political figure,  was very angry at Mordecai and found out he was a Jew. What he did next is something that we have unfortunately seen more than once. He arranged with the king to use his Army, and subsequently plotted to slay the Jews. Mordecai was extremely upset but there was nothing he could do, which is what brings us to Esther.

   Before Mordecai offended Haman and  after Vashti was essentially fired as queen, the king needed another queen. Many maidens were brought before the King including Esther. Esther was exceedingly fair and thus was chosen to be somewhat of a servant. We learn in Esther 2 that it was some time before ( a year) before Esther was allowed to go unto the King. It took time but the King was eventually charmed and impressed enough with Esther that he made her Queen. She has quite a prestigious position for herself and is well respected. The incident with Mordecai and the Jews calls on her absolute courage.
     Mordecai is so upset about what is happening that he just has to tell Esther. Esther is a relation to Mordecai and a Jew herself.  Esther agrees that she must tell the King (who was unaware what his Army was being used for) in-spite of serious danger for herself. She knows what happened to Vashti when she contradicted the King. She knows she has to do it anyways. The respect and honor that she has earned from the King pay off and he listens. He calls off the killing of the Jews and honors Mordecai. Haman pays the ultimate price for his vanity and is hanged in the very gallows he planned to hang Mordecai in.

     These three figures all show a great example. They do what is right even though the earthly consequences may be severe. In the end Esther and Mordecai stick to what they know is right and they earn the respect of those around them. Even those who don't completely share their beliefs.

The Miracles of the Lord Through Elijah

• 1 Kings 17:1 God controls the rain.
• 1 Kings 17:2-6 The Lord directs him to a brook where He feeds and waters him.
• 1 Kings 17:8-16 The Lord provides a women to feed Elijah even though she has nothing, in return for her obedience He does not allow her food to run out.
• 1 Kings 17:17-22  Elijah pleads with the Lord to bring back the women's son who has died. The Lord heals his plea and revives the boy.
• 1 Kings 18:31-38 Elijah builds an alter and asks for a sign from God for his people. The fire of God consumes the sacrifice and gives them a sign.
• 1 Kings 18:41-45 Elijah prophecies of rain and it comes.
• 1 Kings 21:17-19; 22:34-38 Elijah prophecies of the justice that will come to King Ahab for his wicked deeds. Justice takes place as Elijah prophesied.
• 2 Kings 1:9-14 The Lord consumes 100 men and their two captains who come in search of Elijah with fire. The 3rd captain and his 50 recognize the power of the Lord and ask Elijah for mercy.

     There is so much truth in these scriptures. As we can see the Lord is both great and powerful. He garners both admiration and respect. He can bring the lost back to life, but he can just as easily take the lives of the wicked. He is a just God, and he will always demand justice. This absoluteness in the sight of God can either bless us or curse us depending on how we live our lives. I think that it's important to remember that the Lord loves his children and the things he does are ultimately always to help us, even if they may not seem that way. Elijah has a difficult job as does any prophet to care for the Lord's children and carry out his work.

1 Kings 3:9-28 and 1 Kings 4:29-30

     King Solomon's request for an understanding heart pleased the Lord because it showed the Lord that King Solomon had both humility and selflessness. He was thinking of not his personal success but his success as a servant of God and the people who he ruled over. Most people probably would have asked for wealth or women, but King Solomon asked for an understanding heart. It's no wonder it pleased the Lord.
     The Lord granted King Solomon his wish and as we see in the latter part of chapter three he is able to utilize this gift very effectively. Being able to discern the true mother of the child was a great service of love to both the mother and the child in the situation. Had he failed the child might have gone to the wrong mother and suffered the same fate of the other mother's child. In granting King Solomon's wish the Lord granted a great blessing to that mother and child.
     1 Corinthians 12:31 tells us to "covet the best gifts" or in other words seek after the things of the Lord. This is a great way to apply what King Solomon did. Just as the Lord did for the King he will grant us the righteous desires of our hearts if we humble ourselves and seek after the best things. D&C 46:8 reminds us that we must also remember why these gifts are given by the Lord. They are not for our benefit but for the benefit of the children of God. We must seek after these gifts with a sincere intent to use them for the benefit of those around us. 1 Kings 4:1-25 and 1 Samuel chapters 11-20 show us that there are always consequences to our actions and that those consequences can be long lasting. We can seek after the things of the Lord and receive ever lasting happiness or we can seek after evil and find a long difficult road that is difficult to change direction.