In the Book of Mormon we read that when Mormon was 15 years old, he was visited by the Lord and knew of the goodness of Jesus. He wanted to preach to the people, but his mouth was shut and he was forbidden to preach to them due to their rebellion against God. The Gadianton robbers infested the land and the land was cursed. There were sorceries and witchcrafts and the power of the evil one was wrought upn all the face of the land. Mormon 1:15-19 "And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus. And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their iniquity. But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake. And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again. And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite."
In the Old Testament we read that the Lord raised up judges to teach the people the right ways and help them overcome their enemies who oppressed them. The Lord had compassion on them when they groaned under their difficult circumstances that crushed them. But the people rebelled and refused to obey the Lord. They help returning to idol worship and their same old evil ways, violating their covenants and refusing to hearken to the word of the Lord. So the Lord didn't drive the nations out before them. Judges 2:16-23 "Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua."
A verse with a thought booklet admonishes us to be followers of God. There was a Bible teacher who offered his students $100 if they could do a perfect imitation of his brother. The students were excited and each took a turn at this challenge, trying to make guesses about what his brother was like. One student thought that brothers are often alike and did a spot-on imitation of the teacher himself. But at each attempt, the teacher shook his head that they hadn't gotten it right. Why couldn't they do it? Because nobody in the class personally knew the teacher's brother. How can you imitate someone you don't know and aren't familiar with? If we want to follow the Lord, we need to come to know Him. We can't imitate someone if we have no clue what they're really like. By studying the scriptures and communing with the Lord in prayer, we come to know Him and understand Him. Only then can we begin to follow in His footsteps and learn to be like Him. Ephesians 5:1 "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;"
In the Old Testament we read that the Lord raised up judges to teach the people the right ways and help them overcome their enemies who oppressed them. The Lord had compassion on them when they groaned under their difficult circumstances that crushed them. But the people rebelled and refused to obey the Lord. They help returning to idol worship and their same old evil ways, violating their covenants and refusing to hearken to the word of the Lord. So the Lord didn't drive the nations out before them. Judges 2:16-23 "Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua."
A verse with a thought booklet admonishes us to be followers of God. There was a Bible teacher who offered his students $100 if they could do a perfect imitation of his brother. The students were excited and each took a turn at this challenge, trying to make guesses about what his brother was like. One student thought that brothers are often alike and did a spot-on imitation of the teacher himself. But at each attempt, the teacher shook his head that they hadn't gotten it right. Why couldn't they do it? Because nobody in the class personally knew the teacher's brother. How can you imitate someone you don't know and aren't familiar with? If we want to follow the Lord, we need to come to know Him. We can't imitate someone if we have no clue what they're really like. By studying the scriptures and communing with the Lord in prayer, we come to know Him and understand Him. Only then can we begin to follow in His footsteps and learn to be like Him. Ephesians 5:1 "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;"
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