The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- Ava Branch

07/21/2023

Today's devotional from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints


Enthusiasm
Friday July 21 By Marci Damon



Those who are still in this mortal life need to remain strong in your testimony and faith. The work must go on, and I, the Lord, will be with you. I continue to watch over all the people of this earth, in this time, and those who respond to my gospel.
– Doctrine and Covenants 169:6b


We recently had our twin four-year-old grandchildren over to our house for the weekend. They were all excited to be outside “helping” grandma and papa with chores. The whole time we were working outside, you could hear a chorus of, “Look grandma (or papa), I am helping.” They were helping, it was just that their enthusiasm was greater than the amount of work they were doing. However, looking at their faces, and listening to their voices, you could see they were really enjoying themselves. In the evening, when it was time for bed and prayers, both of them wanted to say prayers and they eagerly bent their heads and offered them.

Haven’t we also seen this type of enthusiasm in someone who has recently become a convert? They regularly attend all the church services, not wanting to miss anything. They stand frequently to offer their prayers and testimonies. They are the first to volunteer when something needs to be done.

Where has my passion, eagerness, and excitement for the work of the Lord gone? Am I still excited to go to His house to worship Him or has it become routine? Am I eager to stand and share my prayer or testimony, or has sitting still become my norm? Do I quickly respond to a request for help, or do I reason that I am too busy and don’t have time? How do we energize and rekindle that enthusiasm we had in the past? Could it start by turning from ourselves and our concerns to look at and focus on our Lord? Could it be that we need to draw closer to Him so that His Spirit can renew and enliven us? I pray that we might all take a look at ourselves and decide how abundant is our enthusiasm and does it need to be increased?

02/01/2023

Today's devotional from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints


The Heartbeat of the Home

Wednesday February 1 By Francis Petersen

God is love; and he who dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. - I John 4:16

February certainly can be a very wintery and cold month for many of us. But still, it can be a warm and inviting month, when our hearts turn towards love at home. A home that is filled with beauty, warmth, love, and comfort can make us forget the harsh elements outside. I have to admit it; I am a home-loving person, and there is nothing like love-filled moments at home with family.

When you think of home, what is it that stands out to you? Is it something nostalgic that brings warmth to your heart like a glowing fireplace, or a kitchen filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread. Or might it be something that brings you a sense of comfort like your favorite reading chair, a cozy blanket and soft music? Perhaps it is having your loved ones all safe at home, warm and happy. Hopefully it is, at least at times, a haven where God can dwell, and you can quietly commune with Him.

Recently, I was watching a home decorating program. It was a program that took us through the process of refurbishing a kitchen. As the program proceeded, the very usable kitchen cupboards were destroyed, and I was struck by the decorators comment after he had demolished the still, nicely tiled, floors as he showed the homeowners the new and very expensive flooring. With the exuberance of a high-pressured salesman, he proclaimed; “Everyone deserves a nice, new kitchen using only the best high-end finishes, because, after all, the kitchen is the center and the heartbeat of the home.”

As lovely as the kitchen renovation was, the decorators’ deceiving comment disturbed me, because it was a reminder of the lure of the world to seek for happiness through unnecessary material possessions. I found myself praying, “Lord, please help me to keep You, and not possessions at the center of my home. Let me use and care for what has been given to me in a way that shows love to others and witnesses to them that You and You alone are the heartbeat of our home. May it be decorated with the beauty of Your love.”

As we think about love this month, may the loving heartbeat of the Lord Jesus Christ dwell in our hearts and prayer fill our homes. And may we also make Him our home and dwell in Him. His beauty, warmth, and comfort are eternal and to whom the passing things of this world cannot compare.

10/02/2022

Today's devotional from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Thoughts From Arthur Oakman
Part One
Sunday October 2 By Austin Purvis


For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish; but have everlasting life. – John 3:16


Since the beginning of my conversion experience, I’ve enjoyed, like many of us, the writings and ministry of Arthur Oakman. I recently picked up one of his books to read, “Resurrection and Eternal Life.” In this book, he writes about the resurrection and that it is more than just a one-time event – it is more of a process beginning at our baptism. Oakman says, “unless the spiritual body we are to inherit is sown in this one we now have, there is no hope of a resurrection.”

While reading this book, I found a quote that I’ve gone back and read several times over the last week, pondering its significance. The quote has caused me to think about how much God loves us, what the incarnation truly means, and what our response as saints should be to our God and Savior.

“God loves the creature he has created. He desires mankind to enter fully with him into his own blessed life. To make this possible, he utters himself perfectly and completely in the life of Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh. So far as any single human being can express adequately the eternal and infinite God, Jesus so expressed him. He was “the image of the invisible God.”

(Read on Tomorrow)

10/01/2022

Today's devotional from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

There Is a Balm in Giliad


Saturday October 1 By Francis Petersen


But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.-


Ever since I first heard the old American folk hymn, “There is Balm in Gilead”, I have loved its beautiful message of healing and salvation. How often, I longed for such a healing ointment. But when we come to fully understand what this holy balm is, we realize that it is available to all who seek for it with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Temporally, the balm of Gilead is referring to the oil of the balsam plant. In ancient Judea there were only two fields that grew this precious commodity. It became so sought after and valued that people from all over the ancient world came seeking its healing properties. It could be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses including kidney and respiratory illnesses like pleurisy, asthma, and even pneumonia.

The oil of balsam is harvested through small cuts in the grape-like vines and allowed to slowly drip into a container. Although the oil is initially a pure white substance, it becomes red in color after the cut is made. The ancient Hebrew priests collected the oil or balm from the balsam plant into ram’s horns and it was used as a replacement for the “holy oil” in the anointing ceremonies of purification. This was a type and shadow of things to come.

Spiritually, the balm of Gilead refers to God’s healing and saving nature. How amazed I always am at how God has revealed His love for us in His creation. For as the balm came sacrificially from a rare and sought-after plant in Judea, so our salvation comes from the rarest and purest of all beings who lived in Judea and whose blood flowed drop by drop, slowly, painfully, and sacrificially.

Christ’s balm of the atonement heals and purifies our souls. It is my prayer that as we build the Kingdom that we will be such a people that the balm of God’s love will be readily available among us to share with all who seek out its healing qualities.

09/30/2022

Today's devotional from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

A Simple Haircut

Friday September 30 By Jonna Patterson
And the King shall answer and say unto them , Verily I say unto you, i nasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me…. -Matthew 25:40

A few years back, there was a homeless man who had spent the better part of a week in the lunchroom at Lunch Partners, He had arrived there early in the morning each day, when the kitchen was first unlocked. He seemed to be exhausted and rested in the dining room until it was time to eat.

Different Saints had offered him assistance, but still this young man remained on the streets. It is difficult to find work when you have no address to be reached at. It is hard to look clean and reliable when everything you have you are carrying in a pack on your back. Staying clean is a challenge with only public restrooms.

One day our homerless gentleman was given a hair cut by one of our cooks. It was no ordinary haircut, though. It was like a new lease on life. It was an amazing thing to see this quietly withdrawn young man giving this dear woman very meticulous directions to how he wanted his hair styled. Yet, how graciously this woman cut his hair, took his instructions, almost as if she were being paid for the job. The scripture later came to my mind from Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

The gentleman the emerged from that haircut, moved over to a nearby mirror and then cut his beard and shaved his face clean. He was a new man! He emerged from the back room with new confidence. We all have felt this confidence from time to time ourselves when our appearance meets with our approval.

Our volunteer did not stop there; she called relatives to find the young man a job and then a room that he could pay for with the wages he would earn. He went on and did these things, and even came to church at times.

Isn’t it amazing what a simple haircut, given with the love of God, and given carefully and humbly, can accomplish! We are planting seeds!

09/29/2022

nal from The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

God’s Timing Is Perfect

Thursday Sept.29 By Bob Moe
And as the church shall move forward in its great work, the fulfillment of prophecy may cause the Saints tremble at the exhibition of divine power, yet they shall rejoice in the protection of his grace... –Doctrine & Covenants 135:3b


My wife and I took our 5 grandchildren with us on a vacation to Dworshak State Park in Idaho. We arrived at our camping area and started unpacking.

While the rest of the family finished unpacking, I unloaded the 24’ cabin cruiser into the lake at a small, protected place, in case we should have bad weather during the night. The weatherman had predicted rain for that area, but the rest of the time would be nice and sunny. The lake was 55 miles long, so I was glad to have found a safe area to dock.

I had told the grandchildren I was taking my fishing pole, creole basket to put my fish in and the bait box. along to check out the water to see how the fishing was. I found a game trail which made it easy to walk where animals had trodden down the grass. I stepped down by the water, baited my pole and cast out. Then I looked up.

I saw a big black cloud overhead and it looked like it was going to pour down rain at any moment, so I gathered up my fishing stuff and started running back as fast as I could. All, of a sudden … Kaboom! A bolt of lightning struck close to me and an 80’ tree fell right in front of me. Then another Kaboom! and another large tree that same size fell right behind me. There was only 3’ of space trapping me between the two trees.

I realized immediately that God was trying to get my attention. If His timing had not been perfect, either tree could have hit me on the head or knocked me down and pinned me underneath and crushed me. I thanked God I was able to climb over the trees and make it back home to the trailer and my family.

The next day I took my grandchildren to where the incident happened. We were able to pull out the fishing pole from the limbs and branches on the ground, but we never did find the bait box or creole basket.

We all stood there looking at the two trees and were amazed at the miracle I had been a part of. It was a very real reminder that we are never alone. He’s always in control; His timing perfect.

09/29/2022

06/30/2020

God redeems men from their lost and fallen state—Those who are carnal remain as though there were no redemption—Christ brings to pass a resurrection to endless life or to endless damnation. About 148 B.C.
1 And now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spoken these words he stretched forth his hand and said: The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just.
2 And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them not.
3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.
4 Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.
5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.
6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.
7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.
10 Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil—
11 If they be good, to the resurrection of endless life and happiness; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected them, which is damnation—
12 Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires; having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were commanded to repent and yet they would not repent.
13 And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?
14 Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those things which are to come—
15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.

11/04/2019

He Wanted to be Like Jesus
(Leland Collins-A True and Lasting Conversion, Part One)
4 November 2019 • By Darlene Collins


Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ has also loved us, and hath given himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. -Ephesians 5:1-2

I recently lost my life’s companion, my husband Patriarch Leland Collins. I will always remember him as the most loving, and most gentle man I had ever known. Leland was born in Chicago and later moved with his family back to their home state of Oklahoma. His High School teacher there said that he was one of the most intelligent youths that he had ever taught. He was raised in the Pentecostal faith and had many spiritual questions, but no one there felt they needed to be answered. Many times, over the years he had reoccurring spiritual dreams that included short little snippets of scenes like Egyptian pyramids, which were hard for him to understand at that time.
Later after we met and were married, Leland agreed to take the “Go Ye and Teach Series” to learn more about my faith. He was thrilled with the slides and the cottage meetings because the priesthood men who taught him never made him feel as if he were asking too many questions. They usually could answer them or at least do some research and come back to the next meeting with the answers for him.
While watching the “Go Ye and Teach” slides, Leland suddenly began to realize that the “snippets” he had seen in his reoccurring dreams were actual scenes from the slides in the series. He knew that he had seen them before. He believed that he had been shown scenes from that series in his dreams as preparation for seeing the slides and accepting their truth one day.
Some years later, we went down to Mexico for 10 days where Leland was able to climb to the top of the many ancient pyramids, and after that experience, he never had the dreams again. He had found what the Lord had prepared him to find.


Hymn Meditation

“Tell Me the Old, Old Story”

#530



Prayer Thought
Lord, we miss those who have gone on before us. Yet, we are so grateful for the good and dedicated souls who have found Thee and Thy gospel and served Thee so fully to the end.

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