THE 72 HOUR RULE:RISE AND SHINE

ISAIAH 60:1  ARISE, SHINE;FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME! AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS RISEN UPON YOU.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY 

"The Lord’s invitation to follow him is individual and personal, and it is compelling. We cannot stand forever between two opinions. Each of us must at some time face the crucial question: “Whom say ye that I am?” (Matt. 16:15.) Our personal salvation depends on our answer to that question and our commitment to that answer. Peter’s revealed answer was “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Many, many witnesses can give an identical answer by the same power, and I join with them in humble gratitude. But we must each answer the question for ourselves—if not now, then later; for at the last day, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. Our challenge is to answer correctly and live accordingly before it is everlastingly too late."Howard W. Hunter, "He Invites Us to Follow Him," Ensign, Sep 1994, 2

What an interesting question the Savior asks. "Whom do ye say that I am"? There are several instances of the Savior asking his disciples this question in the New Testament. He even declares to the Pharisees "Before Moses was, I Am".
I like the build up in the record of Mary and Martha of Bethany and their brother Lazarus.

John 11:20-27
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.
21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

In this record, Martha sends word to Jesus that her brother, Lazarus has died. I can only assume that she has sent this message because of their friendship, and that she feels that if Jesus would come soon, he could help Lazarus in his illness. In verses 21 she even gently rebukes him, by says," Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died" But in verse 22 she acknowledges that she recognizes Jesus as a "man of God with some authority", she says that "But even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, He will give to You.
How did she know that? Did she receive revelation like Peter?

Luke 10:22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Luke 10 38-42
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In a previous meeting, Martha had invited Jesus to her home for dinner. She was bustling about with preparations for her honored guest, while her sister Mary was no where to be found to help. Mary had decided to sit in the room where Jesus was, at his feet and listen to his teachings. Did Jesus ask Martha "whom do ye say that I am?" He had to share this information with her because in response to Martha's tirade he basically said to her, "Martha you seem to be stressed and overwhelmed with the preparations of dinner" I know that I have been Martha, and I probably would have rolled my eyes at that statement or at least defended my self. The logic in Jesus statement, reminded me of a "good husband" response. He said, "but few things are needed, (some bread,cheese,etc,) or indeed really only one…… Your sister has chosen that which is better……

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Did He say:" Martha, I am the bread of life"?

2 Nephi 9:51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perish not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness

Wow, and a collective "duh". I keep coming back to this record in the scriptures, I think that I have posted on it at least 2 times. I think I got it. So many people including myself, focus on the plight of Martha, some don't like Mary. But Martha and Mary are us, we is them. Jesus is I AM.  So,the busyness, or even the nothingness of our days, the phone apps and the I- this and I- that. Can we get an APP for Jesus? Oh yeah ,that's right there is one available, its called "The Holy Spirit".    
2010 was a hard year, but when I looked back at my New Years 2010 post, I was so excited to welcome that year in. I felt that it was full of promise. It would be so easy to list all of the "hardships;et al" I experienced during that year, but I want to ponder over the many blessings of 2010. I want to count my blessings and there were so many.
One blessing was that of Obedience. I endeavored to obey the commandments,listen to the prophet and in effect get closer to Christ.
We experienced events that were one of a kind, but even the most basic aspects of being prepared helped my husband and I through it. We experienced a return of some familiar events, temporary joblessness and health emergencies. We saw these as an opportunity to "prove" the Lord by continuing to pay our tithes and seeing our "storehouse" not go empty.
We experienced the loss of dear friends and close relatives, but the blessings of the Plan of Salvation is in full effect. We have had the opportunity to perform Temple work for our relatives.
What a blessing.                   
I have a new appreciation for the blessings of my job; the Lord "opened my eyes" one day at a meeting. I had been dozing off listening to all the stats and figures and numbers. But I was literally jerked awake, when I  realized that all of those numbers and figures applied not only to the whole of my job, but to the more personal aspect. Every employee including my self would have health insurance, (at the same rate for 2 years, a 5% raise was being considered, a small bonus,etc.) Wow, and this was all taking place in our "economy". I thanked our Heavenly Father, from whom all blessings flow. What an eye opener. I can't complain any more about my job.

".....feast upon that which perish not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness"

Happy News Years everyone. I feel that 2011 is shaping up to be a great and dynamic year. I believe for myself and my husband, this will be a period of intense growth, for the past 10 years we experienced the "growing pains", now its time to walk out on all of this with faith in God.
I am excited.
Mazel Tov