Upward Thought

I write down every thought I can, to the extent it can be written. I have different places where I write things, depending on the theme, content, and clarity of the thought. It all gets aggregated, percolated, and processed over time. I have one particular file where I save the clearest, most direct things that God tells me, whether it be for me or through me to someone else. I remember one of the first times God gave me something specific to say to a specific person. It was about ten years ago. I did not know the person well, though he lived in my neighborhood and attended the same church as me. It was a particularly difficult day, I was exhausted physically and emotionally, and getting into bed. The Lord spoke to me. He told me to get a pen and paper, which I had handy and grabbed, and he told me what to say, word for word, and who to say it to. As I wrote the message, I protested that this conflicted with everything I understood about how revelation works, I had a lot going on, and ...

A long-time reader wrote: "I don't know if you've ever been so vulnerable in sharing the [personal things you have in recent material.]" Many years ago, I wrote "Seek Ye This Jesus." To that point, it was the most time-consuming book I had written. Much of the difficulty was transforming the content from descriptions of my experiences into statements made from and backed by scripture. Every single time I slipped into a vignette from my life, God would speak to me and say, "take that out." He explained very clearly that he intended every point in that book to stand or fall on his already-revealed word. He wanted all people to be accountable for the information in that book independent of anything having to do with me. I thought that sounded like a good idea, even though it was very difficult, as it was something in which I had no previous experience. Some time ago, he began teaching me on a theme I call "come and see." [1] He explained to ...

Cindy Hughes is releasing a series of YouTube presentations where she shares her thoughts on female purpose. The videos target young women. She has posted all but the last video, and will finish that one shortly. This is a fantastic example of the good one person can do and what good we can do by using and sharing what they do. I hope you assimilate these ideas and share them as often as you have the opportunity to, especially with anyone who is a young woman or who has daughters or granddaughters who are. Here are the videos. 3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2)

Christian churches indulge in such bitter fights over differences in doctrines. Which church displays the power that Jesus demonstrated and which he promised all those who believe what he taught? Not one.  3 For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord’s; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord’s; and thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord— 4 And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. 5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men; 6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say the...

The hyper-focus on avoiding suffering Sometimes I'm asked for insider tips. Where should I go, what should I do, etc. etc. Sometimes these questions are about avoidance of suffering. Much of the Christian world believes that they will be raptured and thus avoid the calamities of the last days. People from a Mormon background have a very similar idea in their imaginations of how Zion will come to be. All of them are dead wrong. The price of admission to God's kingdom is everything you have to give. If you are privileged enough to get there, you will be lucky to still have clothes on your back when you do. The sacrifice of all things is not figurative. It not merely spiritual or temporal. It is both, and it is a tiny little hole that you can only squeeze through by leaving behind everything you value that is not fully aligned with and subordinate to God. Hopefully this establishes two truths: 1) there are no shortcuts to Zion, and 2) if you are struggling with simple things right...

Some things are so deep that the most appropriate thing you can do is say is nothing at all. Some things are so deep that not even silence is sufficient. Today, in honor of the Lord's goodness, and on this first day of the Hebrew New Year, I want to share something I recently wrote, even though it is woefully inadequate: Who will declare The beauty, truth, and goodness of God? He is all beauty, Wherever it is found, From the innocence of youth To the triumph of the abundant life well-lived. He is all truth No matter to what it pertains Or in whom it is found. He is all good, the epitome of virtue, and the fullness of love. His saturating goodness infuses each of his numberless creations, Permeated by who and how he is in every aspect of their being. They unknowingly proclaim his character in their every act to those with eyes to see. But even his endless works are insufficient to describe him. He is the strength of the weak, The hope of the hopeless, The healer of the broken, The r...

I had someone close to me remark that they wish they'd lived in Jesus' time so that they could know him personally in life. I could not withhold what God was telling me to say: "No, you don't. I've watched you react to much lesser lights, and if you don't like those people and situations, you REALLY wouldn't like Jesus!" My grandfather was a profound and upright man. He was more like Jesus than most anyone I've met in many ways, yet most people who knew him thought he was an arrogant jerk, and really didn't like being around him. He lived most of his life estranged from relatives that should have been very close to him and treasured him the most, including people he had made tremendous sacrifices for. I have five siblings, but there was a break between the four older and two younger kids. The older four, of which I'm the second, all had the opportunity to go work for my grandfather in the summers. I watched each of them join up, and each of...

Have you seen this channel ? You might find these videos particularly easy to share with a general audience, and that the material in them would help people you know.

For the past week or so, I have been struggling in attempts to concisely describe a jumble of themes, in hopes that--somehow--I could help someone drop a scale or two off the veil that separates them from perceiving more of God's love for them and more of God's light already present (though undetected) all around them. Most of the billowing swirls have landed in snippets in as-yet unpublished books, but here's one I think is ready to be released. You have no doubt met a particularly intelligent, attractive, artistic, or otherwise exceptional person. Something stirs within us when we interact with people who have some facet that extends beyond what we are accustomed to, and towards the ideal of God. I'm not sure how explicitly anyone thinks about these things. I think that, in most cases, the response is mostly undetected, and even if considered, doesn't go much farther than concluding some people are "born that way," and moving on. The adversary tries very...

I wrote this about two months ago, and it seems the time has come to post it. In our modern lives, we are immersed in the idea that any idea worth hearing can be expressed in less than 255 characters, or in an eight second video. Sometimes ideas of great worth can be expressed in such brief moments, but more often, ideas of significance require significant time to adequately convey. There is worth in what others do to to obtain, refine, and share such ideas. But that contribution will always be limited to what they can do, since everyone is limited in time. There is also great value in learning how to do this yourself. To this end, I would like to share with you the process of how I write my books. I believe that this process is how we obtain and apply light, no matter what the task or the domain. The books are primarily written very early in the morning and sometimes late at night. Each night, I spend the time just before bed reading the scriptures. Usually, this reading entails ...

Laban owned a copy of the scriptures and a fine sword.  Nephi attempted to buy access to those scriptures, and he offered everything he had to get them. Laban stole the money but gave nothing in return except trying to kill Nephi in the process. God responded by taking the scriptures and the sword from Laban, and his life besides. All Nephi wanted was the greater access to the word of God that a copy of the scriptures would provide, but because he was willing to give a price equal to their true worth--everything he had--God responded  God gave him the sword too, and a kingdom besides. When he had the scriptures, Laban kept them in a vault. Nephi distributed copies of the words, expounded their meaning as often as he could, and appointed others to teach them where and when he could not.  When he had the sword, Laban kept it in its sheath, wearing it only as a status symbol, and unable to use it even to defend himself, let alone others. There was only one, so only one perso...

A few years back, I wrote a book called, "Men are that they might have joy." The gems in this book have yet to be discovered by so many who could find great value in them. This morning I was reviewing part of that book in order to flesh out another idea, and I stumbled on this passage, which I felt like I should repost, particularly the last paragraph. <being quote> The Bible contains records of several occasions where King David danced. This wasn't merely a celebration. David knew the Lord's influence within him, and he was adept at tuning his whole being into that music. On one occasion: 14 ...David danced before the Lord with all his might... 16 And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. (2 Samuel 6) Why did David dance?  David was a man who was accustomed to acting in ways that were true to himself even thoug...

 Someone made the following comment on my YouTube channel: "I read your blog and I've been meaning to read your books.  I keep in mind the things you teach and try to apply what I feel would help me.  Thank you and may God bless you and your loved ones." Thank you for reading my blog and for your gesture. I do not mean to be as abrasive as this will seem, but the content is important for you and anyone who would say the same. "I read your blog and I've been meaning to read your books." If you have found only slight value in what you've read, God expects you to apply only slight expense in reading more. If you have found great value in what you've read, God expects you to apply great expense in reading more. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of...

At the close of his mortal ministry, Jesus lamented: I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (John 16:12) Jesus was capable of sharing so much, but even his most faithful disciples were willing to receiving so little. He foretold that, after he went back to heaven, the Holy Ghost would come to provide a reduced channel to a reduced quantity of truth from what they had failed to receive in fullness from him. For them, that was a merciful blessing, since they were unwilling to receive what Jesus had offered them, and it was much better than nothing. Unlike the meridian disciples, we do not have the luxury of receiving less than everything God offers. Unlike the meridian disciples, you will be subjected to a fullness of darkness, and therefore you will require a fullness of light. If you receive less than the fullness, you will be overcome, and if you don't die before that point, you will be lost. You are in this race, whether you like it or not. And you a...

 Lewis Carrol wrote this bit of nonsense: “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun. The frumious Bandersnatch!” Apparently, though the Jabberwock was nonsense, he had jaws that bit, claws that caught, and was worth being wary of. I urge you to be wary of the Jabberwock of jargon. Humorously, the term jargon is itself jargon. Jargon is special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand. Religions are full of jargon. While some specialized words are required to convey big ideas that cannot be briefly expressed otherwise, most jargon used by religious people is words that they cannot put into their own words because they convey ideas that they do not understand. Don't use words you don't understand. Or, put in terms of positive action, when you see or hear a word you do not understand, look it up.  The most important application of this advice i...

Who will be abased? Those with dull minds, blocked ears, and blind eyes: Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed. (Isaiah 6:10, NRSV) Who will be exalted? Those whose conduct is righteous, whose speech is honest, who scorn what is gained by oppression, who shake their hands free of a bribe, who stop their ears from hearing murderous plans and close their eyes so as not to look on evil. (Isaiah 33:15, Anchor Bible) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21)

Through the media I produce, I frequently accost those who are still in organized churches. That won't stop. In fact, it will get worse, but I need to say some things about that right now. (Details from the following obfuscated to protect anonymity). I got an email from a person who reads this blog who was asked to speak in church yesterday, and decided to deliver this post .  Many of you still attend the church you grew up in, and others still have many friends in these insular communities. You are likely their brightest connection to God. Are you allowing God to flow as much light through you as he can? You are behind enemy lines. You are within the enemy's walls. What are you doing from your privileged position? Are you taking the battle to them? Or are you allowing them to exert a greater influence on you than you do on them? Are you shining the light God has given you, or are you letting them inject their darkness into you? But what can you say, and what can you do? The an...

God is a warrior. [Zephaniah 3:17] He rides towards the sound of battle. He is relentless. [Jeremiah 32:27] He never gives up on what is right. [Isaiah 45:19] He will never, ever stop trying to help all who will receive help. [Alma 12:15] He is a rock. [D&C 50:44] He is unwavering and unmovable [John 16:33]. The more the darkness presses into him, the harder he pushes back. [John 1:4-5] His love is never ending. [Lamentations 3:22-24] Nothing that can be done can decrease it or cause it to cease. [Romans 8:35-39]  God is good. [Psalm 100:5] He is loving, merciful, and true. [Alma 5:48] No amount of trust in him will ever be betrayed. [Proverbs 29:25] No amount of darkness can extinguish or dim his light. [D&C 50:23-25] Invite him into your life. [D&C 88:63] Seek him in all things. [D&C 6:36] Be relentlessly faithful and obedient to him. [Philippians 2:5-8] To the extent you have obtained his goodness inside of yourself through learning and living his character,...

Once, there was a promising young woman who was hired as an intern by an insightful boss who saw that she had tremendous potential and wanted to give her the opportunity to leap forward into a much better career than she would otherwise obtain. The duties and purpose of the position were clearly explained the first day. Nevertheless, the woman brought with her the well-established habit of constantly using her phone. She could not accomplish much, because the benefits of the job consisted of solving deep, creative problems that required one's full attention. The boss gently suggested she use more discipline in her phone use, learning to only use it when it helped her accomplish more and better work, for that was the job she agreed to, and that was what would determine her ability to stay and obtain raises. Instead of listening, the woman maintained her previous phone habits. When she was finally fired, she was angry and upset, and feigned disbelief. She said things such as, "I...

One unfortunate side effect of being familiar with the scriptures is that it becomes easier to gloss over what we read but do not understand. I advise my children to slow down as they are reading, and frequently ask themselves things like: What does this mean?  Why is this written that way? Why were these particular words chosen? Why were other words not chosen? Is there a clearer way of phrasing this? How would I explain this idea to someone who does not know scriptural jargon? What real-world, modern situations are comparable to what I am reading about? Is there anything in my life that does not accord with the principle I am reading about here? One phrase that we see often in the New Testament teachings of Jesus is "verily, verily." As you read that, did you stop to ask why he said that, or what he meant? Have you ever asked the Lord why he said that? Have you spent any time searching that out? I have. What he meant When the Lord said this, what he was saying was a rich co...

I burned up my gospel time yesterday writing a blog post, which is something I cannot do today. However, I will say the following as quickly as I can. I received an email from someone who just read the book I wrote on repentance . She said, in part,: "The way you described how our conscience is God’s voice was...something I very much want to share because it was not taught that clearly at church." I replied, in essence: "As far as I know, it has never been revealed since the foundation of the world.  What benefit has been made available to the world through understanding the idea that God’s voice is the voice of improvement / conscience / idea of what God would do in your place? Such an easily understood and conveyed idea, and yet it gives everyone instant access to the very next step towards God, and every step thereafter. No waiting, no confusion. It is impossible to express the value of that. And yet the book sits unread, even by those who know it exists and have a re...