A viewer asked: "Please tell us about your avatar change (or did I miss it on one of your recent videos?)"
The new icon is going to be on the new website, so I put it on the YouTube channel in preparation for that. When the new site goes live, this blog will end with a message that says "go there instead." I may still cross publish new content on YouTube, but maybe not.
The former YouTube icon was a picture I quite liked, but it was very poorly suited to the low resolution way it is displayed, appearing simply as a gray blob. I tend to be resentful of all the dumb little things people require to click on things, but it is good to make a reasonable effort to remove barriers for people to access what will help them.
The former blog icon was a lighbulb, which used to be a lightbulb on a ramp until I decided my graphic artist skills were too horrific to make that look sufficiently good. The former blog has the tagline "Explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desire to hear them. (Mosiah 27:35-36)" That tagline does not fit the new website in at least two senses. First, it really doesn't fit inside the width constraints of the layout my son designed. Second, it is no longer sufficient to describe what I am teaching and why. The blog began as a public scripture study tool, but I have subsequently been called and sent by God to demonstrate who and how he is. The Lord said the following:
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (John 5)
If you replace the word "Father" with "Son," I can say the same thing that Jesus said here. Therefore, I do not appeal to the scriptures as evidence of what I do or teach, because the Lord himself bears witness of what I teach and do. But I cite the scriptures to show that I am not making these things up, and what I am teaching is the same that you have heard from the beginning,[1] and though you have not understood or lived it before, perhaps now you will do both.
One of my sons drew this new logo as part of the new website from a description I gave him as an outgrowth of many ideas the Lord has been teaching me about his kingdom and its establishment in the last days. The genesis (pun intended) of it came from what he taught me about Genesis 22:14, which might be rephrased as follows:
And Abraham called the name of that place “Jehovah will provide,” as it is remembered even today in the saying: “this day in the Mountain of Jehovah it shall be provided.”
The Lord is providing all the information and power he promised to provide in the End Times, but it is only available as people repent of their sins. The pattern is simple: to all who do the best they know, more will be given:
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. (Mark 4:25)
9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell. (Alma 12)
[1] That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (1 John 1:1)
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7)
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1 John 3:11)