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Why Look to “the Stick of Joseph” as a Standard – Chapter 7

Joseph, Steward of the Land of Zion A New Jerusalem Jacob and Moses were not the only prophets who spoke of Joseph inheriting a land at the ends of the earth—a land distant from Abraham’s covenant land.[151]  Another remarkable prophecy regarding Joseph’s land was preserved in the Book of Mormon by God’s design and for […]

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Why Look to “the Stick of Joseph” as a Standard – Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Choice Above All Other Lands The Book of Mormon provides us with an abundance of details[1] about Manasseh’s small remnant which God led out of the land of Jerusalem in 600 B.C. to an inheritance in the land blessed for them by Jacob and Moses.[2]  With these unique details come fresh insights into […]

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Why Look to “the Stick of Joseph” as a Standard – Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Pushed to the Ends of the Earth Details given in Joseph’s birthright blessing—as stated by his father Jacob (Israel) and as confirmed by Moses—give us invaluable insights into the double portion of land his eldest son’s tribe received in the covenant land promised to Abraham and his seed.  Each statement of the blessing and […]

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Agents of God’s Image and Likeness

Video[1] Transcript for Agents of God’s Image and Likeness    [pdf copy]  Greetings, and welcome to this presentation[2] about agents of God’s image and likeness. In the beginning, God created us in His own image and likeness![3]  By creating us after this manner, God made us: agents or stewards of His image and likeness,[4] and thus […]

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Linking Hebrew and Egyptian written languages in Jubilee year presentations

[printable copy] Dear family and friends, Three talks presented by Dr. Douglas Petrovich at a 2017 Is Genesis History? conference have recently been posted online.  As their individual titles indicate, this collection of presentations highlight various aspects of the author’s research into evidence that the house of Israel resided in Egypt during the lifetime of […]

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Why Adultery is of a Far Greater Concern than Polygamy

[pdf copy] D&C 111 4a   All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. 4b   Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife; and […]

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Why Micah’s Prophecy About Horses and Chariots Matters Today

Introduction [pdf version] When teaching the people of the Book of Mormon about His covenant with them as a remnant of the house of Israel (Jacob), Jesus Christ quoted from a number of prophecies, including Micah 5:8-15.[1]  According to our Lord, Micah’s prophecy pertains directly to Mormon’s people.  It also pertains, Jesus said, to the […]

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Why be thankful?

[printable version] Why should we be thankful to God? And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work; (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he […]

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Why question it – Part 1

[pdf copy] Many claims have been brought against the Book of Mormon. Upon examining them individually, it becomes readily apparent that such claims come of misinformation or limited understanding of the book itself and the work of the Lord more generally. Such is the case with a set of claims listed on the following website: […]

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Why not go on unto perfection?

[printable copy] Let Us Go on unto Perfection The opening verses of the sixth chapter of the letter to the Hebrews present us with a divine calling: let us go on unto perfection. We find this charge prominently stated in a listing of the principles of the doctrine of Christ. Hebrews 6:1-3 1)  Therefore not […]

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Why The Book of Mormon is the New Covenant: Part 3 – Is Not This Joseph’s Son?

[Printable Draft Version] [Printable Expanded Version] Introduction (Expanded Version) Jesus Christ was assumed by many to have been fathered by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. Similarly, the Book of Mormon was assumed by many to have been authored or “fathered” by Joseph Smith Jr. In both instances, the presumed “father” was named Joseph. In both […]

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Why We Believe: God is the God of the living

Note: Bible references included in this post are mainly from the King James Version. The intent in using this particular English translation is to show that the subject matter is clearly represented in commonly available and accepted scriptural texts. Jesus Christ declared:  God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew […]

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Why ordinances and sacraments

When speaking to the members of His church in these latter days about ordinances and sacraments, the Lord has referred to ordinances as “mine” ordinances and to sacraments as “thy” sacraments. …and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed […]

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Why send Mary

In response to my testimony about the A.N.N.A call gathering October 7 & 8, 2016, I was asked to clarify my understanding of woman and priesthood. Included below is an edited version my reply. —– I do not know of any scriptures which speak of women serving in the priesthood offices as outlined in Section 17:8a-12b, […]

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Why Emmaus

In watching the short movie “The Road to Emmaus” recently, I was reminded of the wonder of Jesus spending considerable time with two of His disciples on the day He rose from the dead (Luke 24). It was on this most unique of days that Jesus had gained victory over death and the grave. It […]

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Bruce’s Hope

Bruce Stayton, a dear friend and family member, recently passed away.  For his memorial service held on July 16, 2016, I felt led to share the following about his hope to come forth in celestial glory in the resurrection of the just (cf. I Corinthians 15:39-42 and II Corinthians 12:1,2 with D&C 76:5).  As his health slipped away […]

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Why hast thou forsaken me? – Part 3

[Printable Version] This third part (Part 3) in the series on Jesus’ question “…why hast thou forsaken me?” includes replies to questions and comments that I received regarding the initial post in the series (Part 1).  It also includes additional discussion on related topics which are meant to further explore the depth and significance of Jesus’ questioning […]

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Passover 2016, the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, and the joy of the Lord

This post is meant to contrast the anguish of Christ’s love with the love of men’s hearts waxing cold in these last times (Matthew 23:36-38 vs. Matthew 24:10,31). According to God’s calendar, the Passover obervance this year begins this evening, Friday April 22 (Easter was last month).  Here are a few thoughts I would like to […]

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“Why Bethlehem?”

Last week our friend Faye Shaw told Pam and me about Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock.  This reportedly was the place where lambs to be sacrificed in the Temple at Jerusalem were born and kept until the appointed time.  A number of Bible students apparently now believe that this is the place where […]

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Why wear the crown

As I awoke this morning, a line from “Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh, do remember me” was running through my thoughts, except the words were turned around a bit.  Instead of hearing this line as it is typically sung: If you can’t bear the cross, you can’t wear the crown I kept hearing this […]

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Why cast our coats before Him

Yesterday evening, while Pam and I prepared family worship for our church services this morning, she read selections from articles on Palm Sunday that she found on various websites.  One in particular opened up a new insight to my understanding about our seasonal observance of Palm Sunday that I would like to share with you […]

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Why ask

Jesus teaches us to ask, promising that we will receive.  He tells us to seek, saying that we will find, and to knock, confidently assuring us that it will be opened unto us.  These promises are found throughout the scriptures. Matthew 7:12,13 IV (KJV) Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be […]

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Why ticks

The following excerpt is from an e-mail I wrote the night of September 11-12, 2014 to one of my nieces about spiritual ticks and what God’s creation can teach us about spiritual hygiene. Earlier that week I learned that Faren Charles Persall, a good friend of mine from our high school days, had passed away […]

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Why persecutions

Today (November 2, 2014) our congregation joined others throughout the world in observing the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We began with a sacrament charge by Seventy Gary Whiting in preparation of our partaking of the Lord’s Supper together.  Brother Gary spoke on persecution based on Jesus’ words found in John 15, words that Jesus spoke just prior to His betrayal and […]

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Why do bad things happen in the world?

The possibility for both good and evil to occur in the world is the result of God’s unique ability and decision to create stewards who actually have the capacity to be stewards over that which He entrusts into their care (cf. Matthew 21:35-56). That is, God has created both angels and men and women to hold stewardship responsibilities before Him […]

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Why weakness

Jesus Christ tells us that He gives us weakness and that He does so for a specific purpose: that we may be humble before Him. I give unto men weakness, that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and […]

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Why prayer

Many reasons are given in the scriptures for why we are to pray.  The reason featured in this post is God’s love and how we receive His love through the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us in the prayer of faith. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord […]

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Why remember

All who have fought to obtain and preserve our liberty are worthy of our most honorable remembrance and our recognition offered with sincerest of gratitude. Liberty is ultimately founded in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation. Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations. (Psalm […]

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Why Jesus

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  All power has been given unto Him in heaven and in earth. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the […]

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Why the cross

Why is the cross displayed prominently on our website at zionsoutpost.org?  The cross holds a prominent place in God’s great and eternal plan of redemption for mankind.   I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before […]

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Forgiveness or misery?

While working on the zionsoutpost.org website early yesterday morning, the Lord taught me an important lesson about forgiveness by contrasting forgiveness with misery.  The lesson went as follows:  at the heart of unforgiveness is a desire for another person to be as miserable as we are miserable.  This I was led to further understand is […]

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