Journal of Discourses 3:205; “If I ask [God] to give me wisdom concerning any requirement in life, or in regard to my own course, or that of my friends, my family, my children, or those that I preside over, and get no answer from him, and then do the very best that my judgment will teach me, he is bound to own and honor that transaction, and he will do so to all intents and purposes.” — Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, February 17, 1856
Jeremiah 17:9; “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Proverbs 16:9; “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
God, in His infinite mercy and omniscient ways, isn’t ‘bound’ to honor any of our decisions except to save us when we call on His name for redemption.
As our proverb today pointed out, we can make all kinds of plans, but it’s God who directs each decision we make. The caveat with that is ‘if’. He directs our steps in our plans if we’re at one with Him. If we’re not, then why would He okay anything we do?
Which brings us to the other verse for today. A man’s heart is deceitful – and that means all the time. We cannot shed our sin nature from us anymore than we can wash away our DNA. Did Brigham or Joseph Smith, or any of the other leaders truly ask God if it was okay to be racist or to engage in polygamy?
If they did and he said yes, then why did he change his mind?
Tomorrow we’ll be looking at the next section of Brigham’s sermon when he tells people he doesn’t believe the miracles of Jesus.
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