Walter Mitty is Broken

Ben Stiller's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is my favorite movie and reflects people who are trying to cope with less-than-inspiring lives, which is just about everyone. 

https://archive.org/details/kohenmonkmormon/Walter+Mitty+is+Broken.ogg

Leaving Exaltation To Love

I know everyone says they love Jesus and that Jesus loves them, but are they just demanding favors by doing that?  Do you "love" Jesus because you want stuff you expect for free?  Would you stop "loving" him if you might not get the rewards you feel that you deserve?  Would you still "love" him if you saw others being blessed and rewarded and you didn't get the same?  if things didn't seem fair enough to suit you? 

https://archive.org/details/kohenmonkmormon/Leaving+Exaltation+to+Love.ogg

In God We Trust

 In the second of two recordings on trust and God, I ruminate on trusting God on a real level.  When God doesn't act the way you expect, do you stay loyal to Him?

https://archive.org/details/kohenmonkmormon/In+God+We+Trust.mp3

Engendering Trust

I broke the RSS feed to my main "on-the-road" podcast (without a backup), so I decided to drop the RSS feed and advertise the recordings (no longer a podcast) on the blog and on Facebook.  It is a bit duplicative, but I want to see which method is more "successful".

Anyway, here is the first of two recordings on the importance of trust as far as God seems to be concerned.  This first recording has to be with our earning the trust of God and meriting exaltation at his hand. 

https://archive.org/details/kohenmonkmormon/Engendering+Trust.mp3

Lots of Peas at Fritch Flop

There is much talk from Lisa and Jason about car problems, buying a property in Fritch Texas, and other things.

I'm going to start advertising recordings from the Princess and/or the Priest page on Archive.org here on the blog.  I'll see if it gets some notice from the universe.  Enjoy!

https://archive.org/details/princesspriest/Lots+of+Peas+at+Fritch+Flop.mp3

"...it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it."

Here is another time when the Lord takes credit for doing something horrible.  I used to think God did nothing nasty, but he does punish those who turn against him.

Mormon 8:

7 And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

8 And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. ...

This and so many other posts have been a study of mine toward a more accurate picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As I have done this, I find that many portrayals of Christ describe a largely extra-scriptural representation of him as extremely non-violent and loving to a fault, strongly aligned with modern attitudes of the superiority of unconditional love and behavioral anti-judgmentalism. That is a flawed vision of the Savior insofar as I have found.

Moving slowly through the scriptural record, a different portrayal of Jesus emerges. The record states that he rewards the obedient lavishly and, after a time to redeem themselves in his eyes, punishes the disobedient, the "wicked" in his words, in comparatively harsh ways. My impression is that he uses both carrots and sticks to bring souls to him, especially those already within covenant bonds.

Given the conditions of our lives and our dependence upon the Lord's continuing favor for our peace and success, it seems wise and prudent to be obedient and curry the favor of Christ.