Hello, my friends.
Hi, Hank. I like that introduction.
“Yes, one of my best friends in the whole wide world. Now, John, we are doing a follow Him favorite. We take one question from this week's lesson, which is the end of second king, 17 through 25.”
And the question this week is, how do you remain faithful when those around you aren't remaining faithful? And here's why I was looking at the last nine kings of the southern kingdom of Judah. I'm sure you do this all the time, John. You're like, let me look at that. Let's just make a net list yesterday. I was just like jot them down and you go from it's 150 years worth of kings nine of them. A has all the way down to Zetakaya and there's only two of the nine who are close to God. So you could say that the majority is not faithful to God yet. Here are these two has Akaya and Josiah who stand out as nope. I'm faithful to God. John, how do you be a has Akaya or Josiah in a world of A has
Jesus, Minesis, Jaoha, Keams, Zetakaya's, Amnons who are not faithful to God. How do you stay faithful and those around you are? I wish we could open this up to listeners because there are bunch of listeners out there who are doing exactly that. You're amazing that the fact that you're even listening to this tells us that you are doing what has Akaya did. I'm looking like in second kings 18 where it talks about has Akaya 20 and five years old was he when he began to reign. He was a young adult, right? Verse three, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Verse five, he trusted the Lord God of Israel. And I see that in there. Do you trust God? The promises he has made are so amazing.
Do you trust him? Have you looked around you and seen sometimes it's kind of obvious sometimes when you look around the consequences of not following God. Sometimes though it looks like they're having a blast, but eventually that that catches up to everybody at has to. Thank you for talking about this guy in my ward that is a missionary at the prison and he stood up in the back a high priest once and he said listen you guys I have to tell you when I was partying and drinking I had a great time. He said I was in the great spacious building laughing at you guys then it turned on me and I lost my marriage and I lost the chance to raise my daughters and I lost my job and in 25 years I spent $500,000 on drugs and alcohol.
What is this guy? I've been to the prison with him since that to teach there which is a wonderful experience but anyway he talked about first it was fun and I lost everything.
“And I think of those who are listening that have this question I just want to say hang in there and keep trusting God.”
It reminds me of Peter walking on the water. There are a lot of things he could have looked at. He could have looked at the waves. He could have looked at the wind. He could have looked at the clouds when he focused on Christ he was okay and that's what Elder Holland said is soon as his eyes wandered then he started to sink. And so man we just want to tell you a hand can I hear friends here to hang in there and keep trusting God like Hezekiah do that which is right in the side of God and trust him and all of that those good consequences will follow.
And everyone's going to have these Rob Shikaz in their life who are attacking them. Remember the Rob Shikaz he knew exactly what to say to get you to doubt. He says don't be deceived. That's chapter 19 verse 10 don't let this God whom you think is there deceive you very much like a book of Mormon and tag in this trying to just push those right buttons. But look what in verse 2nd King's 19 15 hezekiah prayed he went to the Lord he didn't go to Google he didn't go you know to his to anybody else he said let me pray and he look at verse 19 I besieged the he says to God save us out of this hand. So one I would say if you're going to stay faithful you have got to pray that's part of trusting the Lord is praying heart felt.
“I think I don't know how to pray hang John I don't know how to pray well do what Joseph Smith said he said I knelt down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.”
That's to me a great definition of kneel down and to offer up the desires of your heart.
And and if you don't know how to pray say that yeah Heavenly Father I don't know how to pray I just feel like we can get a checklist mentality I said my prayers, but that's not the point that when you get down on your knees and sincerely talk you are just opening up like the door to
Heavenly Father to help you inspire you send the Holy Ghost and that's why yo...
In hezekiah's life he did two things he'd listen to the prophet first with Isaiah said it he was in two he went to the Lord he prayed.
What did do Zion do he was the other one we talked about what did Josiah do that was different than what has a guy did and that is he went to the scriptures believe it or not he apparently had not heard the scriptures before someone found a set. I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord what's that second King's 228 look what I found. So he says read it to me read it to me so those of you listening you know tell your parents read this to me read these books to me. It says that he did everything he could to follow what those scriptures said the King look at this in verse three just as chapter 23 verse three.
And the King stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul. To perform the words of this covenant that were written in the book.
“So John I think if I was going to sum up this up I'd say if you want to be a Hezekiah or a Josiah in a world full of wicked kings.”
You've got to do these three things put the prophet words first to you've got to pray and three you've got to get into those scriptures and commit yourself.
Yeah and I don't think you you look around with disdain on others you just move forward with quiet confidence and I don't know what you think about the church. I love this I love this I get so much help I get I get so much strength I listen to conference and I am built up and I am strengthened and I am excited and motivated and let that give you that kind of quiet confidence. You have to be condemning your judge you go wherever but everybody else is but for you it's like I'm sticking with I am staying because I love this it helps me.
It blesses me and I think the Lord wants to give you that kind of strength as we have just read.
“Don't be afraid to do a little makeover on your life that's what Josiah does when he reads scripture and he then looks at what's happening in his kingdom.”
He said all right one of these two has got to change either the scriptures have to change or this situation has to change.
So I know the scriptures aren't changing so it says he basically does an extreme is role makeover he builds the temple back up he burns down the groves.
He breaks down some of the evil things that were happening so get rid of that music get rid of those websites get rid of those apps whatever it is. Let's do an extreme life makeover and get back aligned let's get back aligned with God and the scriptures. There was a talking that affected me years ago and I loved it because it was elder Robert D. Hales talking about that he was a fighter pilot in Vietnam.
“And his motto for their squadron was return with honor and I believe it was in that talk where he gave the best definition of a friend that I've ever heard.”
As friend is one who makes it easier to live the gospel. And what you just said about eliminating this that ask yourself is this music a friend is this TV show a friend is this movie a friend is this habit of friend is this way I spend my time a friend is it making it easier. To live the gospel or isn't making it harder why would I want to make it harder for me to live the gospel good way to think of things in your life as friends not just people. I love it. I will finish here with second Kings 22 19 let your heart be tender soften your heart humble yourself before the Lord new to you're going to be a Hezekiah and a Josiah in the you know world full of wickedness you're going to be just like them and I love what it says about Josiah and second Kings 2325 like into him there was no king before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soul with all his might neither.
His might neither after him arose any like him we hope and pray that will be said about you that nobody looks to God like you do you just be the best version of you get your patriarchy blessing out what am I supposed to do and be get yourself aligned with him and and he'll make your dreams come true. He come join us over on our full podcast it's called follow him use whatever app or whatever web browser use type in follow him hangsmith John by the way it'll come right up and join us next week because we're going to come at you with another follow him favorites.
