The story is told in the Old Testament in Numbers, Chapter 22, about a prophet named Balaam. The Children of Israel were nearing the land of Moab to take it from the Moabites, as part of their inheritance, as promised by the Lord. Balak, the King of Moab, was sore afraid as the Israelites “covered the face…
Author: Emil Hanson
On Victims
There are those who believe that the citizens of this great nation are victims. In a few cases that may be true. But I like what Michael Medved says every day on his radio broadcast. “We are not victims!” It is hard to understand how any citizen of this great country could feel that they…
On Auras II
In a May, 2011 Washington Post article titled, “Is this really a ‘Mormon moment’? by Michael Otterson – who is the (‘Head of Public Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), stated: “In my line of work, I get to read what a lot of people say about my church. Every day, news…
On Pioneers and Pilgrims
On the 24th of July, in Utah, we celebrate ‘Pioneer Day’ with a parade, rodeo and fireworks. It is a Utah holiday and rightly so. That is the date, in 1847, that our pioneer forefathers first drove their covered wagons down into the Salt Lake Valley after a thousand mile-plus trek across the dusty plains….
On Being Content
Paul the Apostle, in writing to the Hebrews suggested, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5) I interpret that to mean the Lord values us, not what worldly things we have accumulated. It…
On Predestination vs. Foreordination
I have heard people speak, in and out of the church and primarily at funerals, as if Heavenly Father had a hand in the death of the individual being eulogized. Many people attribute things to God, such as tragic events or even illness afflicting an individual. Events that Heavenly Father, most probably, had nothing to…
On Baptism For The Dead
It is most curious that the only place in the New Testament where there is reference to vicarious work for the dead is in Corinthians. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.” (Cor 15:19) The statement makes reference to another life besides this one, where people…
On Serendipity
Serendipity is the effect of one accidentally discovering something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely different. The word derives from an old Persian fairy tale and was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. The Tale is long so I will just tell this part that Horace described: “I once read a silly fairy tale,…
On Service
To some, it seems unfair that those who appear to be unrighteous are often blessed with the good things of this earth, while many humble and good people are left wanting. Some may even blame God, murmur and complain. The Preacher tells us that ‘The sun shines on both the righteous and the unrighteous, and…
On the Two Sides of Prayer
I have sometimes been amused, but more frequently, I have been driven to serious thought by some prayers that are being sent aloft. Primarily the prayers that I understand are being offered by opposing sides. In our very competitive sports oriented country opposing teams and those who support them quite often petition the Lord to…