THIS IS A GREAT SECTION!!! D&C 76

I am so excited to have reached this section!! Let's just dive right in.

I usually don't talk about the first few verses of a section, because they're almost always the same. "God is wonderful and marvelous." But I really like these first few verses. "Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doings none can find out. His purposes fail not, neither are there any who can stay his hand." Wouldn't it be cool to have done so many marvelous things, no one would ever know the extent of them? Someday, folks. Someday.

The Lord is merciful and gracious to those who fear him, and he delights to honor those who serve him in righteousness and truth.

v. 10 "For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will." I love this verse. I think we all seek to know God's will for us, but often times we aren't sure of what it is. We are reminded here that it is through His Spirit. We know what we must to do have that Spirit with us, and we know how to ask and how to interpret those answers. Sometimes I just need to be reminded, I guess.

This section holds an oft-quoted passage of Joseph Smith's testimony of Christ.

While JS and Sidney Rigdon were working on the translation of the Bible on day, they came upon a verse that made them stop to ponder and meditate on it's meaning. As they were pondering, they beheld a vision.

vs. 22-24 "...And now after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father --

"That by him, and throught him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God."

They also saw in the vision Lucifer. He was a son of the morning. I think that this is one of the reasons Satan is who he is. From what I understand, Lucifer was one of the great ones in the pre-earth life. He probably knew more than most, and was highly favored of God the Father. Because of this position, his rebellion was more treacherous than if it had been Joe the Plummer. He was given greater light and knowledge, and turned away from it.

v. 29 tells us that "[Satan] maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about."

This is such a scary image. This powerful son of the morning has literally declared war on the saints of God. He has us encircled, looking for any weakness that he can capitalize on. But whenever I think of this, I remember when Elisha was protected from the King of Syria's army. (2 Kings 6:14-17) They had encircled Elisha's city by night, and when his servants awoke in the morning, they were scared.

Elisha said, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Then Elisha prayed that their eyes amy be opened, and the veil was pulled from their eyes. The saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire to protect Elisha.

The same is true for us in our battle against Satan. They that be with us are more than they that be with them.

Isn't that a comforting thought?