Mosiah 12

Abinadi ever fearless, returns after the prompting of the Lord to preach to the people again.  King Noah throws him in prison and then he and priests seek to question him and "trap" him into finding something to accuse him with.  They ask Abinadi a question about a section from Isaiah, "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth tidings of joy?"  About what this means.  Abinadi is astounded that they ask him this.  We know Abinadi was a soldier in the army, and not an "important" man in the city (probably) but he is astonished that the men who are called to be the teachers of the people do not understand this ESSENTIAL doctrine.  He Asks them first what they teach the people? They respond that they teach the law of Moses.  He asks a wonderful question here, that actually can help shed some light on the "faith versus works" conflict.  He asks- are we saved through the law of Moses, and the priests say, yes.  But this is where he starts to untangle their web, and gets them.  He starts by saying, I agree we must keep the commandments given to Moses- what are those commandments, lets just start with the first two....Thou shalt have no other gods before me, and Thou shalt not make any graven images.  He says, lets just start with these two, if you teach these, and they are so important that salvation comes through them, WHY DO YOU NOT LIVE THEM?  Quite the opposite.  He continues his teachings in the next chapter....so I will continue with this tomorrow.
A.C.T.  I will evaluate my life to see if I have any "other Gods before him."  What keeps me from fully serving the Lord?  What Gods do I place first.....before I take the time each day to pray, and read my scriptures.
RETURN AND REPORT:  I have been trying to remember to read/study my scriptures first thing every day.  It is actually hard, it is easy to think, I will do it later when it is quieter, etc.  My biggest hinderer is my sleep.  I have a hard time getting up early to really take the time to commune with God- but I find if I do it when Emma takes her nap, it works too.  My day goes so much better when I put him first. I seem to really get more done in a day.