Ithaca Devotions

Wednesday April 30, 2025

[1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: [2] and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

[5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

[6] Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

[7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

[9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

[10] Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11] Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. [16] Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Exceeding Great & Precious Promise

Bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Isa. 33:16

Let us ask for nothing beyond our actual needs, as God (not we) sees the necessity and expediency – thankful always for the "bread and water" promised, as well as for every additional comfort. Realizing always God's superior wisdom and boundless love for us, we should fear to take our interests in any degree out of His hand. Thus we may always live rejoicing, realizing that, whatever may befall us, all is working out for good to us. We may need an acquaintance with pain, or to come into perplexity and almost to want, in order to have needful experience or testing or chastisement. And we should learn to search for and appreciate the lesson or chastisement quickly, and prove ourselves apt pupils in the school of Christ. R2009,c2,p5

Daily Heavenly Manna (April 30)

Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

THE very object of our being called into this light is that we may let it shine. If we do not let it shine we are unworthy of it, and the treasure will be taken away and we will be left in darkness. If indeed we have received the light and have consecrated ourselves fully to God, let us ask ourselves, What am I doing to show forth the praises of Him who hath called me out of darkness? Am I going forth with these tidings to my neighbors near and far? Can I truly affirm that I am: –

"All for Jesus, all for Jesus –

All my being's ransomed powers;

All my thoughts, and words, and doings,

All my days and all my hours"?

`Z.'03-165` R3199:6

Weekly Manna (April 24)

Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. Romans 15:2

THE lesson to each member of the Royal Priesthood is that the special mission of their office, vocation, calling in the present time, is to sacrifice....Another form of service frequently not discerned by the royal priesthood is the opportunity of renouncing our own ways or plans, our own methods or preferences, and in the interests of peace accepting instead the plans, the preferences of others – where it is merely a matter of personal preference, and where we believe the Lord will be as willing to have the matter one way as another. We can in the interests of peace sacrifice our preferences to the wishes of others if we see some good can be gained by such a course. `Z.'03-406,407` R3265:3; 3266:5