Old Testament: articles and tips | FAIR
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Why God is Quiet Sometimes
by Autumn Dickson
Let us tell the story of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel was 30 years old, far from the land of his fathers, and standing beside a man-made canal amongst other exiles. As he stood there, a magnificent vision opened up to him. H...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Why will ye die?
by Autumn Dickson
Just to give some context on where we’re at in the biblical timeline here…we just finished reading in Jeremiah and Lamentations where Babylon attacked during King Zedekiah’s reign. Babylon emptied Jerusalem and set it on fire at this point in the timeline.
Before that, Babylon had attacked Jerusalem earlier. The Babylonians won and took a bunch of Jerusalem’s elite into Babylon; we will be reading about one of these exiles, Daniel, in the future. He followed the Law of Moses instead o...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Keeping Christ at the Center
by Autumn Dickson
One of the books we study this week is called Lamentations, and there is a really good reason it is called Lamentations. Jeremiah was a prophet who had pleaded with the people to repent. He pleaded with King Zedekiah to listen, but Zedekiah refused. Jerusalem was surrounded and sieged. The fall of Judah was…awful. It was known as one of the worst sieges and disasters in ancient history. It was brutal even by the standards of the ancient Near East. There is evidence of the...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Jeremiah Bought Nothing; Christ Bought Us
by Autumn Dickson
Jeremiah was the prophet at a time when the Jews were to be conquered by Babylon. He was called to be a prophet and cry repentance. He was to warn the Jews about what was coming, and he also gave messages of hope. The Jews would one day be restored to the land.
The Lord also gives Jeremiah a peculiar object lesson.
Babylon had already started to take over the land of the Jews and were making a siege against...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Why You Can’t Just Repent Later
by Autumn Dickson
Why can’t we just repent on the other side? Why can’t we do what we want here and then change when we enter the spirit world? Do we believe in deathbed repentance?
There is a verse in Isaiah that sparked some of these thoughts today.
Jeremiah 17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of you...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Your Own Wickedness Will Correct You
by Autumn Dickson
My family watched Treasure Planet last night. It was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and it was awesome sharing it with my kids last night. In the movie, we see Jim, a rebellious and angry teenager. His mom is trying to take care of him on her own because his father abandoned them, but Jim makes it pretty difficult. He is remarkably intelligent, but in the beginning, the image is formed that he has repeatedly gotten into trouble.
His m...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 58–66 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
What is the “acceptable year of the Lord?”
by Autumn Dickson
In Isaiah 61, we find a mission statement for Jesus Christ. In those verses, Christ talks about the reason His Father sent Him here to the earth. There are many prophecies about Jesus Christ, but He chose this prophecy specifically when the time came for Him to announce His divine Sonship and mission during His mortal life.
Isaiah 61:1-2
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the m...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 58–66 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 58–66 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 58–66 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Fasting is Not Just About Food
by Autumn Dickson
Do you feel like you’re doing everything right but find yourself overwhelmed with your own burdens? Do you feel like you’re doing everything the Lord wants you to do, but He is silent and not noticing?
Because the Lord has a response for you chapter 58. There are many ways that the Lord responds to these kinds of questions and feelings, so internalize this message with wisdom. He may be speaking to you, or maybe He sent this message to me this...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 50–57 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
He Has Done Much More With Much Less
by Autumn Dickson
Are you feeling completely torn down? Are you feeling discouraged about what you have to offer? Do you feel hollowed out after a time of refining fire?
Isaiah includes many warnings to Israel. The Lord allowed them to be smitten and scattered and left without anchor for a while in order to turn them back to Him. These warnings are good reminders for us in our day as they can contribute to our desire to repent. We can observe patterns...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 50–57 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 50–57 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 50–57 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
As If He Nailed Himself to the Cross
by Autumn Dickson
In Isaiah 50, we find a profound message of Christ’s voluntary suffering. Not only does He suffer for us, but He does so completely willingly. There is a very careful message being given. The words are meticulously chosen so that we can understand the exact nature of what Christ truly did for us.
In the beginning, Christ rebukes Israel and declares that He never sold them out. He has only ever been loyal to them. He demands that they show Hi...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 40–49 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Become Living Evidence
by Autumn Dickson
In the last post for this week, we talked about the Lord calling out idols for being useless. He challenges them to prophesy or explain past things as He does. He invites Israel to come and judge with Him. He tells them to come and see whether these manmade idols have any worth, to discern for themselves that the Lord is the only God.
He does that in Isaiah 43 again, but there is a little addition that I want to cover.
Isaiah 43:9 Let...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 40–49 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 40–49 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 40–49 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
The Lord Invites Us to Discern
by Autumn Dickson
Isaiah 41 has a couple of different messages from the Lord to Israel, but there is one in particular that I want to focus on. In order to do that, I want to squish a couple of verses together.
Isaiah 41:1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.
The Lord is telling the pagans to remain quiet. He is calling upon...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Choosing Faith Beforehand
by Autumn Dickson
Have you ever felt quiet confidence in the Lord? What did that look like? What were you doing in your life that you felt that way? Do you still feel it?
Isaiah 30 warns Israel that they will be scattered for rejecting the prophets and trusting in Egypt. The children of Israel want the prophets to “prophecy not” and to “speak unto us smooth things.” They want the seers to “see not,” and they want prophets to “prophesy deceits.”
They want lies from the prophets so they...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
You Have Forgotten Him
by Autumn Dickson
We’re going to talk about Isaiah 22 for this particular post. Isaiah is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem. He wrote it during the time of Hezekiah; during Hezekiah’s reign, the people are miraculously saved by an angel coming forth and destroying the Assyrian army. They were saved at that critical moment, and yet, Isaiah’s writings often simultaneously point to the future. Isaiah’s prophecies did not come true during Hezekiah’s time period, but they did come true later on.
So destruction of Jerusal...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 1–12 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Isaiah Called Out the Daughters of Zion
by Autumn Dickson
There is a passage in Isaiah about the daughters of Zion. Not gonna lie…it can be a hard one to read. It calls out the women in Zion for their pride in the form of outward ornamentation, and it prophesies of their downfall.
And though it’s a difficult topic, I want to talk about this passage and its insights into modesty.
Isaiah 3:16-18
16 Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 1-12 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 1-12 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Isaiah 1–12 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
He Doesn’t Want Your Sacrifices; He Wants You
by Autumn Dickson
The Lord, Himself, encourages us to study the words of Isaiah. Therein, we will find messages for our day and more specifically, for ourselves. Isaiah is full of hope for the righteous and warnings for the sinner. Both types of messages are filled with love for His children.
Here is one of the warnings for His children who have gone astray. This is the Lord’s voice we’re listening to.
Isaiah 1:6, 11, 13-14
6 From the sole o...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
The Only Success You Can Guarantee
by Autumn Dickson
I really like Ecclesiastes. It’s like the Eeyore of books of wisdom in the bible. Where Proverbs encourages man to follow after wisdom and do well; Ecclesiastes starts its lecture on wisdom by pointing out futility and vanity of life. Where Proverbs expresses the idea that it’s worth following wisdom; Ecclesiastes likes to show us how useless it is to follow anything else. Proverbs liked to show how good patterns of living often bring good results. Ecclesiastes likes to point out that this...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Soft Answers Start With Soft Hearts
by Autumn Dickson
Proverbs is full of little bits of wisdom that push us on to paths that can make life easier. Mortal life was never meant to be externally easy, but taking heed of some of these proverbs can help you to escape more difficulty than you would otherwise meet. It likewise puts your heart in a state where you recognize the reality of both your mortality and the eternities ahead.
One of those bits of wisdom is found here.
Proverbs 15:1 A s...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Where do I find peace?
by Autumn Dickson
Mortal life is not for the faint of heart. Though it can have breaks in the difficulty where the sun shines for a while, we often get thrown back into the waves so that we can achieve our purpose of growing. It’s a necessary exercise. It was the purpose of mortal life. However, despite opposition being one of the main tools of the Plan of Salvation, it can be exhausting.
Here is a verse in Psalms that helped me to reflect on th...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. She was the 2023 recipient of the John Taylor Defender of the Faith award.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
God Sits With You in the Dark
by Autumn Dickson
Psalm 102 is a chapter that reminds me a bit of one of the chapters we already discussed in psalms. The psalmist feels weary and broken, but despite the hardship the psalmist still praises the Lord. When we discussed the similar psalm last time, we spoke about the faith-building activity of praising the Lord after pouring our hearts out to Him. I want to approach it from a different angle this time.
We know that the psalmist has a testimony of the L...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Keeping Silent
by Autumn Dickson
David was a good king who loved the Lord but fell. He chose to engage in very serious sin and commit adultery with Bathsheba. The real problem came when he chose to cover it up. When David brought Uriah home to be with his wife, Uriah refused in loyalty to his fellow soldiers. In response, David got even more nervous and sent Uriah to a dangerous part of the battle to have him killed.
David spends a lot of time suppressing his own guilt until Nathan...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Pain and Praise
by Autumn Dickson
One of the most emotional psalms found in the Old Testament was written by David. He was a king who worshipped and loved the Lord. He rejoiced in the Lord, and because of that, he sometimes found himself with enemies. His enemies were not just foreigners but within his own kingdom. This chapter often speaks of them. Though David pours out his heart over his suffering, it shifts towards the end of the psalm towards praise of the Lord.
Psalms 69:30-31
30...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Some Trust in Chariots
by Autumn Dickson
There are different kinds of scripture that reach us through different means. The Book of Mormon is filled with stories that teach us about the dealings of God with His children; it is also filled with sermons that teach doctrine. The Old Testament is likewise filled with stories that highlight our relationship with Christ. The New Testament teaches us about the character of Christ by helping us read about His mortal life. The Doctrine and Covenants show the voice of the Lord as He speaks to...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
A Double Portion Promise
by Autumn Dickson
I love the tangible. I love when Christ takes vast, spiritual concepts and puts them into human parables that help us better understand. Even if those earthly parables are imperfect in comparison to God’s plans for His children, they help me grasp things more solidly.
Biblical scholars argue whether Job was a real man or whether he is a piece of literature simply meant to teach us. Job may be a person who truly lived upon the earth, or he may be a par...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson
Integrity Under Pressure
by Autumn Dickson
Job is a profound biblical exploration of faith and loyalty to God. Job loved the Lord, and he stayed true to Him. In the midst of great tribulation as well as riches, Job kept himself close to the Lord. Here is a verse that tells us a bit about Job.
Job 2:3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson
Her Hidden Names
by Autumn Dickson
Esther’s story is one of courage. She is a remarkable woman who was placed in humble circumstances and rose to save her people. In a land that often looked down upon Jews, Esther’s heritage should have prevented her from being able to save her people. And yet, she rose to prominence was guided by the hand of the Lord. Here is one verse that introduces Esther and sets the foundation for what I want to talk about.
Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that...
Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Jennifer Roach Lees
Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah.
The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Esther – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.
