Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that Heizekiah reigned in righteousness in Judah and destroyed idolatry. He broke the brasen serpent made by Moses because the children of Israel were burning incense to it. He trusted in the Lord and clave into Him. He kept the commandments and the Lord propsered him. 2 Kgs. 18: 1-7 "Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to areign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not."

In the D&C I read about how the wicked lie and twist things to try to discredit the work of the Lord. They anger against that which is right and Satan stirs them up to fight against it. It's amazing some of the falsehoods and distortions that are leveled against the church and its leaders--some of them are so ridiculous that they'd be laughable if these people weren't serious. But Satan will stop at nothing to deceive people and keep them from the truth. D&C 10: 20-28 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good; And their hearts are corrupt, and full of wickedness and abominations; and they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; therefore they will not ask of me. Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction. And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God; but I will require this at their hands, and it shall turn to their shame and condemnation in the day of judgment. Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work. Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him. And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare. And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men. Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God."

Some verses with a thought booklet recount the story of how Peter told Jesus that he would never deny Him. In yet that very night before the cock had crowed twice, he'd denied Him three times. Are we sometimes like this in our lives? We think there's something we'll NEVER do, in yet in moments of weakness we do those very things? Do we break our promises to ourselves, others, or to the Lord? Such broken promises can lead to anguish and sorrow, just as Peter found out as he wept bitterly in regret. However, the story does not end there. Peter went on to repent of what he'd done and lived a life of serving the Lord and spreading the gospel. Because of the atonement of Christ, we too can repent when we do things wrong. And we can turn our lives around and do better in the future, with the Lord's help. All is not lost if we turn to the Lord and sincerely repent. We can be forgiven and go on to live righteous lives. Mark 14: 29-31, 66-72 "But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept."

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