Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that Isaiah said that they should not be afraid of the king of Assyria who had blasphemed the Lord. He would return to his own land and fall by the sword. 2 Kgs. 19: 6-7 "And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."

A verse from the D&C puts wealth into perspective. Instead of seeking for wordly riches, we should seek for the riches of wisdom and the mysteries of God. He who has eternal life is rich. When we die, all our worldly wealth is left behind and really is of no importantance whatsoever. But he who has eternal life is rich indeed. D&C 11: 7 "Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich."

Some scriptures in conjunction with a thought booklet tell the story of Pharaoh having a dream and asking Joseph to interpret it. Joseph's interpretation was that there would be 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine so they needed to store food to be used later during the time of famine. There are a couple of things we can learn from this story. One is that the Lord will often warn us of things to come and we need to heed the warning and be prepared. This is true today when the leaders of the church have repeatedly been telling us for years that we need to have a supply of food on hand for times of need which may be ahead. Another thing we learn from this story is that the Lord had marvelous ways of bringing things to pass. Joseph had been unjustly put into prison but because he was able to interpret this dream, he was brought out of prison and set in charge of storing the food and put into a position of leadership second only to the Pharaoh. We need to trust in the Lord and know that things will work out for our best good. And we need to heed warnings that He gives us to prepare for things to come. Gen. 41: 15-40 "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. And the thing was agood in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou."