Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read about Jerusalem lying in waste and Nehemiah encouraging the rebuilding of it, saying God would help them. However, others laughted them to scorn. Neh. 2: 17-20 "Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

In the D&C Almon Babbit was warned that the Lord was not well pleased with him because he had established his own counsel instead of abiding by the counsel of the President of the Church. If we set aside the counsel of the prophet, thinking we know better than he does, we too can know that the Lord is not pleased with us. D&C 124: 84 "And with my servant Almon Babbitt, there are many things with which I am not pleased; behold, he aspireth to establish his counsel instead of the counsel which I have ordained, even that of the Presidency of my Church; and he setteth up a golden calf for the worship of my people."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that we should be unified and full of compassion toward one another. We should treat each other with respect. If we want to love life and have good days, we need to refrain from speaking evil of others. When people do evil toward us, we should not return evil, but rather blessing. By doing so, we will be blessed. 1 Pet. 3: 8-10 "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"

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