Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read about how a whorish woman can lead a man like an ox to slaughter and the house of an adulterous woman is the way to hell. Prov. 7: 10-27 "And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the people were hard hearted, stiffnecked, and spiritually blind and deaf. But the Lord showed great mercy in not immediately sweeping them from the face of the land. He sent them prophets to teach them of Jesus Christ, even though it was hundreds of years before He would be born in the flesh. These prophets exhorted them to repentance, and it was only through these continaul efforts that the people were not destroyed. The Lord does indeed give us every opportunity to repent and come unto Him, and shows much longsuffering towards us. Jarom 1: 3, 10-12 "Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the face of the land. And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land. Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them. And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance."

Some verses with a thought booklet remind us to keep our thoughts on things of virtue and purity, honesty and truth. If we do this, the God of peace will be with us. We are what we think. If we keep our thoughts right, our actions will follow. Sometimes we guard certain aspects of our life very carefully--putting locks on our homes and cars, installing security systems, and putting our money in banks. But how careful are we about guarding our lives from the influences of Satan? To keep him out, we need to keep our thoughts centered on the Lord. Philip. 4: 8-9 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."