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Friday, May 7, 2010

Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read a verse that says when a righteous person reigns, the people rejoice but when the wicked rule, the people mourn. We need to be careful about who we elect to office. Prov. 29: 2 "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how a wicked man Zeezrom tried to bribe Amulek to deny the existence of God. However, he refused to do so and said that through the Spirit he knew that Zeezrom wouldn't have really given him the money anyway, but only desired to destroy him by making him deny the existence of God. He told Zeezrom that he would receive his just reward for his wickedness. All this made Zeezrom tremble under a consciousness of his own guilt. Alma then spoke to Zeezrom about how the devil laid clever plans to deceive people and bring them down to destruction. Zeezrom recognized that Alma and Amulek were able to discern his very thoughts according to the Spirit which was in them. Alma 11: 21-25; 12: 1-7 "And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being. Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations? Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more than him. And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto me—Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward. Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done. Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by the people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on this wise: Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit; And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us and to cast us out— Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what I say unto thee I say unto all. And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity. Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them that they might know of these things according to the spirit of prophecy."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that we should continue in the Word if we are truly to be the Lord's disciples. And we will know the truth and the truth will make us free. John 8: 31-32 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
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