Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the Lord will cleanse from sin and pardon iniquities. What a blessing it is to be able to repent of our sins and be forgiven! Jer. 33: 8-9 "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it."

In the Book of Mormon I read a great example of how a righteous king was able to lead the people into righteousness. During the reign of King Shule, the people were wicked and involved in idolatry. The Lord sent a prophet to call them to repentance, but the people reviled against the prophet and mocked him. However, King Shule executed a law throughout the land that gave power to the prophets and brought judgment against those who reviled them. Because of this, the people did repent and the Lord spared them. This shows the importance of having righteous people to govern us who will make rightous laws. Ether 7: 23-27 "And also in the reign of Shule there came prophets among the people, who were sent from the Lord, prophesying that the wickedness and idolatry of the people was bringing a curse upon the land, and they should be destroyed if they did not repent. And it came to pass that the people did revile against the prophets, and did mock them. And it came to pass that king Shule did execute judgment against all those who did revile against the prophets. And he did execute a law throughout all the land, which gave power unto the prophets that they should go whithersoever they would; and by this cause the people were brought unto repentance. And because the people did repent of their iniquities and idolatries the Lord did spare them, and they began to prosper again in the land. And it came to pass that Shule begat sons and daughters in his old age. And there were no more wars in the days of Shule; and he remembered the great things that the Lord had done for his fathers in bringing them across the great deep into the promised land; wherefore he did execute judgment in righteousness all his days."

The scriptures with a thought booklet today teach us to learn the way of the Lord and to allow Him to lead us in a straight path. The thought that went with this, written by Dale Vander Veen from Jenison, Michigan says: As we think about Psalm 27 today, let's insert "God will make a way" as a response to each point. When I am afraid--God will make a way. When I am attacked or beseiged--God will make a way. When I seek the Lord and cannot seem to find him--God will make a way. When I seek new heights and cannot shout for joy--God will make a way. When I call for mercy--God will make a way. When His face is turned from me--God will make a way. When I feel rejected--God will make a way. When I am forsaken--God will make a way. When my path is difficult--God will make a way. When people tell lies about me--God will make a way. When I am blind to the goodness of life--God will make a way. When I cannot wait--God will make a way. Our job is not to see the way or know the way or make the way, but to walk forward with God through the tangles of life or to wait with God till he leads us further. And in His time, God in His grace will make a way. Ps. 27: 1-14 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
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