Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read a verse that reminds us that whenever the Lord commands us to do something, He'll prepare a way for us that we'll be able to accomplish it. 1 Nephi 3:7 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

In the New Testament I read that Jesus instructed his disciples that they didn't need to worry about what to say under difficult circumstances--the Spirit would inspire them about what to say in the very hour they would need it. If we're worried about saying the right thing at the right time, we can pray for guidance and allow the Spirit to direct us on what to say. Matthew 10:19-20 "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you."

Some verses with a thought booklet recount the story of Jesus healing the invalid at the pool of Bethesda. An interesting thing to note in this story is that the man had no one to help him get down into the water in a timely enough manner to be healed. Apparently, he had no family or friends to assist him. But Jesus cared about this man and healed him. Do we know anyone who has no family or friends? No one to help them? No one to enjoy the holidays with? If so, we need to remember that God loves that person very much and He would be pleased if we would try to be their friend. Let's look around and see if we can find a lonely person who has no one and try to become a loving friend to them. John 5:1-9 "After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath."