Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Lord would proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder in a day when people would draw near to Him with their mouths but their hearts would be far from Him. This would cause the "wisdom" of the "wise" to perish and wo would be unto those who sought to hide from the counsel of the Lord. 2 Ne. 27: 25-27 "Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men— Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, he had no understanding?"

In the New Testament I read that we need to put off all anger, wrath, lies, and filthy communications out of our mouths. Instead we need to be kind, humble, meek, and forgiving of one another, and above all be charitable. We need to let the Word of Christ dwell with us and teach other people. We need to do all things in the name of the Lord and give thanks to Him. Colossians 3: 8-17 ""But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Some verses with a thought booklet talk about Jesus being the vine, His disciples being the branches, and the Father being the husbandman. If we are true disciples of Christ, we will bear much fruit and our prayers will be answered. But if we don't abide in Him, we will not be able to bear fruit and will be cast into the fire and burned. Heavenly Father will prune His vineyard, cutting off the branches that bear no fruit, so that what is left will be more fruitful. The thought that went with this, written by L. Ariel Marcus from Greensboro, North Carolina, talks about this pruning. She says: Have you ever seen a tree that has recently been pruned? It looks pitiful. It is nakes--no fruit, no leaves, only bare branches bearing scars where limbs have been removed. Pruning is a process that all fruit-bearing trees must go through. Only the branches that have fruit-bearing potential are pruned; diseased and infected branches are cut off because they could inhitib the tree's growth. The pruniing branches are cut off because they could inhibit the tree's growth. The pruning process encourages a strong structure so that the branches can withstand severe weather. When a tree is properly pruned, it will produce more fruit and live longer. If you have been slectged for spiritual pruning, know that our Father, the Master Gardener, sees your potential. His keen eye has determined what must be removed from your life so that you can bear more fruit, be stronger, and live longer. Trust the Gardener. Trust His techniques, His judgment, and His decisions. When the spring comes again, your fruit will bloom and you will again be bountiful. Dear God, I submit to your pruning proces so that I can produce even more fruit for your glory and be a blessing to your people. John 5:1-8 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."