Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that a great and last sacrifice would need to be made by the Son of God to meet the demands of justice.  Only those who have faith unto repentance will be redeemed.  Alma 34:14-16 "And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption."

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord gave Israel both a blessing and a curse--great blessings if they would keep the commandments that He had given them, but a curse if they chose to disobey and commandments and serve other gods.  Deuteronomy 11:26-28 "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet compare the works of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit.  As you read both lists, think which words in each list could describe you. Maybe you're not guilty of murder or drunkenness or adultery, but what about wrath (do you sometimes get angry?), envy (are you sometimes jealous of what other people have?), strife (so you sometimes have trouble getting along with other people?) or hatred (do you have trouble loving everyone?). And as you read the list of positive attributes that are fruits of the Spirit, how many of them do you actually practice in your day to day life? Examine your life and your heart as you read these two lists and see if there are areas you can improve in. I certainly found things I need to do better at. Galatians 5:19-23 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."