Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the Lord's anger is kindled against wicked people who seek to kill the prophets who testify against them and chastise them for their sins, but who love false prophets who tell them that everything they do is okay and they are not guilty of sin.  It's sad when people love darkness rather than light.  Helaman 13: 26-30 "Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil. But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him. O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light? Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity."

In the Old Testament we read about how David saw a beautiful woman bathing from his rooftop.  Instead of walking away from this temptation, he sent for the woman even though she was married to someone else. David lied with her, and she became pregnant as a result. This all began with lustful thoughts that David allowed to enter into his mind as he watched her from his rooftop.  When we're faced with unclean thoughts, we need to redirect our thoughts to something else such as a favorite hymn, before those thoughts take root and we end up doing things we'll later regret.   2 Samuel 11:2-5 "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet compare the difference between the old worldly man we once were and the new creature in Christ that we become when we take His name upon us.  We put off such things as anger, wrath, malice, dishonesty, and filthy communications coming out of our mouths. Instead we show forth kindness, mercy, humility, longsuffering, forgiveness, and most of all charity.  We allow the peace of God to rule in our hearts and have a grateful attitude, doing all things in the name of the Lord and giving thanks unto 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."