Daily Thoughts

In the D&C I read that all the words of the Lord will be fulfilled, and that whether His word is spoken by Himself or through His prophets, it is the same.  So when the prophet speaks, we'd better listen!  D&C  1: 38 "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

In the Old Testament we read Job's words, inviting scrutiny of his life, asking if he has done various things and inviting the judgment of God if he has done so. These are questions we could ask in examining our own lives to see if there are things we're guilty of and in need of repentance.  Do we walk in vanity or deceit?  Are we selfish?  Do we listen to those under us?  Do we help the poor, the orphans, and the widows? Do we place our trust in wealth and rejoice over those who have less than we do? Do we rejoice when bad things happen to people who hate us?  Reading over these questions, I'm sure we can all find things we need to improve on. Job 31:5-30 "If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.   If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door; Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.  For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.  If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;  What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;  Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)  If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;  If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:  Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;  If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet waiting patiently for the Lord, and how He will hear our cries.  Often we pray and want answers immediately.  Sometimes that happens; often it does not.  Sometimes we get what we ask for, but it happens later, on the Lord's own timetable.  The important thing is to trust in the Lord.  He can bring us out of horrible pits, lift us out of mud and mire,  and put our feet on solid rock, establishing where we go.  Psalms 70: 1-4 "Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.  Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified."