Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that everything in this world that is not by the the Lord or His word will eventually be thrown down and have an end.  It will not remain after men are dead or after the resurrection.  Everything not by God will be shaken and destroyed.  So anyone who marries in the world, and it is not by God or His word, will only have their marriage last in this life.  It will have no force in the life to come.  D&C 132:13-15 "And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.  For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed. Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world."

In the New Testament we read about the influence of peer pressure to get people to do things they know are wrong.  Pilate knew that Jesus had been delivered up because of envy and that He had done nothing wrong.  So Pilate wanted to release Him.  But when the chief priests were able to incite the people to demand crucifixion for Jesus, Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted.  Are we able to stand up for what is right, even when we're among a crowd clamoring to do something wrong and encouraging us to do the same?  Do we want to please God, or like Pilate are we "willing to content the people?"  Mark 15:9-15 "But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?  And they cried out again, Crucify him.  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask of God and it will be given to us, but we need to ask with unwavering faith.  A person who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, and such a person should not think that he can receive anything from the Lord. Part of having faith is trusting in the Lord and being willing to receive guidance from Him.  When we pray for guidance, sometimes what we really want is God's support for something we already have in mind.  That is backwards.  Instead of asking God to guide us, we're really asking God to let US guide Him.  We're trying to get God to serve us instead of the other way around.  This role reversal is not right.  We need to have God's goals in mind, not ours, and we need to believe that God will answer us. When we allow Him to guide our lives instead of trying to do it our own way, we can avoid being tossed about by the wind.  James 1:5-7 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."