Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read about how the wicked will be brought to judgment and destroyed, but God will show kindness, mercy and love toward those who repent and keep His commandments.  The graves will be opened and the righteous will stand on the right hand of the Lamb and be made partakers of glory.  The commandments were given so the weak could be prepared for this day. D&C 133:50-60 "And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me;  And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart.  And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever.  In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old; Yea, and Enoch also, and they who were with him; the prophets who were before him; and Noah also, and they who were before him; and Moses also, and they who were before him;  And from Moses to Elijah, and from Elijah to John, who were with Christ in his resurrection, and the holy apostles, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be in the presence of the Lamb.  And the graves of the saints shall be opened; and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem; and they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever.  And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity— To prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord's errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise, and the little one become a strong nation, and two shall put their tens of thousands to flight.  And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit.   And for this cause these commandments were given; they were commanded to be kept from the world in the day that they were given, but now are to go forth unto all flesh—"

In the New Testament we read that we should rejoice and leap for joy if we are hated and  persecuted for Christ's sake because our reward will be great in heaven.  Prophets down through the ages have likewise been mistreated for the gospel's sake.  But people have always spoken well of false prophets who tell them what they want to hear. So if people want nothing to do with us after we stand up for what is right, we should be happy knowing that our lives are pleasing to the Lord and we'll receive an eternal reward.  Luke 6:22-23, 26 "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.  Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets."

Some verses with a thought booklet describe in detail some of the persecutions that disciples of Christ went through in ancient days.  Paul and Silas cast an evil spirit out of a woman that others were using for gain by soothsaying.  When the evil spirit departed from her, her masters could no longer profit from her and were very angry.  So they stirred up people to anger against Paul and Silas and caused them to be beaten and thrown into prison and their feet put into stocks. But instead of despairing, they prayed and sang praises unto God.  Acts 16:16-25 "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them."