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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Nephi's brothers told him tat the things that he'd taught the were hard, more than they were able to bear.  Nephi told them that the truth is hard for the wicked because it cuts them to he very center.  He said the righteous who give heed to the word of God don't take the truth to be hard.  Then he exhorted them with all diligence to keep the commandments of God. They humbled themselves and gave Nephi hope that they might walk in the paths of righteousness.  1 Nephi 16:1-5 "And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.  And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.  And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.  And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord. And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness."

In the Old Testament the Lord gave very specific instructions about how and when the holy place must be entered by Aaron. Apparently two of Aaron's sons did not obey these rules and died as a result.  The Lord expects exactness in obeying what He tells us to do. Leviticus 16:1-4 "And the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord, and died;  And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.  Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on."

A short verse with a thought booklet contains a huge amount of wisdom.  When we love the law of the Lord, nothing offends us and we feel great peace.  Have you ever come across someone who is offended by everything?  If you tell them to have a good day they might respond with, "Oh yeah? What's so good about it?"  Anything and everything makes them angry.  This is just the opposite of how a person is who loves the Lord and is full of the Spirit.  They are not easily offended.  And they are at peace because they have a clear conscience.  Psalms 119:165 "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." 
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