Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Men are instructed to know good from evil, and if they choose the evil they will become miserable forever.  Redemption only comes through the Holy Messiah who is full of grace and truth. He offers Himself a sacrifice for sin so that those who repent with a contrite spirit can be saved. No flesh could dwell in the presence of God except through the mercy and grace of the Holy Messiah.  He was resurrected from the dead and made it possible for all of us to be resurrected also. All men will stand before God to be judged. 2 Nephi 2:4-10 "And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free. And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.  Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.  Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.  Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.  Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.  And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—"

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord was angry with Moses so he would not be allowed to go over the Jordan to possess the good land, but die in that land. He warned the people that they must not forget the covenant of the Lord. Deuteronomy 4:21-23 "Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:  But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee."

In a verse with a thought booklet we're told to rejoice always in the Lord. When Paul wrote these words he was in prison and was very familiar with difficulties and hard times. But he had discovered that joy was possible, even in the midst of the worst circumstances. If we'll stop focusing on our troubles and focus on the Lord instead, we'll be able to discover that true joy comes through Him.  Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."