Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Joseph who was sold into Egypt saw in revelation that the Lord would raise up a choice seer out of his loins who would be like unto Moses, bringing to light a knowledge of the covenants which the Lord made with the fathers. This seer would not only bring forth the word of the Lord, but also be able to convince the people of the truth of the word.  2 Nephi 3:6-11 "For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.  Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.  And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.  And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.  And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt.  But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them."

In the Old Testament we read that when we keep the commandments of the Lord and love Him with all our hearts, we will be richly blessed. But if we disobey the Lord, we will be cursed and receive punishment.  Deuteronomy 11:13-17, 22-28 "And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;  And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;  Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.  Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;  A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:  And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we can be sure that when we undergo sufferings for Christ, He will shower us with His comfort and encouragement. Sometimes it seems like we just get through one problem when another one crops us.  We may wonder why this is the case, especially when we pray every day.  Do we really think that having a good prayer life should stave off giving us future reasons to pray?  When we have troubles, it humbles us and allows us to feel our need for God so that we turn to Him.  We grow closer to Him as we trust in Him and rely on Him to help is through our difficult circumstances. Sometimes God sends us trials as an invitation to grow closer to Him. Instead of seeing this as a burden, let's see this as an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God.  1 Corinthians 1:5 "That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;"