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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that if the Gentiles repent and don't fight against Zion, they will be saved. The people of the Lord are those who wait for Him.None will be destroyed who believe in Him. However, those who don't believe in Him will suffer fire, tempest, earthquakes, bloodshed, famines, and other awful things, and they will come to know that the Lord is God. God will deliver His covenant people and bring punishment upon those who afflict them.  2 Nephi 6:12-18 " And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written these things. Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.  And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him. And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel.  For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee— And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

In the Old Testament we read that in order for the Lord to show the Israelites that He was with them and would give them the land He had promised, He told Joshua to have the priests that bore the ark of the covenant to start walking out into the Jordan River.  After the soles of their feet touched the water, the water stopped and piled up so they could walk across the river on dry ground.  It was a miracle similar to the one where the Lord had parted the Red Sea so that Moses and the children of Israel could escape from the Egyptians who were chasing them. Notice that the Lord didn't part the Jordan River FIRST so that they could see dry ground before they started to walk across.  They were told to get their feet wet and THEN the miracle would take place.  Sometimes we can't see clearly the way before us and we need to talk forth in faith before the miracle will happen. It takes much more faith to start walking out into the raging river before it's parted than it would to have it parted before we get our feet wet.  But sometimes we need to demonstrate our faith before the Lord will act in our behalf.  Joshua 3:6-17 "And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.  And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that it is good and pleasant when brothers can live together in unity. How true! When we can cooperate with each other and get along without contention and strife, it certainly makes life more joyful.  Psalms 133:1 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

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