Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Isaiah was called to prophesy.  He prophesies of the rejection of Christ's teachings by the Jews and how the land will be made utterly desolate, but that a remnant shall return. 2 Nephi 16:8-13 "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me. And he said: Go and tell this people—Hear ye indeed, but they understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed.  Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate; And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.  But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and shall be eaten, as a teil tree, and as an oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof."

In the Old Testament we read Samuel's words to the children of Israel, reminding them of how the Lord delivered them out of Egypt but then the people forgot about Him and served other gods.  But when they repented the Lord delivered them again.  Then they again forsook the Lord, wanting a king to rule over them when they had the Lord to be their king.  But even then the Lord said that if the people and their king would keep the commandments and not rebel, the Lord would do great things before their eyes.  The Lord is ever ready to forgive and bless us if we'll just be willing to repent and obey His commandments.  1 Samuel 12:6-16, 20-25 "And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.  Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which he did to you and to your fathers.  When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.  And when they forgat the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.   And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.  And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you.  If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God:  But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers. Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.  For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:  Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.  But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that God wants us to use he gifts He has given us to serve and edify others.  Rather than being envious of somebody else's gifts, we should all work together so that everyone benefits. The story is told of a lady who attended a church meeting where someone gave a very powerful, moving message.  Then she went to the restroom and found another woman crying.  When asked what was wrong the woman told her that she wished she could speak like that.  The other woman reminded her that she was a gifted pianist who had lifted the spirits of the whole congregation on many occasions and instead of envying the person who was a great public speaker, she should rejoice that God had given her such great musical talents.  Then she said "I'd give anything if I could play the piano like you do."  Then she realized the irony of what she'd just said, and they both had a good laugh.  Ephesians 4:11-16 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."