Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Ephraim and Syria will wage war against Judah but not be able to prevail against it.   2 Nephi 17:1-9 "And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.  And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.  Then said the Lord unto Isaiah: Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;  And say unto him: Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.  Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying: Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea, the son of Tabeal. Thus saith the Lord God: It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established."

In the Old Testament we read that Saul made a burnt offering when he was not authorized to do so and they Lord rejected him as a result.  All things must be done in order and we should not attempt to do things that we have no authority to do.  1 Samuel 13:9-14 "And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.  And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to give thanks to God ALWAYS for ALL things. It's easy to thank Him for blessings and good things that come into our lives.  And it's easy to feel thankful during times when things are going well.  But what about times when we're experiencing difficulties or things aren't going so well?  Can we give thanks unto God then?  Even our trials and tribulations have a purpose.  They help us grow and develop into the people we need to  be.  They teach us patience.  They help make us more sensitive to other people who are going through similar difficulties.  Can we be grateful for our trials, and thank God ALWAYS and in ALL things?  Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"