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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that if we are poor and only have sufficient to meet our day o day needs, so we deny the beggar because we don't have the money to give him, but we would give to him if we had it to give, we'll be guiltless before God. But if we have sufficient to give to others we need to do what we can to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and administer relief to all who stand in need, both spiritually and temporally. We need to repay our debts.  And we need to watch ourselves in all we say, do, and even think.  Mosiah 4:24-30 "And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.  And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.  And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.  And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.  And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also.  And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.  But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

In the Old Testament we read about how Job was seeking the Lord, but not finding Him.  However, Job still knew that the Lord was aware of him and the path he was taking, and Job affirmed that when the Lord had tried him, he would come forth as gold. He would continue to keep the commandments and esteem the words of the Lord more necessary than food.  Even during times when we feel like the Lord is far from us, we need to continually seek Him and be committed to remaining on te right path.  When we're through being tried, may we all come forth as gold!  Job 23:8-12 "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:  On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that the Lord does not get weary or faint, but he gives power and strength to the weak.  Even the young will sometimes feel weary, but those who wait upon the Lord will be renewed in their strength.  They can run and not be weary, walk and not faint, and even soar like an eagle!  If we're feeling to tired to continue on, we can turn to the Lord for renewed energy and the strength to do what we need to do.  Isaiah 40:28-31 "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

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