Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that salvation will be declared to all the world, the Lord will make bare His holy arm, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.  Mosiah 15:28- 31 "And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.  Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.  The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."

In the Old Testament we read that we need to serve the Lord with singing and  gladness, be thankful unto Him and bless His name. He is good and His mercy is everlasting.  Psalms 100:1-5 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that even though in times past we may have been dead in trespasses and sins, walking in the ways of the world, the Lord has quickened us and the Spirit has worked in us.  The Lord, who is rich in mercy, shows great love and kindness toward us. We all sin and if our salvation depended on our works, none of us can be saved.  It is only through the grace of God that any of us can be saved.  That doesn't mean that we can continue to sin and expect to be saved.  We need to do our part--have faith and be willing to repent of our sins and do better.  But it is only because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can be forgiven for our sins when we do repent.  We cannot save ourselves without Jesus Christ, no matter how good we are.  Ephesians 2:1-10 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."