Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Alma preached in the land of Ammonihah, where Satan had gotten great hold on the people. Alma labored much and sought the Lord in mighty prayer. But the people hardened their hearts against him and said that his beliefs were foolish traditions. They heaped persecutions upon him and cast him out of their city.  Alma 8:7-13 "Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them; and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.  And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.  Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto the words of Alma.  Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.  Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him: Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art high priest over the church which thou hast established in many parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.  And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.  Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron."

In the Old Testament we read that even though the Lord brought forth the children of Israel out of Egypt with signs and miracles and gave them the promised land, they refused to obey His voice and did not walk in His law or keep His commandments.  So their disobedience caused evil to come upon them.  There are always consequences to breaking the Lord's commandments.  Jeremiah 32:21-23 "And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;  And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;  And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:"

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are humble. When we're going through trials and tribulations in our lives, we can always turn to the Lord for help and comfort.  Psalms 34:18 "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."