Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that some people say that if they see a sign from heaven they will believe.  But that is not faith, that is knowing. Faith is to have hope for something that is not seen, which is true. God is merciful to those who have faith in Him.  Alma 32:17-22 "Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.  Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.  And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression? Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work. And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.  And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word."

In the New Testament we read that Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection. His disciples didn't understand what He was saying and were afraid to ask Him.  Mark 9:30-32 "And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.  But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him."

Some verses with a thought booklet remind us that all of us sin, and if we claim we don't we are liars and are deceiving ourselves.  But if we humbly confess our sins and are willing to repent of them, the Lord will forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-10 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."