Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Amalickiah appointed Zoramites to be chief captains over his armies, they being most acquainted with the Nephites and most knowledgeable about their strengths and weaknesses. Amalickiah had obtained power by fraud and deceit, while Moroni had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord. He had been erecting forts in the weakest parts of the land.  He was preparing to support their liberty and their families and their peace. Moroni was a strong and mighty man of perfect understanding. His soul delighted in liberty and freedom, not bloodshed. He was full of thanksgiving toward God. He was firm in his faith in Christ and willing t defend his rights and religion, even to the loss of his life.  Alma 48:5-13 "And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities; therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.  And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.  Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.  Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.  And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites.  And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians.  And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;  Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people. 3 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood."

In the New Testament we read that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  No matter what trials or tribulations we pass through, we will always have God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:35, 37-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A verse with a thought booklet says that we are not to live by bread alone, but by every words that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  How important is it that we read our scriptures on a daily basis?  Have you ever read in the scriptures and then couldn't remember a word you just read?  Maybe you have trouble understanding what you read.  So what's the point of continuing to read? Do you remember what you ate for dinner every night last week?  If you're like me, you can probably remember what you ate last night, but your memory might get a little foggy when trying to remember much beyond that.  In yet, did those meals do you any good?  If you hadn't eaten all those meals you've forgotten about over the past year, you'd be dead!  So too, if you hadn't attempted to read all those scriptures you've having trouble remembering, you could be spiritually dead.  Besides that, I can't count the number of times when I've struggled with something and suddenly one of those scriptures I thought I'd forgotten will pop into my mind in the very hour I need it.  If we consistently study God's word every day, it will often come into our memory when we need it most.  It isn't really forgotten.  Matthew 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."