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Thursday, July 23, 2015

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the people who were spared were spared because they were more righteous than those who were killed. Jesus called them to repent and return unto Him. He told them that His arm of mercy was extended toward them and if they would repent of their sins they would have eternal life. Jesus told them that He had created the earth and was the light and life of the world. He told them that they should come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. He had come into the world to provide redemption and save the world from sin.  He had laid down His life3 and had taken it up again. 3 Nephi 9:13-22 "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?  Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.  Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.  I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.  And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.  I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.  And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.  Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.  Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."

In the Old Testament we read about how the Lord instructed the Israelites to either march on or stay camped depending on what a cloud did.  If it rested on the tabernacle, that was a sign that they should stay put.  If it lifted, that meant they were to journey.  At night the cloud would be accompanied by a pillar of fire.  Numbers 9:15-23 "And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.  So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.  And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.  At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.  And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.  And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.  And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.  Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.  At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that we should bear one another's burdens and not be weary in well doing. In due season, we will reap what we sow, if we don't faint. We need to do good unto all men whenever we have the opportunity. There are times when we all suffer from compassion fatigue or well-doer's burnout. When that happens, we need to turn to the Lord, for He has told us to come unto Him and He will give us rest. Sometimes we need to take time for ourselves so we can recharge our batteries and renew our strength. We can pray and ask the Lord to help us.  He can help us and guide us in our efforts to be there for others.  Galatians 6:2, 9-10 "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."

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