Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that cursed would be the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord. But blessed would be the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lord. Jer. 17: 5, 7 "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

In the Book of Mormon I read that whatever we ask the Father for in the name of Jesus Christ will be given to us. This theme is repeated in several places in the scriptures. We need to pray for those things that we need, and if it is best for us to receive them, we will. Heavenly Father always answers our prayers in the way that is best for us. Sometimes He answers our prayers yes, sometimes no, and sometimes wait awhile, but He always answers our prayers and we can trust that His answers are right. 3 Ne. 27: 28-29 "And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you. Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that the Lord's voice is like a noise of many waters and His glory shines on the earth. When God speaks, we'd better listen! Ezek. 43: 2 "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory."
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Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that Israel was rejected for serving false gods and for their evil ways. They would be cast out into a land they knew not where they could serve their other gods day and night and where the Lord would not show them favor. Jer. 16: 10-13 "And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord , and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour."

In the Book of Mormon we're told that if we take upon us the name of Christ and endure to the end, we'll be saved at the last day. 3 Ne. 27: 6 "And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us how we can be cleansed by the Lord who will blot out our iniqities, create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Joy in our salvation will be restored to us and we'll sing aloud the righteousness of God. A sinful life is a troubled life. Satan will try to tell us that we're hopeless and we may as well give up because we can never be clean and happy again. He lies! Repentance through the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes forgiveness for our sins possible and we can once again be clean and joyful. The Lord is waiting with open arms to receive us! Ps. 51: 7-14 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."


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Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that those who forget the Lord and trust in falsehood will be scattered as stubble that is blown away by wind in the wilderness. Jer. 13: 24-25 "Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood."

In the Book of Mormon it tells about how Jesus taught the Nephites and blessed them, healing them from afflictions and even raising a man from the dead. This is similar to what He did during His ministry in Jerusalem. He loves all people no matter what part of the world they live in. 3 Ne. 26: 13-15 "Therefore, I would that ye should behold that the Lord truly did teach the people, for the space of three days; and after that he did show himself unto them oft, and did break bread oft, and bless it, and give it unto them. And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter. And it came to pass that after he had ascended into heaven—the second time that he showed himself unto them, and had gone unto the Father, after having healed all their sick, and their lame, and opened the eyes of their blind and unstopped the ears of the deaf, and even had done all manner of cures among them, and raised a man from the dead, and had shown forth his power unto them, and had ascended unto the Father—"

A verse with a thought booklet talks about the sweetness of pleasant words and how they can help us both mentally and physically. We indeed can make a difference in other people's lives by our encouragement and support. It takes very little time or effort to give people a few kind words, but it may be just what that person needs at that moment. The thought that went with this, written by Tiffany Tyndall from Middletown, Pennsylvania says: Growing up, I participated in piano competitions, and at times I would be so nervous that I could barely walk. I remember when I went to my mom before a performance and said, "I'm scared! I don't think I can play." Her response brought me peace: "I'm proud of you for trying! I know you will do just fine. I love you very much, and rejmember that the Lord is with you." My mom's words soothed me and calmed me down so that I was able to finish the competition with confidence and a renewed focus. I will never forget the impact her words had on me. Our words have power to help others. We never know the whole story about each person we come in contact with every day. More people are hurting than we could ever imagine. God's Word is sweet to our soul and heals the hurt within us; in the same way, we can use our words to encourage people and help them. Prov. 16: 24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

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Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the Lord will mar the pride of evil people who refuse to hear His words and serve other gods. Jer. 13: 9-10 "Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing."

In the Book of Mormon we're told that even though the mountains and hills may be removed, the kindness of the Lord will not depart from us nor will the covenant of peace be removed. The Lord will have mercy on us. 3 Ne. 22: 10 "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that if we confess our sins to the Lord and acknowledge our iniquity, we'll be forgiven and our sins will be covered. Ps. 32: 1, 5 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah."

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Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the people did not obey the word of the Lord nor incline their ear toward it. Instead, they walked after the imagination of their own evil hearts and did not keep the covenant they had made with the Lord. Jer. 11: 8 "Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the wicked who refuse to repent will be cut off and destroyed. 3 Ne. 21: 14-20 "Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots; And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strongholds; And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy land, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers; Thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands; And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities. And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, shall be done away. For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel;"

Some verses with a thought booklet tell s that the righteous will have many afflictions, but the Lord delivers them from them. When the righteous pray, the Lord hears and is near to those with a broken heart and contrite spirit. Ps. 34: 17-19 "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."

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Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the people in Jerusalem were back sliding people, holding fast to deceit and refusing to return to the Lord. No man was willing to repent of his iniquity. Jer. 8: 4-6 "Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle."

In the Book of Mormon I read that we are purified becaues of our faith. 3 Ne. 19: 28 "Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me."

Some verses with a thought booklet talks about how the Messiah will preach the gospel, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim liberty to the captives. He will comfort those who mourn. Isa. 61: 1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the people refused to hearken to the voice of the Lord and wold not obey His commandments. They would not listen to the prophets who cried repentance unto them, but hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks. They would not receive correction. Jer. 7: 23-28 "But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth."

In the Book of Mormon I read an admonition that we should keep the commandments and pray always that we'll be able to resist the temptations of the devil. We need to repent, be baptized, and follow the example of our Savior. 3 Ne. 18: 14-16 "Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him. And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to give thanks to God for all things. ALL things! Sometimes it's easy to take things for granted forget to thank Him for all the wonderful blessings He gives us. But we're supposed to even go one step farther and thank Him for ALL things--even for things that may be difficult for us. When we're going through trials and hardships it's not easy to realize that these things may be for our good in the long run. They may teach us valuable lessons and help to strengthen us and make us into the people God wants us to be. It's a challenge to be thankful for these things at the time we're going through them. But having a heart of gratitude will actually help us get through the hard times and lift our moods as well. Eph. 5: 20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
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