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Part One
Brother Camargo said “Through the scriptures, members can recognize the voice of the Lord. This year, we can have all of our questions answered by reading and studying the Book of Mormon.”
If you are a member of the church, your church leaders have probably told you to “read your scriptures.” But, that is not what you should do! Reading scripture is not enough! We must study them.
“People who study the scriptures add a dimension to their lives that nobody else gets and that can’t be gained in any way except by studying the scriptures. There’s an increase in faith and a desire to do what’s right and a feeling of inspiration and understanding that can’t come in any other way.”
Bruce R. McConkie.
As you can see he says to STUDY not to read the scriptures. Reading your scriptures is important but if we study them, we will receive more personal revelation and we will have a better understanding what God is telling us in the scriptures. God speaks to us through the scriptures. First, “your Sabbath days will truly be a delight”; second, “your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings”; and third, “the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.”
“Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining,” President Nelson promised.
When we study the scriptures we will also become closer to God and to heaven. You might say “I don’t have time to study my scriptures, there is only 24 hours in a day and I can’t do everything.” That is false, we can always make time for God.
The best and most powerful way to study your scriptures is to first, make a time to study them. Pick a certain time and date every day.
Second, listen to the spirit. “We are hopeful that the Saints would pay attention to what the Spirit teaches them during the week as they’re reading the Book of Mormon and that they would be in their classes on Sunday with a willingness to share what the Spirit has taught them,” President Pace said.
Third, (This isn’t required by the way but it helps) study with a question in your mind. If you have a question, the scriptures might answer it!
“The Book of Mormon answers all the questions of the soul,” -Brother Camargo
And lastly, use the new Come Follow Me books and watch the Bible and new Book Of Mormon videos! We can connect and feel the spirit more when we see what we are reading about. I hope you will start to study your scriptures if you haven’t started studying yet! Hopefully this series will inspire you to do so.
Part Two
Nephi in the Book of Mormon impresses upon readers to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3).
God will tell you the things that you need to know in the scriptures. This is why we need to study more and read less. If we just read, we just read the things about the past and about the past prophets. But if we study on the other hand, we learn, understand and receive the word of God.
If we always pray before studying the scriptures, we will have an easier time understanding and and finding answers. There is no one correct way to study your scriptures, just let the spirit guide!
President Thomas S. Monson said: “As we read and ponder the scriptures, we will experience the sweet whisperings of the Spirit to our souls. We can find answers to our questions. We learn of the blessings which come through keeping God’s commandments. We gain a sure testimony of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of Their love for us. When scripture study is combined with our prayers, we can of a certainty know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.”“We Never Walk Alone,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 122).
God will never ignore our prayers, especially if it is combined with scripture study. Since you now know it is important to study your scriptures, what book do your start with? Bible or Book Of Mormon? Peral Of Great Price or the Doctrine and Covidence?
I would suggest to first start with the Book Of Mormon. It is the most true and correct book on the earth. “The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on this Earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book.” -Joseph Smith.
Oh, but did I just hear someone say “ But, the scriptures are boring!”
Well, they can be boring at times but, one way to make them less boring is to visualize what you are reading. You can do this by watching the church videos on the topic or look up pictures on the topic.
Part Three
Welcome to the third part of this series! We have so far covered that studying with prayer, a question in mind and visually seeing what we are reading helps with studying our scriptures.
“Satan’s lie is that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it.”
-Richard G. Scott
As you can see, studying your scriptures is one of the most important thing that you can do! You do have time to study. If you don’t have time, make time! It is not just enough to know but it is enough to do. When you start to study, you won’t feel much a difference. The power of scripture study isn’t notable after a few days. You only start to notice it when you do it constantly and when you do it over a long period of time. It is easy to read the scriptures but if you truly take it apart piece by piece and try to make the most of what is is saying, you will discover that there are many wonders in the book that you haven’t noticed before!
These are the last days and Satan is making more of an effort to destroy your spirit and your families spirit. We need to “build a fortress against Satan.” One of the only ways to do that is with the power of scripture study.
“I promise you that daily family prayer and scripture study will build within the walls of your home a security and bonding that will enrich your lives and prepare your families to meet the challenges of today and the eternities to come”
L. Tom Perry | in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 113; or Ensign, May 1993, 92
The scriptures will give us power to withstand the power of the devil and will help you to meet your struggles and challenges. Do you struggle with math? Study the scriptures! Things will slowly but surely get better for you! The Book Of Mormon is so important that it was translated faster than the Bible! This quote shows how important the Book Of Mormon is.
“This appeal to all people must involve many languages and the work of skilled translators. The King James Version of the Bible, for example, was produced by 50 English scholars who accomplished their work in seven years, translating at the rate of one page per day. Expert translators today do well if they can also translate scripture at the rate of one page per day. In contrast, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon at the rate of about 10 pages per day, completing the task in about 85 days! “(Many of us feel good if we can read the book in that time.)”
Russell M. Nelson | “A Testimony of the Book of Mormon,” Conference October 1999
The Book Of Mormon was made for our day and it is currently the most important scripture that has been gifted to us. Take advantage of this book.
Part Four
“Scripture power keeps me safe from sin.
Scripture power is the power to win.
Scripture power! Ev’ry day I need
The power that I get each time I read.”
(Text: Clive Romney Music: Clive Romney Song: Scripture Power)
Most of us should remember this song we learned in primary. This song teaches us as young children that scripture study brings power. We all need to have successful scripture study to make the most out of what we need to learn and know. Without this daily power, will will not and can not succeed in these harsh and troubling days.
“When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls. My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.”
Russell M. Nelson | “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” Conference October 2017
Scripture power truly keeps us safe from sin. Whenever a dark or evil thought enters your head and your scriptures are near, recite scripture verses. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, he didn’t defend himself. Instead, he used the scriptures to defend himself. He responded with the word of God and the words of God are in the scriptures.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:3-4)
And the devil tempted Christ two more times and Jesus used the scriptures again and again until the Devil departed from his presence. (Luke 4:3-13)
The scriptures are truly the most important books in existence. Without them we cannot be saved.
We can only know God through the scriptures. If we don’t know God, we can’t be like him. Scripture study helps us know God.
27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
Scripture study helps us get closer to God and we can’t be saved if we don’t become closer to him. This is why the scriptures are so important.
36 After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:
37 For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.(Joseph Smith History 1: 36-37)
In these verses and in Joseph Smith History 1: 38-41, the angle quotes the scriptures to Joseph. Now why is this important? This is important because the only way to know God is in the scriptures.Scripture study is the way to eternal life.
This is the last part in the series of Scripture Power. Thank you for reading this series and I hope you have learned why you should study your scriptures instead of reading them. I also hope this series has inspired you to study your scriptures if you haven’t done so yet.
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