President Benson points out to us as members that, "We live in a day of great challenge. We live in that time of which the Lord spoke when he said, 'Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.'" (D&C 1:35) Pres. Benson talked about how John the Revelator foresaw our day when Satan would wage war against the members of the Church. He also reminds us that the prophet Lehi saw our day in his great dream of the tree of life. He saw that many people would wander blindly in the mists of darkenss and how some would fall away 'in forbidden paths'. The apostle Paul also saw our day and described things such as "blasphemy, dishonesty, cruelty, unnatural affection, pride, and pleasure seeking would abound."
From Lehi's dream comes the answer to how we can stay out of the mists of darkness and be strong against the powers of Satan. Lehi saw in his dream that if people would hold fast to the iron rod, they wouldn't wander. Laman and Lemuel asked, "What meaneth the rod of iron?" Nephi answered, "It was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." President Benson teaches, "Not only will the word of God lead us to the fruit which is desirable above all others, but in the word of God and through it we can find the power to resist temptation, the power to thwart the work of Satan and his emissaries."
President Benson quotes President Kimball when he said in a 1976 First Presidency message, "I am convinced that each of us, at least some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves - and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again..." Sis. Bashford asked us what keeps us from having consistent scripture reading. There are many things that can keep us from making a consistent time to read the scriptures, but the biggest reason is that we are not committed. We need to make scripture study a priority in our lives, and not let other things take away from it.
There are so many things from the lesson that teach us what constant scripture study can do for ourselves. As a class we discussed many of these. They include:
- Make wise unto salvation
- Never perish
- Control the adversary in our lives
- Get answers to our challenges
- Fortify us to resist eveil and find joy
- Find doctrines of salvation
- Nourish us spiritually
- Keep us active in the Church
- Increase our testimony and commitment
- Help us receive revelation
- Make us prosperous and successful in things that matter most
- Heal the wounded soul
- We will not be deceived
- Light our pathway
- Give us direction
- Stand up to the adversary
- Resist temptation
- Give guidance for our daily life
Pres. Benson pleads with us when he says, "Oh, my brethren, let us not treat lightly the great things we have received from the hand of the Lord! His word is one of the most valuable gifts He has given us. I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings...If you do so, you will find, as Alma did, that 'the word [has] a great tendency to lead people to do that which [is] just - yea, it [has] more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which [has] happened unto them.'" (Alma 31:5)
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