The blessings of the scripture.

This is the title of one of my favorite talks from conference.

Why is it so crucial that we have scripture, and read it often?

Elder Christofferson gives these three main reasons

1. To enlarge our memory.- "Those who either don't have or ignore the recorded word of God eventually cease to believe in Him and forget the purpose of their existence."

2. They are the standard for distinguishing truth and error.-for example, "they discredit the philosophy that has come back into vogue in our day that there are no absolute moral standards. That every man prospers according to his genius, and that every man conquers according to his strength ; and whatsoever a man does is no crime and that when a man is dead, that is the end thereof. Also, many today would dispute about the seriousness of immorality. Others would argue that it's all relative or that God's love is permissive. If there is a God, they say, He excuses all sins and misdeeds because of His love for us---there is no need for repentance. Or at most, a simple confession will do. They have imagined a Jesus who wants people to work for social justice but who makes no demands upon their personal life and behavior. But a God of love does not leave us to learn by sad experience that "wickedness never was happiness." His commandments are the voice of reality and our protection against self-inflicted pain. The scriptures are the touchstone for measuring correctness and truth, and they are clear that real happiness lies not in denying the justice of God or trying to circumvent the consequences of sin but in repentance and forgiveness through the atoning grace of the son of God."

3. They bring us to Christ, our Redeemer-"In the end, the central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ--faith that They exist; faith in the Father's plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know :the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent.

I'm just really feeling how crucial it is that we read our scriptures daily. It is so easy to get desensitized when we are bombarded daily with the idea that it doesn't matter if we lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery etc, etc, as long as it makes us feel good. That there really aren't any absolute moral truths. That we aren't any happier if we follow God's commandments. Well, I am here to say that Satan is real, and a big fat liar. And if you are spending more time listening to him instead of immersing yourself in the scriptures, you may find yourself in trouble. It is true that "wickedness never was happiness" as the scriptures say. You will never find real peace, happiness or joy unless you follow God's commandments. Luckily we do have the scriptures to remind us, teach us, and help us understand how crucial Christ's role is in our lives. I'm feeling really really grateful.

(can you tell i gave the lesson last week in church on the scriptures. smile)