Appreciating the Scriptures

You can learn more about the coming forth of the King James Bible and William Tyndale from the Fires of Faith documentaries. (If you haven't already watched them...)

I'd be willing to bet that there are many, many, MANY people that hugely take for granted the sacrifices of others.

I'm one of those people.

It happens a lot in life, and in our church.

Things that meant so much to people long - or not so long - ago... Things that they would die for... Mean little or nothing to many people nowadays.

The fact that we have all of this amazing scripture now... that is a miracle. 


Now... I can't always understand the Old Testament. I think that very few people can...

But.

Seminary has taught me so much about understanding the Old Testament... and any scripture for that matter.

First of all, if you need help understanding what's going on... use study helps!!
We have a bunch of Institute study books that I've used when reading the Old Testament. There are all sorts of books that you can buy to help you read the scriptures - no matter where you're reading!


And remember that you will gain a lot from really studying, not just reading the scriptures. Try and pick apart the verses and find the hidden meanings. Sometimes they're not even that hidden, we just tend to skim over them when reading quickly. 


And also, if you start getting frustrated, remember that you don't have to understand every little verse. Hopefully you will spend your whole life studying the scriptures, and you can get something different from them every time. 


If you can't figure it out, move on. Just try to get the big, general picture. 


The scriptures are full of stories. They are history books. If you don't understand every principle that's written, stop and figure out what's going on, what people are involved, and what's the general lesson to be learned.


And if you are still having a hard time getting yourself to read the scriptures... here's my tip.


Start with the Doctrine and Covenants. Because it was written more recently, it's easier to understand, and is filled with amazing and beautiful scriptures.


So here's to not taking sacrifices for granted. 


Learn to appreciate the scriptures. They really will add more meaning to your life.