The Holy Ghost teaches us truth as we read the scriptures

In the intercessory prayer Christ prayed that we might be sanctified through truth. That is what we are all searching for in this life – truth.  Not my truth, not necessarily your truth, but the truth.  He says, “And for their sakes I have sanctified myself that they might also be sanctified through truth.”  Sanctify means to make Holy or to make sacred. And how are we made Holy?

“The comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.” John 14:26. Saint and sinner alike it is the Holy Ghost that teaches us truth, and that sanctifies us. It would seem to me then that we can’t learn anything when we read scriptures except we are willing to be taught by the Holy Ghost.

I think of my Dad when he was sitting out in the bushes with a shotgun praying that he would see the person cutting his fences. One day a voice came to him and said, “Your prayer will not be answered because you ask amiss.” That night as he sat down to read his scriptures he began where he had left off the night before and read James 4. He got down to verse 3 and read, “Ye ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lust.”  He later told me. “I have read the Bible from cover to cover many times, but I don’t remember ever reading that verse before.”

Some of us are semiconscious as we read. It’s something we are supposed to do, something we were taught to do, and so we do it. All the while we’re thinking about other things. Besides we have read it before, we know it’s true. Right?  Wrong. I won’t say it doesn’t do any good to read the scriptures if you are not paying attention because you are at least trying. You are at least in the right place to be taught.

Several years ago when I was still working I decided to change the way I read the scriptures. On those nights when I was too tired to read and fell asleep with my scriptures open, I would forgive myself and go to sleep instead. I set my alarm for a half hour earlier and read. Now sometimes I’d still be tired in the morning and unable to focus, which was the reason my habit was to read at night. It takes me a while after I have my eyes open to know what day it is and what planet I’m on. But on those days I couldn’t get it together to read with real intent before I left for work I again forgave myself and waited for evening. Sometimes I read twice a day, both morning and night and sometimes I didn’t read for several days. When I did read, I read with the Spirit and I began to hunger and thirst for knowledge and to be filled with the Spirit.  

I realize that for those of you who have families you need to have daily scripture reading with your family. So what I do is have that reading out of duty and habit with others, but I also have my personal study time when I am alert and paying attention.

Soon after I started this irregular routine I attended a meeting where the speaker talked about a class she took where she was taught how to study the scriptures. The steps are: pray, read, ponder, write down your thoughts, and end with prayer of thanksgiving. I record my thoughts in this blog and share them with you. So now you know.