The Scripture Study Project

Gen 37-41 - Prosper

Elder Holland once taught, "Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better… For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead… My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us." The story of Joseph of Egypt is exactly this: a story of good things to come despite difficult things we see. In fact, as we study this week we want to build on our study last week and learn how to not only let the Lord prevail, but let Him prosper us, our families, and those we love and serve.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Gen 28-33 - Prevail

As with others before him, Jacob, son of Rebekah and Isaac, receives a new name from the Lord that indicates something the Lord desires or foresees he can become. Jacob's name change is an interesting one: from Jacob, which means "supplanter" or "one who grasps or clings", to Israel, which at least means, as President Nelson has taught us, "one with whom God prevails". This week we study Gen 28-33 and dig into the account, not just to see that letting God prevail is important, but to see exactly how to do it.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Gen 24-27 - Way

BYU professor and artist Anthony Sweat wrote in his recent book, Repicturing the Restoration, about the [in]famous conflict between founding father John Adams and painter John Trumbull. Adams criticized Trumbull for painting the signing of the Declaration of Independence without depicting the arguments and debates that took place and without which, Adams said, Trumbull's picture was a fiction" under pretense of poetical or graphical licenses." Lin Manual Miranda, in his smash hit Hamilton originally proposed starting with a song called, "No John Trumbull."
Our study this week places us right in the middle of one of many complicated stories of the Bible. Far from trying to simplify or streamline it, we want to sit with it this week and allow ourselves time to consider just how our own paths and experiences in life are a lot messier than we might like. In short, what you're about to read is "no John Trumbull."
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Gen 18-23 - Altar

When once asked why Abraham was required by the Lord to offer up son Isaac as a sacrifice, Elder Hugh B. Brown answered, "Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham." Of course we know the Lord doesn't test or try us so He can learn something; which brings up an interesting question: what did Abraham have to learn? In this episode we look at one possible (and powerful) lesson to be drawn from this account: how to create holy places for ourselves and those we love.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Gen 12-17 - Blessing

This week we begin our study of the patriarch Abraham, and that word "patriarch" is an interesting one. In Gen 17:5 the Lord changes Abraham's name from Abram meaning "God is the exalted father" to Abraham meaning "father of multitudes". The change is subtle but significant: Abraham is expected and blessed to experience what it means to care for and lead a family. And what do parents do? They bless, or as it says in D&C 41:1, they "delight to bless" their children.  In this episode we look at the blessings our God gives to us and through us for our own benefit and the benefit of those we love.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Genesis 6-11 - Protect

We all have memories as kids of trying to lie our way out of consequences. I remember scrambling through lies as a 10-year-old to try and prevent a grounding and, now as a parent, I can see my actions in almost a laughable light. However, we all have more recent and, thus, more painful memories of trying to cover our mistakes or escape their consequences as adults. This week we study two stories dealing with sin and consequence and both the wrong and right way to find protection and progress.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Moses 7 - Zion

I recently asked a class how they would finish the prompt, "In a perfect world…" The answers were fun: in a perfect world stickers would always peel off clean, in a perfect world ketchup squeezes out perfectly, in a perfect world certain unnecessary sequels are never made. After a good laugh, we began talking about what we would truly want to experience in a perfect world. As we started describing heaven on earth our desire to live in such a place increased, but there was an unspoken sigh of "someday" included in that desire. Well, what if someday was today? What if, instead of waiting for heaven, we could start building it now? What if Zion wasn't as far away as we have always thought?
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen

Genesis 5, Moses 6 - Walk

In C. S. Lewis's Screwtape letters where a fictional devil gives instruction to his apprentice on how to tempt humans, the devil counsels, "Let him do anything but act. No amount of piety in his imagination and affections will harm us if we can keep it out of his will… The more often he feels without action, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, thee less he will be able to feel." In this week's episode we begin studying the powerful record of Enoch in search of foundation first steps to walking with God.
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Music: "Beauty of Russia" by Steve Oxen