Lay hold upon every good thing

 

Jim Davis, a grocery store clerk who loves his job, prides himself on his good work. One of his pet peeves is out-of-control toddlers and parents who yell at their kids but do nothing to correct their children's obnoxious behavior.

One evening, Jim was checking out a customer who had a shopping cart full of groceries. While ringing up the sale, a child behind him began screaming very loudly, and an angry man responded by shouting, "Get down!"

What a jerk, thought Jim, without even looking up. He kept on calling out prices and moving the groceries past the scanner. The kid behind him was still crying, and again he heard the man yell, "Get down!" Sheesh. Talk about poor parenting, thought Jim. This guy is a total jerk. He kept on checking groceries without looking up.

Finally finishing the customer's cart, Jim looked up and said, "That'll be $89.95, ma'am." Seeing no one, he looked around and noticed that everyone, including his customer, was lying face down on the floor.

He turned around just in time to see a gunman leave the store. The checker behind him, still lying on the floor, calmly said, "Jim, you know the second time you heard 'Get down,' his gun was pointed right at your head."

We can get so accustomed to the noise of our culture and the distractions of the world that when we hear someone telling us something important, we blow it off as if it were of no significance.  How many times have we been warned about the dangers of abusing drugs and alcohol or of doing other behaviors that can kill you? We hear so much of that, we sometimes ignore the messengers, assuming the warning is meant for someone else.

We go on with business as usual.

You put yourself at great risk when you blow off an important message, one that can save your life. The time will come when there'll be no more opportunities to act on the message.

There is One waiting for you to come to Him. "Now is the day of salvation."

 

“To all who walk the pathways of life, He cautions: Beware the detours, the pitfalls, the traps. Cunningly positioned are
those clever pied pipers of sin beckoning here or there. Do not be deceived. Pause to pray. Listen to that still, small
voice which speaks to the depths of our souls the Master’s gentle invitation: ‘Come, follow me.’“

Thomas S. Monson

One of Satan’s greatest weapons is doubt.

Don’t partake of it.  Turn away from it.  Avoid it at all costs.  The best thing to do when confronted with Satan’s warfare is to turn to the scriptures.

…To seek that which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him.

 “On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts.  If something is wrong,

God will give you clarity but never doubts.”

Elder F. Enzio Busche

There is a difference between questioning and doubting.

Questions lead to answers.  They lead to seeking the spirit.  They prompt you to turn to the scriptures, to General Conference, to prayer to things that give light.

Doubt leads astray, to the sources of Satan, to those who don’t strengthen belief, but seek to destroy it.

 Doubt leads to darkness.

We must remember how much more powerful light is than darkness.  Both have power, but one is much more potent.  Just one small light can fill a dark room.

 “Search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good…” (Moroni 7:19)

“Lay hold upon every good thing…” (Moroni 7:25)

Then remember this promise …

“The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good…”  (Moroni 7:16)

…may we each know good all the days of our life.

Emily Freeman