1 00:00:02,130 --> 00:00:04,910 Tim: You've got to have discipline. 2 00:00:04,910 --> 00:00:07,763 If you're going to get up and read the Bible 3 00:00:07,763 --> 00:00:09,633 at 5 a.m. every morning 4 00:00:09,633 --> 00:00:11,655 or at 6 a.m. every morning, 5 00:00:11,655 --> 00:00:14,920 you've got to have discipline. 6 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,465 Brethren, I am here today 7 00:00:17,465 --> 00:00:19,951 to talk to you about reading your Bible. 8 00:00:19,951 --> 00:00:23,605 And it is sloppy Christian life 9 00:00:23,605 --> 00:00:25,429 if you are not reading your Bible 10 00:00:25,429 --> 00:00:27,426 every single day. 11 00:00:27,426 --> 00:00:29,175 Lay it down. 12 00:00:29,175 --> 00:00:31,711 This is the food for the soul. 13 00:00:31,711 --> 00:00:33,944 This is our life. This is our health. 14 00:00:33,944 --> 00:00:35,659 This is where we see Christ. 15 00:00:35,659 --> 00:00:37,464 This is the Word of God. 16 00:00:37,464 --> 00:00:39,161 This is where God talks to us 17 00:00:39,161 --> 00:00:40,703 and shows us Himself. 18 00:00:40,703 --> 00:00:43,214 If you are not reading your Bible every day, 19 00:00:43,214 --> 00:00:46,178 that is sloppy and there is no excuse for it. 20 00:00:46,178 --> 00:00:49,037 Because if you're not reading your Bible every day, 21 00:00:49,037 --> 00:00:51,284 you're doing other things every day - 22 00:00:51,284 --> 00:00:53,225 thing that are not near as important 23 00:00:53,225 --> 00:00:55,512 and you know it's true. 24 00:00:55,512 --> 00:00:58,638 Brethren, this is where the Christian life - 25 00:00:58,638 --> 00:01:02,656 healthy Christian life - this is where it starts. 26 00:01:02,656 --> 00:01:05,118 If you're not in the Word of God every single day, 27 00:01:05,118 --> 00:01:07,299 there is no excuse for it. 28 00:01:07,299 --> 00:01:08,718 No excuse. 29 00:01:08,718 --> 00:01:12,199 And the discipline of the Christian life has to start here. 30 00:01:12,199 --> 00:01:15,627 We talked last week about Bible memorization. 31 00:01:15,627 --> 00:01:18,536 And I wanted to start there because of how important it is 32 00:01:18,536 --> 00:01:19,960 for the health of the church. 33 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:23,524 But now we're stepping back a step. 34 00:01:23,524 --> 00:01:26,088 We're talking just about getting in the Word. 35 00:01:26,088 --> 00:01:29,108 And I'm not talking about reading 36 00:01:29,108 --> 00:01:30,961 four chapters every day. 37 00:01:30,961 --> 00:01:35,751 Listen, you should be working towards something like that. 38 00:01:35,751 --> 00:01:38,421 I'm not even talking about reading a whole chapter. 39 00:01:38,421 --> 00:01:40,366 And not all of us are cut out the same. 40 00:01:40,366 --> 00:01:45,542 Not all of us read as well. 41 00:01:45,542 --> 00:01:48,939 Not all of us like to read as much. 42 00:01:48,939 --> 00:01:51,346 For some it's more difficult. 43 00:01:51,346 --> 00:01:56,238 For some, our vocabulary is greater or lesser. 44 00:01:56,238 --> 00:01:59,138 Some of us are just more wired readers. 45 00:01:59,138 --> 00:02:01,366 Some love to read. 46 00:02:01,366 --> 00:02:04,004 I recognize we're all over the place. 47 00:02:04,004 --> 00:02:07,509 But brethren, this is our food. 48 00:02:07,509 --> 00:02:11,469 This is the food of the Christian life. 49 00:02:11,469 --> 00:02:14,277 And if there's any discipline you've got to nail down, 50 00:02:14,277 --> 00:02:17,119 even above getting to Sunday School on time, 51 00:02:17,119 --> 00:02:18,447 it is this. 52 00:02:18,447 --> 00:02:21,686 You've got to be disciplined 53 00:02:21,686 --> 00:02:24,259 in reading the Bible. 54 00:02:24,259 --> 00:02:26,939 You've got to. 55 00:02:26,939 --> 00:02:29,498 When you walk into a church, 56 00:02:29,498 --> 00:02:31,773 and you see people who spiritually 57 00:02:31,773 --> 00:02:35,144 stand head and shoulders above the rest, 58 00:02:35,144 --> 00:02:39,645 when you look throughout history, 59 00:02:39,645 --> 00:02:43,779 they were not Scriptural lightweights. 60 00:02:43,779 --> 00:02:45,628 When you come across William Carey's 61 00:02:45,628 --> 00:02:48,092 and Hudson Taylor's and John G. Paton's, 62 00:02:48,092 --> 00:02:53,416 Adoniram Judson's, Amy Carmichael's, 63 00:02:53,416 --> 00:02:58,157 Andy and Rebecca's, 64 00:02:58,157 --> 00:03:02,172 if you look at their saved life 65 00:03:02,172 --> 00:03:06,379 and their relationship to the Word of God, 66 00:03:06,379 --> 00:03:08,779 they weren't lightweights. 67 00:03:08,779 --> 00:03:11,389 They lived in that book. 68 00:03:11,389 --> 00:03:15,762 If you think that you're going to run - 69 00:03:15,762 --> 00:03:18,779 have some incredible spiritual life 70 00:03:18,779 --> 00:03:20,039 and fruitfulness 71 00:03:20,039 --> 00:03:22,562 and be a vessel fit for the Master's use 72 00:03:22,562 --> 00:03:25,990 and you've got a shoddy approach to Scripture, 73 00:03:25,990 --> 00:03:28,204 you're sadly mistaken. 74 00:03:28,204 --> 00:03:33,054 You will never excel 75 00:03:33,054 --> 00:03:36,259 until you have excelled in the Word. 76 00:03:36,259 --> 00:03:39,006 I guarantee it. 77 00:03:39,006 --> 00:03:41,012 Why? 78 00:03:41,012 --> 00:03:44,063 Because that's where you draw the life. 79 00:03:44,063 --> 00:03:45,846 That's where you draw the power. 80 00:03:45,846 --> 00:03:47,641 That's where you see the Christ. 81 00:03:47,641 --> 00:03:53,506 It is sanctification by Your Word - 82 00:03:53,506 --> 00:03:55,312 that's what Christ said. 83 00:03:55,312 --> 00:03:59,005 Sanctification is growth in the Christian life. 84 00:03:59,005 --> 00:04:01,041 It is maturing. 85 00:04:01,041 --> 00:04:04,979 It is being separated further and further. 86 00:04:04,979 --> 00:04:07,264 It is achieving holiness. 87 00:04:07,264 --> 00:04:08,663 It is coming more and more 88 00:04:08,663 --> 00:04:11,458 to the image of Christ. 89 00:04:11,458 --> 00:04:12,987 And it comes through that Word 90 00:04:12,987 --> 00:04:19,264 and there is so substitute. 91 00:04:19,264 --> 00:04:21,562 So how do we do it? 92 00:04:21,562 --> 00:04:24,586 (incomplete thought) 93 00:04:24,586 --> 00:04:29,235 We've got the discipline. 94 00:04:29,235 --> 00:04:31,147 We need to have this delight 95 00:04:31,147 --> 00:04:35,129 and this desire and this trembling 96 00:04:35,129 --> 00:04:38,064 from the Lord. 97 00:04:38,064 --> 00:04:46,633 So you're up at 6 o'clock. 98 00:04:46,633 --> 00:04:49,578 You've got your cup of coffee. 99 00:04:49,578 --> 00:04:53,534 And you've got to factor these things in. 100 00:04:53,534 --> 00:04:55,658 Listen, whatever it takes to be wide awake 101 00:04:55,658 --> 00:04:57,042 when you're in God's Word - 102 00:04:57,042 --> 00:04:59,081 you don't want to do it in a shoddy way. 103 00:04:59,081 --> 00:05:00,787 If you've got to drink tea, 104 00:05:00,787 --> 00:05:03,619 you've got to drink coffee, 105 00:05:03,619 --> 00:05:06,085 look, it might just require you 106 00:05:06,085 --> 00:05:08,545 to get enough exercise in your life 107 00:05:08,545 --> 00:05:12,327 so that you're wide awake at 6 o'clock. 108 00:05:12,327 --> 00:05:17,336 It may require that you don't eat after 6 p.m. 109 00:05:17,336 --> 00:05:20,530 Look, you've got to do what you've got to do to make this work. 110 00:05:20,530 --> 00:05:22,182 This is really important. 111 00:05:22,182 --> 00:05:23,692 Discipline. 112 00:05:23,692 --> 00:05:26,726 If you know that eating at 10 o'clock - 113 00:05:26,726 --> 00:05:28,157 I know every once in a while, 114 00:05:28,157 --> 00:05:29,566 we'll leave a prayer meeting 115 00:05:29,566 --> 00:05:32,011 and a bunch of us will go down to Denny's. 116 00:05:32,011 --> 00:05:34,612 Look, if you can't get up the next morning 117 00:05:34,612 --> 00:05:36,753 after you do that, don't do that. 118 00:05:36,753 --> 00:05:39,346 Just pure and simple. 119 00:05:39,346 --> 00:05:41,044 You say, well, other people do it. 120 00:05:41,044 --> 00:05:42,770 Well, so what what other people do. 121 00:05:42,770 --> 00:05:45,026 If you can't get up to get in the Word 122 00:05:45,026 --> 00:05:47,645 if you do that, don't do it. 123 00:05:47,645 --> 00:05:49,712 That's what discipline is. 124 00:05:49,712 --> 00:05:53,747 Discipline is not always doing what the crowd does. 125 00:05:53,747 --> 00:05:57,792 Listen, typically the crowd 126 00:05:57,792 --> 00:05:59,583 even in good churches 127 00:05:59,583 --> 00:06:02,383 are not spiritually where they need to be. 128 00:06:02,383 --> 00:06:05,166 And so just doing something because the crowd does it, 129 00:06:05,166 --> 00:06:07,756 I guarantee, Hudson Taylor got to where he was 130 00:06:07,756 --> 00:06:14,397 because he was doing exactly what the crowd wasn't doing. 131 00:06:14,397 --> 00:06:16,314 So there you are. 132 00:06:16,314 --> 00:06:19,103 You've got your Bible in front of you. 133 00:06:19,103 --> 00:06:21,462 Now what do you do? 134 00:06:21,462 --> 00:06:25,685 Look, once you make your first pass 135 00:06:25,685 --> 00:06:28,247 through the whole Bible, 136 00:06:28,247 --> 00:06:31,189 you'll get an idea that there's some places 137 00:06:31,189 --> 00:06:35,041 that are more exciting. 138 00:06:35,041 --> 00:06:38,567 Usually, Joshua, Judges... 139 00:06:38,567 --> 00:06:40,163 they read pretty well, right? 140 00:06:40,163 --> 00:06:41,606 Numbers. 141 00:06:41,606 --> 00:06:44,324 That first chunk of 2 Chronicles. 142 00:06:44,324 --> 00:06:48,305 Those things can be difficult. 143 00:06:48,305 --> 00:06:54,479 Leviticus can be rather difficult. 144 00:06:54,479 --> 00:06:57,833 (incomplete thought) 145 00:06:57,833 --> 00:07:00,466 I can remember as a new Christian 146 00:07:00,466 --> 00:07:02,093 just starting to get out there 147 00:07:02,093 --> 00:07:04,767 into certain parts of Isaiah, 148 00:07:04,767 --> 00:07:07,196 certain parts of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, 149 00:07:07,196 --> 00:07:09,933 and it was just judgment, judgment, judgment, judgment. 150 00:07:09,933 --> 00:07:14,237 It was just kind of wearing me out. 151 00:07:14,237 --> 00:07:19,832 But God gives it to us for a reason. 152 00:07:19,832 --> 00:07:24,235 Remember, He that is absolutely perfect 153 00:07:24,235 --> 00:07:27,733 designed this book perfectly. 154 00:07:27,733 --> 00:07:30,402 He put what truth in it 155 00:07:30,402 --> 00:07:33,244 to the degree that He wanted it in there, 156 00:07:33,244 --> 00:07:36,618 He designed it. 157 00:07:36,618 --> 00:07:42,934 And look, Tawfiq is saying 158 00:07:42,934 --> 00:07:44,356 you need to read all of it. 159 00:07:44,356 --> 00:07:46,461 Yes, you need to read all of it. 160 00:07:46,461 --> 00:07:49,653 All of it is the Word of God. 161 00:07:49,653 --> 00:07:53,078 All of it is profitable for doctrine and reproof, 162 00:07:53,078 --> 00:07:55,143 for correction, for instruction. 163 00:07:55,143 --> 00:07:56,623 It definitely is. 164 00:07:56,623 --> 00:07:58,145 It's all inspired. 165 00:07:58,145 --> 00:08:00,156 I mean, if somebody just told me right now 166 00:08:00,156 --> 00:08:02,982 there was a whole book of the Bible that I had never read, 167 00:08:02,982 --> 00:08:06,751 I would go home right now and devour it. 168 00:08:06,751 --> 00:08:09,243 The Word of God thrills my soul. 169 00:08:09,243 --> 00:08:12,338 I want to be in it. 170 00:08:12,338 --> 00:08:14,510 But I know that there are some parts 171 00:08:14,510 --> 00:08:16,745 that are more difficult to go through. 172 00:08:16,745 --> 00:08:19,182 And so what you need to figure out is this: 173 00:08:19,182 --> 00:08:21,666 how to get through all of it 174 00:08:21,666 --> 00:08:23,168 and actually make it through 175 00:08:23,168 --> 00:08:25,038 without wearing yourself out. 176 00:08:25,038 --> 00:08:27,051 Look, I know this, 177 00:08:27,051 --> 00:08:30,735 that just what Hudson Taylor knew, 178 00:08:30,735 --> 00:08:33,036 there are certain parts of Scripture 179 00:08:33,036 --> 00:08:35,813 that can tend to be drier than other parts. 180 00:08:35,813 --> 00:08:40,824 Or at least that we have less expectation going in 181 00:08:40,824 --> 00:08:42,486 that it's going to be helpful, 182 00:08:42,486 --> 00:08:44,876 even though God can come like He did to Taylor 183 00:08:44,876 --> 00:08:48,064 there in Numbers 7. 184 00:08:48,064 --> 00:08:50,061 So it's very important that you pray, 185 00:08:50,061 --> 00:08:52,806 but look, the reality is, there's some parts of Scripture 186 00:08:52,806 --> 00:08:55,426 that are going to thrill your soul more than others. 187 00:08:55,426 --> 00:08:58,419 And you've got to figure out how to get through the hard parts. 188 00:08:58,419 --> 00:09:02,337 And typically, if you're wired this way, 189 00:09:02,337 --> 00:09:04,058 and you can start at Genesis 1:1 190 00:09:04,058 --> 00:09:07,454 and go all the way through, do it. 191 00:09:07,454 --> 00:09:09,544 Do it. 192 00:09:09,544 --> 00:09:13,137 You've got to do that sometimes. 193 00:09:13,137 --> 00:09:14,685 I mean, try that. 194 00:09:14,685 --> 00:09:17,911 You don't have to, but I recommend 195 00:09:17,911 --> 00:09:20,125 that you at least try to do that once. 196 00:09:20,125 --> 00:09:23,665 And look, if you're reading it at a fairly average clip, 197 00:09:23,665 --> 00:09:28,730 you ought to be able to go through the whole Bible in a year. 198 00:09:28,730 --> 00:09:34,305 Disciplined people set goals. 199 00:09:34,305 --> 00:09:36,950 Set a goal for when you're going to get up. 200 00:09:36,950 --> 00:09:41,124 Be goal-driven. 201 00:09:41,124 --> 00:09:45,178 Set a goal for how far you want to get. 202 00:09:45,178 --> 00:09:46,451 I mean, make the goal. 203 00:09:46,451 --> 00:09:51,129 I want to read through the Bible once this year. 204 00:09:51,129 --> 00:09:54,732 2013 is almost at hand. 205 00:09:54,732 --> 00:09:56,176 Sometimes there's a place 206 00:09:56,176 --> 00:09:58,664 wherever you are just to stop. 207 00:09:58,664 --> 00:10:04,400 Pick up the McCheyne Bible reading program 208 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,557 and just go through the whole Bible. 209 00:10:07,557 --> 00:10:09,347 I think that one actually takes you 210 00:10:09,347 --> 00:10:10,793 through the Old Testament once 211 00:10:10,793 --> 00:10:13,264 and the New Testament twice in one year. 212 00:10:13,264 --> 00:10:15,445 And it has you reading four different places 213 00:10:15,445 --> 00:10:16,896 in the Bible all the time. 214 00:10:16,896 --> 00:10:19,961 So the day you have to read Numbers 7, 215 00:10:19,961 --> 00:10:22,742 you also get to read several other places 216 00:10:22,742 --> 00:10:24,294 on the same day. 217 00:10:24,294 --> 00:10:25,896 And you can kind of mix it up. 218 00:10:25,896 --> 00:10:32,284 And when you read the McCheyne Bible reading schedule 219 00:10:32,284 --> 00:10:36,388 you're always in one of the Gospels I believe. 220 00:10:36,388 --> 00:10:41,997 I've gone through that a number of years. 221 00:10:41,997 --> 00:10:45,814 Please, brethren, don't just open your Bible randomly 222 00:10:45,814 --> 00:10:48,849 and read wherever. 223 00:10:48,849 --> 00:10:50,233 Read with a purpose. 224 00:10:50,233 --> 00:10:51,560 Read with a goal. 225 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:53,547 Read to get through the Scriptures. 226 00:10:53,547 --> 00:10:56,565 Read to accomplish reading 227 00:10:56,565 --> 00:11:00,258 everything that God has written to you. 228 00:11:00,258 --> 00:11:02,413 (incomplete thought) 229 00:11:02,413 --> 00:11:03,636 When I was first saved, 230 00:11:03,636 --> 00:11:05,426 I heard John MacArthur say 231 00:11:05,426 --> 00:11:07,084 that he recommended 232 00:11:07,084 --> 00:11:09,998 pick a book and read it through. 233 00:11:09,998 --> 00:11:12,313 Like 1 John. 234 00:11:12,313 --> 00:11:17,377 All the way through every day for 30 days. 235 00:11:17,377 --> 00:11:19,632 That's a great way too. 236 00:11:19,632 --> 00:11:23,135 Sometimes it's good to mix it up like that. 237 00:11:23,135 --> 00:11:26,779 You don't have to do it the same all the time. 238 00:11:26,779 --> 00:11:28,635 But be goal oriented. 239 00:11:28,635 --> 00:11:30,125 Give yourself a plan. 240 00:11:30,125 --> 00:11:32,676 Be disciplined and knock it out. 241 00:11:32,676 --> 00:11:35,190 If you've never read through the whole Bible 242 00:11:35,190 --> 00:11:37,600 in one year, do it. 243 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,436 If there's a certain book of the Bible 244 00:11:39,436 --> 00:11:41,366 that you want to become familiar with, 245 00:11:41,366 --> 00:11:43,725 do it, read Galatians once a day 246 00:11:43,725 --> 00:11:45,338 every day for 30 days. 247 00:11:45,338 --> 00:11:49,306 That will be immensely profitable to you. 248 00:11:49,306 --> 00:11:51,749 If it's a bigger book like Isaiah, 249 00:11:51,749 --> 00:11:54,105 you might want to break that up 250 00:11:54,105 --> 00:11:56,137 into quarters. 251 00:11:56,137 --> 00:11:58,371 And try to a quarter of it a day, 252 00:11:58,371 --> 00:12:00,987 or you might structure it so that you 253 00:12:00,987 --> 00:12:03,816 read through Isaiah once a week 254 00:12:03,816 --> 00:12:05,710 for four weeks. 255 00:12:05,710 --> 00:12:07,745 You do it four times. 256 00:12:07,745 --> 00:12:09,656 Something like that. 257 00:12:09,656 --> 00:12:12,002 The McCheyne - McCheyne's not the only one. 258 00:12:12,002 --> 00:12:13,084 I just bring him up 259 00:12:13,084 --> 00:12:15,943 because that's the one that I've been familiar with. 260 00:12:15,943 --> 00:12:20,924 Lots of people have created Bible reading schedules. 261 00:12:20,924 --> 00:12:22,541 Get you one. 262 00:12:22,541 --> 00:12:24,365 Do it with purpose. 263 00:12:24,365 --> 00:12:26,293 Give yourself to it. 264 00:12:26,293 --> 00:12:31,751 Go through like that. 265 00:12:31,751 --> 00:12:33,461 Brethren, every day. 266 00:12:33,461 --> 00:12:36,428 Every day, make it a practice, 267 00:12:36,428 --> 00:12:40,734 and unless you have some fluke schedule, 268 00:12:40,734 --> 00:12:42,669 start your day. 269 00:12:42,669 --> 00:12:45,446 Wake up. Get your coffee. Get your tea. 270 00:12:45,446 --> 00:12:47,064 Brush your teeth. Wash your face. 271 00:12:47,064 --> 00:12:48,440 Take your shower. 272 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,243 And then get in the Word. 273 00:12:50,243 --> 00:12:54,308 And brethren, I'll tell you one thing that kills it 274 00:12:54,308 --> 00:12:57,087 is when you try to bite off more than you can chew 275 00:12:57,087 --> 00:12:58,504 and then you get discouraged 276 00:12:58,504 --> 00:13:00,327 and you drop out. 277 00:13:00,327 --> 00:13:01,562 Don't do that. 278 00:13:01,562 --> 00:13:05,448 You're better off starting out 279 00:13:05,448 --> 00:13:07,625 with ten minutes 280 00:13:07,625 --> 00:13:10,447 and doing it faithfully every single day 281 00:13:10,447 --> 00:13:11,839 and continue to do it 282 00:13:11,839 --> 00:13:15,426 and then broaden to 15 or to 20. 283 00:13:15,426 --> 00:13:17,183 Or start with 20 minutes. 284 00:13:17,183 --> 00:13:18,662 If you suddenly start - 285 00:13:18,662 --> 00:13:20,706 I'm going to do it two hours. 286 00:13:20,706 --> 00:13:23,486 I'm going to read 8 chapters. 287 00:13:23,486 --> 00:13:27,303 There was a year when I tried to read 288 00:13:27,303 --> 00:13:30,217 a minimum of 8 chapters a day. 289 00:13:30,217 --> 00:13:36,515 I wanted to go through the Bible really fast. 290 00:13:36,515 --> 00:13:39,341 I just wanted the feel of that. 291 00:13:39,341 --> 00:13:41,246 I wanted to get lots of it quick. 292 00:13:41,246 --> 00:13:43,170 Not that I was going to stay anywhere 293 00:13:43,170 --> 00:13:44,502 real long and meditate, 294 00:13:44,502 --> 00:13:47,377 but I wanted the overall view of the whole Scripture, 295 00:13:47,377 --> 00:13:50,884 and I was trying to nail down at least 296 00:13:50,884 --> 00:13:53,306 8 - 10 chapters a day. 297 00:13:53,306 --> 00:13:54,745 But you know what? 298 00:13:54,745 --> 00:13:56,686 That's the kind of thing you know, 299 00:13:56,686 --> 00:13:59,123 you hear George Mueller prayed a certain amount 300 00:13:59,123 --> 00:14:01,072 or you come across Leonard Ravenhill 301 00:14:01,072 --> 00:14:03,344 and he said if you don't pray two hours a day, 302 00:14:03,344 --> 00:14:05,608 you're just basically sub par or something. 303 00:14:05,608 --> 00:14:07,896 Listen, if you get wrapped up 304 00:14:07,896 --> 00:14:09,275 in that kind of thing, 305 00:14:09,275 --> 00:14:12,289 and you're trying to measure up to somebody else, 306 00:14:12,289 --> 00:14:13,826 that's not the way to do it. 307 00:14:13,826 --> 00:14:16,412 The way to do it is, yeah, 308 00:14:16,412 --> 00:14:20,341 2013's going to start in two months, 309 00:14:20,341 --> 00:14:23,622 and I want to go through the whole Bible. 310 00:14:23,622 --> 00:14:27,206 And you can create your own Bible schedule 311 00:14:27,206 --> 00:14:28,816 or you can look at some of these. 312 00:14:28,816 --> 00:14:30,947 McCheyne's a good one. 313 00:14:30,947 --> 00:14:34,446 Doesn't it have you in four places at once? 314 00:14:34,446 --> 00:14:35,705 Yeah. 315 00:14:35,705 --> 00:14:38,612 You can be somewhere in the Pentateuch; 316 00:14:38,612 --> 00:14:40,746 you can be somewhere in the minor prophets; 317 00:14:40,746 --> 00:14:42,368 you can be somewhere in the epistles; 318 00:14:42,368 --> 00:14:44,070 and somewhere in one of the Gospel's. 319 00:14:44,070 --> 00:14:46,112 Tremendous way to read the Scriptures. 320 00:14:46,112 --> 00:14:48,946 That's four chapters a day. 321 00:14:48,946 --> 00:14:52,036 That's healthy. 322 00:14:52,036 --> 00:14:54,850 Go at half speed. 323 00:14:54,850 --> 00:14:56,664 Read half of each of those chapters. 324 00:14:56,664 --> 00:14:58,344 Or two of them. 325 00:14:58,344 --> 00:14:59,905 And flip flop back and forth 326 00:14:59,905 --> 00:15:02,369 and read the whole Bible in two years. 327 00:15:02,369 --> 00:15:04,606 Some are wired more for one than the other, 328 00:15:04,606 --> 00:15:07,782 but brethren, do it. 329 00:15:07,782 --> 00:15:10,879 And if you feel like, no, I want to read repetitiously; 330 00:15:10,879 --> 00:15:13,407 if you feel like I want to read John till I know it, 331 00:15:13,407 --> 00:15:14,777 do it. 332 00:15:14,777 --> 00:15:17,163 The most important thing is that you're doing it. 333 00:15:17,163 --> 00:15:19,168 That every day you're getting in there. 334 00:15:19,168 --> 00:15:21,315 Every day you're getting in there. 335 00:15:21,315 --> 00:15:26,342 Brethren, read to understand. 336 00:15:26,342 --> 00:15:29,097 (incomplete thought) 337 00:15:29,097 --> 00:15:30,553 Listen, every one of us 338 00:15:30,553 --> 00:15:33,725 that have been saved for any amount of time, 339 00:15:33,725 --> 00:15:35,844 we know what it's like to be trying to read 340 00:15:35,844 --> 00:15:39,816 in Leviticus, and you're like (nodding off). 341 00:15:39,816 --> 00:15:43,398 And you have to go back and read the last chapter over again. 342 00:15:43,398 --> 00:15:47,624 Then you're like, falling out on the thing. 343 00:15:47,624 --> 00:15:49,653 Anybody been there? Where you've tried 344 00:15:49,653 --> 00:15:51,938 to read the same paragraph like 10 times? 345 00:15:51,938 --> 00:15:54,959 Finally, you just give up. 346 00:15:54,959 --> 00:15:57,999 Brethren, if you're falling off to sleep at night, 347 00:15:57,999 --> 00:15:59,853 that might be an acceptable way, 348 00:15:59,853 --> 00:16:02,110 but that is not acceptable in the morning. 349 00:16:02,110 --> 00:16:04,898 That is not acceptable if it's happening to you every day. 350 00:16:04,898 --> 00:16:06,189 If it's happening to you, 351 00:16:06,189 --> 00:16:10,465 you're not getting to bed on time. 352 00:16:10,465 --> 00:16:13,559 And you know, I'm recommending that you do it 353 00:16:13,559 --> 00:16:16,687 before you launch out into your family, 354 00:16:16,687 --> 00:16:18,640 your work, your school, 355 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:20,635 interacting with others, 356 00:16:20,635 --> 00:16:22,464 but give the Lord your best. 357 00:16:22,464 --> 00:16:24,096 If you're just wired where 358 00:16:24,096 --> 00:16:26,688 you've got a chunk in the middle of your day 359 00:16:26,688 --> 00:16:27,727 and you're a student 360 00:16:27,727 --> 00:16:30,526 and you've got three hours between classes 361 00:16:30,526 --> 00:16:33,016 and you can sit down and you're wide awake 362 00:16:33,016 --> 00:16:34,302 at that time of the day, 363 00:16:34,302 --> 00:16:36,042 I'm certainly not going to discourage you. 364 00:16:36,042 --> 00:16:37,755 If you come in here and tell me that, 365 00:16:37,755 --> 00:16:39,336 I'm not going to call you a godless wretch 366 00:16:39,336 --> 00:16:41,677 because you didn't get up at 5 a.m. and do it. 367 00:16:41,677 --> 00:16:43,365 Brethren, the most important thing is 368 00:16:43,365 --> 00:16:44,945 you're getting that Word of God 369 00:16:44,945 --> 00:16:48,653 into your eyeballs and into your brain 370 00:16:48,653 --> 00:16:50,304 and into your thinking 371 00:16:50,304 --> 00:16:52,406 and renewing your mind with it. 372 00:16:52,406 --> 00:16:54,662 That's critical. 373 00:16:54,662 --> 00:16:56,825 Read to understand. 374 00:16:56,825 --> 00:16:58,398 Don't read when you're drowsy. 375 00:16:58,398 --> 00:17:02,087 Don't read when there's distractions. 376 00:17:02,087 --> 00:17:05,392 Brethren, it's no good if you're over at the table 377 00:17:05,392 --> 00:17:07,313 and somebody's trying to watch TV 378 00:17:07,313 --> 00:17:09,214 and you've got one eye over there 379 00:17:09,214 --> 00:17:11,362 and one eye in the book. 380 00:17:11,362 --> 00:17:12,940 You need to read this book 381 00:17:12,940 --> 00:17:15,401 with your whole-hearted devotion 382 00:17:15,401 --> 00:17:17,531 and attention. 383 00:17:17,531 --> 00:17:20,905 Don't read it where there's distraction. 384 00:17:20,905 --> 00:17:22,717 Sometimes you can read - 385 00:17:22,717 --> 00:17:25,451 I find I can sit at a Starbucks 386 00:17:25,451 --> 00:17:27,802 with music on, people talking, 387 00:17:27,802 --> 00:17:32,298 and I can lose myself in the white noise of it 388 00:17:32,298 --> 00:17:35,636 and be far less distracted than if I'm at home 389 00:17:35,636 --> 00:17:36,914 sitting in my office 390 00:17:36,914 --> 00:17:38,404 where when I'm trying to read, 391 00:17:38,404 --> 00:17:44,109 I keep noticing other things that I have to do. 392 00:17:44,109 --> 00:17:46,027 Wherever, brethren. 393 00:17:46,027 --> 00:17:48,918 Typically I do most of my reading 394 00:17:48,918 --> 00:17:52,171 before we have family devotions. 395 00:17:52,171 --> 00:17:55,214 I try between 6 and 7. 396 00:17:55,214 --> 00:17:57,972 From 7 till 7:30, I'm trying to study 397 00:17:57,972 --> 00:17:59,330 for my family devotions, 398 00:17:59,330 --> 00:18:03,091 but from 6 to 7 is that allotted hour 399 00:18:03,091 --> 00:18:05,026 that I want to give myself to my own 400 00:18:05,026 --> 00:18:07,969 personal and devotional Bible reading. 401 00:18:07,969 --> 00:18:09,810 When I go out praying, I may take 402 00:18:09,810 --> 00:18:12,427 my small testament for Bible memorization 403 00:18:12,427 --> 00:18:15,391 or if while I'm praying, a verse comes to mind, 404 00:18:15,391 --> 00:18:17,609 and I take a small, tiny little Bible with me. 405 00:18:17,609 --> 00:18:21,775 But the big one comes out in the morning. 406 00:18:21,775 --> 00:18:23,932 Tawfiq: Can I say something 407 00:18:23,932 --> 00:18:26,611 to being careful of the distractions? 408 00:18:26,611 --> 00:18:29,779 I know a lot of us have Bibles on our phones 409 00:18:29,779 --> 00:18:31,335 and that can be a good thing, 410 00:18:31,335 --> 00:18:32,753 (incomplete thought), 411 00:18:32,753 --> 00:18:34,511 because if you're reading your Bible 412 00:18:34,511 --> 00:18:36,566 and you get a text message, 413 00:18:36,566 --> 00:18:38,992 it can easily distract you. 414 00:18:38,992 --> 00:18:41,301 So like Pastor Tim said, 415 00:18:41,301 --> 00:18:42,952 you have to know yourself. 416 00:18:42,952 --> 00:18:46,545 You have to know your limitations. 417 00:18:46,545 --> 00:18:49,420 It's really good to have that paper 418 00:18:49,420 --> 00:18:52,650 if that digital screen would distract you. 419 00:18:52,650 --> 00:18:55,610 Tim: Yeah, I have a sleep function on my Mac 420 00:18:55,610 --> 00:18:58,252 and you know what? That's good to kick that in. 421 00:18:58,252 --> 00:19:02,302 I don't need to have a computer screen on 422 00:19:02,302 --> 00:19:05,122 right in front of my Bible 423 00:19:05,122 --> 00:19:06,801 if it's going to be a distraction. 424 00:19:06,801 --> 00:19:08,416 You guys know what distracts you. 425 00:19:08,416 --> 00:19:09,551 Be honest. 426 00:19:09,551 --> 00:19:13,212 If your phone is distracting you, turn it off. 427 00:19:13,212 --> 00:19:15,099 If your computer is distracting to you, 428 00:19:15,099 --> 00:19:16,125 turn it off. 429 00:19:16,125 --> 00:19:19,561 If there's any distractions, turn them off. 430 00:19:19,561 --> 00:19:20,726 Brethren, pray. 431 00:19:20,726 --> 00:19:21,869 George Whitefield. 432 00:19:21,869 --> 00:19:23,100 Many of you know this. 433 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:24,809 "Above all, my mind being now 434 00:19:24,809 --> 00:19:26,236 more opened and enlarged, 435 00:19:26,236 --> 00:19:28,369 I began to read the Holy Scriptures 436 00:19:28,369 --> 00:19:30,392 upon my knees, 437 00:19:30,392 --> 00:19:33,334 laying aside all other books 438 00:19:33,334 --> 00:19:34,908 and praying over, if possible, 439 00:19:34,908 --> 00:19:38,446 every line and word. 440 00:19:38,446 --> 00:19:39,998 I got more true knowledge 441 00:19:39,998 --> 00:19:42,319 from reading the book of God in one month 442 00:19:42,319 --> 00:19:43,831 than I could ever have acquired 443 00:19:43,831 --> 00:19:48,390 from all the writings of men." 444 00:19:48,390 --> 00:19:55,025 I strongly recommend that you do not have study bibles 445 00:19:55,025 --> 00:20:00,052 if you are prone to go look at the notes all the time. 446 00:20:00,052 --> 00:20:02,576 Let God speak to you through His Word 447 00:20:02,576 --> 00:20:06,555 without John MacArthur's interpretation. 448 00:20:06,555 --> 00:20:10,465 You do not need that. 449 00:20:10,465 --> 00:20:13,573 If you don't have discipline to read God's Word 450 00:20:13,573 --> 00:20:15,167 and to hear God's voice 451 00:20:15,167 --> 00:20:17,070 and meditate on His Word 452 00:20:17,070 --> 00:20:19,912 before you run to the commentary on it, 453 00:20:19,912 --> 00:20:25,105 don't get a study Bible. 454 00:20:25,105 --> 00:20:26,494 Whitefield is right. 455 00:20:26,494 --> 00:20:30,471 The Word of God is pure. 456 00:20:30,471 --> 00:20:33,465 John MacArthur's interpretation of that Word 457 00:20:33,465 --> 00:20:36,245 is not always. 458 00:20:36,245 --> 00:20:43,729 The best men have wrong interpretations. 459 00:20:43,729 --> 00:20:47,006 And I would just say this, 460 00:20:47,006 --> 00:20:49,078 if you're going to read to profit, 461 00:20:49,078 --> 00:20:53,137 ask questions of the text. 462 00:20:53,137 --> 00:20:55,590 I mean, come to God's Word, 463 00:20:55,590 --> 00:20:59,347 like I just read to you. 464 00:20:59,347 --> 00:21:03,866 Here is Asa. 465 00:21:03,866 --> 00:21:05,639 Ask yourself questions. 466 00:21:05,639 --> 00:21:11,650 Asa is clearly - something about his life 467 00:21:11,650 --> 00:21:15,968 is being pinpointed as not being good. 468 00:21:15,968 --> 00:21:20,707 He sought doctors first. 469 00:21:20,707 --> 00:21:22,001 You ask yourself this - 470 00:21:22,001 --> 00:21:23,565 ask questions of the text. 471 00:21:23,565 --> 00:21:30,588 Is Asa a godly example or an ungodly example? 472 00:21:30,588 --> 00:21:32,666 So you have to know your Bibles somewhat. 473 00:21:32,666 --> 00:21:34,331 You need to be reading your Bible. 474 00:21:34,331 --> 00:21:36,046 You need to know the context. 475 00:21:36,046 --> 00:21:41,375 Is he a good guy or a bad guy? 476 00:21:41,375 --> 00:21:44,600 What do you say? 477 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:45,978 What's that? 478 00:21:45,978 --> 00:21:49,084 Yeah, he's one of the good kings. 479 00:21:49,084 --> 00:21:50,679 He was one of the good kings. 480 00:21:50,679 --> 00:21:54,224 And you would want to compare this to 2 Kings. 481 00:21:54,224 --> 00:21:57,095 Because when you get these synonymous accounts 482 00:21:57,095 --> 00:21:58,408 you can compare them. 483 00:21:58,408 --> 00:22:01,229 Just like in the synoptic Gospels, 484 00:22:01,229 --> 00:22:03,193 you can compare these accounts. 485 00:22:03,193 --> 00:22:08,431 So he's a good king, but he did a bad thing. 486 00:22:08,431 --> 00:22:11,062 I mean, you're asking yourself questions. 487 00:22:11,062 --> 00:22:12,097 Is he a good king? 488 00:22:12,097 --> 00:22:13,799 Is this something I should imitate? 489 00:22:13,799 --> 00:22:16,018 No, he's a good king, but this is something 490 00:22:16,018 --> 00:22:16,980 I shouldn't imitate. 491 00:22:16,980 --> 00:22:19,375 It's kind of like Lot. 492 00:22:19,375 --> 00:22:20,704 Is he righteous? Yes. 493 00:22:20,704 --> 00:22:23,296 Scripture tells us "righteous Lot." 494 00:22:23,296 --> 00:22:24,898 We brought it up the other day. 495 00:22:24,898 --> 00:22:26,738 When he offered his daughters 496 00:22:26,738 --> 00:22:29,262 to the homosexuals, the Sodomites, 497 00:22:29,262 --> 00:22:31,682 was that a good thing? 498 00:22:31,682 --> 00:22:34,386 So you have to be asking questions of the text. 499 00:22:34,386 --> 00:22:36,753 (incomplete thought) 500 00:22:36,753 --> 00:22:39,000 When God finds fault with Asa 501 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,501 for not pursuing Him before the doctors, 502 00:22:41,501 --> 00:22:46,913 what does that teach me about God? 503 00:22:46,913 --> 00:22:51,065 Oh brethren, theology proper. 504 00:22:51,065 --> 00:22:53,458 The theology of God. 505 00:22:53,458 --> 00:22:55,464 If there's anything we want to find out 506 00:22:55,464 --> 00:22:56,725 when we go to God's Word, 507 00:22:56,725 --> 00:22:58,371 it is who our God is. 508 00:22:58,371 --> 00:23:00,024 What does it teach us about God 509 00:23:00,024 --> 00:23:02,661 when you find God finding fault with Asa 510 00:23:02,661 --> 00:23:06,115 for seeking doctors before he sought God? 511 00:23:06,115 --> 00:23:09,275 What does that teach you about God? 512 00:23:09,275 --> 00:23:10,679 He wants to be sought first. 513 00:23:10,679 --> 00:23:11,832 He wants to be trusted. 514 00:23:11,832 --> 00:23:13,352 He wants to be looked to. 515 00:23:13,352 --> 00:23:16,183 You read that text in the Old Testament. 516 00:23:16,183 --> 00:23:18,244 If you're asking questions of the text - 517 00:23:18,244 --> 00:23:19,856 I just threw down some questions 518 00:23:19,856 --> 00:23:22,466 that I think are very relevant for asking yourself. 519 00:23:22,466 --> 00:23:24,249 This will help you. 520 00:23:24,249 --> 00:23:26,653 Don't just read blindly. 521 00:23:26,653 --> 00:23:27,888 Ask. Ask. 522 00:23:27,888 --> 00:23:30,390 What is this teaching me about God? 523 00:23:30,390 --> 00:23:32,753 What does this teach me or reveal to me 524 00:23:32,753 --> 00:23:35,093 that I need to believe about God? 525 00:23:35,093 --> 00:23:39,792 Does it reveal something I need to thank God for? 526 00:23:39,792 --> 00:23:43,773 Should something I'm reading here produce praise? 527 00:23:43,773 --> 00:23:47,029 Does it reveal something I need to repent of? 528 00:23:47,029 --> 00:23:49,732 Does it reveal sin in my life? 529 00:23:49,732 --> 00:23:51,426 Does it reveal something 530 00:23:51,426 --> 00:23:54,850 that should influence the way I pray? 531 00:23:54,850 --> 00:23:56,940 (incomplete thought) 532 00:23:56,940 --> 00:23:59,003 This influences me to pray. 533 00:23:59,003 --> 00:24:04,067 Brethren, if all of a sudden I get sick, 534 00:24:04,067 --> 00:24:05,460 or I get a headache, 535 00:24:05,460 --> 00:24:07,160 or my child is ill, 536 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,267 or they get a disease... 537 00:24:10,267 --> 00:24:13,473 Father, You find fault with Asa 538 00:24:13,473 --> 00:24:15,445 for running straight to the doctor. 539 00:24:15,445 --> 00:24:18,154 I'm coming to You, but Lord, 540 00:24:18,154 --> 00:24:21,102 if You don't rise up and intervene 541 00:24:21,102 --> 00:24:23,809 when Your people are coming, 542 00:24:23,809 --> 00:24:25,318 then what good is it? 543 00:24:25,318 --> 00:24:28,023 Lord, why would You tell us to come to You first 544 00:24:28,023 --> 00:24:31,906 if You never help us? 545 00:24:31,906 --> 00:24:33,984 If when we come to You, You don't help us 546 00:24:33,984 --> 00:24:36,257 and we have to go to the doctor then, 547 00:24:36,257 --> 00:24:38,838 what good is it for You to tell us in Your Word 548 00:24:38,838 --> 00:24:41,819 that we should come to You first? 549 00:24:41,819 --> 00:24:43,451 Father, why would You tell us that 550 00:24:43,451 --> 00:24:47,117 unless You are going to do what the doctors can't do? 551 00:24:47,117 --> 00:24:49,911 And if we time and time and time again go to You first 552 00:24:49,911 --> 00:24:52,237 and You're not doing what the doctor's can't do 553 00:24:52,237 --> 00:24:54,968 and we have to go to the doctors to get any help at all, 554 00:24:54,968 --> 00:24:59,204 why would You tell us that in Your Word? 555 00:24:59,204 --> 00:25:02,234 Do you think there's a place to pray that way? I do. 556 00:25:02,234 --> 00:25:04,618 I think there's a way to pray definitely that way. 557 00:25:04,618 --> 00:25:06,179 Father, You told us. 558 00:25:06,179 --> 00:25:10,860 This is given to us, brethren, for our doctrine, 559 00:25:10,860 --> 00:25:16,427 for our teaching, for correction. 560 00:25:16,427 --> 00:25:17,944 You know what correction is. 561 00:25:17,944 --> 00:25:19,919 I'm going in a wrong way. 562 00:25:19,919 --> 00:25:21,725 Correction is God's Word moves me 563 00:25:21,725 --> 00:25:22,887 to the right way. 564 00:25:22,887 --> 00:25:25,392 And so if I'm going to the doctor without praying, 565 00:25:25,392 --> 00:25:27,351 this is good for correction. 566 00:25:27,351 --> 00:25:30,599 It moves me into the right way. 567 00:25:30,599 --> 00:25:32,280 For instruction in righteousness. 568 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,612 This shows me how to live a righteous life. 569 00:25:34,612 --> 00:25:38,818 A righteous life is living by faith. 570 00:25:38,818 --> 00:25:40,770 And God is telling us to live by faith. 571 00:25:40,770 --> 00:25:42,281 Don't just run to the doctors 572 00:25:42,281 --> 00:25:43,840 and don't just run to the nurses 573 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,304 and don't run to the medical authorities. 574 00:25:47,304 --> 00:25:51,586 Don't just go to Texas Med Clinic 575 00:25:51,586 --> 00:25:55,490 until you get on your face. 576 00:25:55,490 --> 00:26:01,163 You've got a problem in your family? Get the whole family on their knees. 577 00:26:01,163 --> 00:26:03,942 My daughter had a serious problem. 578 00:26:03,942 --> 00:26:06,858 We anointed her with oil and we prayed over her. 579 00:26:06,858 --> 00:26:08,601 And God wasn't pleased to heal her 580 00:26:08,601 --> 00:26:13,073 and we took her to the hospital. 581 00:26:13,073 --> 00:26:15,186 (incomplete thought) 582 00:26:15,186 --> 00:26:18,541 There's some people who will never take their kids to the hospital. 583 00:26:18,541 --> 00:26:20,777 I'm not saying that. 584 00:26:20,777 --> 00:26:24,088 That may be the way that the Lord's going to deal with it. 585 00:26:24,088 --> 00:26:25,789 But don't start there. 586 00:26:25,789 --> 00:26:32,857 Start by running to the Lord. Lord, what would You have me to do? 587 00:26:32,857 --> 00:26:35,329 Ask these questions. 588 00:26:35,329 --> 00:26:37,729 Does it reveal something 589 00:26:37,729 --> 00:26:40,144 I need to change my thinking about? 590 00:26:40,144 --> 00:26:43,409 Brethren, think with me here, 591 00:26:43,409 --> 00:26:47,550 every single encounter with Scripture 592 00:26:47,550 --> 00:26:50,606 ought to confront something about you, 593 00:26:50,606 --> 00:26:51,869 about your sin, 594 00:26:51,869 --> 00:26:53,382 about the way you think of God, 595 00:26:53,382 --> 00:26:55,922 about your faith - everything. 596 00:26:55,922 --> 00:26:58,028 Every encounter with Scripture 597 00:26:58,028 --> 00:27:00,127 ought to be correcting. 598 00:27:00,127 --> 00:27:02,915 It ought to be instilling something. 599 00:27:02,915 --> 00:27:05,054 It ought to be showing you truth. 600 00:27:05,054 --> 00:27:06,850 It ought to be causing you 601 00:27:06,850 --> 00:27:08,614 to refine your thinking. 602 00:27:08,614 --> 00:27:11,490 Something. 603 00:27:11,490 --> 00:27:15,091 Scripture demands a response from us. 604 00:27:15,091 --> 00:27:16,885 It is God's voice. 605 00:27:16,885 --> 00:27:20,697 He's looking to us to respond to His Word 606 00:27:20,697 --> 00:27:27,738 in praise, in awe, in repentance, in faith. 607 00:27:27,738 --> 00:27:29,087 Remember that. 608 00:27:29,087 --> 00:27:30,595 I need to go to God's Word 609 00:27:30,595 --> 00:27:33,014 and God is expecting response. 610 00:27:33,014 --> 00:27:34,404 Trembling. 611 00:27:34,404 --> 00:27:35,741 To this man will I look. 612 00:27:35,741 --> 00:27:39,040 Trembling at His Word is a response. 613 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,661 Believing His Word is a response. 614 00:27:41,661 --> 00:27:42,828 When you walk away 615 00:27:42,828 --> 00:27:45,090 feeling a thrill in your soul, 616 00:27:45,090 --> 00:27:47,763 brethren, I find that thrilling to my soul 617 00:27:47,763 --> 00:27:50,518 that God doesn't want us going to the doctors first. 618 00:27:50,518 --> 00:27:52,532 Don't you? 619 00:27:52,532 --> 00:27:58,508 I mean, I find that something to rejoice over. 620 00:27:58,508 --> 00:28:00,319 I find that something that my faith 621 00:28:00,319 --> 00:28:04,459 can lay its teeth into. 622 00:28:04,459 --> 00:28:07,544 I love that! 623 00:28:07,544 --> 00:28:13,567 God doesn't want us to go there first. 624 00:28:13,567 --> 00:28:15,693 But some response. 625 00:28:15,693 --> 00:28:21,706 As Donald Whitney in his Spiritual Disciplines, 626 00:28:21,706 --> 00:28:25,966 he says if you can just come away 627 00:28:25,966 --> 00:28:31,288 from Scripture with one thing; 628 00:28:31,288 --> 00:28:33,631 (incomplete thought) 629 00:28:33,631 --> 00:28:38,317 I have a feeling that if we really looked at it exactly, 630 00:28:38,317 --> 00:28:42,328 how many an hour after they've read their Bible, 631 00:28:42,328 --> 00:28:44,102 don't remember anything they've read. 632 00:28:44,102 --> 00:28:45,648 It doesn't come into their mind. 633 00:28:45,648 --> 00:28:46,982 And they go through the day 634 00:28:46,982 --> 00:28:48,609 not thinking about what they read. 635 00:28:48,609 --> 00:28:50,903 But if you can shut your Bible 636 00:28:50,903 --> 00:28:53,488 and remember one thing; 637 00:28:53,488 --> 00:28:56,314 if you can key in on one thought, 638 00:28:56,314 --> 00:28:58,481 let it really register in your mind 639 00:28:58,481 --> 00:29:02,935 and give enough time on that thought, 640 00:29:02,935 --> 00:29:06,652 meditate sufficiently on it, 641 00:29:06,652 --> 00:29:11,129 and sometimes it may be 2 or 3 things, 642 00:29:11,129 --> 00:29:13,888 but if you can lay a marker down - 643 00:29:13,888 --> 00:29:15,401 a mental marker - 644 00:29:15,401 --> 00:29:19,380 one thing, one reality, one truth, 645 00:29:19,380 --> 00:29:24,004 if you can remember at least that one thing, 646 00:29:24,004 --> 00:29:28,189 you'll typically be miles ahead of what most people 647 00:29:28,189 --> 00:29:30,552 leave their Bible reading with. 648 00:29:30,552 --> 00:29:32,835 And brethren, if you just do that 649 00:29:32,835 --> 00:29:36,301 365 times out of the year, 650 00:29:36,301 --> 00:29:38,669 you come away from your Bible reading 651 00:29:38,669 --> 00:29:41,038 with one thing that you're able to carry with you 652 00:29:41,038 --> 00:29:44,394 into the day several hours or through the whole day, 653 00:29:44,394 --> 00:29:46,257 brethren, do you know what that does 654 00:29:46,257 --> 00:29:49,921 in a lifetime? 655 00:29:49,921 --> 00:29:53,093 Massively profitable. 656 00:29:53,093 --> 00:29:56,074 And I think it will really help if you're asking questions. 657 00:29:56,074 --> 00:29:57,408 If you're asking questions: 658 00:29:57,408 --> 00:29:59,293 What does this teach me about God? 659 00:29:59,293 --> 00:30:00,621 You ask those questions. 660 00:30:00,621 --> 00:30:02,928 Those little markers are going to come. 661 00:30:02,928 --> 00:30:05,857 Because as you're answering those questions, 662 00:30:05,857 --> 00:30:08,175 as you're saying what does this teach me about God? 663 00:30:08,175 --> 00:30:09,664 What does this teach me about me? 664 00:30:09,664 --> 00:30:11,489 What does this teach me about the devil? 665 00:30:11,489 --> 00:30:13,707 What does this teach me about my world I live in? 666 00:30:13,707 --> 00:30:16,617 What does this teach me about the way man is? 667 00:30:16,617 --> 00:30:19,039 What does this teach me about sin? 668 00:30:19,039 --> 00:30:21,608 What does this teach me I ought to be repenting of? 669 00:30:21,608 --> 00:30:23,788 How does this teach me how to fight 670 00:30:23,788 --> 00:30:25,128 this good fight of faith? 671 00:30:25,128 --> 00:30:28,189 What does this teach me about Christ? 672 00:30:28,189 --> 00:30:29,578 What does this teach me 673 00:30:29,578 --> 00:30:33,233 about how I ought to relate to Christ? 674 00:30:33,233 --> 00:30:35,488 You're just asking all these questions. 675 00:30:35,488 --> 00:30:38,883 How does my encounter with Scripture, 676 00:30:38,883 --> 00:30:42,709 what sort of response is demanded from me? 677 00:30:42,709 --> 00:30:44,972 You're asking that kind of question. 678 00:30:44,972 --> 00:30:46,289 It will be so helpful. 679 00:30:46,289 --> 00:30:48,557 And then you take one of those things 680 00:30:48,557 --> 00:30:50,293 that seem significant to you 681 00:30:50,293 --> 00:30:52,983 and you just try to make a mental marker of it. 682 00:30:52,983 --> 00:30:55,029 You give enough time to thinking about it 683 00:30:55,029 --> 00:30:56,498 right there at that moment 684 00:30:56,498 --> 00:30:58,783 that when you walk away and you're driving to work 685 00:30:58,783 --> 00:31:01,440 or you're walking to work or you're going somewhere, 686 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,354 you're on your way to church, 687 00:31:04,354 --> 00:31:06,622 it comes back to you. 688 00:31:06,622 --> 00:31:09,151 Wow! God taught me this morning 689 00:31:09,151 --> 00:31:14,123 He doesn't want me looking to doctors first. 690 00:31:14,123 --> 00:31:23,167 That's huge! 691 00:31:23,167 --> 00:31:26,369 Tawfiq: Something I find extremely profitable 692 00:31:26,369 --> 00:31:28,727 right on the heels of what he was just saying, 693 00:31:28,727 --> 00:31:31,454 because after we read, 694 00:31:31,454 --> 00:31:33,232 there is a tendency to pray 695 00:31:33,232 --> 00:31:36,535 before and after you read, 696 00:31:36,535 --> 00:31:38,540 because if you don't think 697 00:31:38,540 --> 00:31:40,897 that the enemy of your soul 698 00:31:40,897 --> 00:31:44,829 is crouching at the door ready to grab 699 00:31:44,829 --> 00:31:47,278 the very things that you just read, 700 00:31:47,278 --> 00:31:50,699 desiring to distract you with everything else, 701 00:31:50,699 --> 00:31:53,110 then you've forgotten that this is a war. 702 00:31:53,110 --> 00:31:56,785 So highly, highly encourage to pray 703 00:31:56,785 --> 00:32:00,399 before, even during - 704 00:32:00,399 --> 00:32:03,111 you read something, praying that the Lord 705 00:32:03,111 --> 00:32:08,046 would help you to, the Bible says, to hold fast 706 00:32:08,046 --> 00:32:13,917 to the Word with patience and endurance.