The necessity of daily Bible reading
(J.R. Miller, "Living Victoriously")
Colossians 3:16
Probably prayer is less neglected in devotions,
than is the reading of the Bible. Many people
who would not go out any morning without
a few moments of prayer, will go forth day
after day into the thick of life's duties and
perils, without reading even a verse of Scripture!
They feel the necessity of asking
GOD to keep, guide and bless them--
but they fail to realize that it is in and
through meditating on HIS WORD,
that GOD chiefly gives HIS richest
and best blessings.
It is in HIS Word, that GOD reveals
HIMSELF. We cannot know what HE is like,
nor what the attributes of HIS character are--
unless we ponder the Scriptures.
We cannot learn what GOD'S will is,
nor what HE would have us to do and to be--
if we do not look into HIS WORD. There is
nothing that we need more, than to hear GOD
speaking to us every morning. This is possible,
only as we open the Bible and let its words
whisper their messages to us.
HIMSELF. We cannot know what HE is like,
nor what the attributes of HIS character are--
unless we ponder the Scriptures.
We cannot learn what GOD'S will is,
nor what HE would have us to do and to be--
if we do not look into HIS WORD. There is
nothing that we need more, than to hear GOD
speaking to us every morning. This is possible,
only as we open the Bible and let its words
whisper their messages to us.
No matter how familiar we may be with
the teachings of the Scriptures, we need
to ponder them anew every morning to keep
their pure ideals and lofty requirements ever
before us, lest we allow our standard of holy
living to be lowered.
A celebrated painter always kept some
purely-colored stones on his table. When
asked by a visitor why he did so, he said
it was to keep his eye up to tone.
When he was working in pigments,
unconsciously his sense of color was
weakened. By keeping a pure color near
him he brought his eye up to tone again,
just as the musician by his tuning-fork
brings himself up to the right pitch.
In the same way, we continually need to
turn to GOD'S WORD to keep our thoughts,
and character, and life up to the true standard.
Rubenstein used to say that he could never
omit his daily practice on the piano, for if he
did, the quality of his playing would at once
begin to deteriorate. He said that if he
missed practice for three days--
the public would know it;
if he missed practice for two days--
his friends would know it; and if he
did not practice for even one day--
he himself knew it!
It is no less true in Christian life,
that in order to keep its holy tone
up to what it should be, there must
never be a break in the continuity
of the study of GOD'S WORD.
If we leave off for only one day, we shall
become conscious of a loss of power
in living. If for two successive days
we fail to look into GOD'S perfect
law, our friends around us will notice
the failure in the beauty, the sweetness
and the grace of our character and disposition.
If for three days we fail to study the Scriptures,
to see how GOD would have us live, even
the people of the world will see a lowering
of the spiritual quality of our life!
One of the ways the Bible helps us,
is by making CHRIST known to us.
The noblest Christian is he before
whose eyes, the character of JESUS
shines in brightest splendor. Indeed,
it is only when we have clear visions
of CHRIST, that we really grow like HIM.
is by making CHRIST known to us.
The noblest Christian is he before
whose eyes, the character of JESUS
shines in brightest splendor. Indeed,
it is only when we have clear visions
of CHRIST, that we really grow like HIM.
"It seems to me," says a writer, "that
nowadays men think and talk too much
about improving their own character--
but meditate too little on the perfectness
of the divine character."
CHRIST will never appear really great
in our eyes, unless we make HIS WORD
our daily study. And only as HE becomes
great and glorious in our thought--
will our character and standard of life
be lifted up to what they should be.
nowadays men think and talk too much
about improving their own character--
but meditate too little on the perfectness
of the divine character."
CHRIST will never appear really great
in our eyes, unless we make HIS WORD
our daily study. And only as HE becomes
great and glorious in our thought--
will our character and standard of life
be lifted up to what they should be.
Many of the blessings we seek in prayer,
can come to us only through the Word of GOD:
We ask to be kept near the heart of CHRIST--
but our MASTER tells us that only those who
keep HIS commandments shall abide in HIS love.
In order to keep HIS commandments,
we must know them--
and we can know them only
by reading and re-reading them.
but our MASTER tells us that only those who
keep HIS commandments shall abide in HIS love.
In order to keep HIS commandments,
we must know them--
and we can know them only
by reading and re-reading them.
We ask GOD in the morning to guide us
through the day, and in one of the psalms
is the prayer,
to YOUR Word." (Psalm 119:133a)
That is, GOD leads us by HIS Word.
If then we do not read the words of GOD,
how can we get HIS guidance?
The leading HE promises is not general,
by long stretches--
but by little steps. The Psalmist says,
(Psalm 119:105)
It is not said that prayer is the lamp--
but the Word. We must carry it in our
hand, too, as one carries a lantern
to throw its beams about his feet.
We pray to be kept from sin, and in
the Scriptures one says,
that I might not sin against YOU."
(Psalm 119:11)
Our prayers to be kept from sin, can
be answered only by getting the Word
of GOD into our heart!
These are suggestions of the necessity
of reading the Bible daily, as well as
of praying. Neither is complete in
itself alone. We must talk to GOD--
but we must also listen to GOD talk
to us through HIS Word.
We must pray for blessings--
but only through the divine words
of Scripture, can these blessings
come to us.
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