“What is the best safe-guard against false teaching? Beyond all doubt the regular study of the word of God, with prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Bible was given to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm. 119:105.) The man who reads it aright will never be allowed greatly to err.”~ J.C. Ryle
Dwight L. Moody had quite a bit to say about the Bible; Marking it, studying it, reading it. Even J.C. Ryle, himself, is said, from his publishers,Charles Nolan Publishers:
“From his conversion [in 1837] to his burial [in 1900], J.C. Ryle was entirely one-dimensional. He was a one-book man; he was steeped in Scripture; he bled the Bible. As only Ryle could say, ‘It is still the first book which fits the child’s mind when he begins to learn religion, and the last to which the old man clings as he leaves the world.’
This was a man who felt that to understand the Bible and to grow as a Christian, a follower of Christ, one had to understand the Bible and part of that including taking the time to read it, not just one’s favorite passages, or based on popular studies, but all of it, in context and in depth and with time that was needed to read the Bible.
Something that seems hard to come by these days, but it seemed the norm at one time.
Ironically, we are able to make time for anything else but that and not to say, I’ve been doing that well.
We live in a busy world, there’s no doubt about that.
I had wanted to focus on memorizing scripture for a year, and then the everday events of life happen.
Even now, it sometimes feel like I’m a hamster running in a wheel that is going nowhere but just round and round, but there are many moments, when I have to just STOP.
Notice how even the Ferris Wheels, after taking its passengers round and round, pauses, allowing each person time to get out, emptying of its passengers, before the next trip around the Ferris Wheel.
Its something that we need to add to our lives, a pause button; Something that yes, is so much easier said then done if you are a new mom, working from the home, work away from the home, whatever it is that life’s situation is before you.
With it though, too, is learning to read for oneself, to,”Study to show thyself approved….(ref. 2 Timothy 2:15) and what is often so difficult for many, a sense of humility that we are not just teachers, but also students and part of that, is both the teachers and students, listening to each other.
We’re never going to be one hundred perfect and will make mistakes, but its easy to slip in the sarcastic thought then, does that mean to just make mistakes? No…that’s when grace comes in…a grace that shows compassion, understanding and empathy that we will all slip up somewhere, but the grace to allow the time, to pick oneself back up and try again.
J.C. Ryle’s quote reminded me of visiting once a home that had the shades drawn and the light on at minimum but there was still more shadows than light of any type. The house smelled musty and we were sitting more in shadows than illumination, the home felt unwelcoming and I had to watch where I walked.
Open the blinds, let in the sun (or turn on the lamps if its night), spending time in God’s Word, gives us a better understanding of His Word.
Living in a time with modern technology, many reading plans, its hard to go wrong when we don’t allow ourselves to be shut in with what we don’t know than when we open the blinds and discover what we could know.
Ever participated in an,“In Other Words” Tuesday? Drop by and discover what other participants have to say each week with an inspiring quote!
© 2012, Sunflower Faith. All rights reserved.
2 Comments
Very good. We may not be scholars but we still need to study God’s word. What we may not understand today may some day become clear to us. If not we can ask questions in Heaven.
Karen Gillett(Quote) (Reply)
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Twitter: heresmycuplord
Okay. This is beyond good. You have convinced me to jump back in to those mv’s I had set aside.
Ginger recently posted..Standing with My Man
Ginger(Quote) (Reply)
Like or Dislike:
0 
0