Author Archives: Mark Herzer

Why read Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening? (I)

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For over a decade, I’ve never seen the value of reading Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. Everywhere I turned, a new edition of this daily devotional popped up. Beautiful leather bound renditions, soft leatherettes, large, small, gilded, with built in bookmarks, etc. and then were the myriads of electronic versions. Yet, from what I had read over the years, I was not impressed. In fact, I was very much persuaded that he was an awful exegete and that Spurgeon truly misrepresented what the text taught. Mind you, I have read hundreds of Spurgeon sermons and have been blessed greatly by them. In short, I am a staunch Spurgeon fan! But his Morning and Evening did nothing for me.

Then something happened in 2009 when I was reading a theological blog I frequent to keep up with what is going on in modern Reformed theology. One of the bloggers (a pastor of some repute) simply quoted a large selection from one of Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening entries. The words melted my heart and struck me as wise, pertinent, grave, and deeply spiritual. In a paragraph or two, I saw a depth of insight and wisdom in Spurgeon which I had proudly thought escaped him. The blogger said it had been his regular practice to read Morning and Evening on a daily basis. This piqued my interest since I have often been drawn to other people’s long term devotional practices. Though I maintain my own devotional practices, I have always been challenged by and interested in the godly habits of eminent saints.

After reading the particular selection from Spurgeon, I determined before God to read him for my own spiritual nourishment. I am now about finished reading through his entire Morning and Evening since my practice has been to read him before or after reading Scripture (preferably after) each day. On the days I have not been able to read him, I kept an accurate record of the days I missed to catch up in the near future. Though it is designed to be read in the morning and in the evening, I read both in the morning. I would like to offer a few observations that have helped me to overcome my misconceived bias.

Spurgeon’s Interpretations

Spurgeon does not always interpret passages according to the context. He often takes the general thought of the verse or a portion of a verse to plumb the suggestions imparted by the words. What he has to say is not wrong, though it may not be entirely found in that text (though his thoughts are scriptural through and through). That has always been my biggest complaint, but having read most of his weighty reflections, I for one have been humbled. He seizes all the phrases and words of Scripture to meditate deeply on spiritual issues. His thoughts are more topical than exegetical. Once I recognized that, my prejudice fell away.

There are times when he is actually quite immersed in the context of the verse and draws out those wonderful truths. But his aim is to address the heart and conscience — he takes profound biblical thoughts and doctrines and applies them directly to the reader. His writings have impacted me immensely at times and woke me from my sluggishness or lifted me out of my depression.

There is only one area from which I have not culled much benefit. His spiritual or allegorical interpretation of Song of Solomon has often left me confused. What he has to say is well and good but I simply have had a difficult time connecting it to the text. On these reflections, the problem is entirely mine because I am still working through how a believer ought to interpret Song of Solomon. Apart from that, I cannot commend Morning and Evening enough.

Chapter 2, Why couldn’t I take the Lord’s Supper?

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Why can’t you take the Lord’s Supper? Is it because you are too young? Is it because you’ve sinned too much? Is it because you don’t know enough? Actually, it’s none of the above. It depends upon the answer to this question, “Are you a Christian?” It is that simple. It is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. How you answer that question affects the rest of your life.

So, as we begin to answer that question, we also need to understand something about you from God’s point of view. Once we understand what the Bible teaches regarding who you are, then we can finally answer the question, “Why couldn’t I take the Lord’s Supper?”

Who am I?

God placed you in the church. Most of you were raised in Christian homes or born to believing parents. You did not have a choice in this matter. God placed you with the parents that you have and because He saved them, he also blessed them by placing you into their lives. They could not choose what kind of child they would receive nor could you choose what kind of parents you would have.

God, by His choice, placed you into a Christian home. Unless one of your parents was not a Christian, you probably would not be reading this. As it is, you are reading this and trying to learn what the Bible teaches about you. You are reading this because God brought you to this point.

The biblical view of children

In the Old Testament (OT) God promised the following regarding the children of God’s people: “I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” (Is. 44:3) God promised to work in the children of believers by pouring His Spirit into them. Something like that began to happen in John the Baptist (“you shall call his name John…and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit” — Lk. 1:13-15).

In the OT, God considered all Israelites to be His people, not just the adults. The promises applied to both the adults and all their family members. The children of the OT were considered to be God’s people. The firstborn of Israel were specifically considered God’s (Num. 3:13, “for all the firstborn are mine”). God was very displeased with Israel because they did wicked things to their children. But they were in fact God’s children; He says of their children that they were His, children “they bore to Me [that is, “they bore to God”]” (Ezek. 23:37). God was telling them that their children were actually children born to Him. Also in Ezekiel, God speaks of children “born to Me” (16:20, 21).

King David would speak of his birth in this manner in Ps. 22:9-10: “Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.” God was “seeking godly offspring” (Mal. 2:15). Wow, God cast David upon Himself ever since David was born!

In the New Testament, the children of believers are considered “holy” (1 Cor. 7:14). God’s promises were specifically for those who would believe and their children (Acts 2:39). God calls the children of believers to obey their parents because this pleases the Lord (Col. 3:20).

So the Bible teaches us that you, a child of at least one believing parent, are specially marked out by God. He treats the children of believers differently. You are not with your parents by accident and you are not unrelated to the Lord. You are His and He treats you differently! What does that mean?

I’m different from other children

Each child of a believer is different from his or her neighbor. Because God set you apart for Himself through Christian parents, you are obligated to truly live a life pleasing to Him. So the Bible can say, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” (Eph. 6:1) The Bible addresses you. You have the privilege of being part of God’s people by birth.

With every privilege comes responsibility. You have the responsibility to trust in your Savior Jesus Christ and to please God. Your friends who are not believers run after the world and delight in the things of the world. They do not worship God and Sunday is a day to sleep in for them. They do as they please, but the Bible says you are to obey His commands, because this pleases the Lord (Col. 3:20).

When I came to America, I did not know how to speak English. I did not understand what was expected of me and could not understand what other people were saying. I was quite frightened. After a summer of being in America, I began my first year of school in September. It was very difficult. Now, do you think the teachers were more patient with me when I didn’t follow their directions or with those who could perfectly understand them? Of course, they were very patient with me because I did not understand everything. The other students had no excuse! I, on the other hand, did have an excuse because I could not make sense of everything they said.

You are in a different position than I was. You are like those students who understand perfectly what is required of you. Your neighbors or friends at school might not understand at all. God says in Luke 12:48, “And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” If you do not believe, your situation is worse than your friends who have not been raised in Christian homes.

I’m a sinner and am not automatically a Christian

Though we have said you are different, you are still like others, a sinner needing Christ’s forgiveness. The privilege does not necessarily save you or change you. [Yes, something might have already happened in your heart and if that something is new birth in Christ, then you are in a blessed position.]

What this means is that the privilege of being in God’s church and being raised in a Christian home does not automatically mean you have received God’s gift. In Abraham’s family, one of his sons (Esau) rejected God. So, unless you rest upon and receive Christ as He is offered in the Gospel, your privileges will become awful curses.

There are many young children who have assumed everything is O.K. with them because they go to church. They simply believe that they are better than other people because they know some things of the gospel and understand many Bible stories. They are like some college students who think they are smart simply because they go to college when in fact, many college students hardly study and apply themselves. They may go to college but it does not follow that they have studied and received what had been taught.

So the same situation presents itself to you. God has placed you into a Christian home and has made you one of the members of the church. Are you going to be one of those college students who just goes to college but never studies and assumes that he knows all things simply because he heard many lectures? Or, are you going to be one of those students who will seize the responsibilities? Your responsibility is to believe in the Lord Jesus and follow Him!

I need Jesus

You need Jesus just like any other sinner on the face of the earth. You might not remember when it happened but you must be able to say, “I believe in Jesus Christ. I am a miserable sinner who deserves eternal death. But I believe He has died on the cross for sinners like me and I rest on what He has done on the cross. I believe that his death has paid the penalty for all my sins and that I can do nothing to earn salvation. I receive and rest upon Jesus alone for my salvation.”

You must be able to able to really say that! If you don’t sense your need of Him, sense that you are a miserable sinner, sense that without Him you will perish in your sins then saying those things are just words. God knows your heart!

God does not automatically apply what Christ has done on the cross to your account. You must receive it by faith. If you do not presently know that Jesus is your personal Savior and Lord, then you must repent of your sins and look to your Savior Jesus.

Though God has placed you into his church, He did not automatically turn you into a believer. That is His secret work and if He has done that in you, you will know it by your faith in Jesus. Do you believe in Christ (Acts 16:30-31)? Do you love Him? If you do not, you will be cursed (1 Cor. 16:22). If you have truly believed in Him for your salvation, He will be your greatest delight. You will have a new heart and spiritual desires. Jesus will be the subject of your conversation, heavenly things will be the object of your meditation, and God’s word will be the treasure you cherish.

Young Timothy was reared in the faith by his grandmother and mother (2 Tim. 1:5). He was exposed to God’s word ever since he was a child — “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). Notice, he was “acquainted” with God’s Word. God’s Word makes one wise unto salvation. But the last statement is the most important in this sentence. God’s Word made Timothy wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. He needed to personally exercise his own faith in Jesus Christ for his own salvation. Everything was there to help him but no one could believe for him. One writer (William Gurnall) said, “You must live by your faith, not another’s. Labor to see truth with your own eyes.” Timothy could not live on his mom’s faith nor could he see the truth of Gospel with their eyes. God enabled Timothy to personally believe in Christ.

Am I in Christ?

So the question you must ask yourself is, “Am I a Christian?” Or, “Am I just going along with my family and care very little about these things?” Some like the church, the people, the experience, and many other things but these things are not the same as being a Christian.

Have you ever gone somewhere with your father or mother but didn’t really like it? I remember my dad and mom loved to go to college basketball games when I was a around ten years old. They used to take my brothers and me. My brothers seemed to enjoy it but I personally did not care for it that much. I liked the fun we had, the time with the family, the soda from the concession stand, and many other things. But, I did not much enjoy the game. When I was old enough to stay home by myself, I usually chose to not go, though my brothers usually went. Is this the way you view your life in the church?

If you are going along to church just like the way I went with my family to the basketball games, then you probably are not a Christian. You are a member of the church but you have not personally received and rested on Christ as your great Savior. You need to repent. You need to realize that these privileges demand from you the holy responsibility of seeking the Lord. Will you believe in Him? Will you pray to Him today, tonight, or this evening? Will you say, “Lord, save me! I am a miserable sinner and I look to you and place my complete faith in Jesus to deliver me from the coming wrath! Deliver me from myself; have mercy on me and save me Lord!”

Why couldn’t I take the Lord’s Supper?

When Jesus set up the first Lord’s Supper, it is clear from the Bible that only his disciples partook of the Lord’s Supper. In the Gospels, Jesus was with his twelve disciples. In 1 Corinthians 11, it is certain that only church members partook of the Lord’s Supper. He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” That means Christ’s disciples, those who believe in Him, must remember Him and recognize the many good things the Lord’s Supper brings to their souls.

Why couldn’t you take the Lord’s Supper? Because the church does not know if you have yet embraced what you have been taught. It is not automatically given to everyone in the church. You must be a disciple of Christ to receive the Lord’s Supper. Now is the time to seriously consider where you stand. Are you His disciple? Are you a believer? Or, Are you just going along for the ride?

Questions

1. Are children of believers just like the children of unbelievers? Explain.

2. Isn’t being raised in a Christian home good enough? Does that make you a Christian?

3. How does one know he or she is a Christian?

4. What is the point behind the story about the basketball game? Where do you stand?

5. Isn’t the Lord’s Supper for everyone in the church? Explain.

Chapter 1, An Introduction to the Lord’s Supper

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Did you ever ask your parents or elders what the Lord’s Supper was all about? Did you think it was only allowed for big older kids? Maybe you thought it was only for grown ups? But did you know that you too might be able to take the Lord’s Supper?

You might have smelled the bread and the wine some Sundays and wished you could have eaten the bread or drunk the wine because you were hungry. Yet, you knew that it was more than just a snack. Everyone seems so serious and quiet. At times, their seriousness may make you a little uncomfortable. Your mom or dad appeared to be more serious during this time than any other time during the service. Why all this seriousness? What is going on here that is so serious?

What is it called?

The Bible uses several names to describe the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes it is called “communion” from 1 Cor. 10:16 (KJV) — “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” The phrase “Lord’s Supper” comes from 1 Cor. 11:20 — “Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” Some call it the “Lord’s Table” from 1 Cor. 10:21 — “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” It is also called the eucharist from the Greek word for giving thanks in 1 Cor. 11:24. Each term describes an important part of the Lord’s Supper. So, we can use these terms interchangeably (communion, Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist).

Why do we do this?

If you are curious about the meaning of the Lord’s Supper and if you really believe in and love Jesus Christ, then you will want to know what the Bible has to say about the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is not something your parents or church made up. It came into use because our Lord Jesus told us to do this. He said, “DO THIS in remembrance of me.” (Lk. 22:19) Think about it. Why would we all eat the bread and drink the wine so quietly and seriously during a church service unless this was something our Lord told us to do? We do not want to do anything during church that our Lord did not command us to do.

Now, we might say that we already knew that. But there are several important reasons for pointing that out. First of all, as we mentioned, the church should do only what our Lord commands her to do. We cannot simply do things in the church service because we like them. Some things in the church may not be fun while other things may be easier to enjoy. Yet, when it comes to a Christian worshipping one’s Savior, one must only do what God commands one to do.

Our Lord’s Command

Another important reason relates to you. If Jesus says, DO THIS, then you should want to do it. If you don’t, then it says a lot about you. We hope you want to obey Jesus.

Let us imagine for a minute. Let us imagine that a young girl named Hannah found out that her father was about to die and he requested to see her by his bedside. After encouraging her to seek the Lord, he asked her to do one thing for him. The dying daddy asked her to always remember him on a certain day each year and on that very day he asked her to buy some beautiful flowers for her mother. He wanted his daughter to do something special each year for her mom in his behalf. Now, do you think Hannah will comply? I would think so. Why? Because she loves her daddy and wants to always remember him. She will never forget this one request.

In a similar way, our Lord commanded us to remember Him with the Supper. This was one of His last commands before He offered up His life for our sins. It was not a useless request. We will learn later of the importance of this command and how helpful it is for us. But still, shouldn’t we honor Him in this even if we don’t understand everything?

What about you?

It is true, you may not understand everything about WHY you need to do this, but because Jesus is our Lord and the one who loves us, we should want to obey what He says. A question that you must ask yourself is, “Do I want to obey Jesus?” If you said Yes to that question, then consider another one, “Do I want to obey Jesus in the area of the Lord’s Supper?” For believers, this is not an option. If Jesus commands it, then we must obey Him. So children, this is something that should get you to think and pray. Jesus says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Right now, you may not be taking the Lord’s Supper but did He not command His disciples to do so? Are you one of His disciples?

When I became a Christian in high school, I was very happy. I began to read the Bible over and over again. I wanted to understand more and more who Jesus was and how I was to live for Him. There were many things I did not understand in the Bible at all. But some things became clear to me. I noticed that all believers were baptized. “I was a already a believer and growing. Why do I need to be baptized? What is that ceremony going to do for me?” But the more I read, the more convicted I became and realized two things. First of all, I did not understand much about baptism and could not see any need for it. Second, the Bible was very clear. All believers had to be baptized. This second point bothered me greatly. I struggled with the issue for some time until I finally decided by God’s grace that I had no excuse. I was baptized and have been thankful for it every since.

I share that story to help us understand one important point. Whether we understand it or not, we are required to obey what God’s Word teaches. We are not given an option to obey some of God’s Word and skip over the rest. Jesus wants His disciples to DO THIS.

Questions

1. What are some of the names for the Lord’s Supper?

2. Who came up with the idea of the Lord’s Supper?

3. Should churches create new things to do in worship because they are fun? Explain.

4. What is the point behind the story (about baptism) mentioned in this chapter?

5. What if I don’t want to take the Lord’s Supper?

A Student’s Guide to the Lord’s Supper, Introduction

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The following very brief chapters will be uploaded dealing with the Lord’s Supper. We have used this small booklet to instruct our covenant children about the Lord’s Supper. It is written to prepare them to become communicant members. Of course, it does not mean that each child will necessarily become a communicant member since each one is examined after the class. I am presenting a Reformed view of the Lord’s Supper and NOT a Calvinian view (because he is not necessarily the best exponent of the position).

A Student’s Guide to the Lord’s Supper
by Pastor Mark Herzer

Chapter 1
Introduction to the Lord’s Supper

Chapter 2
Why couldn’t I take the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 3
Do we all believe the same thing about the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 4
What is the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 5
What happens during the Lord’s Supper? (1)

Chapter 6
What happens during the Lord’s Supper? (2)

Chapter 7
How do I prepare for the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 8
What should I do during the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 9
What should I do after the Lord’s Supper?

Chapter 10
When will we stop eating the Lord’s Supper?

An Introduction for Parents

This is a small booklet for churches that believe children are part of the visible church. Baptists may appreciate some of these chapters but not all of them. But I write as a Presbyterian minister for parents and elders of local congregations. There are many books on the Lord’s Supper and many of them are very useful. Yet, having read several of them, I began to realize that most of them were too difficult to understand for young children. What I mean by “young children” is the group of children up to twelve years old. Those children simply cannot understand or read the “big” books or booklets on the Lord’s Supper. Desirous of seeing something they could use, I have endeavored to write such a manual.

The goal of this booklet is to teach what the Bible teaches regarding the Lord’s Supper. Having researched and labored over this academically for years, I arrived at a position that should be acceptable to most Presbyterians. Without explaining all the positions, there are at least five views, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinian, Zwinglian, and Presbyterian. Most Reformed Christians have misunderstood Calvin and have similarly assumed that their own positions were the same as Calvin’s. Calvin is remarkably closer to Luther than Zwingli. I am convinced that in the end, Calvin and Luther were not as far apart from each other. The biggest difference between the two had to do with the actual presence of Christ’s body; it was not over the actual reception of Christ’s flesh (Calvin believed we received “vivifying flesh”). Zwingli, on the other hand, is closer to the Reformed view. His earlier views were strictly memorialistic but his more mature position before his death suggests that he did not believe in a bare sign. Some statements in his writings are more congenial to the traditional Presbyterian view. I cannot, in this introduction, argue what I have just asserted but wanted to “show my hand” early on lest I be faulted for being less than forthcoming. I write as a Presbyterian. I hope I have not lost the reader. These names, labels, positions, etc. are not the substance of this booklet.

This booklet is designed for young children. If they are advanced enough to read on their own then they should be able to work through this. If they cannot yet read well enough, then this booklet can be read out aloud to them. What they will learn is an explanation of why they could not participate, why they might be able to participate, and what actually “happens” during the Lord’s Supper. Some of the great misunderstandings in this area have brought about much ambivalence, awkwardness, and at times fear for many Christians. It is this apprehension I wish to overcome through this booklet. Since the Lord’s Supper is often viewed too mystically I have written this very plainly. Mysteries may be involved in the Lord’s Supper but it should not be viewed as a mystery.

Why Pray?

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Basics in Christian Faith and Living

Why pray?

Introduction
All of us struggle with prayer. Could we be more disciplined? Shouldn’t we pray longer? Our minds rush through all that we have to do when we get up in the morning and it is very challenging to set aside time to pray. Let us see what the Bible teaches about prayer and then apply some of it to our lives.

Scriptural Exhortations

Remember, we are commanded to pray (Eph. 6:18; 1Th. 5:17). Somehow this has not sunk deep into our souls. We unwittingly make prayer an optional discipline in our lives. It is relegated to the realm of our “feelings” — we pray when we feel like it. We know we are commanded to not murder, steal, etc. but we are also commanded to pray (along with many other things). Furthermore, we are also given a model prayer (Mt. 6:9-13). One of the interesting things we tend to overlook is the occasion for the “Lord’s Prayer.” The disciples asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk. 11:1). The question was not, “Do we need to? Why should we pray? I don’t have enough time to pray so do I need to?” Rather, we need instruction in prayer because we know we ought to pray. The question assumes its necessity.

Great saints prayed. Paul prayed often (Eph. 1:16; 1Th. 3:10). Peter prayed (Acts 10:9). OT saints prayed (Moses, David, Elijah, etc.). We have been given the Spirit of God in order to pray (Rom. 8:26). As it has been said, God has no dumb children—all true children of God can and will pray.

We must remember that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, etc. also pray. Just being religious assumes that the person prays. Of course they do not pray to the true God and with a renewed heart. We are to thank God through Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:8; 7:25) as we offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ (1Pet. 2:5, “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”). God works in us that which is pleasing to Himself “through Jesus Christ” (Heb. 13:21). On account of Christ, we can pray and have access to the Father (Eph. 2:18; 3:12; Heb. 4:14-16). This is the privilege, gift and responsibility earned for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. No one else can pray like we can! We can go directly to God the Father (“Our Father…”); we have the Son who intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34) as well as the Spirit (Rom. 8:27). The Triune God has graciously cleared away every obstacle so that we can pray!

Benefits

Christians have the comfort of knowing that God hears us (1 Jn. 5:14, 15). He will give us everything we need if we ask anything according to His will (1 Jn. 5:14). We do not receive because we do not ask and when we ask, we ask with wrong motives (James 4:2, 3). But the great benefit is that the everlasting God hears us and responds to our miserable prayers.

We can ask for our daily necessities and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. Furthermore, prayer helps us to fight sin (all this in the Lord’s Prayer). Thomas Watson said, “Prayer keeps the heart open to God and shut to sin.”

Many people love to talk, talk, talk, etc. about their problems to every soul. It may make them feel better but the sympathetic ear can only take so much. Would to God that we pray more than we talk to others. They may hear; God hears and can act. There are not many things better than leaving the matter to God in prayer— leaving confidently and with hope, “It is well with my soul.”

Excuses

Many excuses have been used to avoid prayer. One of the most common is, “I don’t feel like praying.” That rarely regulates our interactions with others. If the queen of England, the President of this nation, or your own boss requested to talk with you, would you say, “I don’t feel like talking today.”? Of course not — prayer is not dependent upon our emotions; it is dependent on the word of God.

Another excuse is that we don’t have time. You don’t have enough time not to pray. Everyone chooses how he or she uses time; it is filled by the choices that we make. Prayer doesn’t fit in because you did not make room for it. If you can eat, then you can pray. Skip a meal? If pressed for time, then skip it and pray. Surely there is something you can skip? You surfed the web, you watched TV, you had “down time,” etc. but did you pray?

Often saints will say, “I feel so spiritually dry. I have no motivation, desire, etc. to pray.” This is probably the most dangerous situation to be in. How we respond at this moment will have an immense impact on our spiritual lives. Go to God and tell Him of your spiritual condition. Tell him how cold and desperate your heart is. Let that be the matter of your prayers. Let that be the concern of your heart—will He not hear you? Have you never complained of your heart to God? Have you never found your heart breaking and warming up as you weep over your cold lifeless dull heart before the Lord? The cold heart is warmed as it is talked about before God. The heart will not automatically become more willing to pray by not praying. What are you waiting for?

Methods & Suggestions

One, do not leave prayer to chance. Set a time or it won’t get done. Too often we leave it as an after thought. Two, have a place to pray. Remember our Lord’s words: “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Mt. 6:6) Three, use the Lord’s prayer (and the catechism’s exposition)— this is a ready guide to regulate your prayers. Four, utilize a prayer list (not slavishly). Have you prayed for everyone in this room? Have you even mentioned each one by name? Five, pray out loud if your thoughts wander off. Hearing your own voice will keep you focused and help you to consider what you say. Six, use prayer books as guides but not as a substitute. Sometimes, we are wordless and the prayers of godly divines can be of tremendous assistance (e.g. Valley of Vision). Seven, pray scripturally. Learn verses, phrases, general content of various passages of scripture and use them in your prayers. Use God’s word as you pray to God. Eight, don’t just pray about me me, me, me, me, and me. Sometimes your problems are simply YOU. Turn away from yourself and pray for others. Nine, you might find CATS helpful — Confession, Adoration, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (I prefer CATS to ACTS though I don’t particularly like cats). These elements may be of help to many. Ten, consider fasting with your prayer. There are times to fast and pray—when was the last time you fasted? Eleven, resort to long seasons of prayer. Our Lord prayed all night (Lk. 6:12). At times, set aside a season of prayer for your soul. You’ve squeezed God into your schedule; break out and commit hours, a day, an evening, etc. to call upon the Lord. Twelve, praise God! Never fail to praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He has done. Thirteen, don’t make driving, walking, exercising times the only occasion for your prayer times. Does He not deserve better than being taken along on your agenda? Where is that secret room of yours? Fourteen, use a notepad and pen. Have one nearby so that you can quickly jot a thing or two down that calls you away from prayer. Fifteen, pray on your knees or fall down. Posture in prayer is more important than you know. It often expresses the attitude of your heart. Sixteen, remember, there is not one thing you will do this day that is better than calling upon the Lord!

Why read the Bible?

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Basics in Christian Faith and Living

Why read the Bible?

Introduction
Most Christians believe it is a good thing to read the Bible. Many feel guilty because they don’t read enough. Some feel dissatisfied with their on and off schedule. Others have no real method or plan but tend to read something in the Bible just to have read something.

Scriptural Exhortations

One cannot find an “explicit” verse that states, “You must read the Bible everyday.” But much in Scripture assumes its practice and benefit. Psalm 1 illustrates this perfectly. The godly or righteous are those who meditates on God’s law “day and night” (Ps. 1:2). How can one meditate on something he does not read or how can he do it day and night if he does not read it every day? On the other hand, if we memorized the entire word of God, then we can meditate on it day and night without reading it every day.

Our Lord Jesus establishes the simple but profound truth of our absolute need for God’s Word. He rebuffed the devil by quoting Deut. 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” He knew Scripture and He quoted it. But more importantly, from this verse we learn that we desperately need God’s word just to live. The analogy is simple. We need food (bread) every day to live but that is not the only thing we need every day, we need God’s word. Sad to say, too often, we think we can get along without His Word while we never dare forego a meal. The other way around would be better for all of us. In fact, we are no better than animals if we think we can get along with mere physical food. We are capable of and create for higher and better things, to be nourished by God’s Word.

Ps. 119 focuses entirely on God’s Word. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet is used to extol the greatness and benefits of God’s Holy Word. We are told to store up God’s word in our hearts so as not to sin against God (v. 11). The psalmist will never forget God’s word (v. 16) and begs God to open his eyes to “behold wondrous things out of your law” (v. 18; cf. 27). God’s testimonies are his “counselors” (v. 24) and God strengthens with His Word (v. 28). Christians too can say with the Psalmist, “your rules are good” (v. 39; Paul says in Rom. 7:12, “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”). The psalmist delights in and loves God’s word (vv. 47, 92, 113, 119, 127, 163, etc.); he hopes in it (v. 49) and it gives him life (v. 50). God’s laws are sweet to him, “sweeter than honey to my mouth” (v. 103) and are the joy of his heart (v. 111). He longs for God’s commandment (v. 131) and “great peace have those who love your law” (v. 165). How can these things become a part of us if we do not read, memorize, and meditate on God’s word on a daily basis? This is not the heart of a legalist; it is the heart of a saint who is sanctified and mature.

Joshua was to keep God’s word and to meditate on it “day and night.” Why? “So that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.” (Josh. 1:8) If God wants us to keep His Word (and He does), then are we exempt because we don’t read it and know it? We should be as Ezra (7:10), “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

We read the Bible everyday because it is God’s word. I know of a man who reads and reads great works of literature and memorizes great poetry. It is impressive. Yet, those wonderful pieces of literature are not the Word of God. Should we not read God’s Word every day because it is his? Many read newspapers, magazines, email, etc. everyday; they will rarely miss a day. But God’s Word alone is fully and always true and it alone is absolutely authoritative. All the other writings are the mere writings of men.

We should read the Bible everyday because God still speaks and gives life through it. Because it is “God breathed” we can cite Scripture and say “God says” or the “Holy Spirit says” (cf. Acts 13:47; 28:25; 2 Cor. 6:2, 16; Heb. 1:5; 3:7; 8:5; 10:15; etc.). God spoke and speaks; as Scripture speaks, God speaks. His Word is life indeed.

For these reasons, we should read God’s Word daily and meditate on it day and night. It is not just another book but the book of books. It is absolutely unique and absolutely authoritative.

Benefits

In addition to the Scriptural examples and exhortations, there are immense benefits to reading Scripture. First of all, it will make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:14, 15). Those who diligently search the Scriptures will understand how God saves and by the power of His mercy, will be converted. Once that has happened, the child of God will begin to know God through His Word. God makes Himself known. Eternal life and knowing God are the same (Jn. 17:3). Through reading and meditating on God’s Word, we begin to know Him better and all the blessings He has for us (1Cor. 2:9-13). No saint will ever grow in maturity without regularly and daily meditating on God’s Word.

Through God’s word we are given instruction (Rom. 15:4) on how to please God and are made wise through His Word (e.g. Ps. 119; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17). God afflicts us in order to help us keep His Word and His Word keeps us from perishing in times of affliction (Ps. 119:67, 71, 92). Stories and different instructions were written as “examples for us” (1 Cor. 10:1-6). In addition, we receive encouragement from Scripture (Rom. 15:4).

We are too often aimless and spiritually malnourished. Yet saints have been sustained and mightily built up through God’s Word. Are we truly benefiting from God’s Word? Do we read it and meditate upon it?

Methods

I want to give some suggestions on how to read the Bible. First of all, have a plan. Have a plan to go through the entire Bible. Some do one chapter from each testament while others go from Genesis to Maps. Whatever the plan, have one that will enable you to complete the entire Bible consistently and regularly. Remember, you have the rest of your life so devise a plan that works. [Use McCheyne’s schedule for those interested in a rather disciplined approach.] Two, use variety. Sometimes read the Psalms for a time and then go back to your plan. Similarly, camp out on a certain book or epistle for deep study. Read M. Henry or other commentaries to help you through certain books of the Bible (but never as a replacement for the Bible itself). Three, keep a journal or a notebook to help you keep track. If that is not a problem, have a notebook to write down your favorite verses, make notations on passages, etc. This will help you to recall passages and specific things you’ve learned from God’s Word. Four, memorize verses and passages. Use your Bible times to memorize verses and recite the older ones. This will enable you to meditate on it day and night. Five, set aside time that works for you. Mornings are preferable since your mind is a sponge. Don’t give God the worst part of the day or when you are least attentive. Six, invest in commentaries and Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias. This will help you to read with better comprehension. Seven, use a private place where you can commune with God and His Word. It is not a “show” but private worship. Eight (though it is actually first on the list), pray to God to help you understand His Word.

Receiving Counsel and Trusting in God

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Appendix to CCPC’s Studies in Proverbs
Proverbs 15:22
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

In our study of Proverbs, we have noted that many factors go into receiving counsel. We must consider the wisdom of the counselors. Are they wise? Do they tend to make wise decisions? Do they tend to offer wise counsel? Secondly, the one seeking counsel needs to consider his own motivations in seeking particular counselors. Why that one over the other? That is, are you seeking a particular person’s counsel because he or she tends to support your decisions and outlook? Thirdly, does the person who seeks counsel himself possess wisdom? A fool delights in folly (15:21) and he often cannot recognize good counsel when it is offered to him on account of his own foolishness.

There is still another important factor. It is one that forces us to reckon with our finitude and God’s sovereignty. We learn in Ps. 33:11, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” When seeking counsel, we must acknowledge the mysterious and secret sovereign plan of God. We read of several incidents where good counsels are thwarted on account of God’s sovereignty and His desire to inflict discipline.

One of the first ones we read about is Pharaoh’s heart. He hardened his heart (Ex. 8:15, 32; cf. 7:13) and we read that God also judicially hardened it (Ex. 9:12). When this happens, we will never heed good advice or counsel. In 2Chron. 10:15, we read that Rehoboam did not take the counsel of the elders (10:8, 13) but instead took the counsel from his friends (“took counsel from the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him”). All this was a way to fulfill God’s plan. 2Chron. 10:15 (cf. 1K. 12:15) states, “So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” On this one it is not clear that the intent was to discipline Rehoboam per se (cf. 2Ch. 11:4). One thing we learn from this, we are not in control of the way we receive counsel!

Sometimes we deliberately refuse good counsel on account of our wickedness as in the case of Ahab (against Micaiah’s counsel) in 2 Chron. 18. Ahaziah made what seems to be good choices for self preservation but his decision was “ordained by God” for his downfall (2Chron. 22:7). Israel’s enemies were allowed to act unwisely against Israel because God had ordained their destruction (Josh. 11:20). Even the sinful desires of Samson were used by God to punish God’s enemies and his parents were unaware of all this as they witnessed their son’s sinful ways (Judges 14:4).

David prays for the good counsel of Ahithophel to fail (2Sam. 15:31) and sends Husahi for that purpose (2Sam. 15:33). In 2Sam. 17, we see how this unfolds. Ahithophel’s counsel was better but Absalom chose what would be to his own undoing: “For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.” (v. 14)

In these passages, we see that wise counsel is needed but we also recognize without wisdom we will not perceive it and most importantly, if God has ordained to discipline us, we will heed foolish counsel or make foolish choices that will be to our harm. Proverbs notes this tentative nature of our decisions and plans.

We think our plans are well thought out but they may undo us. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (16:25) Our plans should be maintained with all humility and deference to the Lord. We learn, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” (16:1); “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” (16:9); “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (19:21) We should counsel, seek counsel, and plan, etc. but realize that the Lord’s purpose alone will be accomplished. “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” (21:1) There is simply no resisting God. “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.” (21:30) We can use all our might to accomplish our purposes but still, it is in the Lord’s hand. “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.” (21:31)

When we read, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” (16:33) — we are tempted to say “Why bother or plan?” The point of these verses is to teach humility and dependence and not inactivity and despair. We depend upon our heavenly Father to direct us through His Word. The future is not in our hands; we plan by praying. We seek counsel while trusting in the Lord. We act while depending on our Father’s grace. We seek out many counselors but even there, there is no safety. We must depend upon our God alone. We should seek counsel, receive counsel and with all humility, act on good counsel. Yet, we must trust in our God for the success of our plans and with all humility defer to our good heavenly Father should He interpose to accomplish something entirely different from what we purposed. Again, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” (19:21)