Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines:Chapter 2_3 Word

8/2/2019 Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines:Chapter 2_3 Word

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Spiritual

Disciplines for

the Christian

Life

Donald S. Whitney

Monday 7 May 2012


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Bible intake...

for the

purpose of

godliness

Chapters 2 & 3

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No spiritualdiscipline is more

important than theintake of Gods

word. Nothing can

substitute for it.

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The Bible is meat and milk forthe believer - in it, God tells us

about himself, about Jesus,about the incarnation, aboutthe Law and how we havebroken it, about the death and

resurrection of Christ, abouthow to walk in the ways ofGod, about how to pleaseGod... - information that is

found nowhere else apart fromin the Bible. To know God, andto be godly - we must know

the Bible intimately.Monday 7 May 2012


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Many believers agree - yet stillthey neglect to read their Bible,their lips agree with it but theirhearts from it.Bible intake is not only themost important spiritualdiscipline, it is also the most

broad consisting of severalsub-disciplines.

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Hearing Gods word

This is the easiest of all disciplines -listening to Gods word for examplethrough faithful biblical preaching.Lk 11:28But [Jesus] said, Blessed

rather are those who hear the wordof God and keep it!

Listening should lead to obedience!Rom 10:17So faith comes from

hearing, and hearing through the

word of Christ.

What does this verse mean - how

can we hear the word of God?Monday 7 May 2012


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PreachingChristian radio / tvAudio - cd, dvd etc.

The Internet1 Tim 4:13Until I come, devote

yourself to the public reading of

Scripture, to exhortation, to

teaching.

Whitney suggests this verse showswe need to go to church and hear

preaching of the WOG there - notjust say we can worship God in allthat we do.There has been a lot written about

how to listen to a sermon...Monday 7 May 2012


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Phil Ryken:So what is the right way to

listen to a sermon? With asoul that is prepared, a mind

that is alert, a Bible that is

open, a heart that is receptive,

and a life that is ready to

spring into action.

Full article can be found here:

Monday 7 May 2012
http://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.phphttp://www.reformation21.org/articles/how-to-listen-to-a-sermon.php


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Stephen Altrogge suggests,Through the preaching of Gods

word we hear God speak to us ina unique way that is different fromwhen we read the Bible in private.Because of this its crucial that we

hear the word of God preachedand apply it to our lives.Remember Who Is Speaking

Listen Intently

Listen With Humility

Apply The Word

A final word. Always pray before

you listen to a sermon.Monday 7 May 2012


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Stephen Altrogge suggests,Through the preaching of Gods

word we hear God speak to us ina unique way that is different fromwhen we read the Bible in private.Because of this its crucial that we

hear the word of God preachedand apply it to our lives.Remember Who Is Speaking

Listen Intently

Listen With Humility

Apply The Word

A final word. Always pray before

you listen to a sermon.Monday 7 May 2012


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John Newton explains how we should listen tosermons.

As a hearer, you have a right to try all doctrinesby the word of God; and it is your duty so to do.

Faithful ministers will remind you of this: they will

not wish to hold you in an implicit and blind

obedience to what they say, upon their ownauthority, nor desire that you should follow them

farther than they have the Scripture for their

warrant. They would not be lords over your

conscience, but helpers of your joy. Prize this

Gospel liberty, which sets you free from the

doctrines and commandments of men; but do not

abuse it to the purposes of pride and self.Monday 7 May 2012


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Newton also explains how weshould listen to sermons:

There are hearers who makethemselves, and not the

Scripture, the standard of their

udgment. They attend not so

much to be instructed, as topass their sentence. To them,

the pulpit is the bar at which the

minister stands to take his trial

before them; a bar at which few

escape censure, from judges at

once so severe and

inconsistent.Monday 7 May 2012


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Reading Gods word

Barna research of US Christiansshowed:18% read the bible every day23% say they never read it

,On numerous occasions quotesthe Scripture - Mk 12:10, Lk 4:21,Lk 22:35-37, Jn 7:38, 10:35 etc.Matt 4:4,It is written: Man shall

not live on bread alone, but on

every word that comes from the

mouth of God.Monday 7 May 2012


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2 Tim 3:16,All Scripture is breathed out

by God and profitable for teaching, for

reproof, for correction, and for training inrighteousness,

Rev 1:3,Blessed is the one who readsaloud the words of this prophecy, and

blessed are those who hear, and whokeep what is written in it, for the time is

near.

One survey showed that there is no

factor more influential in shaping apersons moral and social behaviour

than regular Bible reading. Forchange to take place - read your Bible!

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How often should we read our Bibles? How ToEnjoy Your Bible by John Blanchard:

Surely we only have to be realistic and honestwith ourselves to know how regularly we need

to turn to the Bible. How often do we face

problems, temptation and pressure? Every day!

Then how often do we need instruction,

guidance and greater encouragement? Every

Day! To catch all these felt needs up into an

even greater issue, how often do we need tosee Gods face, hear his voice, feel his touch,

know his power? The answer to all these

questions is the same: every day!

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Blanchard goes on to quote DLMoody:

A man can no more take ina supply of grace for the

future than he can eat

enough today to last him for

the next 6 months, nor canhe inhale sufficient air into

his lungs with one breath to

sustain life for a week to

come. We are permitted to

draw upon God's store of

grace from day to day as we

need it.Monday 7 May 2012


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Practical suggestions for

regular Bible reading:

1. Find the time - 15 minutes

reading per day gets youthrough the bible in one year!Discipline this use of time - andmake sure you do it with goodquality time.2. Find a Bible reading plan -and use it! There are loads

online to suit all types of readinghabits or styles.3. Mediate on something youread - a word, phrase,

sentence, idea etc.Monday 7 May 2012


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Studying Gods word

Reading gives us breadth, but

study gives us depth.JerryBridgesEzra 7:10 For Ezra had devoted

himself to the study and observanceof the Law of theLord, and to

teaching its decrees and laws in

Israel.

See the developing pattern / flow:1. Devoted himself2. To the study3. And observance

4. (After 1-3) then he is teachingMonday 7 May 2012


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Acts 17:11Now the Berean Jews wereof more noble character than those in

Thessalonica, for they received the

message with great eagerness andexamined the Scriptures every day to see

if what Paul said was true.

2 Tim 4:13When you come, bring thecloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and

my scrolls, especially the parchments.

Paul was in prison soon to die - he wants

a coat and the scriptures - note that Paulhad seen heaven, the resurrected Christ,known the HSp power and writtenportions of scripture - yet still he wanted

to read, study and learn.Monday 7 May 2012


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So why dont we study likePaul? We are lazy, RC Sproul

says, Here, then, is the realproblem of our negligence.We fail in our duty to study

Gods Word not so much

because it is difficult tounderstand, not so much

because it is dull and boring,

but because it is work. Our

problem is not a lack ofintelligence or a lack of

passion. Our problem is that

we are lazy.Monday 7 May 2012


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Another problem, apart fromlaziness, might be insecurity abouthow or where to study. Whitney

says the difference between Biblereading and study is a pen andpaper - you simply write down whatyou observe, questions, crossreferences, look up key words etc.(If you are really uncertain about itthen ask a couple of friends to join

with you as you start.)Rick Warren has an excellent bookon Bible study techniques - a greatstarting point and well worth a

read.Monday 7 May 2012


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More application

If your growth in godliness were

measured by the quality of your Bibleintake - what would be the result?

John 17:1717Sanctify them by the truth;your word is truth.

Simply put, the Bible makes you live amore holy life. If your intake is low and /or of poor quality, probably your life in

God will be poor too.This should not induce guilt - but

should lead us to repent and renew

our walk with the Lord and bible

reading.Monday 7 May 2012


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What is the one thing you

can do to improve your

intake of Gods word?

Join a Bible study group atchurch.Listen to sermons online etc.

Set goals for reading the Bibleeach day, month, year...Use a study guide to get youstarted

Think of something - and do it!Make a commitment to do

something new so that you

might grow in godliness.

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Do not expect to master the Bible in a day, or a

month, or a year. Rather expect often to be puzzled byits contents. It is not all equally clear. Great men of God

often feel like absolute novices when they read the

Word. The apostle Peter said that there were some

things hard to be understood in the epistles of Paul (2Peter 3.16). I am glad he wrote those words because I

have felt that often. So do not expect always to get an

emotional charge or a feeling of quiet peace when you

read the Bible. By the grace of God you may expectthat to be a frequent experience, but often you will get

no emotional response at all.

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...Let the Word break over your heart and mind again

and again as the years go by, and imperceptibly there

will come great changes in your attitude and outlook

and conduct. You will probably be the last to recognizethese. Often you will feel very, very small, because

increasingly the God of the Bible will become to you

wonderfully great. So go on reading it until you can read

no longer, and then you will not need the Bible any

more, because when your eyes close for the last time in

death, and never again read the Word of God in

Scripture you will open them to the Word of God in theflesh, that same Jesus of the Bible whom you have

known for so long, standing before you to take you for

ever to His eternal home.

GEOFFREY THOMASMonday 7 May 2012


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Memorising Gods word:

Benefits and methods

Many Christians look on thediscipline of memorising as

something tantamount to

modern-day martyrdom.

Why are people unwilling and sopoor at doing it?Whitney notes that if you offered

people $1,000 per verse theymemorised for a week then theywould do it willingly - yet thebenefits of memorising scripture

are far greater than mere money.Monday 7 May 2012


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Memorisation supplies spiritual

power

Verses stored in your mind are there

available for HSp to use at any time -Ps 119:11,I have hidden your word

in my heartthat I might not sinagainst you.

Col 3:22Set your minds on thingsabove, not on earthly things.

This verse might be useful when you

are looking at, or thinking of,something you know is not the will ofGod.Remember that Jesus used the WOG

to defeat satan in the wildernessMonday 7 May 2012


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Memorisation strengthens your

faith

Proverbs 22:17-19 Pay attentionand turn your ear to the sayings of

the wise; apply your heart to what I

teach, for it is pleasing when you

keep them in your heart and have allof them ready on your lips. So that

your trust may be in the Lord, I

teach you today, even you.

Often we find that when we aretempted to doubt or to bediscouraged the words of Scripturegive us strength and renew our faith

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Memorisation and witnessing

and counselling

Acts 2 Peter proclaimed thewords of Joel and other OTscriptures - how? He hadmemorised them and they werethen used in proclaiming theGospelOften in our witnessing or in

counselling other people thewords of the Bible are morereliable, and more powerful, thanour own words and ideas.

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A means of Gods guidance

Psalm 119:24Your statutes are mydelight; they are my counselors.

What if you dont know what to sayin a situation? Remember Eph4:29Do not let any unwholesometalk come out of your mouths, but

only what is helpful for buildingothers up according to their needs,

that it may benefit those who listen.

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Memorisation stimulates

meditation

Once a verse is memorised it can bemeditated upon at any time and inany place - it is always available.Ps 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I

meditate on it all day long.Many people know only a fewpopular verses - Jn 3:16, Gen 1:1- but for the powerful sword of the

Spirit to be more effective inresisting temptation, giving guidancewe need a wider range of materialsto choose from.

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How to memorise scripture

1. Know you can do it - you

memorise all sorts of things it issimply a case of working hard at it2. Have a plan - use a plandeveloped by someone else (thereare lots available) or choose a topicand memorise 10 verses on that,then move onto another etc.

3. Write them out - separate pagesor cards for each one4. Be creative - e.g. you might drawpictures to help you

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5. Be word perfect in yourmemorisation of it.

6. Be accountable - often doingit with a friend bringsaccountability and stickability7. Review and meditate every

day - when learning a languagea key is in using and reviewingnew words, it is the same in

Bible memorisation.8. Allow transformation of you tocome through the verses, DallasWillard has said,

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As a pastor, teacher, and

counselor I have repeatedly seen

the transformation of inner and

outer life that comes simply from

memorization and meditation

upon Scripture. Personally, I

would never undertake to pastora church or guide a program of

Christian education that did not

involve a continuous program of

memorization of the choicest

passages of Scripture for people

of all ages.

Dallas WillardMonday 7 May 2012

Meditating on Gods word:


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Meditating on Gods word:

Method and benefits

Meditation is biblical - we are told todo it and shown some models.Christian meditation involves filling ourmind with Gods words - not emptying

our mind as in other religions - it is apositive, constructive technique foredifying the believer.Meditation is deep thinking on

the truths and realities revealed in

scripture for the purpose of

understanding, application and

prayer.Monday 7 May 2012

Whit lik it t f t


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Whitney likens it to a cup of tea:You are the cup of hot water - theintake of scripture is the tea bag.

Hearing Gods word is like dippingthe tea bag in once - some flavourand colour can be seen/tasted.Soaking and further plunging of thebag into the water is like reading,studying and memorising thescriptures. This has an increased

effect on flavour and colour.Meditation is when the tea bag isimmersed completely until all theflavour and colour are taken into the

water.Monday 7 May 2012


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Joshua 1:8Keep this Book of theLaw always on your lips; meditate

on it day and night, so that you

may be careful to do everything

written in it. Then you will be

prosperous and successful.There is a link between success (inGods terms) and meditation. Insuch meditation the scriptures will

permeate all of your being andyour conversation - and will resultin the right godly actions.

Monday 7 May 2012

Psalm 39:3

While I meditated the


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Psalm 39:3While I meditated, the

fire burned; then I spoke with my

tongue:

Remember Jer 23:29 - it is as if mymeditation we fan into flame theburning fire of the WOG - which thengives off more heat and more light.

Why is your Bible reading so coldand you lack spiritual success?Thomas Watson suggests,

The reason we come away socold from reading the Word is

because we do not warm

ourselves at the fire of

meditation.Monday 7 May 2012

P l 1 1 3

Bl d i th h


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Psalm 1:1-3Blessed is the one who

does not walk in step with the

wicked or stand in the way that

sinners take or sit in the company ofmockers, but whose delight is in the

law of the Lord, and who meditates

on his law day and night.That

person is like a tree planted bystreams of water, which yields its

fruit in season and whose leaf does

not witherwhatever they do

prospers.

We think most about what wedelight in - meditation helps us to

think and drink more deeply on God.Monday 7 May 2012

Note the progression in Psalm


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Note the progression in Psalm119:98-99 Your commands are

always with me and make me wiser

than my enemies. I have moreinsight than all my teachers, for I

meditate on your statutes.

His great wisdom comes from

meditation.

In our day there is more information(distractions) available to us than at

any other time in the history of theearth - we have information in anewspaper that is greater than thatencountered by an 18th century

person in their whole lifetime.Monday 7 May 2012


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Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the

pattern of this world, butbe transformed by the

renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to

test and approve what

Gods will is his good,pleasing and perfect will.

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How do we meditate in a

Christian manner?

1. Select an appropriate passage- perhaps something that took your

attention during your reading- something that is appropriate to yourlife situation- something that will help you deal with

temptation you are facing- something that focusses your heartand mind upon God and who he is

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2. Repeat it in different ways, Jn11:25

Iam the resurrection and the life.Iam the resurrection and the life.I am the resurrection and the life.I am theresurrection and the life.

I am the resurrectionandthe life.I am the resurrection and the life.I am the resurrection and thelife.As you say it each time you should

think deeply upon the idea, thetruth or light, that flashes into yourmind. Such insights often comeslowly!

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3. Rewrite it in your own wordsParaphrasing a verse often

helps you to go deeper as yousearch for understanding andmeaning in the text. Think ofsynonyms, look at the order of

words etc.4. Look for applications of thetext

Meditation is incomplete until itresults in action - and worship.Ask what should I do as aresult of this verse?

Monday 7 May 2012

5 P th h th t t


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5. Pray through the textPsalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful

things in your law.

John 14:26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom theFather will send in my name,will teach you all things and

will remind you of everything I have said to you.

As we read and meditate we should also be praying thetext, asking for greater illumination - this then moves usfurther into application.

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6. Dont rush - take timeReading too fast often results

in us remembering nothing (orvery little)Maurice Roberts, Our agehas been sadly deficient in

what may be termedspiritual greatness.At theroot of this is the modern

disease of shallowness.

We are all too impatient to

meditate on the faith we

profess

Monday 7 May 2012

It is not the busy skimming


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It is not the busy skimming

over religious books or the

careless hastening through

religious duties whichmakes for a strong

Christian faith......Rather, it

is unhurried mediation on

gospel truths and the

exposing of our minds to

these truths that yields the

fruit of sanctifiedcharacter

Read less - and meditate moreGive more time to your reading

and meditatingMonday 7 May 2012

A l i G d d


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Applying Gods word:

Benefits and methods

For many people there is a greatdifficulty in applying the Bibleinto contemporary situations -how to raise my children, how toact at work, making gooddecisions.1. The value of applying Gods

wordJames 1:22-25

John 13:17Now that you knowthese things, you will be blessed

if you do them.Monday 7 May 2012


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2. Expect to discover an application

If God wants you to do his word then you can be sure

he will want you to find the applicationThomas Watson encouraged us,

Take every word as spoken to yourselves. When

the word thunders against sin, think thus: God

means my sins; when it presseth any duty, God

intends me in this. Many put off Scripture from

themselves, as if it only concerned those who

lived in the time when it was written; but if youintend to profit by the word, bring it home to

yourselves: a medicine will do no good, unless it

be applied.Monday 7 May 2012

3 Understand the text


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3. Understand the textKnowing the context is important inhermeneutics. In order to follow

Watsons advice

- think, if youtook all the words said to Abraham

and applied them literally, you wouldhave to move to Israel!Butwe canuse the text to help ask questions

about our obedience to what Godhas told us to do in our lifetime.E.g. with promises - are they ageneral, universal principle or specific

to the person and time?Monday 7 May 2012


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4. Meditate to discern

applicationMeditation is not an end in itself- application must follow. Thememorised wog becomes the

applied wog through meditation.The wog has to be held in ourbrains for a while - this is what

meditation does. It then can beapplied to the real day-to-daysituations of life.

Monday 7 May 2012

5 Ask application orientated


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5.Ask application orientatedquestions of the text

Questions are a great aid in

meditation - and lead us intoapplication - e.g.Does the text reveal something I

should believe about God?

Does it reveal something I should

praise or worship God for?

Is there something I should pray

about for me or others?Does it reveal a problem with my

thinking?

Does it show something I should

do?Monday 7 May 2012

6 Respond specifically


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6. Respond specificallyAs a result of meditation there should be at least onespecific response you make - faith act, worship, praise,

prayer, ask for forgiveness, repentance etc.It is always important to ask yourself if you can rememberwhat you have read, and have discerned application ofthe truth in your life.

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More application

Will you begin a plan of

memorisation?

Will you cultivate the

discipline of meditating on

Gods word?

Will you prove yourself a

doer of the Word?

Monday 7 May 2012

J. I. Packer writes: If I were the


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J. I. Packer writes: If I were thedevil...one of my first aims would

be to stop folk from digging into

the Bible...How? Well, I shouldtry to distract all clergy from

preaching and teaching the

Bible, and spread the feeling

that to study this ancient bookdirectly is a burdensome extra

which modern Christians can

forgo without loss...At all costs Ishould want to keep them from

using their minds in a disciplined

way to get the measure of its

Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines:Chapter 2_3 Word

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