Strategies for Effective Reading

The allure of boasting about the sheer number of books one has read is a common pitfall. However, this approach often leads to superficial engagement with the material. True wisdom is not in the quantity, but in the depth of understanding. Resist the temptation to read merely for the sake of competition or to inflate one's perceived intellect. The essence of reading lies in the assimilation and comprehension of ideas, not in accumulating titles under one's belt.

There is a profound difference between merely reading and absorbing the essence of a book. It is the thoughtful contemplation and internalization of a text that truly enriches one's knowledge and perspective. A dedicated reader who thoughtfully explores 25 books annually over a decade is likely to attain a deeper understanding and appreciation than someone who rushes through 250 books in a single year, seeking quantity over quality.

Approach reading as a journey, not a sprint. Embrace the practice of pausing to jot down notes, ponder over intriguing concepts, and reflect on the implications of what you've read. This deliberate pace allows for a richer comprehension and a more meaningful connection with the material. Remember, the value of reading is not measured by how quickly you turn the pages, but by the insights and knowledge you gain.

Additional Helpful Tips:

Set Reading Goals: Establish realistic and meaningful goals for your reading. This could include a mix of genres, authors, and topics to broaden your perspective.

Engage in Active Reading: Use techniques such as highlighting, annotating, and questioning the text. This active engagement helps in better retention and understanding.

Join a Reading Group: Participating in a book club or reading group can offer diverse perspectives and enrich your reading experience through discussion and debate.

Balance Reading with Reflection: Allocate time not just for reading but also for reflecting on what you’ve read. This could be through writing summaries, discussing with others, or simply meditating on the key ideas.

Choose Quality over Quantity: Focus on books that challenge, inspire, or transform your thinking, rather than aiming for a high number of books.

By incorporating these strategies, your reading experience can become more fulfilling, leading to a deeper understanding and a greater appreciation of the literature you engage with.

Post credit: Monergism 

A Simple Approach to Family Devotions

There is a lot of hubbub in Reformed circles regarding family religion—or, as it is sometimes is called, family worship. If you’re an evangelical, you probably simply call this family devotions. Regardless, there has been a real effort to recover this practice among Christian families. I have even seen some men post statuses containing the “liturgy” of their family worship. They are quite long.

In The Puritan Family, Edmund Morgan writes:

‘Every morning immediately upon rising and every evening before retiring a good Puritan father led his household in prayer, in scriptural reading, and in singing of psalms. Whenever they sat down at table together, he offered thanks to the Lord.’

Now, fathers, please note what Morgan reports next:

‘None of these devotions was supposed to be long. Although the Puritans enjoyed two-hour sermons on the Sabbath, they tried to avoid prolixity in their family services. Cotton Mather says of John Cotton that he always read a chapter of Scripture to his family every morning and every evening, “with a little applicatory exposition, before and after which he made a prayer; but he was very short in all, accounting as Mr. Dod, Mr. Bains, and other great saints did before him, ‘That it was a thing inconvenient many ways to be tedious in family duties.’’

There is a tendency to either do nothing, or to be overzealous in what you do. Neither are good when it comes to family worship. As always, you need to keep it between the ditches. John Cotton strikes me as a solid example of plodding consistency. The goal should be to make Scripture reading, prayer, and praise a normal part of your home. It is unwise to recreate something approximating an entire Sunday service. That is, as Dod and Bains indicated, a very tedious thing for all involved.

My approach is very simple. I read a portion Scripture when my kids are half-way through their breakfast. I do this because I have some very small children. The light distraction of eating actually helps them pay attention to me when I talk. After I finish reading, I ask them a few questions about the passage, make a few applications, and close with prayer. That is it for us. This takes 10–15 minutes.

We follow this pattern Monday through Friday. I would like to eventually add praise to our time together. Presently, my children sing a hymn together as part of their home-school curriculum. I’ll add it into our devotional time soon. My main goal is consistency and participation.

An example might be helpful; here is a summary of what we did around the table today. This morning our text was Psalm 100 (I needed a break from Matthew). I read it and asked, “What is this Psalm about?”

My eldest son (12) said, “It is about God’s goodness and how we are to worship Him.” I replied, “Good. Anyone else?” No one spoke up. I pushed, “Caedmon, anything you’d like to add?” He had nothing. I always push for participation, but I don’t demand water from a stone. So I moved on.

I pointed out that Hudson was right. The passage is full of verbs like shout, serve, and come. However, the imperatives aren’t naked. They are accompanied by modifiers. We must shout joyfully, serve with gladness, and so forth. God isn’t interested in naked actions. They must be adorned with the right attitude.

I told them the passage gave us reasons why we should possess such attitudes. I asked them if they could point any of those reasons out. One of them pointed out that “we are sheep of his pasture.” I agreed; that was a big reason. God takes care of us. He provides for us like a shepherd provides for his sheep.

My application was straightforward. We cultivate gladness and joy through meditating on how God has been good to us. I pointed out a few ways God had been kind to our family. Also, I exhorted my boys to sing with more zeal in the worship service, and to be more attentive during the sermon. I ended in prayer.

That was it this morning. Sometimes it’s less and sometimes it’s more.

Again, my goal is consistency and participation.

Consistency: You need to find a time that consistently works for your family. Evenings don’t work for us. We tried to make it work for years, but were never able to get any real momentum. It took switching to mornings to have a real breakthrough.

Participation: I want my kids to interact with the text. I like to ask lots of simple questions. What is this passage about? What is it telling us to do or not do? Why is it telling us this? What sticks out to you? What doesn’t make sense to you? Etc. I also like to keep it short. I don’t want to see any eyes glazing over. So I only do 10–15 verses on average. Sometimes I go longer, but only if the passage is very exciting. I don’t want anyone, particularly my older children, to check out.

The most important thing is not to establish some kind of perfect family liturgy. The most important thing is to just do something. Find what works for your family. Keep it simple so you can make it into a habit. Because you can always build on a habit.”

- Michael Foster

What are the verses to share while sharing the Gospel? Samuel India

The Truth of the Gospel
(What are the verses to share while sharing the Gospel?)

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

John 14:6 - Jesus is the only way
John 1:12 - When you believe, you become a child of God
John 3:3-5 - You must be born again by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 2:1,8&9 - We are saved by God's grace through our Faith.
1 Peter 1:23 - We are born again by the Word of God
Titus 3:5 - We are regenerated by the Holy Spirit
Matthew 1:21 - Jesus means the Saviour who forgives our sins
Matthew 3:11 - Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit
John 14:16,17&23 - Jesus sends us the Holy Spirit and through Holy Spirit the Father and the Son come and live within us - the whole Godhead lives within us
Matthew 4:17-19 - We must repent, believe and follow Jesus
Matthew 28:18-20 - We must be baptized and follow all the teachings of Jesus
John 10:10 & 1 John 5:12&13 - Jesus gives eternal life, we have eternal life now now itself through the Holy Spirit
John 13:34-35 - We are commanded to love one another (to love all disciples)
Matthew 24:14 & Mark 16:15&16 - We are commissioned to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Matthew 28:19 - We are commissioned to make disciples
Acts. 2:42-47 & Ephesians 4:11-13 - We must live together with other disciples and come together as church for Teaching, Prayer, Fellowship (communion), Worship, Serving one another, for edification and to be equipped for the work of the Mission
John 17:18 - Jesus sends every disciples
1 Timothy 2:2 - We must multiply disciples minimum upto 4th generations
John 20:31 - the Scriptures are written so that the Gospel must be preached and people would believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and have eternal life

Thus...
John 3:16
God so loved the world and gave His only Son Jesus who saves us through Holy Soirit

And

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - We (the redeemed people) are the Holy Temple of God

And

1Peter 2:9 & Revelation 1:5-6 - We are made holy, a kingdom and priests to God

And Finally

Revelation 5:9-10 & 7:9-12 - God's vision is to disciple all people group and bring them together as one Family
John 10:16 - Jesus is on the Mission of making disciples to make this vision possible, we must join Him on the Mission
Acts. 1:8 - the Holy Spirit is given to do the Mission, the work of the whole Church is the Mission

Let's be Disciples of Jesus
and
Make Disciples for Jesus!!!

Does David danced naked?

This morning’s NOPE has triggered afresh all the “David danced naked and with all his might!”responses, a text that is abused and used to excuse all kinds of excessive nonsense in churches today. Stop it. 

"It is commonly taught that David danced naked before the Lord. Yet the Bible says, “David was girded with a linen ephod.” ~ 2 Sam. 6:14
The linen ephod was a priestly garment.
When David first attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, it was a disaster. David (as King) had chosen to bring the Ark of the Covenant home on a new cart. There was dancing and rejoicing while the Ark was in transport on the new cart.

Yet in this atmosphere, God’s judgement came, and Uzzah lost his life when he reached out to steady the Ark from falling off the cart (2 Sam. 6:6-7).
David became afraid of  the Lord that day (2 Sam. 6:9; 1 . 13:12) and the Ark was placed in the home of Obed-Edom the Gittite for 3 months, and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household (2 Sam. 6:11).
In due time, it was revealed to David that he had handled the Ark of the Covenant inappropriately, and that only the priests were sanctioned to transport the Ark (1 Chron.15:1-3).

After this, David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a line ephod – a priestly garment. He rejoiced in the presence of God, while wearing this priestly garment as the Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant to the tent David had prepared for it.
The lesson here is not that David danced naked in some out of control manner, thus giving us a proof-text for when things get out of control in church services.
The lesson is that God is a God of order. As 2 Sam. 6:5 reveals, there was great rejoicing while the Ark was on a new cart, but it was out of order, and judgement fell.
Later there was great rejoicing “after the due order” and blessings followed (1 Chron. 15:13).
When David danced before the Lord in his King's apparel with the Ark on a new cart, there was judgment. When he put on a priestly garment, and danced before the TRUE KING OF ISRAEL, after the due order, there was blessing.
When the Spirit of the Lord is moving, there is order and self-control (a fruit of the Spirit).
David did not dance naked before the Lord, and we should not use this as a proof text for not doing all things decently and in order as Paul instructs us in 1 Cor. 14:40." 

- Michael Battle

#theholynope
#holynope
#nope

The Reality of Your Eternal Portion by J.C. Ryle

   Resurrection and judgment await you. All is not over when the last breath is drawn and your body becomes a lump of cold clay. No: all is not over!

   The realities of existence then begin. The shadows will have passed away for ever. The trumpet shall one day sound, and call you forth from your narrow bed; the graves shall be rent asunder, and their tenants shall be summoned forth to meet God; the ears that would not obey the church going bell shall be obliged to obey that summons; the proud wills that would not submit to listen to sermons shall be compelled to listen to the judgment of God. The great white throne shall be set: the books shall be opened. Every man, woman and child, shall be arraigned at that great court appearance. Every one shall be judged according to his works. The sins of every one shall be answered for. And every one shall receive his eternal portion either in heaven or in hell!

Eternal Salvation Quote

God seals His sheep of 1,44,000 on Earth in Revelation 7 and
we can find exactly the same number of sealed people standing before the throne in Revelation 14 worshipping Him who saved them.
It is evident that God shall lack none of His elect. John 10:28
It is impossible to transform a Sheep into Goat and vice versa. ~ AKR


Jehovahjireh - God will foresee (provide)

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

JESUS CHRIST is the lamb God-given to be slaughtered for us as a substitute for hell-deserving sinners. Now consider Abraham’s reply to His Son, God will provide Himself a Lamb. I want to convey two messages here.

God will provide: The God who gave His only begotten Son to save us shall provide for all our emergencies. His name is Jehovahjireh.

God will provide Himself a lamb for a (burnt) offering: I see this verse as a prophetic message of God. He’s going to provide Himself an offering. An offering to satisfy His just wrath on us. CHRIST tasted the wrath we should have tasted. The unbearable wrath that was on our heads was taken and put on His head. He tasted death inch by inch in place of us.

Propitiation:
“God saved you for Himself,
God saved you by Himself,
God saved you from Himself.” - Paul Washer.

God provided a lamb (resembling Christ) in place of Isaac (us). Don’t think of God as a sadist. Our God cares for us more than any blood relation could. Trust Him with all your heart like Abraham.

Moriah - means the Lord will provide. Calvary was one of the mountains in the land of Moriah where God foreordained CHRIST-the perfect lamb for us.

Clearly, this chapter is the foreshadowing of CHRIST.

Praise Jehovahjireh with me today.