Sometimes we hear it said that ten minutes on your knees will give you a truer, deeper, more operative knowledge of God than ten hours over your books. What! Than ten hours over your books on your knees?”
The lion of Princeton , the great theologian B.B Warfield hits the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. Prayer is a vital component of a healthy walk with God , but unless you know God , His work ,His ways and comprehend what Jesus Christ has done for you , your prayer life will be anemic .
The point of the quote is , learning of God is not something that you stick you head in the sand of devotionals , read a brief little life quote and walk away knowing God. I still recall after first becoming a Christian and picking up the Daily Bread . A hugely popular devotional . Hoping for some food to feast on about God , Christ ,the cross etc... what I got was not even pablum . It was so empty of any substance that it was giving a man dying of thirst a thimble for drink.
Apart from the Bible , I have found reading doctrinal books not only educational but soul stirring and a heart delight to inspire devotion and prayer.The first real introduction I had to a doctrinal book was Knowing God by J.I Packer . It touched on God's character . the gospel,the sovereignty of God in salvation etc.. From there I have moved on to books on the works of grace , the substitutionary atonement of Christ,Justification and numerous others that have greatly helped me dig deeper into the word.
That is why I'm so excited to anticipate the release of Michale Horton's Systematic Theology , The Christian Faith : A Systematic Theology For Pilgrims on the Way . Horton's books have greatly shaped my understanding of the faith . His writing is reformed , solid biblically and so well written that it truly stirs my heart to want to know the Bible better , and therefore God better. I only own two other books one would call systematic theologies ,one by the late Dr.James Boice called Foundations of the Christian Faith and being a Calvinist , John Calvin's Institutes . So needless to say , I look forward to using this book along with Boice's and Calvin's to deepen my knowledge of God.
So for me doctrinal books are my devotionals. They feed the soul . Too many people seem to be intimidated by the word doctrine , but real theologians write to feed the sheep , not sit in ivory towers stirring at their intellectual belly lint.
Side-note : The daily Bread is a daily dud but one devotional has depth, real meat to chew on and solid articles to challenge you and that is Table Talk , a ministry by RC Sproul. Get it , Now !
Verse Of The Day : He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9 ESV)
1 comment:
My question to you is "How do you know it's God speaking back to you if you don't know His word?" Knowing scripture is the call display of prayer. If it is God answering you than you'll know it because His verses will be returned to you. Furthermore, if you don't know anything about Him all you can do is guess or just talk about yourself. Now that's productive.
"How do you fight temptation?" You do so the same way our Lord did in the wilderness. It is by answering the tempter with God's word. Whether that tempter is the world, our flesh or the devil it works against any of the three.
On a personal, I am so glad our renewed Table Talk subscription has arrived. If you really want to know about God, let this be your help with knowing and understanding His word. Love you, Mrs Reg
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