Have you read part 1 and part 2 over the last couple of days?

If so answer these questions:

What did you expect?

What did you find?

What did you learn?

What was unique?

Was this familiar territory?

I hope you will answer these questions for yourself. This is not an exam. I am not your teacher.

I often ponder how believers read their bibles. It concerns me very little how unbelievers read the bible as they do not have the help of the Holy Spirit to lead them in truth. Believers on the other hand, I have discovered, have different approaches to reading.

If I were to venture a guess as to your style of reading, you might not question yourselves as I have today. I can imagine some might want to say “Leave me alone. This is my quiet time.” My answer to that is this; “Why is it quiet?”

I do not expect everyone to follow my example for studying the scriptures. I know that God gave us His Word to speak to us, so quiet isn’t something to be desired.

Hebrews: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,

That does not sound like God wants to be silent.

¹³ For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

¹⁹ Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

²⁰ For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

²¹ Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

²² I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.