Every Bible reader must set aside a certain amount of time every day to study the Bible in a definite way. This should be done apart from his reading during “morning watch.” Experience tells us that it is not altogether wise to allocate too much time to such study. When we allocate too much time, we usually cannot keep it up, and the result is not profitable. We should set a standard for ourselves that is reasonable to achieve. Servants of the Lord do not need to spend more than two hours every day to study the Bible. Nor should we spend less than one hour. Occasionally, when we have more time, we can extend our study to three hours. We have to make a decision about this after careful consideration. Once we have made a decision, we should adhere to it at least for a few years. We should not change our schedule after two or three months. We have to learn to restrict and discipline ourselves a little. Our reading cannot be too capricious. Such free, undisciplined, and “inspirational” reading should not be our pattern. Many people are too careless in their reading. They read a few hours one day and nothing the next day. This shows a lack of perseverance. It is a terrible habit. We should decide on what to do after careful consideration and prayer, and once we have made the decision, we should adhere to it wholeheartedly.
After we have decided to spend, for example, one hour a day on our reading, we should have a plan for that hour. The hour should be divided into several periods, and we should use a different method of study for each period. Some methods are like tree-planting; one does not see the result until eight or ten years later. Other methods are like vegetable farming; one gets a crop every year. The methods that do not reap results for eight or ten years easily discourage a person. This is the reason there is the need for “vegetable farming” methods that reap results in two or three months, methods that will encourage starters to go on. It is easy to get tired if we do the same thing for an hour, and it is easy to give up when we do not see results immediately. This is the reason it is advisable to divide the hour into different periods.
Suppose we have twenty minutes for the first period. These twenty minutes should be devoted to more serious subjects in the Bible. It takes years to reap benefit from this kind of study. Subjects like prophecies, types, and the death of the Lord Jesus require years of study before we can reap results. Studying passages like the sermon on the mount, the prophecy on the Mount of Olives, the parables in Matthew 13, the final discourse of the Lord in the Gospel of John, and teachings concerning the four dispensations will not yield immediate results. We have to spend months and years on them before we will see something. If we want to find something in the Old Testament on these subjects, we must study Genesis and Daniel. We should also read Exodus, Leviticus, and Joshua. If we want to find out more about prophecies, we have to add Zechariah to the list. The first book to study in the New Testament is Matthew, and Romans should be next. Following that we should study Revelation or Hebrews. Then we should study the Gospel of John or the Epistles to the Ephesians or the Galatians. After we finish these books, we will have laid a foundation for ourselves in the New Testament. These studies do not reap benefit immediately; we have to read them dozens of times before we can get something out of them. This kind of study should be done during the first period. During this time our mind is the most clear, and we should tackle the more serious subjects. Of course, I am only giving something in the way of a principle. It depends on each of us as to how we should spend our time specifically.
We should take note of one thing: After studying for twenty minutes, we may be tempted to extend our reading to thirty minutes. We must overcome this temptation. If we have made the decision to read only twenty minutes, we should adhere to twenty minutes. If we can resist extending our time, we will also overcome the temptation of reducing our time from twenty to ten minutes. Once we have made a decision before the Lord, we have to discipline ourselves to adhere to it. We would rather be stuck with something for ten years than be free from it in ten days. We must never be loose or careless. We have to learn to be disciplined.
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