* A KEY VIEW OF THE BIBLE

GOD planned and created	SATAN rebelled and destroyed
MAN fell and became lost	CHRIST redeemed and built

* THE FOCUS OF THE BIBLE—
CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

“This mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:32

The focus of the Old Testament—leading to Christ for redemption.

The focus of the New Testament—the church redeemed and built up in Christ.

IV. ATTITUDE IN READING THE BIBLE

1. TO CONTACT GOD HIMSELF

“You search the Scriptures...and you are not willing to come to Me [the Lord] that you may have life.” John 5:39-40

2. TO RECEIVE THE SUPPLY OF LIFE

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Jeremiah 15:16

3. TO RECEIVE ENLIGHTENMENT

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalm 119:130

Therefore, every time you open up the Word of God, you should pray from the depth of your being:

O God, I am coming to read Your Word.
I am coming to You,
to contact Yourself;
my heart longs for You,
my spirit is also open to You,
that I may be enlightened by Your Word.

V. THE BEST WAY TO READ THE BIBLE—
PRAY-READING

Take in the Word of God by means of prayer, letting your reading and your praying be mingled together as one.

“And receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, by means of all prayer and petition.” Ephesians 6:17-18a

The best way to pray-read is to practice it together with other saints.

Four Keys:

Quick! Do not hesitate.

Short! Do not compose.

Real! Be genuine, not pretending.

New! Be fresh, not old.

VI. THE PRACTICE
OF READING THE BIBLE

1. READ DAILY

“They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11

2. READ CONSECUTIVELY—read both the Old Testament and the New Testament each time.

3. READ AT MOST ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME (IN PRINCIPLE)

4. LEARN TO PICK UP THE FACTS AND THE MAIN POINTS

5. MEMORIZE THE PRECIOUS VERSES

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom...” Colossians 3:16a

6. MUSE

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate [muse] day and night.” Psalm 1:2

VII. THE MOST VALUABLE AID
IN READING THE BIBLE—
The Recovery Version
of the Bible
with the Life-study Messages

The four functions of the Life-study messages are:

1. To release the truths
2. To supply life—life-study means to study in life
3. To solve difficult problems in the Bible
4. To open up the treasures in the Bible chapter by chapter

VIII. THE BLESSINGS
OF READING THE BIBLE

God has many blessings of life, most of which are received through man’s reading of the Bible. Among them the main blessings are:

1. ENLIGHTENMENT

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

2. NOURISHMENT

“As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word, that by it you may grow unto salvation.” 1 Peter 2:2

After reading through this lesson, you must be eager to become one who reads the Bible and knows God. If you do not yet have a plan and a life of reading the Bible, we hope that by the grace of the Lord you will make a resolution that from now on you will practice the following:

Spend twenty minutes every day in the Word.

Read one chapter in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament.

Pray-read one verse.

If you would take care of the Bible given by God in this way, in time you will reap the highest blessings of life.