Required reading
Heaven taken by storm by Thomas Watson (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 3 (Offering violence by the reading of the word), Chapter 4 (Offering violence by hearing of the Word) and Chapter 5 (offering violence by prayer).
My summary
Today Watson begins giving us seven ways a Christian may do violence to himself.
Firstly Christians must do violence to themselves by the reading of the Word. To do so, they should read the Bible as:
(i) a book made by God himself;
(ii) a perfect rule of faith;
(iii) a soul-enriching treasury;
(iv) a book of evidences;
(v) a spiritual magazine;
(vi) a spiritual glass;
(vii) a book of spiritual recipes;
(viii) a sovereign elixer;
(ix) the last will and testament of Christ;
(x) a book by which you must be judged.
Secondly Christians must do violence to themselves by hearing the Word preached. Watson advises stirring up ourselves to hear the Word with devotion by considering:
(i) that it is God that speaks to us;
(ii) the weightiness of the matters delivered.
Thirdly Christians must do violence to themselves by prayer. This includes a stirring up of the heart:
(i) to prayer;
(ii) in prayer.
What grabbed me
Excellent material today.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Bible reading, including this point: 'When you read the word, look on it as a soul-enriching treasury. Search here as for a 'vein of silver' Prov. ii.4. In this word are scattered many divine aphorisms; gather them up as so many jewels. This blessed book helps to enrich you; it fills your head with knowledge, and your heart with grace; it stores you with promises: a man may be rich in bonds. In this field the pearl of price is hid: What are all the world's riches compared to these? Islands of spices, coasts of pearl, rocks of diamonds? These are but the riches that reprobates may have, but the word gives us those riches which angels have.'
The Scriptures are indeed a treasury!
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 6 (Offering violence by meditation).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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