Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 23

Give Attendance to Reading

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Devoting thought and effort to the reading of God’s Word was the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. Apply yourself, turn the mind to, attend to be attentive in the reading of God’s Word, a command to do so continually as a life-long spiritual discipline and habit. This applies for pastors and to all born-again Christians (Waite).

We are reaching the middle of the year with the nation in circuit breaker mode for the past two months with gradual easing. Have you been using your time purposefully in the reading of God’s Word? God’s Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Tim. 3:16 KJV).

For doctrine, teaching us principles for living our Christian life, for reproof – showing us where we have gone wrongin our life, for correction – showing us the way of correction, and for instruction in righteousness – showing us the godly way.

Our reading the Bible through in one year using the KJV One Year Bible would have

brought us to 1 King 2:1-3:3; Acts 5:1-42; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 16:25. If you are using the Andrew Murray 365 Devotional Bible, the reading would be 1 Kings 1:1-53; John 16:23-17:5; Psalm 89:38-52. I urge you to persevere in your reading.

Henry Scudder gave this encouragement to believers to begin the day with God, “How to awake with God. In the instant of awaking let your heart be lifted up to God with a thankful acknowledgement of His mercy to you. For it is He that giveth His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2). Begin the day with God by renewed faith and repentance. When you are thus awake, and are risen out of your bed that you may walk with God the remaining of the day, it will be needful that you first renew your peace with God, by faith in Jesus Christ; and then endeavour to show your dutifulness and gratitude to God, by doing those works of piety, equity, mercy and sobriety, which may any way concern you that day. You have as much to aware of Him and to obey His voice, and not provoke Him who go before you in the wilderness of this world, to guide and bring you to His heavenly kingdom.”

We are exhorted to take time to read God’s Word with solemn prayer and thanksgiving. Allow God’s Word to lay a strict charge upon our consciences. 

To this end, the late Adrian Rogers advised well, “As you read the Bible, I want you to ask God to help you answer these questions: (1) Is there a lesson to learn? (2) Is there a sin to avoid? (3) Is there a blessing to enjoy? (4) Is there a promise to claim? (5) Is there a new thought to carry with me?”

We make haste slowly in the reading of God’s Word. Let us devote thought and effort to our reading. Let our minds be fully focused in our reading. The word “give attendance” literally means “to bring to, to bring near; to bring a ship to land, and simply to touch at, put in; to turn one’s mind to, attend to be attentive.” (Waite)

Nehemiah 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused themto understand the reading.

Let us also read good Christian books for the strengthening of our faith. We have recommended some good titles for your reading from the Puritan paperbacks – Christ Set Forth by Thomas Goodwin, The Fear of God by John Bunyan, The Great Gain of Godliness by Thomas Watson, The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Thomas Bolton, Glorious Freedom by Richard Sibbes just to name a few.

These writers wrote during the time of the Reformation era where their faith was greatly refined through great persecutions that they had to undergo. God raised them up to explain many cardinal Christian doctrines succinctly. I encourage you to take the time to read such Christian literature. 

Hence, to give attendance to reading, one has to deliberately give time and attention to this spiritual exercise that will surely bring spiritual growth when attended to with prayer and whole-hearted devotion.

2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The word “perfect” means complete, of one able to meet all demands, qualified, fully ready, perfectly fit, mature. That the man of God, the man that is called a Christian, might be throughly furnished. It speaks of thorough spiritual and moral preparedness to be equipped completely, made adequate to show forth a godly life by all the good works that he does to bless the people around him. We should press toward perfection. There is a future sense to the verb that tells us we must work at it. And succeed by the grace of God. 

This is an exhortation to living a holy life, a life of godliness, characterized by good works. How are you progressing spiritually speaking, are you able to put away sin in your life and live victoriously for the Lord as a good testimony of His saving grace or are you trudging along succumbing to sin all the time? The battle is real, the battle is fierce. But our Lord Jesus has won the victory for us on the cross. And He has left us His blueprint for battle in His Word. 

May we appropriate it daily for our spiritual nourishment! May the Lord bless your reading.

Yours loving,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee