Wednesday 21 March 2012

An Interview with D. L. Moody Concerning Bible Study

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I've been reading D. L. Moody's book 'The pleasure & profit in Bible study' and figured it'd be fun to fictionally interview him in regards to the subject and draw his answers from the book.


D.L. (can i call you that?) how would you recommend Christians to read their Bibles?
"Read the Bible, my friends, as if you were seeking something of value. it is a good deal better to take a single chapter, and spend a month on it, than to read the Bible at random for a month."


To those who maybe find themselves struggling in the Christian life, or maybe in what you describe as a 'backslidden' state, what would you say?
"The more you love the Scriptures, the firmer will be your faith. There is little back-sliding when people love the Scriptures. If you come into closer contact with the Word, you will gain something that will last; because the Word of God is going to endure."


What would you say to those Christians who say they can't find energy or time to study the Bible?
"If I could say something that would induce Christians to have a deeper love for the Word of God, I should feel this to be the most important service that could be rendered to them. . .   . . .If you will only arouse yourself to the study of it, and ask God's assistance, He will assuredly help you."


You're an old dead dude, no offence, but what would you say to young Christians in the year 2012?
"If young converts want to be used of God, they must feed on His Word . . .    . . . If we feed on the word, it will be so easy to speak to others; and not only that, but we will grow in grace all the while, and others will take notice of our walk and conversation. so few grow because so few study. I would advise all young converts to keep as much as they can in the company of more experienced Christians. . .   . . . Study the Bible carefully and prayerfully; ask of others what this passage, and what that passage means; and when you have become practically acquainted with the great truths it contains, you will have less to fear from the world, the flesh, and the devil. You will not be disappointed in your Christian life."


I've a young family, so what advice would you give to fathers in family devotions?
"now, when you read the Bible at family worship or for private devotions, look for suitable passages. what would you think of a minister who went into the pulpit on Sunday and opened the Bible at hazard and commenced to read? yet this is what most men do at family prayers. They might as well go into a drug store and swallow the first medicine their eye happens to see. Children would take more interest in family prayers if the father would take time to search for some passage to suit the special need."


There's probably enough there for us to really think about but as we finish this post have you any other thoughts you would like to share with this generation?
"People are constantly saying: We want something new - some new doctrine, some new idea. Depend upon it, if you get tired of the Word of God, and it becomes wearisome to you, you are not of communion with Him.
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About Boaly
Gary has been involved in printing the Scriptures for 20 years, enjoys photography and rambling online

2 comments:

jim elliff said...

Thanks so much for this excellent piece. I've passed it along to my friends. Christian leaders and responsible believers everywhere should be enamored with God's word, reading and re-reading portions until they are, on some level, understood or "mastered".....and applied. The most significant change in my practice of Bible reading in the last years is mentioned here by Moody...rereading the same book or section repeatedly for a good while until understood. Even reading completely through the Bible, as good as that is, cannot give you the help that mastering of books can give. Take Genesis and Mathew and re-read them once a week or once every two weeks for months, and notice the amazing work God will do in your life.

Boaly said...

Thanks Jim, this advice was given to me shortly after Jesus saved me and it's stuck through the years.

I sometimes wonder why we get so caught up in recommending yearly reading plans more than slower methods that will have deeper affects, and will as you say help us to 'master' the books of the Bible in a way that, what often turns into speed reading doesn't.