Reading can be profitable. It is not time spent in vain.
Knowing how to read a Book can be helpful.
A wise man once said, "Some books are to be digested, mulled over, contemplated, and considered carefully, but others are sometimes best to spue out."
Scripture tells us that we are to "present our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God, this is our spiritual act of worship." We must first present ourselves to God, and then, as we are able, use our ability to read to gain knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs Chapter 17 verse 16 tells it this way "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver."
Back in 1947 my husband was attending College and Seminary with a view to becoming a Minister, preaching the Word of God. He wrote some thoughts down about his education, and one was on How to Read A Book.
I. FIND THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK.
A. Discover the Author's past experiences.
B. Find the Purpose in order to make progress.
C. Find the Purpose in order to increase our interest.
D. Find the Purpose in order to have a source of consolation.
E. Find the Purpose in order to compare with other Books.
II. HOW TO READ THE BOOK.
A. We should rid our mind of the idea that reading a Book is a strenuous exercise.
B. We need to cultivate our reading habits.
C. We should begin reading and keep on reading until an interest is cultivated.
D. We should begin reading only books that we enjoy.
E. We should advance step by step.
F. It is better to read 20 books twice than to read 100 so called good books once.
G. It is a mistake to toil through Masterpieces unless they can be understood and enjoyed.
H. To understand Masterpieces, one must be educated into the appreciation of what is good.
I. We should keep our Heart and Mind close to the Hearts and Minds of great men of the past.
J. When we begin to read, we should read slowly and deliberately.
K. We should have an imagination when we read.
L. How we should select our Literature:
1. Consider the reasons for the subject matter.
2. Consider the element of form and the pleasure attained from it.
3. Literature is an expression of Life through the medium of a language, and lives by
virtue of life which it embodies.
4. Literature is an interpretation of life.
M. We must understand individuals in the Book.
N. A book is a great book in that it has something fresh and original to say.
O. We must see and feel with the Author.
P. We must throw open our whole Nature to the quickening influence of a good book.
Q. We should listen attentively to what the Author has to say.
R. We should observe how the world of experience impresses the Author.
S. We should establish personal relationship to the characters in the book.
T. We should study the author's books in relation to their order of production.
U. We should compare and contrast the author with himself and with other authors.
V. We should learn the personality of the Author.
W. We should cultivate a spirit of sympathy with the Author.
III. RAPID READING
A. Rapid readers remember more than slow readers.
B. Rapid reading leads to alertness.
C. Rapid reading can only be attained after much practice.
IV. READING ALOUD.
A. Reading aloud adds charm and music to our speaking.
B. Reading aloud helps us to not have a wandering mind.
C. We should begin after a long breath.
V. MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS ON READING.
A. We should read books for ourselves.
B. Every good book is better the second time than the first.
C. We should read each line straight through to the end.
D. We should disregard pictures and illustrations until after the matter has been read.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
STORING WITHIN THAT WHICH MATTERS MOST
Storing within ourselves that which matters most can happen only when we take the time to read, to study, to go over and through the material available to us to read and to mull over. Psalm 1 tells us that the Righteous person is one who delights in the Law (the Torah) of the LORD and who takes pleasure in doing what it calls him / her to do.
I encourage you, find yourself digging into the bookshelves of your computer, and search out text that will make a difference in your life.
Jesus told us that the person who does the will of God is His mother, brother and sister. "Whoever does the will of God is my mother, my brother and my sister." he stated in Matthew 12. verses 45 - 49. Mary knew who the Son was. The Angel had told her that THIS ONE would be the Promised One. Here Jesus shows that His purpose in coming was to make us members of His Family - for He tells the disciples again and again that He would suffer and die and be buried and be risen again on the third day, yet in listening to Him speak of His coming suffering and death that is ALL they remembered - they focused on the sadness of losing Him - yet He told them I am going to rise on the third day. Come to me, and I will not send you away, Jesus told His listeners. Again He said, "Come follow me, and you will find rest for your souls" "If anyone follows Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and come follow me." Jesus told the people "I am the bread of life." Again He said, "I am the Light of the world" Another time He stated "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by me." John 14. v. 6
Dig into God's Word. Use a dictionary if you have one for words you do not know. Look up on a Bible map where a town is mentioned. On the Internet you can find MAPS for any HISTORICAL
PLACE. There are Bible Atlas, Dictionaries and Concordances and Bible Maps on line as well to help a new student in finding out what and where and how and who and when of events that happened in Jesus' life, and the joy of discovering more about His Word will lighten the Path before you.
A student always willing to learn knows that there are many books from which to learn. However there is only ONE BOOK THAT GOD HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT has given us and that is THE HOLY BIBLE. Let us read. Let us study. Let us go on to KNOW THE LORD, to receive HIM INTO MY LIFE, and to WALK IN HIS WAYS.
I encourage you, find yourself digging into the bookshelves of your computer, and search out text that will make a difference in your life.
Jesus told us that the person who does the will of God is His mother, brother and sister. "Whoever does the will of God is my mother, my brother and my sister." he stated in Matthew 12. verses 45 - 49. Mary knew who the Son was. The Angel had told her that THIS ONE would be the Promised One. Here Jesus shows that His purpose in coming was to make us members of His Family - for He tells the disciples again and again that He would suffer and die and be buried and be risen again on the third day, yet in listening to Him speak of His coming suffering and death that is ALL they remembered - they focused on the sadness of losing Him - yet He told them I am going to rise on the third day. Come to me, and I will not send you away, Jesus told His listeners. Again He said, "Come follow me, and you will find rest for your souls" "If anyone follows Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and come follow me." Jesus told the people "I am the bread of life." Again He said, "I am the Light of the world" Another time He stated "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by me." John 14. v. 6
Dig into God's Word. Use a dictionary if you have one for words you do not know. Look up on a Bible map where a town is mentioned. On the Internet you can find MAPS for any HISTORICAL
PLACE. There are Bible Atlas, Dictionaries and Concordances and Bible Maps on line as well to help a new student in finding out what and where and how and who and when of events that happened in Jesus' life, and the joy of discovering more about His Word will lighten the Path before you.
A student always willing to learn knows that there are many books from which to learn. However there is only ONE BOOK THAT GOD HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT has given us and that is THE HOLY BIBLE. Let us read. Let us study. Let us go on to KNOW THE LORD, to receive HIM INTO MY LIFE, and to WALK IN HIS WAYS.
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