Proverbs 20:30 ¶ The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Key 3. Be Humble; “The meek will he guide in judgment: and
the meek will he teach his way.” (Psalm 25:9) What does it mean to be meek? Do
a word search. Meekness toward God’s will and toward God is the meekness spoken
of in the Bible.
Read Matthew 11:25. Tyndale reminded us that,
“remembering that as lowliness of heart shall make you high with God, even so
meekness of words shall make you sink into the hearts of men. Nature giveth age
authority, but meekness is the glory of youth, and giveth them honour.”
In one edition of the Great Bible we are advised
to have the Holy Spirit as our instructor.
“I think it necessary that thou play not the
sluggard following the example of the unprofitable drone bee, who liveth only
by the honey that the diligent bees gather. But contrary wise, be thou a good
bee, search for the sweet honey of the most wholesome flowers of God’s holy
word. And in all this give over thy self to the teaching of God’s holy spirit,
who instructeth none but the humble spirited and such as seek reformation of
their own mis-living and all such he instructeth to the full, making their
hearts a meet (worthy) temple for him to dwell in..”
Key 4. Pray; “If any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall
be given him.” (James 1:5)
When was the last time you prayed for wisdom?
For God to give you light from His word? What did Jesus promise about the Holy
Spirit in John 14:26?
In 1538 the Bishop of London felt that study
without prayer was like lungs without air-no life. “By devout prayer he shall
attain, percase, as much or more, as by study or learning, for without prayer
the words will little prevail. Look in Christ’s life, and thou shalt find in
every thing he went about, he prayed..”
Martyr Hugh Latimer said that worldly wise men
are the least likely sources of wisdom and knowledge. Prayer and a willing
heart will prevail;
“You shall prevail more with praying, than with
studying, though mixture be best…For in the first we must stand only to the
Scriptures, which are able to make us all perfect and instructed unto
salvation, if they be well understood. And they offer themselves to be well
understood only to them, which have good wills, and give themselves to study
and prayer: neither are there any men less apt to understand them, than the
prudent and wise men of the world.”
Key 5. Desire to Obey: “I understand more than
the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.” (Psalm 119:100)
Tyndale said Christians are to “submit
themselves unto the word of God, to be corrected.”
“It is not enough therefore to read and talk of
it only, but we must also desire God day and night instantly to open our eyes,
and to make us understand and feel wherefore [for what reason] the scripture
was given, that we may apply the medicine of the scripture, every man to his
own sores…This comfort shalt thou evermore find in the plain text and literal
sense. As thou readest therefore think that every syllable pertaineth to thine
own self.” Give example of Canaanites and Hebrews.
Key 6: Meditate on Memorized Scripture: “I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my
meditation.” Psalm 119:99
Thomas Cromwell, martyr and Henry VIII’s secretary
of state, had memorized the entire New Testament.
Adam Wallace, the night before he was burnt at
the stake sang the entire book of Psalms by heart to his jailers as they had
taken away his Bible.
Joan Waste, a blind girl, purchased a New
Testament with money she earned from knitting. She would pay people a penny or
two to read the Bible to her so she could memorize it. They burnt her at the
stake at the age of 22.
Nicholas Ridley, before he was burned, had his
family memorize a large part of the Bible.
Rather than television or your rap and rock CD’s
Tyndale would admonish parents;
“Thou shalt buy them wholesome books, as the
holy gospel, the epistles of the holy apostles, yea both the New Testament and
Old Testament, that they may understand and drink of the sweet fountain and
waters of life. Bring thy children to the church, to hear the sermon; and when
thou shalt come home, thou shalt ask them what they have kept in memory of the
sermon.”
Key 7: Read the Bible again and again: “Whereby,
when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”
Ephesians 3:4
Cranmer’s Prologue to the Great Bible says;
“Peradventure, they will say unto me” how and if
we understand not that we read, that is contained in the books. What then?
Suppose, thou understand not the deep and profound mysteries of scripture, yet
can it not be, but that much fruit and holiness must come and grow unto thee by
the reading: for it cannot be that thou shouldest be ignorant in all things
alike. For the Holy Ghost hath so ordered and tempered the scriptures, that in
them as well publicans, fishers, and shepherds may find their edification. Who
is there of so simple wit and capacity, but he may be able to perceive and
understand them? These be but excuses and cloaks for the raiment, and coverings
of their own idle slothfulness, I cannot understand it. What marvel? How
shouldest thou understand, if thou wilt not read, nor look upon it? Take the
books into thine hands, read the whole story, and that thou understandest keep
it well in memory; that thou understandest not, read it again and again. And I
doubt not, but God seeing thy diligence and readiness will himself vouchsafe
with his Holy Spirit to illuminate thee, and to open unto thee that which was
locked from thee….Every man should read by himself at home in the mean days and
time, between sermon and sermon. Take the book in hand, read, weigh, and
perceive. When ye be at home in your houses, ye apply yourselves from time to
time to the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Let no man make excuse and say: ‘I
am busy. It is not for me to read the scriptures.”
Read the Book.
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