In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of reading the word of God regularly and responding to its teachings. He encourages the congregation to read the Bible rejoicingly and to regulate their lives according to its instructions. The preacher also highlights that God still speaks to us through his word and that he speaks in his own time. He uses the example of God preaching a seven-point sermon through the events of people's lives. The sermon emphasizes the significance of listening to and obeying God's word.

I haven't done that in a year. But just last week I was reminding someone of it. Along in Newport News a brother was asking me concerning a movement in our country called the Open Air Mission. I know not quite, but somehow he's come in contact with them and he was asking me about them. And I told him a story about them. You know, they're a wonderful band of God's people and their name, of course, tells what they do. The Open Air Mission. They have open air services outside of factory gates, wherever men are found. And one of the things they do is whenever there's a race meeting, they're there. They go to all our big race meetings and have open air services by the side of the racecourse. But as soon as the race starts, they all stand with their backs to the races. And they sing, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look for in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. And I was just telling this brother this last week in Newport News and here you give out the hymn tonight. Thank you brother, thank you. It's a long time since I've sung it, but we made reference to it last week. Just a reminder that this week, Monday through Thursday, not Friday because Friday we're having a very special gathering, but Monday through Thursday we're looking at four songs. Tonight, the word of God and how to read it. Tomorrow night, the will of God and how to know it. Wednesday night, the worship of God. You've got it right now there. I tell you, he'll forget that will he, after that mistake of yesterday. The worship of God and how to present it. And then it's the Lord will on Thursday, the work of God and how to do it. But tonight we're dealing with the word of God and how to read it. I wonder if we could turn together to those lovely verses in the second chapter of Peter's second letter. 2 Peter chapter 2 if we may please. 2 Peter chapter 2, we will commence reading a little way down the, I beg your pardon, 2 Peter chapter 1. And we will commence to read a little way down the chapter in verse 16. For we have not followed cunningly devised tables when we made known unto you the power and cunning of our Lord Jesus Christ. But were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For we received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. You know, you must forgive me, I've left out two lines. And they're most important lines. Let me start reading again, verse 16. Please forgive me. For we have not followed cunningly devised tables when we made known unto you the power and cunning of our Lord Jesus Christ. But were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy night. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Whereunto you do well that ye take ease. As unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawns and the day star ariseth in your heart. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. No prophecy came not in old time by the will of man. But holy men of God's sake, as they were moved by the holy ghost. The Lord will add his blessing to the reading of his precious word. Now when you came in tonight, you were given a course. If you weren't, please raise your hand and someone will give you one. Oh there are a few here haven't there. Oh please, we're very sorry. You must have crept in the side door. Ah, isn't it remarkable how we know? Look at that. Thank you. Now we are without excuse if we don't sing. The only brother who's not permitted to sing is our good chairman of yesterday. He tells me he's got laryngitis. What do I think he was in the big plan? Would you like to come up here and try with me? Because I've got it as well. Well there we are. Now are we ready? And how about my friend who promised to sing yesterday and didn't? Where is he? That's it. Are you in good voice tonight sir? No. You didn't wave your head that way yesterday you know. You made a mistake oh I see. There we are. Well come away. We'll turn to our little porgy. And we'll sing if we may please. The one we've been singing night by night. Number twelve. Who can move the mountain? Thank you. Who can move the mountain by the history? Who can take from our bright heaven heaven far away? Now I tell you what we'll do. We'll have that row. One, two, four. We've got a nice quartet there. Are you ready now? Here we go. Just on your own. Here we go. Who can move the mountain? We'll let you come whenever you want to. Really we will. Very good. Now. Someone's got a favourite. If you've got a favourite call the number out and we'll sing it. Number nine. Oh I say. Number nine. We're back in Sunday school. Back in Sunday school. Number nine please. If you're black. Or if you're white. Or if you're penalty. God loves you. How about those three young folks in that row there. Would you like to sing a song? You wouldn't. I want to tell you something. I think you know a lot. Thanks to the people who like to play with me. Most of them are great guys. But nevertheless. Now are you ready? Everyone please. Let's bring it back. Thank you. If you're black. Or if you're white. Or if you're penalty. God loves you. You know I wish I could put you on. Really I do. Just to look at yourself trying to do the action. And read the words at the same time. Come on let's try it again. And if you want to go back to Sunday school and that kind of wonderful thing to do. Now my good golfing friend there. I didn't see you do the action. I'm sure it's good training for that silly game you play. Are you ready then? All together. Thank you. If you're black. Or if you're white. Or if you're penalty. God loves you. Now someone else. Number two. Number two. I'm sorry. You must really be quick to get a chorus here. Number two. Or one step more. One step more. Thank you sir. One step more. Now what did you say sir? Number five. You know we have a great problem. I think number five is about the only one I haven't got the music for. But our good pianist can play anything. In our bad day sir. Is that alright sir? Or have you got the music? I'm going to borrow that before I go away sir. Thank you. Thank you. Oh that's it people. Thank you. This is no need a bottle sir. I can drink warm water. Now sir. You know. I've got the music. I can't follow this for so long. Would you mind playing the first line? Would that be alright sir? Yes. We've got the music. I know. I've got the music. We've got the music. I know. Thank you. May I borrow that music sir? And just a word of prayer. Oh God and father we lift our hearts to thee again tonight. And praise thee for thy word. We thank thee for the one who is the subject of our prayer. The one whose name is blessed. We ask that tonight as we think a little more of him. And a little more of that which he hath left on record for us. That our hearts may be touched. Served. That those of us that love thee may go from this place. Determined to live for the Lord Jesus. In a better way than ever we've lived before. And if by chance Lord there's someone who's never trusted thee. Grant that they might realize that the one who is the living word of God. Is willing to enter their life. And make it real. Speak then to us we pray thee. For Jesus' sake. Amen. Amen. I once heard a story that I thought was extremely interesting. Speak up it is said. Now whenever a preacher starts the story by saying it is said. You can rest assured that he's not certain whether it's true. So I must start with it is said. It is said that a young lady who had been raised in the country. Went away to the city of London for work. She got a job in a bank and was sent to the city of London for her training. And she was very much out of her depth. She didn't know anyone. She knew nowhere to go and it was her first job and so her wages were not very high. She couldn't go to many places. So what she did, she went into a store and purchased a book. It was one of these sort of yellow bag books. You know the sort of cheap novels that I expect you can buy in your country as well. And back to her lodging she went and she started to read the books. But oh it was as dull as any book she'd ever picked up. She couldn't make head or tail of it. She started and read a chapter or so and then went to the middle. And then did what no one should ever do. Went to the last chapter. And it still didn't make sense. And so she closed it up and she put it on the bookshelf. And she said, a waste of my money. Whatever that is in your money I don't know. At the end of the week she was introduced to a young man. And like young men sometimes do, he said, by the way would you like to come out to the pub with me? And she accepted his invitation. And off they went back down together and enjoyed a thoroughly decent evening. And after she died again and she went out the second time. And from that conversation she looked at him and said, Oh what an interesting thing. I've got a book on my bookshelf and the author is the same name as you. Oh? What's the name of the book? And she told him. Well he said that's not peculiar because actually I wrote the book. Back to her lodging she went. Down from the bookshelf came the book. It was the most brilliant book she'd ever read. She turned the pages over and over and stayed up almost all night reading it right through. Then she shouted out to him, What a lovely book. You know what had happened to her. She'd fallen in love with the author. And then she fell in love with the author. A book that was so broad. So meaningless. With no theme. Suddenly became the most thrilling book she'd ever read. Forty years ago I fell in love with the author. And a book which to me was just a book to their last act and argued about. Suddenly became a book that had a purpose. And it had a purpose because although I didn't understand it. I'd fallen in love with the author. And as I read it, I wasn't just reading a book. I was reading a book that told me about someone who'd become my failure. And I want to say right at the beginning of my remarks this evening, and remarks they will be. I'm not going to look at them. But I want to say right at the beginning of my remarks this evening. That when it comes to the reading of the word of God. The most essential thing is to make sure that we know the author. And if you want the Bible to be an interesting book. Then you read it to find out something of the mind of the author. As I turn to the word of God. I must say this to you. That I find myself reading a book that utterly amazes me. Sixty-six books. Thirty-seven of them written in Hebrew. And the remaining twenty-seven written in Greek. Over a period of years that utterly amazes any thoughtful person. And yet as you read it. You find that there is a hole about this book. That none other book in the world has. To imagine. That this vast number of authors. From different backgrounds. With different social and circumstantial backgrounds. Could take their time. And write. Some of them history. Some of them prophecy. Some of them understanding what they were writing. And some of them not fully understanding it at all. Yet when it writes. They have a computer. Such a computer. That will look at it and call it. The word of God. Oh friends. How amazing it is. That no other book like it in the world. No other book like it. In the world. And when I turn the page. And ponder what it has to say. I get amazed. Amazed at the not only variety of subjects. But utterly amazed as I read it. How little of it is occupied with what men think are important. And how much of it occupied with what men think are not important things. Then suddenly. We see the Christ. And we realize why non-important things are important. And important things are not important. For instance. The Lord when he gives the record of the creation of the starry heavens. Gives it in five English words. If you dabble a little with Hebrew. You will acknowledge that it's but three words. But in our English language. He uses five words. To tell us of the creation of the starry heavens. He laid the stars over. Yes. When it comes to laying down before us. The great happenings concerning the Tabernacle. He takes fifteen chapters. Not fifteen. Fifteen. Let me make that very clear. Why no. Both in the New and in the Old Testament. And I tend to the fact. Of the starry heavens. Of less important than the Tabernacle. And I think indeed of the billions of dollars you good Americans have spent. To get a man to the moon. God dismisses as the creation of all the starry heavens in five words. Then suddenly I see the secret to it. And it is the secret of Bible reading. It is this. That the Tabernacle. Is in pictorial form. Of what? Everything that's associated. Whether we look indeed at the furnishings of it. Whether we look indeed at the sacrifices that are made in it. Whether we think of the priest who stands and appreciates prayer. They all tell us of Jesus Christ. God takes fifty chapters to tell us. Because he wants us to know about his son. When you look at the stars. What do they tell us about Jesus Christ? I mean they tell us about his power. He upholdeth all things. They tell us about his creation. He made all things. But I wouldn't know anything about the character of Jesus Christ by looking at the stars. I'd know something about his power. I'd know something about his might. I'd know something about his ability. But I would know nothing about his character. Whether my God was loving or not. When I look at the Tabernacle and I see the sacrifices. I see something of his character. So friend let's get this right at the beginning of my remarks. That the Bible will only be a book of great interest to us. When in it we see first of all God. And his Son. And his Spirit. Working. Both through men of past centuries. And by it to us. Today. I had supper this evening with Mr. and Mrs. Hall. And as we were seated in their room I looked. And hanging on the wall. A picture. Now please. I'm no artist. I only did one good drawing in my life. I shaded the page black and I called it London in the Farm. But I couldn't even get away with that. So I don't know whether it was a good picture Mr. Hall. I'm sure if it was hanging on your wall it must be. I only know this as I looked at it and I thought. Oh how acceptable could it be for it shows the two on the road to a mess. And the Christ walking. Is it glory? But as the Saviour walked with those two. So filled with doubt. So disappointed. So broken-hearted. He began at Moses in the pocket. And say come to them the things concerning himself. And their unhappiness disappeared. And their purposelessness suddenly vanished. For suddenly they found that the Christ who they followed was the Christ. Because the word of God has said these things. It's you and I in Christ. In the Scripture. I am certain that every one of us will realise what a wonderful book this is. Let me illustrate it in a way that maybe I have here in this district before. But I feel that I would like to share it. The Epistle to the Hebrews of course is the great book of the New Testament that lists the Old Testament as no other book in the New Testament. And yet it's just remarkable how it's done. It's well been called the awesome epistle, hasn't it? You know the Epistle to the Hebrews is the only epistle that we're not certain who wrote it. Now I'm sure some of you good brethren have got a great case that Paul wrote. All I say to you is this. All I say to you is this. That God didn't tell it to them. If you like to think that God did, God did. But God didn't say that. And yet isn't it wonderful because we are not told who the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews is. God is the Father of the Fatherland. And so he adopts the epistle and it's the only epistle that he gives. And as you go through that first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. How careful God is in telling us about his Son. May I just remind you of it. In the first verse is of course God, who in hundred times and in diverse manners, thirteen times passed unto the fathers by the prophets, half in these last days spoken unto us by in through, I don't know what you do with Greek prepositions, but has spoken unto us by in through his Son. Is it not? You know you look through this chapter. And first of all you see God speaking about his Son. Remember? Speaking about his Son. God, who in hundred times and in diverse manners, thirteen times passed unto the fathers by the prophets. What did he speak about? He spoke about his Son didn't he? Because Jesus on the road to Emmaus, beginning at Moses and the prophets, spake unto them the things concerning his Son. In the story we considered yesterday morning, although of course I didn't remind you of it. In the story we preached about yesterday morning of Cornelius, you will remember that when Peter stood before him, this is what Peter said to him, the Lord Jesus, they are all the prophets which, so in times past, when the prophets spoke unto the fathers, they spoke about Jesus Christ. To him they are all the prophets. They speak the things concerning himself. So first you see God speaking about his Son. Then you see God speaking in his Son. Hasn't these last days spoken unto us? In. Through. The Son. Oh isn't it wonderful that God still speaks. But he speaks to you and me through his Son. And he told us about his Son in the written word. But you know that he speaks about his Son. And then he speaks in his Son. Now he speaks on his Son. If I was giving a talk tonight to young men and seeking to help them to preach, as sometimes I do, maybe doing a talk about homiletics and sermon preparation, I'd start in the first evening. I'd say the funniest sermon that was ever preached on Jesus Christ was preached by God. How do you see it? It was a seven point sermon too. Well you'd think it was Mr. Gidbo over again wouldn't you? It's a seven point sermon. Why has God preached it on? Oh I say let me just turn you. I won't preach it, I'll just read it. It just thrills your heart doesn't it? This is what he said. Happen these last days, spoken of by his Son. Whom he hath appointed heir of all things. By whom also he made the world. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the expression of his purpose, and upholding all things by the word of his power. When he hath by himself corrupt our sins, hath grant the right hand of the Majesty on high. I feel like telling you how to do it. I know it'll frighten you a bit, but that's how I do it. You see, when you think of God preaching on his Son. If you want to know about Jesus, let me go home and read that again and turn it over in your heart. But then he preaches. Oh he speaks first about his Son. Then he speaks through in his Son. Then he speaks on his Son. Then he speaks for his Son. For you will remember, almost all the things that he says, apart from creation and rejection, in that seven point sermon, you could have said is about angels. And so the Lord says, I'll speak up for my Son. But I'm the one that the angel said he had any desire by the God. But then he reaches the dizzy heights. Oh come on brethren, let me ask you. He speaks about his Son. He speaks in his Son. Through his Son. He speaks on his Son. He speaks for his Son. Then what is it? It's true. Belong to the Son. He says thy Son, O God, is forever and ever. Friends, you see what I'm trying to emphasize as I lay the foundation. Both for tonight and the coming night. In the reading of the Word of God. It is Christ. And we must ever be looking for him, the author of the book. If we would find it interesting. If we would be sure with it. So let me say just one or two things about the reading of the Word of God. The first thing is, I say, rather important. We must read it, and we must read it regularly. Regularly. The second thing I want to say is that we must read it. And we must read it reverently. Reverently. The third thing I want to say is we must read it, and we must read it responsibly. Now please, I don't mean what our good brother did with us so ably yesterday morning. Stand here and read a verse, and then ask us to read a verse. I don't mean that responsibly. But what I mean is that when we read it, we must respond to what it says. And if it tells us something to do, let's go and do it. And if it tells us something we mustn't do, then let's not do it. Let's regulate our lives. And then we must read it, and we must read it rejoicingly. First of all, we must read it regularly. How important that is. You know, the Word of God is likened to water. Live and all shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Now may I ask the question, how often do you wash? It's getting a bit personal isn't it? It's getting a bit personal. But how often do you wash? I've got a strong feeling, a strong feeling, that if I was to ask you that personally, you know, take you on five steps, by the way old chap, how often do you wash? Oh dear, you, wouldn't you, you'd come back at me. And yet if the Word of God is that which cleanses our way, surely we must use the Word of God regularly. And as we read it, and as we ponder it, so as your great Mr Moody once said, sin will keep me from the Bible, the Bible will keep me from sin. Oh how true that is. Let's read it regularly. I suggest to you, not only is it like water and we wash every day, but it's likened to bread. For the Lord Jesus spoke of manna which came down from heaven. He said he was the bread of heaven, the bread of life. And Jeremiah could say in that 15th chapter of his, thy words were found and I did eat them. Eat them? Well may I ask, how often do you eat? Oh no, I don't want you to give a real answer to that because I might have to give an answer as well, and it could be a bit embarrassing. I'm sure of this, that every one of us needs to feed upon the Word of God. To feed upon it. And let me ask you something, because this is what Jeremiah said, thy words were found and I did eat it. Mother, mother, come on now, let me talk to you for a moment. Do you allow your child to eat them? I've got a strong feeling you say, well, if it's only a spoonful you'd better have it. What sort of mother would it be, that would allow a child just to have what he wants? There are certain foods that maybe we don't like. But I know this, our youngsters had to eat their cabbage. Or they'd leave it all. And if I know anything about American youngsters, most of you'd rather go to McDonald's than anywhere else. And most of it is because there's no spinach in McDonald's. It is remarkable they don't try and satisfy this, they know folks don't like it. And there are portions of the Word of God we don't like. There are portions that we look at, and they hurt us. We were talking today and my good friend, Mr. Hall, said that he had been reading Samuel Ryder. Was it you'd been reading him sir, or what was it you said about him? Anyway, you mentioned him didn't you? You know Samuel Ryder, Epistles of the Hebrews. He was writing on the Epistles of the Hebrews. It was one of the most wonderful things that was ever written on the Epistles of the Hebrews. I said, do you know what he said about chapter 6? I said, hit him for it! Do you know what he said about chapter 6? He said, whenever I come to chapter 6, I read it as part of my plan. My wife said it was in the Bible. And that's what he said, he wrote and read. My friend, there are chapters in the Word of God, and Hebrews 6 may be one of them. But oh please, please if I may just make this comment. Hebrews 6 tells us, how near a man can get to Christ without being fed. And Hebrews 10 tells us, how far we can get away from Christ without being loved. That's the difference between Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10. But there are portions that leave a scar on us, but we've got to leave them. We've got to let them do their work in our lives. We get rejuvenated. We live as we wash, we live as we eat. I say, how often do we take exercise? Oh, maybe not as often as we should. If you were to listen to the lecture I get from Mary every morning. You know, about half past six she says, come on let's get out for a walk. I said, things are better things to do at half past six. But I'm an obedient husband. Well there it is. I only know this, that isn't it a fact, isn't it a fact, that each one of us needs to wash, and we need to eat, and we need to laugh. And the word of God is enlightenment. Enlightenment. You see I open my Bible and I read this. Who walk in the ways of the Lord. 519 and verse 4. Who walk in the ways of the Lord. And then I remember again the psalmist says, I will run. Oh please, I'm no jogger. I only know this. He says, I will walk in the ways of the Lord. I will run in the ways of thy commandments. So just as exercise is necessary, so the word of God is. You know, read it and read it regularly. I delight in the law of the Lord, and in thy law do I meditate, said the psalmist, both day and night. How essential the word of God is. Whatever this chapel is, please, whatever it is, please God it will be known, as a place where the word of God is known and loved. Known and loved. As I read the word of God. But we read the word of God not only gracefully, but we read it reverently. Reverently. I wonder if I could ask you to do something. I read your Bible, come on you come with me. Eight chapters of Nehemiah. My old friend Nehemiah. Oh I walked with him a lot. So let's just have a little walk with old Nehemiah for now. The eight chapters. Let me tell you just what's on my heart. First of all, verse three. Remember it's the story of Ezra. Lying on a path, a pulpit of wood. Please, it's quite scriptural to have a pulpit of wood. That's scriptural. Remember they made a pulpit of wood. The eighth chapter, it says this. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation. Both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein. So the first thing we've got to do with the word of God is to read it. Now let's go a bit further and let me argue. We've got to read it. At first part, Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people or he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. So he's not only a reader, we too. Reverend, thanks. You know I was very thrilled on Sunday morning when you asked the congregation to stand as you read the word of God. I haven't seen that done since I left God. Thank you for doing that. The reverence of the word of God. My friend, it's the word of God. When Ezra stood in the pulpit and read it, the congregation. They not only read it and referenced it. Please, at verse 9. Halfway down the verse. This day is holy unto the Lord your God. More not, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the Lord. So we read it. We reference it. We, I'm sorry sir. Respond to it. Very good. That wasn't the word I was thinking of, but that's a very good one. They wept. All the people wept. So you'll have to join my picture class. I can do that. They repented. Thank you sir. They repented. They realized this was the word of the Lord. And how far they've gone away from it. And I know nothing in the world that will make men repent like the preaching and the reading and the teaching and the living of the word of God. The only thing that will bring a man to repentance is to notice they read it. They referenced it. They repented because of it. And to make great murmur because they have understood the words that will be declared unto them. Like that. No good nodding your head you will say it sir. They rejoiced because of it. You know isn't it remarkable that you rejoice to the word of God. I know nothing that will make a man repent like the preaching and the living of the word of God. I was away in Brussels some two or three years ago. And we were due to start a fortnight, two weeks of special service. We started with a day of conference meetings. And so I had to arrive on the Friday because I wouldn't have been there for the plenary conference if I hadn't. When I arrived on Friday I went to the home where I was going to stay and the lady at the house said, they're having a plenary day. And I was off the whole way. Walked in. There were about twenty persons. And there was amongst them a man who had only just that week been converted. That week. And he'd been a rutter. Worked in one of the factories in London. And he'd come along to the plenary. And you know their plenaries were a bit warped. There were a few amen's and a few hallelujah's. And that's where the Lord stood up. And he heard these brethren saying amen and hallelujah. And he wasn't quite sure what it was about. But the Lord had saved him. And made a good job of him. And the world would see his hair in the prairie. And he suddenly jumped up to his feet and shouted. We killed the people. And I shouted who else. What I did. What I did. Now please I'm not suggesting that you jump up and start shooting tears of evil. What I am suggesting is this. That if the word of God comes to our heart and teaches us about the Lord. There'll be that strong of a difference in our lives. They rejoiced. I'll say one other thing here. Oh yes. Verse fourteen. And they found written in the law. Verse fifteen. So the people went forth and bought them. Do you remember the story of the piece of tabernacle. They found written in the law that they had to take branches of different trees. And make food for the piece of tabernacle. And they found it written in the law. So the people went forth and bought them. Oh they read the word of God. They referenced the word of God. They repented because of the word of God. They rejoiced because of the word of God. And they. Very good. Not right. Very good. Obeyed. Yes I used to spell obeyed with an R. So you've got the right idea. Obeyed. R. R. Obeyed. Responded. Very good. Oh very good. We're getting warmer. Very good. I said well that is good isn't it. Could I suggest. They regulated their lives by it. And brethren if you and I are going to enjoy the word of God. Oh let's go back to what I was saying. First of all. Read it regularly. Read it. Read it reverently. Read it. Responsibly. Regulate your life. I say. Read it rejoicing. Oh never let us get away from this fact. The apostles of the Church of Philippi and said finally my brethren. Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord. Do you know there are too many Christians who go about with their faces as long as a fiddle, and a black tie down the middle, and you wonder whether Christ means anything. No I'm not suggesting we've all got to go about bidding like a lot of Cheshire cats. Of course we haven't. Sometimes on life journeys there are difficulties and problems and heartaches and it would be most unbecoming to be grinning. But, please, but, the apostle could say this when he wrote to the church at Colossae, I rejoice in my suffering, I rejoice in my suffering, and the only way you and I can rejoice is by taking the word of God and saying, Lord, Lord, this is here to tell me of myself. I've never known more of thee. Sit down, Lord. You see, the word of God is a book of revelation, so it appeals to the mind of man. It reveals God, it reveals us, it reveals the future state, it reveals the past, it appeals to the mind. But the word of God is a book of redemption, so it appeals not only to the mind, it appeals to the heart. Regained how I love it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. But remember, it is not only a book of revelation and a book of redemption, it is a book of righteousness. So it appeals to the mind and it appeals to the heart, but it appeals to the heart when we come to the word of God. Let us make sure of this, friends, that it does affect our mind. It makes us think, we ponder it, we think, we ask God's help and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we might learn something more of its central theme, Jesus Christ our Lord. Let's remember it does appeal to the heart. It tells us a wondrous plan of redemption that man and all mankind is offered salvation through Jesus Christ and it appeals to the life. Day by day I may walk in the way of the word of God and how to read it, holy, regularly, read it, reverently, read it, responsibly, read it, rejoicingly for his name's amen. We'll be looking at his word again tomorrow night and through his word we'll be looking at his will, the will of God and how to know it. Now please, please don't come tomorrow night thinking I'm going to give you the secret of knowing everything you should do. You see I think there's something more in asking a girl to marry you than saying, Lord what's your will for me at this thing, than going doing just what you want to do. I might have something to say about that tomorrow night, of course I might not, but I must. But nevertheless, the will of God and how to know it. Trust with me if you can bring others with you. The Lord bless you. Shall we close in prayer? Dear Lord again we thank thee for thy word and for the happy time together when we've been able to receive.