A plea from a pastor’s heart that I stole to make my own…

“The Christian must take special care that he do not suffer himself to be led away from the Word of God by the many manuals (blogs!) which in our days are seeing the light.

These books will have this result – whenever a man seeks his instruction only in what the writer has to say, he then becomes accustomed to take everything at second hand.

These books can become a blessing to the reader only when they bring him always to that portion of God’s Word which is treated of in order that he may meditate further upon it himself as from the mouth of God.

Christians, there is in the Word of God an incredible power. The blessing which lies hid in it is inconceivable.

See to it that when you have read a portion you always return to that passage of the Scriptures of which an explanation is given. Receive that not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, the Word of God, which works mightily in those that believe.

Hold fellowship with God through the Word.

Take time to speak with Him about it, to give an answer to Him concerning it.

Then shall you understand what the Lord Jesus says: The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit and life.”

Then shall Word and sacrament gloriously work together, to make you increase in prayer and in the life of God.”

— The Lord’s Table: A Help to the Right Observance of the Holy Supper by Andrew Murray