He may even go to a Bible school, and be able to analyze and synthesize, give outlines of books, and contents of chapters and much else of that invaluable and indispensable sort of knowledge and yet fail to understand God and His marvellous love-will.  It is not the Book with which we are concerned here but the God through the Book.  Not to learn truth but through truth to know Him who is Himself the Truth.

There is a fascinating bit of story told of one of David’s mighty men.[35] One day there was a sudden attack upon the camp by the Philistines when the fighting men were all away.  This man alone was there.  The Philistines were the traditional enemy.  The very word “Philistines” was one to strike terror to the Hebrew heart.  But this man was reckoned one of the first three of David’s mighty men because of his conduct that day.  He quietly, quickly gripped his sword and fought the enemy single-handed.  Up and down, left and right, hip and thigh he smote with such terrific earnestness and drive that the enemy turned and fled.  And we are told that the muscles of his hand became so rigid around the handle of his sword that he could not tell by the feeling where his hand stopped, and the sword began.  Man and sword were one that day in the action of service against the nation’s enemy.  When we so absorb this Book, and the Spirit of Him who is its life that people cannot tell the line of division between the man, and the God within the man, then shall we have mightiest power as God’s intercessors in defeating the foe.  God and man will be as one in the action of service against the enemy.

A Spirit Illumined Mind.

I want to make some simple suggestions for studying this Book so as to get to God through it.  There will be the emphasis of doubling back on one’s tracks here.  For some of the things that should be said have already been said with a different setting.  First there must be the time element.  One must get at least a half hour daily when the mind is fresh.  A tired mind does not readily absorb.  This should be persisted in until there is a habitual spending of at least that much time daily over the Book, with a spirit at leisure from all else, so it can take in.  Then the time should be given to the Book itself.  If other books are consulted and read as they will be let that be after the reading of this Book.  Let God talk to you direct, rather than through somebody else.  Give Him first chance at your ears.  This Book in the central place of your table, the others grouped about it.  First time given to it.