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“Make careful choice of the books which you read: let the holy scriptures ever have the pre-eminence, and, next to them, those solid, lively, heavenly treatises which best expound and apply the scriptures, and next, credible histories, especially of the Church . . . but take heed of false teachers who would corrupt your understandings.”
1. As there is a more excellent appearance of the Spirit of God in the holy scripture, than in any other book whatever, so it has more power and fitness to convey the Spirit, and make us spiritual, by imprinting itself upon our hearts. As there is more of God in it, so it will acquaint us more with God, and bring us nearer Him, and make the reader more reverent, serious and divine. Let scripture be first and most in your hearts and hands and other books be used as subservient to it. The endeavours of the devil and papists to keep it from you, doth shew that it is most necessary and desirable to you.
2. The writings of divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice preaches it to the ear. Vocal preaching has the pre-eminence in moving the affections, and being diversified according to the state of the congregation which attend it: this way the milk comes warmest from the breast. But books have the advantage in many other respects: you may read an able preacher when you have but a average one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers: but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious; preachers may be silenced or banished, when books may be at hand: books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers: we may choose books which treat of that, very subject which we desire to hear of; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat of. Books we may have at hand every day. and hour; when we can have sermons but seldom, and at set times. If sermons be forgotten, they are gone; but a book we may read over and over, till we remember it: and if we forget it, may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure. So that good books are a very great mercy to the world: the Holy Ghost chose the way of writing, to preserve His doctrine and laws to the ‘Church, as knowing how easy and sure a way it is of keeping it safe to all generations, in comparison of mere verbal traditions.
3. You have need of a judicious teacher at hand, to direct you what books to use or to refuse: for among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively; and some good, but mediocre, and weak and somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or else of incautious, injudicious expressions, fitter to puzzle than edify the weak.
Baxter’s Guide To The Value Of A Book
While reading ask oneself:
1. Could I spend this time no better?
2. Are there better books that would edify me more?
3. Are the lovers of such a book as this the greatest lovers of the Book of God and of a holy life?
4. Does this book increase my love to the Word of God, kill my sin, and prepare me for the life to come?
1. Follow a regular plan in reading of them, that you may be acquainted with the whole; and make this reading a part of your private devotions. Not that you should confine yourselves only to a set plan, so as never to read by choice, but ordinarily this tends most to edification. Some parts of the Bible are more difficult, some may seem very barren for an ordinary reader; but if you would look on it all as God’s word, not to be scorned, and read it with faith and reverence, no doubt you would find advantage.
2. Set a special mark, however you find convenient, on those passages you read, which you find most suitable to your case, condition, or temptations; or such as you have found to move your hearts more than other passages. And it will be profitable often to review these.
3. Compare one Scripture with another, the more obscure with that which is more plain, 2 Pet. 1:20. This is an excellent means to find out the sense of the Scriptures; and to this good use serve the marginal notes on Bibles. And keep Christ in your eye, for to him the scriptures of the Old Testament look (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices), as well as those of the New.
4. Read with a holy attention, arising from the consideration of the majesty of God, and the reverence due to him. This must be done with attention, first, to the words; second, to the sense; and, third, to the divine authority of the Scripture, and the obligation it lays on the conscience for obedience, 1 Thess. 2:13, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
5. Let your main purpose in reading the Scriptures be practice, and not bare knowledge, James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Read that you may learn and do, and that without any limitation or distinction, but that whatever you see God requires, you may study to practice.
6. Beg of God and look to him for his Spirit. For it is the Spirit that inspired it, that it must be savingly understood by, 1 Cor 2:11, “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” And therefore before you read, it is highly reasonable you beg a blessing on what you are to read.
7. Beware of a worldly, fleshly mind: for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God; and the worldly heart cannot favour them. In an eclipse of the moon, the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and so keeps the light of the sun from it. So the world, in the heart, coming between you and the light of the word, keeps its divine light from you.
8. Labour to be disciplined toward godliness, and to observe your spiritual circumstances. For a disciplined attitude helps mightily to understand the scriptures. Such a Christian will find his circumstances in the word, and the word will give light to his circumstances, and his circumstances light into the word.
9. Whatever you learn from the word, labour to put it into practice. For to him that has, shall be given. No wonder those people get little insight into the Bible, who make no effort to practice what they know. But while the stream runs into a holy life, the fountain will be the freer.
I’ve started a new photo blog that I am just SO excited about and wanted to launch it officially here.
Here’s an excerpt from the “About” page:
I’m starting this blog sort of as a photo blog showcasing photographs from around the web of interseting snapshots into the lives of the bibles I love so dearly. While some photos are wonderful, others tell a different story all together. Some photos show how the unbelieving world neglects and abuses Gods holy word and shows it no respect or honor whatsoever. It is my plan to show both sides here…for better or worst. I don’t want to have a lot of commentary into these pictures. I would like the photographs to stand alone and speak for themselves. If I feel the urge to say something about a certain photo, I will make it as short and sweet as possible. You will also notice below each photo is a “source” link. This is a link back to the original location where I found the photo along with other pertinent information.
To date, I have well over 200 different links to various photographs I plan on using here and would like to post no more than one or two a week.
Hope you pop in and giv’r a look!
Here are a few of my favorite ways to get the bible pumped into your noggin via podcast:
The Daily Audio Bible- Read through the Bible in a year with Brian using several different translations.
Daily Audio Bible Devotional- A one minute devotional with Max McLean.
Today’s Proverb- Get a proverb every day from Max McLean.
The ESV Bible Reading Schedule- Pick from several plans to listen to the Bible in a year featuring the voice of David Cochran.
Get a Reformation Study Bible for a donation of any amount to Ligonier Ministries!
Hurry, the deal is only from Oct. 27-31.
From Billy Marsh at “Joy in the Journey”:
[I]n a word, the Holy Scripture is the highest and best of books, abounding in comfort under all afflictions and trials. It teaches us to see, to feel, to grasp, and to comprehend faith, hope, and charity, far otherwise than mere human reason can; and when evil oppresses us, it teaches how these virtues throw light upon the darkness, and how after this poor, miserable existence of ours on earth, there is another and an eternal life (TableTalk, 94).
Stephen Altrogge had a great post on the easiest ways to ruin your devotional time. Great post Stephen!
Looking for some insight into the difference between many of today’s popular bible versions? Want a better idea of how important page layout and binding options are in your next bible purchase?
Check out this interview between Mark Bertrand and Jeff Baldwin. You’ll learn a bunch!
For those with an ESV Study Bible in the tru-tone version who want to remove the orange triangle doohicky on the front, or are at least curious on what it looks like without it, here’s how I took it off:
Behold, the triangle doohickythingamajig. (Yes, that’s a theological term, but never mind that now, we have work to do!) Some like it, most don’t. I do not. It bugs me. I have a sharp instrument and I am not afraid to use it. 
Though I’m fully convinced the good folk at Crossway had the best intentions for this bobble whilst at the meeting for the ESVSB design and layout, it’s execution is less than favorable. You can see here how easily something can catch it and might possible rip it off or at least tear a seam. Rather than wait until it does, I just decided to hack’r off.
Grab a razor blade, X-Acto knife, or some other device of lethal sharpness and cut one seem.
Once cut, you can just pull out the remainder of the thread with tweezers.
Once the thread is out, peel off the triangle doohickeythingamajigabob. You can see a dab of glue or tape they used to hold it place while the machine stitched it on. COOL!….sort of…in a geeky sorta’way.
The end result. Yes, you’ll still have the holes left behind from the stitching, but if that bugs you, don’t do it….just keep your little triangle thinga-madoo and live a long fruitful life.
Now open it and read.
This is all personal taste here folks. Please refrain from sending me “your so stupid, you ruined a perfectly good bible” emails…and I, umm, say that in brotherly love. 
Mike Bullmore had some great advice to his teenage daughter on how to keep a journal.
He said that after you read one chapter of your bible, go to your journal and write four sentences; the first two should begin with “God” while the other two should begin with “I”. The rest will come.
I likes. Simple is beautiful and easy for those interested in beginning journaling, and yet are intimidated in doing so.
There are two quick ways.
First, check towards the edge of the spine where the pages end. If you can see individual signatures (little bundles of pages all stacked on top of one another), then it’s sewn. See below:
Another way to determine if it is sewn is to open the book and look deep into the pages and see if you can see little points or holes. This is where the threads are passed to through to stitch the signatures together. See below:
If your book has a glued binding, you will not see those individual signatures near the spine. See below:
And again, looking into the pages as before, you will not notice those little holes, just a smooth edge where the pages meet This is a sign of a glued binding. See below:
This is just a quick method of determining what sort of bindings you have on your bookshelf.
The good folk over at New Attitude had an opportunity to sit down with Al Mohler and Mark Dever at the 2008 conference and ask them some real practical questions on their their personal time in Gods word. These Q&A interviews were sort of an addendum to the ‘08 conference, so not many may be aware of them. Good stuff within!
Interview with Al Mohler
Interview with Mark Dever
Since the ESV seems to be favoring its way as the official “unofficial” translation of Reformed blogdom, it’s worth mentioning (if you already didn’t know) that the Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore has every single ESV priced at 45% off. Just go to the bookstore and type in “ESV” in their search engine to pull up all they offer.
I’m a bit of a highlighter connoisseur. Perhaps more of a junkie. I love to highlight. It’s a bit of a problem really. If there were a “Highlighters Anonymous”, I’d be a card carrying member…if not the president. I use highlighting sort of as a journaling technique. As I read, I highlight the text of my Bible that “grabs” me…the verses that jump off the page and either convict me or edifiy me.
Since I began my highlighting expedition years ago, I’ve tried every single highlighter available. Cheap ones, expensive ones, wet ones, dry ones….you name the brand, I’ve tried it. What I have found is that they all have significant bleed through to the page beneath. No matter the brand or technique I use, they all bleed. I’ve ruined my fair share of bibles that way.
Then one day, in our church bookstore, I found a little rack in the corner with some dusty packs of pens and chincy “bible starter kits”. On that rack I found a few Zebra “Zebrite” highlighters…dusty as they were. At $1.99 a pop, I snatched them both up and took them home to get my highlighting fix for the night. Boy was I surprised. These highlighters were PERFECT…or as close to it as possible. I had no bleed through when I used them. The only way I could get them to bleed was if I held the tip in one place on the page for too long a period of time.
I thought I would pass along to my fellow highlightaholics my findings. I’ve posted some pictures to give you an idea of what these little highlighters can do. Sadly, the Zebrite has been discontinued by Zebra, though they are still available on the net. They’re tough to find, but they are out there. Here is one source if you might be so inclined to try them. The good news though is that Zebra has created a new highlighter with the exact same capabilities and pigments as the Zebrite and they are still in production and are readily available. This highlighter is called the LiteRite and is a ballpoint pen/highlighter combo. The pen is decent, but frankly, I never use it. It takes about 3 highlighters to highlight the New Testament (not every single word, just the stuff mentioned above).
It’s also worth mentioning that the Zebrite comes in different colors. I’ve seen them in blue, red, and green, but there may be other colors. Just google “Zebrite” and you’ll find them out there. They go for about $1.50 on the net, while the LiteRite fetches about $2.00, but with enough searching, you may do better.
Lastly, Looking back at my first bible that I used these highlighters in I can notice no deterioration in the brightness level. After 6 years, they are as bright as they were when I first got them.
I hope this was helpful to you. For some additional information on the best pen to use on your bibles pages, check out a wonderful post by Jesus Saenz which details his findings.
Rick Mansfield had a great post on some simple steps you can do to keep and preserve a new bible. Good stuff!
