"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase"
1 Corinthians 3:6
A Message From the Horne of Africa
"THE HOLY HABIT"
12/28/2008
The holiday habit is turkey and trimmings; the holy habit is feasting on God's word! As the New Year begins, please may I encourage all God's good people to get into the Word once again. First of all, let me congratulate all of the "Riverside Readers" who finished the reading of God's Word in 2008. Wow, we're proud of you! If you're among those who haven't finished just yet, don't get discouraged; just keep going until you become a winner, too. About 12 % of the congregation have now finished the whole Bible in 2007/8. Let's make it 100% in the next few weeks/months. God will be so pleased that we take His Word seriously, read it and heed it!
Back in ancient times when books were not available to folks as freely as they are today, the only way people could hear the Word was during public readings by a priest, a prophet or an evangelist. That is why Ezra gathered the people of God together on the first day of the seventh month to hear the Word. He "read it aloud from daybreak to noon" in the presence of "men, women and others who could understand," Nehemiah 8:2-12. Ezra had a pulpit and the people stood up as he unrolled the scroll to read. The meaning of the Torah (the Law) was also explained to them. It was a time of great festivity and rejoicing. No one appeared bored. No one slept. No one was disinterested. It was a thrilling time. They had developed the holy habit.
The Apostle Paul expressly told the evangelist Timothy to "devote" himself to the public reading of Scripture as well as to preaching and teaching, 1 Timothy 4:13. Reading the Word is our link to heaven. It is allowing God to speak to us in our language. He guides us, directs us and comforts us. His voice is just as close to you and to me as our Bibles are. God has made it possible to have our own personal copies of the Bible at our fingertips, so there need never be an excuse for not developing the holy habit.
We are distributing a Bible reading chart today to help you navigate your way smoothly through the Scriptures. It is a year-long scheme that will take you about 20 minutes a day. As you read, you mark off the sections that you have completed. It involves reading about 3 chapters a day. For example on January 1, you would read Genesis 1-3; on January 2, the reading would be Genesis 4-7, etc. Finally on December 31, you would read Revelation 20-22 and God's voice would have been heard everyday in your heart for 365 days of the year! The Holy Habit for a congregation that intends to make Christ the center of its life and the Bible its spiritual guide would have been faithfully followed.
Please make the Holy Habit your major resolution and resolve to keep it, come what may. You will not then be a victim of "every wind of doctrine," Ephesians 4:14, that blows across the religious scene. You will know what you stand for and why you stand for it. "No man will be able to rob you of your prize," Colossians 2:18 (ASV). You will never be in doubt as to what God's will is for you and your life. You will never be afraid to speak up for Jesus due to ignorance of His Word. May God grant your wish to really "know" Him. Once this habit has been cultivated, holiness will be a natural consequence in the life of the reader.
Love you all,
Al--"the Horne of Africa."