Attitude Counts

It was said of C. T. Studd, pioneer missionary on three continents: "The outstanding lesson he learned was to become a man of one Book … almost to the exclusion of other books. He marked it copiously, and received it in the attitude of a little child, in simple dependence upon the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word to him. Thus, he lived in direct communion with God through the Spirit and the Word. He had learned the secret of walking with God."

Our attitude toward the Bible, God's written revelation to men, will largely reflect our attitude toward God Himself. One who earnestly seeks fellowship with God will find reward through His Word, as the Emmaus disciples who said,

If we see it as uniquely God's Book, we will give it priority over other books, as did C. T. Studd. The attitude of simple faith and trust in God leads the seeker to accept by faith what His Word says. And the one who desires above all to please Him will look at the Scriptures with a single-hearted intent to obey them.

As you progress in Book 9, ask God for the right attitudes toward His Word—faith in its authority and sufficiency, willingness to give it priority and to obey its direction to you, and expectation of finding fellowship with God. Keep in mind that to get the best from the Word you must give your best to its research—the best of your time, the best of your mind and the best of your effort.

In Books 7 and 8 you learned to paraphrase and summarize portions of Scripture, how to cross reference and how to find personal applications.

In this six-week study of Philippians you will learn further principles of Scripture analysis: how to make summary outlines, how to more fully develop an application, how to find answers to questions—and how to summarize a book after studying it chapter by chapter.

Since Book 9 depends on Books 7 and 8 for basic study principles and methods, it is important that you have completed those books first.