I was brought to Christ while working on a farm. My employer was a Christian man, and took a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of his servants. He conducted family reading every night in the kitchen, and all the servants were expected to be there, and I believe he spoke to each separately about his own salvation as well.
When I was saved, he gave me a nice Pocket Bible with my name written on the fly-leaf, and under it the text,
“Now, Johnny, if you are to grow in grace, and be a healthy and happy Christian, you will have to eat your daily bread out of this Book. The new life that you received cannot get on without food, and what it feeds on is all found in God’s precious Word. My advice to you is, get a portion out of it each morning before you go out to your work, and be sure you do not neglect prayer and the Word of God. They are as necessary to the soul as your daily food is to your body.”
I never forget that dear man’s advice. I regret to have to confess that some days I have neglected to read my Bible, and they have been unhappy days, for when the soul is not right, things go all wrong. I have proved in my experience the blessedness of feeding on Christ as He is set forth in the Word, getting something new about Him each day, as the manna came fresh from heaven, and was gathered and eaten by the people of old in the desert.
Never allow any service, any company, or even any good book, to hinder you from reading and meditating on a portion of God’s Word daily. This is the secret of all spiritual strength and progress heavenward.
It is only those who read God’s Book that are of use in His service.
ML 05/03/1931