Dear Sam,

Your friend told me of the visit you had together. He saidthat you were very busy with classes and in getting involved with your job. Iknow he appreciated it, but was concerned as I am that it might take time awayfrom two very important things—private time with God reading in the Scriptures,and fellowship with other believers. This fellowship includes such things asprivate one-on-one fellowship with another Christian, and certainly a goodchurch.

If you have not read the New Testament, I really encourageyou to read it through, covering about 3 to 4 chapters a day. By reading 4chapters a day you will finish the New Testament in two months; two chapters aday—a little over four months. But the months go by anyhow, and you might aswell have read it all. Your faith will increase. Your anxiety will lessen. Itwill be very good for you.

If you have read the New Testament through already thisyear, I encourage you to do something like this: take one of the books, preferablyone of the short books like 1 John, which has five chapters, or 1 Peter, whichhas five, or James, and just read the book through every day for a week. Youwill get so much out of it the first time you read it, then more the secondtime because it will reinforce what you read the day before, and you will seesome additional truths. This is a very good way to study. Read and reread rightin order, and you will begin to grasp and understand the meaning, and theteaching of the book will become part of you—not just in your head, but reallypart of your life. So when it comes to decisions or actions you make, they willbe biblical ones; they will be right ones.

In addition to this study, here is a plan for reading thewhole Bible through in the course of the schoolyear. It starts today.

God has looked after you so far, and I know that He willcontinue to do so.

In Christ’s Love,

Jim Wilson

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships