Should We Read MORE Than The Bible?

The following post is taken in its entirity from Thabiti Anyabwile's excellent blog. Thabiti was an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in D.C., but is soon to be the senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman.

I've gathered some fresh inspiration for fervent reading from the ladies over at girl talk. They included this wonderful quote from Charles Spurgeon in a recent post:

"...listen to Mr. Spurgeon go off about books in response to this verse: “When you [Timothy] come bring the cloak which I [Paul] left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments" (2 Timothy 4:13).

He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He has had wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up in the third heaven, and had heard things unlawful for a man to utter, yet he wants books! He has written a major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every Christian, ‘Give thyself to reading.’ The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own.