My wife knows ASL sign language and quite often she will sign something to me from across the room. I usually don’t understand what she is saying, but sometimes because I know her, I get it. When I don’t understand, I make up signs to answer which she usually laughs at but sometime looks horrified because I have just signed something I shouldn’t have.

In John 7:17 Jesus said: “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority”.

Jesus answers a question for us: “How can we know the truth when we hear it?” The answer is; if we will to do the Father’s will, then we will know the truth and know that what Jesus taught is the truth. All others will not know. All others will assume that Jesus was just a man with some interesting ideas and will minimize and diminish what He says. They will on their own authority strike from the scripture the words of Jesus they choose.

Instead our approach to Bible reading and study should be, first, we will to do His will. If we do, then He will reveal His Word to us. It will, to us, be living and powerful and sharp. The Word will pierce us. Understanding will come and application will be enduring as we walk with understanding in the will of God revealed to us in His word.

If you read without understanding have you willed to do God's will? You will know that you know if you know the Lord and decide to do His will.