just_read

In this style of church, we do everything we can to take the churchy-ness out of church. You know what I mean?

I don't use a BIG OAKEN PULPIT, built from oak trees that your great-great-great grandfather chopped down with an dull axe after he walked 10 miles home from school up hill in the snow with bare feet!

We don't have these really NIFTY wooden PEWS for you to sit on. Although I did find out a couple 8th grade boys turned their nice cushiony seats into pews a couple weeks ago, if you get my DRIFT The song "Did You Hear the Mountains Tremble" took on a whole new meaning that night

When you walk in here, you don't see a cross hangin' on the wall --- you really don't see much in here that reminds you of a "church" at all.

When me or anyone else speaks, we don't use words like "sanctification" "bountiful harvest" "glorification" "heavenly rewards" "blessed sancrements"

We SAY those things, but we don't use "churchy" lingo. Like we even don't use the word "Christian" very muchinstead we say, "Christ follower."

Why? I mean this isn't a social club, it IS a church --- my whole intent is still to help you get into a relationship with Christ andto help you get further down the road in your WALK as a Christ follower

So we change as much of this place and as many of our words and actions as we can, to avoid being lumped into the category of BORING or "you guys just don't have a clue!'

Well there's this one thing this one word we just can't seem to change. We just have to call it what it is. The BIBLE.

You can put it in an American Eagle bag --- you can put it in the hippest backpack your school has ever seen ---- you could EVEN make a groovy psychedelic cover for it

I sent out an email to most of you a couple weeks ago, and the first question I asked was, "What's the first thing you think of when you hear the word, 'Bible'?"

"When I picture the word 'Bible' I picture one of those old, black, traditional-style Bibles with gold fancy writing on the front and TINY-TINY script written on those thin and flimsy gold-trimmed pages inside that tear WAY too easily!"

And I think that a lot of us think of something pretty close to what that person described The truth is that old black Bible looks like something that would fit right in with the life of our great-grandmother. We could picture her having a black leather Bible sitting next to a rocking chairsitting on a white lace table cover.

And that same image seems like way out of placeway out of datein our life next to a DVD player an MP3 player an X-Box or next to our PC while we're IM-ing someone on the internet over our new cable modem.

And you know what? DVD players, MP3s, X-Boxes & Dreamcasts ALL sound cool and excitingALL very digable VERY "NOW".

Next to those the Bible seems dare I say (whisper) "Boring" --- OR "OLD SCHOOL" --- it just doesn't seem to have the shiny attraction that a lot things in our life do.

No matter what we think about the Bible, Dig-- we all need to admit that we are NOT strongly ATTRACTED to it

Now before you start getting defensive in your mind thinking stuff like: "Hey man, I believe it's THE WORD of God --- it's one POWERFUL book --- It IS the ROCK & it ROCKS!"

Think about this: Things we're ATTRACTED to (repeat) make it into our weeks. No matter how much homework is going on --- there's ALWAYS time for Play-Station 2! There's ALWAYS time for TRL.

Here's my point --- even IF you think the Bible is THE STUFF ---- but you don't get in it on a regular basis ----Guess what? ---- then you are NOT strongly attracted to it.

And the reason we're not attracted enough to it is because on a daily basis we don't realize WHAT it is. Let me show you what I mean.

Normal people don't get excited about pieces of paper. But we DO get excited about gift certificates. Why?

Because we KNOW we're NOT looking at a piece of paper We're looking at something that REPRESENTS a bunch of REALLY COOL CLOTHES ---- ( and we all know that COOL CLOTHES will enhance our social status and propel us into the upper echelon of teenage society as we know it!! )

If we look at the Bible and see just a "BOOK" --- we've missed it. To see the Bible and see a book is just like looking at an American Eagle gift certificate and seeing a piece of paper!

If all we see is a BOOK then we've missed what it really is Because it's a gift certificate for miraculous experiences with God

Dig this --- It's 66 books ALL fully BREATHED by God to US. (Which is cool enough!) But there's a special BONUS OFFER! ---- when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit lives where? IN US

So when we pick up this "Gift Certificate", each word "breathed" by God ---- the Holy Spirit IN US, talks to us --- which as mysterious as it sounds -----Because the Holy Spirit is that little voice, IN YOUR HEAD, that usually sounds a lot like your voice, and when you're reading the Bible, the Voice says stuff to you like:

"Daaang --- that IS the truth. Man, now I really feel bad about the way I treated Kyle at lunch Thursday,"

Or, "That is right! I CAN make it through all this crap that is going on in my life right now --- Because it says right here that God does NOT allow more junk than I can handle!"

See it? The Bible is a gift certificate that's a 2 for 1 offer. You experience the God-breathed writings of God, written for you --- AND ("Act now!") the Holy Spirit IN you helps interpret

And Holy writings + a Holy Interpreter = EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. The Bible is a gift certificate for experiences with God. (fill in 1st blank) //

Alright --- we've talked a little bit about WHAT the Bible is. Let's talk about HOW we get into it.

I had her read that to illustrate the MOST IMPOTANT THING about reading the BibleGET ONE YOU EASILY UNDERTAND. (#1 blank)

Just because a Bible is easy to read and in language you and me understand, doesn't make it any LESS HOLY than one full of "thees" & "thous."

When the New Testament (Matthew through Revelation life of Christ) was written, it was written in the EVERY DAY LANGUAGE of its day.

Bible translations will always change --- we won't relate very well to our grandparents' Bible. Why will they change?

Because the English language keeps changing. Any you guys have to read any Shakespeare for a lit. class? In just a couple hundred years, language has changed A LOT. I just helped my 3rd grade daughter, Meghan, with a book report on the Little Town on the Prairie book --- I was amazed in just 100 years how much the language has changed.

Second, get a STUDENT or STUDY Bible. The way some sections of the Bible are written it is NOT TOTALLY CLEAR what the point is ---- just like when Sonya read for us a minute ago. Why not use a Bible that helps you GET IT right there on the page?!

Just for the record, I own about 8 different Bibles --- only 1 is the Biblical text only. The Bibles I use every day are ALL different versions of study Bibles.

One of the things that's really cool now is that you can pick out a Bible pretty much like you pick-out paint colors at Menards. There's a TON of them

Which is great because if you cruise the Bible isle at Living Water bookstore, ---it kinda like shopping for shoes --- you're gonna find one you like.

Check this --- it's called The Journey, and it's for people that are seeking God but aren't in a relationship yet.

This Bible starts at ground zero and answers the question, "How does a seeker seek God?" They wrote this one with the idea that the best place for a seeker to find answers about God & Christianity is "D'UH! IN THE BIBLE!"

At the beginning of this Bible is has this thing called "FIVE ALIVE" which is a 30 day reading plan that walks you through 5 books that after you read them you'll have a much better and big picture understanding of the Bible

In other words, if this book looks HUGE to you & you have trouble just getting a mental picture of it, this will walk you through it. All in only a few minutes a day, literally.

Every book of this Bible has an introduction that lays out "The Bottom Line" of the book, central ideas covered, why it's called what it's called, and it has a historical timeline at the bottom that tells when the book was written

Anyone every have that trouble? You pick up a Bible start reading and say, "What is THIS about?!" (everybody nod your head "yes") If you're not a Bible scholar (NOBODY IS), then the kind of stuff in this or ANY study or student Bible is a HUGE help.

(disclaim: This NOT just for SEEKERS ---- it's good for ANYONE who does NOT have a good handle on the Bible --- it's for ANYONE who feels like their at the beginning stages of Christianity) And all of $13.00 ---you could go to the McDiner twice this month or pick up one of these.

This is one of my latest purchases: The Promise Bible. One of the things I'm passionate about, is God's promises ---- People throughout the Bible did amazing things when they held onto God's promises --- when they took Him at His Word. Biblically I believe with all my heart that when we step out on God's promises, He changes our lives!

I believe that too often we who call ourselves Christ followers are a little too wishy-washy with our faiththat we lack the boldness that we see throughout the Bible.

Sometimes I hear prayers like, "God, whatever you want in this situation I pray Your willwhatever that is for my friendI just pray something good happens."

NOWPLEASE, understand my spirit in this --- SOMETIMES we DON'T KNOW what to pray for & then that kind of prayer is ALL we CAN pray

But, my question is this: Do we pray or talk in this Christian-wishy-washy-ness because it's a situation we don't have a clue about ---- or is it because we don't KNOW what God SAYS about it? (pause)

Acts 4:29 says, "Enable Your servants (you & me) to speak Your Word with great boldness." (repeat w/fervor!) BELIEVING in the Words we are saying.

Boldness doesn't come from our self-confidence --- it comes from KNOWING God's Word and HOLDING ON to God's Word! And it looks more like this:

"God, I believe Your promise that You are with us working in all things for our good! ---- God, help my friend to see You in this situation!---Help both of us to see the GOOD that You promise will come out of this. God, we need hope right now. You promise it please provide it. And I know You will."

Guys, all of you right now, are making decisions and figuring out what kind of life you want. And you need to ask yourself what kind of a faith do you want in life are you looking for something that's luke-warm ---- something to dabble in? --- Or are you looking for something to stand on --- something to bank your life on. Do you want a wishy-washy-walk? Or a bold faith?

You can't just WANT a bold faith A bold living, breathing faith comes from KNOWING His promises --- and they're found only ONE PLACE. (rant over.)

Ok ---In the front of the Promise Bible, it's got an alphabetical list of subjects (backsliding, fear, depression, doubt, encouragement, mistakes, self-control etc) and below each one is a list of the promises God has for us

And all through this Bible, the promises are highlighted in blue. All for a whole $15 you could go to the movies twice, or get all the promises of God in one super cool green package.

There's a TON of Bibles made just for teens and I've spent some time last week looking at a lot of them and they're all just REALLY GOOD.

In addition to helpful information on almost every page of this book there is a killer section in the back

It has an index to "moral dilemmas" like: astrology, cheating, cockiness, dating, divorce, drinking, lust, peer pressure, pornography, reputation, virginity --- all your favorites and more!

There's also an index that leads to these short bios on 58 people throughout the Bible. Who they were, what they were like, why their mentioned, what their strengths & weaknesses were, what their personalities were like etc.

But my favorite part of this Bible is that all through it are real stories from real teenagers, who sign their name and their age. There's also an index to these stories that are called "Here's What I Did."

Again, here's my point so far in reading the Bible. REAL SIMPLE: Get one you can easily understand and get a Student or Study Bible --- because the information in them really helps you "get it" AND apply it to your life! (IMPORTANT) If we ONLY understand what it says --- but don't see how it applies to our life --- we've missed it. Stories like the one Sonya read help us CONNECT and get it. //

The other thing I want to help you with is being able to FIND stuff, or look things up in the Bible.

If you get a Student or Study Bible, (all I've shown you & the ones listed in handout) in the back there's a concordance ($10 word for "index")

For example, if you want to know what God says about the whacky parents He gave you, look up "parents," and it will give you all the places in the Bible you can find what God says about them.

A concordance IN a Bible is usually somewhat small --- it'll cover the basics. But if you're the curious type, or your built-in concordance isn't cutting it, you might want to pick up something like this (Where to Find It in the Bible A to Z). (brief plug, read the back)

Here's what I'm saying--- INVEST a little cash in something that can change your life ---- remember it's a little money for a GIFT CERTIFICATE that provides a lifetime of experiences with God

Drop $20 on a cool hip student Bible & maybe even drop a "20 spot" on a book that'll help you find what you're looking for. And hey ----CHRISTMAS IS COMING! What loving parent wouldn't buy their son or daughter something from Living Water bookstore, huh? (I get no kickbacks!) ///

What we all need, when it comes to the Bible, is a "NIKE" attitude. We need a "Just do it" or "JUST READ IT" attitiude.

We can all play the "I DON'T HAVE THE TIME" card. (1 chapter on page) This is ONE CHAPTER in 12 pt type. I'm a slow reader. It took me under 3 minutes to read this. Remember, the Bible isn't ONE book --- it's SIXTY-SIX books. Some books only have 6 or LESS chapters

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you get into the Bible? One chapter at a time. We've all got 3-5 minutes a day. All we need is a Nike attitude: "Just Read It!"

I have two distinct parts of my life that a lot of you don't know about. One part of my life involves my wife, Sandra and two sweet little kids, named Meghan & Slater, that live with me 100% of the time.

At the time Meghan & Slate came along, I was pretty much trying to do life how God wanted me to. I was engaging in all the things I've been pushing you guys on in this series. And the last 10+ years it's not been perfectnot been without problems

But the last 10 years have worked God has REALLY been in my life and in my family my relationship with Sandra has only gotten better from when we got married

Me and my kids, seriously, only tell each other how much we love each other about dozen times a day or so life is working.

I have two older sons, Taylor 15, and Christian 12. They aren't with me 100% of the time. They come every other weekend.

Before Sandra, Meg & Slater I was pretty much doing life the way I wanted to. I only dabbled in the God-stuff. I didn't think God needed to be part of how I dated how I behaved who I chose to marry

The long-story-short version is: Doing life my way I got married had 2 sons that I love found out how much the marriage was not working and so in doing life our way, we got a divorce

So now today, Taylor & Christian visit every other weekend. My relationship with their mother, more than ten years after the divorce still depends on the day

But there are tensions that pop up. Tensions of a marriage that didn't work out and so now THIS is the life they HAVE TO live Tensions of 2 sons of mine who spend every other weekend with me who see kids of mine who spend every day with me and there is a difference in those 2 worlds...

It's the reality that one has been broken and the other has not. And some of you know guys exactly what I'm talking about.

So now today --- there are 2 parts of my life: One that "more often than not" has been rooted in God's Word. And the other part that was rooted in how me and my x-wife thought it should be

And although today and for a long time now I have been "all about" trying to live the life God lays out in His Word Every other weekend all of us at our house are reminded that there was a time when I didn't

And the truth is when we don't choose to follow life like God lays it out in His Wordsometimes there are effects the last your lifetime. (Pause)

Why am I passionate about boldly hanging onto God's Word? Why are you sitting here listening to me talk about what looks like just another "book?"

Because whether we get into God's Word and then APPLY it to our life, has EVERYHING to do with whether our life worksor doesn't work whether we have life to the full or a life that's broken.

Nobody in this room has to look further than their own home or the home of a neighbor to see what happens when we don't do life the way God outlines it in the Bible.

2 Timothy says, "Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another---showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." (3:16-17)

I told you guys last month that everyone of you is like wet cement and through the habits you engage in now, you'll soon be "set" in your ways.

Have you ever gone over to someone's house and saw in the driveway that maybe someone who had the house before you scribed their names in the wet cement?

You guys have an incredible opportunity at this point in your life. You have the CHOICE to take the WORDS of the living God and write them on he wet cement of your heart and mind

And IF---IF IF you WILL do it ---- IF you WILL do it --- If you will just READ it & APPLY it ---- years down the road you will look at your child look at the spouse God will give you and below those things you will see the truth of God's Words written on the foundation of your life because RIGHT NOW . You have chosen to scribe them on the wet concrete of your heart and mind and if you will put God's Word into you NOW it'll last --- just like those scribbles on your driveway

We realized that even though we talk about how much we love God's presenceand our passion for intense worship