Life can be COMPLICATED!
So what do you do to make it through the times in life when you need guidance, somebody to have your back, encouragement or strength?
The Best Book EVER
Maybe growing up, you had a family BIBLE somewhere in the house with a perfect cover and pristine pages. A pretty display that you weren’t allowed to touch.
Or maybe one is in your house now but you aren’t sure where and how to start reading it. Or you have read it at times, but then you just got….busy.
Maybe you were taught not to write in your Bible, but I don’t like to read mine without a highlighter in one hand and a pen in the other.
Battle Scars
The picture (above) is actually of one of my FAVORITE Bibles.What does yours look like?
Is the cover TORN and barely hanging on? Are the pages CREASED?
Are the margins full of scribbles and NOTES? Is there an abundance of CIRCLING, UNDERLINING, HIGH-LIGHTING and STARS?
Are there any mysterious coffee STAINS?
GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Answers For The Tough Questions
I can read a verse, that I know I have read 100 times before with no light bulbs going off, but on any given day – BAM!
Something comes alive in a way that I have never seen it before and it is like fireworks go off inside. Or understanding comes for a situation. Or I now know how to handle something that I didn’t have any clue about before.
Make It A Habit
If not, as we begin a NEW YEAR, I want to encourage you to start a brand NEW ROUTINE.
Would you be willing to give God just 15 minutes of your UNDIVIDED attention a day? During morning coffee, before bed, or in the bath tub?
Set the alarm a few minutes earlier, grab your favorite beverage,find a quiet place in your house and read just ONE CHAPTER, about a page, in your Bible each morning.
Where?
For Leadership
I like 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, 1 Kings, 2 Kings. The stories of the kings and how and why they rose and fell.
For Wisdom
Proverbs can’t be beat
About Jesus and His Life
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Great Words on How to Live
Galations, Ephesians, Phillipians and Colossians
There are a TON of great places to start, but these are some of my faves.
Refreshed
When you read God’s book, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how MUCH you’ll gain.
• Encouragement
• Strength
• Hope
• Light
• Direction for your Day
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you.”
“I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers…” Ephesians 1:17-19 (CEB)
What have you read lately? What did it do for you?
this has been very up lifting too me.want too see more.god bless you and your family
Pastor, thank you so much for this today!! I am going places in 2014 that I have never been before and need all of the encouragement I can get.
I believe it and agree!
Mine is all marked up, which I love because when I open it everything jumps out at me to read again like a neon light 🙂
I have never read the Bible before attending Faith Church; never understood what I was reading. Listening to Pastor David and you preaching/teaching, taught me how to interpret what I read, to what I am working on in my life. When I sit to read, I always begin with Psalm 23. Last week, randomly opening to a new page in my Bible, Psalm 66 is the page that “came up” and those words are what I really needed! The challenges I’ve been facing this year, are the tests from God to prepare me for my next “phase” or “journey” in my life. So, now my first chapter is Psalm 23, then I go to Psalm 66, then I will randomly open the Good Book to what ever page I’m “led” to and read. If I find a certain verse that may help through the day/week/circumstance, I will recite that verse 7 times or more , to get it through to my brain/heart, to guide me.
Yes, my 3 year old Bible looks like a coloring book, bookmarks everywhere and the cover is getting quite worn.
Thank you Pastor Nicole for all your teachings, prayers and everything you do to serve our Lord.
God Bless!
That is exactly what I did with my bible pastor Nicole. My bible is all highlighted and just a few weeks ago I heard god speak to me and told me to take notes in my bible and that is what I have been doing ever since. I always take time to read God’s word sometime throughout the day. If I can’t read it throughout the week I read on sunday nights after I watch Joyce Meyer. I love reading his word no matter where I am
Keep it up Cheryl! Good things are ahead for you!
I have often had difficulty understanding the bible and got frustrated but the words are flying out of the bible and my inner desire to read more ever so more present….lately I have read Proverbs, Esther, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, jonah and also have started Psalms. Things are popping out and my pages written in and highlighted. If I want God to spend his time on me…I have to spend time with him. : )
You must have read my mind. My New Year resolution(s) are to read from the bible every day and get off my computer (yes, I watch online every Sunday in my comfortable clothes with coffee in hand) and make it to the new St Charles campus.
This is a GREAT blog .
Past Nicole , I just wanted to let you know that I am watching faith church online and just started reading my god promise book. I ask Simone if I could highlight in my god promises and bible and they laughed at me and said of course. I wanna have a closer relationship with god and do more things. My 2014 plans where to write to god, read my god promises book, take notes, highlight, talk to god. There so many people who say there Christians and don’t live the Christian life. I wanna be true Christian, I was wondering how to read the bible? And do you start from the beginning like a book? Well I miss going to faith church, I still watch it online because I’m in fostercare and have no ride to faith church to I have to go to my foster mom church. 1st babtistb
Well I just started reading my god promises last night. Do you read the bible like a book, from the begging. Because I don’t understand it? The words are confusing. I’m trying to get my life involved with god and I wanna be baptized. Is there transportation for Thursday and Sunday church from imperial? At first I thought it was bad to high light in your bible and god promises book. I had no idea and I ask someone and they laughed at me and said of course! (; thank you pastor David and pastor Nicole. Where ever I am I know where my home is, at faith church! The reason I ask if there was transportation is because I’m in fostercare and my mom goes to another church
Alyssa,
No you don’t have to read the Bible from the beginning. I would suggest getting a bible version such as NIV that may be a little closer to “today’s language” and more palpable. And no, at this time, there is no transportation to church services.
This is exactly what I need in my life right now. Which bible do you recommend?
My New Year’s Resolution is to try and get more connected with my church activities and to let the word of the lord bless my heart and soul with joy. I have found that after I read my bible, I feel comforted and at peace for the days activities that I have planned. Thank you so much for this message.
These are great!