NOW! Too Much.
The other day I was sitting on my couch looking through my mail and came to a publication from a widely known church publishing company. I get this magazine once each quarter and it is absolutely loaded with books, materials, study guides, bibles, and trinkets. I’ve ordered a few things from them to help assist my study and preparation for the teaching I do at my church. But this time was different… it struck me a little awkward.
I had just finished my study through Ecclesiastes and the author of the book (believed to be King Solomon – one of the wisest men known to mankind) had struggled through the meaning of life to come to this conclusion:
12-13 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you.
- Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 (The Message)
I thumbed through the magazine and it seemed that every angle of studying God’s Word has been covered a hundred times over… but where is the action? There are study guides built to help you get through study guides. I noticed 12 ways to do this and 5 ways to do that. Some proclaim that you can have victory if you just do this one thing. These tools are wonderful, but what are we actually doing?
I tell my daughter all the time… shut off the TV, log off the computer, put down the video game, and go outside and play! So I say to Christians… put down the books. Get your nose out of the crack of that “how to” manual, and go outside! Christ didn’t tell the disciples to go read and talk about their feelings. He told them to go out into the world and tell others about their relationship and experience with Him!
I threw the magazine in the trash… a little discouraged. There’s just too much noise and too many books telling us how to dig deeper… but who’s out there encouraging us to spread the good news? I’m looking for a 1 page book that reads: ”put this down and go make a difference in someone’s life by being involved in something other than yourself.”
There’s simply too much information and not enough action. You are not called to be Billy Graham. You are not called to be Ghandi. You are not called to be Mother Theresa. You are not called to be the Pope. They have already filled that slot, so the pressure is off. You are uniquely challenged to live a life that reflects God’s love to the person next to you. He’s given you talents and skills that someone else is needing from you. Don’t hold it back.
Reading and studying the Bible is how we get a sense of who God is and how He desires to be in relationship with us. Remember that the disciples of Christ did not have the new Testament to follow. Remember that Jesus Christ wasn’t reading from Matthew, Mark, or John… it wasn’t written. In fact, his actions were the cause to write those books. Abraham answered God’s call before there was even a Torah (Old Testament). Moses led the people according to God’s call without the aid of scripture. We learn from them and understand God through them, but we also must get out and GO. Let’s not forget that the journey happens “out there” not in the pages of a book.
My encouragement to you is not to get caught up in the study of God’s word and forget the applicatin of God’s word. In my own understanding, God calls us into an active, living relationship with Him. He isn’t calling any of us to read about Him like some history lesson.
It is important to read the Holy Bible in order to understand life and it’s lessons. It’s important to spend time meditating on scriputre that it fills your soul to overflowing. It’s also important to look up and put those encouragements into practice.
My hope is that LIVE BOLD is a place that helps us take these understandings… and go put them into practical practice. Time is running short… we’ve got to GO!
May your day be filled with the hunger to know who God is in your life, and may you take your knowledge and go outside and experience Him in all of His grandeur. You are an awesome creation built uniquely to be a part of the unfolding story that is lived… not just read.
Grace and Peace,
Greg
Acts 4:31
Welcome, and thanks for dragging yourself over to Live|Bold! My name is Greg Arnold and I am pumped to see you here. This interactive online community is here to point every man toward the cross. Whether you have been a follower of Christ for ages, or you are just stumbling into this strange new world of faith, we have something of value to offer you. This online e-zine is a cross between a blog, a social network, a resource center, and a pulpit. My hope is to inspire you to live your faith on the outside and be a real man for God. We need you in the fight. 
Comments
You nicely summed up a sentiment that I have spent much time considering. It seems all too often that we get wrapped around the axle with good intentions of bettering our knowledge and understanding without putting what we know into practice. Living is learning, and there are plenty of lessons that the ‘world ‘ can teach us – lessons no study guide will ever drive home.
Thanks Jim. It’s more of a jab at myself as well. I can get very caught up in digging deeper… while the guy at the corner is hungry and in need of company.
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