Does studying the Bible intimidate you? Don’t Be Scared! Here are a few tips to start a simple, steady pattern.

I love talking to people about the Bible and the study of it. Many times I hear from folks that they want to read it more, but they don’t really know where to start or what to do with it.

Many of you may be reading this and study the Bible consistently and diligently. I just want to say that you are my heroes. I also want to challenge you, if you aren’t already, to find someone in the church that you can help teach about how to study the Bible better.

Bible study can be a daunting task, for sure. Especially when you hear us preacher types going on and on and on about it like we have an endorsement deal with God. Wait…do we? I’m getting off track, back to the Bible…

Here are a few tips from my experience in studying that have helped me not only be consistent but also study the Bible in such a way that I can really learn something for my life. (Side note: We don’t read the Bible just to read; we read it to know God more and see how He works in our lives)

1. Start a plan – It’s difficult to really be consistent when you close your eyes, open the Bible, and point to where you want to start. Starting a plan is easy. First, there are many plans already out there (http://www.youversion.com is a great place to find some). However, you can also just find a starting point, and go from there. I actually recommend this, because it tends to build your confidence in looking through the Bible. However, using a pre-designed plan is not a bad thing either. Consult your pastor or spiritual physician, and the side effects are awesome.

2. Smaller bites, More Chewing – My grandpa used to give me the hardest time about taking big bites of my food and eating waaaayy to fast. Studying the Bible is very similar, especially if you are just getting started. If you are a rookie, don’t think you need to read the Bible in a year. Those plans are great, but only if you have enough time to devote to reading AND comprehending. Start with a chapter or a passage a day, and then “chew” on it. Take time to find out what it says. That leads me to tip numero 3…

3. Focus on one thought, principle, or lesson from the passage – Like I said before, we read the Bible to understand how it intersects our lives, so it is important to find an application in what we read. This is the most sensitive and difficult part of the Bible study process, however, it is not terribly difficult or impossible. The Holy Spirit teaches us as we read, which is awesome, because He is the actual author who inspired the men who did the writing! If anyone knows, He does. A good study Bible or commentary can help with trouble spots, and they can really give good background to help us understand what is going on between the lines. I will say this, don’t just paraphrase what a study Bible says. Find the application for YOU and let it be YOUR words.

4. Write it down – When I am studying for personal study and I find that principle, I write it down. Grab a journal, and write these things down. It will help you make them more real and personal, and they can be easier to share and remember that way. You may write something down you learned and then post it on Twitter or Facebook. Writing one thought down is a good practice and doesn’t take long at all.

5. Find a Study Buddy – This is not essential, but it sure helps, and it can be more fun and fulfilling. Find someone who can follow the same plan as you, and then meet together once a week or every few days. Then, you can share the different thoughts you both wrote down and learn from each other. This is a great way to stay consistent, because you have to read and write to keep up, but also, this is a great way to grow. This is one of my favourite things to do.

6. Pray – This is actually step 1. In reading the Bible, we MUST have the Holy Spirit guiding us. Before you read, just ask the Holy Spirit to help you to learn His word and guide you through. Also, ask Him to give you a real passion or desire to know the Bible and know God more. Even though the Bible may seem like a daunting task, the Holy Spirit wants to help us understand it. He has it there for a reason.

I hope these few tips can encourage you to get started reading the Bible and become consistent with it. You can start with just a few minutes a day, and literally, it will change your life. Even though I may sound like a boflex commercial right now, I’m being totally serious.

And again, if you are a diligent Bible student right now, that is great. Take someone and show some of the ways that help you learn God’s Word.

I want to leave you with some verses from the Psalms that just show how much God’s Word was a life changing thing, and this was not even the whole Bible we have now!

Psalm 119:25-32

25 My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart!

Am I Afraid to Get My Hands Dirty for the Gospel? // 1 Cor. 4:8-21

Do you ever feel tired of being a Christian? Do you ever say to yourself, “I just want a break from all this church stuff?”

Paul dealt with a church in Corinth (the Corinthians) that struggled with this. They were pretty well off financially, and from reading what Paul wrote to them, they did not really want to interact with people outside of their social circle. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 3:8-13 and how the Corinthians were compared to the apostles who were trying to spread the Gospel:

“8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.”

I’m telling you, this really hit me. How many times as a minister do I not want to get my hands dirty for the Gospel because it is not really convenient for me or it’s on my day off? I’m not advocating we should not have days off for rest, not at all. But sometimes we just have to take care of stuff. Paul did whatever he could to reach people, and showed the people here an example of how to do that.

When he was in Corinth, he made a living making tents throughout the week. This was very unlike other church leaders during that time who were given money from the church. This was not necessarily a wrong thing, but Paul had a purpose in what he did, and he didn’t do this everywhere he went. Paul was trying to show how to live out one’s life for Christ in an everyday lifestyle. Ironically, the Corinthians did not appreciate this and were quite embarrassed of Paul’s humble status.

I thought about myself as a minister in all of this. What example am I setting? Am I trying to just reach people who are like other people in my church? Am I trying to reach everyone? Who did Jesus spend of most of his time with – the outcasts, the poor, the “dirty.”

I don’t want to be that guy who just tries to build a reputation, hangs out with the people with money, and complains when ministry is inconvenient.

You might think Paul was being an arrogant jerk in writing this – parading his humility over the church members who would never be “holy enough,” but this is not the case. He goes on to write,

“14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?”

Paul was just trying to teach and set an example, and those that knew Paul or what we can see from his other writings, we can clearly see how he really felt about himself. Jesus was the only thing he could brag about.

I think this is why Jesus is so hard to understand and accept by so many. In Christ we are all brought to the same level at the foot of the Cross. The ones we shun God loves just the same.

What example am I setting? What are we showing the world?

Today I was encouraged by a man in our community who is a dentist. Once a year he opens up his office for a day of free dentistry, first come first served. He has gathered dentists and workers from all around to help, and people will camp out to wait in line. He does it because he knows not everyone can afford dental care all the time, and this is a way he can minister to them.

Honestly, I was not just really excited about getting up at 5 am to go help, but I was really convicted after seeing his passion and reading these words from Paul. My heart definitely needed that check.

May we not grow cold, calloused, and comfortable. May we have a heart for those who are not like us and NEED the Good News we have to share. Many of the outcasts of society need hope, and we as Christians have living one. Some of us just need to roll up our sleeves and get our hands a little dirty for the Gospel.

When everything is falling apart, God is building something new.

Legos. Man I loved to build with those things. Really I still do. Anyone else out there feel the same?

My dad and brother and I used to spend hours with them sprawled out on a blanket (you had to do this so when you were done it was easy to dump them back into the bucket).

The beauty of Legos was that you could build, and if something broke, you could just build it again or build it differently. Starting over was easy.

Do you ever feel life is much like those Legos? Does it ever feel like life just falls apart sometimes?

We’ve all been there. But the beauty of life is that when everything is falling apart, God is building something new.

The other day I read Genesis chapter 39 about Joseph living basically in slavery to a man named Potiphar. Joseph was not totally innocent in ending up in his situation (none of us are really). He had made some mistakes with pride when he was younger, and things went south rather quickly. Fast-forward to where he is now, and just when it seems Joseph is maybe getting back on his feet, everything comes crashing down.

Here is what Genesis 39:20-23 says,

“20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”

God never leaves you alone. Especially when it feels like all is lost and you are all alone, have hope, because you are not. I am sure Joseph would not have wrote his own story in this way – none of us would.

Let’s go back to Legos. Imagine if I was building my own design right next to God. Who do you think would have the best design? For Joseph, God took terrible circumstances and made something incredible. If we trust Him with our lives, God will do incredible things and take us to incredible places.

We must always remember that just like Legos, our lives are never fully broken, and God wants to put them back together in an amazing way.

Does anyone have any stories in life want to share of this happening? Leave a comment below!

Genesis 39:

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.
6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.”16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled.20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

God Makes Patterns in our Lives to Help Us Grow, and God Also Breaks Patterns in our Lives to Help Us Grow Even More

I’ve been taking seminary classes through Golden Gate Baptist Seminary for a couple of years now, and we just started a new semester this week. New Testament 2 is one of classes I’m in taught by Dr. Dave Morlan, who also pastors at Fellowship Denver in Denver, CO.

NT2 basically starts at the book of Acts and heads forwards, picking up where NT1 left off at the Gospels. You know, I’ve read through Acts so many times, but this lecture over Luke’s second narrative truly brought a whole new, life-changing meaning to what it means.

One of things I wanted to share was what Dr. Morlan called “An Expected Expansion and Unexpected Explosion.” What this referred to was how Christianity had a plan to expand, given by Jesus (Acts 1:6-8), but how these plans were carried out was like an unexpected explosion.

When Peter preaches at Pentecost and the church begins in amazing way, a truly great thing is happening. And the people love it! They love it so much, they get really comfortable where they are in Jerusalem. But then, a man named Stephen comes along and is martyred for being a Christian. Then everyone scatters like crazy, and the Gospel goes out from Jerusalem. We see people in the surrounding areas becoming Christians, and it continues to spread outwards.

Then we see a man named Cornelius, who is not a Jew or a Christian, and he has an encounter with the Holy Spirit that tells him to go find Peter. Peter has a corresponding encounter where the Holy Spirit is showing Peter how they will go to the Gentiles, and Peter argues with the Lord! However, Peter does meet with Cornelius and shares the Gospel with him and his companions, beginning the ministry to the Gentiles.

Probably the biggest unexpected explosion was a man named Saul who hated and hunted down Christians until Jesus comes to him on the road to Damascus. Then Saul gives his life to Christ, and as Paul, becomes possibly the greatest missionary ever.

You’re maybe thinking, “Thanks for the history lesson Doug, but we are not in seminary, so what’s the point?”

The point is the Holy Spirit establishes certain patterns in life. Even in the beginning of time in Genesis 1, the Spirit of God is hovering above the formless earth and works in creation. Time after time, throughout history, we see the Holy Spirit working and establishing patterns in life to help people grow, but people hold on to those patterns and grow stale.

Even though the Holy Spirit makes patterns, He also breaks them, and this helps us grow even further. The difficulty comes because we want to hold on to what we know so badly that we will miss growth just to stick with our old patterns.

The Church grew because of the patterns being broken. Our churches today face the same challenge. However, the challenge starts in each of us first.

If you can take some time to examine your own spiritual development, you can probably see the patterns that God established. Most likely, you can also see the breaking of those patterns and how that caused a spiritual change as well.

God has a plan – for each of us and for the churches we serve in. However, His plans may be “unexpected explosions in our lives,” and we need to ready to follow His lead. Can you imagine what would have happened if the apostles had not followed the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

May you learn from the patterns God places in your life to grow, but don’t hold on to tightly. Be ready to let go when they break and trust that God has even greater things in store.

*Credit for this post really goes to Dr. Dave Morlan

Philippians 4:13 Means So Much More Than Winning or Losing

Philippians 4:13 is such a popular Bible verse, especially in the realm of athletes or competitors. We like to hold on the truth, “we can accomplish anything as Christians.” However, the context of Paul said needs to be addressed, because the true meaning of Philippians 4:13 is oft lost in our own desires for accomplishment.

First, remember who Paul was. He was a missionary, one the greatest. He faced many joyous times in his journeys, but he also faced many difficult trials. In fact, he wrote this letter to the Philippians while in prison, facing certain death from execution. Does it appear that he is writing something that would have the meaning that he can accomplish anything through Christ? Maybe, but let’s continue.

Secondly, we must always look at the literary context of the verse. What do the verses around it say? Here are verses 10-13 of chapter 4:

“10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

When reading these verses, we can see that Paul is talking about his attitude and endurance in all types of life situations – good or bad. Through the power of Christ in his life, Paul has been able to endure everything he has gone through, and he has been content in all his circumstances.

Finally, even without the other contexts, within the verse is a principle overlooked many times – “through him [Christ] who strengthens me.” Before someone can take this verse and use it as a spiritual steroid, it must be remembered that the power lies not with us but with Jesus Christ. If we are living our lives in our own power and neglecting our time with him, can Philippians 4:13 really have its full meaning?

I still think this is an incredible verse for us to use in cases of competitions or contests, because the true meaning is that no matter what happens, win or lose, we will be ok because Christ lives in us and loves us.

But it cannot stop at merely being a tattoo on some competitor’s arm, we must hang on to this verse as we face taxes, bills, deaths, persecutions, and everything life has to throw at us. The truth is we all are in boxing match with life and sin, and we can get pretty beat up.

The wonderful power of Philippians 4:13 is that no matter who many times we get beat up, we can always get back up, because of Jesus who lives in us.

Acts 17:23-31 – God is Closer Than Many Think

Today I was reading these verses in Acts 17, which I have read many times before, and the Holy Spirit showed me something new.

When Paul is addressing this crowd in Athens, he really emphasizes how much people search and try so hard to find God, but He is really closer than they think.

So many people that we know are just trying to find God, but it’s like they are running so hard in the wrong directions. Verse 27 says, “that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”

May we have Paul’s compassion and boldness to let others know that God wants to know them too, and He is closer than we might even realize. We who are followers of Christ know the truth, and we must not stay silent.

23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,t25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;t
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’t

29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Life Lessons from the Legend of Zelda

Life Lessons from the Legend of Zelda

Even though video games can be a controversial issue due to the questionable content some of them contain, the Legend of Zelda has always been a game for all ages with a storied legacy.

This year is the 25th Anniversary of the first Legend of Zelda game (the very first game I ever owned – the gold one*), and my friends David Rutledge, James Cluck, and my brother Ben collaborated with me on this project.

There is much to be said about the game from the music to the stories. This post is all about life lessons that we have found from the Legend of Zelda. This list is by no means exhaustive, and we would love to expand it! So if you have any, please leave a comment below!

1. Always be looking for opportunities to make a difference, they are around every corner.
2. Love is the most powerful force of all. More hearts, more power.
3. Learn how to use a boomerang. It could save your life. Literally.
4. Be on guard. Use a shield wisely.
5. Courage and power are important, but without wisdom both are incomplete.
6. Without music, everything would be so boring.
7. A testimony wields no strength unless the one who is giving it has faith.
8. Even when all things seem to be falling apart around you, don’t forgot you’re only a song away from a clean slate.
9.You have to be willing to rearrange a few things to get to where you want/need to be.
10. God gives us many tools, but sometimes, only the hookshot will work.
11. You have to get good with what you have first to get something better.
12. Helping others on your way often ends up helping you along your way.
13. There’s often treasure down the path that looks like a dead end.
14. Hard work will frequently only earn you 20 rupees.  Deal with it.
15. Heroes don’t need to talk.  They just nod and get to work.
16. There are many things that we should change as life goes on, but there are a few that should always be the same.
17. Never give up.
18. Evil is persistent, but good always wins.
19. There is a hero inside all of us.
20. It’s dangerous to go alone!

*David told me that gold edition of the original game is actually more common than the plain gray version!

David – @spaceportorange
James – @jamescluck
Ben – @benjmat
Me – @dougmatlock