Call His Name Immanuel

Posted on by pastordavidturner

“They shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

The Word became flesh, Jesus became a human being, so that He could be “God with you”. He bore your sin in His body so He could remove every barrier between you and Him and restore relationship. He conquered death so that you could live with Him forever. He sits at the Father’s right hand so that He can live inside of you by the Spirit of God. This is how much He loves you and longs to be with you. He is Immanuel. He is “God with you”. This is His name. This is who He is for you. 

You are not alone. You are never alone. Not matter how you feel or what you are facing, God has not left you. He is always Immanuel. When you put your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit united your spirit with Jesus. He dwells in you and you dwell in Him. You are connected, intertwined; you are one with Him. 

He is Immanuel in the fire. He is Immanuel in the flood. He is Immanuel in the wilderness. He is Immanuel in the lion’s den. He is Immanuel in the storm. He is your Ever-Present Help in time of need. He is your Comforter. He is your Eternal Refuge. He sees you; He knows you; He hears your cry; He is with you in the dust, wiping tears, giving you grace. He’s Immanuel in the hospital. He is Immanuel at the office. He is Immanuel when you’re alone. He is Immanuel when you have nothing left in you. 

People are not ever-present; they are not all-knowing. Only God is. People don’t have perfect, unfailing love. Only God does

We often want and even expect people to be ever-present, there for us whenever we need them; we imagine them to be all knowing, seeing what is going on inside of us, knowing how we are feeling and what we need. We long for them to be our comfort. But people are just like you and me: they have their own needs, and they are limited. People are not ever-present; they are not all-knowing. Only God is. People don’t have perfect, unfailing love. Only God does. God has blessed us with family and friends as a gift from Himself. They have something to offer us. But where people do their little part, God–-only God—can do His big part. When we mix this up, we find ourselves disappointed or offended. I encourage you to let go of any offense and disappointment. Forgive and release them to God.  And now, step into the comfort of His presence. 

When we limit God to our abilities, our circumstances, or other’s presence we miss out on the comfort and life-changing power of His presence. Faith is living by a different Kingdom, a heavenly reality that is bigger than your circumstances, unlimited in resources. We are children of a good Father, citizens of heaven, heirs of a vast inheritance in Christ. We have access to everything in God’s Kingdom.

This is how Jesus, the Son of God, was able to sleep in a storm and calm it. In Mark 4, Jesus was in a small fishing boat on the sea of Galilee with His disciples and a great wind and rain storm unexpectedly swept over the sea (something common for that geography). The storm was so intense, the boat was filling with water and began to sink. The disciples were freaking out, trying their best to save Jesus. But Jesus wasn’t worried one bit. The situation was life-threatening and yet Jesus was asleep.

He was resting in the promises of God, He was abiding in His Father’s love, He was secure in His identity as a Son, He was sure of God’s faithfulness, He was convinced of His assignment and authority. These realities don’t remove the reality of a storm. The things of the kingdom are super-natural, above and beyond the natural order. When we live by faith, we are not limited to or by the natural realm but are able to overcome according to the higher reality of the Kingdom.

Faith interprets the circumstances differently, through a Kingdom lens.

The disciples saw a storm with their eyes, calculated the threat based on their experience, and concluded death was imminent. But faith interprets the circumstances differently, through a Kingdom lens. Jesus saw the same storm, knew the same threat, but His conclusion was different because of His faith. He interpreted the storm through a lens of the Kingdom. He saw God above the storm. He saw God’s protection. He saw God’s plan for His life. He saw His authority. This is why He could both sleep and speak. Often difficult circumstances and frightening emotions rob us of our sleep and our speech. But follow Jesus’ example. You can rest and sleep because God loves you. And you can rise up and speak to that storm to be quiet and stop because you have the name of Jesus!  

Just like Jesus, you are a beloved child of God. Just like Jesus, you have an assignment, and you have authority in His name. Just like Jesus, you are not alone. God is with you. 

Trust in the name of Immanuel. See that God is with you even in the storm. That He is the Fourth Man in the fire; that He is the one shutting the mouth of the lion; that He is the one holding back the flood, parting the sea, and making a way. Interpret the storm through a Kingdom lens. Walk by faith and not by sight. Call on His name.

You may feel alone, but God says He is always with you.

It may look like defeat, but God says He will go before you and fight for you. 

It may look like lack, but God says He is your Shepherd and that you will not lack. 

You may have failed, but God says His calling on your life is irrevocable and that if you confess He forgives every sin. 

It may feel like you are lost, but God says He will always lead you into victory. 

It may look like everything is against us, but God says He is for you and will answer every prayer. 

Want to start a relationship Jesus Christ?  Learn more.

Looking for a home church? 

If you live in the Saint Louis area, we would love for you to join us at Expansion Church any weekend at one of our campuses. We pray you find the right community of Christ-followers for you wherever you live. 

*All scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise stated. Emphasizes are mine. 

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5 WAYS TO EAT THE WORD OF GOD

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“…man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” –Deuteronomy 8:3

At Expansion, the church I pastor, we are learning about the power of God’s word and our need for it in our lives in a series called, FUELED.    

We are learning that the only way to walk in the Spirit is to be fueled by God’s word. People often say: “You are what you eat” or “Food is fuel”. This is true for our natural health and energy. But it is even more true for our spiritual life. If our natural body needs physical food, then our spirit needs spiritual food. And that food is the word. In other words, food is important to our biological life and God’s word is vital to our spiritual life. If we as believers are to walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh, then we need a spiritual diet to fuel our walk with God in the Spirit. 

The only way to live a victorious Spirit-led life is to be fueled by God’s Word.

God’s word, every single word He has spoken, is life to us. It is His grace, His power, His heart flowing to us. And as we let God’s word do the work in us, the supernatural nutrients of God’s word transform us: freedom, healing, blessing, godliness, love, strength, confidence, and so on. Our spirit is strengthened, and we walk in the victory more and more.   

If God’s word is this powerful and our spirit needs God’s word this much, then how do we consume God’s word, how do we eat it like we eat food? Our mouth is the gateway to our stomach; this is how we get nutrients into our body. Our eyes and ears are the gateway to our heart, to receive spiritual nutrients. And just like we don’t eat the same thing every day, so I have found that being creative with my time with God and introducing a variety of habits helps me stay engaged with the bible and allows the many benefits of the Kingdom into my life.

As a starting place, we often say there are 5 ways to eat God’s word. Each of these can be developed into creative habits. Just like a marriage needs spicing up, so our relationship with God needs to be revitalized regularly. You may find 1 or 2 of these habits more effective for you, however, I challenge you to look for ways to implement each habit into your day, week, or year. 

Here are 5 ways to eat God’s word:

  1. Reading the bible 
  2. Listening to preaching 
  3. Memorizing the bible word for word 
  4. Studying the bible 
  5. Meditating on the bible 

READING THE BIBLE 

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes;Keep them in the midst of your heart. -Proverbs 4:20-21

Reading the simplest, fastest way to eat the bible. You can read a verse, a chapter, or many chapters daily (our church follows the Jesus Disciple reading plan). Just like we need to eat at least once a day (and most of us eat throughout the day), so reading the bible is the perfect habit to maintain a steady diet in the word. Reading the bible keeps the word in front of us at all times, allowing the truth to enter our eyes and ears and get deep into our hearts. It positions us for a daily encounter and conversation with God and becomes the primary fuel for our walk with God.

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes,that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. – Deuteronomy  17:18-20

In the Torah, God commanded kings to write the bible down with their own hand (now there’s a creative idea!) and read it every day. Since we are redeemed kings and priests, sons and daughters of God, this practical wisdom is readily applicable to us.  Look at why reading daily is so beneficial: the person learns to fear God, increases in humility, grows in obedience to God, and receives personal and generational blessing.  The word is truth, reality, sobriety. As we keep God’s word in front of us, we are reminded regularly who God is, who we are, and how to live. There is a direct correlation between a person who remains in the word and who walks in victory as a Christian. And the opposite is true, the less a Christian is in the word, the more prone they are to deception, sinful temptations, and pride. 

LISTENING TO PREACHING 

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? …. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:14, 17

Listening to the preaching of the Gospel is a primary way the bible encourages us to eat the word of God. It allows God’s word to enter our heart through our ears.  Listening to preaching can unlock our heart to hear God clearly, give us fresh revelation, impart grace to us we do not have, build our maturity and faith in areas we are lacking, help us receive correction we need, and so much more. 

Personally, it helps me to receive from God through others. Every Spirit-led believer has a grace from God to give to others. Other believers have grace I need. Since I want all of the fullness of God, I feed on the grace from other believers. Often when I need something from God in a particular area of my life, I will turn to someone in whom I have seen that particular fruit and listen to them. Whether I need encouragement, wisdom, restoration, or maturity I will listen to their messages or seek their counsel through coaching. Though I often receive and hear from God personally, I need the fellowship and the preaching of God’s word to add to me things I don’t have. 

There are many ways to listen to God’s word and allow preaching to build us up. Encouraging each other during a group bible study, talking with our children at dinner about the word (from a message or our bible reading), watching message on YouTube, attending a church or conference, dialoging with a Christian friend, pastor, counselor, or coach. Check out these verses later: Hebrews 3:13 and Deuteronomy 6:6-9. 

MEMORIZING THE BIBLE WORD FOR WORD 

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. — Psalm 119:11 

There is no scripture that specifically says, “memorize the bible”, but there are tons of scriptures that tell us to hide God’s word in our heart. Just like a soldier learns their weapon and tactical operations by muscle memory so that during a battle they don’t have to waste time processing, so we need God’s word ready, in our heart, and on our lips, so we can win every battle. By committing the bible word for word to memory we are hiding the word in our heart. The promise is clear: victory over sin. Jesus is the perfect example of this. When He was tempted in the wilderness, He quoted the bible word for word three times. He didn’t speak His mind, He spoke the word. And he won that battle.   

It is important God’s word saturates our heart. I encourage you to memorize the bible “word for word” because it is vital we stand on God’s word and not our general recollection or even our interpretation of the word.   

STUDYING THE BIBLE 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

Studying is how we dig deep, how we mature in our faith, and grow our own understanding. Studying God’s word is vital to knowing what the bible actually says rather than being susceptible to everyone else’s opinion. Though I appreciate and need good bible preaching, I always studying the word myself. I am convinced every believer can and should to study the bible and I enjoy coaching people to do this. This is what Paul is referring to when he says we are to diligently and rightly “divide the word”. To divide the word doesn’t mean to cut it with scissors, but to study and apply it to our lives. 

For me studying God’s word is fun. I love digging deep into a book of the bible or tracing a biblical truth from Genesis to revelation. I love how the stories connect, how Jesus is revealed, how the puzzle pieces of the mystery of God all fit together. Studying is how I “own” my faith, how the bible comes alive. It is where I can get creative. It is how I ensure what I believe and teach is aligned with the word and not human tradition. Often when God wants to really teach me and change me in a deep way, He guides me into a study so that the word gets worked deep into my heart and takes root.  I know He wants to do the same for you. 

Finding tools to study the bible is easy and free. I often use and recommend Blue Letter Bible. It gives you access to word studies, bible dictionaries, commentaries, and more. There are also many personal and group bible studies you can purchase that guide you through a study.  Whether you study on your own or with others, I encourage you to find time throughout the year and find a topic or book you can dig deeper into. 

MEDITATE THE BIBLE

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.–Joshua 1:8

Meditating on the scriptures is, in my opinion, the most transformative habit. I’ve been asked by people who are already seeking the Lord and eating God’s word how to “speed up” their own breakthrough. Meditation is the key because it causes you to speak God’s word out of your own mouth. We become the preacher sowing the word into your own heart.  We see ourselves obeying God’s word and this shapes our actions. The more we respond to God’s word with faith, in thankfulness and surrender, the more the word takes root and bears fruit.  

Biblical meditation is not silence or humming, it is not pondering random ideas. Biblical meditation is when we use our own mouth to speak God’s word out loud. That is why Joshua was told to keep the word in hismouth, meditating in it. The Hebrew word for meditation in this verse literally means to “chew the cud”. It is a word picture of cattle chewing, swallowing, chewing more, swallowing, and so on. 

Though I love reading, studying, and listening to the bible I probably spend more time meditating in it through my day. I meditate God’s word by preaching it to myself, personalizing what it says to my own life. I meditate by responding to God’s word. For example, if it’s a promise I say, “Thank you”. If it is a command I say, “Yes, Lord.” If He is correcting me, I repent. If He is encouraging me, I receive. I worship, sing, and pray with the word. I declare it over my life. I cry out to God to help me, teach me, change me. I ask Him for more revelation.  God’s word fuels my conversation with God. 

When we saturate our heart with God’s word,

God’s blessings will saturate our lives.

@PastorDavidTurner

I encourage you to come up with creative ways to consume the word. Make a plan for a healthy, balanced, biblical diet. Ensure daily, weekly, and yearly you have rhythms of taking God’s word into your eyes and ears so that it goes deep into your heart and shapes the way you think, talk, and live. Ultimately, the reason for consuming the bible is so we can live the bible. When we saturate our hearts with God’s word, then God’s blessings will saturate our lives.

*All scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise stated. Emphasizes are mine. 

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HOW TO START AGAIN 

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And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord. — Genesis 13:3-4

My father often told me, “First things first.” Sometimes we worry about things that are outside of our control, or we rush into a project without establishing an effective plan, or we never begin because we are overwhelmed. In our walk with God, we can often wonder where to begin, especially if we have been distracted or stuck. Let me help you start again. Let me encourage you: 2024 can be a reset for you.  

I want to show you how you, like Abraham, you can get unstuck and move into God’s plan for your life. It is not too late; you can get back on track with your relationship with God.

In most office jobs I have worked in I became the default tech guy. Let me be clear, I have no IT expertise. Maybe it is because my generation is the ones that grew up in the technological explosion, being the first ones to learn computers, the internet, and smart phones. Whatever the reason, I often find myself helping people with whatever techy-glitch they faced. I often told my co-workers, “I really only have two tools in my belt: reset or baseball bat.” Almost every time, resetting a device will solve the problem. And I have found we often need a reset in life. A good night sleep resets our system. A healing conversation resets a friendship. Getting back to church helps us reset our spiritual walk. Setting a new goal resets growth. So, how do we reset our relationship with God?  

The Good news: In the Kingdom, there is abounding grace and rich, new mercies every day. You can start over because God is the God of second chances- and third, and fourth…and tenth, etc. He is an expert at divine resets. We always begin in the mercy of God by responding to God in worship. When you want or need to begin again in life, start with worship. It is a response to His mercy; it is the way to receive His grace and realign with the good purpose He has for you. If there has been compromise or failure, worship grounds you in God’s redeeming love. If you have been distracted or defeated, worship will reorient you to the most important, highest calling of loving God. If you are in pain or needing hope, worship postures your heart to receive God’s healing presence.

Let’s look at Abraham’s example:

Abraham’s relationship with God began with an encounter with God. God called, God chose, God revealed Himself to Abraham. In this encounter, Abraham received a promise and a purpose from God. The amazing thing about Abraham, is that He believe God, left everything, and followed the Lord into this promise and purpose. 

“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him. — Genesis 12:1-4

The first thing Abraham did, when God showed him the Promised Land, was worship. For him it looked like building an altar and calling on God. Though we may not build physical altars anymore, we still offer God sacrifices through our praise and we still call on the name of the Lord. Abraham’s response to God’s word – His promise and purpose–was worship. This is how Abraham began. This is how we begin. Worship is the expression of faith; it is the posture of obedience. Worship is always how we begin.  

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. – Genesis 12:7-8

But then, a famine came upon the land. Abraham was in a desperate situation so he went to Egypt with his family because the economy of that nation was not as affected by the famine. 

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. — Genesis 12:10

However, it seems disillusionment set in. Abraham may have wondered, “Why would God call me to a place in famine? Why did He promise blessing where there is lack?”  He became afraid, thinking people would harm him, rather than trusting God to fulfill His word. How often do we start well only to become discouraged and disappointed with God? How often do we question God in the process and become sidetracked? And in that place where our faith is being tested, we are often tempted to compromise. 

God protected his wife Sarah, despite Abraham’s lack of covering towards her. God led Abraham out of Egypt and back into the Promised Land, despite Abraham’s lack of faith. God blessed Abraham abundantly, despite his compromise. God’s plan and promise cannot be stopped! He is the God of abundant mercy and the invitation is always to start again. When God showed him mercy, Abraham returned to the first place he had settled. He rebuilt the altar and called on the Lord again. 

And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord. — Genesis 13:3-4

Do you see it? He went to the place of the “beginning” where he had been “at first”. He started over. He began again. He pushed “reset”. And how did he begin again? With worship. He worshipped the God who is rich in mercy, the God of forgiveness, whose calling is irrevocable. He worshipped the God of covenant who is faithful even when we are not. He worshipped the God of promise who cannot lie. Just like Abraham, God loves you. He has made promises to you and has a purpose for your life. Like Abraham, God’s mercy is new every morning. Like Abraham, you are invited to start again. 

Worship is the reset we need. It is the first thing. It is how we begin and begin again. Have you become distracted with life’s anxieties, found yourself stuck in compromise, or grown weary because of delay? You can get back on track; you can begin again. God is waiting for you to drawn near to Him. Here is how you can build a spiritual altar and call on the name of the Lord.

Listen to David’s words from Psalm 18:1-3:

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Like David, build an altar with your words or a song. Call on the Lord by opening your mouth and directing your heart towards God with words or songs of love and trust. Then ask Him for what you need. Make worship a part of your daily time with God. Cultivate this kind of loving adoration in your heart towards God every day. As you do, your heart will open to God’s grace and your spirit will grow stronger in faith. Those distractions will part, and clarity and focus will come. That shame will melt away, and confidence will increase. God’s healing will flow to your heart. You will posture yourself to hear the Lord.   

Want to invite Jesus into your life?  Learn more. 

Looking for a home church? 

If you live in the Saint Louis area, we would love for you to join us any weekend at one of our campuses. You can also check us out online. We pray you find the right community of Christ-followers for you wherever you live. 

Enter Into His Word

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There are times to receive a promise; there are times to wait on a promise; and there are times to rise up and enter into a promise.  God wants 2018 to be a time of entering in.  It is time to take hold of your territory, to enter into your promised land.

In this series, we hear God’s word to Joshua to receive both promises and principles for us.  God’s word will prepare you to possess your land.  If you are going to enter into your promised land you will first need to enter into God’s word, because His word contains the instructions, truths, wisdom, grace, strength, confidence you need.

Let this message encourage you to seek the Lord this year, entering into His word so you can enter into your promised land.

Enjoy!

Return To Where You Began

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Have you received a promise and rejoiced?  and then after the promise came hardship and delay?  Did you struggled in faith?  Well, you are not alone.   And just like Abraham, the father of our faith, you can return to where you began.

Abraham was called by God to leave his family, his comfort zone, and his financial safety net. He left everything because he heard God and trusted in His promises (Check out Genesis 12 and Hebrews 11 for more of the story).

When Abraham arrived in the land of Canaan he heard God say, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar as an act of worship to God. This altar was a symbol of his faith—of his joy, his gratitude, his confidence, his resolve to follow God.

This altar was a symbol of his faith—of his joy, his gratitude, his confidence, his resolve to follow God.

But then Abraham was confronted with an economic crisis, a drought and famine. After the promise came hardships and delay.  Abraham struggled in his faith. His character was tested. Abraham went down to Egypt where it was safe. He lied, putting his wife in danger, to save his own skin.  Hint: don’t follow that example. 

But after his failure came restoration. Genesis 13 describes Abraham’s return: he came out of Egypt and returned “to the place where his tent had been at the BEGINNING, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at FIRST. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord (Genesis 13:3-4).”

“…to the place of the altar which he had made there at FIRST.” -Genesis 13:4

Did you see that!? He returned to where he BEGAN. He returned to the place he had FIRST built an altar. He went back to the place God had spoken, to the place he believed God, to the place of joy, of confidence, of resolve, of thankfulness. He returned to faith.

Do you need to return to faith? Do you need to remember what God has promised you? Do you need to remember joy, confidence and thankfulness? Do you need to return, rebuild an altar of faith, worship and call on God’s name?  Well, you can. Just like Abraham you can return to where you began.  God’s mercy is new today. He is waiting for you to turn to Him, and cry out for His help.

And here is a good place to begin: like Abraham, be “strengthened in faith, giving glory to God (Romans 4:20).” Worship.  Boast about God.  Praise Him.  Find His promises in the bible and shout, “Thank you!”

 

 

 

 

Love God but hate doing devos? 4 simple devo ideas

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The Word of God is essential to knowing Christ and becoming like him and yet many struggle with getting into the Word.  Do you wonder: How do I get into the Word since I don’t like to read or have a hard time focusing or comprehending what I read?  Do you or someone you know struggle with doing “devotions”?  Here are some ideas for those who don’t like reading.

First, let’s establish that devotions are vital for the Christian life.

The bible, God’s Word, is the self-disclosure of God. It’s not like any other book. It’s the authorized biography of God, his message to us. It is truth about him, us, and what he is doing to redeem. It is powerful, carrying his transformative life, to those who believe.

Jesus told us, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”–John 8:31-32.  Jesus is teaching that following him and being in his Word are inseparable.  To follow Jesus is to listen to and obey his Word.  He is also teaching that it’s in the Word we find truth and its in the truth we find freedom.

And so, for the person who wants to know God deeply, understand who they are and what they are destined for, and walk in his ways the bible is an essential tool, an indispensable gift.  Hunger for and consumption of the Word is vital to growing and developing as a follower of Christ. It is an essential part of our spiritual diet–Acts 20:32.

By listening to the Word, we hear Jesus, we receive him, we get to know him, we observe him. By responding in prayer and worship we engage with him, become vulnerable, let him know us, and transform us. The more time we spend with someone, the better we get to know them. It’s that simple. The more you know someone, the more you become like them. That is discipleship 101. Be with Jesus, become like Jesus. The call to an intimate relationship with Jesus is the most enjoyable and powerful. It’s so attractive.

How can we know God if we don’t listen?  If all we do is talk and never listen how can we get to know him or allow him to influence us?  Many people pray but never turn to the Word of God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit to allow The Lord to reveal himself and his will. That doesn’t work in a human relationship; it would be like having a relationship with yourself. How do you feel if someone only talks about themselves, almost treating you like a microphone or an ornament?  God wants to be known; he wants a real relationship. And you and I need to be influenced by him; we need to hear from him in order to know his will and ways.  We need to know the truth.  More word, more truth, more light, more transformation. It’s that simple.

This is precisely why I constantly encourage people to be in the Word of God daily.

And yet, despite its importance, many are discouraged in some way by the call to read the bible. Some hate to read or find it tedious because of struggles with Dyslexia or focus. Some are confused because of the strangeness of another culture; some don’t know where to begin with such a large book. Some are busy, possibly spending hours commuting or taxiing children.

Whatever the reason, if you struggle with reading the bible but recognize the importance of being in the word, here are some simple ideas I hope will help you:

First, listen to the bible rather than read it. Don’t feel you are “cheating” by not reading. The goal is not to read but to get the word into our hearts through our eyes and ears.  In fact, the bible was written to be heard–you may catch more by listening. There are many commands to hear the Word in the bible (not as many to read it). You can find free audio recordings of the bible online.  Try www.youversion.com.  You can use your computer or smart phone.  You can start a “reading” plan (I recommend the solid lives reading plan) and listen to the bible daily (try the NLT or ESV translations).

You can listen when you are driving, cooking, or working on a project. You can turn off music or talk radio, and spend some time listening to the word and then talking with God about it.

You can also combine reading and listening. For those who struggle to focus, reading the bible while someone else reads it to you or reading out loud yourself may help you to focus and retain more. I also encourage you to read smaller portions (I.e. One New Testament chapter a day).

Second, listen to podcasts. The preaching of the Word is a powerful way to get the word into our hearts. Again, this is not cheating!  Though it’s important to read or listen to the bible ourselves so we understand the context and can own what others are teaching, preaching can greatly aid in understanding the bible and in growing in faith.  Paul emphasizes our need for a preacher in Romans 10: 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent?. There are many good preachers offering free online podcasts or who teach on TV or the radio.  You can download podcasts onto your phone and listen throughout your day.  Check out http://jerrydirmann.com/.  That’s just one of many I listen to weekly to build my faith.

Third, read the Bible with others.  You don’t have to do devos alone to make them “count”.  If you are relational, find others who are like you.  Gather at a coffee shop or living room, read the bible together, talk about it, and pray.  One of my best friends and ministry partners is a business owner.  He begins everyday with a group of people (some employees and some church members) reading the bible and then praying.  He calls it Daily Alignment (DA), inspired by Hebrews 3:13, “but exhort one another DAILY, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  Notice God is speaking DAILY and we need the Word DAILY.  And yet, we are not told to read the bible by ourselves daily.  Rather, we are called to exhort (or preach to) to one another DAILY.  This is what the early church did (see Acts 2).

Fourth, engage your heart and mind and engage God in conversation.  How?  By meditating out loud on what you read and by talking to God about it. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).  Meditating on the Word is one of the most potent ways to get it into our hearts and build our faith.  In fact, most people are either bored with the Bible or missing the power of the truth because they don’t speak the Word out of their mouth.  Until the Word comes out of your mouth with faith you won’t see God’s power.  This is one of those “think smarter and not harder” principles.  Meditating on God’s Word will not only help you focus more but it will lead to deeper intimacy with God and greater transformation. The goal is not only to read and know a lot of the bible, but to believe and obey the truths of the bible. Instead of trying to consume a lot with little comprehension, try reading less and meditating and praying more.  Become focused, fixated, obsessed with the truths you discover.  Meditate all day–ponder, think about, discuss, share, converse with God, sing…. As we see in Joshua 1:8, it’s when we meditate that our faith is built, we receive strength to obey God, and then blessing is released. 

When you listen to the Word or when hear someone preach the Word, one of the best ways to get it into your heart is to study it yourself, meditate/think about it, and then talk to God about it.  Simply pick verse (or a few) to meditate on all day/week.  I recommend that after listening to a message about the truths of Scripture from a person, read or listen to the passages they expounded on yourself. Then spend time thinking and praying about it with God. The more you respond to the Word, creating dialog, the more you will be able to receive from The Lord and allow him to transform you.

Do you have other ideas or resources that have helped you or others? Please suggest them in the comments feed.

Where to begin with the bible?  Check out this reading/listening plan (you can also find it on youversion.com).

Want to start a friendship with God? Read this post. 

Want to grow in your relationship with God? Check out OSLonline.com. It’s a powerful discipleship process that transformed my life and ministry.

Want to read commentaries that explain the bible or study the Bible?  Check out blueletterbible.org (its free!).

Enjoy God!  He enjoys you!