The burden of this site has been to encourage Christians to press forward to know the Lord and to serve His purposes. I’ve been trying to do that by emphasizing the possibilities presented to us by our Lord in the good news of salvation. We’re not just called to join a club where members enjoy common interests and a similar background. Churches often take on that form, and in so doing they fail to realize the full potential of the word regarding our savior. And a primary reason for this is that the Bible is not studied in a thoroughgoing manner. It seems to be the case that the average American Christian studies the Bible as if it were a hobby; something that may or may not be done, depending on other things that are on the agenda. It takes work to really dig in and study and it’s easier to leave that effort to the pastor who’s been trained for that purpose. So why bother?

Imagine you were walking along a road out in the country and you met someone along the way who was going in your direction. As you both continue your trek together this person tells you that there’s gold up in some hills nearby. In order to prove his point he pulls a nugget out of his pocket and shows it to you. He then tells you that the gold is available to anyone who’s willing to dig it up and there’s plenty for everyone. At the next intersection the stranger turns to go in a different direction. As he starts to walk away you try to give him back the nugget, but he insists that you keep it saying that there’s plenty more where that came from. What would you say to the man before he left? Would you ask him if he had any more gold to give you or would you ask him for directions to the gold in the hills?

This illustrates the burden of this website. There are riches to be gained from having fellowship with the Lord, and that fellowship is fostered in large part through studying, believing, and acting upon what the word of God reveals to us. We need directions from those who’ve been at this for a while, but as we mature in the faith we can gain something that others cannot give us: fellowship; personal intimacy with the Lord of all. Knowing God truly is an adventure, because the better we know the Lord, better we know ourselves. That’s why we should bother!

The world tries to tell us who we are; it tells us that we’re psychological beings evolved through naturally occurring processes. The Bible tells us that we’re created beings that are broken because of sin. Sin has created a rift with God, diminishing our humanity. To be truly human we must address that rift and seek reconciliation with the Lord our creator. The initial effort to reconcile with God through repentance sets in motion the opportunity to become what we were meant to be from the very beginning: a whole human being. We’re built for fellowship with God; apart from Him we are less than human. That’s the reality of human existence. We’re surrounded by people who don’t know this and, as such, we’re required to move against the flow of our surroundings. Determination is required; a decided effort is necessary along with a willingness to make the effort. Sacrifices are needed to secure what has been promised and that will involve choices to be made. We can’t gain all that the world has to offer and all that the Lord has to offer. Making the choice is part of the process of gaining what God has made available to us. Are you going to make that choice?

With this in mind let me point out the benefits to be gained. In the first place we really don’t know who we are apart from God. Without Him we seek to understand ourselves in comparison to others. We compete, and the competition is relentless. From insuring our place in the soup line to obtaining the power to govern, the struggle is all consuming for everyone. In order to gain an advantage we look for alliances along the way. Fondness or a facsimile of love may be part of the means for securing ourselves. But compared to the love offered us by the Lord such alliances are only shadows of the real thing. They’re temporary, based on need, and subject to disruption at the next bump in the road. Better to seek the Lord and His ways; He alone can bring us security; He alone can fulfill our need because that’s the way we’re made: to have fellowship, true intimate fellowship with our creator.

How do I know this? The Bible says so, and that brings us back to our need to STUDY the scriptures. Listen to what David had to say about our existence and our God:

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path (read journey) and my lying down And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there: If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:1-14: note: I’ve retained the translation’s grammar)

This passage reflects the nature of the ancient king’s relationship with God, exhibiting the awe-inspiring knowledge of his creator, and the sense of intimacy that he had with his Lord. It suggests something that I’ve been emphasizing throughout my posts: getting to know the Lord is nothing less than an adventure. Approaching our study of the Bible from this vantage point can prompt an enthusiasm for the effort. We’re not just reading the text to gain information; we’re studying it to enhance our relationship with the God of everything, the supernatural sovereign who presides over all that exists.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Bible studying it may seem like a daunting task. Reading it presents unfamiliar territory. The subject matter is foreign to us and the language can seem obscure. It’s not like anything else we read unless you’re a student of ancient history or have an interest in religion in general. In today’s world communication with other people is pervasive. We have at our fingertips the means of getting information from all over the world. We can read about everything and the knowledge we receive usually is accompanied by some form of pictorial media. By comparison, reading the Bible can seem like a lame approach to understanding our faith; better to view a movie about Jesus than to read the “these” and “thous” of the Bible. I’m exaggerating of course, these days you can get a good version of the Bible in a variety of modern dialects, but it still isn’t as exciting as visual presentations … or is it?

It’s been my experience that getting to know the Lord is pretty exciting stuff. The God of all creation has made a way for us to get to know Him. Jesus has opened up that opportunity through His suffering. And the scriptures spell out not only our need for God but also provide the means for understanding and following after Him. If we commit to engaging the task the Lord will be faithful to guide us in the effort. But we’ve got to want it! We’ve got to turn off the TV and use the phone for something far more rewarding than some form of social media. Learning how to handle the text and hearing what it has to say is a process. At first it can seem boring, unfamiliar, and unrewarding. But if you prayerfully and diligently engage the task and stick with it your ability to handle the text will become easier and increasingly rewarding. It’s sort of like finding a path through the woods that becomes increasingly easier the farther you go. And in the process your life will be changed; it will become your go to means of understanding this world and who you are as a believer.

If you’ve been following this blog then it may sound like I’m repeating myself; I am. You’ve heard some of these thoughts in previous posts and if you continue to follow this discussion in the future you’ll hear them again. I’m doing this to encourage us all—myself included—to press on to know the Lord. You can’t exhaust what the Lord has made available to each one of us through the cross, and this is my way of prodding us to keep at it.