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You've Got Mail...From God!

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Stop just for a minute and think about your life. No really. Please take just a moment to reflect on the world you call you. Do you have it all together? Do you have any problems? Have you found what you think you've been looking for? Or in the words of Switchfoot: "This is your life...are you who you wanna be?" Most of us aren't. We've made mistakes and life oftentimes confuses us. We spend much of our time picking through the (mostly) trash heap of our past looking for enough scrap to build a decent self-image, but more often than not, this is an exercise in futility.

So we go looking for answers. No, I don't think we wake up every morning saying to ourselves, "Today I'm going to look for the answers to life!" But deep down that really is what drives much of what we do.

Some look for it in activities, others in relationships. Then there the ones who think that "enough" something or other will set things straight - Enough money, enough clothes, enough success, and I'm sure I'll be happy.

I've got news for you: I'm sure you won't be happy when you get enough of anything and I'll tell you why. Life will remain confusing and empty until you read the manual. That's right! There is a guidebook to life, but unfortunately it remains untouched and untapped for the majority of Christians. It sits on the shelf gathering dust because the owner thinks it is ancient, archaic, and an all around antique. In other words, most people don't read their Bible because they are convinced that it doesn't apply today.

In a way I can understand where one might think this. After all, we don't ride donkeys, walk around in robes and funny hats, and we most definitely don't say things like, "Forsooth, canst thou assisteth me in sacrificing lambchop?"

Plus we have electricity, jets, videogames and fast food. How in the world could a bunch of old stories about a bunch of dead people help me find the answers to life?

Good question. The answer lies in how you look at the Bible in the first place. You can see it as a collection of irrelevant stories from a world so different it might as well be in outer space, or you can see the Bible as it truly is:

Basic
Instructions
Before
Leaving
Earth

The pages of the Bible contain stories, speeches, and sayings that come directly from God and it answers the questions of where we come from, who we are, and where we are going. It tells us how to live life the way it was designed by the Designer to be lived, and it lays out the path to eternal life. It also contains principles that will save you from a boatload of grief. In fact, you can trace every major problem on earth and probably even your life back to someone or some group going against what the Bible teaches.

Want examples? Sure!

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment from God is that we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all your mind, and to Love your neighbor as yourself. The Biblical meaning for love here is to think of others before ourselves. Can you imagine how different the world would be if everyone lived that way? Selfishness, loneliness, crime and hate would all disappear if we all followed these basic instructions.

The Bible is also full of advice that will help you understand how to find the true meaning to life. Check out what Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:25-34:

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Irrelevant? Hardly. Boring? Only if you're too lazy to understand what God is trying to tell you in His amazing Book. Think of all the "rich and famous" who have overdosed or have made hundreds of other stupid choices because they ignored one simple truth from the Bible like the one above. And this is just one passage! The Bible is composed of 66 separate books, all of which are "useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right." (II Timothy 3:16)

The next time you look at a Bible, think about the incredible opportunity you are wasting every time you let it stay on the shelf. The next time you look at Scripture as boring and irrelevant, think about the incredible victory Satan just won. If he can keep you out of God's Word, he can keep you from doing God's will.

Head: What you need to know about this truth

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Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

Bottom line: we make time for the things we care about. If you tell me you don't have time to read the Bible, I would say you don't care about the Bible. If you looked back on your week, I bet you made time to get online, watch TV, or play video games, but somehow you just ran out of time as far as feeding your soul with God's Word? If you want to develop a habit of reading God's Word, you must develop a heart of loving God's Word. How do you do that? It starts with realizing that the Bible is God's very letter, written to you. If you love God, you will love His words. The other important thing is to think about the incredible benefits of having the very words of God at our fingertips. The best way to do this is to read Psalm 119, where King David writes an amazing song about how great God's Word is. Here's a sample:

O LORD, the earth is full of your unfailing love; teach me your principles. You have done many good things for me, LORD, just as you promised. I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge. I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. You are good and do only good; teach me your principles. Arrogant people have made up lies about me, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart. (Psalm 119:64-69)

This week check out Psalm 119 and try to connect with David's heart for God's awesome Word.

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

Hopefully by now you realize that the Bible is the most amazing book in the universe because it contains God's Word and will for the world and for you. Don't think about, talk about, or schedule a "Bible reading program" - just do it! Pick up the Bible right now and dig in! If you don't understand something or how it applies, write those things down and ask your parents, youth leader, or e-mail us and ask us. Get a New Living Translation or Message version of the Bible so it will be easier to understand. If you're an internet type person, check out www.biblegateway.com, where you can look up passages in different versions and study the Bible deeper. Imagine a voice saying "You've got mail...from God!" - would you leave your inbox unchecked?