Learning how to embrace the teachings of God is no easy fete. Sadly, there are many false teachings out there that promise a dramatic transition in the quality of life of those who commit to this spiritual path. The expectations of financial comfort, happiness and even personal peace can lead to gross disappointment if there is no solid investment in studying the true word of God.
The Bible states a number of times that those who follow in its many truths will be subject to ridicule, poverty and discomfort in this world, but that there is assured peace, riches and joy in the world to follow. Understanding this, making a commitment to accepting God and all that He has taught and continues to teach can be the start of an amazing journey towards seeing the world as the multi-dimensional and very complex space that it truly is. While hardships may arise, each one of these challenges is meant to refine the human spirit and to create a being that is worthy of the vast rewards that have been promised.
Stop Reaching
If you want to hear God’s message for you, you must stop allowing everyone else to interpret it for you. God is not inaccessible to anyone as even His word states that He is of all and in all. Thus, there is no need to let anyone be your direct link to God. Your own prayers and your own searching heart can lead you to Him. Turn off the persistent voice of the televangelist and put aside your Christian self help books. Everything that God has ever wanted to say to man on this earth is already recorded in the Bible.
Trust The Bible
Christianity is a faith based religion. If you are looking for solid proof of anything pertaining to the nature of God and His existence, you will have to exhibit a measure of faith before you will develop the ability to perceive any proof that does exist. Essentially, you must allay your own doubts in order to attain any real spiritual advancement. This is the first challenge in reaching out to the unseen. This is done by accepting the Bible as pure truth and reading it from this viewpoint alone.
The Bible is a spiritually inspired work that justifies itself through its own texts. As you progress from book to book you will find hidden explanations for many issues and events that are often hard to understand when you are initially confronted with them. Ultimately, if you stick with your studies in faith, this book will open itself up to you and become far more fulfilling than it ever can when read in a spirit doubt, distrust or contempt.
Stop Judging
Many people are turned away from their studies by the blood and gore that peppers the pages of the Old Testament. Few can find good reasons why God might command the utter and total decimation of entire populations or why he would the harden the heart of an Egyptian pharaoh only to punish him later for his hard-hearted decisions. These things, however, are only further proof of the fact that man cannot understand all that there is to know about an omnipotent God and that it is vital to continue in this faith-based relationship in the complete belief that God is what He says He is, which is righteous and just.
Limit Your Study
The Christian Bible can be a very vast and confusing book, especially when people attempt to digest too much of this work at one time. There is a generous amount of instruction that is given, much of which can seem quite conflicting. Rather than attempting to power through the pages in a cover to cover read, simply take your time and savor each separate work before moving onto the next. If you find certain chapters or verses to be particularly poignant, try to spend an extra amount of time focusing on these. They may hold a special meaning for you and could facilitate a deeper understanding of the work overall.
Find Pure Translations
There are many versions of the Bible in print. Although they all appear to say essentially the same thing, there can be dramatic differences in the content and the overall meaning of the text which makes it vital for people to rely solely upon trustworthy translations, rather than newer and unproven works. Many scholars agree that the Kings James Version is the most accurate, English language rendering of the original word of God. As you work to know God more fully, this is likely the best version to read.
Know Your Limitations
It is difficult to perceive God, especially a God that is all-knowing and all-seeing, impervious to time and ultimately righteous. These are all things that the Bible proclaims God to be and by believing in the Bible you have committed yourself to accepting things that you do not have the capability of fully understanding. As you search for more spiritual insight it is imperative to remember that you are now believing in things that you cannot see with your physical eyes and which defy all logical reasoning. In fact, these very same beliefs will likely put you at odds with most of the natural world as they defy much of what many other people believe in as well.
There is a great confidence that can come with the type of faith that a belief in the unseen can produce, which means that you will soon grow comfortable in standing out form the crowd. As your faith builds, your spiritual insight will increase and you will experience a greatly heightened sense of spiritual awareness and perception. It is on this plane that proof can be made manifest. This is the paradox of this relationship: People start out in search of solid proof that might lead them to believe, however, they must first exhibit faith by believing for this proof to reveal itself. A commitment to learning the word of God can open the door to tremendous spiritual experiences that can be infinitely rewarding.
Jonah Sterling is a Youth Pastor and enjoys sharing God’s Word. He has been a Pastor for over twenty years.
