get an niv study bible

This past Sunday at all 3 services at our Lakewood campus, I challenged everyone to get a study Bible in preparation for our January series. We’ll be reading through the entire Bible as a church family in 2008, and I believe the NIV Study Bible (or the NIV Life Application Study Bible) is best resource for the average person to utilize.

I’m approaching 10 years of full-time ministry, and I’ve heard hundreds of people tell me that they aren’t being “fed” enough – too much milk and not enough meat. That was true at ROCKharbor Church, Newport Mesa Church, and Revolution Church.

In reality, as followers of Jesus, we are called to feed ourselves and feed others who are new in the faith.

• Steven Furtick says: “Churches are filled with those who have known Christ for decades, and still need a bib, a high chair, and want Daddy to do ‘open wide, here comes the airplane’ tricks with the fork before shoving it into their mouths.

  I try to serve up the Word, hot and fresh every single Sunday. But if you refuse to apply it, study your Bible and pray some during the week, join a small group and dig deeper with others…if you refuse to bring it back to your mouth, I can’t help you.

  Get your own fork, and learn to feed yourself. Stop burying your hand in the dish and spitting out every thing that doesn’t give you a spiritual sugar high. Eat some vegetables. Serve. Pray. Practically apply the Bible to your life.” Read more here.

• Perry Noble says: “I’ve heard it…you have too…’Christians’ saying, ‘I just want to be fed!’ It blows my mind! This would be equal to you and I going to an all you can eat restaurant and crying because no one would bring us any food. Food is all around in this environment…but if the person is lazy and self centered, wanting to be waited on hand and foot, then they could possibly starve to death when food is merely a few feet away.

  “Today as Christians we have WAY more information than we could ever apply. However, I think many people use ‘going deep’ as an excuse as to not actually apply any of the knowledge they claim to be soaking up. I believe it breaks the heart of God when arrogant people claim intellectual superiority out of pride and stupidity rather than just seeking Jesus and trying to honor Him on a daily basis.

  “In reading through the Scriptures I have found that Jesus’ strongest words of rebuke were for the ‘deep,’ the professional religious people of the day. If ‘deep’ is being a part of the group that knows tons about the Bible but missed Jesus–then I don’t want to be affiliated with them. Give me Jesus Christ, crucified, risen and who will one day return…not another Bible study on the weight of the Ark of the Covenant.” Read more here.

• Ben Arment says: “I’ve always felt troubled by phrases such as ‘I need to be fed’ or ‘I need meat’ when referring to spiritual growth. And not just because they’re usually meant to be critical of a pastor’s content… but I could never see this thinking in Scripture. Paul uses ‘feed’ and ‘meat’ in terms of where he expects Christians to be in their maturity, but it’s never used by people to demand something.” Read more here.
  [HT]

The funny thing is that Jesus says, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” [John 4:34 – KJV] Jesus was all about doing the Father’s will. So, I want to find out the Father’s will and live it out.

So, I’m teaching a 4 week series called “QT: Slowing Down in a Frantic World.”

• January 6th – Getting Still & Being Quiet
• January 13th – Studying & Applying
• January 20th – Talking & Listening
• January 27th – Expressing Devotion & Adoration

It should be a great series to teach many and remind others of the basic need to slow down, connect with God, and allow Him to have access to our lives daily through QT – a time to get quiet.

If you don’t already own a study Bible, here are the two that I’d recommend:

NIV Study Bible
NIV Life Application Study Bible

You can get hardback, softback, bonded leather, or European leather. You can buy it at a Christian bookstore, Amazon.com, and the NIV Study Bible is even available at Costco right now for $39.99.

Buy one and starting experiencing the spiritual nourishment that’s available by studying the Bible and applying it to your life.