Do you ever have something you want to say, but you don’t know how to say it?  Well, that’s me today.  I know what I want to say but I don’t want it to sound wrong.  So here goes.

I love teaching and speaking about Jesus and I do not take this lightly.  Recently I was struck by the magnitude of what this means.  Certainly, this isn’t a NEW revelation – but these last few weeks I’ve spent some serious time considering just what it means when I stand up to speak or to teach. 

When I open my mouth to speak, I’m implying that the Lord has given me a message to share and I not only need that message to be clear, but I need to understand the One who gave me the message.

What if I stood before you to “teach” you about …. let’s use a book…. hmm, what about Gone With the Wind.   But there’s just one catch – I’ve only read a handful of chapters.  I’ve never read the entire book (or seen the movie).  I have a grasp of what it’s about from what I’ve learned from others, but I’ve NEVER set my mind to reading the entire book, yet I’m going to stand up and teach on it.

And here’s the thing, when I stand before the group  I’m not teaching / speaking from just ANY book, this is the Bible.  The Holy Word of God.  His revelation for us, for me.  

The magnitude of this hit me square between the eyes just recently when I stumbled (and I call this a Holy stumble because I know it was God led) across Chronological Bible Discipleship.  And this quote from noted author Larry Crabb took me to my knees —

“In 2006, after knowing Jesus for a half a century, after years of active involvement in church, I realized I knew bits and pieces of Bible truth, lots of principles and lots of doctrine, but I didn’t really know the story it told.” Crabb explained the danger of not knowing God’s story,  “Without story truth, I’ll flirt with atheism, struggle with unbelief, pray without passion (except maybe anger), remain devoted to my story, and continue in hopeless addiction to myself.”

When I read this quote I just about fell over. Is this me?  What? I felt as if a mirror was held before me – and I realized this is me.  

I want to be devoted to God’s story. His Word. His Word.  But without really knowing God’s whole story, I’m more devoted to my story. 

I love my Bible studies, book studies, and video series – but I need more.  I need to get knee deep in the Word – just me and God.  I have a responsibility to myself as a believer.   I’m not going to go into great depth on CBD, but the simplified version is this –   Chronological Bible Discipleship arranges God’s Big Story into fourteen eras and there is a myriad of resources. For me, I’m using this as a jumping off place to go through God’s story  (via His Holy Word) chronologically.

I see this as a foundational piece that I’ve sadly neglected.  I’ve spent years studying His Word.  I’ve studied topics and entire books.  I’ve spent hours upon hours in scripture and I love doing it, but I’ve never looked at the entirety of the scriptures as just one book with one main theme.  That’s what I’m doing these days.  I’m spending time going through the stories of the Word from beginning to end – from Adam and Eve to the Revelation story. 

I want to know God more and I want to know more about His ways and more of His Holy story. I want to seek Him with a passion that cannot be quenched this side of Heaven. 

Do you want to know Him more?  This isn’t something that is set aside for speakers, Sunday school teachers or pastors.  Every single one of us can have more of Him, if we only ask. 

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

I’m asking, seeking and banging on the door!

Will you join me in wanting to know Him more?