The Truth

Let's imagine that you are given a task and that task is to build a house for someone.  You are given materials, machines, and helpers.  But you are not given any architectural drawings, no layouts, no surveys, nothing to help you understand what type of house they want or even where they want it.  At best you could find some land and try to work it out yourself and at the end of the day hope that you did the right thing.  Instead you call them and they send you over a partial drawing, a drawing of a survey that does not show it's location, and you find yourself no better off than you were before.  In many ways that describes most other religions, most other paths, and most people's journey.  Theses other religions want you to live a certain life, do certain things, but you never know if it's enough.  They may even give you some writings that don't answer the question you have, the questions that must be answered so you know for sure you are doing the right thing.  

That is NOT what you find when walking the path of God's glory.  God has provided for you all the information you'll need.  It is found in God's word, the Bible.  This work of antiquity, this ancient manuscript, this letter from God, if you will, is packed with life lessons, stories of God's people who were obedient and disobedient, and answers the question, "What does it mean to be a Christian?" and "How do I live the Christian Life?".  In this book you'll find the Law and the Lawless, The just and the abuser, the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly reality that through out history mankind has failed to meet God's standard and so God met His own standard in Jesus, His son, who was Himself man and yet God.  In the Bible you will learn of the loving kindness of God, and the wrath of God, the mercy of God and the judgement of God, but most importantly you'll learn of the love and grace that God gives to all who are His.  By now I hope you've read at the least, What Is The Gospel and/or The Gospel Explained Another Way, (Here is a Link to Both: Gospel and Gospel Explained) and understand that only in Jesus is there hope for the future and the present.  But once you have acknowledged Jesus as Lord and thanked God for saving you and once you start the Journey in Jesus you must begin to mature.  You cannot stay a "baby Christian" for ever and hopefully not for long at all.  

To mature, however, you'll need guidance and the first and most important guidance you can receive is found in God's word.  I would encourage you to take time, daily, and to study God's word.  The bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (ESV)  God has given us His word that we may know Him better and that we may mature as we walk along the path of God's glory and journey towards the next life, the life with God for eternity.  

Here is an option for reading as you begin to grow as a follower of Jesus, as you take the path, as you follow the way: 

Read: (Both Morning and Evening Book suggestions of The Bible and Times to Read are Suggestions Only but have proven beneficial) 

Morning: (Read a book, at your pace, do not rush.  Then go to the next or reread each one before going to the next book.)

• The Gospel of John 
• Romans
• Ephesians
• 1 Peter
• 1 John
• Hebrews
• Revelation

Evening: (Read a book, at your pace, do not rush.  Then go to the next or reread each one before going to the next book.)

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Isaiah 
• Daniel 
• Ezekiel 

However, God did not just give us His word, He also gave us His people and we call God's people, when they gather, the Church.  It is in the Church that you'll find help in living the life, walking the path, taking the journey.  Follow the way found in Jesus, learn and mature in the truth of God's word, and next let's talk about growing up, in the faith, with God's people.  The Life.