I found life's instruction manual!

Most people wonder why God is not speaking to them today. Ninety-three percent of American households own at least one copy of the Bible. Not only is it the world's best selling book ever, it is God talking to us. This book is Life's "not so little" Instruction Manual. Sure, it has wide distribution, but how many people do you know who have read it, the entire thing?

One of the best things you can do in your life is become a Christian, (get saved, find God, follow Jesus, get on the J-train.) Whatever you call it, it means having a personal relationship with God through Christ Jesus and accepting his gift of eternal salvation. If you haven't gotten there yet, it is okay, God has not given up on you. If you have, great! You've found the narrow path. How do you stay there? The same way that you would maintain a relationship with a good friend. Good friends keep open lines of communication. They talk frequently, they love and respect one another, they know each other very well. Your good friends are involved in your life all the time, not just when you throw a party. They are there in the good times, and through the bad times.

God wants a relationship with you, all the time, good and bad. That takes time to develop, time to get to know one another. God has all the time in the world, he is always there, (here, or was, or is going to be.) We, on the other hand, do not. We need to choose who we spend time with, who we need to get to know. God is very tangible, very real, and very available to us. It is in a book, this book is called The Holy Bible. God's story is written down in a book, because we are humans and are not all knowing. If we read the Bible, we can get to know Him more. See, God is OMNIPOTENT (fancy word for all powerful,) he created us, we were knit together in the womb, he wrote our books too.

Growing hurt a lot. While I struggled with life, I loved reading. I read books like crazy, soaking up stories, living life vicariously because real life hurt. I often wondered why life did not include a book on the How-to at birth. The problem was not that there was no book available, I just was not reading that book, and even when I was, it was just old favorites like Psalm 23 or First Corinthians 13. That is only like looking at a photograph, it gives you the idea, but you don't really know Him until you know His story.

The best part about the Bible is that it is not just God's story, but it is ours as well. Once you start reading it, you will realize how much you can relate to the stories contained within. The Bible is a relevant, living story. God is speaking to us now, and today. All it takes to listen is to open the book and start reading.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for a Bible you can understand? You can try The Message in any of its many forms. I just picked this one up at my local bookstore thanks to a gift certificate from a good friend and a coupon. Don't be thrown off if it says "student" Bible, we are all students!

THE MESSAGE//REMIX 2.0

The best-selling Bible for students, now with expanded features.

• Reader-friendly text of The Message, the most widely read paraphrase
• Expanded introductions covering unique information about the authors, culture and relevant world history for each book of the Bible
• A topical guide geared for the issues that students face
• Handcrafted maps and charts that enhance the understanding of Scripture
• New slimmer size

Read. Think. Pray. Live.

The Message/Remix is purely, simply God's Word in its most easily understood language. It isn't like any other student Bible you've ever seen.

Make this vital book part of everything you are. Read it, cover to cover. The Message/Remix features verse-numbered paragraphs to help you study and think deeply about the text. Pray that as you read, God will open your eyes to the personal messages He has for you. Finally, live it out. The more time you spend in The Message, the more your life will never be the same.