The Rock Church - A contemporary church in Asheville, North Carolina

Basic fundamentals are the key to success in any arena of life.  

I'm an avid golfer. When I take a lesson it always comes down to correcting the fundamentals - the core.

Core practices will cause you to thrive in 2009!

We're covering 5 fundamentals, or Core Practices, of the Christian life: Bible reading; Prayer; Church attendance; The right friends; and Giving/Serving.

These core practices are not our righteousness.  Our righteousness is a gift that God gives through Christ. God will not love you more because you read your Bible!  You commit to these practices because you are loved - not to get love.

Isaiah 55:8-11(NASB)

Isaiah 55:11 (The Message)

Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is not like any other book. There is divine energy in the Bible - it's full of life (zoe) and energy!

When you read the Bible, it reads you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (The Message)

6 Core Concepts for Reading Your Bible:

1. Read a translation you can understand.

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The New Testament was primarily written in Greek.

The King James Version was a 1611 translation intended to put the Scriptures into everyday language. No one reads in 1611 English anymore. Appreciate the King James Version for its historical value - and put it on the shelf in your library.

1Samuel. 25:34 KJV

1Samuel 25:34 NASB

2. Read regularly.

I went to Bible College and I have a degree - but what I really know about the Bible has come from reading it on a regular basis for the last 34 years.

Our conscience is a lot like a clock - it can drift off over time. Nothing will set your clock better than regular exposure to the word of God.

Regular, systematic time in the word will help shape your paradigms. A few chapters day after day - week after week - and a deposit of God's word starts to build in you.

3. Read whole books at a time.

The Bible has 66 books. One of the reasons we know it is divinely inspired is the agreement of 66 books, by over 40 authors from different cultures, over several time periods.

The Bible is a story book. Read the story.  Get the perspective.

Don't go for the lottery - lucky verse. Get the full perspective by reading the entire book.

4. Make a time that works for you.

You won't find time to read your Bible - you have to make time.

What TV show is more important than time with God? What better way to spend your time than to invest yourself into God's word?

5. Read for the Rhema.

Words from the past can get stale. Rhema is the spoken word of God - it's what leaps right off the page and speaks to you right now.

Matthew 4:4

You live off the rhema word of God. Don't speed read - let it sink in.

Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit who is making the word come alive.

6. Write down your revelations.

Habakkuk 2:1-3

Ink it - don't think it. Write your revelations down or you will lose it.

Genesis 4

In life - it's possible to drift from the presence of God.  His blessing can be within eyesight, but you're just east of where you want to be.  Don't forget the fundamentals - they will keep you in the presence of God!