I Won't Settle

  
 **** Librarian Warning!!! This one is somewhat long, so if you get tired of reading go get a snack and come back. ****

       I just wanted to write this post to show that I am by no means perfect. I do admit that some of this is hard for me to admit. For so many years of my life, I was content to just exist. I would spend whole days watching T.V. and movies. I don't think that these things are bad, but I used to do them in excess. So many years of my life, I believed in what David Platt calls in his book, Radical, something known as "the Super-Christians".  Those were the people who memorized and studied scripture. These were the people who shared the Gospel, read their Bibles everyday, and prayed without ceasing. I just thought that there were the supers and the average performing. I really thought and believed that. I remember all throughout high school, I would just leave my Bible in the car on Sunday. I wouldn't touch it again until the next Sunday. That was just how I lived.For so many years, I did not truly acknowledge everything that Christ did for me. I did not understand the gravity of it. For so many years, I shortchanged God.
     By the grace of God, I got into a really good college ministry at The University of Alabama.  The college minister at First Baptist, Tim Simpson, was very serious about truly knowing your Bible. He constantly promoted Bible studies where you could be encouraged by fellow believers. I remember Tim always claimed that Bible studies are where you truly learned about God. I remember Tim always telling us to take time out of the day to study the Bible. I can even remember him saying,"Oh, you think your too busy to read the Bible. Give me your planner, I bet can find time for you."
      My lack of knowledge in the Bible always enforced my belief in the "Super-Christians." But of course I didn't know my Bible, because I never read it. When I first started at Alabama, I always had to flip to the table of contents to find a book of the Bible. I simply did not know where they all were. Nor could I tell you the names of all of them.
     Over time, as I entered a Bible study and made an effort to have a quiet time, I was able to learn more about the Bible. I do thank my Bible study leader at First Baptist, Andrew Seay, for investing into my life. Even though, I learned more about the Lord, I still always felt like I was lacking. Through reading the Bible every day, I was able to get through the whole Bible. I still had trouble memorizing scripture and making the most out of my Bible readings.  At this point, I could tell you all the books in the Bible, but I still could not tell you the order to save my life.
     Within the past year, I have gotten stronger in my walk with Christ. I am being constantly encouraged by friend, Daniel Fuller. He continues to teach me and increase my understanding of the Bible. My Sunday School teacher and friend, Chris Bloom, has helped connect some gaps I had about the Bible in my mind. He has also let me borrow books that have helped me understand the Bible a little better.Teaching the youth at Bluff Park Baptist Church has made me study the word more diligently and carefully than ever before.
      In March, I decided that my time with the Lord needed to be better. The way that I have usually study the Word is that I read from both the Old and New Testaments. It works out pretty well. However, I needed to change how I was reading the Bible. I would usually just read the Bible on my bed. Most of the times I could not tell you what I read after I would get through. Sometimes I  would even fall asleep. In March, I decided to change that. I decided I would get a journal to write down verses that I found interesting, questions I had, write my own little commentary, and keep up with prayers. I also go to a desk or table to study the Bible. Doing these have really changed how I study the Bible. It has made my time learning about the Lord and praying to Him more intimate. Since, I am writing and stay more focused, my quiet times are longer.
      A few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to learn the order of the books of the Bible. I knew roughly where most of them were, but I was determined not to settle for "roughly". By the power of the Holy Spirit, I was able to do it. I felt the Lord working in me as I split the books of the Bible into sections. However, I still needed to get better at memorizing scripture.
    I e-mailed Daniel to ask him if he knew of a tool or something that could help me. He sent me this plan that helps me people memorize a whole book of the Bible. So far I have I John 1 memorized. I am working on I John 2. It has been amazing to see the Holy Spirit work.
    I still don't know as much about the Bible as I would like to. Right now I feel like I am catching up on all the time I wasted pursuing other things in life. But I absolutely refuse to settle for "a rough knowledge" or "occasionally reads the Bible". No, that attitude is gone. There is no such thing as a "Super Christian" or an "Average Christian". You are either pursuing God or you're not.