I love to read; I’ve read many excellent books, documents, articles and the like, but I’ve never read anything like the Bible.

If you don’t care for it that much then stop reading now because this whole post is about just that: reading the Bible. For those of you who choose to continue reading on, see if you agree.

When I read scripture, I don’t read it like I would any ordinary book. It’s more like watching a movie; an epic of such fantastical proportions that readers are forced to make a spiritual decision. Deciding whether or not this is true. As far as I’m concerned it is. I haven’t always thought that way nor have I been as diligent in seeking his ways but now is the time and so I choose to do my best, to do as Christ. I’m not going to get into a long, protracted discussion on Biblical “errors” nor will I discuss the doctrine of Pre-destination as that is insignificant to my overall point. Rather, I simply wish to convey to you the reader, how I see the Bible.

That doesn’t mean that I am crazy. Sure, I have bipolar and I don’t always make the smartest decisions (especially when I’m off my meds) but I am cognoscente of what is going on around me. All of that taken into account, I must say that there isn’t anything that I’ve read that I can say that I believe more. When you say things like that, it at some point will come up amongst your piers and they aren’t always keen to responding well to such claims. A lot of that comes from not understanding Christianity; something that I can’t blame them for. The only thing I can do is point them to the words and actions of Christ and let them decide. It isn’t my job (nor do I want the position) of converting everyone I meet. I believe that living your faith is a far better prospect then simply proclaiming what you believe. If you believe it, you’ll live it. Therefore, the need for words is curtailed or destroyed all together.

Furthermore, that doesn’t mean that I hate science, technology and modern understanding of the natural world. No (for those of you going “he was cool until he said that,”) I don’t pick and choose what I believe nor do I submit to science in light of understanding the universe I’m in. I just don’t see them, faith and science being at odds. In my opinion, science is real, it’s factual but it doesn’t have all the answers nor does any real scientist claim that they do. Remember that God has blessed these people with mental faculties that the rest of us; the majority actually, would love to have. In many ways the very methods they use to understand our world are the same ones knowingly or not, that help to provide evidence of the God of the Bible.

That being said, I had someone ask me once: “You don’t seriously believe this true do you?” continuing to speak with a controlled smirk on their face “You’re pretty cool so I don’t see how you could believe such crap.”

I had three immediate reactions, two of which were not Godly and one that was.

My first response was Kenpo Larry. When this was said to me, it was accompanied by a grasp to my shoulder. I took offense not only at the point that he was making, but at also being touched.  Before I consciously thought about it, I realized that I had pinned his hand to my shoulder and I was poised to gouge his eyes and ridge hand him in the trachea. Obviously that wouldn’t go over very well. I’m not saying that it was right I’m just telling you what happened.

Obviously I didn’t do that because had I done so this blog would’ve been posted from my local jail/prison.

My immediate second reaction was to concoct a cornucopia of swears that would rival that of any man, living or dead. I’m an infantry vet with bipolar; I know how to cuss. Yet, it would only cause more drama and provide a horrible witness for Christ.

In light of all the above, I went to option three.

Listen.

He continued to talk to me and what I found out was that he was actually genuinely interested in what I had to say about the matter. He wasn’t being mean or a smart arse, he really wanted to know. He respected me because in his opinion, I’m smart and “cool.”

Talk about being humbled.

In my response, I explained that at least for me and my walk, I find it hard to say that you believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, that he paid for your sins with his blood but then say that you don’t believe in the immaculate conception, the resurrection or the Holy Spirit. If I can go to the movies and see trolls, elves and aliens look as real as I do stomping around the screen, then I have to believe that a sovereign God of everything known and unknown can’t (in the words of Dr. Tony Evans) make Star Wars look like a cartoon.

I know much of this will be lost in translation, I never claimed to be a good writer, I just like to write. And to me, this is important. Having firm established beliefs.

However, don’t get it twisted; I don’t blindly believe the Bible just for the heck of it. I have spent hours, days, weeks and months reading and listening to various scholarly works in this issue and I know that I can defend my faith and my positions. Not necessarily because of what I know–the world is full of educated fools–rather, it is because the Holy Spirit is an awesome witness to the Truth. If you really want to know, the answers are there. God isn’t hiding things from you to make it difficult. You accepting said answers is a different story. You may not like what God has to say but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an answer, nor does it mean that he owes you an explanation.

Long story short, he still doesn’t believe but he respects my answers and frankly, that’s all I can really ask for or expect. My goal has never been to beat people over the head with what I proclaim. Instead, I have really tried hard to live my faith. That doesn’t mean that you don’t witness or talk about Christ it just means that you do it in the right spirit. Trying to garner favor with God by being blunt and offensive almost always turns more people away then towards. I know it did for me. I didn’t grow up in church or believing in God. I didn’t even go to church growing up. For me the Lord calling me was a very real, very exact experience. I don’t accurately know how to explain it really. All I can say is that when he spoke to me, I heard his voice and I answered.

Some of us drop the seeds on the ground. Some till the soil, while others water. You don’t know what roll you play but you have one. Therefore, keep it in mind when dealing with such matters that what you say and what you do count. I can’t change the things I’ve done in my past. I’ve spent many a night worried about that actually but at the end of the day, if I wasn’t afraid to sin in open then I shouldn’t be afraid when convicted, to change course and do the right thing. Do the Godly thing.

And all of God’s people say Amen.