Refreshment in the summer heat

I tell you I have really been blessed by reading my Bible. I hope that you guy's are reading your Bibles daily. They are the very words of life, they are like a cold glass of sweet tea on a 100 degree South Carolina day. How do I do this may be buzzing around in your mind. I know some of the Challenges that pop up:
1. I just don't have the time
2. I can't understand all those names and places
3. When I read it I don't get much out of it
4. I don't know where to start

Well I just want to encourage that we all struggle with these questions and many more. But even though we struggle the Word must be a vital part of our lives if we are to walk in the Spirit of God.
So I want to give you a few tips to help you fall in love with your Bible.
1. Pray, Pray, Pray, before you ever open the Word pray that the Spirit of God will come and teach you His word.
2. Set a reading plan and stick to it.
3. get a hold of some helpful resources that will help you mine those difficult nuggets of truth. the Internet is full of helpful sites, I have a lot of stuff and most Christian bookstores can help.
4. Stick to it, stand firm, and don't let the world draw you away from the sweetness of the word.
It is my hope that there will come a day when we can echo the Psalmist words in Psalm 119:9-16
"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared all the judgements of your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in riches. I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget your word."

Have you met God the Spirit

I know this question sounds foolish, especially for a believer but the question still stands. In today's man centered world sometimes the Gospel is watered down so much that just a few words repeated is all it takes for someone to "receive Jesus". I want to make it clear that I fully understand that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not of ourselves. That God has to call a person to Himself or that person will never know Him. This being made clear, I'm afraid that to often the "conversion" spoken of above falls so very short of the truth. Where is repentance? where is a broken heart because of sin? where is a life regenerated by the Spirit of God? To often we reason the proof away by saying that only God can know a man's heart. I agree that only God can truly know a man's heart, but the Bible is also clear that by a man's fruits he will be known. You see, I believe with all my heart that when the God of this universe comes to indwell a person, THERE WILL BE A ETERNAL DIFFERENCE. I understand there will be times when we fall into sin, I understand times of difficulty and wandering from God. But in those times the conviction will be so great that we cannot remain there. I praise God for His grace, you and I could never walk in Him apart form His grace.