Surfers challenge
Surfers love a challenge. From the big wave tow-in pros, to the aging veteran surfer struggling to manage their priorities and growing injuries, to the grommet pushing their limits on their local beachbreak. The Surfers Bible contains the greatest news of all. As well as the New Testament section of the Bible (the worlds best seller of all time for all times) we have added stories of surfers lives who have been touched by God. We also wanted to give a clear, surfer friendly description of just what this good news is all about.
Go on, take off on the ride of your life and read on…
There are some basic principles we all need to come to terms with:
PRINCIPLE ONE.
God is good, he is generous and he loves you. He made the world good and made you for a special purpose. He is also a just God and a God who will judge us (otherwise his love would be weak).
PRINCIPLE TWO.
Mankind blew it big time a long time ago when we tried to play ‘God' and made our own choices of right and wrong. Bad move for us as we weren't designed to play God, and have been suffering ever since with wars, family hassles, additions, crime, and sickness. What's more, the environment suffers with us. God's justice says that mankind has to pay the penalty for turning against him – and that's a death sentence. There are no rebels in heaven. Death is being for ever away from God and everything good.
PRINCIPLE THREE.
Even though we gave up on God, God didn't give up on us. In fact God had a Rescue Mission planned to get us back on side with him. It started with the big advertising campaign of Creation (see Romans 1:18 -23 page ?). It touched us in our conscience (see Romans 2:12 -16). It was finally completed when he turned up personally in the person of Jesus. (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8)
Jesus' mission was to come and die for us! He was the only one who got it right, and he got what we deserved for getting it wrong. We didn't deserve it then or now, it is a totally free gift of God, that's how much Jesus loves us! Anyway, at Easter Jesus got killed on a cross, but three days later rose from the dead to prove his mission was a success. He made a bridge through his death back to God! (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-11)
PRINCIPLE FOUR.
It is not enough to know about these principles, you need to act on them. The bridge is there, it's free but it's not cheap. It's the only one, no making up your own way. (John 14:6). You have a choice of two ways, no in-betweens. Your choices are:-
Accept Jesus, allow him to pay your penalty, be forgiven, follow him as the leader of your life and he will stick with you forever. Jesus promises you will escape his judgement and make it to heaven.
Reject Jesus, pay your own penalty, remain unforgiven, follow your own way and the ways of the world. Jesus promises you will have to stand before God and will suffer his judgment and hell itself.
SO NOW WHAT?
If you are serious about turning to God and living his way you have to take some big steps.
1 Admit to God that you've blown it, regardless of how ‘good' you think you've been compared to others.
2 Trust. Jesus died so that you could live, believe him for that. He came back to life to prove it! Go all out and ask for his forgiveness.
3 Change. It is a big surrender to let God be GOD of your life. Stop doing things he doesn't want, and start doing things he does want. This is true repentance.
4 Follow Jesus. This involves all aspects of life and for the rest of your life. It is alifelong adventure with God shaping you his way.You can start by talking to God about all this. Maybe a prayer like this expresses the way you feel:
“... Jesus, I'm sorry for running my own life and rebelling against you. I'm sorry for the hurt I've brought to myself, others and you. I need the forgiveness that you paid for on the cross. Jesus save me. I give you my life, messed up as it is. I commit myself to follow you. But I can't go it alone. Come into my life and help me to become the person you want me to be. Thank you for your promise to hear all who call on you.”
WHAT NEXT?
OK then, if you're still with us and actually prayed this (from the heart not just as a ‘magic formula'), then you have just received God's forgiveness and been adopted into his family. How do you feel?
Maybe you don't feel stoked? That's OK, you don't have to rely on feelings. There may even be some pretty heavy things YOU have to put right! But you've made the right move and God was listening. (1 John 5:10-13)
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN IS JUST THE BIRTH NOW COMES A LIFETIME OF GROWTH!
Surfers all know that it takes daily disciplines and commitment to gain the full benefits of being a `waterman' or `waterwoman' for that fact. Here are some basic things to take on board if you want to grow into a genuine Christian.
READ YOUR BIBLE DAILY
As the ‘Manufacturers Handbook' God will give you understanding about this new life you've started. God's word was written to change you life not increase your knowledge so come reading to obey.
TALK TO GOD, or prayer.
It's about keeping in contact as God is with you everywhere. Sometimes you may need to confess some wrong you have done, other times there are needs you have, sometimes you are thankful, then there are the needs of others. God's got it all in hand and is online 24/7.
GO ALONG TO CHURCH.
The church is not a building, a ceremony or a fashion. It is God's family gathered together. Christianity is a team sport, in fact the church is your new extended family. We need each other to get encouraged, to learn, to receive advice. You need to join in with other Christians, even when they don't surf. Remember, they have to learn to put up with you just as much as you have to put up with them!
DO SOMETHING FOR GOD.
You have something to offer the ‘team' as well. It's good to tell others about Jesus and your experience of him. There's a whole world of needs that God wants to meet and he uses people who will let him reach out through them.
IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE?
This surfers bible was given to your by someone. You can talk to them or `Christian Surfers' via our CSI website and links. You never need to feel alone, God has a big family out there.