The Kingdom Land by Bart Tuma Read Free Book Online Page A

before with my
aunt and uncle, but I never realized what it was to have God answer
me like He did last night. When my aunt and uncle talked about
Christ they were talking about someone who lived a long time ago in
a place half way across the world. He didn’t affect my life. He was
for others. But not for me.”
    â€œ Now that I know that He is near, I
don’t know where to go from here. It was so simple to just talk to
God last night, but now I don’t know how to act. I’ve always
thought being Christian just meant rules of things to do and things
not to do. It seems like the Christians I’ve known are caught in a
maze trying to find God. They follow all these rules trying to come
to the end of the maze and find God, but I never heard one say God
was simply there with them. I felt like they knew God was at the
end, but they would always have to do more and try harder because
they weren’t good enough. If they couldn’t do it, why should I even
try? It was just too hard to work my way through that maze. Now I
want to be a Christian and follow God. I feel like I’ve found God,
but there’s still that maze. How do I make sure I don’t come to a
dead end? Do I go back to the entrance of the maze and all the
rules or what? Where do I start?”
    The waitress laid the two plates before each of them.
“I hate to interrupt, but is there anything else you need? Do you
want any hot sauce or catsup?” she asked Erik.
    â€œ No, that’s fine.”
    With the waitress’ interruption, Erik became
conscious again that they weren’t alone but in a full restaurant
and he was saying too much in front of too many. He looked around.
No one was listening. It seemed as though the groups were more
concerned with their breakfast than listening to what Erik had to
say.
    John picked up the pepper and put a heavy dose on
every item on his plate, including the catsup.
    â€œ Erik, as simple as it was last
night, it needs to be that simple for the rest of your life. Never
forget that He came to you, and all you had to do is ask. There
were no magic words or a secret handshake. There was His love for
you. The simple fact is He had been waiting for you to ask for
help. When you asked for help and recognized Him, He reached out
and held you. You didn’t need to search for Christ and Christ
didn’t have to search for you in a maze. He had never been far
away. He is the one who was calling out to you and you finally
answered His call. He’s not hiding for only a few to find. He is
going after you. Your fight last night didn’t shock God. Do you
think I’m sitting next to you by accident? You need to know I’m
here because He cares about you, and is looking out after you,”
John explained.
    â€œ I can see that,” Erik interrupted
John in his eagerness to ask his next question. “But why are there
so many rules in the church. I know all about the Ten Commandments,
but it seems like there’s ten thousand other things Christian can
and can’t do. Don’t smoke. Give you money to the church. Don’t look
at a girl in the wrong way. You name it, there seems to be a rule
about it.”
    â€œ It’s not as complex as it seems.
Jesus said in the book of Mark, ‘To love him with all your heart,
and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to
love one’s neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt
offerings and sacrifices.’ That’s not complex. That’s just living
with God and the people around you and putting them first rather
than yourself. If you make it too complex, you’re right, you’re
caught in a maze and you’ll never be able to find your way out
amidst all your questions. Don’t put your focus on the maze. Put
you focus on Him. See how He came to you and simply remember how He
embraced you when you called.”
    â€œ But I still don’t know. How can it
be that