Hidden in Plain Sight

By Kevin Overbeck

What is it that holds you back from reading the Bible? While there may be many obstacles in the way for you currently, Kevin Overbeck’s mission is to give you the tools to push past your obstacles and see the Bible differently. Imagine yourself, sitting on the edge of your seat as you open up the front cover, preparing for the words and stories to come to life, helping you through life’s trials.

Hidden in Plain Sight allows you to flip a switch in your life, taking the Bible from just reading as a good thing to do, to becoming an eye opening, all-inclusive pass into the greatness of God, His character, His heart, and His plans for your life. The world we live in has the ability to wear us down and deplete our faith. It is now more than ever that we need the powerful Word of God.

The Bible is still active and alive. The purpose of this book is to give you the eyes you need to see the whole picture of what God is trying to show you. Open up your heart and mind to see the Bible in 3D, HD, full color, and surround sound, more intense and incredible than any movie at the theater. There are messages God has “hidden in plain sight” between the covers of the Bible just for you. Do not miss out on what He has to say.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385012046

Kevin Overbeck

Kevin Overbeck grew up in Missoula, Montana, and came to know Jesus at the age of twelve. He and his wife Valerie have spent the majority of their married life dedicated to serving God and helping others grow in Him. Kevin has led classes for new believers to leadership and pastored his own church. He and his wife now live in Conroe, Texas, actively serving and teaching with their two children and grandchildren living close by.

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Copyright © 2024 Kevin Overbeck.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Cover Design By Graphixology.com

Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1202-2 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1204-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023921566

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/04/2024

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1     Why Are You Here?

Chapter 2     Frantically Searching

Chapter 3     Get Up, You Bum

Chapter 4     Let’s Get This Party Started

Chapter 5     You’ve Got Mail

Chapter 6     Facing Your Giants

Chapter 7     Identity Crisis

Chapter 8     Character Makes All the Difference

Chapter 9     Jesus Prayer Manual

Chapter 10   Time to Rattle Some Bones

Chapter 11   Revive the Dream

Chapter 12   It’s About the Whoever

Chapter 13   Behind the Hedge

Chapter 14   Just Believe

Chapter 15   Wanna Get Away

Chapter 16   What Is Clinging to You?

Chapter 17   Simon Says

Chapter 18   Another Night with the Frogs

Chapter 19   Don’t Slam the Door

Chapter 20   Stuck in Quicksand

Chapter 21   There Is a Sound

Chapter 22   Dig Some Ditches

Chapter 23   Be Careful What You Ask For

Chapter 24   What Are You Running From?

INTRODUCTION

H ide-and-seek is a fun childhood game that has been played throughout the course of time. Have you ever played it with a toddler? I love hiding from my grandkids that are toddler age. I have them begin with the counting. They can count only a few numbers, but hearing them say the words is just so adorable. While they are counting, I go to hide and partially put a blanket over me but never leave the place I was at when they started counting. The kids come running with the little pitter patter of their footsteps and yell with excitement, Pappa, we found you! I ask in an astonished tone however in the world they were able to find me. They will say something like We saw your feet, Pappa. My every intention in playing the game is that I want them to fin d me.

I believe this is how some of the greatest treasures in the Bible are. They are hidden in the middle of a story covered by a blanket of details that might cause you to miss them if you are not looking for them. However, if you slow down just a little bit, you will see what is right between the front and back covers of the greatest book ever written, God’s Word, hidden in plain sight. God intended you find it.

How do you read it? I always wonder how people read the Bible, if and when they read it. Maybe if you read it differently, things would completely change for you. Throughout my years of reading the Bible and talking to people about the Bible, I have realized that most people, when reading the Bible, do so as if it is simply a book rather than as if it is alive. While there are those that can gather a wealth of spiritual information when reading, most people struggle through, having difficulty picking it up to read even a couple of verses, if any, because they do not glean much from it.

My life was filled with growing up in church. This looked very different in my day, as this not only meant attending the Sunday-morning service but also included Sunday evening, Tuesday-night Bible School, Wednesday-night service, Thursday-night Bible study, and sometimes Friday-night revival service that might carry over into Saturday. In addition to all the services, my parents, wanting to raise their kids in a godly way, enrolled me in Christian school, where we had Bible class; and just in case we did not get enough church, we had chapel during school once a week. My life was so filled with church services that I grew weary of church. Personal devotions were a mandatory requirement that had to be put in written form and were graded to ensure we were doing them correctly. So I became a strong writer of book reports on the Bible, but the practice did nothing to draw me into a deeper relationship with God. I was reading the Bible all wrong. Even though my motives for the reading were all wrong, I still reaped a reward. I believe that God’s Word will not return void. It has power in our lives. We just need to fully open our hearts and minds to unleash the full power of God to work in our lives.

I wish I would have known then what I know now. If so, my habits would have changed a long time ago. Reading the Bible has been a part of my life from a young age, sometimes because it was required, and other times because I chose to do it. I fell into the same process of many: I would get through the scheduled list for reading simply to mark it off the list and move on for my day. During this time, I did not fully realize how God could and would speak to me through the Bible. There were times it felt like a bunch of stories. Fortunately, God’s grace and mercy were available. God’s Word became implanted into my heart, and for that I am grateful.

Reading the Bible is parallel to a monetary investment. You could have invested money years ago, completely forgetting the investment made. Whether you remember it or not, it is still earning interest behind the scenes. After spending time reading the Bible, you may not feel as though you have gained anything good out of time spent; then, in a moment, right when you need it, the scripture comes back into your memory. In the middle of a conversation with a friend going through the struggle of a lifetime, suddenly, from out of nowhere, scripture you read years ago will be pulled up out of memory, ready and waiting to speak life to someone in need right at the moment God intended for you to use it. Even in those times when you feel you are wasting your time because you do not see any benefits at the moment, remember that you are making an investment of time in something that is guaranteed to bring a harvest.

The life-changing moment in my life that pivoted how I read the Bible occurred when I started seeking a relationship with God rather than the approval of people. I could then start envisioning how the amazing stories that filled the Bible could be applied to my life, and how I could learn from and implement the examples of life situations and principles. The scriptures I found came to life as my creative spiritual mind and heart opened up almost like a child’s when I would read. The Bible now has transformed into a three-dimensional, high-definition, full-color, and surround-sound Word of God, alive and fully applicable for today. I realize that this is a gift that was given by God, and my responsibility, which I take seriously, is to invest my time and energy developing it. For the last forty years, I have studied the Bible regularly, working on developing the gift God gave me, but it is God that has brought the increase in this area of my life.

God has shown me the Bible, opening it up to me in so many ways. My heart is to help invest in others as well to provide them with the tools to start reading differently. I do not believe there is a specific formula, but I can give you tools to help you. Once you start opening up and reading the Bible this way, the love of diving into His Word will grow supernaturally.

The very first thing you need to do is START.

Pick a reading plan that works for you. Technology has allowed the development of various applications that offer reading plans. Your church might have one as well. No matter the plan, pick one that works for you and commit to it. Before you open up the cover or the app, whichever method you choose for reading, take a moment to pray first. Ask God, whose desire is to be close to you, to reveal something to you in your reading. He is a key factor in this process; otherwise, the reading is a task that you check off your to do list for the day, getting very little from it. This would be similar to scheduling a conversation with your spouse every day just because it is expected, but lacking intentionality. Wouldn’t you rather strive for a stronger, deeper relationship in which you are best friends and go through life together? Your relationship with God can become that deep—that intimately close as well. Start with the mindset that God is going to give you something that you need in His Word for the day. Think about it; the God that created the entire universe has something special to speak into your life today that is just for you, and it could be hidden in plain sight as you read the Bible.

The Bible is not just simply a book of some remarkable stories about people and their interactions with God. It is deeper than that. You get a view into the heart of God as it relates to you and to people, His miraculous power, and the ways He can work in and through your life if you apply His principles to it. You will find resources through Him in His Word that, when you apply them to your life, will be game changers. In order for your story to become remarkable, you need God, and one of the best ways to involve Him in your story is by allowing His Word to help change you.

The next step to help you in your reading is to put on some worship music. You do not have to go to church to feel God’s presence. Take a moment to come before Him, praising and worshipping Him, and inviting Him into your room, your headspace, and your heart so you can be open to receive what His Word will show you. During my whole time of writing this book, worship music was part of the process. I wanted God to be using me to write to you, and the best way for me to do that is by being in His presence in the midst of worship.

The third step while diving into your Bible reading is asking questions along the way. This may sound a little simplistic but think through the scripture you are reading and ask questions. Stop and ask God, Why is that piece of information in the story? What does this portion really mean? Who are these characters, and what purpose do they have? What was the history and significance of this in the culture of the time? What is God trying to teach them that I, too, should be learning? Remember: if God asks a question to one of the characters, it is not because He is confused or does not know the answer; it is because He is trying to impart something.

The fourth step in the process, when you are done with your reading or studying, is to pray again. Pray that God will continue to give you revelation on what you just read. Throughout the day or into the next, depending on when you set your devotional time, pray that He continues to speak into your heart as you meditate on His Word. Give Him the opportunity to continue to speak to you even after you close the cover. Pray that you will have the ability to apply His principles to your life and have a greater impact. Pray not only that, as a result of His revelation in your life, your life changes but also that more people far from God come into a relationship with Him. This is not an exhaustive list of what to pray for, but rather examples for you to start with, and to encourage you to pick it up and ask, allowing God to do amazing things in and through your life as you draw close to Him.

Commit yourself to your growth and the process, and allow God to expand your relationship with Him. Take the concerted, focused time, as it is well worth the investment. This reminds me of one of my favorite vacations, visiting Yellowstone National Park. The majestic scenery coupled with finding all the various animals of God’s creation hidden in nature is breathtaking. On my last trip at the park, I was reminded about the importance of slowing down and focusing on using my time and energy to find the beauty. After saving up and planning that year for the trip to Yellowstone, utilizing my limited and very valuable days off from work, I arrive and drive through the miles and miles of the park. Keep in mind, I am not the speed racer in the family in the first place (I will leave that role to my wife), but the speed limit is forty-five miles per hour. Now, to those who are accustomed to high rates of speed, that may seem slow. Knowing what all is available to be seen in the park, this is a ridiculous rate of speed. If the posted speed limit is driven, it will hinder all those in the park from being able to see all that the park entails. Other drivers are nonstop on the tail of my vehicle, frustrated because I choose to take too long in enjoying my vacation by reducing my speed. After allowing them to race by, I am able to fully see all the things they allowed to fly by them, not realizing what was passing them by. They did not slow down enough to focus on what was right there in front of them and missed out on what they had spent their money to see. In reading the Bible, do not rush through, spending a few minutes each day enjoying what is right there in front of you.

Remain consistent in reading and being committed to your growth. The impact will be legendary and will touch more than just your life. My father was one of the most well-versed Bible readers I knew. I do not know of a day he missed; he was always studying the Bible in the early-morning hours. God had given him a gift of not only studying but also breaking down the scripture. How he read it was different from the way I read it. His way was in depth. We would read and challenge each other, which deepened my respect for him and our relationship. We strengthened and encouraged each other daily. I thoroughly loved our time together, but unfortunately he came down with pancreatic cancer and was able to graduate to heaven earlier than we wanted. The last day of his life changed my life in more ways than one. The following story in the Bible of Elijah’s departure from the earth as Elisha, whom Elijah speaks to, is present, was held in my heart that day.

Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you? Elisha said, Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. So, he said, You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so. (2 Kings 2:8–10 NKJV).

My experience with my father at his bedside gave this story a new meaning and level in my life as I had my Elisha moment. As my father was breathing his last few breaths, I prayed over him for the last time. I then turned my plea to God, asking that if He was going to take my father to Him, that He give me a double portion of my father’s anointing for studying and understanding the Bible. If I had chosen for my will to be done, it would have been to keep my father with me. It was God’s will to take him, and I surrendered to that, but I did not want the impact of his life, his anointing, and all he had dedicated his life to ending that day. I cannot explain it any other way than to state that when my father’s spirit departed, I felt as though my anointing to study and understand the Bible increased. I now study it more in depth, but I still have the revelation in three-dimensional, high-definition full color that I had before. I truly believe that God honored my prayer and blessed me with greater revelation from His Word.

I hope this story challenges you to look deeper and find a mentor to follow that will strengthen and encourage you in your journey. Look for those that you would love to have a double portion of the anointing God has placed on their lives, and follow. Pursue things that bring true value. The world will entice you to pursue selfish things and forget about following after God’s plan for your life. When my father died, I did not receive anything of this world from him that held value: no money, assets, or items. What I did receive from my father was far higher in worth than anything a worldly possession could have given to me. You can receive from God something of far higher value than anything this world will offer you. It starts with seeking God and delving into what His Word has to say. I truly believe that you can also have the ability with Him to read His Word in three-dimensional, high-definition full color and surround sound