Can the Bible be trusted?
As far as the Bible goes, perhaps all you'd be willing to say is that you have a basic respect for it. You know it means a lot to some people, and you have no problem with that. You're happy for them. But for you-it just doesn't seem all that relevant to what you deal with on a daily basis. The times you've tried reading it, you can hardly understand what it says. Besides, who can claim with 100% confidence that the Bible says exactly what God said it was supposed to say?
Funny, people don't tend to feel that way about ancient writings like by Plato or Aristotle. Most anything that comes from ancient Greek and Roman literature is generally accepted at face value-required reading for school kids. The Bible, however, is sometimes treated as suspect.
And yet you operate around biblical principles all the time without even knowing it. You expect others to treat you the way they'd want to be treated themselves. You hear news accounts of people acting as Good Samaritans. You make your hard-working reputation by going the "second mile" for your company or customers-all biblical teachings, put to practical use.
That's because the Bible is a living book. More than just words on a page, it changes the way a person thinks and acts. The God who inspired men to write down what He was saying to them continues to inspire those who synch their lives to His Word. They grow deeper and stronger, more attuned to others' needs, better husbands and fathers, living out their true purpose in life rather than looking back on what they missed by doing things their own way.
The Bible is God's guide, his game plan, for your life. You can ignore it, but you cannot escape it. It stays true even when we do not. And when you finally submit to its authority, you begin experiencing what it is like to live with real perspective in a
If you are ready to
1. The Bible is so big. How do I get started reading it?
The best way to look at the Bible is not as a single book, but rather as a bookshelf of sixty-six volumes. Yes, some of the books pick up where the last one left off-sort of like a sequel-but many of them are their own contained unit. So if you try to go front-to-back, cover-to-cover like a grand epic, you are liable to get turned around. Try some of these approaches instead . . . on your way to more:
Read the Book of John. This is one of the four gospels (meaning, "good news")-a firsthand account of Jesus' life on earth. Of the four, many think it is the easiest to follow and understand. Plus it deals more extensively with the events surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection.
Read the Psalms or the Proverbs. The Psalms are filled with worship and prayer and every emotion known to man. The Proverbs contain a lot of biblical wisdom on everyday life. Much to learn.
Pick a short New Testament book. An example would be Ephesians or Philippians. Read it all at one time, if you can. Even though you may not know exactly what is going on, you will pick up some great teachings inside. Plus you will have a whole book of the Bible under your belt.