Over the next several weeks, many of us will be spending much more time at church, as we get ready to celebrate Christmas Day. And whether you are a long time parishioner or a first time church attendee, all of us will all be looking to one place for inspiration. That place is the Holy Bible.
Written over the span of many years by at least 40 authors, the Bible is the world’s best selling and most widely distributed book. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, 2.5 billion copies of the Bible have been printed since 1815.
Currently sales of the Bible top 20 million annually with another 45 million being distributed by Gideon’s International.
92% of Americans own a bible and every household has at least three of them. However as George W. Gallup, the nation's foremost religion pollster, has put it, “We revere the Bible but we simply don’t read it”.
Many reasons are cited for the apparent crisis in biblical illiteracy. 64% of Americans don't read the Bible because they're too busy, and a large majority, 80%, say the Bible is confusing and way too cumbersome to read, finding the “Shakespearean-era” language difficult to get through.
What is troubling is that the Bible is frequently referred to as the keystone of American values, however a Gallup survey shows that 6 of out 10 Americans can't name half of the Ten Commandments, fewer than half of Americans can name the first book of the Bible (Genesis), and only one-third know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount (many named Billy Graham, not Jesus).
Douglas Connelly, author of Bible for Blockheads gives us a quick overview of the Bible. He writes, “The word Bible means ‘the book’. The Bible is one book, but it is also a collection of books. The Old Testament (39 books) focuses on God’s creation and his interaction with the people of Israel. The New Testament (27 books), written later, focuses on Jesus and his early followers, called Christians. You will find every kind of writing in the Bible – love letters, songs, historical records, diaries, visions, genealogies and stories”.
Some people view the Bible as a collection of ancient religious writings. Christians look at the Bible as God’s Word, God’s solemn truth, just as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.
Only about one-third of Americans today believe the Bible is absolutely accurate and that it should be taken literally word for word. The rest feel that the Bible is the inspired word of God. And most of us agree that the Bible "answers all or most of the basic questions of life”.
Here are some thoughts if you are interested in learning more about the Bible. Although the King James Version is preferred because of it’s beautiful language, it can be daunting to read. Many people like to start with Life Application Study Bible. The language is contemporary and easy to understand and it has footnotes on almost every single verse for easy deciphering of history and context. There is also the audio version of the Bible. You can listen to a dramatized version of the Bible while you are driving or jogging. Another option is to join a bible study. Most churches offer weekly studies and you can join even if you are not a member of that particular denomination.
So why is the reading the Bible important?
John Bowker answers that question in his extensively researched book, The Complete Bible Handbook. “The Bible is important because three quarter’s of the world’s population believe the Bible is the Word of God, or if not that exactly, then they accept that it is a word from God. That seems obvious in the case of Christians and Jews but many others including Muslims and Hindus have no doubt the Bible came from God.”
The Bible itself claims to originate with God, not those who wrote it. Over 4,000 times in various ways the Bible claims to be a record of what God said.
I believe the Bible has stood the test of time because it is the greatest book ever written. It is a book you can go back to again and again and it always presents a new and fresh perspective. The Bible offers encouragement and hope in times of uncertainty and consolation in times of sorrow. It gives you strength when you are weak and workable answers when you have reached a dead end.
The Bible can provide peace, comfort, wisdom, purpose, and revelation. It will explain who you are, where you came from and most importantly, where you are headed. The Bible is enriching, uplifting, and always inspirational. It is life changing because it connects you to the most powerful resource in the universe…God.
But don’t judge a book by its cover. If you have never read the Bible….open it up, read it, and decide for yourself!
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