Words of Life
Be honest: sometimes reading the Bible is tough. Yet when we come to it with the right perspective, we will find words of life there.The Beginning of the Story
The Bible is made up of 66 distinct books, written in three languages over a 1,500 year period…but it tells one story. From the very first page, we learn what it is all about.The Story of the Old Testament
The Old Testament’s 39 books of Law, History, Wisdom, and Prophecy can be kind of intimidating…until you know where it’s all going. Turns out, it is all about Jesus.The Story of the New Testament
While the 27 books of the New Testament are markedly different than the Old Testament, they complete the story of the Bible through how they reveal Jesus to us.Trusting the Bible
"The Bible was written by men" is often given as a reason not to trust it. Yet, God desires to work with us so much that His Spirit makes Scripture completely trustworthy and unlike anything else you will ever read.The Bible & History
The Bible is historically sound, containing prophecies that describe events in stunning detail centuries before they happened.The Bible & Science
The Bible is scientifically sound, demonstrating knowledge millennia ahead of its writers’ times and inspiring incredible discoveries by pioneering minds seeking to understand how God made the world.The Bible & Accuracy
Despite so many efforts to disprove it, the Bible holds up under the most rigorous scrutiny. Its timeless accuracy demonstrates God’s involvement where other religious texts fall short.The Bible & Truth
The Bible is true, fully withstanding accusations of alleged contradictions. As we accept the truth of God’s word, our lives change into what He always meant for them to be.The Word of God
Whenever God speaks...things happen!Accomplishing God's Purpose
The most important question for us to ask when reading the Bible is not, "What does this mean to me?" It is, "What did God mean when He said this?"Authority of Scripture
The Bible was written such a long time ago in such a different situation: why does what it says matter today?The Bible Says
For believers, knowing what "the Bible says" about something can be incredibly compelling. Yet, what about those who don't believe?Inspired
The Bible is truly inspired: it originates from God Himself and has incredible value for our lives.The Canon of Scripture
Why did some ancient writings get left out of the Bible? They just didn’t measure up.The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms
By the time of Jesus, the Hebrew Scriptures (what we today call the “Old Testament”) were fully formed, and Jesus not only referenced them: He fulfilled them.The Apocrypha
Why do some versions of the Bible include a bunch of extra books?The New Testament Letters
Most of our New Testament books are letters, and even though the apostles did not write them to us, they are very much for us. Yet, what about the letters the apostles wrote that we don’t have?Test the Spirits
Even while the apostles were still living, false teachers led people astray. Then and now, it is critical that we keep a close watch so that we are only taught the healthy teaching of Jesus.How We Got the New Testament
The Bible didn’t originally come to us in one volume, leather-bound, with the words of Christ in red. Yet at just the right time, God clearly led all of it: we can fully rely on our Bibles.The Telephone Game
You can rely on the New Testament, with thousands of ancient Greek copies available to confirm that we are reading what the inspired writers actually wrote. That is important, too: God warns against adding to or subtracting from His word.In Our Own Tongues
From the first time the apostles preached the good news about Jesus, God showed how important it is to Him that we all be able to hear His word in a way we can understand.Translations
Why are there so many different translations of the Bible? While we might wish there was a single perfect "word-for-word" translation, it's more complicated than that. Yet when we approach God's word the right way, we will be blessed no matter what.Choosing a Translation
The answer to the question, ”Which translation should I use?” is more complex than we might like. Yet, Jesus personally shows how God gives us some grace in the translation of His word.Rightly Handling the Word of Truth
Simply reading God’s Word is a good goal. To fully experience how life-giving it really is, though, we must learn how to rightly handle it.The Problem with Proof Texts
The Bible wasn’t originally written in chapters and verses, and we can mistake a passage’s entire meaning when we just look for a verse to prove our own points. If instead we will just listen, God will answer questions we don’t even know to ask.Let Me Finish!
No one likes to be interrupted, but we often do that to the Biblical authors by using verses out of context. Let God finish His thought by reading larger chunks of Scripture, and you will see how that changes things.The Big Picture
Sometimes even if we reach the right conclusions, we mishandle Scripture to get there. Rightly handling the word of truth requires allowing God to reveal the meaning of a passage within the big picture.Read This Letter
Reading most of the New Testament is like reading someone else’s mail, but God really does want us to read these letters!Return to Sender
What the Bible tells us about how the New Testament letters were written might be different than what you imagined. Better understanding how God sent us these messages will build our faith and help us experience more of their power.Mail Time
In many ways, the New Testament letters reflect how letters were written back then. When we understand how they are structured, we will get more out of them from beginning to end.What’s the Occasion?
Understanding the original occasion for a New Testament letter is critical to applying it the right way. The inspired writers give us a lot of help to this end within the letters themselves, as 1 Corinthians illustrates.How to Read a New Testament Letter
The best way to read a New Testament letter is just to get started. With some simple tips, you can get more out of your Bible study than ever, as our reading together of Titus will show.Stories and Letters
Just reading the New Testament letters in the order they appear might not be the best way to learn them. Taking a chronological approach and incorporating the history book of Acts can help bring your Bible study to life!Tell Me the Story of Jesus
The first five books of the New Testament are stories, introducing Jesus and how the good news about Him first spread. As each book has its own unique perspective, together they help us know and follow Jesus for ourselves.Call It Like You See It: Matthew, Mark, Luke, & Acts
Matthew, Mark, and Luke tend to focus on similar stories about Jesus, yet each was inspired to fulfill a particular purpose. As we recognize their unique perspectives (including in Luke’s sequel, Acts), we will come to know Jesus better.Tell It Like It Is: John
John’s gospel account is very different from the others, and that’s deliberate. His gospel account is intended to help people like us - far removed from the time, place, and culture of Jesus - to believe and find life in His name, too.How to Read a Gospel Account
As foundational as the gospel accounts are to Christianity, our approach to studying them could be better. As we respect each writer’s unique perspective, ask what God is saying, and then do it, learning about Jesus’ life will change ours.Blessed is the One Who Reads
Revelation is different from the other New Testament books, but that shouldn't make it seem scary to us. Jesus means for it to be a blessing.Whose Revelation Is It Anyway?
While Revelation is prophecy, that doesn’t mean it is just about the future. It is a revelation of Jesus, originally given to a specific audience in a specific situation. When we read it that way, we will understand it better and see clearly how it still applies.Let Me Paint You a Picture
What makes Revelation different isn’t what it says but how it says it. With its amazing use of symbolism, Revelation is like a painting of what the rest of the New Testament has already told us about Jesus.Prophecy and Apocalypse
The book of Revelation is prophetic and apocalyptic…but that doesn’t mean what you might think. It blesses us with a different way of seeing the world that was true when it was first written, now, and into the future.How to Read Revelation
Revelation is by no means an easy book to read. Yet, when we learn how to read it - especially receiving the help John himself supplied when he wrote it down - we will be blessed.The Law of Moses
While the first five books of the Bible are called "the Law of Moses", they aren't just a bunch of ancient rules. Within them, we are taught Who God is, who we are meant to be, and how far He will go to rescue us.Good Guys and Bad Guys
Because they are real people, sometimes the "good guys" in the Bible do bad things. Yet, their stories aren't in the Bible because they were perfect role models but because God worked through them to rescue us all from sin.Where “Reading-Through-the-Bible” Goes to Die
Our commitment to read through the Bible often dies in Leviticus. Yet, God has something to teach us through the complex commands and lengthy census records in this part of the Bible if we will hear it.The Great Commandment
In Deuteronomy, Moses taught a command that summed up the whole Law: love God with all your heart, soul, and might. When God’s word permeates our lives, love like that happens.How to Read the Law
The Law of Moses is foundational to the Bible…but many of us don’t know how to read it. Using one of its most difficult stories - the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 - we will learn how to read the Law and receive the blessing God provides.The Prophets
The Prophets encompass centuries of ancient Israel’s history and God’s messages to them. While those books can be challenging for us to read, there is life within their pages for us because of how Jesus has fulfilled them.Rest and Rebellion
The Prophets don’t just record a bunch of events from Israel’s ancient history. The stories told in those Old Testament books advance the story of the Bible by showing how our own tendency to rebel keeps us from enjoying God’s rest.The Word of the LORD Came
In the story of the Bible, the prophets were some wild characters. Yet, their messages were not their own: whether people liked it or not, they spoke the word of the LORD.Prophet, Priest, and King
The prophets, priests, and kings are major players in the Old Testament. Understanding what God meant for these roles to be helps us see how wonderful Jesus is.How to Read the Prophets
Reading Biblical prophecy can be challenging. With the right approach, we can study the Prophets and find life there, as we will find in Jeremiah 31.The Writings
Though often neglected in our studies, “the Writings” - the third and final section of the Hebrew Scriptures - is full of poetry, wisdom, prophecy, and stories that ultimately lead us to Jesus.Sing a Psalm
In the Psalms, God has given us a beautiful way to express and shape our emotions faithfully through all of life’s highs and lows.Wise Guys
Whether you are faced with terrible suffering, trying to make better decisions, searching for what gives life meaning, or even just enjoying the bliss of romantic love, the Bible’s wisdom literature has it all.Exile, Return, and Rebuilding
After their persistent unfaithfulness led to a devastating exile, a remnant of God's people were eventually allowed to return home. Yet even more important than the physical rebuilding was their spiritual restoration, fueled by the power of God's word.How to Read the Psalms
As we conclude our “Words of Life” series, there are specific skills for reading the poetry of the Psalms that help us experience the life God breathed into these beautiful words.
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