Bible Booklet

EVER READ THE BIBLE?

WANT TO?

                                                     JUST CONTINUE READING
                                                     FOR SOME HELPFUL NOTES

HOW TO START READING THE BIBLE?
The New Living Translation of the Bible with the Life Application version is a good first choice.
It’s an easy-to-read Bible with excellent helps at the bottom of each page.

THE BIBLE REVEALS GOD
     God is the Holy, Almighty Being who made Heaven and earth, and is in control of all things.
     Because He created us, He loves us unconditionally.
     God is mercy and goodness.
     God is always present, always knowing, and all-powerful.

The Bible reveals God as Three Persons in One Being:
God, the Father, the First Person of God who creates, provides and watches over us.

     God, the Son, Jesus Christ, the Second Person of God,
     who came into the world as both God and Man to tell
     the great news of God’s Kingdom. Jesus allowed Himself
     to suffer death on the cross so He could pay the price for
     our sin. It is by belief in Jesus and what He did for us that
     we have the promise of life forever in Heaven.

     God, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of God. It is
     through him that we can know Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
     He comforts and strengthens us, and gives us the
     wisdom and power to live our lives for Jesus Christ.
     The Holy Spirit is always present in our hearts.

God, as three-persons-in-one, works together to open our hearts to His gift of love and future life in Heaven. God helps us to live the life He wants for us, and has promised that He will never leave us.

WHAT’S IN THE BIBLE?

   The Bible tells us that it is the “inspired” Word of God.
   Inspired means that God Himself spoke His true Words
   into the minds and hearts of those men chosen to write.

THE BIBLE IS MADE UP OF TWO SECTIONS:

    THE OLD TESTAMENT, which tells us how God created
   the earth and all that’s in it. God also created the first humans,
   Adam and Eve. They were tempted by Satan who was a fallen
   angel. Satan became evil in the world and he talked Adam
   and Eve into disobeying God. Because they sinned, they could
   no longer stay in the home God made for them. But, God does
   have mercy, and through the rest of the Old Testament He tells
   of His love for us, and tells us of the Savior who would come.

   THE NEW TESTAMENT, begins with the wonderful news
   of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior God promised. It
   gives an historic account of Jesus’ life, His words and deeds.
   The Good News of Jesus is that He offers us the Gift of
   Salvation. He did this by allowing himself to suffer, die and
   come alive again so that He could pay the penalty for every
   sin of every person, past, present and future. Because of His
   sacrifice, all we need to do to receive that Gift is to believe in
   Him and believe that through Jesus our sins are forgiven.
   Then, when we believe, Jesus arranged it so that we will go to
   Heaven when we die.
                 This is truly the GREATEST news ever!

   After Jesus rose from the grave and spent time teaching his
   disciples, He went back to Heaven. But, He left the Holy Spirit
   to be His very presence in our hearts until He returns, as He
   promised to do. The Spirit spoke to the minds of other writers
   so they could tell the news of this Gift of Salvation to the world.

THE OLD TESTAMENT
(Genesis through Malachi)

GENESIS reveals how God created the earth and all things, including people (Adam and Eve). It tells how God chose Abraham and established his descendents to be special people belonging to Him. Genesis also tells us of all the ways God works to keep His promises.

The books of EXODUS through NEHEMIAH are books revealing the account of God’s people (Israel). Lives of people like King David, Samson and Moses are described. These are sometimes called the books of history or the early prophets.

The books of ESTHER and JOB are about those two individual Believers and how God took care of them in very
difficult situations.

PSALMS is a book of many beautiful prayers and songs, many written by King David.

PROVERBS is a book of advice on how to live the lives God wants for us. Much of it was written by Solomon, King David’s son (who was known as the wisest man ever). ECCLESIASTES is another book of wisdom and the SONG OF SOLOMON is a love poem, both were also written by Solomon.

The books of ISAIAH through the book of MALACHI were written by many prophets of God. God revealed messages to the minds and hearts of the prophets to give to the people. One of the main messages God gives throughout the Old Testament is the promise of a Messiah (or Savior) who was to come and who would offer salvation and Heaven to all people.

THE NEW TESTAMENT
(Matthew through Revelation)

MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN
These four books are called the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the very Son of God and Savior of the world, and tell of the words and deeds of Jesus while He was on earth. These men either knew Jesus or His family and they gave us a true account of how Jesus suffered on the Cross to pay the price for our sin. They tell of His death and how He rose from the dead and was alive again. These four Gospels told the same accounts of Jesus but each one was written from the writer’s own view as God directed.

The Book of ACTS follows the Gospels and gives us a factual history of how the Christian church was started and the history of its growth in the world.

An apostle of Jesus Christ named Paul wrote many of the New Testament books as God revealed His Words. Paul wrote the books of ROMANS, 1 & 2 CORINTHIANS, GALATIANS, EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, COLASSIANS, 1 & 2 THESSALONIANS, 1 & 2 TIMOTHY, TITUS AND PHILEMON. These books were written to people and churches of that time, but are also meant for us today. They were written to tell of the many things that God has done for us, and to let us know how He would have us live our lives today. God’s Words are as true today as they were when they were written.

HEBREWS follows Paul’s writings. The author is not known because he did not give his name. It is a book for people in every generation, but at the time was written primarily to the Hebrew people. In the Old Testament, God required them to make sacrifices to pay for their sins. Now Jesus, God’s Son, died for us and rose again from the grave. By this sacrifice Jesus paid the price of sin once and for all, so God no longer requires sacrifices.
The book of JAMES is next, written by James, who was jesus’ younger brother, and who became His dedicated follower. James encourages us to be humble in all things.

1 & 2 PETER are books written by Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter’s books were written to help us live the Christian life even though we may have to suffer at times. He cautions readers to be especially aware of Satan, the devil, who tries to get us to do evil.

1, 2, & 3 JOHN were written by John, another disciple of Jesus. (John also wrote the book of John, which is one of the Gospels of Jesus Christ, and is believed to have written the book of Revelation). John wrote of God’s great love for us. He also warns us of people who mix up the truths of the Bible.

JUDE is next to the last book in the New Testament and is written by Jude who, like James, was also thought to be a younger brother of Jesus. In this book we are urged to stay strong in our Christian faith.

The book of REVELATION is the last book of the Bible. Revelation gives us a look at Jesus Christ in His majesty in Heaven. It’s a book to encourage all people everywhere that God has the future of the world planned, and though many things will happen, we know as Believers in Jesus we have the Great Victory of Heaven!

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                              IT IS TRULY HOPED THAT THESE NOTES HELPED YOU.
                             MAY GOD BLESS YOUR READING OF HIS HOLY WORD
                                          AND BRING YOU CLOSER TO HIM