The Bible is the best-selling book of all time. Around 5 billion copies have been purchased, five times more than the next best-seller. It is also the most translated book in human history. The whole Bible has been translated into more than 700 languages, the New Testament has been translated into more than 1500 languages and portions of the Bible have been translated into 3400 languages.
The Bible is a big book and often lies on a shelf unread. The best places to start reading the Bible are the New Testament, which tells us about the life and teaching of Jesus, or the book of Psalms, which is in the middle of the Bible and tells us about people’s experiences of God. When we read the Bible God speaks to us so that we may know him and find strength to face the challenges of life. I know people who started reading the Bible during the pandemic and have come to know Jesus as their Saviour.
Before we read the Bible, we can ask God to speak to us. One psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.” You don’t have to read large sections of the Bible to find help and strength. Many people have found help in single verses to which they often turn in times of stress and trouble. The night before my father had major surgery for cancer, he read the Gideons’ New Testament by his bedside and found comfort in these words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
In the Bible God makes wonderful promises which we can fully trust. He spoke to his people through the prophet Isaiah, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’” In Psalm 23 David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
God’s promises
bedside, best-selling book, Bible, Bible translations, cancer, challenges of life, come to me, comfort, David, days of my life, do not fear, dwelling in the house of the Lord, Father, Fear, fear no evil, finding strength, Gideons' New Testament, God speaks through the Bible, God’s promises, God's instructions, goodness, hearts, help, hold your right hand, I will help you, Jesus, Jesus the saviour, knowing God, lack nothing, languages, life and teaching of Jesus, Lord your God, Love, major sygery, my shepherd, New Testament, pandemic, peace, people's experiences of God, power, prophet Isaiah, Psalm 23, psalmist open my eyes, Psalms, rest, strength, The Lord, the valley of the shadow of death, times of stress and trouble, Trouble, trusting God, weakness, weary and burdened, wonderful truths, you are with me