God has provided us with a “road map” to ensure that our journey with Him is a pleasant one and one with enough guidance to ensure that we don’t lose our way. This road map is called the Bible.

Here are some truths about the Bible and guidance in how to use it:

The Bible is the Word of God

• Christians believe that Bible is the Word of God and inspired by God. The key passage is 2 Timothy 3:14-17.
• Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and contains many references to God’s Word and how it guides us in our daily living. 
• God has always spoken to His people (Hebrews 1:1) and still speaks to us today using the written word, the Bible.
• The Bible is the only printed record of God’s revelation. 
• Christians always ask, “What does the Bible say?” The Bible is our guide book, map book and the basic text upon which we base our thoughts and beliefs

The Bible is inspired by God

• God inspired people to write the books of the Bible (2 Tim 3:16).
• The early Church was guided by the Holy Spirit to determine the nature and number of books that we have in our Bible today.

The Bible is like daily food 

• Read the Bible regularly – do it every day. Make it a habit without which you cannot live and exist.
• Start by reading slowly and meditatively through the First Epistle of John (1 John). Once you have finished 1 John, turn to the Gospel of John and read about the true nature and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Get some help in your own Bible reading, such as the Daily Bread or other courses to assist you in interpreting and applying the Word of God.
• When you don’t understand everything you read, relax about it. Most of us don’t understand it all! Ask other mature Christians to help you interpret certain passages. 
• Start with small portions, even one verse per day

The Bible points us to God’s Living Word, Jesus Christ

• Hebrews 1:2 tells us that “in these last days (God) has spoken to us by his Son…” This is a reference to Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.
• The Word of God, Jesus, is God Himself (John 1:1) who became a human being to reveal God to us (John 1:14).

The Bible should be used properly

• Read attentively and meditatively. 
• Listen for God’s “voice” as He speaks with you in and through the Bible.
• Read systematically, starting with a book of the Bible and reading the whole book, even if it takes you a long time to do so.
• Study it by using other guides and cross references.
• Meditate on what God is saying to you. Pray for God to guide you through His Word.
• Memorise verses to serve as assurance and guidance in times of need.

The Bible must be understood as a Book with many books

There are two major divisions in the Bible:

Old Testament – this mainly deals with God’s dealings with His people Israel, but it serves as preparation for the revelation of Jesus Christ.
There are 39 books in the Old Testament and it contains different literature types:

• Pentateuch (the first 5 books of of the bible from the creation account to the founding of the Israelite nation)
• Historical books
• Wisdom books (including poetic books like Psalms)
• The Prophets

New Testament – it tells us about the coming of Jesus Christ and the establishing of the church. There are 27 books in the New Testament and it contains the following literature types:

• Gospels (The first 4 books of the New Testament tell the story about Jesus. Gospel literally means Good News!)
• History book (The book of Acts picks up after Jesus resurrection and tells how Jesus continued to work in building the kingdom of God through the church)
• The Epistles (These are inspired letters written from the Apostles to a number of the first century churches)
• Revelation

It is useful to memorize the books of the Bible so that you can easily look up passages in the Bible. As a church, we generally use the NIV (New International Version) Bible. It and other good translations are available from our bookshop.