Help!

How should I read my Bible?

The best message you’ll ever get!

What is the Bible and why must I read it?

The Bible is God’s book where he speaks to us. We listen to his Word and learn about how he wants us to live. Because God’s Word is alive, it has the power to change us.

So reading the Bible can change my life? But what is the Bible all about?

The Bible is a history book, a law book and a book filled with stories, poetry, life lessons and comforting words. But most of all it is the story of God’s love for you and me.

But it’s such a big book. Where do I begin?

Although the Bible is probably the largest book you’ll ever read, it is actually a collection of books. There are 66 books altogether.

I’ll never be able to read so many books in all my life!

Relax! Think of it as a library of books where you choose the one you want to read. You don’t have to read all of them at once. You can even read just a few chapters or verses of a book at a time.

But what if I don’t understand it?

Don’t give up too easily. A story is a good place to start! You’ll be surprised at how easy it is.

OK! Let’s try!

Let’s begin with a story of a boy who ran away from home in *Luke ^15:°11-14a.

The Lost Son
¹¹ Jesus went on to say, “There was once a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the property now.’ So the man divided his property between his two sons. ¹³ After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. ¹⁴ He spent everything he had.”

So what happened next?

That’s for you to find out! Read *Luke ^15:°11-32.

How am I going to do that? I don’t even know where to start!

Just follow the instructions in the “Navigating the Bible” section.

Is it hard? I’ve never done it before.

It’s like learning to ride a bike! Before you know it you’re on your way. So open your Bible and off we go!

Ready, steady, go!

Navigating the Bible

Navigating the Bible involves *book, ^chapter, and °verse. The easiest way to learn, is to try and find a specific example: so let’s find *Luke ^15:°11-32.

Wow! The colours make it really easy!

Look for the * ^ ° symbols on black and white screens.

Remember, there is the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Step 1:

Check the contents page in the front of your Bible. Look for *Luke! It’s in the New Testament. Now turn to the right page.

Got it!

Step 2:

Find the chapter number - the fat number at the beginning of each section. Flip the pages until you get to ^Chapter 15.

Got it! What do I do next?

Step 3:

Do you see the small numbers on almost every line of the text?

OK, got it!

These numbers indicate the verses. In this example, we want to read from °verse 14. Keep reading until you get to °verse 32. Take your time!

OK! I’m done! Boy, that brother of his reminds me of my sister! She’s so mean ...

What would you like to find now?

OK! Now where do I find the “Our Father”?

To find the “Lord’s Prayer” look for *Matthew in the contents page. It’s the first book in the New Testament. Now look for the fat number ^6.
Then find the small numbers from °9-13.
And there it is!

That wasn’t so hard!

Now that you’ve passed these first two tests with flying colours, you should be able to locate and read any Bible reference anywhere in the Bible. Practise by looking up all the verses in this guide!

OK! Where do I start?

Want to know where it all began? Read the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. This is the first book in the Bible and is in the Old Testament. Start with Chapter ^1 verse °1 and continue into Chapter ^3.

Is this where Adam and Eve meet up with the snake?

Yes, but you can read all about this and much more in these chapters.

And if I need comfort and guidance?

Try the Psalms. You might recognise some of the more well-known ones, such as *Psalm ^23 and *Psalm ^121.

Oh I know “The Lord is my shepherd...”!!!

Great! Now read some more.

Like what?

If you would like to know more about the life of Jesus and his disciples, start with the book of Luke.

By the way, the first four books of the New Testament are called the Gospel books. These books tell the story of Jesus’ life on earth from beginning to end.

That’s good news!

For sure! That’s what the word “Gospel” means! Let’s start with the book of Luke. This book tells the story of Jesus’ life and work on earth: how he healed people, what he taught them about the kingdom of God and ends with his crucifixion, his rising from the dead and his ascension into heaven.

But I want to know what Jesus said!

Read *Matthew chapters ^5, ^6 and ^7. In these chapters Jesus tells us how to live, how to treat others and how to have the right attitude to life. The books of Matthew, Mark and John also tell us about Jesus’ life on earth.

So how does the Bible help me in my everyday life?

The Bible is God’s love letter to us! Use your navigation skills to find these love notes in the Bible.

*Psalm ^36:°5-9 - Read about God’s goodness.
*Psalm ^139:°15-16 - You are handmade by God!
*Romans ^8:°38 - God never lets us go!
*1 John ^4:°19 - We love because God first loved us.

Hey, did you know that the Bible is like food for the soul?

How so?

Read *John ^6:°35.
Can you remember all the meals you’ve had in your lifetime?

You must be joking!

But without your daily food you would not have grown strong and healthy. It’s the same with the Bible. You may not remember everything you’ve ever heard or read from the Word. But what would your soul be feeding on if it was starved of the Word of God?

But isn’t the Bible full of rules and laws? And what happens if I break them?

Did you know that following the rules given to us in the Bible is a bit like playing a game?

You mean like soccer or netball?

Rules are there not only to give everyone a fair chance, but also to protect and guide you. God gave us rules to keep us safe and to show us how to live. Look up *Exodus ^20:°3-17 using the colour codes (or symbols) and following steps 1-3!

So to play the game, you need to learn the rules?

You said it! So here’s God’s game plan for you.

*Exodus ^20:°3
Rule 1:
God above all else!

*Exodus ^20:°4-5
Rule 2:
Who’s your idol?

*Exodus ^20:°7
Rule 3:
Watch your tongue!

*Exodus ^20:°8-10
Rule 4:
Rest on the 7th day – that’s an order!

*Exodus ^20:°12
Rule 5:
Treat your parents with respect!

*Exodus ^20:°13
Rule 6:
Don’t kill!

*Exodus ^20:°14
Rule 7:
Keep you mind and body pure!

*Exodus ^20:°15
Rule 8:
Stealing is wrong!

*Exodus ^20:°16
Rule 9:
Speak the truth!

*Exodus ^20:°17
Rule 10:
Don’t be jealous!

That’s a lot of rules!

Then read Jesus’ summary of the law in *Matthew ^22:°37-40!

What exactly is sin?

Think of sin as a foul or missing the goal! See the rule in *1 Corinthians ^9:°24-27

So sin means not playing the game according to the rules?

I reckon so. See *John ^3:°16-17
On the cross Christ shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. His crucifixion allows us to start again. God wipes the scoreboard!

So when we do wrong it is not “game over”?

Exactly! That is what we call God’s goodness and grace. Let me illustrate it this way:

Look up these verses to see what I mean.

*Psalm ^32:°1-5

*Matthew ^18:°21-22

*2 Corinthians ^2:°7 Forgive others.

How often should I read the Bible?

Well, if it is food for the soul, it’s best to do it as often as you can. If you really want to grow strong in your faith, you need to work at it! Do what Jesus did:

Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of the town to a lonely place, where he prayed.
*Mark ^1:°35

Ps. No cellphones or TV to distract you!

Warning!
Reading the Bible could change your life!

As the Word of God, it lays down rules for living and shows you the consequences of obedience and disobedience.

So if I do wrong I could harm myself and others!

Sure! But more than that, it assures you of God’s never-ending love and forgiveness.

The good part is, with God’s game plan we’re all winners!

For Sure!

Remember!

You are a child of God - *John ^1:°12
God gave his son to save you! - *John ^3:°16
You are members of Christ’s body - *1 Corinthians ^12:°27
You are safe because no one can separate you from God’s love - *Romans ^8:°35-39
You are somebody because God chose you - *John ^15:°16

Awesome!

Jesus is your example in following God’s game plan for your life!

Remember, the key to salvation is *John ^3:°16.

You know what? I can’t wait to start reading my Bible so I can follow God’s game plan for my life!

Help and advice from the Bible

Anger: Ephesians 4:31
Anxiety: Psalm 46
Body: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 15:35-57
Depression: Romans 8:28-39
Gossip: Ephesians 4:29
Loneliness: Psalm 40:1-3
Loose morals: Ephesians 5:15-18
Love for each other: 1 Peter 4:8
Peer pressure: Proverbs 1:8-19
Swearing: James 3:8-9
Temptation: 2 Timothy 2:22
Witnessing: Acts 1:8

Published and distributed by the

bible society
of south africa

www.biblesociety.co.za

ISBN 978-0-7982-1742-2 (Epub)
ISBN 978-0-7982-1743-9 (Mobi)
ISBN 978-0-7982-1744-6 (PDF)