Today's message: The Bible
The Bible is God's revelation of who He is (Father, Son, and Spirit), who we are, and his plans for us. Through these stories and reflections of God's people, He has given us everything we need to know for salvation.

We Believe,
God made everything. He loves us. God is always working to save us. And he offers forgiveness and life through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We become a new person as we repent, and totally surrender our lives to God. God guides us and transforms us as we let his Spirit live in us.

God's gift showing us everything we need to know for salvation (life with God through Jesus).

The Bible is...
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Alive as the Holy Spirit uses it to show us God, ourselves, and what is real.

Bible is Essential
Learning to love God means that we will learn to love time in the Bible

Bible is Essential
Learning to love God means that we will learn to love time in the Bible.

The Bible is made up of 66 books in two parts; the Old Testament (39 books: Genesis - Malachi - the story of Creation, the Fall, and God's plan of salvation through Israel) and the New Testament (27 books: Matthew - Revelation - the story of Jesus, Salvation by his death/resurrection, the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church).

Written and edited by people over hundreds of years and finally collected in the form we now have. We can trust God has guided the writers, editors, and collectors.

How the Bible was Made
What we read is what He wants us to have.

Bible Layout - Old Testament
Pentateuch - Creation, Patriarchs, Exodus, Law (Genesis - Deuteronomy)
History - Promised land, Kings, Exile, Return (Joshua - Nehemiah)
Wisdom - During kings (Psalm - Song of Songs)
Prophets - During kings and exile (Isaiah - Malachi)

Bible Layout - New Testament
Gospels - Stories of Jesus (Matthew - John)
History - After Jesus, Holy Spirit and the Church (Acts)
Letters - During Acts (Romans - Jude)
Apocalypse - The end of evil, new creation (Revelation)

How to read the Bible
1. Plan: Make time daily and find a reading plan.
2. Submit: Start by praying for the Spirit to teach you. Bible study is a conversation with God!
3. Observe: Read the passage, review context, summarize content.
4. Interpret: What does this say about God? What does this say about people (Why did they say/do/think/act this way)? Write down questions.
5. Apply: What is God showing me about himself? About me? Confess what He shows, repent, make action steps to obey him and do what is right.
6. Together: Study with other as well as by yourself. Share with o thers what God is teaching you and how you are responding.

We Believe
God made everything. He loves us. We rejected God, but God is always working to save us. And he offers forgiveness and life through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We become a new person as we repent, and totally surrender our lives to God. God guides us and transforms us as we let his Spirit live in us, and as we learn from the Bible.