Bible Study

"What's a Christian?" ..."Are you one?" ..."What do Baptists believe?" ... "What does it mean to be a member of First Baptist Church of Malden?" Pastor Martha Dominy answers....		Audio Bible King James Version

What Is the Bible?

Many years ago a poor farmer lost his farm because of debt.  He managed to live by working for other farmers, and during that time he also miraculously saved enough money to buy another little piece of ground.  It was a piece of ground that had not been farmed, and it was full of weeds.  But he was a confident man, a good farmer, and he could raise crops on any kind of land.  When he tried to plow, however, he found out why it had never been farmed - it was filled with rocks.  Believing he had made a serious mistake, he was filled with despair.

One day while walking in his new field with a friend, he stooped down and picked up a few of the many stones and handed them to his friend, saying, "See, no one can raise crops on this land.  It is worthless!"  The other man looked at the stones very intently and then said, "Do you know what this stone is that you have just given me?  It is a precious gem in unpolished form.  You did not recognize it.  This land you consider worthless may be worth far more than you think!"

When the farmer learned to identify precious stones and gems, he found that the stony field he had purchased was filled with hidden treasures- the field was covered with expensive rare stones and jewels.  All he had to do was learn how to recognize them, polish them, and sell them.  And that he did quickly.  Soon the poor farmer became a wealthy man.

The Bible you have in your hand may appear at first to be a "stony field." 

It is a challenging book, but it is filled with rich spiritual treasures.  These spiritual treasures are truths that can bring peace, joy, power, and new purpose to your life now.  But far more important, these spiritual treasures are the foundation on which God can create a new life in you that will never die.  This eternal life, as the Bible calls it, is of God.  "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).  As you study the Bible and learn how to discover its spiritual treasures, you will realize the beautiful meaning of this statement.  This spiritual treasure is stated in other words in the Bible.  "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31).
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Source: The Family Devotional Study Bible
The Zondervan Corporation