First-Time Bible Reader? Billy Graham Suggests You Start With This Book
A lot of people love the idea of reading the Bible, but don't really know where to begin. Some go right ahead and open the book of Genesis.
World-renowned evangelist Billy Graham said they should actually start with the book of John.
"Instead of starting at the beginning (as we do with other books), I suggest you start at the center – that is, with one of the Gospels that tell us about Jesus Christ (I often suggest John)," he wrote for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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"He is the Bible's center; the Old Testament points forward to Him, and the New Testament tells us about Him. You can discover other parts of the Bible later," Graham said.
He said Bible reading is important because it's an opportunity to learn more about God and His will on people's lives. If believers remain ignorant of God's Word, then they will always be ignorant of God's will.
"Ask God to help you as you read – not only to understand what is happening in a particular passage, but what it means for your life today," he urged his readers.
Meanwhile, Graham also had a wonderful suggestion for young Bible readers. It's great that some millennials are still keen on reading God's Word and pursuing a relationship with Him, so in purchasing their Bible, he said they should opt for a modern translation — one that's widely used and easy to understand.
"Consider a Bible that includes footnotes that will help you understand its meaning. These are usually called 'study Bibles,' and they can be fairly detailed – but choose one that's written specifically for young people," he said.
Graham said his late wife, Ruth Graham, used to say that Bibles with print people couldn't read are one of the devil's most effective tools. Thus, he urged people to get a Bible with "decent print."
