TRUTH 4 YOUTH Challenge Booklet #1 GOD'S UNIQUE ANSWER BOOK

WHAT ARE THE 2 MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF LIFE? FWhy are we here? FWhat happens when this life is over? God wants us to know the answers to these questions, so He provided us an Answer Bookðð    Within the pages of this special book, our Creator gave us everything we need to know about: THE BIBLE LIFE and DEATH "According as his divine power hath given unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto life and godliness..." II Peter 1:3 HEAVEN and HELL "These things have I written unto you... THAT YE MAY KNOW that ye have eternal life..." I John 5:13 It is a book that has been read by more people,                        has been published in more languages,                                            and has affected the world more than                                                          all other books ever written combined. WHY IS THE BIBLE SO UNIQUE? 1 - 1

(1)THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF ITS INFLUENCE Imagine the following conversation taking place: Excuse me sir, I'm taking a survey...would you mind answering a few questions? O.K. - sure, I've got some time to kill. Thank you.   Here's the first one: name a character from The Iliad. What? I said, name a character from... I heard the question.   What's The Iliad? It's a famous book. I'm sorry, I'm not into books.   What is your next question? Name a character from The Odyssey. The what? The Odyssey. Is that another book? Yes. I said, I don't do books!! But sir, these are two of the most famous books of all time. They are classics written by Homer. Homer Simpson? No, never mind.   Just one more: name a character from the BIBLE. THE BIBLE? . . . I guess I could do that.   Let's see . . . Moses! Good. Noah!! Ok, that's fine. Jesus! Ok!   You don't have to go on. But I can think of one or two more. That's not necessary; besides, I thought you said you didn't care much for books. I don't. Then how do you know these characters are in the BIBLE? The BIBLE has influenced us like no other book!!! 1 - 2

Consider the following 10 expressions which we still use in everyday language. They were created from the BIBLE. 1. "Raising Cain" 2. "Money talks" 3. "Hit the nail on the head" 4. "Missed by a hair" 5. "We just don't see eye to eye" 6. "Good riddance" 7. "Nothing but skin and bones" 8. "By the skin of his teeth" 9. "I stuck my neck out for you" 10. "Talk is cheap"     Genesis 4:8-9 Ecclesiastes 10:19 Judges 5:26 Judges 20:16 Isaiah 52:8 Zephaniah 1:18 Job 19:20 Job 19:20 Romans 16:4 Proverbs 14:23 The BIBLE has influenced other areas, like. . . n The "seven day week" and the "yearly timetable" of our modern day calendar, along with many major holidays.             n The Arts.             !Authors such as Longfellow, Hawthorne, and Shakespeare, quote thousands             of BIBLE references in their writings.             []Artists like DaVinci, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo have contributed to the             nearly 120 world famous paintings that depict well known Bible scenes.             ♪Musicians have written countless pieces of music that speak of Biblical             virtues and glorify God.   For example, Handel quotes from 15 books of the             BIBLE in his classic work -- "The Messiah". 1 - 3

n Law in the Western World. English Common Law The Bill of Rights         The Magna Charta Constitution of the United States These were all influenced by the Ten Commandments. Also, the charter of every original U.S. colony include BIBLE language!    Connecticut--"to preserve the liberty and purity of the GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." Also, during the American Revolution, after the British cut off shipment of BIBLES to the colonies, Congress ordered BIBLES imported from other European sources! Also, a BIBLE verse, Leviticus 25:10, is engraved on the Liberty Bell! NOTABLE QUOTESĀ "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the BIBLE."   George Washington "I believe the BIBLE is the best gift God has given to man." Abraham Lincoln "The BIBLE is worth all other books which have been printed."   Patrick Henry "That Book sir, is the rock on which our republic rests."   Andrew Jackson "A thorough knowledge of the BIBLE is worth more than a college education."   Theodore Roosevelt "Believe me sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Word of God before I go to bed."   Douglas MacArthur 1 - 4

n Education and American Society THE TOP 3 PROBLEMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL . . . (USA TODAY, September 1985) BEFORE 1963* 1. Talking 2. Chewing Gum 3. Making Noise SINCE 1963* 1. RAPE 2. ROBBERY 3. ASSAULT    *On June 17, 1963, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of removing BIBLE readings from public education, in the famous case of Abington vs. Schempp.               WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THAT RULING? SAT Total Scores YEAR Birth Rates For Unwed Girls 15-19 Years Of Age College Entrance Exam Board and Department of Health and Human Services and Statistical/Abstracts of United States. "Education is useless without the BIBLE."   Noah Webster "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." Psalm 33:12 1 - 5

‚THE BIBLE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF ITS CONSTRUCTION God is the author of the BIBLE.   Men penned it, but they did not author it: "For the prophecy came NOT in old time BY THE WILL OF MAN: but holy men of God spake as they were moved BY THE HOLY GHOST."   II Peter 1:21    Look at it this way. . .suppose you were writing a book and you decided to write each chapter with a different pen.   Even though the story would stay the same, the chapters would look different from each other because different pens were used.    God did the same thing in producing the BIBLE.   He, as the author, chose different men as writing instruments.   That is why the books of the BIBLE agree with each other, but yet have different literary style.   One author: different "pens". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suppose you were going to write a book like the BIBLE.   To duplicate the    uniqueness of how the BIBLE was written, you would have to do the following: n Hire 40 different writers representing 19 different occupations whose             lives are scattered over 1600 years and 3 different continents. n For 1000 years, have your writers write 39 chapters in the Hebrew             language. n After these first 39 chapters put the book on hold for 400 years. n Then spend 100 years finishing the last 27 chapters in the Greek language. n Compile all 66 chapters to form your book, with it all agreeing             The chapters cannot conflict or contradict each other. Could you construct a book like that?   GOD DID! 1 - 6

What's in the Bible? The OLD TESTAMENT (39 Books) Genesis ð Deuteronomy * Creation of Heaven and Earth * Start of Jewish Nation (Israel) * Introduction of God's Law (Including the 10 Commandments) Joshua ð Esther * History of Israel Job ð Song of Solomon * Answers for the questions of life Isaiah ð Malachi * Predictions of the First and Second Coming of Jesus Christ The NEW TESTAMENT (27 Books) Matthew ð John (The Gospels) * The Birth, Life and Death of Jesus Christ Acts of the Apostles * The History of the Christian Church's Growth in the 1st Century Romans ð Philemon * Letters from the Apostle Paul to Churches Concerning Growth and Conduct Hebrews ð Jude * Letters Written by Other Godly Men to Various Churches Revelation * Prophecy About the End of the World 1 - 7

ƒTHE BIBLE IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF ITS SURVIVABILITY "...the word of our God SHALL STAND FOR EVER."   Isaiah 40:8 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words SHALL NOT PASS AWAY."   Matthew 24:35 Many people throughout history, have tried to ban, burn, destroy, outlaw, restrict, ridicule or discredit the BIBLE. But the BIBLE has always outlived its attackers!!!    In A.D. 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued an edict to destroy the Scriptures. . . but twenty-five years later, his successor, Constantine, issued another edict ordering 50 BIBLES to be published at government expense!!!    Atheist Robert Ingersoll once boasted, "Within 15 years I'll have the BIBLE lodged in a morgue" . . . but within 15 years, Robert Ingersoll was lodged in a morgue while the BIBLE lived on!!!    In the 1700's the atheist French writer Voltaire said, "Within 100 years, the BIBLE and Christianity will be swept out of existence, and pass into history" . . . but within 50 years, Voltaire was swept out of existence and passed into history while the Geneva Bible Society used Voltaire's house and printing press to print and distribute thousands of BIBLES!!! WAIT . . . THERE'S MOREø    At that time, the British Museum paid $500,000 for an old manuscript of the BIBLE, while in Paris, one of Voltaire's books sold for 8 cents!!! 1 - 8

DOWN through the centuries many attacks against the BIBLE have caused     bloodshed.   Many people have died through the years in an effort to preserve the BIBLE. Christian martyrs in the 15th century were burned at the stake with a BIBLE tied around their necks. William Tyndale was burned at the stake in 1536 for translating the BIBLE from the Greek language into English. Also, many attacks against the BIBLE have come from scoffers (men who think     they know more than God knows).   But there have been some, who after examining the facts, have changed their opinion.   Here are two examples: - General Lew Wallace, a Territorial Governor following the U.S. Civil War, set out to write a book to disprove both Christianity and the BIBLE.   In his study he found the BIBLE and Christ to be true, and became a devout Christian.   Instead of writing his book against the BIBLE, he wrote the classic Christian novel, Ben Hur. - William Ramsey, the English scholar, traveled to Asia Minor to prove the BIBLE historically inaccurate.   To his amazement, he found that the BIBLE was accurate down to the tiniest detail.   The evidence was so convincing that he became a Christian and a great BIBLE scholar. The BIBLE has survived and thrived like no other book!!! 1 - 9

Like no other book -- that's the BIBLE!!   There has never been another book like it, and there never will.   If you want to read something that is different and unique, pick up the BIBLE and read!   (And it's one of the few things you can trust in the world!) BIBLIOGRAPHY That Manuscript from Outer Space   by H.L. Wilmington Evidence that Demands a Verdict   by J. McDowell America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations    by William J. Federer Halley's Bible Handbook   by Henry H. Halley The History of the King James Bible   by Dr. William R. Byers Why I Believe the Bible   by David Stone The Bible Says   by James M. Gray Is the BIBLE the Word of God?   by William Kimball The Rebirth of America   by DeMoss Foundation Holy Bible   King James Version «««««««« A Sneak Preview ««««««««««««    You will be AMAZED with the next Challenge Booklet, which is called "Amazing Discoveries of the BIBLE".   You will see that God foretold many scientific facts in the BIBLE, years before mankind discovered them!!!   For example, the BIBLE told us. . . * The human body is made up of the same chemicals as dirt. (Science discovered this much later) * The Earth hung in space. (Ancient philosophers thought we were on a giant turtle) * The Earth was round. (Scientists used to think it was flat)    Also, God foretold Jesus Christ's birth, life, and death -- hundreds of years before it came to pass!!!   For example, the BIBLE told us. . . *EXACTLY where Christ would be born. . . 700 years before it happened!!! *EXACTLY the type of person His mother would be. . . 700 years before she was born!!! *EXACTLY how He would die. . . 1000 years before Calvary!!! DON'T MISS IT!   TAKE THE CHALLENGE!! [1 - 10]

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