Trisha White Priebe
© 2025 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
ISBN 979-8-89151-243-6
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For the kids at Central, This book is for you—with the hope that you will learn to love God’s Word with your whole heart for your whole life. There is truly nothing better. You are loved and prayed for every day.
LET’S LEARN THE BIBLE!
You’ve made an amazing choice—one that could change your life forever! By opening this book, you’re taking a big step toward learning more about God . You’ll do that by understanding His Word. . .and discovering His incredible plan for your life. In the book you’re reading right now, you’ll uncover the secrets of the most powerful Book in the world —the Bible.
The Bible isn’t just a collection of old stories to read on a rainy day. The Bible is alive, it’s active, and it’s filled with hope and truth. It’s your guide when life gets confusing, your comfort when you feel sad. It’s like a telescope for seeing God, and a mirror for seeing yourself. No other book can be what the Bible is, or do what it does. That’s because it is actually the Word of God. Sometimes, the Bible can feel big and overwhelming. That’s okay—lots of people have thought that. But the book you hold in your hands is like a map, ready to help you find the Bible’s greatest treasures. You’ll meet heroes of the faith, find exciting promises, and learn lessons that will help you every single day.
Are you ready to explore the most amazing Book on the planet? Let’s learn the Bible!
Section One
WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
WHAT MAKES THE BIBLE SO SPECIAL?
The Bible is the Word of God . That means it’s a special message directly from God to you. It’s not like other books, because God Himself created it. He “inspired” people to write exactly what He wanted you to know. “Inspired” means God “breathed out” what He wanted them to say. Then the writers put God’s thoughts into their own words. Did you know the Bible is actually a library of books ? It’s not just one big book—it’s a collection of 66 smaller books . They were written by many men over a very long time. . .more than a thousand years.
The Bible tells us who God is, how much He loves us, and how we can have a relationship with Him. It’s filled with amazing stories, important lessons, and promises we can trust.
Everything that was written in the Holy Writings long ago was written to teach us. By not giving up, God’s Word gives us strength and hope.
Romans 15:4
Have you ever used a flashlight in the dark? The Bible is like a flashlight —showing us what’s right and helping us make good choices. When we read and follow God’s Word, it lights our way and helps us stay on the right path.
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105
The opening up of Your Word gives light. It gives understanding to the child-like.
Psalm 119:130
For the word is a lamp. The teaching is a light, and strong words that punish are the way of life.
Proverbs 6:23
All this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Morning Star (Christ) will rise to shine in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19
HOW CAN THE BIBLE HELP ME?
The Bible is packed with wisdom. It teaches us all about life and shows us exactly how to live. The Bible helps us understand what’s right, what’s wrong, and how to please God. The Bible is much more than any other book—it’s a guide for life. The Bible can help you:
Grow closer to God. As you read, you discover who God really is. You’ll learn about His love, kindness, and power. You find out what He’s like and how much He cares for you.
Love and care for others. As you study, you learn how to reflect God’s love to the world. He’ll show you how to be kind, forgive, and be patient with others.
Make wise choices. The Bible is full of stories and teachings that show you how to make better decisions. Wise choices honor God and lead to a better life for you.
Respond to your feelings. The Bible teaches us how to handle our emotions—like anger, sadness, or worry. As always, the Bible helps us to honor God and become better people ourselves.
God created people to have emotions. The Bible shows us that God cares about our feelings. We can take all of our feelings to God, trusting Him to guide us through them. He wants to give us peace, no matter what we’re going through.
But You, O Lord, are a God full of love and pity. You are slow to anger and rich in loving-kindness and truth.
Psalm 86:15
Big Idea
No matter what you’re feeling today, there’s a Bible verse to help!
GOD’S WORD FOR BIG FEELINGS
When You’re Angry
A gentle answer turns away anger, but a sharp word causes anger.
Proverbs 15:1
When You’re Sad
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. And He saves those who are broken in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
When You’re Scared
Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you. Yes, I will hold you up with My right hand that is right and good.
Isaiah 41:10
When You’re Happy
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and sing praises to Your name, O Most High. It is good to tell of Your loving-kindness in the morning, and of how faithful You are at night.
Psalm 92:1–2
WHY SHOULD I READ THE BIBLE?
Have you ever felt like reading the Bible is work? Maybe it seems to be a chore, like cleaning your room or putting the dishes away. (If you’ve ever thought about Bible reading this way, you’re not alone!)
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our attitude can change everything. If we think of Bible reading as boring— if it’s just something we “have to do”—we will miss out on how amazing it really is. But if we remember that the Bible is God’s Word to us —filled with His love and wisdom—it will change our lives.
The truth is, reading the Bible isn’t a chore at all. It’s not something we have to do, it’s something we get to do. We read the Bible for two main reasons: to know God better and to learn how to please Him.
Rhyme It!
Always do the things you should. God is pleased when you do good.
Want to know God better?
Here are some verses to help you grow closer to Him:
“You will look for Me and find Me, when you look for Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13
Look for the Lord and His strength. Look for His face all the time.
Psalm 105:4
Look for the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.
Isaiah 55:6
God has shown His love to us by sending His only Son into the world. God did this so we might have life through Christ. This is love! It is not that we loved God but that He loved us. For God sent His Son to pay for our sins with His own blood.
1 John 4:9–10
Want to learn how to please God? Here are some verses to help guide your choices:
O man, He has told you what is good. What does the Lord ask of you but to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God?
Micah 6:8
You must be kind to each other. Think of the other person. Forgive other people just as God forgave you because of Christ’s death on the cross.
Ephesians 4:32
Religion that is pure and good before God the Father is to help children who have no parents and to care for women whose husbands have died who have troubles. Pure religion is also to keep yourself clean from the sinful things of the world.
James 1:27
HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO ME?
Getting a letter in the mail is fun. There’s something special about a personal message that’s just for you. That makes you feel important and loved, doesn’t it? Well, the Bible is like a letter from God —a message written just for you!
Some people wonder how God speaks to human beings. One of the most important ways is through His Word—the Bible. The Bible is full of God’s truth, His wisdom, and His love. When you read it, you hear from God Himself.
Each time you read, think of the Bible as God’s personal note to you. He’s inviting you to know Him better and follow His ways. This is not just any book—it’s a letter from the God who created you and wants to be with you. What could be better than that?
Rhyme It!
God is love! He’ll even sing when you take Him as your king.
If you are a child of God, He has a lot to say to you in His Word. Here are a few verses to get you started. Try to find each one in your Bible and take a moment to read God’s own words to you:
God has a good plan for your life.
Read Jeremiah 29:11
Trusting God will help you make wise choices, and He will guide you along the right path in life.
Read Proverbs 3:5–6
God will always be with you, no matter where you go.
Read Matthew 28:20
God is working everything out for your good, even when things don’t seem perfect.
Read Romans 8:28
God cares about what’s on your mind and heart— so don’t be afraid to share things with Him.
Read 1 Peter 5:7
Wow! Think about it—the God who created the whole universe wants to speak directly to you . He made the stars, the oceans, and everything else, and He thinks you are very, very important. God has special things He wants you to know and understand.
ACTIVITY:
How Well Do You Know
God’s Word?
Are you ready to test your Bible knowledge? This quiz will challenge what you’ve learned so far and help you discover even more about God’s Word! Each question has three possible answers—choose the one you think is correct. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the answers. . .this is a great way to learn.
1. What is the Bible?
a) a collection of poems
b) a special letter from God to you
c) a book of science facts
2. How many books are in the Bible?
a) 39 b) 66
c) 100
3. What is one way the Bible can help you?
a) it helps you understand how to cook
b) it shows you how to make money
c) it helps you grow closer to God
4. When you’re feeling angry, what does the Bible say?
a) a gentle answer turns away anger
b) shout at everyone
c) ignore your feelings
5. What does the Bible say about God’s plan for your life?
a) it’s a secret, so don’t try to figure it out
b) you have to make your own plan
c) God has a good plan for your life
Okay, the quiz is complete. Whether or not you got all the answers right, you’re doing a good thing by digging into God’s Word. Turn the page to check your answers and see how much you’ve discovered!
Answers
Scoring
4–5 correct: You’re a Bible expert! Keep reading and learning to know God better every day.
3 correct: Great job! You’re on your way to knowing God’s Word even better.
1–2 correct: Nice work! There’s more to discover. . .keep reading your Bible.
0 correct: No worries! God’s Word is full of treasure—keep reading and you’ll learn more.
