Episode Transcript
You are listening to daily insights on the three ABN Radio Network. And here is your host, Kaysie Butler. Hello and welcome.
Glad to have you join me today for this program. I want to begin by sharing with you a story called The Old Captain's Bible. There was once an old sea captain who was an unbeliever.
He had no respect for Christianity, no time for Bible reading, and no faith in God. The years that he had spent on the sea associating with other people who did not believe in God did not encourage him at all in changing his belief, but just strengthened his unbelief. After many years, the exposures and hardships of his lifestyle took their toll on him, and the old seamen decided to leave his ocean voyaging and settle for a quieter life.
He found a home amongst a small community of sailors and soldiers. Here there were many other people who had experienced the kind of lifestyle that he had out on the sea. The chaplain of that little community, who had also been a man of the sea, tried to get this skeptical old captain to read some of the Bible, but all of his urging seemed to be in vain.
Then one day, the chaplain actually challenged this old captain. He said, Why don't you begin reading here with the Book of John? And every time you find something that you do not believe, just take this red pencil and underline the verse. Well, the old captain had met many challenges in his life, and he felt quite competent to meet this new challenge from the man of God.
So he reached for the book with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, which seemed to indicate that he did not expect to be defeated at this challenge. There was no question in his mind but that in a few days he would show this captain a well marked book. Well, each day the chaplain came to see the captain when he went on his rounds visiting the various people in the community.
Well, Cap, how are you getting on with your reading? Have you marked anything yet? The captain would gently smile, but would not reply. Several times the chaplain would come by asking the same question, and every time the captain would respond in the same way. A smile would steal over his face, but he would make no reply.
About a week went by, and then the chaplain stepped into the room once again to see the captain. He asked again about the Bible and the marks, but there was no answer and no smile. He looked a bit closer.
There was the old captain, but he had died. After calling the doctor to deal with his body, the chaplain looked at the Bible, which laid open near where he had been resting. Where were the red marks? Were there any red marks? The chaplain was so curious.
Had the old gentleman been actually reading that book. Well, there was not a single scratch nor a mark in the first two chapters of John. But once at the 16th verse of the third chapter of John was well underlined.
And this is the verse for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And in the margin of that verse, in trembling writing had been written in red this note I have cast my anchor in a safe harbor. Thank God.
Amazing story. You know, like many people who have not read the Bible, this captain had so many doubts. But once he had read even just a few chapters, the light broke through into his heart, dispelled the clouds of unbelief in his soul.
And he experienced the joy of assurance and salvation that God was offering to him. And the joy that this captain experienced, he likened to the joy that only a sailor knows when reaching a safe haven after a stormy passage. You know, I have many times experienced struggles with doubt, but always when we come to the Bible and read it, it can give us tremendous courage and faith.
You've probably guessed what our topic is today. That's right. The Bible.
And we are now going to hear a song from the Fountain View Academy called Give Me the Bible. Give me the Bible teaching I peaceful it is beaming since Jesus came to seek and save the lost give me the Bible message shining thy life shall guide me in the narrow way precept and promise in eternal day give me the Bible when my heart is broken when sin and grief have filled my soul with fear give me the precious words by Jesus spoken hold a face lamp to show my savior need give me the Bible holy message shining thy life shall guide me in the narrow way precept and promise one love combining till I shall vanish give me the Bible always gets enlightened teach me the danger of these rounds below that lamp of safety that light alone the path of peace can show give me the Bible holy message shining thy light shall guide me in the narrow way precept and promise till I shall vanish in eternal day you've probably heard that the Bible is the best selling book of all time. In fact, it's even made it into the Guinness World Records with an estimated 5 billion copies having been distributed.
Interestingly, in an article in The New Yorker entitled The Good Book Business Why Publishers Love the Bible, it's noted that not only is the Bible the best selling book of all time, but it's also the best selling book of the year every year. The Bible has some other interesting features. The Oxford University Press, in describing the Bible, says the following our Bible contains 810,697 words.
This is about four times as many as are found in a book of average length. Although so long a book in dealing with the greatest theme that can engage the mind of man, its vocabulary is actually singularly limited. Only 6000 different words are used, which is very small compared to the 20,000 employed by Shakespeare in writing his plays.
Not only is the vocabulary limited, but the average word in the Bible contains but five letters. Many of these short words in the Bible are however, full of the deepest meaning and are worthy of earnest study. Such as these short five letter words grace, peace, faith, saved, serve, glory and Jesus.
So what is so special about this book to the point that it has such a high sales rate and never seems to lose its relevance and meaning in people's minds? Well, listen carefully to the next song as it might give us some clues. Earth long preserved for our walk in this world. Very sound with God's own heart.
Oh, let the ancient words impart words of life, words of hope give us strength. Help us come in this world wherever we roam. Ancient words will guide us home ancient words changing me and changing you we have come with open heart oh, let the ancient words be partly worth words of our faith handed down to the sage came to us through a sacrifice oh, he the ancient words of Christ only words nonprof in this world they resound with God's unharmed oh, let the ancient words impart ancient words ever true changing me and changing you we have come with open heart oh, let the ancient words impart that was Rachel Ann Raymond singing ancient words.
The message of that song really highlights why the Bible is so popular for people, and that is because it has power to change the life. God has promised that His Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what he intends it to do. And it is thus that it has power in our lives.
This is the theme of the next song, which is called this Is My Word and is sung by the Steve Petit Evangelistic team. As it comes and swirling showers from the sky so is my world. As the rains bring the water to the earth that is thirsty and dry so is my word and the word of my mouth it shall not return it will bless the earth wherever it is.
This is my word as the rains bring renew and the tender gods begin to come begin to come with my word giving sea to the soul and the bread to the hungry till they cry. So is my word so is my word and the word of my mouth it shall not return it will bless the earth wherever it is. This is my world this is my world.
Close when I feel your days I'm living on face my God how we be faithful to the world you have given to brokely. And you will go enjoy and be like and the rain before you saw. So be faithful, brave and true for I will go before you and when your I'll say well done I'll say well done I'll say well dark from heaven and the rain comes in showers from the sky this is my Lord.
Another way the Bible is of value to us is that it helps us to navigate safe paths in this crazy world. On this topic. Listen as Connie Vanderman Jeffrey sings thy word.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path when I feel afraid think I've lost my way feel you're there right beside me nothing will I fear as long as you are near please be near me to the end. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
I will not forget your love for me and yet my heart forever is wondering jesus, be my guide hold me to your side and I will love you to the end will I fear at long as you are near please be near me to the end. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my past. And a light unto my past you're the light unto my past.
Another reason for the Bible's continual popularity is that it has an inexhaustible ability to bring meaning and satisfaction into our lives on this line of thought. Listen as the cadet sisters sing wonderful words of life. Wonderful words of life sing them over again to me wonderful words of light let me more of their beauty see wonderful words of life christ the blessed one gives to all wonderful words of life in a little thy loving cold wonderful words of life light words of life and beauty teach me faith and beauty beauty for words wonderful words wonderful words of life sweetly echo the gospel call wonderful words of life offer pardon and peace to all wonderful words of life wonderful words of life jesus only savior beauty for words wonderful words wonderful words of life.
I'm sure you've all heard of the Seven Wonders of the World. But I recently came across the Seven Wonders of the Word, and I want to share them with you. Number one the wonder of its formation.
That is the mysterious method of its formation. The way in which the Bible grew is one of the mysteries of time. Number two the wonder of its unification.
It's a library of 66 books, and yet they all are united as one book. Number three the wonder of its age. It's the most ancient of all books.
Number four, the wonder of its sale. We've talked about this. It is the bestseller of any book.
The wonder of its interest. Number five, it's the only book in the world read by all classes. And number six the wonder of its language.
Although it is written largely by uneducated men. It is the best from a literary standpoint. Then number seven the wonder of its preservation.
It has been the most hated book of all books and time and again efforts have been made to annihilate it. Yet it still exists and plentifully. The Bible itself says the word of our God shall stand forever.
And the title of our final song today is called The Bible Stands and it's shared with us by Ron and Shelley Hamilton. I won't sound I will sound for the earth may shutter and crumble I will find my name your it's a rain for outside the Bible stands and it goes with the light of mine like a thousand or above the words of mouth from all I will be jam forever when this world always I got spoken every word I will stand for it all in and you prove it I love I will let my me well, that brings us to the end of our program today. If you haven't read the Bible in a while, I challenge you to take it up today and have a read and do it every day from now on.
I'm sure you will be blessed as you glean the special truths and instruction that it contains for us. You have been listening to daily insights. I'm your host Kaysie Butler, and I look forward to next time with you.
Bye for now. You have been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.
