Youth Truth: Why You Can Trust the Bible

By Kathleen Wood

Helping a new generation find truth in a confusing age. Written with young people in mind, this book offers insight, hope and concrete evaluation of where to look for truth in today's world and for your personal life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973676676

Kathleen Wood

As a student of Sociology and Psychology in her undergraduate years, Kathleen was passionate to learn about cultures and people from every background. Later, earning a degree in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University, she focused her attention on teaching a new generation of young people. With a master degree in Reading and Literacy, Mrs. Wood has taught over twenty years in professional education helping many students become successful readers, writers and thinkers. Having traveled throughout the U. S. and the world in Ireland, France, Belgium, England, China and Africa, Kathleen Wood has also prepared other teachers in team training programs. Now retired, Kathleen lives in Alabama where she enjoys her sunny days with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren. “It is my hope that through this writing, many young people will come to know that there is a great big God who loves them and cares. This knowledge gives purpose and meaning to our lives. It is hope for a new generation. This is the light in the darkness.”

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Copyright © 2019 Kathleen Wood.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7668-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7667-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019915709

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/04/2019

I

dedicate this book first to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has changed my life, healed my body, and saved my soul. He continues to show great mercy and kindness to me, giving me strength each day by His Spirit.

I also dedicate this book to my dear grandchildren, Ava, Scarlett, and Katharine, so that they too may know there is reason to believe the truth about God, Jesus, and the Bible and that, knowing this, they will walk with the Lord all their days.

Contents

Preface

1: What Is the Bible?

In the Beginning

What Are the Old and New Testaments?

Reliability of Old Testament Scripture

New Testament Scripture

The Shocking Last Book

The Language of the Bible

Other Resources for Study

2: What about Prophecy?

Mathematical Implications and Probability

Bible Prophecy Reveals God

Example 1: It’s a Big Deal!

Then What Happened?

I Told You So!

So What?

Example 2: Who Knew?

Daniel and the King’s Dream

A Bad Dream

Another God Dream

How Do I Interpret This?

Example 3: Jesus, the Fulfillment of Prophecy (or Who Is This Guy, Anyway?)

Didn’t I Tell You?

Do the Math

3: Wait, There’s More! The Bible and the Sciences

Archeology

Hittites, Horites, and Horror

The Hittite Culture

The Horites

A Worldwide Flood

To Conclude

Biology and The God of Life

The DNA Blueprint

There’s an App for That

It’s All About You!

The Wonder of Blood

The Bible in Geology

What Anthropologists Tell Us

Other Scientific Information that Verifies the Bible

The Bethlehem Star

4: The Resurrection of Christ

Questions for Further Thought

Tortured for Truth

Authenticity of History

Consider

Eyewitness Accounts

The Embarrassing Details

Eye Spy

Not a Game!

Important to Know

Councils and Creeds

The Persecuted Church

In Conclusion

References and Sermon Notes

About the Author

Preface

The purpose of this book is to impress upon young people that the Bible holds truth that is relevant today. I want to pass on this knowledge and the truth of the Bible to the next generation. I hope you, the reader, will understand through the pages of this short biblical overview that God indeed exists and that He has a good purpose and plan for your life.

The Bible claims that God created you. He loves you no matter who you are, where you live, or what you’ve done. This truth gives hope to millions who are hurting, as well as confidence with which to approach the future.

From my more than twenty years of experience as a teacher, I know many schools try to prepare students for a successful future by educating them in areas they will need in life—math, science, reading, social studies. Yet they do not teach or prepare students for the most important part of life: spiritual understanding. Without spiritual understanding, it is as though you are making life decisions in the dark.

It is natural to be afraid of the dark. Without light, you cannot see. Something might be there to trip you or hurt you in some way. How could you know? But if there were a light to turn on, you could see clearly. You could make decisions about where to go and what to do.

Psalm 119, verse 105 says, Thy word, O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. God has provided a light for our spiritual understanding in the Bible. He offers this light to everyone if we ask Him and receive it. I sincerely hope that through knowing more about the Bible you will be encouraged to find out more and search for God’s direction on your life journey.

Although the information I present in this book is by no means exhaustive, I have attempted to provide enough facts so that any thinking person will be aware that the Bible is not just myth and fiction. Unless otherwise noted I have used the New King James version consistently throughout this book. It is my belief that the Bible holds significant nuggets of truth relevant for the youth of today and shows there is reason to believe.

1: What Is the Bible?

The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books written more than 1,500 years ago. The oldest documented authentic ancient scripture fragments are called the Dead Sea Scrolls. These date back to 250 BCE. That is more than 2,250 years old!

The authors of these books—the manuscripts that we now call the Bible—were diverse. They came from different geographic locations, lived in different cultures with differing traditions, and were of diverse ethnicities. There are forty-five authors represented in the Bible. Their writings were often controversial in their time. Many are just as controversial today.

The Bible contains variety of writing styles and genres. There are poems, songs, prayers such as in the psalms of

Reviews for Youth Truth

[K A · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found it easy reading and helpful. Many things I did not know before I learned through reading this book. Great gift for any adult who has young people they care abou And great reading for any pre teen or teen ager.