What Does My Bible Say? Personal Answers to Your Big Bible Questions

The Bible is not only a historical record, it’s many things which include a letter to us, God’s children, about His unfailing love for us. And just like anyone wants the best for those they love, God wants the best for us. So, He made sure our Bibles serve as a guide through this messy, complicated, but beautiful world we live in. And He made sure to include lots of personal answers to our big Bible questions.

This week, I am starting a 5-week series. Each week we will discover what the Bible says about one of the following topics: identity, forgiveness, fear, and prayer. In the end, my hope is for you to be encouraged to open your Bible to search for the answers to tough questions, lean into the all-knowing wisdom that far supersedes our limited knowledge, and soak in the hope that never runs dry.

What Does My Bible Say? Personal Answers to Your Big Bible Questions

When my kids were little, they were full of questions. They had questions about everything under the sun, but their questions about the deep things in life were the ones I enjoyed talking about the most. Those were the moments that, layer upon layer, planted firm ground under their feet giving them what they would need to live life well.

When we grow up, though, we tend to stop asking all the questions. There are several reasons for that. Maybe it’s that we become too busy to think about them, let pride nudge its way in between us and new answers, don’t know who to ask, lose a sense of curiosity, or are simply afraid to ask.

But asking is important and never a skill we should give up on. It is never too late to make changes or start growing. So, let’s start asking questions!

So Many Bible Questions and Answers

As I stated before, the Bible is God’s love letter to His children. But it is also a story of God answering the questions we can’t answer ourselves. How do we keep going, keep having faith and trust, when life is so very uncertain? The Bible provides us with an explanation of faith, hope, and love that helps us make it through to the other side of whatever life throws our way.

The Bible is God's love letter to His children. But it is also a story of God answering the questions we can't answer ourselves. Join me as we ask and answer big #BibleQuestions about identity, forgiveness, fear, and prayer. Share on X

There are more Bible questions and answers than I could cover in this space and probably far more than I am qualified to answer. Simply put, some questions are really hard Bible questions and may not be answered until the day we are in the arms of Jesus. I’ve learned through experience, that sometimes God allows us a glimpse into why something happened. Sometimes we get the opportunity to put the pieces of our story together with Scripture, revealing truth and opening our spiritual eyes. But other times, we have to settle into the trust that says, “God did it before so He will do it again.” It reminds us of the things He’s done before so that even when our current situation seems senseless, we can be assured of His faithfulness.

There is hope in remembrance. Remember the things God has done before so that even when your current situation seems hopeless, you can be assured of His faithfulness. #BibleQuestions Share on X

For the sake of this series, though, I am focusing on some of the questions you may have about our identity in Christ, forgiveness, fear, and prayer. Below is a snippet of each of the topics and an idea of what you can expect over the next 4 weeks.

Who Am I? What Does My Bible Say About My Identity in Christ?

What does it mean to be “in Christ”?

Our agenda-driven world has led us down the path of “not enough”. It affects every aspect of our lives. From our relationships to our work to our free time. We define ourselves by the reflections of our personal accomplishments, by the opinions others may have about us, or by our past mistakes.  We’ve lost sight of our reflection in Christ. We have lost sight of who He made us to be.

For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb
long before I took my first breath. I will offer You my grateful heart, for I
am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even
the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this
knowledge deep within my soul. -Psalm 139:13-14 VOICE

We will break down what it means to be a child of God, how His unfailing love changes how we live, and how it all comes together to form our identity in Christ. We will also give you a list of the best verses about identity in Christ.

Who am I? What does my Bible say about my identity in Christ? Join me for the series #BibleQuestions Share on X

What Does My Bible Say About Forgiveness? Why Should I Forgive?

Hollywood may often glamorize revenge by calling it “justice”. Many in the world tell us to follow our heart, which to many means “follow our feelings”. But when we follow our feelings, we often walk the wrong way and make poor choices. When our feelings are hurt, our natural reaction typically is to lash out or to run and hide. Neither option resolves what is happening within our souls. Neither option heals the brokenness that aches inside. The act that feels the most impossible is the act that brings the most healing. Forgiveness is what heals us from the inside out.

Jesus is our courage and strength when we need to dig deep and forgive our offenders. Then, Jesus heals us in that act of forgiveness.

Forgiveness often feels impossible. It's the act that feels the most difficult, yet the act that brings about our deepest healing. Join me for the series #BibleQuestions Share on X

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32 NLT

We will explore all that the Bible tells us about forgiveness and its counterpart — revenge. I will again share a list of the best Bible verses about forgiveness.

What Does My Bible Say About Fear?

Fear is one of the enemy’s favorite tools. With fear, he tricks us into sitting down and giving up.

For me, he has used fear to make me doubt my parenting during the challenging times. Fear has, at times, made me shut down in the face of my daughter’s heartbreaks and challenges instead of rising to fight. Without my trust in God and believing He would fight for me and for us, our daughter wouldn’t be where she is today.

We all have different fears because our challenges and life circumstances are unique. But all fear has the same power. It has the power to take us down and out.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. -2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

We will dig into what the Bible says about fear and about how to conquer it. Plus, there will be another list of best Bible verses. This time it will be the best Bible verses about fear.

We all have different fears because our challenges and life circumstances are unique. But all fear has the same power. It has the power to take us down and out. Join me for the series #BibleQuestions Share on X

What Does My Bible Say About Prayer?

Why do we pray? How do we pray? Does God really hear our prayers? Does He really answer them?

Prayer is the means through which we create a relationship with our Creator. Through it, we get to know God as our Father. Because, when we spend time deep in conversation with someone, sharing the deepest places of our hearts authentically, we deepen the relationship.

Through prayer, He also allows us to witness not only answered prayers but to witness miracles. He fills us with hope to get us through the fires in life and He builds unity among believers through His gift of prayer. Before Jesus, His people made their requests and repented for sins through a Priest. But because God gave us His son, Jesus, we now go directly to His throne each time we pray. We are given the privilege of being directly in God’s presence.

But God did listen!
    He paid attention to my prayer. -Psalm 66:19 NLT

We will learn so much more about prayer when we dig through the pages of our Bibles during this week of the series. It may even take two posts to reveal the treasures we find!

What does my Bible say about prayer? Join me for the series #BibleQuestions Share on X

Other Bible Questions and Answers You May Want as You Get Started

I didn’t want to leave you without some tangible answers today. So, I researched the most searched Bible questions on the web. Again, there were more than I could ever cover so I picked a small handful of questions that would be helpful to you as you begin to read your Bible.

Should I use only one Bible at home?

No! I do think it’s important to have one Bible that tends to be your go-to Bible. The one you journal and write prayers in. It’s the one that leaves your legacy.

However, I love finding new Bibles to explore. There are significant differences between study Bibles, text Bibles, devotional Bibles, reference Bibles, notetaking Bibles, journaling Bibles, and chronological Bibles. All share the same message and words according to version but each presents the information uniquely for its reader. The choice is only bound by your learning style and what outcome you are looking for.

What is a good Bible translation or version?

This question is again largely based on personal preference. However, there are a couple of questionable versions. They tend to add a little more human thought in their summarizing of the text and the sources aren’t reliable students of the Word. Find out some info on bad Bible choices right here.

My personal favorites in order are the New Living Translation (NLT), English Standard Version (ESV), Amplified Bible (AMP), and the New International Version (NIV).

Here is a great reference to help you determine the best Bible type or translation.

Why is the Bible referred to as good news?

The Bible is referred to as “Good News” because it gives us a clear picture of life before and after Jesus. Before Jesus, sin forever separated us from God. After Jesus, because of His sacrifice for us, that same sin has no hold on us. If we choose Jesus and turn away from that sin, He wipes the slate clean and gives us a fresh start. There is no longer a need to carry the burdens of our past with us into the future. We are set free to live with peace and joy. We are set free to pursue our purpose and live in victory. THAT is the good news!

This article gives a great explanation of the “Good News” with tons more detail than I included here.

How many times is the word ‘hope’ in the Bible?

The word “hope” is found often in the Bible. It is one of the key characteristics of the Christian life. Simply stated, Jesus is Hope! Each Bible translation uses the word a different number of times.

Going back to my favorite translations, the word “hope” is found in the:

• NLT 146 times
• ESV 151 times
• AMP 190
• NIV 167 times

What if I just can’t understand the Bible when I try to read it?

Don’t give up! I get it … I was there once, too. I would try to read it and then realize a few minutes later that I started drifting and couldn’t remember anything I’d read! Or no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep my eyelids open!

Then I began praying. I asked God to give me an unquenchable thirst for His Word, to reveal Himself to me through His Word, and give me clarity as I read the Bible.

I prayed that prayer every day and God was faithful in answering my prayer. God wants us to know Him and to read the Bible. Therefore, what is His will, He will answer accordingly. So, if the Bible isn’t making sense to you, start praying!

What does “God-breathed” mean?

When we say Scripture is God-breathed, we are saying it comes from the exhaled breath of God. Even though the Bible has several human authors, the words come through God to the authors. Therefore, we know that the words are not the creation of man but from God himself.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” -2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

What are questions I should be asking when I am reading the Bible to help me understand It and God more?

Asking questions leads to learning. Therefore, when we ask questions while we are reading the Bible, we will learn more than if we were simply reading for leisure. The Gospel Coalition has a fabulous article explaining the best questions to ask while reading the Bible. I think you will love it!

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Wait! Before You Go!

Do you want to learn more about the Bible and what it tells us about God’s love? If so, I have a free resource that will help you do just that!

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This Post Is Part of a Series

“What Does My Bible Say: Personal Answers to Your Big Bible Questions” is a series covering questions about identity, forgiveness, fear, and prayer. To read the other posts in this series, simply click on the image.

***Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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