Why the Free Bible Speech?

If you have ever visited, been a part of our livestream, or heard our sermons on the radio, there is something that John says every single week. From the front, I read from the NIV Bible. If you would like to follow along in the same Bible that I am using, we have some in the rows and a stack in the back. If you do not own a Bible, please take one with you. It is yours to keep. We will always give away the Word of God for free here at Buckeye. But this brings about a question. Why does John repeat this every single sermon he gives? The Bible is the inspired word of God, given to us to know who God is, what God has done, and how we can draw closer to Him every day. What is amazing is that the Bible itself tells us what it is and what it is for.

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

Right here, the Bible is explaining to us that these words are more than just one man’s thoughts. Many people have written books since writing began, but why is the Bible different? Why does it feel different? Why does it hit the soul differently? That is because these are not just man’s words but words that were given to men by the creator of the universe, the King of all! When God speaks, it moves our very souls, and we should take these words to heart. With that, we are told that these words can be used to teach people about everything in this world and about things not of this world. We can use these words to point out what is not from God and what is wrong in our lives and in this world. Then we can take these words and use them to correct or point to what God has always wanted for us and from us. Lastly, it is used to train in righteousness, which means to draw closer to God, to be the person that God has truly created us to be, which is someone who is holy and righteous. 
But we cannot stop there. The Bible is great for these things, but we get some amazing benefits when we know the words in this book. 

Matthew 4:4 - Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Everybody needs to eat. Without food, we have no energy, we start to feel bad inside and out, and the lack of food can make us what people refer to as “hangry,” or angry from hunger. Just like we have this need for food to nourish our bodies, we have this need for something to nourish our souls. Something that will keep us going when times in life are dark, crushing, and defeating. The harsh reality is that nothing we consume can replenish our hearts and souls, except something that is not from this world. These words right here in the Bible are known as our daily bread. It is the only thing that can truly keep us going, no matter what this life throws at us. 
This is just scratching the surface of what the Bible can do for us and what it is for. There are verses that tell us that the Word of God is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Meaning it will lead you in the right direction, but it is something only God can do. The Word of God is also alive and active. One thing that never ceases to amaze me about the Bible is that it speaks into my life no matter what I am going through, and the craziest part is that it could be a verse I have read or spoken 100 times. It reaches your heart and will teach and guide you at the perfect time. 
So again, why does John say we give away the Bible every week? If this is a sneak peek into what the Bible truly is, why would we not want everyone to have this in their hands? Why would we not want to help as many people understand who God is by giving them a book that we constantly teach, preach, and talk about? With Buckeye being a place where we can have new visitors on the regular, one thing we want to have for them when they leave is the word of God at no cost to them. God’s word is for all and can change the heart of any man, so with that, if you do not own a Bible, please take one; it is yours to keep! We will always give away the Word of God for free here at Buckeye!!