What is the most significant acquisition you have ever made? Has any purchase fundamentally change in your life? Well, I have a story to share. Back in the summer of 1969 (sounds like the lyrics to a great Motown song!), I bought an inexpensive Bible for $1.65 and that purchase profoundly changed my life.

And for the last 49 years or so, I have been trying to convince folks that the Bible really is a remarkable book. It’s not the leather cover, or the red-letter words or the tons of notes smattered throughout the books that make it special. No, it’s the fact that it is a personal love letter from God Almighty to me!

But to the uninformed or uninterested, presenting the Bible, as something special is often a tough sale.

I had an opportunity to do just that this past week, and I thought I might pass along some of my notes. Maybe they will help you convince a friend or co-worker that it really is a remarkable book!

Consider the consistency in the writing. Writers wrote the 66 different books from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. Some were educated, many not. They wrote over a span of 1500 years, from three different continents and used three different languages.

And yet, there is one continuous story line, one hero, and one focus-the Lord Jesus Christ. No other book in human history has this kind of amazing background. The continuity of the book makes it remarkable.

The fulfilled prophecies blow me away. There are over 2000 prophecies in the Bible and about 350 of them specifically refer to Jesus. (Consider Ps. 22:16-hands and feet would be pierced; Micah 5:2-to be born in Bethlehem; Zech. 11:12-13-would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver and on it goes.) The probability of even 8 of them coming to pass is 1 in 10 to the 17^th power.

It is definitely not likely that all those prophecies would be fulfilled, but they were. It is truly a remarkable book.

Our Bible is not a science textbook, but every time it speaks of a scientific matter, it is accurate. It told us that the earth is round about 2000 years before the explorers figured it out (Isa. 40:22). It told us about the importance of human blood in Lev. 17:11. Too bad that the blood letters of the Middle Ages didn’t figure that one out. Sure is an amazing book.

We have so many partial and complete copies of the Old and New Testament that we can very accurately verify the careful transmission of the text. Truth is, we could reconstruct most of the New Testament just by looking at the writings from other authors as they quote the Bible. It is quite a book!

So next time, you have the opportunity to share how Christ has changed your life, consider giving your friend or loved one a Bible.  I can assure you that $1.65 purchase changed my life, it might change theirs as well!