'''INTRODUCTION'''
VOLUME ONE
INTRODUCTION
by David C. Pack
This is the first volume of a special series. These books truly represent ;THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.; Many have attempted to write various kinds of ;Bible Story Books,; but they are usually written only for children, and are primarily designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire. The reader will see that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God's Word, with its intended lessons and vital meaning.
Most children's versions of the Bible terribly misrepresent important stories that it contains—and they are written with wrong emphasis—and wrong meaning!
Instead of leading children to the true God, and to the true doctrines of His Word, children are left with the impression that the Bible only contains a few stories, and is mostly a book about war, violence, blood, thunder and death.
This is terribly wrong! In keeping with the modern generation's obsession with graphic violence, most efforts to reflect the teachings of the Bible ;play; to this interest. Youth are given what they want to read, not what they need to understand. The many stories of the Bible are intended to teach VITAL LESSONS to people of all ages.
Modern writers miss the mark when they cater to children, rather than properly teach them what God intends.
If young people learn the Bible in a wrong way—with emphasis on the wrong things, while ignoring the enormous number of lessons that the Bible contains—at least two bad things result.
First, all these wrong concepts and approaches must be unlearned and replaced by right knowledge and understanding of what the Bible really says.
Unlearning error is a most difficult thing to do, and is actually far harder than learning the truth correctly the first time, leaving no need to sweep the mind clean of what has been wrong or misunderstood.
Second, young people will later find the stories of the Bible have been trivialized and made irrelevant, and they may find themselves turned off by its message rather than being excited and thrilled about what they are learning.
The modern system of education is morally and spiritually bankrupt!
Deluded educators have been biased against God and His Word by the atheistic teaching of evolution poured into them from childhood. They have taught young people for decades that there are ;no absolutes; and that they must fol-low ;situation ethics.; They have led the world into a kind of secular humanism—where people are driven by how they feel rather than clear definitions of right and wrong! But there is right and wrong in life—and those who are teaching the children of this world have cut themselves off from this knowledge (Isaiah 59:1-2). They cannot teach what they were never taught!
Also, this world's churches keep young people steeped in traditional pagan philosophies and teachings that have deceived the world for millennia. They have ignored the great spiritual principle of CAUSE and EFFECT that governs every aspect of life. They have neglected to teach true spiritual values. They have defaulted their responsibility in all the critical areas of leadership—and have utterly failed in their greatest responsibility, which should have been to instil in young minds the marvellous truths of God's Word—to teach youth how to live, not just how to earn a living.
This is a tragic state of affairs!
Many who attempt to study the Bible become confused, frustrated and disillusioned, believing that it is too difficult to understand. As a result, many who would seek to teach their children true Christian standards and values, either give up altogether or leave such education to the many theological ;experts,; who offer no end of differing—and conflicting—views.
Such an approach only serves to further confuse young people about the Bible, thus, in many cases, alienating them from it. But those who truly seek to understand God's Word, without adding their own interpretation (II Peter 1:20), will find that there is simplicity in it (II Corinthians 11:3).
Children need to be taught this simplicity! They need to know who and what they are—and why they were born—that they are future sons of God in the making!
You were born for a reason. Your life has a SUPREME PURPOSE! The Bible reveals how to be in harmony with the true God—and His purpose for life. The world is ignorant of this. So are most parents. They have no idea how or what to teach their children. No one is guiding parents, because no one knows how to guide them. Sadly, though the Bible is a gripping, interesting—even fascinating— book of true stories (all part of one great story), most find it dull, dry and boring.
This series is written to completely change this misconception in the minds of people of all ages! It uses language designed to expand your mind through the use of word pictures. Our goal has been to make the Bible real—to make it talk directly to parents and children. With only a little explanation, parents will be able to read these volumes to children as young as age three.
In today's world, youth are universally misguided, abused, neglected and ignored and this fuels a variety of rampant, escalating social problems. This is because society as a whole has rejected the SOURCE of true happiness, success, peace and fulfilment—GOD;S WORD. As King Solomon admonished, ;Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it; (Proverbs 22:6).
How many are even attempting to do this today?
Many true doctrines of God were restored to His Church in the middle of the 20th century. By the 1990s, they had largely been discarded by its new leaders.
Part of our commission is to once again ;restore what was restored; and to continue to ;turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; (Malachi 4:6). The Restored Church of God has completely restored all God's doctrines to the Church!
Under the faithful leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), various Church youth programs were established as part of the fulfilment of this important responsibility. These included the Y.O.U. program (Youth Opportunities United—for teens), and the Y.E.S. program (Youth Educational Services—for young children). There was also a Summer Educational Program (S.E.P.), providing teenagers with the opportunity to fellowship with other teens and develop many skills and talents in a camp environment.
There was also much youth-oriented literature, offered to the young people of God's Church. These included a Youth magazine for teenagers, Youth Bible Lessons for children from kindergarten through sixth grade—and The Bible Story series.
Children are far too precious to ignore or neglect. While parents must utilize the tools that are available to them, they cannot do this if these tools have not been created.
As the only true extension of Mr. Armstrong's ministry, The Restored Church of God is re-creating these same written tools—as well as the magazines, books, booklets, articles and letters that once taught the full truth of God to millions around the world.
This series is being rewritten—with new volumes to appear on a regular basis—to once again make the Bible simple, so that the stories in it come to life! But these volumes are not just for children! It is our hope that parents and children alike will enjoy and benefit from them. Its forerunner was a six-volume work, once described as ;written for children 5 to 105.; The original series is no longer available—but this new one is!
The vast universe is made up of a countless sea of galaxies, stars, planets, moons, asteroids, comets and many other heavenly bodies.
These were all created by God.
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