God's Favor and Our Response

God's favor is because of His love (John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, 2 John 1:1-2).  This evening I was looking through Logos and found this set of verses in a definition.  Because of the sermon @ Bethel this morning I was prompted to share.

God wants to use us.  He has provided His Spirit.  The entry said the following:


Principle: Christ’s life is reproduced in others when we take the intiative to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit

How do I not say Amen to that!  Here's the Scripture references provided:

Matthew 28:18–20 ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, ^h“All authority ⁱin heaven and on earth has been given to me. ^19 jGo therefore and ^kmake disciples of ^lall nations, ^jbaptizing them ^min^{2 n}the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them ^oto observe all that ^pI have commanded you. And behold, ^qI am with you always, to ^rthe end of the age.”  

Acts 1:8 ⁸ But you will receive ⁿpower ^owhen the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and ^pyou will be ^qmy witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and ^rSamaria, and ^sto the end of the earth.” 

Colossians 4:2–6 Further Instructions ^2 cContinue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it ^dwith thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may ^eopen to us a door for the word, ^fto declare the mystery of Christ, ^gon account of which I am in prison— ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.  ^5 hWalk in wisdom toward ⁱoutsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always ^jbe gracious, ^kseasoned with salt, ^lso that you may know how you ought to answer each person.  

When we have a God encounter, it will cause us to be available for what He wants! 

The Joy of the Lord

Where does a person find their purpose?  Maybe you should ask Matthew, Isaiah, Paul, John, Peter or Jeremiah?  God is the source of our life and gives us our purpose. Jesus challenged Matthew that if he followed Jesus, He would make him a fisher of men.  When Peter made his grand confession, "You are the Christ! The Son of the Living God", Jesus informed him of his purpose, "You are Peter, but upon this rock (his statement), I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."  Whether it was the grand call of Isaiah:  "Whom shall we call? and who will go for us?" or the hard core mission put to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-10), the purpose of believers is the same.  It's the joy of ministry.

The day after Thanksgiving is black Friday.  The Saturday after black Friday is small business Saturday. The Monday after black Friday and small business Saturday is Cyber Monday.  Money is the new Baal.  According to our culture, if you have it, you are blessed, if you don't, you are cursed.

What does the first paragraph have to do with the second?  Everything.  No matter how many decades it takes to learn it, the lesson is clear.  Money is futile, income is fleeting (Proverbs 11:28). True joy is found in Christ and His purpose for the world.

So, you're suffering from the Michael W. Smith syndrome, "looking for a reason, roaming through the night to find your place in this world".  Where do you start.

First, call on God. Pray.  Ask Him to lead you to your purpose in truth. Psalms encourages us to commit our way unto the Lord and every thought will be established.  (Psalm 37:5).

Second, read your Bible. I would encourage you to read Luke, then Acts.  The purposes of God are clear in there.

Third, ask God to bring you closer to Him. As for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-46) and watch God work in your life.

Fourth, Volunteer @ church.  There's plenty to do and you will find joy in the Lord....and your purpose.

How Can I Say Thanks?

There are so many ways to say Thank you to God.  The Psalm that follows is my favorite for a few reasons.  First, it gets the personal pronouns right.  Notice the bolded sections where the Psalmist uses the second person plural "YOU", it's directed upward, to God.  Second, while focusing on the phrases, observe how much variety, depth and love is within God toward His creation.  Third, the last verse gets the creature, the man, the Psalmist, the person in the right place.  MY is in the last verse (where it belongs) in response to who God is and what He's done! Be blessed

Psalm 145:1–21 (ESV)

¹ I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. ² Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. ³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. ⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. ⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. ⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. ⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. ⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. ⁹ The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. ¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, ¹² to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] ¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. ¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. ¹⁶ You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. ¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. ¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. ²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. ²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Fully Assured

I am currently reading a book called Against Calvinism, by Roger Olson.  I'm an Armenian.  I have another book that Zondervan sent me called Against Arminianism, by Michael Horton.  Horton wrote the preface to Against Calvinism, and Olson wrote the preface to Against Arminianism.  I'M JUST GUESSING.....but I AM GUESSING that the average churched person

DOES
NOT
CARE

Although I doubt that a truly critically thinking theologian OR Calvinist for that matter is going to be reading this blog, let me assure the reader that there is no really good way to explain Arminianism vs. Calvinism.....but let me try..... :-)

Essentially, Calvinism asserts that God is so very sovereign over all the world that he directs EVERY action of humanity including sin.  Salvation, then becomes INCREDIBLY good news because the poor lost person is not able to look up and be saved.

Arminianism, retaining the biblical mystery of the Gospel, IMHO, asserts that man can decide whether or not to be a Christian (the grace of God influences, rather than being irresistible, the decision of the believer)

The logical inference is that only those chosen for grace will get it.  This is what drives Arminians like me crazy.

Because we try to be so biblical, we know what Jesus said: "whoever believes in Him has eternal life" John 3:16

So why do I mention this?  Because its what I'm thinking about, but also because the Scripture addresses what I consider one of the crucial questions of faith development in the Scripture:

ASSURANCE

How can you KNOW that your sins are forgiven?

This is an issue for both CALVINISTS and ARMINIANS

For the Calvinist, its the assurance of salvation.  Getting the peace of God, and the Romans 8:16 sense of assurance is sufficient to confirm you are chosen (admittedly oversimplification)

For the Arminian, things are less secure, at least on the surface.  Unfortunately the Arminian insistence that one can rebel, fall away, or be come unregenerate (once regenerate) can lead to feelings of spritual insecurity.

As a child growing up in an Assemblies of God church, I regularly wondered if I were saved or not, and repented frequently.  See: The Truth in Two Verses for more on the grace of God


 Romans 8:16-17 is a powerful set of verses about this.

Another one, we encountered @ Bethel this past Wednesday night (October 3, 2012) as we concluded our study of Colossians.

Paul finishes his book much in the same way that he does in Romans 16:1-27 when he makes a greeting to fellow workers and laborers in the early church.  These passages are goldmines of truth about life and ministry in the first century church.  One in particular addresses the issue of

ASSURANCE.

It's in Colossians 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always ^wstruggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand ^xmature and fully assured in all the will of God.

Epaphras, one of the leaders is identified by Paul as not a Calvinist or Arminian, but as a servant of Christ Jesus....who always struggles on your behalf in his prayers

He was an intercessor.  This in itself is a powerful Christian activity.

Notice the content of his prayers:

that you may stand ^xmature and fully assured in all the will of God.

Thank God!  In our efforts at discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20, Titus 3:5-7, Ephesians 4:11-16) let's remember that we can PRAY FOR GOD'S ASSURANCE to rest on our disciples.  Those we minister to can have the confidence and full assurance (Romans 8:16) of faith (Hebrews 11:1)

Back to Church Sunday

When I served in Iraq, the school @ Bethel (Meadowbrook Christian School) would send me 1000 piece bags of peppermints.  I regularly visited the soldiers in our battalion (10 companies of 110-120 soldiers each all over the base of 30000 soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines). About once a month I'd take the peppermints and go from soldier to soldier handing them out, joking and making them laugh, saying: "It's National Peppermint Day!  Peppermint lovers unite to uphold the value, the flavor and the heritage of the Peppermint".  Ridiculous as it was, it worked.  It helped the soldiers smile, take their mind off the war if only for a few minutes and helped to build relationships. Those same soldiers would come see me with their problems, prayer requests and questions.  The Bible says that Jesus was a friend of sinners.  I've not completely figured out how to do that yet, but I think conversations and relationship building go a long way.

National Back to Church Sunday is September 16th

If you click the link, you can go to the special evangelical webpage that tells you all about promotional materials and training items for a special day.  It's sponsored by Lifeway and endorsed by Elmer Towns so it is outreach based.

In the next 2 weeks, churches are trying to unite.  Is it a little silly? probably.  Could it get the attention of some unchurched people and get them into church?  maybe.  Does it help to talk about it?  Absolutely.

There is a Pastor Rap video that you can purchase to use at your church.

The Wonders of Archaeology

This is just an introduction, but I'm trying to orient as many believers that are interested in the truthfulness of Scripture as supported by geography, chronology, and archaeology.  For example.  The vast archaeological site of Babylon in Iraq, is a major object lesson of truth that coincides with the accounts of the exile of the Jews in 586.  This is where Daniel, Hanani, Mishael, and Azariah actually were.  The Bible mentions Nebuchadnezzar and places him in Babylon.  If you go to Iraq (admittedly difficult to do), you can see the vast ruins of Babylon.  Today, I found this documentary about "The Mystery of Babylon" on youtube done by the Discovery channel.  Here is the link to part two, which tells about the numbers of cuneiform texts that have been excavated as of 2010 (only 2 years ago) and how many yet to be translated, and dug up.  The point is that one of these tablets is going to talk about the Jews at some point, because they were such prolific writers.  This will only add to the truthfulness of Scripture.  Click the link:  Babylon Mystery Part Two

The simple fact is this.  There is so MUCH left over from the Biblical period (4000bc-96ac) that even 2000 years after the ascension of Christ, have yet to be processed for examination and study.  There is simply too much stuff!  I'm afraid the myth of disbelief in our culture has many convinced that everything has been discovered.  It has not. The great thing is, the more that is discovered (and the last 20 years has been monumental), each time it adds to the veracity of Scripture rather than takes away from it.

I'm reminded of what Paul said to Timothy in 64 AD as they were spreading the Gospel around the known world:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,  a worker  who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

I've wondered what would Irenaus, Augustine, Jerome, Erasmus, Luther, the Wesleys, Finney, Larkin, Ironside have done if they would have had the tools we have today.

May we be faithful in doing our best to rightly divide the word of Truth

New Bible Tools for Everyone

I'm thrilled to post this information today, because I believe that the Lord is doing amazing things through His Church.  Today I found a site that is an amazing gateway to quality resources for Christian faith. Check out the link.

As you know I'm a fan of Bible Software. Here is the latest post on it. There is Accordance for the Mac, Logos for the PC and Mac, as well as Wordsearch (pc and mac) and Biblesoft. (pc).  There is also a free software for mac and pc called e-sword.  I believe that ANY way you study the Bible is a good way.

What I'm so excited about, however, is this Tyndale site that is devoted to creating an online presence for everyone to study the Bible for free, at any level they choose. In an age when we are flooded with negative information, I want to remind that God's Church is advancing.  The fact is, you don't know what you don't know.  We have to be proactive in studying to show ourselves approved so we can answer those who have questions.  Here is what is at this site:

A new video about evidences for eyewitnesses of Jesus.
An instructional video about their software project.
Cutting edge biblical and theological research.
and more.

One more thing.  The Republicans have nominated a Mormon as their candidate for President.  I'm not writing to tell you who to vote for, but I think you need to understand that the Mormon religion is NOT Christian.  I share this in Old Testament class, because the Mormon Bible doesn't have maps, and the video illustrates the importance of geography to build our confidence in the truthfulness of the Bible.  Enough about that, here is my Mormon resource blog.  What is so interesting, is there is a scholar in the "Bible vs. Book of Mormon video" (see blog link), who is quite articulate.   Dr. Peter Williams is the warden of Tyndale house.  The videos below from the Tyndale site, feature these lectures he did in Houston.  I found them entertaining and informative.  Enjoy!

Dr. Peter Williams.

Or watch this one about the Resurrection

We Do Not Want You Uninformed

Here is an interesting phrase that is found in the New Testament.  I remember learning once the reach of ignorance. That is, "you don't know what you don't know".  Today I was reading a blog on www.accordancebible.com where a command within their software helps you locate similar phrases throughout the Bible.  Its the INFER command.  So I followed the instructions in this new software that I'm learning, and (enjoying by the way).  I put in one of my favorite Bible passages as the base text.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  This is the "Blessed Hope" passage in the Assemblies of God doctrines.  What that report produced was amazing.  Here is the passage:

1Th. 4:13   But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep,  that you may not grieve as others do  who have no hope.  14 For  since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him  those who have fallen asleep.  15 For this we declare to you  by a word from the Lord,  that  we who are alive, who are left until  the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  16 For  the Lord himself will descend  from heaven  with a cry of command, with the voice of  an archangel, and  with the sound of the trumpet of God. And  the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be  caught up together with them  in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so  we will always be with the Lord.  18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. 


Here are the results in the rest of the Bible compared with the phrases in that passage:

Psa. 47:5    God  has gone up with a shout,

the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. 

Jer. 23:20  The anger of the LORD will not turn back

until he has executed and  accomplished

the intents of his heart.

  In the latter days you will understand it clearly. 

Jer. 30:24  The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back

until he has executed and accomplished

the intentions of his mind.

  In the latter days you will understand this. 

Jer. 44:16 “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD,  we will not listen to you. 

Acts 13:18 And for about  forty years  he put up with  them in the wilderness. 

Rom. 11:25    Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:   a partial hardening has come upon Israel,  until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 

1Cor. 10:1   For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,  that our fathers were all under  the cloud, and all  passed through the sea, 

1Cor. 12:1   Now  concerning  spiritual gifts,  brothers,  I do not want you to be uninformed. 

1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who  have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 

1Cor. 15:20   But in fact  Christ has been raised from the dead,  the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

2Cor. 1:8   For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,  of  the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers,  until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives  the early and the late rains.  

Here are the powerful inferences you can gain from this kind of search.

1.  References to Similar Concepts.

In this case, the phrase "I do not want you to be" shows up in Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 10:1, 1 Corinthians 12:1, 

You can infer based on these three passages that there was an intentionality in the apostle that was passionate about making sure either the Romans, the Corinthians, or the Thessalonians, were aware of the details of his message.  They needed to know! They needed to be informed.  It inspires critical thinking. As a professor friend of mine is known for saying before he enters the classroom: "I'm going to stomp out ignorance".  We should be so encouraged in our discipleship efforts in the local church. They need to know the details of the Gospel.  They need to understand the power of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

I'm particularly thrilled to be reminded of this phrase in 1 Corinthians 12:1

1Cor. 12:1   Now  concerning  spiritual gifts,  brothers,  I do not want you to be uninformed. 

Glory to God! We need to know about the gifts of the Spirit!  We should not be uninformed about it!  Make disciples!  

2.  Reinforcement of Doctrinal Truths

Last night at church, I happened to be teaching on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. I mentioned that in the Assemblies of God, we believe that 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 is a more specific description of what is taking place in the rapture description of 1 Thessalonians 4:12-18.  What is so amazing about the Accordance INFER command, is the result that it produced.

1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who  have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 

1Cor. 15:20   But in fact  Christ has been raised from the dead,  the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

When you look at the context of 1 Corinthians 15:18-20, you discover Paul's extensive treatment of the Christian doctrine of the Resurrection.  He then will continue through that passage until in culminates in his victorious statements in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.

The point is that the discussion of those who have fallen asleep in Christ is not a random reference.  On the contrary, its a well-developed theology of death that excludes the notion of soul sleep  and affirms the eschatological reality of resurrection!  More than that, the final resurrection of the redeemed in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 which is our Blessed Hope!

Which leads us to our final hit in the INFER command:

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers,  until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives  the early and the late rains.  

Glory to His Name.  Jesus is coming back.  We should be patient in the midst of our trials, temptations, struggles, and victories that there will come the ultimate day when the harvest of souls will come in.

May the Lord bless you as you think about, pray, and study the word of God, in context, so that you will be workman that does not need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY dividing the word of truth.

For Those Who Have Questions.

There are many different stages on the journey of faith. This blog is for those who are not yet believers but want to have more information.  It's my prayer that in your questions about God, you will discover Him and His love for you.  So, for those who are asking questions about becoming a Christian.  It may seem like there's too much to learn or its too complicated.  Let me try to be simple.

1. There is only one God.  You and I are fortunate, that one God is all powerful, knows everything, and loves people immensely.
2.  There is this problem called sin. It started in the human race with Adam and Eve, who lived in paradise, but disobeyed God and introduced sin into the human race.  We inherited the sin problem.
3. Sin separates us from God.  If you feel guilty about some things you've done in the past, it's probably related to sin.  It's evil and life controlling.  Human behavior is tarnished by sin in everyone.
4. Because God is completely good, He can't allow sin in His presence, thus it separates us completely.
5. Since sin separates us from God, we have to find out what to do about it.  
6. There are NO righteous activities, such as prayer, giving, Bible reading, or self-sacrifice that can fix the sin problem.  We were born sinners.  This is urgent because if we die in our sin, we will go to hell because we rejected the love of God.
7. There is good news. God is ahead of us. He has provided a way to break the power of sin.  
8. God has a Son, whose name is Jesus.  He has always existed, like His Father, and He came to earth as a human to die on our behalf so He could break the power of sin. 
9. Jesus died.  His death was the final and all-time sacrifice for the sins of mankind. His death paid the price so that the power of sin could be broken. He also came back to life three days later, proving that He really was the son of God.  He has gone into heaven and is alive today, offering anyone who believes in Him forgiveness from sin and life forever and forever.
10.  Belief in Jesus Christ, to stand in our place before God, in His righteousness, is the only way our sins can be forgiven.
11. The way you express that belief is by praying to Jesus Christ, asking for forgiveness, stating your belief in His resurrection (coming back to life) and confessing that you want Him in your life.
12. After you become a Christian, your values will change and you will start to care about the things God cares about.

When you die, you will go to heaven, paradise forever and forever.

You will always have questions.  The biggest question is, who are you going to trust your life to while you seek the answers to questions?  Bring your questions to Christ.

Come Unto Me

The Bible is a unique and wonderful book.  It tells us essential information about God not available anywhere else!  Why is this so?  Because it's God's book.  He is the author! He is the One who made caused the content to make it happen.  One thing in particular I want to mention is how unique the word of God is compared to other literature.  In the first century, Homer wrote the Illiad and the Oddyssey.  His fans made copies of his works.  To date there are around 400 copies of Homer's work, (from the first century), Scripture on the other hand, was copied (by hand) close to 20000 times in the first 100 years after Jesus.  There is no comparison.  It's because of the power in the message of Scripture.

Today in my devotions, I came across this quote (1) from Augustine. It's a reference to Matthew 11:28

I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are very wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy burdened.”

—St. Augustine

Glory to God!  The words of Jesus, to draw us in, to bring us close in relationship to Him.  Jesus did not come to the earth to get rich, famous, or gain power.  He had it all before He came (Philippians 2:1-18), but He came to redeem us!  He came to call us to Himself.  Scripture can be trusted.  

When I hear or read the phrase "Come Unto Me", I'm often reminded of the great hymn by Charles Price Jones (hint, click on his name and be taken to a site that talks about the writer and the songs he has written)

May the words of this song bless you today:

 Hear the blessèd Savior calling the oppressed,

“O ye heavy laden, come to Me and rest.
Come, no longer tarry, I your load will bear,
Bring Me every burden, bring Me every care.”

Refrain

Come unto Me, I will give you rest;
Take My yoke upon you, hear Me and be blessed.
I am meek and lowly, come and trust My might.
Come, My yoke is easy, and My burden’s light.

Are you disappointed, wandering here and there,
Dragging chains of doubt and loaded down with care?
Do unholy feelings struggle in your breast?
Bring your case to Jesus—He will give you rest.

Stumbling on the mountains dark with sin and shame,
Stumbling toward the pit of hell’s consuming flame.
By the powers of sin deluded and oppressed,
Hear the tender Shepherd, “Come to Me and rest.”

Have you by temptation often conquered been,
Has a sense of weakness brought distress within?
Christ will sanctify you, if you’ll claim His best.

In the Holy Spirit, He will give you rest.2

---

 1. (Osbeck, Kenneth W. Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, p 177. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1996.)


2, http://nethymnal.org/bio/j/o/n/jones_cp.htm

Thanking God Constantly

How exactly do you do that?  I'm not completely sure, it's like the Scripture "praying without ceasing" (or stopping) 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  If you've ever struggled with perfection or legalism, you wondered how to pray all the time.  Our mentors and pastors always assured us "be in an attitude of prayer"....My conclusion today is that it is a work of the Spirit.  Paul alluded to this in Romans 8:26.  In the passage that I'm reading today, this idea of thanking God constantly was burned into my mind, I think, by the Spirit.  Today @ Bethel, we heard of one offering going to one of our Sunday School teachers, (going on a missions trip summer) and they were so thankful.  An hour later, another family (Sunday School teacher, children's pastor, worship team member, and youth) who is going on a missions trip stepped into my office and declared with joy:  "We have raised everything we need".  To God Be the Glory!!!!  Why?  Not just for faithful vessels willing to be used of God, but a giving church (and others who don't go to our church) that are sensitive to the Lord and make provision for His people.  There is a lost world and its a beautiful site when the church and the workers both testify to the grand provision of God!  I think the songwriter was right on when he said "I long so much, to feel the touch, of His consuming power, to be used of God! It's my desire".  So then I ran across this verse and wanted to encourage you today to stop, look around and thank God for His faithfulness....in your church, in your family, and the WORK He has called us to!  The KEY is in the attitude present in this verse.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)

¹³ And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

To God Be the Glory! Bethel is a serving, giving, and growing Church.

New and Living

Bible reading and knowledge has sunk to a new low according to a recent article from the American Bible Society.  Hebrews 4:12 tells us, however that the word of God is living and active.  We have to decide to take the steps to read, think, and understand what God has said to us through His word.  This coming semester at SAGU, I'm going to have the privilege again of joining my Bible teacher, (and boss), :-) Dr. Leroy Bartel, in teaching the course Bible Study.  This is a required course of all students that enter @ sagu because we believe that God has called them all into ministry.  The course is a simple, although challenging introduction into the world of Bible Study.  Students will be taught the different types of literature, and the right questions to ask of the text when they come to the word of God.  This is important not just for college students but everyone who wants to know what Scripture is saying.  In our textbook, (I'm currently reviewing the latest edition), the authors talk about a "principalizing bridge" that gets the reader from the "then and there" of the biblical world, to the "here and now" of the current day.

One approach I use to stay aware of God's word is to have a daily reading plan.  Last year I finished the ESV (it took me 3 years because I like to highlight and underline when I read).  This time I've set my reading plan on the New Living Translation.  Wow. We're talking about some fun reading.
For a sample, click here.

If you recall the Living Bible, the NLT fits in that category according to most who compare translations.  Here is what the editors of the New Living Translation have to say about their version.

We believe that the New Living Translation—which combines the latest biblical scholarship with a clear, dynamic writing style—will communicate God’s word powerfully to all who read it. We publish it with the prayer that God will use it to speak his timeless truth to the church and the world in a fresh, new way.

The Publishers, July 2004

Discover something new.  Try reading the word of God in a different version.  It's the same Spirit that inspired it, just a different translation.

Book Recommendation: Spirit Rising

I rarely recommend a book other than the Bible.  I received it in the mail as a gift and so I guess they were thinking if I read it, (the publisher that is) I would recommend it.  I guess you could say I'm "partially" recommending it because I've only read 3 chapters.  I'm a fan of what God is doing through the Brooklyn Tabernacle under the ministry of Jim Cymbala.  He is just a man so I'm not advertising him.  I do want to mention His book.  Here is where you can get it on Amazon: Spirit Rising: Tapping into the Power of the Holy Spirit

Why? Do you ask? Would I reccomend a book that I've only read part of?  Because I'm excited about it and it takes me years to finish books (some books I never finish).  This one is blessing me and I didn't want you to miss out on it.  Or wait 5 years until I finished it. :-)

If there's false teaching later in the book I'll be surprised (and I'll tell you)

Here is a quote that Bro. Cymbala uses from Charles Finney about the Holy Spirit. Cymbala says that Finney mentions three key points about the Holy Spirit.

1.  Jesus Promised the Spirit's Fullnes (Acts 1:8)
2.  Scripture Commands Christians to Be Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
3.  The Fullness of the Spirit is a Necessity in Our Lives (John 15:5) pp. 41- 42.

So far, I'm agreeing with just about everything in this book.  I certainly affirm that the Holy Spirit wants to fill every believer (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-46). I am also concerned that the believing church is flirting with the Devil and living way below the power available to them.  If you don't read this book, at least read the Bible and ask God to develop in you a hunger for more of Him.

One more Scripture.  John 7:37-39 gives Jesus's public proclamation of what the Spirit would give.

Bible Software for You

Bible Software for You.

I’ve just learned some new features on my MAC for Logos Bible Software.  Those updates are later down in the blog.  The time I spend working and learning Bible software is useful because it reminds me to look for it in other platforms.  The result is, there is value in ANY Bible software you use.  This post can’t be exhaustive as there are many good products out there. 

First.  I’m not going to talk about online study systems.  Check for another post on that. If you follow my analysis on facebook, you might think me a bit neurotic about Bible Software.  I’ve used PC Study Bible, Logos version 3, PC Study Bible, Logos version 4, Wordsearch version 9, Logos version 4, and Accordance version 9.  ALL of them are great pieces of software.  Although Accordance is native to the MAC and loaded with features, I’ve landed back with Logos for two reasons.  First.  The resources.  I’ve spent years developing a Logos library, and the world is turning digital.  Second.  The features.  While Accordance is slap out faster than Logos, and it has an intuitive interface that is relatively easy to use, Logos is more systemic.  You can see the big picture in Logos and the wordprocessing interface shortcuts, devotions, resource associations, clippings, notes, and library organization keeps Logos  above the competition. The end game is as many blogs declare, what do you want the software to do for you?   I’m a sucker for new features.  You can be sure I’ll watch the videos and read the reviews as version 10 for Accordance and version 5 for Logos comes out.

How do you choose the right kind of Bible Software? That completely depends on YOU.  If you’re the type of person that likes books and lots of them, you proabably want Logos.  If you are a MAC person and it’s all about cool and functional  AND you haven’t invested any $$ in a software and want to build a digital library….better go with Accordance.

If you are a PC only person.  Logos is your thing.  If budget is an issue and you don’t care about features….Wordsearch is where you get the most for your money.

For those who really want the drill down between Logos and Accordance, check out the previous blog I did when reviewing Accordance.

Here are the latest tips.

First.  In Logos for PC you can drag and drop any selected text from your word-processor. This is a tremendous time saver.  As Logos is fond of saying, the software is a time-machine.

Second, In Logos for MAC, you can simply click right arrow or left arrow to move between resources (great for devotions).  In addition, when you have Copy Bible verses open and your Bible, you can highlight the biblical passage AND IT WILL automatically update the copy Bible verss section.  This looks like a hidden feature to me, maybe they have forgotten that its that convenient to copy Bible verses.  Of course once its in the panel, you just tell it where you want the text to go:  word, pages, powerpoint, keynote, etc.

Back to the MAC, Check out these Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac on the WIKI page.

One I just learned today was Option-Command-L which puts your curser in the Command bar from wherever you are on the page.  If you do this several times in a row, on different layouts, it will become natural for you and speed up your study.

Logos or Accordance? That's Up to You

I'm a  long time Logos user.  I recently reviewed Accordance and loved it.  Here is the result of my review.  As you can see when you read it, I discovered things along the way. This is the thing about the software you choose:  Does it help you do your job?  If not, is it entertaining? Does it draw you into the word of God or distract you from it?  However YOU learn is the issue.

Things I like about Accordance right away

1. The program loads instantaneously once installed.

2.Easy to manipulate how scripture is displayed (text size, hide verses, version, and FONT!!)

Resources:   Fire Bible!, Life Application Study Bible, Archaeological Study Bible, Thompson Chain available!

3.  Speed

4.  More Mac shortcuts, possibly more intuitive.

Once you are in “readings” its nice that the visual filters are automatic

Resource palette, toggle on/off good thing

5. Forces you to focus “around” Scripture….takes time getting used to.

6. Customizability of Highlights,

7. merge notes

8. Command-U for starting a note. (but not in a non-Bible)

9. “Reference List” looks promising, can’t drag selection over, but can click to add to it. (still trying to see if I can look up cross-references) ß-separate cross-reference resources accomplish this??????

10. Outlines track with 2 versions quickly

11. The Accordance widget is awesome.

Things I don’t like

Cryptic getting to devotional reading, should be a icon for it, It’s under “Window” very misleading

Need more devotional resources like: Amazing Grace and My Utmost for His Highest

Can they be “looked up”? with one keystroke (already looked up in separate cross-ref resource)

There is no bibliographic info available within each “window” concerning each resource. (OK, found it by right clicking in resource and looking at “about this resource”)

   Can you make a note in a commentary? Podcast said yes, but when I click command-u in matthew henry it didn’t work, but did within a Bible.

Things it does like Logos does.

Arrange workspace

Save workspace

Greek/Hebrew analysis

quick word study, (paradigm is different)

Syntactical analysis.

Library search in any category is similar to searching/arranging in Logos library….

“My Groups” in Library is like “collections” in logos.

Things Logos does that Accordance does not….as far as I can see

Right click on a word and do an instant word study, then click the translation ring and see verse list of all occurences, click the English lemma and see verse list of all English occurences

·      “search this resource”

·      power lookup

·      drag and drop shortcuts

·      close all

·      Works across all platforms/ PC/MAC

·      Numbers of resources, although one could argue that  quality/cost is an issue.

·      Online webpage that serves as software if you login with license credentials (biblia.com, faithlife study Bible)

·      Easy to see what’s in packages/cost with Logos, cryptic in Accordance

·      Copy Bible verses, passage lists, shortcuts, customizable reading plans (even for regular books), prayer lists (with notes/answers to prayers etc)

·      When you type a reference in a note, it hyperlinks automatically (have to turn it on in Accordance)

·      Shortcuts that copy verses into powerpoint,

·      Clippings

·      Is there a way to clear the desktop with one keystroke?

·      Verse reference auto-parsing at bottom as well as all hyperlinks pop-up

What I noticed/learned after full install and working with program.

1.    After installing full program and spending 3^rd hour right clicking words, dictionary, etc.  Parsing tool is best I have EVER seen across Logos, Wordsearch, and PC study Bible (used Logos for 5 years, wordsearch for 4 mos. PC study for 4 years)

2.    Speed is fantastic, does not seem to wane with multiple tiles/windows/modules open, (this does severely affect speed in logos)

3.    Net Notes….cross-references by chapter that track with any ASV….very nice and very interesting..??? do they track with any version?

4.    I’m having the same experience I have with Logos, when I learn what it does, it makes me want more and better resources (illustrating how detailed training events/resources help keep interest in program)

Questions

1. Is there a way when you move curser in greek for it to show up with corresponding English when 2 Bibles are side by side?

UPDATED SHORTCUT!!!!!  THIS MAKES IT EXCEED LOGOS AGAIN! IN FUNCTIONALITY

CTRL-SHFT + or - will cycle through your list of bibles dictionaries, etc ...

CTRL-SHFT 1 through 0 specifies specific bible / dictionary tool etc...

CTRL + or - will cycle the search window's text

CTRL 1-0 will select a specific text as your search text bible

It is all based on what the selected workspace / tab you have selected as to what the commands do. 

8. There is a “reference box” that essentially works like Logos “send all hyperlinks here” window, I’m no sure how to turn it on and off

9. Just discovered that highlights apply to EVERY VERSION!  Logos doesn’t do it, this is a long sought after feature.  

10,I like the compare texts in parallel panes by checking on the compare checkbox. In particular, the markings are great that show differences.

11. The Tool Tab is clear and functional.  I didn’t notice it until I go on p. 26 of the handout.

12.  Timelines.  I like  the customizability of it along with its integration to resources. The conservative/critical button is also helpful. I like the fact that you can double-click within the Bible and go straight to the timeline, then “amplyify” to a Bible dictionary on the biblical character/place

Summary Thoughts

I know I have to keep working in Logos due to resources/devotionals/reading plans until I can acquire more accordance resources.  As an Army Chaplain I relied on Biblesoft on my laptop.  Returning from Iraq the Logos people gave all Army Chaplains Scholar’s library. I began to see the importance of complete integration with library, devotions, etc.  Wordsearch reminded me that speed is an issue along with what you can do with printing/saving your work.  Logos is on the cutting edge with biblia.com, faithlife, reftagger, power lookup, and volumes of resources.  One functional problem for many, as with print books, is it could take a lifetime to acquire the resources. I’m continuing to discover the value of on-going training.  I’ve discovered from going to two different “Camp Logos” that  “you don’t know what you don’t know”. Accordance appears to have two things in mind:  the Bible and the user.  

UPDATE:  4/4/2012

In Accordance

Are there shortcuts for pasting verses into pages/word with keystrokes such as shift-command-j for copy bible verses and shift-command-e from within pages?

YOU CAN DRAG AND DROP FROM ACCORDANCE INTO PAGES!