Why So Many Versions?

These are a couple of good resources for the question “Why so many Bible versions?” by Dr. Daniel Wallace…

Audio quicktime mov file

Html Article 

So let’s find out…Which is your primary/preferred version? And, why?

Secular Press and the Bible Market

The ESV Blog has pointed out a few secular publications that are doing articles on the U.S. Bible market. There are some interesting things in the articles. Perhaps even more interesting is the question of why secular publications are starting to talk about the Bible market.

Verse to Consider

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Ps 127:1, ESV)

I love how this verse speaks of God both as the builder and the protector. One aspect is that without God building and protecting is in vain. But the other aspect is that what God builds He will protect!

Busy making preparations vs. necessity

Every Christmas season, my mind is drawn to the account of Martha & Mary - 2 sisters blessed by a visit from Jesus in their home (Luk 10.38-42).  It’s not a typical “Christmas” passage of Scripture but it is very instructive for those who celebrate Christmas.

Martha was frantically making preparations to serve Jesus and became annoyed that Mary wasn’t helping -but was sitting around listening to Jesus.

Doesn’t that characterize the struggle for those who chose to participate in Christmas celebrations?  We’re all so busy making preparations- including the church - in special activities, services, etc. that we neglect the “one thing [that] is necessary” - sitting at the Master’s feet and listening to Him (Luke 10.42). The problem is compounded further when we realize so much of our busyness at Christmas isn’t even due to serving Jesus - but rather ourselves & in some cases, others!

If you chose to celebrate Christmas, how do you avoid being “distracted with much serving (or in our case ‘celebrating’)” (Luke 10.40) and choosing the “good portion” of listening to Jesus (Luke 10.42, 39)?

IE7 & Libronix Bible Software Conflict

I use Libronix Bible software.  It’s great stuff!

 If you update to Internet Explorer 7, you may experience some difficulties with results windows (passage guide, search results, etc.).

 To fix this problem, go to this link:

www.logos.com/support/article/1055

God’s Glory in Creation

The Valley of Vision includes these words: “The universe with all its myriad creatures is thine, made by thy word, upheld by thy power, governed by thy will.  But thou art also the Father of mercies, the God of all grace, the bestower of all comfort, the protector of the saved.”

 I’ve been on vacation the past week.  I took three of our teenaged children hunting in the woods of north-western PA.  I really enjoy hunting - although I’m not even close to the “great white hunter.”  Hunting affords me time to relish peacefully in God’s wonderful creation.

Sitting in the woods, I marveled at several things.  First, I marveled at God’s awesome power that He brought forth all that exists by the power of His word!  From the tiny insect on the forest floor, to the falling leaves, to the heavenly expanse - all that exists bears witness to the greatness of God who brought all into being merely by speaking!

Second, I was amazed at God’s greatness in sustaining His creation.  Whenever hunting, I’m reminded of God’s care for His creation as He expressed to Job: “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite fo the young lions, when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket? Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander aobut for lack of food? Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?”  God is so great that He provides food for the animals & watches over their young.

 Creation declares the glory of God and I am so grateful to have experienced this with my children this week.  No, we didn’t shoot anything - we didn’t even see any deer - but we saw & learned so much more!

 Now - taking 3 teenagers in the woods with loaded rifles - there’s an illustration of faith in there somewhere!

Need of grace

This line from the Valley of Vision captured me this morning:

“Return again with showers of converting grace to a poor gospel-abusing sinner.  Help my soul to breath after holiness, after a constant devotedness to thee, after growth in grace more abundantly every day.”

May the Lord turn us from our gospel-abusing ways and help us as individuals and the Church to pursue holiness, constant devotion, and growth in grace more abundantly every day.  May our pray echo the longing of Isaiah 64:

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,

     ^     that the mountains might quake at your presence—

²      as when fire kindles brushwood

          and the fire causes water to boil—

^     to make your name known to your adversaries,

          and that the nations might tremble at your presence!

^{3 }     When you did awesome things that we did not look for,

          you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is 64:1-3.

The Strange Struggle

‘The Valley of Vision’ is a collection of Puritan prayers that I’ve been using in my devotions.  The prayer I used today expresses so well the strange struggle believers wrestle with: as one grows in Christ, he/she becomes more aware of his/her sinfulness.  Isn’t that stange?  One would think that after being a believer for many years there would actually be less sin to repent of!  Such a mindset reveals a misunderstanding  of our own sin & robs us of influences that should drive us to Christ.

But this strange struggle we face is a pain we should truly welcome.  For as one’s awareness of his/her sin deepens so does his/her appreciation of the cross and the grace of Christ that sustains us and gives us strength to combat sin.  The often used quote should not lose its impact on us: he has not thought much of grace who thinks little of sin.

 As the Puritan prayer so aptly states:

“The memory of my great sins, my many temptations, my falls,

   bring afresh into my mind the remembrance

       of thy great help, of thy support from heaven,

       of the great grace that saved such a wretch as I am.

There is no treasure so wonderful

   as that continuous experience of thy grace toward me

       which alone can subdue the risings of sin within:

Give me more of it.”