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September 4, 2014 By Ryan Nelson   |   6 Comments

Get the New and Improved Bible Screen App—Free!

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Like Verse of the Day? Now you can see all Verse of the Day slides on the Bible Screen mobile app!

Bible Screen has produced over 700 free Verse of the Day slides to encourage, challenge, and inspire believers all over the world.

Each slide offers a visual representation of a different Bible verse, created by professional designers. Each slide is as unique as the verse it was inspired by.

And now, you can easily browse through every Verse of the Day slide.

The wallpaper feature lets you save your favorite verse as your background, or share it with your friends straight to Facebook, Twitter, or email.

Verse of the Day 2014-08-12

Tired of images that don’t fit your screen?

On the Bible Screen app, you can select “Fits My Device” from the wallpaper feature. This lets you limit the image list to Verse of the Day slides that are specifically sized to fit your device. The app even has images designed for perspective zoom on iOS 7!

Bible Screen is constantly adding new images and modifying existing images to fit even more devices, so you’re always getting more amazing Bible art.

The app also comes loaded with multi-verse videos, providing artistic representations of well-known passages, available with or without background music.

When we’re busy, it’s hard to find time to pause and reflect on Scripture. When the Word of God is this available, any time is enough time.

Download the free Bible Screen app, and let God’s Word inspire you.

Filed Under: Community of Faith Tagged With: bible art, bible passages, bible verses, bible videos, scripture, verse of the day

August 26, 2014 By Ryan Nelson   |   3 Comments

Like Bible Verses? Wear Them!

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Choose from eight stylish Verse of the Day T-shirts.

In April, Logos revealed the first ever Verse of the Day T-shirts.

By popular demand, they’ve designed even more. Each shirt carries a simple reminder of a powerful truth found in Scripture, readily visible to you, and anyone you meet.

Check out the new shirts:

44848

Love bears all things

1 Corinthians 13:7

Pre-order it for 13.95!

From the FSB on 1 Corinthians 13:7:

“‘Bears all things’ involves enduring difficulties, and even taking on (spiritually) the difficulty of others.”

44847

Take heart

John 16:33

Pre-order it for $13.95!

From the FSB on John 16:33:

“Jesus has overcome the powers of darkness through His death and resurrection. He proclaims this now because He has already healed people and driven out demons, proving He is able to overpower what people consider unmovable forces. Jesus makes this claim like it has already happened because He is confident in His prophetic proclamation that He will rise again after suffering and dying for the sins of God’s people.”

44844

Beauty for ashes

Isaiah 61:3

Pre-order it for 13.95!

From the FSB on Isaiah 61:3:

“‘Oaks of righteousness’ alludes to the planting of Isaiah 60:21, and reverses the oak imagery of Isaiah 1:29. Instead of worshiping oaks as symbols of idolatry, God’s people will be established and planted as symbols of righteousness.”

44845

God is love

1 John 4:8

Pre-order it for 13.95!

From the FSB on 1 John 4:8:

“Identifying God’s attributes is part of understanding who He is. John refers to the love God showed for His creation by providing a means of atonement through Jesus.”

44846

Forgive everyone

Luke 11:4

Pre-order it for $13.95!

See all your choices for Verse of the Day merchandise here.

Filed Under: Community of Faith Tagged With: bible art, bible verses, christian t-shirts, scripture, verse of the day

August 15, 2014 By Elizabeth Russell   |   11 Comments

How Can You Exhibit Proverbs 31?

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proverbs 31 2Proverbs 31 includes one of the most quoted passages of Scripture. Proverbs 31:10–31 describes characteristics of an excellent wife, but what parts apply to all women?

Take a moment to reflect on this powerful passage about the beauty of a godly woman:

I look forward to the day I can display the qualities of Proverbs 31 to my future husband and children, but why wait for marriage to develop such qualities? In fact, those qualities I desire in my future marriage are a product of my present relationship with Jesus. Aunts, friends, fiancés, sisters, nieces, daughters—how can we become Proverbs 31 women regardless of our marital status?

The woman who has had the greatest impact in my life is my late aunt. She didn’t have children and her husband passed away before I was born, so I never witnessed her as a wife or mother. Yet her mother-likeness, generosity, and hospitality left a huge mark on who I hope to resemble as both a spouse and a mom. My siblings and I would stay at her home as often as possible, sometimes even in week-long stretches if our parents allowed. Her unwavering warmth and welcome kept visitors returning.

“She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. . . . She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy.”

What comforts are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of others?

Another female figure who has displayed qualities of a Proverbs 31 woman is my older sister. Her lifelong mentorship, willingness to always lend a listening ear, and her sound advice has been key in molding my goals, worldviews, and understanding of how to serve and constantly pursue the Lord.

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

Who looks to you for wisdom, and how can you show them God’s love more effectively?

In spite of being the same age, I have always looked up to my friend for her ability to be gentle to others yet firm in her desire to constantly seek God’s will. Overall though, what initially made us friends was the magnetic appeal of her joy. She discovers God’s blessings in all that comes her way, and because of that, nothing can rob her of her joy.

“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”

What joyful details of life are you skimming over? Start tuning in to them!

There are so many more women in my life who have reflected the Proverbs 31 woman. But like the few examples I’ve provided, I hope  women of all ages and marital statuses never cease to seek, develop, and exhibit Proverbs 31 traits.

Lysa Terkeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, explores what choosing to live a godly life looks like and more in her new book, The Best Yes. And if you want more encouraging Bible passages, check out these Verse of the Day magnets!

Filed Under: Devotional Tagged With: beauty, bible verses, godly woman, proverbs 31, women of faith

July 22, 2014 By Ryan Nelson   |   16 Comments

27 Verses for Crises

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hard timesThe Bible doesn’t promise us that life with Jesus is easier. The difference is that when life gets hard, we have somewhere to turn for strength, courage, hope, and peace.

Here are seven passages to keep handy when facing crises:

1. James 1:2–4

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

The Bible tells us to remain joyful not because we know what happens next, but because we know the end. We will be stronger when we reach the other side. Each trial is an opportunity to step closer to perfection—complete and utter dependence on and trust in God.

Bonus verse: Romans 8:28.

2. Matthew 11:28–30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When asked what the greatest commandment of the law is, Jesus said: one, love God, and two, love others. He continued, “On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40). When we focus on what really matters to God, it simplifies our lives. Jesus cut through hundreds of Jewish laws to reveal that they could all be reduced to these two simple commands. When life feels complicated and heavy, Jesus says, “Come to me” so he can lighten the load.

3. Philippians 4:6–7

“. . . do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The peace of God doesn’t make sense. The NIV translation says it “transcends all understanding.” It’s beyond, higher than, out of reach of all understanding. We can be calm in the midst of complete chaos when we have that peace—and it protects us. Jesus guards our hearts against anxiety and stress by filling us with a peace that the world can’t understand (because it doesn’t come from this world).

4. 1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Sin wants to hide. It wants to bury itself in our hearts and make us feel alone in our temptation. Your life is unique—the temptation you face is not. The world is full of brothers and sisters in Christ who share in your struggles with sin. Fight it together, and most importantly, invite God into the struggle. The way out may not always be easy, but God promises it will always be there.

5. Hebrews 2:18

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Jesus never sinned. When we hear that, sometimes it’s easy to feel like we have to hide our sin from him—like he doesn’t know what it’s like to be a sinful, broken human being. Make no mistake—Jesus suffered when he was tempted. He knows how you feel when you’re torn between your desire to do what’s right and the sinful desires in your heart (Romans 7:15). Because he can identify with your pain, he can help you.

6. Psalm 23:1–6

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

“You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the lord
forever.”

Sheep trust their shepherd. Experience and the surrounding flock tell the sheep that wherever the shepherd leads, they will be provided for. Even as the valley gets dark, rocky, and difficult, the sheep trust the shepherd to lead them out of it. For me, this passage is a reminder that even when I have no idea what’s going on or where my life is going, God is in charge, and I can trust him.

7. Matthew 6:25–34

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Verse 27 really puts things in perspective: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” In other words, what do you gain by being anxious? Food and clothing are valid concerns. God knows you need them. But he doesn’t want you to be anxious about them. Anxiety is an internal state of being, and it doesn’t change our external circumstances. See Philippians 4:6–7, and let God replace that anxiety with peace, trusting that God knows your needs.

For biblical insight into suffering, crises, and pain, check out these great resources:
when-your-world-falls-apart-see-past-the-pain-of-the-presentsurprised-by-suffering-the-role-of-pain-and-death-in-the-christian-lifegrief-and-pain-in-the-plan-of-god-christian-assurance-and-the-message-of-lamentationsforgetting-your-past-turn-your-pain-into-purpose

What verses do you turn to when times are tough? Share with us in the comments!

Filed Under: Devotional Tagged With: 1 corinthians 10:13, anxiety, bible verses, encouraging bible verses, hard times, hebrews 2:18, james 1:2-4, jesus tempted, joy, matthew 11:28, matthew 6:25-34, peace, philippians 4:6-7, psalm 23, romans 8:28, scripture, stress, temptation, the valley of the shadow of death, tough times, trials of many kinds

May 6, 2014 By Ray Deck III   |   2 Comments

25 Billion Bible Verses and Counting

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What do the top faith-centered blogs and websites—The GospelCoalition.org, TheResurgence.com, SheReadsTruth.com, GotQuestions.org, and more—have in common?

They all use Reftagger.

Reftagger is both powerful and simple. It recognizes Scripture references on your website and tags them automatically; when a visitor hovers over the link, they see the verse text displayed in a subtle popup window. Like this: Ephesians 2:8–9. It’s even smart enough to recognize abbreviations like Eph. 2:8–9.

And you can add it to your website right now—for free!

All told, Reftagger has tagged more than 25 billion Bible verses: that’s more than 16,000 every second since it was launched. But it’s not just Reftagger’s power that’s made it so popular among the internet’s largest and most influential faith-based websites—it’s its simplicity. Reftagger gives your website additional functionality without making your visitors (or you!) work any harder.

We love Reftagger. It not only saves our team tons of time by automatically linking Bible verses, but also gives readers a better experience on our site because they don’t have to leave the article to read the linked verses.
—The Resurgence team

Having experimented with each of the available Bible verse link programs out there, we have found Reftagger to be the most feature rich, stable, and easy to use.
—S. Michael Houdmann, CEO of GotQuestions.org

We were so excited to discover Reftagger! . . . the hover and click functions of this plugin are perfect for our site.
—SheReadsTruth.com

Available in 17 translations and every color of the rainbow, Reftagger integrates perfectly into your site.

Give your visitors a better experience: add Reftagger today for free!

Filed Under: Community of Faith, Faithlife News Tagged With: bible references, bible verses, reftagger, scripture

June 3, 2013 By Ray Deck III   |   9 Comments

Introducing the Read-Along Feature

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audiobook2_0You may have noticed an update last week to the Faithlife app on your iOS device. It was a big one. For a long time, we’ve been working on a read-along feature that allows you to listen to Scripture as well as read it through the Faithlife app. It works with the Lexham English Bible New Testament, and we plan to enable it for additional resources in the future.

How to unlock audio on Faithlife

It’s easy. If you don’t have the app yet, download it. If you do, update through the app store. Then, while you’re at it, tell a friend. They’ll thank you!

How to find the read-along feature

  1. Open the Faithlife app.
  2. Open the Lexham English Bible.
  3. In Read mode, swipe down on the New Testament text to reveal the toolbar.
  4. Tap the speaker icon in the top right corner.
  5. Lean back and enjoy!

Android users and Logos desktop users should see the same update coming very soon. We’d love to hear from you about how you plan to use the read-along feature. Let us know in comments.

Filed Under: Faithlife News Tagged With: audiobible, bible, bible verses, Read the Bible, tutorial

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