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November 6, 2013 By Guest Author   |   6 Comments

The 3 Keys to Internet Purity

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TGilkersonools like Faithlife.com, a digital home for your faith community, and the Faithlife Study Bible harness technology to grow your faith. But for every edifying use of technology,  a sinister one can also be found. This guest post by Luke Gilkerson, general editor of Covenant Eyes’ Breaking Free Blog, addresses some of the keys to Internet purity. Gilkerson is also the author of several books on Internet purity.

Somewhere in the world right now, a mother is discovering that her 14-year-old son has been looking at porn online for three years, and she was totally unaware up until now.

Somewhere else a man sits quietly in his home, engaging in a three-hour porn binge while his family is sleeping.

In another place, a single 25-year-old woman is clicking back and forth between porn videos and anonymous erotic chat sessions.

Next door, a pastor is sitting up late with his laptop, with his mouse arrow hovering over the words “I am at least 18 years old,” praying to God he will have the strength to resist the urge.

These are the kinds of stories I hear every day where I work at Covenant Eyes. Men and women call us day in and day out asking the same question: how can I resist temptation online?

Read more…

Filed Under: Christian Living, Community of Faith Tagged With: accountability, covenant eyes, guest post, internet purity, porn

October 31, 2013 By Ray Deck III   |   1 Comment

The Other Holiday on October 31

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luther quote 2

Today we have discounted a number of important works by the fathers of the Reformation on Logos.com, and we invited Dr. Jim West, pastor of Petros Baptist Church, to share with us the lesser-known way to celebrate October 31—Reformation Day. Dr. West serves as professor of biblical studies at the Quartz Hill School of Theology. He has authored a number of books and articles and serves as language editor for the Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, as well as language revision editor for the Copenhagen International Seminar.

The temperature outside the Great Minster of Zurich on January 1, 1519 was frigid, but inside the large structure—the central church of the city and the Canton—the frosty indolence of centuries of liturgical formalism was about to melt away. As hundreds in the assembled congregation watched, the redheaded thirty-five-year-old rose to speak and opened the Bible not to the lectionary passage, but to the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. He commenced a series of sermons from that Gospel that were so powerfully presented that always packed the Church with eager listeners. Something new was afoot—and the entire city knew it.

The thirty-five-year-old was Huldrych Zwingli, and he began moving toward reform as early as 1515 while serving as a chaplain to the Swiss troops and a pastor of the little Church at Glarus. The countless youth he buried and the mercenary service that caused their deaths weighed heavily on his soul and he sensed, innately, that there was something very wrong with any theology which resulted in such service.

Around the same time, a German monk named Martin Luther was struggling with his own salvation (or more precisely, with his fear that he was not at all right with God). While sitting on the loo in the tower of the Wittenberg University and reading Romans, he was powerfully stricken by the reality of justification by faith—not by works—and his eyes were opened to the Bible’s meaning in a new and profound way. On a dreary Saturday several years later—October 31, 1517—Luther trudged through the mud and affixed a series of Latin theses on the door of the Church thereby announcing his desire to hold a public debate on the raging fad of the day, Papal Indulgences. No one showed up for the debate, but Luther’s theses were quickly translated into German and soon the city was abuzz—for in them, Luther questioned the very foundation of Catholic practice as it then existed. Catholics weren’t redeemed by works, they were redeemed by grace—and no indulgence could purchase that gift!

Nineteen years later, a young Frenchman named Jean Cauvin published the first of many editions of his Institutes of the Christian Religion while he was living in Strasbourg. Informed by the theology of both Luther and Zwingli as well as their mediator, Martin Bucer, Calvin (as he came to be called) systematized in a way that neither Luther nor Zwingli could have (or would have) the new Reformation point of view, and the Reformation was codified.

Naturally this sketch is but the barest of outlines and fails precisely because it cannot do justice to all the forebears of reform nor the many, many people whose work and lives also exerted influence. The Reformation was the culmination of an entire series of ideas, movements, theological breakthroughs, and personal struggles.

What cannot be questioned, however, is the significance of the Reformation for the sixteenth through the twenty-first centuries. Indeed, the Reformation was a pebble cast into the pond of history whose ripples still move the lives of countless members of the human race. The Reformation changed the face of Europe and through it the face of North and South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and every other corner of the globe. Never since the coming of Christ himself has history been so affected by a series of events. The economies of nations, theologies, ethics, morals, worldviews, and millions of lives continue to feel the effects and, dare I say, experience the benefits of the movement commenced by a tiny group of known and a massive group of unknown believers who simply wished to be more Christian in their faith and practices.

It is impossible to question the importance of the Reformation. The world would not—could not—be what it presently is without it, and it boggles the mind to imagine what the world would be like had the Reformation never taken place.

***

To celebrate Reformation Day, we’re discounting works by some of the Reformation’s most important figures. You can grab discounted copies of these books on Logos.com, and enjoy them right in your Faithlife Study Bible.

Reformationday Blog FINAL

Filed Under: Faithlife News Tagged With: halloween, holiday on october 31, october 31, reformation day

October 29, 2013 By jarridwilson   |   3 Comments

Love Is

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photo“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:4–7

Love is one of those things that seems a little cliché, but in reality it’s a foundation that God has called us to construct our lives upon. Not only are we called to love our Lord Jesus Christ, but we’re also called to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Trust me, I know what some of you are thinking: “But you haven’t met my neighbors. They’re crazy!”

And although this might be hard to do sometimes, we need to remember that it wasn’t a request—it was a command.

“We love because he first loved us.” —1 John 4:19

Let’s focus on God’s love today

  1. Are you loving the way Jesus loved?
  2. Are you loving your neighbor as yourself?
  3. Are you reflecting an image of love in your everyday actions?
  4. On a scale of one to 10, where do you rank on the showing-love meter?

Be an example of love. Show those around you how much you care.

Filed Under: Devotional Tagged With: bible app, Bible study, devotional, jarridwilson, love

October 24, 2013 By Chuck McKnight   |   2 Comments

Mastering Cross-References

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Faithlife Study BIbleNo single book of the Bible stands alone. The biblical writers continually referenced, quoted, and built off previous books. Cross-references connect related verses and provide the full context for the passage you are studying.

The Faithlife Study Bible provides two sets of cross-references. The first set comes with the Bible text and will vary depending on which version you choose. The second set is found in Faithlife study notes.

Let’s go through a sample passage to demonstrate how these cross-references work. We’ll use Matthew 12 in the ESV for this example.

Matthew 12:1–8 recounts the time Jesus’ disciples plucked some grain and ate it. The Pharisees then rebuked Jesus for his disciples’ actions, and Jesus came to their defense.

This same event can be found in two other Gospels. Find those passages by going to the small letter w before the word Jesus in Matthew 12:1. Tap or click on it to see the cross-references—Mark 2:23–28 and Luke 6:1–5. Tap one of the references (or mouseover if you’re using Bible.Faithlife.com) to see a preview of those verses.

crossref1

Why did the disciples feel free to take this grain in the first place? The answer to that is found in the cross-reference marked by a small letter x in Matthew 12:1. It will take you to Deuteronomy 23:25, where you can read the law which allowed for eating a neighbor’s standing grain.

Why then did the Pharisees object? They objected because they thought the disciples’ actions counted as work on the Sabbath. In the Faithlife study notes, you’ll see an entry for “the Sabbath.” That entry includes a cross-reference to Exodus 20:8–11; 34:21 where you will find the law prohibiting work on the Sabbath.

Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ accusations by reminding them of the time David and those with him ate the bread of the presence from the house of God. Want to read the full account of David’s action? The entry in the study notes for “what David did” includes a cross-reference to 1 Samuel 21:1–6.

crossref2

Experiment with the other cross-references in this passage. See if you can use them to answer these questions, and answer them below in comments.

  • What was the purpose of the bread of the presence?
  • Where does the quote “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” come from?
  • In what other passages did people accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath?

Use cross-references in the Faithlife Study Bible to connect the Scriptures and expand your understanding of the Bible.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tips Tagged With: bible app, Bible study, bible study tips, bible study tools, cross reference, cross references

October 22, 2013 By Ray Deck III   |   7 Comments

7 Seasonal Reading Plans

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The_First_Thanksgiving_cph.3g04961

Faithlife Reading Plans take the guesswork out of daily Bible reading—no more wondering what you should read next. Choose a reading plan and save time for the important part—reading, understanding, and living out the Scriptures.

The Bible is a big book. Rather than trying to read it through in a few sittings, like most of us do with smaller books, many people instead read a small amount every day. The slow-and-steady approach has a lot of benefits and one major challenge—knowing what to read in what order. Enter: Faithlife Reading Plans.

A Reading Plan organizes your daily reading around a theme, so you can quickly get an overview of what Scripture says about a given topic without investing any time searching. We have a huge variety to choose from—55 unique plans to be exact. Here are a few examples:

  • 10 Psalms of Thanksgiving
  • Advent Reading Plan
  • Luke 1 Month
  • Luke 1 Week
  • Luke 2 Month
  • 7 Days on Jesus’ Birth
  • 14 Days on Resurrection

The Thanksgiving season is fast approaching—in fact our Canadian friends celebrated on Monday. The 10 Psalms of Thanksgiving plan is a great way to get in the spirit. You can find it and 54 others on Faithlife.com. Click Add in either Today’s Readings (to read alone) or Group Readings (to read with others).

faithlife-reading-plans

Which Faithlife Reading Plan looks intrigues you most? Tell us in comments.

Filed Under: Faithlife News, Tutorial Tagged With: app, best bible, bible app, bible reading plan

October 18, 2013 By Ray Deck III   |   4 Comments

4 Behaviors that Hinder Communication

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tin-can-phoneLast month, I wrote about the 4 Rules of Communication. Observing them can improve communication within your faith community, but roadblocks can still pop up from time to time. They hinder relationships and limit community building. Watch out for these four behaviors in your communication.

Silent treatment—Refusing to talk is not a healthy communication solution. It slows repairs, and often allows wounds to fester rather than heal.

Crying—It’s no sin to let your emotions show. But generating tears to manipulate another person is dishonest. And dishonesty is sin. You cannot assume that you know what another person’s response will be. You cannot stage the conversation in your mind, and act based on its imagined outcome. Those things are both counterproductive and sinful.

Threatening an explosion—Sometimes we get angry. When that happens, it’s wise to stop and regain our composure. But this should not become a way to avoid discussion of hard issues. It can sound like: “I can’t talk about this anymore; it’s making me too angry.”

Bottom lining—Dictating your opinion as absolute truth is quite prideful, yet many of us do it in moments full of emotional stress. We disregard all advice, regardless of its source and no matter how wise it may be. This can sound like: “All I have to say is . . .” “I don’t care what you say . . .” “. . . and that’s final.”

Community building is hard and sometimes messy. We step on each other’s feelings instead of loving and supporting one another. When problems come, don’t let these four behaviors make matters worse. When conflict does come, the four rules of communication will help keep our conflicts healthy.

***

Find a digital home for your faith community at Faithlife.com. You can organize into groups, plan events, and share documents, because we learn best when we learn together. Create an account to get started at Faithlife.com.

Filed Under: Community of Faith Tagged With: bible app, communication, faith community, social network

October 10, 2013 By jarridwilson   |   Leave a Comment

John 3:16 Isn’t Enough

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john_316_01John 3:16 is probably the most talked-about verse in the entire Bible—and one of the most memorized verses in the entire world. We’ve encountered it painted on the face of famous athletes, written on the walls of national monuments, and even yelled from megaphones.

In biblical times, Jewish males were required to study the Torah (Deuteronomy 5:1). When they did so diligently, they often learned large portions by heart.

In comparison, from the first day a child enters Sunday school, they’re trained and encouraged to memorize stand-alone verses that go along with the teacher’s lessons. Although powerful verses like John 3:16 are packed with biblical truth, they alone aren’t enough to sustain our faith in Jesus over a lifetime.

I say this to encourage you to memorize as much Scripture as you can, allowing it to resonate transformatively in your mind. Although memorization alone won’t magically make you a better Christian, the process will definitely help you throughout your spiritual journey.

Having a mental file cabinet of Scripture will not only help you reference Jesus’ teachings in conversation—it’ll allow you to engage in deeper conversations with believers and nonbelievers alike.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

I recommend that you try to memorize three to four Bible verses per month. Not sure where to start? Use the Faithlife Study Bible to search by topic.

* * *

The Faithlife Study Bible makes it easy to explore all that the Bible has to offer.
Download it free today!

 

Filed Under: Devotional Tagged With: Bible study, devotional, jarrid wilson, john 3:16, memorize John 3:16, what does John 3:16 say?

October 10, 2013 By jarridwilson   |   2 Comments

Studying Your Bible:
Where to Start & What to Do Next

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Processed with VSCOcam with t1 presetStudying the Bible isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Our faith encourages us to seek a deeper relationship with God, but what does that look like in terms of reading the Bible? That’s the big question that needs to be answered.

It’s easy to become confused and frustrated when flipping through the 3,000-year-old writings—not because of the words themselves, but because nobody knows where to start let alone what do to after they start.

Here are some tips to help you become familiar with Bible study:

1. Start in the New Testament

The New Testament is a good place to start for anyone new to the Bible. Not only will the New Testament provide a great overview of who Jesus is, but also what he did on our behalf. Start with one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John). All of these books tell the same story, but are written by four different people with four different perspectives.

2. Journal, journal, journal

If you’re planning on retaining any of the information you will be reading, I recommend you write down all notes and questions in a journal or smartphone app. The Faithlife Study Bible provides a notes feature within the app that will be most helpful while you’re reading. Having these notes not only allows you to look back at previous readings, but also comes in handy if you ever want to review the passage with friends or family.

3. Uncover, relate, and apply

This is my secret sauce. I have used this tactic for all my Bible studies the last seven years. I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to do it, but this is one that I’d recommend due to its simplicity. First, you will begin to uncover the Scripture—in other words, read it. After reading the Scripture, make comparisons relating the text to your own life. The final step is to apply what you’ve just read to your current life situations and write down the points and realities that you felt were important.

***

Serious Bible study is easier with serious Bible study software. The Faithlife Study Bible is a great place to start, but if you’d like to study in greater detail, Logos 5 is for you. Its powerful, intuitive tools and vast libraries are the perfect way to expand your understanding of the Scriptures. Visit Logos.com/Logos5 to learn more.

Filed Under: Bible Study Tips Tagged With: best bible app, bible app, Bible study, reading the bible

October 8, 2013 By Ray Deck III   |   Leave a Comment

Jesus’ Last Words

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It probably felt funny standing on the Galilean hillside that spring after everything that had happened. The people were all familiar, but not quite the same. I imagine Peter looking over Jesus’ shoulder, expecting the Roman cavalry to crest the ridge any moment and break up their little gathering. John was just happy to be with Jesus once again, and he was determined to savor every moment. There were a few skeptics, even among the 11 remaining disciples, but everyone waited, anxious to hear what Jesus would say this time. He stretched out his arms, raised his voice, and issued a command:

“Go therefore and make disciples . . .” (Matthew 28:19)

After following Jesus for three years, hearing his teaching, and witnessing his miracles, the disciples were told to go recruit.

Were they surprised? Were they scared? These are the questions I wish Scripture answered more often. We don’t really know how those 11 men felt, but we do know how they acted. They obeyed. Their actions in the months and years that followed are recorded for us in another book of the Bible—”Acts” is short for “the Acts of the Apostles.”

While I may never get an answer to how it felt, if I read the passage in my Faithlife Study Bible app, I get extra details not otherwise available, like this picture of Mount Tabor, where Jesus probably spoke these last words of his earthly ministry.

mt-tabor

I get even more clarity from two articles that appear in the notes: “Being Missional” by Ed Stetzer and “Baptism” by Bernie A. Van De Walle.

These were the last words Jesus spoke to his followers on earth, and the Faithlife Study Bible helps us understand the context in which they were spoken. Download it free from your favorite app store, and you can start enjoying the extra details in this and many other passages.

Filed Under: Devotional Tagged With: bible, Bible study, Easter, jesus, jesus last words

October 4, 2013 By Guest Author   |   7 Comments

Loving the Sexually Broken Woman

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jessica-harrisToday’s guest post by author, speaker, and blogger, Jessica Harris, bravely addresses topics that, despite being taboo, affect many women and girls. You can read more from her at BeggarsDaughter.com.

In case the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey and Magic Mike hadn’t clued you in, sexually explicit material is becoming increasingly popular among women—yes, even women in the church. As a former porn addict myself, I can speak to the lure of pornography and erotica (like 50 Shades), and also to the painful silence among Christians.

I know, it’s an uncomfortable and daunting subject. How do we minister to a people group essentially in hiding? How do we extend grace for a problem we don’t fully understand? How do we address such a sensitive topic and love those trapped in it?

Read more…

Filed Under: Christian Living, Devotional Tagged With: bible app, guest post, porn, relationship tips, sex

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