What Does the Scripture Say?

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Free Copy of Pradis 6.0 (Bible Software Review Weblog)

This is how I used the free $25. I’ve wanted to learn Greek for a long time now and this book here Zondervan - Basics Biblical Greek (First Edition) seems to be a very popular textbook in seminaries. After the discount it’s only 99 cents.

Then, here’s the really neat part, I found this website on Biblical Training which is basically a class full of audio lectures that take you through the main points of each chapter in the author’s Basics of Biblical Greek. Here’s the direct link Class. So I downloaded the MP3s and am working through the book! Praise the Lord. It’s been really a joy so far!

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WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY ABOUT HIS WORD

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Matthew 4:4 But Jesus answered and said, “It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they were traveling along, Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

HINTS TO GET INTO THE BIBLE

1. Pray for hunger, persistence, consistency and conviction to get into God’s Word.
2. Read through the Bible in one year.
3. Go through the Old Testament in one year.
4. Read aloud the Bible to your spouse and/or children.
5. Go through the same book as your spouse and/or children.
6. Dwell on one verse throughout the day.
7. Wake up 5 or 15 minutes early to read your Bible.
8. Read the Bible while eating breakfast, lunch or dinner.
9. No Bible, no breakfast.
10. Listen to your version of the Bible on audio tapes, CD or even MP3.
11. Create individual mini-books of the Bible. This is just the book of Romans, miniaturized, copied, glued, etc masquerading as a DayMinder.  .
12. Use your mini-Bible book at doctor’s offices, in lines, anywhere and everywhere you have a moment.
13. Open your Bible when you feel like it…Open your Bible when you don’t feel like it.
14. Read one chapter of Proverbs a day, and watch as God’s wisdom fills your heart and mind. Since there are 31 chapters, if you miss a day or two, just continue by reading the current date’s chapter. This way you won’t feel guilty if you have to skip days.
15. When starting to sit in front of the TV, leave the room and start to sit at the feet of Jesus, in His Word.
16. Do not read any other Christian materials until you read your daily Bible allotment.
17. Do not read ANY of man’s word (magazines, newspapers, etc.) until you’ve read your portion of God’s Word.

If you utilize one or more of these tips, great. Certainly don’t use them as law. Legalisticly doing these will not bring you closer to God. These are just some ways to practically get some time into God’s Word, that the Holy Spirit may use His Holy Word to make us holy people (sanctify us by faith).

I have been so blessed by this tremendous piece of Bible software. Logos/Libronix is so easy to use, yet so deep and powerful as well. The Lord has blessed me with the Scholar’s Library edition of this software and I have added multiple packages to it as well.

This is how it works. Logos is the company name. Libronix is the software engine/application. Packages like Scholar’s or eBible or MacArthur Lifeworks consist of different books. I highly recommend this Bible software over all the competition. Though some Bible software is free like E-Sword, its functionality cannot match all the features of Logos.

Here’s what I recommend for all Christians who are serious about Bible study. First off, if you can afford it, the Scholar’s Library is the way to go. It’s expensive at about $475, but worth it if you have the money.

For most folks, I would recommend two inexpensive packages, when put together give you a whole lot of good Bible study materials for about $30. First off get the MacArthur Lifeworks for only $14.99 This package comes with a TON of John MacArthur books, Study Bibles, reference works and audio books (MP3s). Just one of these hardback books like “Expository Preaching” would cost you over $15. Make sure you click on “Resources List” to see the more than 50 books included.
Next purchase Ultimate Bible Reference Library for only $14.99 This package comes with another TON of materials that will be very helpful. I particularly like Vine’s Expository Dictionary and Vines Learn NT Greek. With these two packages, you will have a great foundation for real Christian growth.

If you want to see it in action, click here for a Demo of the Logos Bible software and here is a nice tutorial on doing a Word Study If you were just curious to try this package out for free, you can by clicking here Free Logos software Although since the free package comes with just 8 books, it’s not really all that helpful for Bible study.

Another great place to see all that Logos can do (specifically if you buy the Scholar’s Library) is www.Logos.com/videos I hope that some of you who don’t use Bible software yet, will purchase at least the MacArthur package as it is a real deal. It usually goes for $60, but is only $15 on sale (the print books would literally cost you over $1000).

P.S. Notice the new ‘comment’ system. It makes it even easier and quicker to leave a comment. You can also ‘attach’ a 30 second audio comment, which is really neat! Give it a try.

Here’s the “Christmas story” in the gospel of John.

Jn 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Jn 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

I’ve always really enjoyed that passage. “The Gospel of John” is my current favorite “Jesus” movie. I highly recommend it.

This is from the middle of chapter 3 and goes through to the end of 4. One of my favorite scenes is Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well.

This is the end of chapter 8 and goes into the middle of 9. Another one of my favorite scenes is where Jesus declares, “Before Abraham was born, I AM!”

You can purchase it HERE at ChristianBook.com or simply watch it all at youtube.com.

Like many of you, I have found great blessings in listening to the Word of God. Before I was even a Christian, I remember a believer giving me Alexander Scourby reading the King James Version on tapes. I also remember that Christy and I couldn’t make out what the man was saying at all! Either, it was his accent, the olde English, or the fact that spiritual things are spiritually discerned (most likely the latter) but we just didn’t “get it”.

How ironic now that God has saved me and given me His Holy Spirit to understand the things of the Lord that the old Scourby rendition of the King James Version is one of my favorites. I usually use the New American Standard Bible as my primary Bible and thus actually have listened to the NASB on tape more than the KJV, but I love both!

Here are some sample chapters of the different versions of the Bible. Here’s a tip, the person reading the Bible can make it or break it. In other words, some readers don’t know how to use inflection correctly or just plain read very well. Some renditions sound like it’s the first time the man’s ever read a Bible. Others sound like they have been reading it for decades. To me, Scourby does the best at “expository reading” (i.e. giving the sense of the Scripture simply by reading it correctly).

Alexander Scourby has the best KJV rendition, hands down. It can come in either voice only or dramatized. Personally I like the voice only. You can actually listen to the entire Bible online for free by going here http://www.audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html

For NASB, Steven B. Stevens does the best (he reads the 1995 updated edition). He does a pretty good job at expository reading. If you must hear the 1977 NASB, Red Jeffries does that version (but personally I think it sounds like it’s the first time he ever read the Bible).

If you use the NIV, there are numerous readers available. One fairly new and popular rendition is by Max Mclean. He actually uses a ’stage’ voice to read it so that it is very dramatic. Personally, I think he doesn’t emphasize the right words or syllables many times. Plus I don’t use the NIV all that much anyways, mainly for comparative analysis.

Listening to the Word of God is great for the soul and great for memorization as well. Most of you know that I only drive about 10 minutes to work each day (each way), but you’d be surprised at how much Word you can get through when you do that 5 days a week. I’d encourage you to get a copy of the Word in audio format (whether CDs, tapes, MP3s) and be blessed! By the way, I have three brand new NASB NT tape sets if anyone wants one.

If you were interested in buying some audio Bibles, here’s one place that sells them all. http://www.biblebible.com Also www.christianbook.com might have them all.

Below are samplings of the various versions. Enjoy! May the Lord bless this listening to His Word!

Alexander Scourby reading Philippians 1 in the KJV
Alexander Scourby reading Philippians 1 in the KJV

Steven B. Stevens reading Hebrews 3 from the NASB
Steven B. Stevens reading Hebrews 3 from the NASB

The ‘dramatized’ Scourby reading Acts 19 from KJV
The ‘dramatized’ Scourby reading Acts 19 from KJV

Max McLean reading Romans 10 from the NIV
Max McLean reading Romans 10 from the NIV