The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

I wanted to extend a word of thanks to the fine folks at Crossway Books for sending me a copy of The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies. You can read more about this book and a brief author bio here. Also be sure to check out Tim's websites: www.challies.com & Discerning Reader. Time permitting, I'll be posting my review in the next month or two.

Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others

I wanted to extend a word of thanks to the fine folks at Crossway Books for sending me a copy of Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others by Pat Ennis & Lisa Tatlock. You can read more about this book here. Time permitting, I'll be posting my review in the next month or two.

Facing Your Final Job Review: The Judgment Seat of Christ, Salvation, And Eternal Rewards

I wanted to extend a word of thanks to the fine folks at Crossway Books for sending me a copy of Facing Your Final Job Review: The Judgment Seat of Christ, Salvation, And Eternal Rewards by Woodrow Kroll. You can read more about this book and find a brief author bio here. Time permitting, I'll be posting my review in the next month or two.

Bible Meme

Nick Norelli over at Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth tagged me with a Bible Meme.

1. What translation of the Bible do you like best?

• I've grown accustomed to the English Standard Version as it was used at the last two churches I've attended. Before ESV, I used the Revised Standard Version as that was the first Bible translation I received as a child.

2. Old or New Testament?

• Old Testament

3. Favorite Book of the Bible?

I'll follow Nick's lead and break this into sections as well.

• Torah — Leviticus
• Prophets – Jeremiah
• Writings – Psalms
• Gospels — Luke
• Pauline Epistles — 1 Timothy
• Catholic Epistles — James
• Apocalyptic — Daniel

4. Favorite Chapter?

• Psalm 103

5. Favorite Verse? (feel free to explain yourself if you have to)

• Ezra 7:9-10 - "The good hand of God was upon him, for Ezra set his heart to study the Torah of Yahweh, to practice it, and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel."

6. Bible character you think you’re most like?

• That's a tough one. For fear of some crazy blasphemous answer, I'll skip this question.
  

7. One thing from the Bible that confuses you?

• The guilt offering of 5 gold tumors and 5 gold rats in 1 Samuel 6.

8. Moses or Paul?

• Moses

9. A teaching from the Bible that you struggle with or don’t get?

• Prosperity gospel / Health & wealth gospel. I'm simply amazed people can in good conscience teach this sort of stuff.

10. Coolest name in the Bible?

• Abimelech (I keep telling my wife we should name our next son Abimelech as I'm partial to the meaning, "my father a king". She won't go for it.)

Now tag five people.

I tag: Jim West, Just a Guy, Christopher Heard, Mark, & Chris Tilling.

Crossway Releases ESV Spanish-English Parallel Bible

Press release from Crossway for 2/14/08:

Crossway Releases ESV Spanish-English Parallel Bible

Wheaton, IL—Crossway is pleased to announce the release of a new Spanish-English parallel Bible featuring the Spanish Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR) and the English Standard Version (ESV).

Randy Jahns, Crossway’s Senior Vice President for Bible Publishing, notes: “Because the RVR has been widely recognized for its fidelity to the original texts, exceptional accuracy, and elegant language, we felt that it would be a great partner for the ESV.”

This new parallel Bible, with its verse-by-verse alignment, will serve both native speakers of either language as well as bilingual readers. The Bible positions two columns of Scripture on each page: the Reina-Valera Spanish text on the left and the ESV English language text alongside it on the right. It also features textual notes for both translations in the back.

Jahns continues, “Our hope and prayer is that this new parallel Bible will help millions grow in their love for God’s Word and in their effective study, use, and application of it to their daily lives.”

The ESV is an essentially literal Bible translation that combines “word-for-word” precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and readability. More than 100 of the world’s leading Bible scholars and teachers were involved in creating the ESV, to bring us a Bible that is precise, powerful, and a pleasure to read. With its timeless quality and enduring relevance, the ESV is the Bible to treasure for life.

Crossway is an internationally recognized, not-for-profit publisher of the ESV Bible, significant Christian books, and gospel literature. For more information on Crossway, visit www.crossway.org. For more information on the ESV Bible, visit www.esv.org.

CSNTM - Patmos Expedition 2007

This is a 2-minute excerpt from the Patmos Expedition 2007 documentary. It gives you a glimpse into the work being done by the fine folks at the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts. You can also read a short written account of this trip along with a few photos here: LINK.

Loving the Biblical Scholar in Your Life for Dummies

Michael Halcomb just posted the perfect gift for your loved ones this valentine's day. Hopefully this will clear up some of the confusion about our quirks and tendencies. I don't think it's the only thing I'll be giving my wife, but I'm sure she'll appreciate it. : )

ST