Category Archives: Reviews

Bible.org Labs SMS messaging

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I’m “retweeting” this because I think it is an awesome service, although technically it is not a “retweet” as I received it in my RSS reader, but its still good stuff!

From Bible.org’s research labs comes a new SMS service which allows you to send a text to a phone number and a computer will reply with that verse. Should be a good thing in a pinch for  verse look-up!  The version is the NET bible, but still would be useful none-the-less.

If you have a mobile phone with SMS (text messaging) capabilities you can now receive a small portion of the NET Bible one text message at a time. Simply text a verse reference to 1-409-316-3824(1-409-31N-ETBI). It will promptly reply via text message the Bible verse(s) you requested. So tell your friends! Tell the world.

So, feel free to text away! Just realize that this is an SMS text, and if you pay per text its not going to be free for you. For those with an unlimited texting plan (anyone with teenagers), it shouldn’t cost you a dime as bible.org provides the service for free.

Bible.org and Bible.org Labs logo are trademarks of bible.org

 

Review: How to choose and use a wide-margin bible

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How to choose and use a wide-margin bible
Randy Brown
www.biblebuyingguide.com
ASIN: B00AFJXUQC

This review of How to choose and use a wide-margin bible by Randy Brown is my own, honest evaluation and opinion, and I was not paid for this review, neither did I receive any compensation, including a review copy for this review. Disclosed because of FTC blogging disclosure guidelines.

How to Choose and Use a Wide-Margin Bible: A Bible Buying and Marking Guide by Randy A. Brown is an e-book self published via Amazon for Kindle devices. Randy’s e-book is a collection of a large amount of his work on his Bible Buying Guide website, as well as a decent amount of new material. Topics included in this e-book guide include:

  • What makes a quality bible
  • Choosing a translation
  • Bible features and tools
  • Color coding and highlighting

I enjoyed the chapter on bindings and covers the most, and I would recommend to the author that he expand this section to include more details and coverage on this section. I do realize that this e-book is not a book on bindings, but rather the effective use of a wide margin Bible for studying God’s word, but it would be nice to see this section grow in future revisions.

The author’s tips for effective note taking and use of symbols or color highlighting and underlining are useful for the new Bible student, to get them interested in using these types of memory aids in assisting their Bible study. In the layout section of the chapter on Bible features, I am in agreement with the author in that I, as well, enjoy the readability of a single column paragraph style Bible, my only qualification to that statement is in regards to preaching. I find that a one-verse-per-line format is faster when preaching, and you need to quickly turn to a verse to quote from. The paragraph, while acceptable for study, and superior in readability, is inferior when it comes to speedily looking for a particular verse as the verse numbers are not readily apparent, having been embedded somewhere in a paragraph.

Another area which could be further expanded is the inductive study methods, including symbology and highlighting. the author does give details for beginners, but for more advanced students, it feels a little wanting. I would include more examples, and perhaps some new or innovative techniques in a future revision to this excellent guide.

Overall, I recommend Randy Brown’s e-book as an excellent introduction to Bible Study and wide margin Bible usage.  You can find it for sale in the Kindle store at Amazon.

e-Sword on a Mac

E-sword on a Mac computer has been possible for quite some time, thanks to the makers of WINE, an open source port of windows dynamic link library binaries and other code necessary to run Windows programs on a Mac. I have made the graphic to the left for those of you who have followed my tutorial for installing e-Sword on a Mac computer running any version of OSX 10.6 or higher (Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion) and the companion tutorial for creating an Applescript App for launching e-Sword. WINE is able to be run on any Intel based Mac, including all late model MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

If you are a new Mac user, who has previously used Windows and would like to have e-Sword on the Mac you have two options. Follow my tutorial to get e-Sword up and running on your Mac, or pay CodeWeavers for their proprietary implementation of the WINE engine for creating “crossties” which are virtual Windows machines for running e-Sword and other programs.

As an update to those articles, you can also install Winebottler which installs both Wine and Winebottler. The Wine App lets you double click on a .msi or .exe file in Finder and open it automatically with WINE. The Winebottler App allows you to create as many “virtual Windows machines”, known as bottles, as you’d like. I prefer to install and compile it on my machine using MacPorts, but if you find the tutorial a bit to confusing or hard to follow, just install Winebottler then double click your .exe file and it should install the application for you. Then, just click the Wine glass symbol in the menu bar  , click DOS prompt, then type in

Still, if you want a truly native Mac bible study app which is truly powerful and is the best for in depth bible study, turn no further than to Accordance. For a review of Accordance 9, their older version, check out my review. Accordance is now up to version 10.1 and is available in Apple’s Apps Store. I have several modules, including Apostolic Pentecostal Accordance Modules available for free on my site. Click on the previous hyperlink, or click on Accordance in the menu bar above.

Also, as an addendum, if you are getting blank white boxes where the text of the bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, etc… should be then, in terminal, type winecfg, and press return, and when the GUI for Wine Config pops up, choose the Libraries tab, then in the “New override for library” box type oleaut32, click add, then click the oleaut32 in the existing overrides, click edit, choose builtin (WINE). Do the exact same steps for  riched20 as well.

The Word is Infallible

While reading Understanding God’s Word by David K. Bernard, the following statements are made in its opening pages which I find valuable enough to repeat here.

The Bible Is God’s Word

The Bible asserts its unique status as the Word of God, and it speaks with self-vindicating authority. The prophets and apostles who wrote the Bible testified that the Spirit of God moved upon them as they wrote. Jesus Christ endorsed the Old Testament as Scripture, and He commissioned the writers of the New Testament to proclaim His message. Thus, if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord, we will accept the authority of the Bible.

We can establish that the Bible is God’s Word by carefully examining its claims, character, historical and scientific verification, and impact upon human society. The fulfilled prophecies of the Scriptures are an amazing testimony to its supernatural origin. Finally, we can demonstrate the truth of the Bible by applying it to our lives, receiving its promises, and experiencing its dynamic power personally.

The cumulative effect of these points is to establish overwhelmingly, beyond reasonable doubt, that the Bible is God’s Word. God has challenged us to prove His Word; when we do we will find it to be true in every way. The Bible then becomes the standard of truth by which we measure all things.
(from Understanding God’s Word, Copyright © 2005 David K. Bernard. All rights reserved.)

How so very true. God’s Word is are yardstick for Christians everywhere. It is what we should measure our lives against. The fact that the Holy Scriptures really are God’s word to mankind is testified to in numerous accounts, the like of which David Bernard goes into great depth exploring. For a shortened version: know that the word of God as found in the sixty six books of the bible is what you need to live your life pleasing before God. Examine His Word, live its principles, and you will find joy and peace amongst any storms that come into your life.

Accordance Oneness Pentecostal Package

As many of you know, my favorite bible study app since moving to the Macintosh platform in 2010 has been Accordance. I just found out that Accordance now sells a packaged deal of oneness pentecostal theology books for $79.99. The books included are:

  • I Am, A Oneness Pentecostal Theology by Brother Norris
  • The New Birth by Brother Bernard
  • The Oneness of God by Brother Bernard
  • In Search of Holiness by Brother Bernard
  • Practical Holiness, A Second Look by Brother Bernard

I have read all five books in paperback form, but am Wishlisting this for Accordance do to the speed of Accordance in searching texts. On my mid-2010 Macbook Pro, the search results of the bible and other large texts produces instant results. Literally less than a second’s wait time for search results to be completed, and with the advent of version 10 of Accordance, new users will be introduced to a very clean and easy to use interface which was not the case with version 9; See my review of Accordance 9 here.

Apparently there is a conference special going on right now for $59.99 for all five volumes.

 

Review: Cambridge KJV Clarion Edition Bible

The KJV Clarion Reference Black Calf-Split Bible, KJ483:X available from Baker Publishing Group is an excellent, genuine leather, quality made bible. It is available from the Baker Publishig Group’s Cambridge Bible website, as well as from such retail stores as Amazon.com.  The bible is calf-split leather which is a higher quality leather than typical Morocco leather bibles, but slightly less quality than goatskin or calfskin bibles.

The Baker Publishing website lists the bible’s dimensions as 7.0625 x 5.125 inches. The bible feels good in the hand, a perfect size for preaching or teaching from.

Binding

The binding is smyth-sewn which means it is bound in such a way as to allow for the bible to open and lay flat even if it is open to Genesis or Revelation. The cover is calf-split leather which is a technique employed in which the top layer of the skin is (top-grain) removed, and the lower level is then processed to make the calf-split leather. It is usually tanned via vegetable oil. It is very flexible, but not quite as limp as you have when buying a goatskin leather bible.

Inside

The text is typeset using Lexicon #1 type, which, according to Baker Publishing is “a digital font designed for easy reading and with many similar characteristics to traditional hot-metal Bible typefaces”. You can see a sample of the print on the page to the left.  This is Genesis chapter one, and notice how the bible lays flat without any need for a weight. That is a nice feature for extended study of the Word of God.  The Clarion Reference bible is in a single column layout, and in a paragraph format rather than a verse by verse format which is the more traditional format. As a study bible, this does not pose a problem, but if you are using it for sword drills or you are preaching from it, it may be a little more difficult to go directly to the verse you want as you’ll need to scan through the paragraphs to find the specific verse number you are looking for.

The reference system is well designed, and sits on the outside edge of the bible. This was done purposefully, as the publisher intended to not distract at all from the reading of the actual bible’s text. As I said earlier, this is a great bible for devotional or self study purposes.

The back of the bible contains a well done Reader’s Companion Reference System. Think of it as a concordance and dictionary combined. I actually appreciate this more than a traditional concordance. Typical bibles will include a concordance which is great for finding other scriptures which contain a word that you are studying, but useless if you are trying to find the meaning of the word.  The reader’s companion saves space and increases the usefulness of the concordance by rolling the concordance and dictionary into one.  As you can see in the pictures, the paper is a typical thin weight paper that most bibles come in. If you like to write notes in your bible, I’d recommend using either pencil or standard ink pens such as what you’ll get from a cheap Bic pen. If you use a gel pen it will bleed through. The same goes for typical highlighters. I’d recommend solid highlighters made of a very soft colored pencil lead which you can purchase at most bible supply store. The maps are very colorful and are pastel in the color palette.

You can see on the image to the left that the maps are extremely well done and are informative as well as beautifully illustrated. The bible map pages are a slightly thicker weight of paper than that which was used for the text of the bible.

If you are a notetaker, then you might be hard pressed to fing space for your notes in this bible. This is why one of my favorite bibles is the KJV Classic Note Taker’s Bible which I will review in the future, here at Pentecostal Blogger.

The King James Version or Authorized Version is the standard text from 1769. Almost all KJV editions are based on the Oxford 1769 edition of the text, including the Cambridge bible. This translation is timeless and is the edition used in most United Pentecostal pulpits. It is also the most quoted form of the text which has as its basis the Greek New Testament of Beza (1598 and 1588/89 Greek editions of Theodore Beza) and the Hebrew Old Testament of  Daniel Bomberg (Hebrew Rabbinic Bible by Daniel Bomberg [1524-1525]). The text celebrated its 400th year anniversary in 2011.

There are two ribbon bookmarks sewn into the binding, however I find that I do not use them that often. For those of you who use a daily reading plan, this may help by being able to “leap frog” the daily readings (one bookmark at the start of the daily reading, the other at the end, then for the next day, move the front marker to the last place of the next day’s readings). Another possible use for the two ribbons is if you’d like to concurrently read the Old testament and New Testament. The gold edges are nice, and they are not stuck together as some of my bibles in the past have been. The gold gilding doesn’t stay unmarred for very long however. My copy had a noticable mark in it one hour after unboxing the Clarion bible for the purpose of writing this review!

Last impressions? This is a sturdy, well made KJV bible which is slightly smaller than most bibles I have, and about a quarter of the weight is missing from this edition compared to other bibles I have owned. If you’re a highlighter or underliner kind of person, the paragraph format should make for easy reading with only slight “ghosting” of the words showing through the paper (as seen in the pictures). If you are a heavy note taker, this bible is probably not your bible as the margins are fairly narrow with little precious room to draft your commentary on the side. I like the look and feel of the calf-split leather and I would rate this bible 8 out of 10 stars overall.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Baker Publishing Group, through a book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Jesus we missed: A Review

The Jesus we missed: A review.

Patrick Henry Reardon has written an interesting book describing the human aspects of Christ.  It is a well documented and cited work that should leave many readers intrigued. The book was aimed more at the academic than the lay reader in my opinion, including a lot of research into the characteristics and nature of Jesus Christ.

Every aspect of the childhood of Jesus portrayed in the Scriptures is reiterated and elaborated on by Reardon. From the lost story in Jerusalem to the wedding at Cana, the author discusses the implications these words of Scripture have on Christ’s humanity.  Other chapters include His baptism by John, Jesus at prayer, Jesus and the women, and His resurrection finalizes the book.

What is interesting to me is how clearly Jesus’ humanity is conveyed in the Scriptures.  He is always spoken of and referes to Himself as a man.  Yet we also see where Jesus so clearly declared to be God that the religious elite of the time picked up stones to kill Him on the spot without even a trial or dragging Him to the gates of the city where this sort of thing was usually done. It is awesome how God came to earth in the body of a man named Jesus the Christ specifically to redeem us back from our sinful ways!

All-in-all the book is well written, documented well, and does not skimp on adding additional notes. He references a lot of christological counsels that have occurred throughout the ages, incorporating them as appropriate. It is clear to me that he sees the oneness of God, even if he does not affirm it. I recommend it as a good introduction to what some may term the dual nature of Christ, even if that is a poor analogy to use of our God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory

As a fellow blogger, I appreciate Ms. Gregory’s approach to writing.  She is the author for The Daniel Fast blog which contains many tips and recipes for conducting a Daniel fast.  The first chapter of the book is devoted towards getting to know who she (the author) is.  She describes her motivation for writing the book, and her relationship with Jesus Christ.

Chapter two introduces the concept of fasting. It highlights pericopes of scripture which describe fasting and lists three types of fasting as follows:

  1. Absolute fast- no food or drink
  2. Normal fast- only water is consumed
  3. Partial fast- where only certain foods and drink are consumed

Fasting is for a purpose.  Not simply as a diet fad, but rather as a way to mold yourself and draw closer to God.  Fasting does nothing to change God.  It is all a discipline to help us get our flesh under control and focus more keenly on the Spirit of God and drawing closer to Jesus.

Chapter three goes into the life of Daniel and the choices he had to make while living in captivity.  He could have chose the easy route but instead decided to stay focused on serving the God he knew to be true!  The next chapter follows with how a Daniel fast will affect change in our spirit, body and soul.  The next is a detailed listing of 5 steps to success!  This concluded the first pat of the book.

The second part of the book includes a food list of recommended foods to purchase while doing the Daniel Fast.  It also contains 115 pages of recipes with the last portion of the book devoted to a meal planner and frequently asked questions.

The recipe and food list take up the majority of the book and what I found to be the most useful portion of the book.  The book is paperback and constructed of typical quality paper.  If you are planning on using the book extensively in the kitchen, I’d recommend either laminating the pages or making a photocopy of the recipe and using that (be sure to shred afterwards to avoid copyright lawsuits)!

Anyway, my review gives it a thumbs up for background info on the Daniel fast and for the recipes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”