What’s in your Church Library?

If anyone saw me leaving the church one day with a pizza box, I’m certain they were thinking First Presbyterian offers more than just food for the soul. When I started writing book reviews for our church library, my first assignment for my newletter column Check It Out was contained within a pizza box labeled The Book of Job. It was a multimedia collection from our library of study guides and tapes including: Horizons Bible Study Faith Remains When Understanding Fails; Deep Things Out of Darkness - The Book of Job, Essays and a New English Translation; and a copy of Tried and True: Job for Modern Man.

Although familiar with the Horizons Bible Study having spent two years on the topic of Job for a Women’s Association Bible study, I wanted to check out the collection that has been so thoughtfully put together by our church librarian.

Of particular interest to me was the copy of Tried and True: Job for Modern Man. It is the Book of Job in Today’s English Version of the American Bible Society from 1971. Outside of this being an easily read translation, it is complimented with sketch drawings throughout the text. These drawings evoke the very essence of Job, the grief of man, the desire to call out to God “why”.

The beauty of this piece brought back to mind some favorite works from school, a work of great epic proportion, making this a true piece of literature to be appreciated for its prose and poetry.

The book Deep Things Out of Darkness is a collection of essays and a New English Translation. Although I would rather read forty chapters of Job as opposed to 500 pages of detailed essays on the topic this book has some merit. The first chapter, The Art of Mistranslation, is helpful in iterating the job of a translator versus the job of an interpreter.

And the tapes…are you looking for something while you are on the treadmill or exercise bike?

This multimedia collection can serve a variety of needs to any individual. I would say if you were looking for a small group study or Sunday school piece you might consider looking around your church library to compile a collection here and there by topic. Pull articles from magazines, group together different study guides and tapes, look for commentary, and varying bible versus. Then advertise the addition to your library in your Sunday worship bulletin or your church newsletter.

What special offerings does your church have in its library? Is the library used for study groups often? Do you have a dedicated librarian or church group to oversee the growth of your library?

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I am enamored at the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of Jesus. That God has given us new life and rewritten old laws is incredible. Today I’ll read from Matthew 12:1-21 from the New International Version, you can read along at BibleGateway.com if you’d like.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Love Podcast
To read along…

Matthew 12:18 from the NIV

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

That is my favorite verse. God gave this gift to Jesus and he in turn gave it to us. How incredible is that. He gave it to “the one I love.” Does that not speak volumes about love? We can empower good through loving others.

Is there someone you can love where you think love could make a real impact on another’s life?

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Love was the first fruit listed in Galatians 5:22. Why? Because it is the most important. We have to love God with all our heart, love ourselves and love our neighbor. Without this love it seems hard to accomplish any of the fruit of the Spirit.

How should we love? As God loves us.

I found this version of the Lord’s Prayer on YouTube. I like the mix of the modern backdrop in addition to the use of the NASB bible translation.

Someone asked Dan Stevers why he used the NASB for this project. His response was:

“The reason our church uses the NASB translation instead of the KJV is that we want to connect with people who are not Christ followers. The KJV is beautiful but we feel it may not connect as well with people who don’t know Jesus.”

What is your favorite bible version? Do you have a favorite verse that you always prefer and recite in a particular bible version?

Here is Dan Stevers “visual interpretation” of the prayer our Lord taught us to pray.

Patience and Perseverance one in the same?

Consider the book of James 1:2-4

NIV

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

and

NKJV

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Much like the saying “God helps those who help themselves,” it is quite possible that being patient is more akin to persevering. Not necessarily suffering needlessly but more just being a strong and faithful believer without a doubt.

At gotQuestions.org their article “What does the Bible say about patience?” tells us the following:

“Although most people consider patience to be a passive waiting or gentle tolerance, most of the Greek words translated “patience” in the New Testament (KJV) are active, robust words. Consider, for example, Hebrews 12:1: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

Does one run a race by passively waiting for slow-pokes or gently tolerating cheaters? Certainly not! The word translated patience in this verse means endurance. A Christian runs the race patiently by persevering through difficulties in hope of heaven. In the Bible, patience is persevering towards a goal, enduring trials, or expectantly waiting for a promise to be fulfilled.”

Next time you tell someone they are trying your patience then perhaps you are complimenting you both. With maturity we strengthen our patience. We persevere, we endure and through it all we have faith and are rewarded for not doubting.

With this new perspective do you find that perhaps where you thought you were failing as being patient, that now perhaps you were actually succeeding as a persevering Christian?

When you consider being patient what first comes to mind? Are you waiting for something? Are you wanting and actively going after something?

We are on to JOY! Is Pentecost still in your heart? It is still in mine and so is the spirit of Joy!

Phil. 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again – Rejoice!” There, it had to be said twice. REJOICE! Where does our joy come from? The Lord!

Surely we don’t need only the Lord for our happiness. Do we not know how to find happiness in our lives without the Lord? Maybe not, we aren’t finding joy in the grocery store, mall or work place…and we won’t find it easily on the internet either unless we are interested in Christian Joy the fashion designer. Well I did find some inspiration regarding Joy today despite that almost failed search.

At the blog Hem of His Garment Bible Study, I find a wonderful piece of scripture from Nehemiah in the Old Testament.

Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Nehemiah 8:10

So, the joy of the Lord is more than joy itself, or being happy, it is about Him making us strong. That should be very important to us as the second fruit of the Spirit. We need to be filled with love and we need to be strong.

And I couldn’t have said it any better than Sonya Triggs at Urban Christianz Blogspot when she says:

“So, apparently, our joy is not be based on our circumstances, our outlook, our paycheck or our mindset. But on our relationship with Jesus Christ - and our abiding in him. And it can never be taken away or meddled with by man - it is durable, permanent - built rock-solid on Jesus’s gift of atonement to us. And, finally, that joy is found within the Holy Spirit - it shows up and is manifested as a result of His presence within us.”

Have you been confused with the whole joy thing? Did you think you had to be happy for the sake of happiness? Are you relieved that Joy is something we reach on a deeper spiritual level and it has nothing to do with our outward appearance to our friends as Christians?

I look up to the mountains;
does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from GOD,
Who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
Psalm 121:1-2 (The Message - Psalms)

As people of faith we should seek to become a disciple and a pilgrim. A book within Psalms known as the Song of Ascents, Psalms 120-134, challenges and encourages us to become modern pilgrims. Eugene H. Peterson covers each psalm that makes up the Song of Ascents in his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction - Discipleship in an Instant Society.

Sung by Hebrew pilgrims on their way to worship in Jerusalem, these psalms are as important to us today as they were in their own time. We are challenged to say NO to the world and say YES to God. Peterson devotes a chapter to each psalm and we journey through repentance, providence, worship, service, help, security, joy, work, happiness, perseverance, hope, humility, obedience, community and blessing.

Along with offering bushels full of personal growth, I’ve marked up my Bible extensively, it offers a lot in the way of history. Peterson’s interpretation and knowledge of the time of the Hebrews gives us immediate explanation for verses which might initially be misunderstood by a new student of the Bible.

For example the above passage that was used from The Message, also by Peterson (I’m not certain if this is a book in our library), is clear that we should seek God not his creation. I think in many cases we think scripture says one thing when in fact it is referencing something different. No matter what translation of the Bible you read, Peterson can lead you to Jerusalem and advise you to keep away from those mountains and hilltops where talismen try to sell you a quick fix and promise to make your journey safe. And all along I thought Psalm 121:1 was telling me if I look all around me I could find God in the world.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction does not use Peterson’s translation for the Psalms from The Message since that was written much later. After reading this book however, I can read The Message and have new insight into why he interpreted the Psalms.

Have you read anything by Eugene Peterson, this book perhaps? What are your feelings about the Psalms in general? Do you find reading the Psalms challenging?

Time and time again in the bible we are told He loves us and He will provide for us. If He cares for the birds, He will take care of us as well. Think of Job, he lost it all, but God gave him back even more.

He has given us Jesus, the Holy Spirit and blessings too numerous to count when we recognize them. We must remember how He will always love us. We must also remember how he calls us to do the same.

To close the week of love and the fruit of the Spirit, I thought I’d add a little family fun to the mix. Enjoy this video from GodTube.

Do you think love is the most important fruit of the Spirit? Do you think it adds something important to all the other fruits?

I. SPIRITUAL CHARACTER OF ONE WHO FORGIVES (4-7) Lack of forgiveness is one of the leading causes of the breakups in all relationships. Paul’s describes the spiritual character of one who forgives as – “I am confident of your obedience”     Has a concern for the Lord     Has a concern for people     Has a concern for fellowship     Has a concern for knowledge     Has a concern to bring glory to God     Has a concern to be a blessing to God and others When we are unwilling to forgive it is a rebellious, blatant open act of disobedience to God.  The harm is to ourselves, and to others1.     Failure to forgive will imprison believers in their past. It binds us!2.     Failure to forgive produces bitterness3.     Failure to forgive gives Satan an open door4.     Failure to forgive hinders your fellowship with God. John MacArthur an author and pastor here in So. CA said Forgiveness is found throughout the scriptures and is found in 75 different word pictures in the Bible.  I have picked a few of them·                    To forgive is to write in large letters across a debt, Nothing owed.  PAID IN FULL·                    To forgive is to pound the gavel in a courtroom and declare Not guilty·                    To forgive is to shoot an arrow so high and so far that it can never be found again.·                    To forgive is to bundle up all the garbage and trash and dispose of it, leaving the house fresh and clean. …..TODAY THINK ABOUT YOUR PAST – WHAT HAS GOD FORGIVEN YOU FOR.  HAVE YOU THANKED HIM II. SPIRITUAL ACTION OF ONE WHO FORGIVES Verses (8-18)   Vs. 8 – Paul waives his authority as an apostle, and appeals to Philemon on the basis that it is the right thing to do…AND with the same gentleness as he would receive Paul.  Verse 9 – Yet I appeal to you on the basis of love….to receive Onesimus back.  PAUL IS CHARGING PHILEMON TO RECEIVE ONESIMUS BACK ON THE BASIS OF LOVE.    Verse 14 – Paul wanted Philemon’s forgiveness and reconciliation to be spontaneous and not forced. Who should you forgive - how would that effect your life?

You will see the Lord save you today.
— Exodus 14:13a

If one were to look for something the Lord has done in one’s life everyday, it is amazing how many blessings there are from Him to us. Whether it is the life of a new baby, the kisses and hugs of a three year old who is too young to think more than one kiss and hug is enough, the compassion of a friend when in need, or the direction that all children need from their Father, no life is more blessed than the one who lives for God through Christ.

Many look for the meaning of life. I don’t know that life itself has a meaning to us outside perhaps the meaning we give it. The gift of life is complicated and while we don’t think about it everyday we may have our moments when we reach out and wonder, “Why?”

Someone thought getting a degree would make them happy, another married and had children. They both proclaim happiness but in a sense, it is not what they imagined. It wasn’t true happiness. Have they missed true happiness or did they just misunderstand it? Maybe true happiness is just being happy in whatever we find in our life, whatever hand we’ve been dealt.

We can find something important and find meaning in it. One thing that is important to me is the Bible. His greatest gift after Christ is the Bible. I find a few minutes everyday can bring one the greatest peace of mind. Everyday, you can visit with a good friend, be reminded of grace and mercy. Some days I might not be able to see what God has done in my life, but it is comforting enough to be reminded that He is doing something. While I may not find true happiness in everything, moments reflecting on the word and remembering what Christ has sacrificed for us brings peace of mind that I can be happy in all I am given.

May God continue to bless us all through His word.

Is there such a thing as true happiness? Do we give life meaning? What’s your favorite Bible? What time of day do you set aside to study or just read and reflect?