Crossway introduces the new ESV Following Jesus Bible

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The ESV Following Jesus Bible is full of outstanding content designed to help children understand and enjoy the Bible. Designed for children ages 8–12 as they transition from a beginner's Bible, nearly every other page features a box answering the who, what, where, when, or why of a particular text. "Seeing Jesus" sections explain how certain Bible passages point to Christ and "Following Jesus" sections connect the Bible with the hearts and lives of young readers.

Additional content includes book introductions, a glossary, Old and New Testament timeline art, and kid-friendly maps. "God's Word for Me When..." and "God's Word for Me About..." pages also help orient kids to key Scriptures on various topics.

The ESV Following Jesus Bible will strengthen children in their faith and teach them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Learn more here.

Know Your Bible Translations

(from Adam4D.com)

You Saw 'The Bible' Mini-Series, Now Read the Book

No, not that Book. I mean, why bother reading the Bible when you can just read the novel based on the mini-series that was based on the Bible?

Great Bible Reading App for Your Mobile Device

It's simply called ReadingPlan. You can download it and start at any time and progress at your own rate. Here are just a few of the features:

• It can be linked with your favorite Bible app. Clicking on a particular reading will automatically take you to that passage.
  
  
• Your progress can be synced with multiple devices.
  
  
• You can archive your own progress, allowing others to track their own plan on one device.
  
  
• It lets you switch from one reading plan to another without having to start over.
  
  
• Best of all, it's free.

I just downloaded and used it this morning. It's simple, and it works.

The Book of Romans in 45 Tweets

We don't yet have a Twitter-ized version of the entire Bible, but we do have a nice summary of the Book of Romans:

Romans 1
The resurrected Lord Jesus has commissioned the advance of his gospel for the sake of his name among all nations (#Romans 1:1-7).

Serving God in the gospel of his Son and obligated to all peoples, preaching the gospel is marked by eagerness (#Romans 1:8-15).

The gospel is God's power that results in salvation for everyone who believes. Everyone who believes (#Romans 1:16-17).

God's wrath is made known against man's unrighteousness — all who rebel against God to worship creaturely stuff (#Romans 1:18-32).

Romans 2
You presuming upon God's kindness and refusing to repent is you storing up wrath for yourself on the day of judgment (#Romans 2:1-11).

A true Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is really a matter of the heart, by the Spirit (#Romans 2:12-29).

Romans 3
Jewish people are advantaged, entrusted with God's oracles. Their faithlessness doesn't nullfy the faithfulness of God (#Romans 3:1-8).

We're all the same, Jew and non-Jew. We're sinners. None is righteous, nobody. And we can't save ourselves (#Romans 3:9-20).

All who believe are justified by God's gift through Jesus, who bore the wrath we deserved. Our boasting is excluded (#Romans 3:21-31).

Romans 4
Abraham is faith's "Exhibit A". He trusted the one who justifies the ungodly and it was counted as righteousness (#Romans 4:1-12).

It all rests on God's grace, not works. The righteousness counted to Abraham is counted to us who believe in Jesus (#Romans 4:13-25).

Read the rest here.

Looking for a Bible-Reading Plan for the New Year?

Justin Taylor provides an extensive list with many helpful options.

The Bible Is Not About You

(via)

What's REALLY Hard to Understand

If I believe that "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," what possible reason would I have for doubting what the Bible has to say about Noah and the ark, the plagues of Egypt, the exodus of the Israelites, Jonah and the whale, God taking on human form, the miracles of Jesus, his death and resurrection, Pentecost, or the coming judgment? Seriously, if I can get past Genesis 1:1, the rest is a piece of cake.

What I can't understand is why a holy, just, and sovereign God would save a wicked, damnable sinner like me.

If You Won't Believe the Bible Due to a "Lack of Evidence"...

...why not be consistent?

According to Tominthebox News Network, a 37-year-old man has debunked his own birth:

"All of the so-called records of my birth have been completely destroyed. I performed research at the hospital and all that remains are copies of copies of copies of all the original paperwork. And these copies are not even on paper, but on microfilm that must be printed to get a paper copy. When I print out the copies, they are not always clear. So to believe I was really born to this woman and man at this hospital, I would have to believe that this information stored on this film was actually created from real documents from the time of my so-called birth and signed by my so-called mother and my so-called father over 37 years ago and somehow preserved through time. I can't even find last month's electric bill in my house, and I'm supposed to believe that some disinterested parties have taken the time to preserve my birth records from 37 years ago?"

New Bible to Watch Out For

Come on. You all knew it was only a matter of time until Joel Osteen released his own Bible.

Here's the description from Amazon:

It is the very character and essence of God in written form. As you study the Scriptures with an alert mind and a receptive heart, you will be strengthened, empowered, and filled with the hope that comes through a loving and growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We are who the Bible says we are, we can have what it says we can have, and we can do all that it promises we can do.

This is the heart of the message that Joel and Victoria Osteen share every week with an audience of millions around the world via television, the internet, and worship events. Their practical, uplifting message of hope found in Christ has changed the lives of individuals, impacted families, and literally transformed communities. They place an incredible value on the principles of the Bible, which have a miraculous, life-changing impact on anyone who is willing to study and obey its truths.

The Hope for Today Bible is filled with insights, notes, and encouragements from Joel and Victoria designed to help you grow deeper in your walk with God. It also includes specific verses that you can pray over your relationships, your children, your finances, and your health. In addition, "HopePoints" are key words and supporting scriptures related to topics such as favor, forgiveness, anger, depression, loneliness, self-control, and many more.

This Bible is presented in the New Living Translation, which combines phenomenal scholarship and textual accuracy with clear, easy-to-understand contemporary language. The Bible will come alive and become clear like never before.

Consider yourself warned.

Pulpit Plagiarism

Why wrack your brain trying to come up with your own original sermons when it's so much easier to steal one from someone else? Galatiansc4v16 has the story.

Pastors, if you're going to use someone else's words rather than your own, why not just pick up a Bible? Trust me. Your congregation will love you for it -- even, no, especially if you quote it verbatim.

Atheist Penn Jillette on Proselytizing

If you're familiar at all with Penn Jillette, the vocal half of the famous magic and comedy duo Penn & Teller, you know that he is a very outspoken atheist who has never shied away from ridiculing the Bible or Christianity. So, you can imagine my surprise when I saw this:

Interesting and convicting.

Voting, Conscience, and Sin

Elections tend to bring out the worst in people. Even in the Reformed circles of the blogosphere accusations were being tossed around about how a vote, or failure to vote, for a particular candidate was a sin. Did we really have to sink to that level?

At the risk of offending some of my readers, let me point out the blatantly obvious fact that there is no biblical command to vote. While some have used the dominion mandate in Genesis 1 and the subjection command in Romans 13 to argue that we have a responsibility or duty to vote, I submit that voting is simply one method of exercising influence.

In this country we (at least for now) are free to vote, but we are just as free not to vote. How we vote and if we vote are matters of conscience, and the conscience is an important thing to consider. Let me illustrate.

In 1924, Eric Liddell refused to run in the Olympic Games on Sunday. He believed strongly that it would be a violation of the Fourth Commandment to keep the Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8). We can all respect that. I consider Liddell to be a great man of faith, even though I disagree with his view of the Sabbath.

Jesus told us in Mark 2:27, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." We are under a new and better Covenant (Hebrews 8:6), and believers have already entered into a Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4). Christ is our Sabbath, not a particular day of the week. The Fourth Commandment was a shadow of what was to come, and the death penalty imposed for breaking that commandment was merely a glimpse of what would happen to those found outside of Christ in the coming judgment.

Yet Eric Liddell was convinced in his heart and mind that running on Sunday was breaking God's law. Therefore, it would have been a sin for him to compete, since he would have been in violation of his conscience. Likewise, it would have been a sin for other Christians to encourage him to act against his conscience.

This principle is applied in scripture to all aspects of our lives, from what we eat and drink (Romans 14:21, 1st Corinthians 8:10) to what we think and believe (2nd Corinthians 10:5, 1st Timothy 1:5, 1:19). Our conscience bears witness to the law of God written on our hearts (Romans 2:15).

So, how does all of this apply to voting? I believe that we should examine ourselves before casting a single vote. Ask yourself, "What are my intentions? What are my motivations? Are they in line with God's word?"

As with many issues in our Christian walk, we will have agreements and disagreements with our brothers and sisters. I think we can all agree, for example, that drunkenness is a sin. But what about the moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages? Try asking a Southern Baptist if it's possible to come to a general consensus.

When it comes to voting, there are countless issues that must be weighed, and because we are fallen human beings with vastly different backgrounds and experiences, we will not view each one in the same way. For me, a major concern is the slaughter of the unborn. I cannot in good conscience support a pro-choice politician who pledges to keep abortion "safe" and legal. I also cannot bring myself to support a candidate who claims to be pro-life, yet turns around and votes to confirm pro-abortion judges and send billions of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood.

As you have no doubt surmised, I did not vote for the Democrat or Republican for president. I cast my vote for the Constitution Party candidate, the guy who had "no chance" of winning.

Was that a sin? In the eyes of some, it was. I have been told on more than one occasion that a vote for anyone other than (fill in name of Republican candidate) is a sin because it ends up being a vote for the Democrat opponent (i.e. a vote in favor of abortion).

But there are other issues to consider as well, such as a politician's consistent refusal to honor his or her oath to uphold the Constitution. That document is the supreme law of the land. In other words, it is the governing authority to which we are all subject (Romans 13:1), and that includes civil leaders. When our elected representatives ignore the restraints on their power, they are governing unjustly. Vows were taken seriously in scripture (Numbers 30:2). Oaths are considered "final for confirmation" (Hebrews 6:16). Should such a grave dereliction of duty be rewarded with a vote?

It isn't my intention to delve into every single controversial issue (e.g. confiscation of private property, government-run education, financial bailouts of private businesses at taxpayer expense, preemptive war, etc.). My point is to encourage each of us to examine our own motives for voting rather than lash out at those who may have voted differently. After all, we are ultimately accountable to God for our actions.

What are your thoughts? If you can keep a relatively civil tone and the expletives to a minimum, then feel free to jump right in and speak your mind.

Repackaging Scripture

How do you make the most offensive book in history more palatable for non-believers? Why, change the packaging, of course:

More on "Bible Illuminated: The Book" here:

"In general, Bible publishers have always been creative, but now they are scrambling to meet a culture where people are moving away from print reading," said Paul Gutjahr, an associate professor of English and adjunct associate professor in religious studies at Indiana University. ...

... "In a visually literate, advertising-skeptical age, how do you grab people's attention?" Gutjahr asked. "Mixing the biblical text with Angelina Jolie doesn't surprise me."

First published in Sweden last year, "Bible Illuminated: The Book" is the glossy fashion magazine-style publication that features Jolie. It looks more at home on a coffee table or a nightstand in the latest hipster hotel than in a church.

God help us.