Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 4 years, you have heard of the Kindle. But just in case you’ve recently returned from a 4 year stint in a remote location without telephone, television, internet, or any other contact with modern civilization, let me tell you a little about the Kindle. And since I am not a technology wizard, I am going to use simple layman’s terms.
The Kindle is a wireless reading device developed by Amazon and first released in 2007. With the Kindle you are able to choose from hundreds of thousands of books, newspapers, magazines, etc., which you can download to your device. One of the most amazing features of the Kindle is the screen. Instead of looking like a computer screen, the Kindle screen actually looks like real paper. It is easy to read and hold, is lightweight, and has a long battery life. All of your favorite books and publications are a quick download away. Click here to read more about the amazing Kindle.
There is so much more I could say about the Kindle. But I’ll stop with this: I want one. Bad. The end.
Spiritual gifts are one of those topics that can either unite or divide theologians, Bible study students, or even friends. The subject of spiritual gifts is covered in 4 main Bible passages: 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, 1 Peter 4, and Ephesians 4. In each of these passages, unity in the body of Christ when dealing with spiritual gifts is emphasized . In Ephesians 4:3 – a key passage dealing with spiritual gifts – the Apostle Paul urges Christians to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” So why is there such division in the body about this subject? I believe it is because many people have not actually studied the Bible to see what it says about spiritual gifts.
After studying through the 4 main passages listed above, a good commentary on this subject is Leslie B. Flynn’s book 19 Gifts of the Spirit. Easy to understand and thoroughly researched, this book provides excellent insight into each gift listed in Scripture. Other commentators may number the gifts differently – and you may, too, after you have thoroughly studied. That’s okay. Flynn’s book is still a valuable tool when studying spiritual gifts.
At Precept Camden we are currently studying this subject using the Precept Upon Precept workbook on Spiritual Gifts to guide us through the scriptures. If you’d like to study with us online, you can go here to see how to do that. Once you have learned everything you can about spiritual gifts, go here for help on how to find out what your gift is.
Here’s how I mark prophet and false prophet when doing inductive Bible study. I use a green pen to draw a little megaphone shape. I color prophet with a yellow pencil and false prophet with a brown pencil.
Read this to see a handy way to keep track of your key word marking symbols right in your Bible. Visit our Key Word Symbols page to view and print 6 pages of suggested symbols. You can laminate and 3-hole punch them to keep them in a notebook or just put them in protective sleeves.
Don’t forget that the purpose of marking the text is to make you slow down as you read and to help you draw out the main idea of what you are reading. Too often we zip through a passage without really comprehending what it is saying. Get some colored pencils -or, better yet, these awesome pens from JetPens – and slow down as you read God’s Word. As you see repeated words or phrases, mark them in a distinctive way. And you will be on your way to studying the Bible inductively.
photo by David Morrison Photography
Is there a right or wrong way to have a daily quiet time? Does the Bible give us any guidelines? Kay Arthur has written a 37-page booklet called A Quiet Time Alone with God that answers all your questions concerning this topic. Daily time with God is vital to a healthy, growing relationship with Him, but so often we feel we must adhere to a rigid set of rules about time, place, or method. But is that biblical thinking?
Click here to order this booklet from Precept Ministries International. It’s only $1.95. That is a small investment that will reap big dividends in your walk with God and your journey to spiritual maturity.
For the second year in a row, my church is reading through the Chronological Bible. It’s fun to not only experience the Word of God from a chronological perspective but also to have a common devotional reading with my fellow church members. We can share insights or questions about certain passages. And there’s no condemnation for “falling off the wagon.” If you miss a day (been there), or a week (done that), or several weeks (bought the t-shirt), we encourage everyone to just start right back where you are.
But the other day I found this resource that I think is pretty awesome. You can listen to a daily Scripture reading that goes through the Bible in one year. The One Year Audio Bible is read by Tom Dooley of MasterMedia Ministries. If you’ve never heard the voice of Tom Dooley, then you are in for a treat. Billy Graham said it’s like hearing the voice of God. So basically, you get the voice of God reading the Word of God. Well, sort of.
The One Year Audio Bible is not arranged chronologically. But what a great way to go through the entire Bible in one year. Just click on the picture in the right sidebar to listen every day. It’s not too late. Make 2010 the year you read and/or listened to the Bible in a year!
My husband was in the Navy for 23 years. As you can imagine, we made a few moves during that time. Not as many as most Navy families, but we still changed addresses a few times – especially during the first 10 years of our marriage. I started doing Precept Bible studies when we lived in Montgomery, AL. After that, whenever we moved, I would find a Precept group in our new area and join it. There’s nothing like a good Bible study group to help hold you accountable to your studies.
I found myself on more than one occasion in a strange church in a strange town sitting in a room full of strangers. There would be a class discussion. Then, as most Precept Bible studies do, we would watch a teaching video. In that moment, Kay’s familiar (and beautiful) face would come on the television screen and she would begin teaching in her familiar, comforting voice. Suddenly in the midst of all the unfamiliarity, I was at home. I was not among strangers but among friends and sisters in Christ. Kay was my friend who moved with me everywhere I went.
Now you can meet Kay at oneplace.com. You can listen to the daily broadcast of her radio program Precepts for Life, watch her teaching video, download Precept’s ministry newsletter, and connect with a variety of other resources offered by Precept Ministries International.
So now you can take Kay with you wherever you go. But she’s my BFF.
My heart is broken for Haiti. This picture says it all for me. Want to help? The EFCA Crisis Response is in the process of mobilizing teams to go. They need money to do it. Go here to donate. I did.
One of my favorite blogs, Cake Wrecks , also has some great ways to donate here. I especially like texting the Red Cross to donate $10. It automatically shows up on your cell phone bill. A painless way to give. I did that, too.
Pray? Yes. Of course. Absolutely. But let’s face it. They need money to help with this crisis. The need is urgent. So pray and GIVE.
