Is there
any internet user who has not spent hours and hours on YouTube Videos? Who has
not benefitted from YouTube? At the same time, who among us is not guilty of
excessive use? Like it or hate it, technology always comes with merit and
demerit. Unfortunately, the nature of human is on the slippery slope of
demerits. Moreover, there are YouTubers, who uploaded various versions of the
original, and sadly many to out dislikes. Also, there are countless titles
which are misleading. Today, I would like to mention some great Channels of
YouTube (solid Christian resources) you may want to subscribe if you have not
so far. And, do tell me your recommended channels too.
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Monday, May 07, 2018
Saturday, May 05, 2018
Rongmei Theological Society (RTS) Conference, Khoupum
Recently
I have attended Rongmei Theological Society (RTS) Conference in Lubanglong
Baptist Church, Khoupum. RTS has been around for many years convening
conferences at least 18 times across Rongmei inhabited areas in North East
India – Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. It is my first time to RTS Conference,
also to visit the Khoupum Valley. Like any first-timer, I do have few things to
say about each of them.
Friday, May 04, 2018
Overcoming Jealousy
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD
all the day; For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:17-18 (NKJV)
Summarize in a Word: Overcoming Jealousy
Key Principle: God Rewards the Faithful
Key Application: Delight in God
Main point of the Passage: Nobody is immune to Jealousy but those whose
delight is in God shall overcome it.
Illustration: Successful Inmate in prison v/s Successful man
in a free land
Exhortation: Do not be troubled
by sinners, but be assured by God’s faithfulness.
Who is immune to Jealousy? It looks like we are hardwired
especially when we are in desperate want. Jealousy is never a pleasant emotion.
Unfortunately, I have seen many frustrations and anger in several families
because they were jealous of neighbor’s successes.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Top 20 Websites for Biblical Resources
The title
itself is hard to believe. There are more websites than we can explore.
Certainly, you don’t expect me to evaluate each and every website available,
and to defend my list without committing an error. I prepare this based on my
theological background and my exposures to various websites those help me grow
in the knowledge of God. If you are curious about my theological position: I am
7 points Biblicist. I believe the Bible – its authority, its sufficiency, its
inerrancy, its infallibility, its inspiration, its reliability, and its
effectiveness. Therefore, you can surmise which websites I would be inclined to
list here.
1.
Grace to You It is the teaching
ministry of John MacArthur. You can get almost all his sermons (video and
audio), and sermons transcripts. You will also find articles, questions and
answers, devotional insights, and much more. It always has been my top go-to website.
2.
Ligonier Ministries It is
the teaching fellowship of R.C. Sproul. There are several articles and Lectures
on various themes from various personalities of R.C class.
3.
Albert Mohler Even if
you are not an American his briefing will help you to be an articulate
Christian thinker. There are Articles, lectures, essays, sermons, and questions
and answers.
4.
Answer in Genesis It is an
apologetics ministry spearheaded by Ken Ham. It is a go-to website, especially
for Science and Creationism.
Above are
the top four websites. Here is another list:
Other Helpful Sites
If you
are curious about any websites, which give bad theology look at what Phil
Johnson has done for us in his bibliophile. If you
happen to be reading any of the websites listed there, you better be
discerning!
R. Solomon
Friday, April 27, 2018
Godly Thoughts
“And let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and to good works” – Hebrews 10:24 (KJV):
Summarize in a Word: Godly Thoughts
Key Principle: We are prone to evil thoughts
Key Application: We must think through the Scripture
Main point of the Passage: In all circumstances, we have a choice to feed
our mind with evil plans or godly plans
Illustration: The Pharisee’s Prayer
Exhortation: Give an attentive scrutiny; fix
your mind upon how to provoke, irritate them unto godliness.
Many times, we see people hating others, and
even harming others. Sometimes, we act like the Pharisee who said, “Thank God!
I am not like them.” The moment we do that, we fall as short as they do. This stunning
verse of Hebrews is teaching us to look in a very different way.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Monday, April 23, 2018
Top 3 Websites for in-depth Bible Study
If you
have been reading the previous blog posts, you must be aware that I have been
blogging about Bible Study resources. In Previous Posts, I have recommended
Bible Software for Computer and Bible App for Phone for us to have an in-depth
study of God’s word (offline). Today, let us go to online resources. I am
considering those websites that help us study the Bible in our own for Sermon
Preparation, Biblical Exegesis, and others. To do that requires resources like
Original Languages, Lexicons, Exegetical Commentaries, Dictionaries,
Theological Books, Journals, Sermon links, etc. Personally, I have been to many
sites on my own and from the recommendation of others, not for writing this blog,
but for my own Bible studies.
There are the top 3 websites I love to glean apart
from my offline studies:
1.
Bible.org This has many resources from
reputed contributors like Daniel Wallace and John Walvoord. It also has great
sermon links like those of Dever and
Macarthur. It also has a Bible study too called “Lumina” which will be very
helpful for those who do not have a standard Bible software installed in the
Computer or phone.
2.
Precept Austin
Exhaustive information is available here. It also has almost all the sermon
links of great preacher of past and present. It also has Greek and Hebrew
studies.
3.
StudyLight.org
This is an online Bible study website, which one can do similarly on Bible
software offline (of course, Softwares are much more easy, effective, and
efficient). It has Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Commentaries, and Historical
Writings too.
There are
other websites like BibleGateway, Blue Letter Bible, Bible Study Tools, Bible Hub, and many more. However, I find more
convenient to refer to the mentioned three above. I am sure you have your own
preference and do share which one and why you find yourself using it. (I do
not include a site like Grace to You, Ligonier, Monergism, Biblical Training,
because I intend to categorize them in a different heading).
It is the time to take our Bible study to a different level.
R. Solomon
Friday, April 20, 2018
Is your heart healthy?
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah
17:9 [NKJV]
Summarize in a Word: Heart Diagnosis
Principle: God knows us through and through
Application: Surrender yourself to God
Main point of the Passage: We desperately need a new heart to live an
obedient life
Exhortation: Always find sufficiency and satisfaction in
God.
I bumped
into a group of youngsters smoking secretly. One of them reacted, “I know what
is good and what is bad for me. Don’t even try to teach me.” The world likes to
be free from any authority and live any lifestyle.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
Best Bible App for Mobile Phone
Last time
we read about the importance of God’s word and its availableness through
technology even in hostile places. I trust you thank God for allowing us to
access His word easily. One can have an in-depth Bible study through Bible
Software and Bible App available for Computer and Mobile phone. Today I
would like to recommend Bible App for Smart Phone.
(Next
time will be about TopBible Study websites.)
For Mobile/Smart Phone: (ForComputer click here)
Either in
Computer or in Phone, I like to have Bible Software/App that will help me do an
in-depth study. I am also looking for the easy user interface, which happens to be
available and free to install too. There are lots of Bible App in the Play
Store. If you are curious, you can try installing one after another and
uninstall it, if it happens to be not of your taste. (Now, after the entrance
of Jio in India, the internet data is almost available for everyone.)
Again
there are lots, that one cannot install/uninstall one after another. I would
like to recommend two Bible App for the phone. Like I said for the Computer, this
is purely based on my experience. I do not claim to be an expert in any
Software or App available, or even on which I am recommending.
Logos
Bible App for the phone would be nice, but you do need to have an account (not free
for good feature). I would have you consider installing MySword Bible on your
phone.
Top 4 Reasons why I recommend MySword
Bible App.
1.
It is a free, offline
Bible App without ads, but with good updates.
2.
It has Multiple Bible
versions, Good Commentaries, great Dictionaries and standard Lexicons.
3.
For those who are
interested in Original Languages, it has multiple versions of Greek and Hebrew
with exegetical information (such as parsing, Strong’s number, dictionary link,
notes). It also has Exegetical Commentary for both Greek and Hebrew.
4.
Resources like ToD, BI,
K&D, RWP, ABP, GRVx, BHSE, RMAC, BDB, AMGL are too good to get in just a fingertip.
One of
the demerits of MySword Bible App is that it does not have the three greatest
Bible Versions – NASB, ESV, and NKJV. I still prefer over any other App because
I am more interested in the study materials than the version itself. There are
Apps without Dictionary or Commentary, this one has even exegetical materials.
To
complement this App, I would like to recommend “The Study Bible” created by Grace to You.
This has NASB, ESV, and NKJV and cross-references offline. There are also reliable expository verse by
verse Sermon links and study material links too (those links require you to be
online.) Also, you can have a reliable solid study notes on the purchase. In fact,
if you are not that much interested in original languages and preparing
sermons, The Study Bible App would be more helpful,
perhaps, the best!
If you do
know any other App, which looks superior, you are welcome to share your
opinion. (Ignorance is not bliss!)
I trust that your Bible study
will be much more effective from now onwards.
R. Solomon
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