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.

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:

5.             Desiring God It is a teaching ministry of John Piper

6.            Martyn Lloyd-Jones Recording Trust It has the recorded Sermons of the Doctor.

7.             One Passion It is the teaching ministry of Steve Lawson

8.            The Spurgeon Archive It is the largest archive of the works of Spurgeon online.

9.            Monergism It is a go-to the web of Reformed literature.

10.       CARM It is an apologetics ministry

11.         Alliance of Confession Evangelicals

12.        Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

13.        Association of Certified Biblical Counselors

14.        Biblical Training

15.        Sermonaudio

Other Helpful Sites

16.        Got Questions It attempts to answer any of your questions you probably want to know.

17.        Christianity Today It is like a newspaper, magazine, essay of Christianity today.

18.       Bible.is You can download various audio Bible from here.

19.        Hymnary.org You can get the lyrics, biography, scripture references and tunes.

20.      The Babylon Bee If you want some fun

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

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.

Image Scripture: Psalm 16:5

                               A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Background Picture is Sancoale Beach, Goa

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

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.

Image Scripture: Psalm 55: 16, 17, 22

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Background Picture is a Wilderness of Kanaphun (Mukti Khullen, Manipur, India)

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

Apostasy [With the Word Friday Issue]

 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

1 John 2:19 (ESV)

Summarize in a Word: Apostasy

Key Principle: Apostasy is around us

Key Application: We must persevere in the faith

Main point of the Reflection: Apostates were never saved since the beginning, and will be manifested by the truth.

Illustration: The Deviation of Charles Templeton and Barth Ehrman

Exhortation: Do not be too quick to label anybody non-Christian out of your emotion. Examine his faith.

Many Christians find disturbing to see people like Charles Templeton and Barth Ehrman deviating from the faith they once were so devoted. Some say it is the failure of the Church since they were the products of the church. Really?

Image Scripture: Philippians 3:8

A Devotional Reflection of Scripture

Thanks for the time of Reflection,

R. Solomon