Lifeway, the publishers of the English Standard Bible translation, is currently offering a free PDF download of Psalms in 30 Days: A Prayer Guide Through the Psalter, written by Trevin Wax. I could not find the book on their website, but received the download link in an email from the ChurchResources division of Lifeway.
This is not a commentary nor a devotional study guide to the Psalms. Rather, the author has arranged the various psalms to be read and incorporated into the reader’s daily prayers. The full text of each psalm is reproduced – from the ESB version of course. The book is arranged into three daily prayer times for 30 days. Each prayer time includes not only the psalms chosen for that time, but also one or more brief Scripture quotations from other parts of the Bible in line with that time’s theme, and also a prayer or prayers to be verbalized in addition to the psalms. The total length of the book in print form is 299 pages.Continue Reading
News keeps coming in daily of the spread and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools, churches and businesses across our nation are closed for at least the near future. But not all the news is bad. In our city of Lubbock many people, organizations and businesses are stepping forward and giving and serving our community with no strings attached. I like to think this is at least partly the result of the strong influence that Christianity still exerts in our city and region. Hopefully those reading this in other parts of our nation are seeing similar generosity; perhaps some are even part of Christian churches involved in such service.Continue Reading
A project at Sunset International Bible Institute that I have been involved with since its planning stages is the Sunset Digital Library app. At Sunset we have a large archive of older video and audio recordings of our instructors and ministers dating as far back as 1970. Some of the well-known names (now deceased) include Cline Paden, Gerald Paden, Ted Stewart, Truman Scott, Doyle Paden, Abe Lincoln, Richard Rogers, Norman Gipson and Richard Baggett. Others still with us include Ed Wharton, Truitt Adair, Ken Jones, Dan Rouse and many others.Continue Reading
I greatly enjoy reading about archaeological discoveries that have some connection to Bible history. Archaeologists who are also Bible believers often state that their science is not intended to “prove the Bible true” but does often coincide with or even illustrate some aspect of the writings of Scripture.
Earlier on this website we highlighted materials from Ray Vander Laan which are an example of this illustration of the Bible by archaeology. This week I want to highlight the website www.archwithtal.com (Archaeology withTalmadge). According to his profile, Talmadge Gerald is an archaeologist presently pursuing his doctorate at Andrews University while also serving as Assistant to the Curator of the Museum of Archaeology at Andrews and participating in digs during the summers in the Middle East.Continue Reading
That I am a serious student of the history of Christianity is clear. A significant part of my print and digital libraries consist of many varied texts and works on the subject. I presently teach a “Christian History and Doctrine” course at Sunset International Bible Institute. I often tell stories from Christian history as illustrations in my sermons and Bible classes. One of my study guides available in this website’s store is entitled, “Pictures from Christian History.” And reading earlier posts on this website shows a real bias in this same direction.Continue Reading
The masthead of this monthly publication says, “The Christian Chronicle®– An international newspaper for Churches of Christ.” On its editorial page the paper describes itself as “A subsidiary of Oklahoma Christian University,” with “Our mission: inform, inspire, unite.”
Further down on that page we read, “The Christian Chronicle is not a teaching or doctrinal publication, but a newspaper with news and opinion content in sections clearly labeled. Signed columns and reviews reflect the opinions of the authors.” The current issue in my hand (February, 2020) is Vol. 77, No. 2. From that I would gather this is its 77th year of publication. In one place on their website they claim over 330,000 monthly readers.Continue Reading
In 2012 I preached a 14-lesson series called The Dark Kingdom examining what the Scriptures say about Satan and his work from Creation until the end of time. This was very well received by the Tanglewood congregation in Odessa, and inspired me to organize my material better and do even more study to teach a similar 12-lesson series, Satan and His Dark Kingdom, at the Sunset Church of Christ in 2014. This latter series and accompanying study guide is available in my Store if you wish to have a copy of that study.
One of the resources I discovered and used in the above study was a pair of books written by Dennis McCallum. I want to recommend the smaller of his two books entitled, Unlocking the Mysteries of Satan. It is only available as a Kindle ebook (not in print or on Apple Books). The price varies over time between $1.99 to $2.99, but it is a bargain at either price! Different than many other books, it is not written as sensational, light and fluffy approach to the subject, but is a serious and scriptural study of a key Bible doctrine.Continue Reading
The favorite video series in my personal library is the series produced by Ray Vander Laan entitled, That the World May Know. The series now consists of 16 volumes plus two special videos.
Mr. Vander Laan is a Christian educator as well as minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Since about 1992 he has taken over 10,000 people on tours of Israel, Turkey and Egypt. These videos are shot on location during some of these tours. Not simply a tourist video of the locations, Vander Laan takes the time to explain what is being viewed and what are some of the Biblical lessons to be gained.Continue Reading
One of the many great benefits of living in the Information Age is the accessibility of materials from others who have sought to preach the Gospel of Christ. By this I mean there are many books available of the sermons and writings of men of earlier generations who were effective proclaimers of the Biblical message. Of course, for those who lived more recently or are contemporaneous with us, we also may also have audio or video recordings.
Being a teacher of Christian history, I always value reading after the Apostolic and Early Church Fathers. This is no endorsement of some of their teachings, but there is still much to be gained by listening to those who lived much closer in both time and culture to the New Testament period. Men such as Ignatius, Origin, Justin the Martyr, and others still speak today through writings which have survived for 1700+ years.Continue Reading
I recently recommended a resource for free Bible land photographs in my article, “Free Images of Bible Lands.” These free photographs are available from www.BiblePlaces.com. Now I want to follow up by heartily recommended their paid resources!
Josh McDowell is legendary among writers on Christian Apologetics – defending the historical reliability of the New Testament and deity of Jesus Christ. In his 50+ years of teaching and writing, McDowell has fulfilled much the same role that Second and Third Century apologists like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin, Cyprian and others did for the Early Church.
Author or co-author of over 150 books, Josh McDowell’s most popular book continues to be Evidence That Demands a Verdict. This was one of the first books on Christian apologetics I purchased early in my ministry, and one I continue to use regularly.Continue Reading
UPDATE ON PRICING: Illumination Publishers is offering holiday pricing until about December 13, 2019 – the 3-volume print set is only $15 (regular $45); digital ebook volumes are $7 each (regular $13.99).
For the past three years I have been the instructor for the “Christian History and Doctrine” course at Sunset International Bible Institute. But my love and study of Christian history (often called church history) goes back to my own Bible college days at Florida College in 1969-70. There for the first time I took a course on church history which was taught by Harry Payne, Sr. I can’t say it was my favorite class (Hermeneutics by Roy Cogdill and Minor Prophets by Homer Hailey were in that category), but the seed was planted.Continue Reading
Lifeway, the publishers of the English Standard Bible translation, is currently offering a free PDF download of Psalms in 30 Days: A Prayer Guide Through the Psalter, written by Trevin Wax. I could not find the book on their website, but received the download link in an email from the ChurchResources division of Lifeway.
A project at Sunset International Bible Institute that I have been involved with since its planning stages is the Sunset Digital Library app. At Sunset we have a large archive of older video and audio recordings of our instructors and ministers dating as far back as 1970. Some of the well-known names (now deceased) include Cline Paden, Gerald Paden, Ted Stewart, Truman Scott, Doyle Paden, Abe Lincoln, Richard Rogers, Norman Gipson and Richard Baggett. Others still with us include Ed Wharton, Truitt Adair, Ken Jones, Dan Rouse and many others.
I greatly enjoy reading about archaeological discoveries that have some connection to Bible history. Archaeologists who are also Bible believers often state that their science is not intended to “prove the Bible true” but does often coincide with or even illustrate some aspect of the writings of Scripture.
The masthead of this monthly publication says, “The Christian Chronicle®– An international newspaper for Churches of Christ.” On its editorial page the paper describes itself as “A subsidiary of Oklahoma Christian University,” with “Our mission: inform, inspire, unite.”
In 2012 I preached a 14-lesson series called The Dark Kingdom examining what the Scriptures say about Satan and his work from Creation until the end of time. This was very well received by the 
I recently recommended a resource for free Bible land photographs in my article, “
egendary among writers on Christian Apologetics – defending the historical reliability of the New Testament and deity of Jesus Christ. In his 50+ years of teaching and writing, McDowell has fulfilled much the same role that Second and Third Century apologists like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin, Cyprian and others did for the Early Church.
UPDATE ON PRICING: Illumination Publishers is offering holiday pricing until about December 13, 2019 – the 3-volume print set is only $15 (regular $45); digital ebook volumes are $7 each (regular $13.99).