Five Things You Should Know: Biblical Websites

The web is filled with some great resources to use in your Christian walk.  Many have made various translations and helps available.  With that said, here are my five biblical websites you should know:

1. The ESV Study Bible - The online version of the ESV Study Bible.  A great resource.  Very thorough.  Also has options for you to add your own notes.  Full access to this site involves purchasing the ESV Study Bible.
2. The NLT Study Bible - The online version of the NLT Study Bible.  Another great resource.  Like the ESV model, it too has options to create your own notes.  Interestingly enough, you can also post your notes and read the notes of others.  Also like the ESV, full access to this site involves purchasing the NLT Study Bible.
3. Biblos.com - It has about everything you would need to study your Bible.  English versions, language helps, dictionaries, commentaries, and much more.  A great site.
4. Bible.org - Home of the NET Bible.  A tremendous resource for textual footnotes and language helps.
5. Bible Gateway (biblegateway.com), Bible.com, Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org) – All of these (and I’m sure they’re several others) contain a variety of texts, commentaries, and other helps.  I prefer Bible Gateway if I’m just comparing texts.  Each one has its own unique features.  All our worth checking out.

One other site needs to be mentioned (although I have not personally had the opportunity to use it).  It is greekbiblestudy.org.  The site allows you to pull up several English translations and compare them with the Greek.  I have software that does this, so I have not spent much time on this site.  You do have to create an account in order to access it.

The Failure of Leadership

How said is it when leadership fails a people?  We see it every day in our lives.  Political leaders break their promises and hurt their constituents.  Parents break their vows and hurt their families.  Religious figures abuse their calling and crush those who look to them for guidance.  It’s a real tragedy when leadership fails us.  The Bible says,

“What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!  No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction.  It does not trust in the Lord or draw near to its God.  Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims.  Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.  Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain.  Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.  But the Lord is still there in the city, and he does no wrong.  Day by day he hands down justice, and he does not fail.  But the wicked know no shame” (Zephaniah 3:1-5, NLT). 

The prophet Zephaniah reminds that the failings of leadership often go hand in hand with the corruption of a people.  The people of Judah had rebelled against their God.  Their leaders aggressively participated in this corrupt behavior.  God was well aware of it all.  The failings of His people and their leaders did not go unnoticed by Him.  He was “still there in the city,” and would deal with their sinfulness.

Zephaniah’s words simply remind us how easy it is to go astray, leaders and followers alike.  Through it all, however, God is steadfast.  Leaders may fail us, but God never will.  They may fail to do right, but God will always do right.  May we always live in honor and reverence for Him, regardless of how those around (or in front of) us live.  May we never “refuse all correction,” but always live with the awareness that God is still in our midst.

Urgency

We are a fast-paced society.  We hurry here, hurry there.  Fast food, express lanes, instant communication.  Everything has to be done now.  Tragically, however, we often delay in regard to the most important decision we can make.

In the book of Zephaniah, we read of a time of coming judgment for the nation of Judah.  The Bible says,

“Gather together—yes, gather together,you shameless nation.  Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff.  Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins.  Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands.  Seek to do what is right and to live humbly.  Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you—protect you from his anger on that day of destruction” (Zephaniah 2:1-3, NLT).

The prophet urges the people to return to their God before their time to do so is “blown away like chaff.”  His words simply remind us of the urgency of the moment.  We need to respond to God while we have opportunity.  We need to embrace Him in faith and repentance, trusting Him to honor His Word. 

The author of Hebrews reminds us of the same thing.  He writes,

““Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness.  There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.  So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me.  They refuse to do what I tell them.’  So in my anger I took an oath:  ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’ ”  Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.  Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.  You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.  For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”  And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt?  And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness?  And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest?  Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him?  So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest” (Hebrews 3:7-19, NLT, emphasis added).

May we recognize the brevity of time and take advantage of the opportunity God has given for us to embrace Him.

The Giver and the Gift

The United States has long been a center for affluence.  For centuries now, we have trusted in our ability to do things bigger and better in order to prevail in difficult times.  The wealth of our nation is part of what fuels the American dream. 

Sometimes, however, we have a tendency to trust that wealth more than the One who gave it to us.  Several thousand years ago, the prophet Zephaniah challenged the people of Israel to return to their God.  He reminded them that their mixture of worship and idolatry was not acceptable, and announced to them that God would deal with them in time.  At that time, the Lord “will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins” (Zephaniah 1:5, NLT).  And, on that day, the nation’s wealth will not save them.  The Bible says, “Your silver and gold will not save you on that day of the Lord’s anger” (Zephaniah 1:18, NLT).

May we enjoy what God has given to us while not allowing it to replace Him in our hearts.  May we trust in the giver rather than the gifts.

How Do We View Suffering?

It has been said that into every life, a little rain must fall.  In other words, we all are going to experience some peaks and valleys here and there.  Despite the teachings of some who suggest that Christianity is nothing but mountain top experiences (more about that another time), the Christian life does have it’s fair share of trials.  We will suffer.  Jesus told us so when He said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, ESV). 

Paul confirmed Jesus’ words with both his life and his pen.  Writing to the Thessalonians concerning their difficulties, he says, “For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.  For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction” (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4, ESV).  It’s interesting to me that in this particular chapter where Paul expresses such concern for the Thessalonians in the midst of their trials, he doesn’t pray and ask God to stop their trials  Rather, he simply asks God to strengthen his brothers and sisters in their Christian walk (you can read more on this passage here).

The question for us then is how will we view our trials and sufferings?  A couple of key passages come to mind.  The first is in the book of James where it says,

“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4, HCSB).

James reminds us that our trials help mature us.  Peter expresses a similar sentiment when he writes,

“You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:5-7, HCSB).

Difficulties have a refining effect on our lives.  And, while I’m not suggesting we be eager to experiences trials, we can emerge through them stronger in our faith if we let God work in the midst of our circumstances.  Maybe we need to spend less time praying for God to make our trials go away, and more time asking Him to use them in our lives?

Greed and Idolatry

Most of us think that we are too sophisticated to be idolators.  Afterall, we do not worship at the feet of little statues carved to represent gods.  We probably don’t pray to a pantheon of gods (although if surveys are correct, we do give credence to the erroneous view of contemporary culture that all roads to God are valid).  Nonetheless, we may still be guilty of idolatry.  Paul writes, “Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly:  sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5, HCSB).  While our culture may be too sophisticated to have gods with names like Baal, Asherah, Zeus, or Apollo, we do have our gods.  And one of them is money and the things that money can buy.  We worship the biggest house, the newest car, and the latest fashions.  We want more and more and more. 

While it’s important to note that it’s not sinful to have money or the things that money can buy, it’s equally important to remind ourselves that the pursuit of these things cannot be the number one priority of our lives.  Jesus tells us clearly that priority is already taken.  He says, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV).  Anything that occupies God’s place in our hearts is an idol.  And that includes money.  Despite what Gordon Gecko says, greed is not good.  It’s idolatry.  May we not allow anything to rob God of His rightful place in our lives.

What Really Matters

We are pulled in so many different directions.  Our minds race to try to keep up with the world around us, and our bodies scurry from place to place trying to meet all the demands of our busy schedules.  It can be a little overwhelming.  Wouldn’t it be great if we had some sort of filter we could pour our lives through in order to sort out what’s really important?  We do.  The Apostle Paul writes,

“And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that [comes] through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-10, HCSB, emphasis added).

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians was that they would have the wisdom to sort out what really matters in life.  In other words, he prayed that they could set godly priorities.  With everything pulling us in every direction imaginable, we too really need discernment to determine what really matters.  May we pour our lives through the filter of God’s Word and His guidance.  And then, may we have the commitment and diligence to live it out.

God Follows Through

We all are guilty of not finishing projects.  Our basements are cluttered with half-finished craft projects.  Our garages are a graveyard for unfinished woodworking adventures.  Our bookshelves are filled with books half-read.  We struggle to finish the task.  Fortunately, however, God does not share our shortcomings.  He finishes what He starts.  As Paul writes the Philippian Christians, he expresses his confidences that God will finish His work in their lives.  He writes, “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, HCSB).  In other words, if we genuinely place our faith and trust in Jesus, God will see us through.  He will finish what He started.

My Journey with the HCSB

The last of my series chronicling my Bible translation journey of the past year brings me to the Holman Christian Standard Bible.  The funny thing about the HCSB is that it is the one Bible I never figured would be in this equation.  I have been familiar with the HCSB for years, but I have avoided using it because I have been fearful that it would be the “Southern Baptist” Bible.  Overtime, I became more open to the HCSB, and recently began preaching and teaching from it.  While I have not firmly settled on it as a primary teaching translation, it’s interesting to me that many in my church have been asking what it is, and have subsequently purchased one.

The HCSB has a lot to offer as a translation.  It is more readable than the NASB and the ESV, while still being very faithful to the original languages.  I like the way it handles words like “propitiation” and “slave,” as well as other important terms.  It offers a fresh approach by frequently using “Yahweh” rather than “Lord,” and ”Messiah” rather than the “Christ” (It is important to point out that these terms are never inappropriately used.  For instance, “Messiah” appears when “Christ” is definitely used as a title referencing Jesus as the “Anointed One.”).  I have been surprised by how much the HCSB has grown on me.  I highly recommend it.

The strengths of the HCSB are as follows:

1. It does a great job finding a balance between being literal and readable.
2. It handles some key concepts well.
3. It is heavily footnoted for those that like to explore alternative word meanings.
4. It is a “new” translation, not a revision of an earlier one.  Most of the more prominent English translations on the market today are revisions of earlier works.

The HCSB does have its issues.  It can be difficult to find anywhere other than in a LifeWay store.  As of now, it has virtually no presence in the study Bible market (although the Apologetics Study Bible is a good resource).  Some of its formatting is awkward (brackets, bullets, and such – although the brackets are being eliminated in current revisions).  Also, some familiar words and terms have been replaced in a way that might raise an eyebrow (“beer” for “strong drink,” “languages” instead of “tongues,” just to name a few). 

LifeWay has pledged to do a better job marketing the translation, and I hope they are successful in that endeavor.  It must break out of its current circles if it is going have any kind of real impact.  Furthermore, the translation is currently being revised, and hopefully some of its minor issues will be resolved.  For now, the HCSB sits atop my list of favorites.

This is the last in a series of posts chronicling my experiences with various Bible translations over the last year (it joins my posts on the ESV, NASB, and NLT).  These are not exhaustive research articles (you can find these other places online), but rather an unfolding of my journey through these translations.  These posts grow from a list I put together in a previous post.  You can read it here.

My Journey with the NLT

The third in my series of posts regarding Bible translations bring us to the New Living Translation.  While I have always used an assortment of Bible translation for my own edification and study, I only began using the NLT after the second edition was released.  I was re-acquainted with it through the One Year Bible, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.  I then bought the NLT Study Bible (which is very good by the way), and really enjoyed using it. 

I began exploring the NLT as a teaching Bible while I was preparing a series of studies on the book of Exodus.  I thought it would bring new life to some familiar passages, and make some more challenging ones (particular regarding the building of the tabernacle) a little easier on the ears.  Our church used it during our Christmas Eve service, and I frequently reference it during sermons and lessons.  I read from it devotionally every day, and really enjoy the way it renders the text.  It does a good job handling much of the language associated with theological concepts (some terms it handles better than others).   It’s not perfect, but it has really grown on me over the last year.  I recommend the NLT frequently.  It is great for new believers, and great for seasoned saints who want something a little different from their more formal translations.  It’s strengths are as follows:

1. It is probably the most readable translation.
2. It is a very vivid translation that usually captures the intent of Biblical writers.  A more literal translation (like the NASB) usually captures what the original languages say.  The NLT typically does a great job capturing what they mean.
3. It is a very accessible translation.  The NLT fills the shelves of bookstores and retail stores alike.  Where I live, it is one of the easiest translations to find (trailing only the NIV and the KJV).
4. It is available in some great study editions.  The NLT Study Bible is great (the online version is awesome too).  It has some newer releases (like the Transformation Study Bible and Mosaic) that look great.

As with any translation, the NLT has some weaknesses.  I’m not always comfortable with what I would call the “looseness” of the translation.  In a translation of this type, there is always a lot of commentary in the translation (but to be fair, there is always a certain amount of commentary in the translation).  I would encourage people who use a NLT to have a more formal translation with which to compare, but overall, the NLT is a Bible worth checking out.

This is the third in a series of posts chronicling my experiences with various Bible translations over the last year (it joins my posts on the ESV and NASB).  These are not exhaustive research articles (you can find these other places online), but rather an unfolding of my journey through these translations.  These posts grow from a list I put together in a previous post.  You can read it here.