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Why Use a Study Bible?
Why Use a Study Bible? If you get the right study bible, you’ll learn more than you ever could have by listening to a preacher. Reading the notes portion of a study bible is like reading the bible with a friend who helps answer your questions verse by verse, and it’s important to pick the right friend(s). I’ve compared study bibles, and it’s interesting to see that the notes of 2 different study bibles can be complete opposite in opinion. That’s why it’s important to not just rely on one study bible for all your answers, but to compare different study notes. How to Use a Study Bible Study notes are designed to be read from the beginning of a book/chapter, to the end of that book/chapter, with every note being read. The author of the study notes certainly made the notes by going straight through a chapter or a book instead of hopping around, sporadically putting notes on certain verses. This became clear to me when I was reading a study bible and saw that notes format of one book was one way, while the format changed in another book. The author of the notes didn’t hop around from verse to verse, so we probably shouldn’t...
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Review Content
Reviews This category has been added to provide helpful information on Christian related material. The purpose of reviewing study bibles, hymns, and other Christian study tools is to act as a guide so that you can make good choices on where to spend your time to grow in Christ. Reviewing Study Bibles How can a person judge/rate a study bible? Well, the word of God itself is perfect, but the study notes of a study bible are not necessarily perfect. They’ve been written by 1 person, or sometimes a team of people, who actually may or may not have been led by God to publish the study notes. The person who wrote the study notes, their character, and beliefs definitely affect their notes. Therefore, I’ve decided to rate these study bibles in 3 areas: Doctrine, Notes, and...
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What the Bible Says about Hell
What the Bible Says about Hell This is a list of bible verses about Hell. I’ve tried to arrange them in order from Genesis to Revelation, but first, I would like to use these verses to answer some common questions about Hell. What Is Hell? Hell, also known as Sheol in the Hebrew language and Hades in the Greek language, is a spiritual place created by God. Its function is to receive the spirits of the dead and to hold demons captive. There are at least 2 sections in Sheol. The abyss, which is perhaps the gulf that seperates the 2 sections (Luke 16:26), is a place that demons fear to be (Luke 8:31). The first section is called Gehenna, a fiery place of punishment made for Satan and his angels (Matt 25:41). The spirits of the wicked dead go there (Luke 16:23) and wait for the resurrection of the unjust (Acts 24:15). The second section is a safe place refered to as paradise (Luke 23:43) or “Abraham’s Bosom” (Luke 16:23). It is believed that the spirit of every just person, such as Abraham and David (Ps 18:12), went to the safe section of Sheol as prisoners where they waited for Christ to descend to them and set them free by taking them to Heaven with Him (Ephesians 4:8-10). Now, when a just man dies, his spirit goes to God (2Cor 5:8) in Heaven (Rev 6:9) where they wait for the resurrection of the righteous (1Th 4:16). In the bible, Hell has been called Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, The Pit, The Grave, & The...
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What Does The Bible Say About Reincarnation?
What Does The Bible Say About Reincarnation? My definition of reincarnation is when a person dies their spirit comes out of their body and is reborn into another body of a human, animal, fish, bug, plant, etc. It seems that if a person led a good life, they are reborn as something better than what they were, and if they were bad they are reborn as something worse. Whatever that “better” or “worse” thing may be is undefined, and who knows, maybe cows are better than humans, so if you’re a real good person, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be reborn as a cow. No wonder so many Hindus and Buddhists are vegetarian (at least they don’t eat beef); they might be eating Uncle Fred or some other family...
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Is It Possible To Be Sinless and Perfect?
Is It Possible To Be Sinless and Perfect? Sinless perfection is not only possible, but demanded by God in both old and new testaments. Being perfect as God is perfect doesn’t mean a Christian makes perfect grades on math tests, knows everything, or never does something to offend someone. After all, Jesus offended many people. The argument that I’ve heard so many times is, “If you were perfect, you wouldn’t need God; you’d be God”. After all, God ALONE is holy (Rev 15:4). BUT, there is a problem with that way of thinking… It’s because God commands us to be holy. Is God giving us an impossible commandment? No! This is how it works: God in and of Himself is holy and needs no one in order for Himself to be holy, but we not only CAN be made holy through Him; we MUST be made holy through Him (1Pet 1:15-16). No one can say, “I’m a holy sinner”! That’s an oxymoron. However, one can say, “I was once a sinner, but now I am righteous, thanks to God” (Rom 6:17-18). If God has placed us in an environment where it is impossible to stop sinning, He cannot send us to Hell AND STILL CLAIM TO BE...
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Do Animals Have Spirits or Souls?
Do Animals Have Spirits or Souls? An interesting question! Some people say animals have a spirit but not a soul, some say they have a soul but not a spirit. Men are made up of a body, a spirit, and a soul. Check out the verses below to see how animals also have a spirit and a soul. Animals Have a Spirit First, animals have a body. I don’t think anyone will try to prove that they don’t… But here’s a verse that specifically says animals have a spirit: Ecclesiastes 3:21 – “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” [spirit] – H7307 – translated as “spirit” and “breath”. Everything that has breath has spirit. In Strong’s Concordance, translation D says “spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)”. Compare this also with Genesis 1:2, “the Spirit of...
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How Old Was David When He Fought The Giant?
The story of David and Goliath is an encouraging to anyone to people of all ages, young and old. There are pictures of him as a little child fighting Goliath and as a young man, but which one is right? What was David’s age when he fought Goliath?
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Resurrection of Jesus (Animated in Japanese)
Resurrection of Jesus (Animated in Japanese) A very cool, yet not so accurate, animation of the Resurrection of Jesus. This video was probably about John 20, but if you first read John 20, then see this video, you’ll see what I mean. Mary did not see Jesus descending from Heaven! In fact, at the time Mary saw Him, He had not yet “ascended to His Father” (John...
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Elisha, The Children, and The Bears
One of the strangest bible stories is in 2 Kings. Shortly after Elijah had been taken away by God, Elisha traveled to Bethel to be confronted by “little children” who call him “bald head”. Elisha cursed them, and two bears attacked them. Perhaps I can provide some answers for this…
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David and Goliath (Animated)
David and Goliath (Animated) This story is taken from 1Samuel 17. Probably the most accurate version of David & Goliath so far (but I’m still waiting for better). The bible says David was ruddy/redish (1Sam 16:12 & 1Sam 17:42) which probably means he had red hair or his skin was red because of being out with sheep all day. Goliath was 6 cubits and a span. This all depends on how a cubit is measured… A cubit is measured from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. With 1 cubit = 25 in and 1 span = 10 in, Goliath would be 13 ft 4 in. If 1 cubit = 18 in and 1 span = 10 in, then Goliath would be 9.83 feet. In the cartoon, David stood next to Goliath and there wasn’t much different. It’s like the animator just wanted to make Goliath out to be a really tall guy and not a giant. It also looks like they didn’t go out to meet each other with David running after...
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Peter’s Denial of Jesus (Animation)
Peter’s Denial of Jesus (Animation) Peter’s Denial – taken from Mark 14, is a video from the makers of “A Demon Possessed Man” and “My Last Day”.
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Demon Possessed Man Legion (Animated)
Demon Possessed Man Legion (Animated) AWESOME! Taken from Mark 5:1-19. This is an incomplete animation, therefore the movements are choppy and the mouths don’t move much while talking. It is part of a project started in 2006 to animate the gospels, which is yet to be...
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Lazarus Raised (Animated)
Lazarus Raised (Animated) This is an animated video of the death and resurrection of Lazarus taken from John 11:1-44. This reading was taken from the Contemporary English Version (CEV) translation. It’s not bad quality, though I do not agree completely with the translation. By choosing these verses alone and not including Jesus’ situation from John 10:39, that many people were trying to kill Jesus, this animation makes it look like Jesus waited for 2 days just so that Lazarus would die so Jesus could resurrect him. However, by the time Jesus and the apostles knew Lazarus was sick, it was too late; he was already dead. How we know that is because Jesus waited for 2 days, took a 2 day journey to Bethany, and when He arrived, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days (John 11:39). If Jesus would have left to heal Lazarus as soon as He received the message, He probably would have been killed. Still, if Jesus would have left the same day He received the message, Lazarus would have been dead for 2 days by the time He...
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The Rapture (Animated)
The Rapture (Animated) This is a short animated film that someone made of how they imagined the rapture. While watching it, I noticed the woman at 1:30 who smiled. I can’t imagine anyone not being scared by the situation that this animation portrays. What the bible says concerning this event is that first, the dead in Christ will come back to life! The bible doesn’t say it, but I assume they are “caught up” and meet Christ in the sky. Then, the living in Christ will be caught up (known as “raptured”) and be with Jesus (1Th...
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My Last Day (Animated)
My Last Day (Animated) This is an anime recreation of the crucifixion of Jesus as witnessed by the thief who crucified with Jesus. It is the same man who was told that he would be with Jesus in paradise that same day (Luke 23:43). ———————— A few years ago, in Budapest, colleagues brainstormed an idea for creating a Japanese “Anime” version of Jesus’ story. We met with former Disney animator, Barry Cooke who loved the idea. My role was very small, but after various scripts, music and concepts. HERE IT IS! At one point it was the story of Jesus meeting the “Demoniac.” Eventually, we decided the first story would be about Jesus’ death and...
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Is Judas In Heaven or Hell?
Surprisingly, many people believe that Judas is in Heaven, claiming that he did the will of God. A movie titled, “The Last Temptation of Christ”, portrays Judas as Jesus’ closest friend and the head of the disciples who “obediently betrayed” Jesus. See what the bible says! ...
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What the Bible Says About Soul Mates
What the Bible Says About Soul Mates This word, “soul mate”, means different things to different people. To some, it is simply a person that is a suitable friend for life. To others, especially in a more spiritual sense, a soul mate is a person that God has created for another person for marriage. Does God create a person for everyone to be married to? God Made Eve for Adam Genesis 2:22-24 – “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one...
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