David Whiting Live

EQUIP Room Numbers for Sunday

Here are the EQUIP room numbers for Sunday:

• Starting Point (all ages) - Room 402
• 20s - Our Walk with God - Room 105
• 20s & 30s - What Every Christian Should Know - Youth Ministries Building (Carriage House)
• 30s & 40s - Walk Thru the Old Testament - Room 107
• 40s & 50s - Changing Hearts, Changing Lives - Room 417 
• 50s & 60s - James: A Study of His Book - Room 206
• 60s+ - Various Teachers and Topics - Room 419
• Teens - Room 110

I look forward to seeing you.  Classes are at 10:00 AM.

First Service - 8:30 AM

EQUIP Classes - 10:00 AM

Second Service - 11:00 AM

You WON'T want to be late to the service!!  You want to be there at the starting moment!  PLAN AHEAD! Park far!! Sit close!!

The "Gladiator" or "Rambo" Chapters of the OT - You Gotta' Read 'Em

Tomorrow's sermon involves two of my favorite OT chapters.  I would LOVE to see these two chapters made into a movie!! (Read them and see if you agree.)

So - if you have time before tonight, read 2 Kings 9-10.  You won't be disappointed.  I can't wait to talk about these chapters tomorrow.  Take a look.

I Was Wrong (about What My Wife Would Think)...

Sunday I mentioned that 2 Kings 2:23-24 would bother my wife.  For a reminder, here is the story...

(23) From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!"  (24) He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

In church, I mentioned that I LOVE this story, but my wife would be bothered by it.  Well, she informed me I was off base.  Her basic reasoning was that nothing annoys her more than disrespectful and disobedient children.  So it didn't phase her one bit... Wow, that is pretty big pet peeve if bears mauling 42 kids doesn't bother her.  Maybe my wife isn't as merciful as I thought!  I know this... I don't want to be disrespectful to her - she might want to have me mauled by wild animals!!!

 

Five Study Bibles - part 2 - How Much They Cost...

Yesterday, I mentioned five Study Bibles that I wish everyone at North owned.  You can read that post HERE.

If you were to buy them all at once, the best price is at www.amazon.com.  Buying all five will cost you $131.27 if you purchase them together.  But if you want to purchase them separately - you may want to use the websites listed below.

Here are the best prices we could find at various websites (clicking on the link will take you to the Bible at that specific website):

STUDY BIBLE #5: Archaeological Study Bible - $29.94 (includes shipping) www.bookschristian.com
 

STUDY BIBLE #4: MacArthur Study Bible - $29.69 (includes shipping) www.amazon.com
 

STUDY BIBLE #3: Life Application Bible - $22.12 (includes shipping) www.amazon.com
 

STUDY BIBLE #2: ESV Study Bible - $31.49 (free shipping) www.amazon.com

STUDY BIBLE #1: NIV Study Bible - $18.46 (includes shipping) www.buy.com

I hope this is helpful.  Anything I can do to get you to study the Bible is a win/win!!

Five Study Bibles You Should Own... (or at least two)

When I was growing up I remember asking for a Bible for a gift two different times.  The first time was when I was ten or eleven.  I heard a guest preacher at our church say, "If you don't own a Scofield Reference Bible, you should sell your shoes and get one." Although I didn't sell my shoes, I figured that I ought to have one.  So I requested a Scofield Reference Bible for Christmas or for my birthday (I don't remember which one) and I got one. I soon realized that the study notes didn't make much sense to me, but I carried it to church for years!

The other Bible that I asked for growing up was when I was in eighth grade.  I remember my Bible teacher (Mr. Currie) reading Scripture to us every day. And I remember thinking that it was SO easy to understand. Eventually, I figured out he wasn't reading from the King James Version (the one that EVERYONE used in my church and school).  I found out it was a recent translation (at the time) called the New International Version.  I went home and asked for one for Christmas.  My parents asked our pastor if the NIV was a good translation. He said it was - so they got me one for Christmas.

I still have that Scofield Reference Bible (although I haven't used it in decades).  I also have that original NIV that my parents bought for me.

A few weeks ago, I began thinking - what Bibles do I wish every person in our church had?  When it comes to Study Bibles - I have five that I recommend for every person to eventually own and use.  I use these regularly and they really have helped me know the Bible better and explain it better to others.

Could I encourage you to consider purchasing a couple of them, or even asking for one a year for your birthday or Christmas?  In five years, you will have access to five GREAT Study Bibles.  Here they are - I'll put them in reverse order of my personal preference...

STUDY BIBLE #5: The Archaeological Study Bible

This is a great Bible that gives confidence of how the Bible's authenticity has been verified hundreds of times over.  It is really interesting too, and it will make some passages "come to life."  This is especially helpful for those that really enjoy history.  I've used this Study Bible quite a bit in my preparation for my current series, "Life Lessons from Dead Kings."

STUDY BIBLE #4: The MacArthur Study Bible

What is best about this Bible is that theologically, there would never be a disagreement I would have with it. It will not steer you wrong. However, sometimes I am surprised at difficult passages that the Bible doesn't talk about.  I would also recommend that you purchase this in NASB rather than NKJV (but if you are a fan of the NKJV - get that one).

STUDY BIBLE #3: NIV Life Application Bible

This is the newest edition to my Study Bible collection.  Scott has been getting into the hands of new believers for YEARS! It is heaviest of the five on application, and the lightest on information.  BUT - most of us need to apply the Bible more than we need new information ABOUT the Bible.  So - I highly recommend it.

STUDY BIBLE #2: ESV Study Bible

There isn't anything bad I can say about this study Bible.  I LOVE it.  It is the biggest of the five Study Bibles I'm talking about here, and has the most notes (by far).  It is an amazing new Study Bible that only came out a couple of years ago.  You will REALLY enjoy this Bible!!

STUDY BIBLE #1: NIV Study Bible

I have had my NIV Study Bible since college, and no Study Bible has ever replaced it in my mind.  I think it is a great balance of information and application.  It also seemed to answer the questions that come to my mind when I read better than the others (ESV Study Bible comes close).  The disadvantage of this Study Bible is that it wants as wide of an audience as possible and so it offers options on interpretation that I wouldn't offer (issues such as eschatology, doctrines of Grace, etc...).  So if you get this - you have to be careful with some of the notes (remember, they aren't inspired - just the Bible is)! But the benefits far outweigh the omissions on this Study Bible.  My NIV Study Bible is falling apart, but I just can't part with it - because it has so many of my handwritten notes inside (since I was 19)!!

So - which one interests you the most?  Do you have a Study Bible that you love that I haven't mentioned? I'd love to hear about it too.

Dead Kings Still Teach - Getting Ready for Sunday

If you are interested in being ready for Sunday morning - take a few minutes to read the following passages:

• 1 Kings 14:1-20 (about Jeroboam)
• 1 Kings 15:25-34 (about Nadab & Baasha)
• 1 Kings 16:1-34 (about Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab)
• 1 Kings 20:1-43 (about Ahab)

We will be studying six northern kings.  Reading these passages will best prepare you for Sunday.  I can't wait!

Favorite Recent Quotes on Spiritual Disciplines

Those who receive my blog (but don't come to North) may not know that over 500 people at North have taken a 37-day challenge.  The challenge is to spend time every day with God in prayer and in the Bible.  The goal is to establish a habit that can train us for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

I'm sending a daily reminder email to them to encourage and remind them each day of their commitment.  Here are some of my favorite quotes over the last three weeks:

• "Be mindful of the link between action and outcome. Ask yourself, 'If I repeat today's action 365 times, will I be where I want to be in a year?'" - Roz Savage (rowing solo across the Pacific Ocean)
• "Go to bed. Whatever you are staying up late for isn't worth it." - Andy Rooney
• "Whatever we hope to do with ease, we must learn to do with diligence." - Samuel Johnson
• "The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do in order to achieve what they've always wanted to be." - Tom Landry
• "The only concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from powerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray." - Samuel Chadwick
• "I must say my prayers today whether I feel devout or not; but that is only as I must learn grammar if I am ever to read the poets." C.S. Lewis
• "We must suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is that discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons." - Jim Rohn
• "Don't be afraid of growing slowly. Be afraid only of standing still." - Chinese proverb
• "The alternative to discipline is disaster." - Vince Havner

Quotes like that motivate and remind me of truth.  I must "train myself for the purpose of godliness. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things - holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

37 Day Challenge - Did You Sign Up?

This past Sunday I challenged every one in our church to take a 37 day challenge: to read the Bible every day for 37 straight days.  We had an amazing 66.3% of those attending on Sunday who signed up!!  That's amazing.  I'm still hoping to get it closer to 70% before Sunday (for the last 30 days of the challenge).

So - would you consider signing up?  First, I would encourage you to listen to the message if you missed it.  Go to our website (www.northbaptistchurch.org) or just click HERE. This link will take you straight to that sermon on the website.  You can download it onto your computer or MP3 player and listen any time.

Second, would you hit "reply" to this email and and let me know that you are "in" for the last 34 days of the challenge? Each morning you will receive a very brief email encouragement that I'm sending to all those who have signed up.

TAKE UP AND READ!!!

Some Great Questions to Ask as You Read the Bible

In Sunday's sermon - I will talk about the spiritual discipline of of daily time with God's Word. I will mention this blog in the sermon (so if you are receiving this by email - don't delete it until after the sermon - you might need it).  If you are new to reading the Bible and aren't sure how to get the most out of reading the Bible - perhaps try these questions as you read. 

1. What part of the reading stands out to me? Why?
2. Is there an example for me to follow?
3. Is there an error for me to avoid?
4. Is there a command for me to obey?
5. Is there a promise for me to claim?
6. Is there a sin for me to confess?
7. Is there an area that I should explore for growth in my life?

These seven questions can keep your Bible reading from being simply an exercise that results in little change.  I believe that the most effective way to use these questions is to journal about one or two of them every day.  Or to talk to someone else about them. That leads to real application and transformation.

Will you take the 37 day challenge?  Not to miss spending time with God through his word for the next 37 days?

How Long Does It Take to Read the Bible?

How long does it take to read the Bible? The answer is 77 hours and 22 minutes.  That is the length of the NIV Bible being read out loud by Max McLean.  You can purchase it for your I-Pod.

So if Max reads the Bible in 77 hours and 22 minutes - that is a total of 4642 minutes.  If you read at Max's pace (which is not fast since it is dramatic and out loud) - it would take 12 minutes and 43 seconds per day for you to read the Bible through this year.

Have you ever read it through?  If not - why not this year?  If so - why not do it again?  You can still pick up two options at Church - a "One-Year Bible" ($7.50) or a chronological read through plan (free).  Pick one up at church on Sunday!