Studies In Scripture » Reviews

12 Minute Prayer Challenge by Anita Sargeant

Randy A. Brown — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:06:07 +0000

Most Christians struggle to pray just a few minutes a day. Eventually, a few minute a day becomes a few minutes a week. A lot happens to our spiritual health and growth when we let our prayer time slip. We become caught up in the cares of the world. We lose sight of what God wants us to do. We become lukewarm, and eventually cold and backslid. The solution is prayer, but the question that keeps us from prayer is how to start. How do we build a successful prayer life that will help us to grow in God?

12 Minute Prayer Challenge by Anita Sargeant is a book that shows just that. In this book, Anita Sargeant demonstrates how to build, develop, and maintain a successful and consistent prayer life. Anita lovingly and vividly shows us how to pray using the Lord’s Prayer as a model. She uses the unique analogy of a house and its rooms to teach the Lord’s Prayer and provides example prayers to get us started.

The example prayers even have a devotional element to them. You could read the prayers as a short devotional or daily meditation. Some of the prayers include questions for us to answer and blanks to fill in. This helps us to think deeper about our prayers, which helps us to get more out of prayer.

Even though this is a small book, it is very obvious that a lot of difficult research has gone into writing it. Anita has included lots of scientific facts about prayer including quotes from neurologists on the benefits of prayer.

Anita also shows that 12 minutes is just a starting point. Once you’ve developed a 12 minute prayer habit, it is easier to pray longer and more fruitful. I highly recommend 12 Minute Prayer challenge by Anita Sargeant. Praying just 12 minutes a day will make a difference in your spiritual journey.

You can purchase 12 Minute Prayer Challenge by Anita Sargeant from ApostolicWinds.com or Pentecostal Publishing House

This review copy was provided free for review by the author. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

Prayer

Cambridge Concord in Black Calf Split Leather, KJV

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:27:53 +0000

Cambridge has been busy bringing out new editions. Their newest edition is an old classic in a new package. The Concord is a classic setting that has been around for many years, but now it’s available in calf split leather.

The Concord has a nice layout and set of features that works:

8-point semi-bold font
Red letter
Self-pronouncing text
Translators to the Reader
Center-column references
Thin opaque paper
15 maps
Sewn binding
Gilded edges
2 ribbon markers
Thumb index
Bible dictionary
Glossary
Concordance
Calf split leather cover
8.25×5.5×1.25

Cover

This new edition comes in calf split leather. Calf split is a higher quality leather than French Morocco. It is thicker than French Morocco and has about the same stiffness, but the finish is not as shiny. It might loosen up with use. It has a fine pebbly grain that looks like calf-skin. It is very pretty.

Binding

The Concord is Smyth sewn. This allows the Bible to lay flat, even at the beginning or end of the Bible. It has the same construction as the French Morocco edition.

Paper

The paper is an opaque India paper. It is thin, but it’s not easy to see through. It is more opaque than most Bibles that I’ve seen. It has a slight cream tint, which makes it easier to read for long periods of time.

Cross-References

There are plenty of cross-references and translation notes in the center-column. The references have a unique system in that they are not keyed to the text with letters and numbers. Instead, they have the verse number on the side of the column that contains the verse, and then the references and notes. The translation notes give you the word or phrase that the notes refer to. There’s no way to know which portion of the verse the references refer to.

Text

The font is around 8-piont and is semi-bold. It is clean and easy to read. The red is bold, but not too bold. It’s really red and not brown or pink. It’s a deep, rich red that looks nice. This is my favorite red-letter. The text is clean and unobstructed from cross-reference and translation note keys, making it a very readable text. One thing I like about all Cambridge Bibles is the consistency of the print- even in the red-letter text. With most publishers, the text will be dark on one page and light on another. The red goes from red to pink and then red again. Not so with Cambridge, and this Concord is no different. The boldness of the print remains constant no every page (as you would hope with a Bible in this price range).

Concordance

The Concord’s concordance is the same concordance that is found in the wide-margin edition and the Cameo. There are lots of entries- more than most Bibles, but I find this concordance to be confusing. Most concordances have one verse per line of text. This one starts the next verse directly after the last verse (on the same line). This causes you to read through the entries more closely to see where one verse starts and another ends. To make it more confusing, some of the entries are out of order because they relate to another verse that is similar. This makes me think I’m looking at verses in one book when I’m actually looking at verses from a completely different area. If you can get used to it, it has plenty of entries to be a great study tool.

Glossary

There is a seven page glossary that explains the meaning of words that have either changed meaning or are no longer used since the KJV was first translated. The definition includes the part of speech and a few of the most prominent verses where the word is used.

Bible Dictionary

The real jewel in this edition is the Bible Dictionary, which is one of my favorite features. At 128 pages, there are plenty of entries on many topics including people, places, objects, information about each book of the Bible, harmony of the Gospels, names and titles of Jesus, chronological tables, quotes and the verses where they are quoted, and more. There is a wealth of study information in the dictionary. I like having a dictionary this handy in my carry Bible.

Maps

The Concord has the same standard 15 maps as the wide-margin and Cameo. They are four-color and look great.

Translators to the Reader

This edition still has the Translators to the Reader. I feel that this is an important document that should always be included with the KJV. Many publishers have excluded it from their Bibles, but it’s important to know the thoughts of the translators for any translation.

Thumb Index

It’s good to see this Bible being offered in thumb-index. This thumb index is different from those found in other Cambridge Bibles. All of the index tabs are facing the same direction. I like that many books have their own tab. I can go straight to Mark instead of having to find it once I’m in the ballpark. It is also available without thumb-index.

Ribbons

There are two black ribbon markers. They are 5/16 wide and are more than long enough to pull to the corner and open the Bible with. They are longer than the markers in my Concord wide-margin. Now that I’ve had Bibles with two markers it’s hard to go back to just one. I think two markers should be standard in all Bibles.

Size

I like the size of this Bible. It’s around 8.25×5.5×1.25, making it a hand-sized Bible. It is much smaller, thinner, and lighter than the wide-margin and still has slightly larger text. The text is not much larger, but it is larger. This is the size Bible I want to be holding when we’re standing and reading the Bible for a long period of time. It is easy to hold in one hand and read.

Conclusion

The Cambridge Concord reference edition in black calf-skin (with red-letter and thumb-index) has a lot to offer in a hand-sized Bible. The calf-split is a good compromise between goat-skin and French Morocco without sacrificing quality. It has a superior paper and print combination. The only paper that is better is in the wide-margin edition. With thumb-index, red-letter, and a Bible dictionary, the Concord in black calf-split leather makes a great carry and study Bible.

Baker Publishing provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review. My opinions are my own.

R L Allan Oxford Clarendon Wide Margin KJV in Black Highland Goatskin

Randy A. Brown — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:01:42 +0000

R L Allan’s latest King James edition is the nice wide margin that was formerly published by Oxford. The font, layout, and margin are the same, but this wide margin has been given Allan’s exquisite binding treatment, making it the most durable and flexible wide margin available in KJV.

Here are the basic features:

Highland Goatskin
Epistle Dedicatory and Allan Royal License
Center column References
Chapter summaries
3 Dark Blue Ribbon Markers
Leather Lined
Smyth sewn
Semi yapp
Gilt line inside
Red under gold page edges (art-gilt)
8/9 point Bold Clarendon type
Italics for inserted text
Same pagination as regular size Brevier Clarendon editions
8.5 x 7 x 1.5 inches
1.5 inch margin
1536 pages
15 (16 pages) full color Oxford Bible maps
26 page for notes
48 pages of lined writing paper
Coated writable India paper

Binding

The binding on this Allan is superb. It is leather-lined and includes a semi yapp. The highland goatskin is one of the softest and most flexible leathers available for a Bible and this highland goatskin is as nice as any I’ve seen. It includes the leather glued into the leather lining and end-pages, making this a well-build Bible that should last a lifetime. It is a sewn binding that lays flat.

Layout

I love wide margin Bibles. In my opinion, everyone should use a wide margin Bible for study- especially those in teaching/preaching roles. The margins are 1.5 inches on the sides and 1 inch top and bottom.

Paper

The paper is coated India paper, making it excellent paper for writing. It is thick and opaque, and has a slight cream tone which is easy on the eyes. It doesn’t have a shine to it at all, making it excellent for reading and marking. There are 26 blank pages in the back for writing or drawing and 48 pages of lined paper for notes. The art-gilt edges have a copper tone, which I love, but it’s not as dark as the Longprimer.

Text

The font is an 8-point bold Clarendon. The readability of this Bible is better than most due to the boldness of the font and the opacity of the paper.

At the beginning of every chapter there is a summary. I like having chapter summaries because they are useful for searching. They are small and I might not agree with all of them, but they are there.

At the top of each page is a short summary of that column. I like that they are included because they can be helpful when trying to find something quick.

Also at the top of the page is the name of the Book along with the chapter number that begins on that page (or is continued on that page) – with the exception of Psalms, which only has the book name.

This edition does include italics for supplied words (something that is missing in the Longprimer- another Oxford edition).

References

I’m not sure how many references there are, but there are a lot. I like to use Genesis 1:1 to check the number of references. This one has 8 references (not counting that some of them include 3 verses). The references are keyed to the text with letters. I would like to have the verse numbers in the center column to make it easier to find the reference, but that is a small matter.

The center column also includes translation notes with alternate readings. The translation notes are keyed to the text with numbers. They are physically as close to the verse as possible, but, just like the references, you will have to hunt for some of them.

Ribbons

Allan sets the standard for ribbons. This edition has three ribbons in a beautiful dark blue. They are wide and long enough to be useful because they will reach all the way to the corner of the page.

Maps

The Oxford maps are gorgeous. I’m a sucker for full-color maps and these are some of the best looking I’ve seen. These maps do include some ‘traditions’ for some locations. Also, there may be a few locations that are not as accurate because of later archaeological finds, but that is to be expected.

Concordance

This edition does not have a concordance. I would have liked a concordance, but I’m not sure how they could have gotten it in there. A concordance would have completed the study value of this Bible. Considering that I use this Bible at home where I have access to good concordances, and that most concordances in Bibles are not as useful as they should be anyway, the lack of a concordance isn’t a deal-breaker for me. However, a concordance would only improve the value of this Bible. The lack of a concordance could keep me from using this as a carry Bible.

Comparison with the RL Allan Longprimer

Conclusion

The Allan Wide Margin in KJV is an exceptional Bible. I have come to really appreciate quality in a Bible- particularly the binding, paper, and font- and the Allan delivers on every point. The Oxford Clarendon Wide Margin from RL Allan and Sons is sure to be the Bible that is cherished for a lifetime of study.

Click here to buy from Bibles-Direct.com

or here to buy from EvangelicalBible.com

Creating Your Own Study Bible

Randy A. Brown — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:30:53 +0000

Ryan Gustason of Pentecostal Blogger has written an article on creating your own study Bible. He is using a red-letter Word document, created his own layout, and downloaded a unique font set to create his own symbol system. Ryan provides links to all the downloads you need to create your own study Bible and symbol system. You can see his article here:

Creating a Study Bible

Making Your Own Loose Leaf Bible

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:04:06 +0000

Loose-leaf Bibles provide a great way to add your own notes and pages to your Bible. There are several available from Hendrickson, so at first printing your own hardly seems worth it. It comes down to what features you want in your Bible. Printing your own give you even more advantages and options. For one, if you don’t like something you’ve written or highlighted, simply print the page out again and start over. Loose-leaf Bibles are a nice way to make your own Study Bible- you can type your own notes and then print it out without having to write anything by hand.

Printing your own also allows you to choose your own features such as the font you want, including size and style, paragraph format, and you can print the words of Christ in red. You could even print topics in specific colors, highlight the text, underline, bold, add symbols, references, definitions, images, or anything else you can think of. A Bible printed on copy paper has far less bleed-through and the text can be much bolder, making it easier to read and mark. You might not want to carry it, but it will make an excellent study Bible.

For my loose-leaf project I will be using KJV. This has to do with copyright issues (the KJV is public domain) and it is the main translation I use. I will add my own headings in the text, make it red-letter, choose the specific font that I want, add my own references and translation notes, add Hebrew and Greek definitions, make it wide margin, have OT quotes in the NT to be in a different font-style, and possibly use blue-letter for the words of God in the OT. Some of these features will require more work than others. Since I can make more than one I’ve decided that I want my first one to fit in one binder, so I will be making trade-offs with font-size and margin-width, and I won’t add references. Also, I will be printing on both sides of the page.

First, get a KJV text. Since the KJV is public domain it is freely available online in many places. I recommend downloading several and choose the format you like the best. If you plan to add features such as notes, references, headings, etc., and change the font style and size, the page layout of the KJV you download won’t really matter because it won’t look the same anyway. Here are a few choices:

http://printkjv.ifbweb.com/
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/KJB/pce.htm
http://bibledatabase.org/bibles.html
http://www.biblicalscholarship.net/AV.htm
http://www.bibleprotector.com/
http://www.basicchristian.org/

Here’s one in red-letter with some headings in the text:

http://home.comcast.net/~classichauslimited/htmlpgs/kjvbibles.html

It’s easy enough to change the font and page layout using a word processor. If you choose a PDF file, simply save it as text or copy and paste into your word-processor. None of these texts come with references or notes. There are other places to get the text- especially if you don’t mind copying one book or chapter at a time.

Next, format the text the way I want it. I want a large font and wide-margin. I will have to decide which is more important and make adjustments as necessary. I recommend experimenting with one book before printing the entire Bible. For my first attempt I will print only a few chapters. It might take me several tries before I like what I have. Since I’m experimenting, I ended up printing several variations. I decided on a 12-point Times Roman font. I don’t like the shade of red, so I’ll keep experimenting until I get something that works for me. I might even go with black-letter.

The last step will be choosing a binder and punching the holes. You can use one large binder or several smaller binders. You can even use a spiral binding if you want. I’ve decided to use my pages loose rather than place them in a binder- at least until I get the text exactly the way I want it.

Printing your own loose-leaf Bible is a great way to study and write in your Bible. You have much thicker paper than what you can get in any Bible, you can have any size and style font you want, and the text is bold and crisp. You won’t be straining to see the text and you can’t read three pages deep. You can have any size margin you want, and you can interleave as many pages as you want any time you want. If you don’t like what you’ve written or marked, print that page again and start over. You can spread out the cost by only printing a book at a time. If nothing else it can be used to help you in your Bible study by allowing you to interact with and mark your text without writing in your primary Bible.

Word of Promise Audio Bible Free Online

Randy A. Brown — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:36:02 +0000

The Word of Promise NKJV audio Bible is my favorite. It is fully dramatized and includes an award-winning cast of some of my favorite actors. You can now listen to this award-winning audio Bible for free online sponsored by The Christian Post. You can listen by clicking here:

Cambridge Clarion KJV in Brown Calfskin

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:57:40 +0000

The Cambridge Clarion KJV Reference Edition is the first new Cambridge KJV reference Bible in 50 years. It is designed with many of the features that modern readers are longing for: single-column paragraph format, modern font, black-letter text, references on the outside margins, and a sewn binding that opens flat. With all of this, the Clarion still has a few surprises that make this Bible one of the most unique and desirable editions in many years.

Here are the major features:

Single-column text
Paragraph format
Side-column references
8.75 Lexicon 1 font
Black letter
Lightweight paper
Art gilt pages
Translators to the Reader
Reader’s Companion
16 pages of Maps with index
2 ribbon markers
Sewn binding
3 cover styles- black goatskin, black calfskin, brown calfskin
Presentation page
7.5 x 5.5 x 1.5

Paragraph Format

What sets this Bible apart is the single-column paragraph format. This is the format we’ve been waiting for in a high-quality KJV. The verse numbers are small and can be difficult to find when searching for them, but it is nice for reading because they do not get in the way. Poetry is set in a different format, which makes it easy to identify quickly. I’m very glad to see this format in a KJV. It will make a nice reading Bible.

Font

The 8.75 font looks much larger due to the modern font-style and white space surrounding the font. It is Lexicon 1- a digital font designed for easy reading, and it is very readable. The Clarion does not have self-pronouncing text. The added words are in italics so you can easily identify the supplied words.

Paper

The Clarion uses India paper. It is thin and lightweight. It’s not as opaque as I expected, but it could be much worse. I don’t think my pens (Pigma Micron) or color pencils (PrismaColor) would bleed-through too bad, but I’m not sure I want to write in this Bible any time soon. I may just keep it nice and clean for reading (something this Bible would excel in). If I do want to write in it, there is plenty of room between the lines for underlining and there is some space at the bottom of the page and between the references. The paper has a very slight cream tone, which I like very much.

References

The references are placed along the outer margin of the page. There are also translation notes for Greek and Hebrew, and alternate readings (something I really like in Cambridge KJVs). The references are slightly smaller than the Bible text, but they are still larger than other Cambridge editions (Cameo, Concord) and there are plenty of them. The references and notes are keyed to the text with letters and numbers. Due to their style and size they are not noticeable while reading, so you can read without the text feeling interrupted.

Binding

The binding is Smyth sewn, allowing the Bible to lay flat. You can open the Bible to the first page right out of the box and it will stay open with no trouble at all. This feature is a must and the Clarion does it well.

Cover

This edition is in brown calfskin. It is very soft, but slightly stiff. I’m sure it will become more flexible with use, but I actually like it the way it is. The goatskin of my Cameo can be a little too flexible while holding the Bible in bed. The stiffness of this cover seems to solve that ‘problem’ for me. I can lie on the bed with the Clarion in my chest and it keeps its shape nicely. It feels great. For me it’s just the right amount of flexibility and softness. It has no trouble with yoga poses. The grain is smooth and looks nice. It is edge-lined.

Ribbons

The brown calfskin edition comes with 2 brown ribbons. They are more than long enough. They are 5/8 inches wide, which feels perfect for the size of the Clarion.

Maps

There are 16 pages of full-color maps. They are the same maps as the Cameo and Concord Bibles.

Translators to the Reader

I’m glad to see the Translators to the Reader in KJV editions. For me, it is an important document that gives the reader the thoughts of the translators on the translation of the KJV and Bible translation in general. I like that it is included because it shows the difficulty of the work of translation and the purpose and need of other translations and updates.

Reader’s Companion

What? No concordance? Don’t worry, the Reader’s Companion provides more than what you would get from just a concordance. It serves as a concordance, topical index, and dictionary, all in one. The Reader’s Companion combines these features in a single place. It includes the prominent proper names, words that have changed meaning and their definitions, unfamiliar words, customs, occupations, background information, social, legal, and religious concepts, the books of the Bible, literary forms, the original languages, non-biblical literature from ancient times, translation information including the KJV and other derived translations, key words, and more. There is a list of verses for each entry (except book names) and 144 pages of entries. This is much better than a concordance. You don’t get the small clipping of the verse like you would in a concordance (it’s just the references), but with the awesome information in the Reader’s Companion, this is a trade I’m willing to make.

Size

The size of the Clarion is interesting. It’s slightly larger than the Cameo at 7.5 x 5.5 x 1.5, making it a hand-size Bible. However, it doesn’t feel small on the inside. For me it’s the perfect size- both inside and out. Here are some comparisons with the Cameo:

Conclusion

Cambridge has just upped the ante for KJV Bible formats. They’ve given us a single-column paragraph format, nice readable font, side-column references, and a very nice reader’s companion. The Clarion is the perfect update to the KJV format and the perfect Bible to celebrate the KJVs 400^th anniversary.

Baker Publishing provided this Bible free for this review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Goatskin Leather, Black

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Top-Grain Calfskin Leather, Brown

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Calf Split Leather, Black

Ancient Christian Devotional A Year of Weekly Readings

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 22:40:12 +0000

Ancient Christian Devotional A Year of Weekly Readings from InterVarsity Press is unique among devotionals. Its devotionals are writings from Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture that are structured for daily or weekly reading.

This book is one in a series. The series is broken up into cycles. This one is lectionary weekly cycle B. The structure is written to promote daily reading and prayer and can be read in order or according to theme. Each devotional includes an opening and closing prayer from ancient hymns.

I like the structure of the devotions. They start with a theme that includes Scripture, then an opening prayer, an Old Testament reading with reflections from Church fathers, a Psalm, a New Testament reading with reflections from Church fathers, a Gospel reading with reflection from Church fathers, and a closing prayer. The devotions average around five pages.

In the back there is a list of all the prayers. There is also a biographical sketch of all the Church fathers in the book. I felt that the biographical sketches alone were worth the price of the book. There is also an index of names and a Scripture index. I would have liked to see an index of themes, but at least the theme is printed at the top of each page, making it easy find what you want.

I recommend Ancient Christian Devotional A Year of Weekly Readings not only as a devotional but also as an insight on the thoughts of early Church fathers. It provides a rich look into the writings historical Church leaders.

InterVarsity Press provided this book free for review. I was not required to write a positive review- only an honest review.

Miklal Software Solutions King James Version Bible for Kindle

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:28:04 +0000

Miklal Software Solutions’ Authorized KJV Bible for Kindle is a simple, easy to use Bible for Kindle. The text is the 1769 edition and looks really nice. The layout is in paragraph format, which makes it very readable.

One thing I really like is that is shows the chapter number along with the verse number. With Bibles on the Kindle it can sometimes be difficult for me to figure out what chapter I’m reading in if I don’t remember from the last time I read. Having the chapter numbers with the verse numbers solves this problem and doesn’t distract from reading in any way. It actually helps me to find the verses because with more numbers they stand out a little more than most Bibles in paragraph format.

Of course the main purpose of the chapter numbers is for easy navigation and this Bible is easy to navigate. To navigate to a specific verse, start typing to open the FIND box. Type the name of the book followed by a space, the chapter number followed by a space, and the verse number followed by a space. So, in order to go to John 1:1, type John 1 1. Various locations will appear on the screen and you can select the one you want.

What I like the most about Miklal Software Solutions King James Version Bible for Kindle is its simplicity. I find most Bibles on Kindle to be difficult to navigate, but this KJV is one of the best. The Table of Contents has a link so you can jump to the NT before you have to scroll through all of the OT books. This makes it so easy to get to a NT book. Many Bibles on Kindle make you scroll through all of the OT books before you can see the NT books. Rather than having the chapters after the book name, you navigate to the book, and then you can choose a chapter. This gets the chapters out of the Table of Contents, making navigation through the Table of Contents much faster.

Miklal Software Solutions has another winner with the King James Version Bible for Kindle. This KJV shines in both price and quality. It’s easy to read and easy to navigate, which makes reading the Bible on the Kindle an enjoyable experience.

Miklal Software Solutions provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

Second Chance by Noriko Chapman

Randy A. Brown — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:19:33 +0000

Second Chance by Noriko Chapman and Daryl Green is several stories in one. It is the story of Noriko Chapman, cancer survivor, mother of two, non-profit volunteer, Production Control Supervisor, and MBA student. Second Chance gives inspiration to non-profit organizations to become more effective in Operations Management while remembering to inspire those they assist.

The purpose of Second Chance is two-fold – it tells Noriko’s story as a cancer surviving patient, and it serves to provide non-profit organizations with Operation Management tools that they normally would not have access to or knowledge in. These tools help organizations to be more efficient and effective in meeting the needs of their clients.

Noriko’s journey is based strongly on faith and the Word of God. She quotes Scripture and applies it to her life, building her faith as she faces the obstacles of a volunteer, supervisor, mother, student, and patient. Noriko is inspiring in both her faith and her effectiveness and eagerness to teach organizations Operations Management in a way that doesn’t require them to have an MBA.

Second Chance is not only an inspiring journey, but it is also an informative and easy to understand guide to Operations Management. I recommend Second Chance because it not only gives non-profit organizations the tools they need to become more efficient, but it gives them a reminder of why they exist to help others in the first place.

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