Wednesday, July 9, 2014

A Cost Paid by Others


The Inspired Word of God
I enjoy the many digital Bibles and biblical software programs available via the internet.
At the app store, punch in 'Bible app', you get 2199...

I have downloaded quite a few on both my phone and computer. 

Currently on my cell, I’m hooked on 'YouVersion' for it’s seemingly endless supply of reading plans, and how simple they make it to bookmark, highlight, write notes, and share.

 My go-to laptop favorite is 'OliveTree' with its many study helps.


But they are limited. 


Simply put, 
there is no match for the written word, 
nor can it be replicated.
Jesus reading from the Torah: Luke 4
Matthew 24:35
  Think about this, words written then printed can't be changed.
Did you know many people died because they dared to read the scriptures?
FACT:
*Gutenberg - Invented the printing press in the 1450's and the first book to ever be printed was the Bible. It was, however, in Latin rather than English. 
With the onset of the Reformation in the early 1500's, the first printings of the Bible in the English language were produced illegally and at great personal risk to those involved.
In 1525/26 Tyndale printed the first English New Testament…They were burned as soon as the Bishop could confiscate them, but copies trickled through The more the King and Bishop resisted its distribution, the more fascinated the public at large became. One risked death by burning if caught in mere possession of Tyndale's forbidden books.


Jesus said you must be born again,   John 3:7
Growing up, the scriptures we heard and read were only in church, from a 'worship aid' in the pew, we were told we would not be able to understand the Bible on our own. 
Once I became "born again", 
I was amazed at what was really written in the book! I now love to read it, have many different versions and was sad to 'only' be able to bring 3 of my Bibles with me (limited suitcase space, you know). 

One of the things I took for granted -in America- easy, cheap access to many different Bibles and versions! 
Here in Croatia, although I have found a few book stores that carry some English books, there are no 'Christian book stores' and if there is a religious section it include everything from Mythology to Secularism, tend to be very small, carrying few Bibles, and not cheap.
Croatian Christians have limited translated versions, and some are not translated as accurate as they should be.

SO

Although I am not opposed to change,
 I'm not sure how we ever got by without computers!
[Technology has come astonishingly far in my life time - I remember, 1984ish, my employer sending me to classes in New Jersey to learn the DOS system, it was so new and exciting...
and now it's so gone.]

BUT REMEMBER

On the internet things change fast! 
And how easy it is to think everything we read and see is right and real, 
but accountability and even editing are not the norm. 

THEREFORE

Friends and family...
Never forget the price paid so we could have the Bible in print, affordable, and in many languages. 
Never forget some do not have that same access.
Always keep a printed Bible
{Or maybe a few}
and don't forget to read it...
Romans 15:4
Acts 17:11…they received the message with great eagerness & examined the scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true. 
2Tim 3:15-17…and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  
Hebrews 4:12...For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 
Love in Christ, 
                                                                                                        Christine

FACT:
*Few could own or possess a Septuagint (A Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, the "Bible" of that day) or even a proper Torah (A scroll of parchment containing the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, used in a synagogue during services) 
in the time of Jesus; this was something only the wealthy acquired, sometimes owning only one book of the collection as every copy was painstakingly reproduced by scribes, by hand, and under the most stringent of conditions and observations, with endless proofing -- one mar or mistake would bring an entire scroll into the fire and the scribe would begin again.

*Facts:
http://www.discoverrevelation.com/7.html 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation

Salvation
  Bible smuggling  photo and zwolle-conference - Language Translations  (posts)


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