Bible Study

Asking The Way to Zion

April 15, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

I just finished reading the book of Jeremiah today, and was very blessed by a couple verses from chapter 50. I pray you will be, too!

“They shall ask the way to Zion…saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.” (Jeremiah 50:5, emphasis mine)

Am I asking about the way to Zion today? And wow…we have been given that everlasting, perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten now! We now possess what the Jews back in Jeremiah’s day had to look forward to! Praise the Lord!

Ask the Way to Zion — Sunset over the river.

“Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land…” (Jeremiah 50:34)

Our Redeemer IS strong. And I am so, so thankful!

Book Review of the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible

April 10, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Well, I’ve broken a reviewing record now. One thing I have never done before is request a review copy of a Bible. But, when the chance came up recently, I was intrigued by the idea: A study Bible with its sole focus on the gospel, and how all of scripture proclaims the gospel? Being the central focus of our faith, I was more than a little excited when I found out I had been accepted as a reviewer!

NOTE: Links in this post may be affiliate links. Your purchase through these links helps support the blog at no extra cost to you. Thank you! Also, I did receive a complimentary review copy of this book from Crossway Publishers. This is my honest opinion of it.

The Details:

The ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible is designed to help readers see Christ in all of Scripture, and grace for all of life.

It features book introductions, gospel-centered study notes, and a series of all-new articles―written by a team of over 50 pastors and scholars. This content explains passage-by-passage how God’s redemptive purposes culminate in the gospel and apply to the lives of believers today.

Readers will be challenged to see how the message of the gospel transforms sinners from the inside out.

Over 375,000 words of gospel-centered study notes
Introduction that outlines specific uses for the Bible
Updated design and typesetting based on the original ESV Gospel Transformation Bible released in 2013
Includes 5 new articles on topics such as the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, the gospel in the Old Testament, the covenants, and more
Book introductions
Concordance
80,000 cross-references
Ribbon marker
Smyth-sewn binding
Size: 6.125″ x 9.125″
9-point Bible text; 8-point study notes
2,096 pages
Single-column, paragraph format

More info: View more details on the Crossway website or see an excerpt from the Study Bible.

My Thoughts:

This was definitely one of the harder reviews I’ve ever written! How do you contain the power of the Bible in a few paragraphs?—impossible! And even something written about the Bible is difficult!

For years, as I’ve read through the Bible, I’ve tried to correlate the Old Testament with the New. Finding the foreshadowing and types and figures, and then seeing how the Lord Jesus fulfilled each one. And while I know Jesus is spoken of often in the Old Testament when it comes to prophecy, how can things like the Book of Esther show elements of the Gospel? And what about the New Testament? Obviously, without the gospel of the Lord Jesus itself, there would be no New Testament! But how can we apply some of the things spoken of in 1 Corinthians, for example, or James? How do they share the gospel, and how do the words there reflect and reinforce gospel principles?

This “Gospel Transformation Study Bible” is a great way to flesh out the stories from the Bible that we know so well. Having grown up in a Christian family, hearing Bible stories my whole life, I have to remember to focus more on the words, asking the Lord to teach me what He is saying, because otherwise I’ll only see what I’ve known for years in there. And reading the Bible with a pre-supposition for what it’s going to say isn’t necessarily all that inspiring! So seeing how gospel principles were played out in Esther’s case, for example, was a real blessing. I’ve known and enjoyed the story for years, but considering the great price it could have easily cost Esther and Mordecai, and how it cost Jesus so much was quite fascinating.

It’s hard to sum up such a big work in a few words. I definitely did not read all of the commentary before writing this review, as that would have been a massive undertaking! I did, however, read everything in several books—some of Job, Esther, and Romans—when I was going through them in my normal Bible time. I was impressed by the focus maintained on the gospel, and I feel like the perspectives offered here—while they could possibly become a crutch for some people—are an excellent way to gain a new understanding of how the Lord has worked in ages past. I say it could possibly become a crutch, but only to the extent that we may rely on other extra-Biblical resources (commentaries, devotionals, etc.) for interpreting Biblical text for us. I believe firmly in going to the Word of God and asking the Lord to illuminate it for us, and teach us what He would have us know and believe. And there is such richness in the Word of God already! I feel like this Study Bible has enhanced my understanding, though, and helped me see a bit more of God’s plan for His people throughout the ages—and that’s what I really was hoping for from this.

In summary, I feel like this study Bible would be helpful to a great range of people—from those newly coming to the Bible, wanting to see Jesus in the Old Testament as well as the new. It would be an excellent way to get to know the Word of God as a cohesive whole. I also feel like those who have loved and studied the Word for years would also find this useful, because no matter how many times we may go over the text, there’s always something new to gain. It also could be helpful in figuring out how to show others how the gospel is central to the entire Bible.

And just for all honesty’s sake, I don’t know if I would have just gone out and bought this book had I had the chance—partly because it’s not the translation I normally read from, and partly because I’m not sure I would have thought it was necessary to have a commentary like this on hand. However, at this point, I think it would actually be worth buying. Even with the limited time (twoish months) I’ve had to study it, I’ve gleaned a lot of good things from it! And I know I’ll definitely be picking it up to read frequently in the future, too!

So…if you’re looking for a new Bible, or would like some study notes that could help flesh out passages for you if they’re feeling rather dry or disconnected from the Gospel, I would recommend checking this one out! I feel like I could never have too much of a gospel-centered focus in my life, and this is one more way I can learn more about the depth of the Word of God. There are also practical applications that naturally come from the discussion, and I appreciated that, too!

(Also, a note on doctrines—I was impressed by several places where hot doctrinal issues could have been brought up. I felt like they were treated pretty fairly, and the gospel principles were still brought out well without one particular agenda being pushed.)

Let’s discuss: What kinds of study Bibles have you used in the past or are currently using? Dad really enjoys his life application Bible!

It’s All From Jesus: A Bible Verse Study

April 5, 2019 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

Last Sunday, I started reading through Ephesians, and one thing I noticed in the preface to the book in my study Bible was the mention of the words “in Him” or “in Christ” in the book. And, since I absolutely love discovering (or rediscovering!) patterns in the Bible, I though it would be fun to copy all the instances out. They were a great encouragement to me to meditate on this week, and perhaps they will be to you, too.

Due to the amount of verses (I just counted up, and there are 33 references!), I’ve limited the quotations to just the ones dealing specifically with our relationship with Christ.

There’s still a lot, though. 🙂

It's All From Jesus A Bible Verse Study 01 — Farewell Spit, July 2015

“…blessed us with all spiritual blessings…in Christ…” (Eph. 1:3)

“… chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…” (Eph. 1:4)

“…he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Eph. 1:6)

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (Eph. 1:7)

“In whom…we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated…” (Eph. 1:11)

“In whom…after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise…” (Eph. 1:13)

“…the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power…wrought in Christ…” (Eph. 1:19-20)

“…quickened [made us alive] together with Christ…” (Eph. 2:5)

“…raised us up…and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:6)

“…we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” (Eph. 2:10)

“…now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13)

“…to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace…” (Eph. 2:15)

It's All From Jesus A Bible Verse Study 02 — Farewell Spit, July 2015

“…through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph. 2:18)

“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:22)

“…strengthened with might by his Spirit…rooted and grounded in love…” (Eph. 3:16-17)

“May be able to comprehend…the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge…filled with all the fulness of God.” (Eph. 3:18-19)

“…him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…” (Eph. 3:20)

“…the truth is in Jesus…” (Eph. 4:21)

“…for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light…” (Eph. 5:8)

I love all the promises here! We are blessed, chosen, accepted. We have redemption, forgiveness, and an inheritance we can’t even imagine. We have been sealed, made alive, raised up, brought near, built, strengthened, rooted and grounded in love…and the list goes on! I have to wonder what this list would look like if one were to go through the entire New Testament—and what about the promises in the Old Testament?

In Christ, we have been given everything. God is so good! I love how through all these verses the emphasis is always on the Lord doing this; it’s not us, or anything we have done. It’s HIM. All Jesus.

And I’ll close with one final one, which also happens to be the last one I copied out, too!

“…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” (Eph. 6:10)

How has the Lord been speaking to you through His Word this week?

A Well of Life

March 22, 2019 // Esther Filbrun 2 Comments

Work mornings often find me sitting at the kitchen table, gulping down my breakfast and hot cup of coffee while I read a couple chapters of the Bible for a little spiritual refreshment before the day begins. Today was one of those days, and even though I might not get the chance to sit and savour the Word like I would like to, I was blessed by several precious minutes before I had to head out for work.

One of today’s chapters was Proverbs 10. I appreciate the wisdom in Proverbs so much, but sometimes I feel like I can read a lot and not glean anything. Other times, like this morning and even with the limited time, the Lord blessed me with several verses:

“The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” (Prov. 10:11)

“The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.” (Prov. 10:16)

“The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.” (Prov. 10:21)

And as I finished off my apricot refrigerator oatmeal (highly recommended, by the way!) and started my coffee, I asked myself a few questions.

Is my mouth a well of life to others—do my words breathe life and hope into their souls?

Does my daily work bring life—hope, healing, relief, strength—to those around me?

Do my words feed others’ souls? Are they refreshed by my conversation, or fatigued?

I’m reminded of the apostle James’ words, how great a difference can be made by the use of our tongues—either good or bad. “Can a fountain send out both salty water and fresh?” (Esther’s paraphrase; Jas. 3:11)

My prayer is that I can be a well of life to others. In Christ, I know I can be. Let us draw our strength and inspiration from Him!

“The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” (Prov. 10:28)

Following God in Our Inciting Incidents (Thoughts from My Bible Time)

November 29, 2018 // Esther Filbrun Leave a Comment

In fiction writing, there is almost always an “inciting incident”, when the main character is called—or forced, depending on the situation—to step out of their comfort zone to change their life or work to help or save someone else.

The only reason why this is used in story is because it happens in real life. All the time! Once one has responded to the call, there is no going back—quite literally! Their life has changed forever, and there is no handy “undo” button hanging around, either.

This morning in my Bible time, I was reminded of the inciting incident when reading about Mary and her calling. For Mary, when the angel appeared to her to tell her what God had chosen her for, she had a choice to accept or deny God’s call on her life. She accepted, as I’m sure we all are thankful for, and that singular incident catapulted her into a completely new (and not necessarily very easy!) life. And it changed world history…forever.

King David’s inciting incident came when he went to play harp for King Saul (1 Sam. 16:19)—or, perhaps, when he was anointed. Probably the later more than the former, although I think it’s entirely possible that we could have more than one major call/life-change in our individual lifetimes!

The prophet Samuel, as a boy, was told to deliver a dangerous message to Eli (1 Sam. 3).

Ruth had to choose between her wishes and Naomi’s wellbeing; her old gods and the God of Israel.

Esther had to choose whether she would utilize her life circumstances, and possibly lose her life, or grow bitter by them and in doing so lose her own life.

Moses…Nehemiah…Isaiah…Hezekiah…Jael…Miriam…Jeremiah…the Apostle Paul…Stephen…all had times in their lives when the call of God came to them, some audibly, often circumstantially, and they had to decide what to do.

And as Mary of old said, “behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38), I’m praying that I, too might follow the Lord in whatever “inciting incident” He calls me to!

What have you been learning from the Word lately?

Journibles: A Rich Devotional Resource (Book Review and Blog Tour)

May 19, 2018 // Esther Filbrun 1 Comment

There are some people that are very good salesmen, even if they don’t intend to be. (Or maybe they do…I don’t know.) Anyway, when Chautona Havig shared a review of the Journibles collection on Youtube one day, I watched it and decided I wanted to try it out one day.

Imagine my delight when I saw that it was coming up for review soon, and I’d be able to get a hardcover version! I was thrilled to receive the welcome email, and eagerly anticipated the little package in the mail for the following few weeks—until, one day, there it was!

If there’s anything better than book mail, especially with a book you just can’t wait to dive into, please tell me. But that totally made my day one afternoon after work!

Some links in this review are affiliate links. They help keep this blog going, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

About the Journibles:

WHY THE 17:18 SERIES?

In Deuteronomy 17, Moses is leaving final instructions concerning the future of Israel. As a prophet of God, Moses foretells of when Israel will place a king over the nation (v. 14). In verse 18, the king is commanded to not simply acquire a copy of the law (the entire book of Deuteronomy) from the scroll publishing house, but to hand write his own copy of the law. Thirty-four hundred years later, educators are discovering that students that physically write out their notes by hand have a much greater retention rate than simply hearing or visually reading the information. Apparently, God knew this to be true of the kings of Israel also. From such understanding came the conception of this series of books.

HOW TO USE THESE BOOKS

Each book is organized so that you can write out your very own copy of Scripture. You will be writing the Bible text only on the right hand page of the book. This should make for easier writing and also allows ample space on the left page to write your own notes and comments. From time to time a question or word will be lightly printed on the left page; these questions are to aid in further study, but should not interfere with your own notes and comments.

Check out the available books here.

My Thoughts:

I think I tend to be a little ADHD about my personal Bible time. For some reason, it always seems like I have four or five different studies all running concurrently, so it is always hard to decide what to do when. Hence, I don’t tend to make a huge amount of progress in any one thing in any particular week, but I switch around some and find inspiration from many different directions. Unlike other studies I’ve done in the past, the Journibles are very much book-based studies. I’m not sure I’ve ever done an in-depth study of any particular book, so it’s a different approach for me.

Despite the difference, though, I’ve found there’s a lot of richness missed when one just reads the scriptures. I’ve read through the Bible cover-to-cover before, probably at least four times, but I rarely ever took notes. It was just a reading exercise, and when I did my allotment for the day, I was done.

Journibles’ purpose is different, though: They intend to slow you down and make you think not only about the chapter as a whole, but see each section in it and each verse and word inside of that. It’s a very effective system.

I’ve only actually spent several personal devotional periods in my Journible so far. However, each time has been rich with meaning. I’m not quite through the first chapter of Proverbs yet, as I’m taking time to comment along the way, but even so there are several things that have jumped out at me that I haven’t noticed before.

Although I haven’t used my Journible (Proverbs) as much yet as I thought I might, I know I’ve learned a lot even in the time I have dedicated to it. There’s power in praying over the Scriptures, asking the Lord for His inspiration from them each day. There’s also power in writing them out—“claiming” them, in a sense, as your own. Each word requires precision and care, and that responsibility really helps you focus on the true meaning. I think the only reason I haven’t done more is my aforementioned ADHD in Bible study, but in all, I am thrilled to have had the chance to try this resource out—I expect I’ll be using them more in the future! It looks like it would also make a great group study tool, too—fairly intensive as far as prep work is concerned, but you would have some gems of thoughts as a result, I think!

Note: I received this book for free from CelebrateLit, in exchange for my honest review.

Check out the other blog tour stops and the giveaway here!

Let’s discuss: What are some of your favorite Bible study tools? Do you journal as part of your Bible time?