So, who is Saint Nicolas??

Linda S. shared this link on FB and I really liked it.
Saint Nicolas lived in what is now Turkey and was born in the last quarter of the 3rd century, dying in 343AD.
Benjamin Britten wrote the wonderful Cantata ~ Saint Nicolas in 1948.
You can hear the entire Canata right here!!  Rather nifty!!

now you know

What is the name of the first authorized Bible in the English language?
The Great Bible.

Under what King of England was it authorized?
King Henry VIII.

What was the date of its publication?
1539

Who prepared this Bible?
Miles Coverdale

Who's translation was used as the basis of this Bible?
For the New Testament and much of the Old Testament it was William Tyndale's translation.

Who's work did Tyndale use as the basis for his English translation?
The Latin New Testament of Desiderius Erasmus.
Erasmus had the Greek on the left side of the page and the Latin on the right. That was those who were both Greek and Latin scholars could compare these translations as they read the Bible.

responses to the claims of the gospel

Two posts ago, we looked at some unfortunately usual responses to the gospel. Here are two more which, if they weren't eternally tragic, would actually be funny.

You might want to read Acts 26. It is a great chapter with Paul's defense of the gospel and two responses to it.

Acts 26
24 As he [Paul] thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" (talk about 'off the wall'!)
25 But he [Paul] said,"I am not mad noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason."

Acts 26
{Paul to King Agrippa} 27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."
28 Then Agrippa said to a Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." (How unutterably sad...)

Ishmael

Genesis 16:12 (New King James Version)
12 He [Ishmael] shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”


Genesis 21:10-13 (New King James Version)
10 Therefore she [Sarah] said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman [Hagar] and her son [Ishmael]; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman [Hagar], because he is your seed.”

Genesis 21:18 (New King James Version)
18 Arise, lift up the lad [Ishmael] and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.

You know...

if you don't believe that Genesis 1-2:2 is God's truth, you have removed the foundation that He placed there in the beginning of His Word. If you don't believe that, what is the point in thinking that there is any Truth in any of the rest of the Word?? And how would you know when you came across Truth? You might get it wrong...

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto Him, "Art thou a king then?" Jesus answered. "Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." 38a Pilate saith unto Him, "What is Truth?"

The name is DSYPL!

When the era of the 'create your own auto license plate' first came into vogue, there was a 6 letter/number/symbol limit in my state. Why? I have no idea. That meant I could not use 'disciple' in its 8 letter form, so I had to get creative & squeeze it down. And thus came up with DSYPL. This has been a good thing, because people look at it quizzically & then ask what it means. This gives me a good chance to give my testimony. Christians usually can work it out.