Month: June 2020

Activity from the Hands-On Bible

Look in the mirror and what do you see? Yup – you see a reflection. Read from Acts chapter 8 below to meet a man who reflected the love of Jesus.

ACTS 8:26-20, NLT
As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Now, Try This!

Gather two empty paper towel tubes, a mirror, a flashlight, and a friend (parent, grandparent, or sibling works well too.)

1. Set the paper towel tubes on a table in front of a mirror. Place them in a V-shape pointing toward the mirror.
2. Use the flashlight to shine light through one tube toward the mirror. Angle the second tube until you see the light reflected back through the second tube.

That’s Enlightening!

When we treat others the way Jesus says to, we reflect the love Jesus shows us. Philip reflected Jesus’ love when he helped the Ethiopian understand the Scripture.

Who can you reflect the love of Jesus to this week? Write it down so you don’t forget! Or even better do it right now!

Learn more about the Hands-On Bible

by Ellen Elwell, member of the Tyndale House Ministries International Team

Did you know Tyndale House Ministries works with Christian publishers around the world to help minister to the spiritual needs of people in their own languages? Just a few months ago we were able to rejoice as the first Hungarian edition of the Inspire Bible was launched in Budapest, Hungary.

“As I drew, colored, and made notes in my Inspire Bible, I felt that there was only God, the Scripture, and me. It was a tremendous experience,” said Eszter, who enjoys using the new Inspire Bible.

This beautiful Bible started as a passion from Harmat Publishing House, headquartered in Budapest, to see women engage with the Bible in a more personal way. When they discovered the Inspire Bible with its coloring and journaling pages, they knew this was the perfect Bible to be the first journaling Bible published in the Hungarian language.

Combining the Karoli-Bible text in Hungarian with the original artistic illustrations of the Inspire Bible, Harmat Publishers were overwhelmed with the positive responses they received after it was published.

“Using the Inspire Bible was a wonderful and unique experience for me. When I started to draw and color in it, I felt as though I was able to ‘turn everything else off,’ and the only thing that remained was my Bible and me,” said Panna, a young woman who was one of the first to try this new Bible.

To encourage engagement, Kornel Herjeczki, CEO of Harmat Publishing House, hosted a Bible journaling workshop so attendees could experience it firsthand. Participants were able to try out their own creative Bible study and journaling under the direction of Hungarian artist Brigitta Budahazy. And many local news outlets added to the excitement by cover the release of this unique Bible.

“The One who created the eyes can see, and the One who created the ears can hear. He also knew what I had in my heart and that I longed for such a Bible, in which I can freely express my thoughts and feelings toward him,” said Timea, an early user of this Bible.

We love being able to celebrate growing in God’s Word with our brothers and sister around the world. Like Time, may we all long to get into God’s Word so we can express our love for him.

You can learn more about the Inspire Bible in Hungary on its website www.inspiralobiblia.hu

You can learn more about Inspire Bible in English

by Kim Adetunji, brand manager

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” John 15:4, NLT

God is moving in hearts, communities, and nations all across the world! In what ways has God been encouraging, sharpening, loving, and challenging you through Scripture? Have you seen your faith and trust in him expand? Have you loosened your grip on things you previously thought you could control? Has your faith been impacted through troubles or pain or loss or new wisdom or gratitude or a big or small victory? Has God changed your perspective on anything? Has he been nudging you to share about the hope of Christ more frequently or to serve him in a new way? How have you been obedient to God in this season? What are ways God is convicting you? How have you seen God transforming your life?

Our world is in a heightened season of reflection that was brought on largely by fear—but also from isolation, loneliness, discouragement, and desperation. Regardless of our personal circumstances, many people are developing a keener awareness of God’s sovereignty and his very near presence and faithfulness. Many have been asking themselves if they truly believe the truths in Scripture, and if so, how should it impact their life and choices—especially when it comes to dealing with our fear or suffering or extended periods of waiting. God is on the move in mighty ways, and with everything that we are going through, it can make our hearts fertile ground for God to accomplish his good work in and through us. Let Christ transform your life as you remain in him. Keep listening. Keep reading. Surrender. Obey. Wait patiently. Hope in him. Trust him. Lean into God’s faithfulness with a grateful heart.

If you’re looking for a place to capture your faith journey, you may be interested in picking up a journaling Bible. Journaling Bibles have lots of extra space in the wide margins next to Scripture to capture truths and observations, notes, learnings, meaningful verses, written prayers, or even for original art. Bible journaling has become a treasured way to express worship to God for his loving-kindness and faithfulness. The Inspire Bible is a special journaling Bible that is available in three unique editions, each with an exclusive set of over 400 illustrations: Inspire Bible, Inspire Praise Bible, and Inspire Prayer Bible. Upcoming new releases include Inspire Bible Large Print in July, the all-new Inspire Prayer Bible in September, and Inspire Catholic Bible Large Print in October.

The all-new Inspire PRAYER Bible has even wider margins and over 400 line-art illustrations to color (including 94 full-page illustrations), plus prayer-themed features including prayer prompts and the beloved colorful vellum pages we first introduced in the Inspire PRAISE Bible. Coloring-book style editions are also available in Psalms and Proverbs, and there is an edition for Girls.

Take a look inside our Inspire PRAYER Bible releasing this fall.

Follow Inspire Bible on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tik Tok

Taken from the HelpFinder Bible

Anger is a fire that burns and consumes—smoldering, flaming, at times white hot. Anger is passion. Of all emotions, it may well be the most passionate, for it has the power to fuel hatred and smother love. Anger itself is not necessarily bad; it is not necessarily wrong. God himself gets angry.

What we need to consider is the object of our anger, the motive for our anger, and the outcome of our anger. Anger that is self-righteous, protects our pride, is self-centered, or demands its own way is dangerous. If allowed to continue unchecked, it will consume us. This kind of anger seeks harm and revenge; it seeks to destroy. Thus it can lead to bitterness and hatred, emotions that can cause violent behavior and obliterate compassion and forgiveness.

God’s anger, however, is directed against sin and unrighteousness. He blazes hot against evil. His anger, like ours, becomes a consuming fire, but its focus is to eradicate the sin so that the sinner can be restored. Our anger often consumes others and even ourselves; God’s anger burns against evil and becomes a cleansing fire. The fires of our anger may aggravate our sinfulness and self-righteousness. His anger burns away sinfulness and allows the “gold” to emerge and make us fit for the Master’s use.

When I am angry, what should I avoid?
• EPHESIANS 6:4 | “Do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.”
Avoid discipline in the heat of anger.
• JAMES 3:5 | “The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.”
Avoid speaking your mind when you are angry. You are likely to say something you will regret.
• 1 SAMUEL 19:9-10 | “As David played his harp, Saul hurled his spear at David.”
Avoid acting on impulse in the heat of anger. You are likely to do something you will regret.

When is it okay to be angry?
• JOHN 2:15-16 | “[Jesus] drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins . . . and . . . told them, ‘Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!'”
• NUMBERS 25:11 | “Phinehas . . . has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was.”
Anger at sin is not only appropriate but also necessary. It is a sign that our priorities are in line with God’s, that we understand the destructive force of sin, and will confront it with the same passion that God does.

We all get angry at times, so what should we do about it?
• EPHESIANS 4:26-27 | And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Anger is like a skunk in the house. Don’t feed it to encourage it to stay. And carefully try to get rid of it as soon as possible.
• MATTHEW 5:21-23 | “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder.’. . . But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! . . . Go and be reconciled to that person.”
Confront those you are angry with in order to restore your relationship.
• 1 CORINTHIANS 13:5 | [Love] is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
Love is the mightiest weapon in overcoming anger.
• PROVERBS 11:29 | Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind.
• EPHESIANS 6:4 | Do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.
To knowingly provoke your family to anger weakens the binding force—love—that bonds your family together. The control you seek actually enslaves you.

Learn more about the HelpFinder Bible