It's A Bible Filled Life

I was just looking around my office this morning a realized I have quite a few Bibles, but somehow I never seem to have enough as I always manage to see the need to pick up another. So what do I have? Here are the versions I have, either as standalone or in some form of compendium:

• NASB
• NET
• NIV
• ESV
• KJV
• NKJV
  
• Amplified
• NCV
• NWT

I have Study Bibles, Life Application Bibles, Comparative Bibles, travel size Bibles, Bibles that are just Scripture and no notes, Bibles that have more notes than Scriptures, an old family Catholic Bible. I have them on-line (here and here), in print and on DVD.

All in all I have about 20 volumes of Bibles. I have to scratch my head to remember where I got all of them from. Which do I use? At seminary I use the NASB for class, the NET for chapel. Not sure why the dichotomy. At home the NET for morning reading, although I am going to work through my new ESV Study Bible in 2009 as part of one of my small group reading plans. My wife has been using the same Bible for years, same version, same volume, NASB. I admire her consistency, but I cannot do it myself. Not sure what it says about me.

Given my 2009 reading plans, it means I am probably in the market for a travel sized ESV. (Have you seen the size of the ESV Study Bible? They do have size restrictions on carry on luggage for air travel you know)

And I might likely need more shelf space soon.

Do you have a favorite version? Do you hop around like me? If not, how long have you been faithful to the version you are reading?

Is Jesus Different?

Is the Jesus of the Bible different from the Jesus of the PC?

What I am really trying to get at is do we perceive things differently depending on the medium we choose to view things through. Let me explain a bit. I chose Jesus because he is the most constant, unchangeable person in my life. He, as deity, was, is and will always be. We learn in Matthew 24:35 that His words will never pass away.

But do we perceive Him differently depending on where it is we look at Him? When I read my NET Bible, I am sitting there looking at a book, the most traditional form of information in my life. But I wonder, do I read words differently on my PC then I do in a book? The reason I ask is that when I do a paper for seminary, I have to print it out and read it on paper before I turn it in. I always find something; a word that passes word check but is used me in the wrong context; some grammar issue, some incomplete or incoherent thought that really looked good on the computer screen. Boy, what was I thinking? (Or what was I looking at?)

Is that just me, is it my generation, or is that people in general? I don't know the answer to that one; I can only speak for myself.

Right now at my disposal I have several print versions of the Bible available to me, select bible books on my iPod, and even more bible versions available over the internet on sites like BibleGateway.com.

I think the nuances I pick up on, the perceptions and those beautiful nuggets I occasionally mine out on my own (very occasionally, like total solar eclipse occasionally) are going to be different depending how I am reading about Jesus. He is the great constant in my life. What is different is how I approach Him as my Savior and the Lord of my life. I think the media I use to read the Bible makes a difference. If it does with Jesus, I cannot imagine how big the impact on how I view everything else is. I do not know if this is good or bad; but it is something to keep in mind.

In my case, the Jesus of the Bible (defined as a traditional hard bound copy) is different from the Jesus of the PC. I can study a multi-faceted deity in a multi-faceted way. Upon reflection, I think that is a good thing.

Power: Wield or Wear?

I have a friend, Ryan, who recently finished a series on influence on his blog, Tilling the Soil. It made me think a lot about influence, it made me think a lot about my previous business career and some of the discussions I had with friends and colleagues. It made me think of something that is related to influence, yet somewhat different.

Power.

The dictionary defines power as possession of control, authority or influence over others. So there it is, influence and power are related, but somehow power sounds more like a dirty little word than influence does. Power seems to go beyond influence with that talk of control or authority. Influence seems to be more of a two way street; power, like electricity, seems to flow in one direction.
Power isn't always bad; Acts 1:8 talks about receiving power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, so if you get it from God when the best thing in your life happens to you, it cannot be bad, at least not all the time. I did a concordance search and the word power came up 1134 times in the NET version of the bible, so it is being talked about a lot in my favorite book(s).
Then I thought, power like money is not evil, but the love of it is. I mean, you could switch power for money in 1 Timothy 6:10 and most people would not miss a beat. Try it.
So that got me thinking about what I had often witnessed in a 30 year business career, some of it at a high enough level to see the exercise of power, at least in corporate form. What I had learned was this, you can wield or wear power. In the business world I had seen both happen. In the business world I had done both myself.
When you think of wielding power, think of a club, the act of bludgeoning something. You use your position to exert the power that resides in it to make people do what you want, whether it is right or wrong. In biblical terms think of guys like Saul or Herod. Think of how they wielded their power. Think of the messes they made with it by not listening to God but their own heart, their inner demons.
When you think of wearing power, think of a cloak or mantle draped over the shoulders. It fits, the power flows naturally from and around the body, people respond to the inherent authority they instinctively feel. They are either glad to follow or at least acknowledge the power as a force to be reckoned with. In biblical terms, the ultimate power wearer was Jesus. Power flowed from Him, it was part of His essence, His being (Think of the woman touching His cloak in Mark 5). Not everyone followed Him as a result of His power, but everyone did have to deal with His power one way or another.
Wielding power is easy if you have the position-a king like Saul and Herod could make things happen because of their position. Wearing power is easy if you have the character-that's why a king like Jesus made it seem like second nature. Of the two, wearing power is harder because it requires more inner calm and strength, so you usually see people wielding it, which can occur even in times of huge inner turmoil or weakness. Jesus wore it, and if anyone had the right to wield power it was Jesus. Who can argue with God if He decides to start smiting, whatever His reason?
As I walk my narrow road, I need to look for opportunities to wear whatever form of power has come upon me for that particular season. I need to leave the desire to wield power in my past. I only honor God in the wearing. I have the model to follow in Jesus, I will pray for the wisdom and courage necessary to accompany whatever power level I am charged with.

In your corner of the world, do you wield or wear?