Saint John’s Bible

I had never heard of Saint John’s Bible until last week.  However, in the past few days, I have been reading a lot about it from the internet.  My niece heard that is was going to be at one of the local museums and asked if Jacki and I would like to go.  Therefore, we went that last Thursday evening.  We got there at about 5 o’clock, which was perfect.  We walked right in.  Within the next thirty minutes, there were so many people that the museum staff was only allowing so many people into the exhibit room at one time.  As one person left, they would allow one person in.

 

It was an amazing to see.  First, let me give you some background information.  The Abbey Church of Saint John the Baptist has commissioned this bible.  It is the place of worship for the monastic community of Saint John’s Abbey.  It is the home of Saint John the Baptist Parish and is the primary place of worship for the Saint John’s University community. 

 

Donald Jackson, who is the Queen’s Scribe, was the one who undertook this project.  Saint John’s is also know for there 1500-year monastic tradition and its long-standing commitment to manuscript preservation, which it why they got involved in commissioning this project.  The Saint John’s Board of Regents and the monastic community got together to seen if they wanted to do this, and they decide that, “Yes, we want to embark on this monumental project.  We want Donald Jackson to bring the Word of God to life on vellum for the next five hundred years.”

 

Let me state, before I go on, that I do not agree with this bible being written.  I will get more into that later.  I want to spend a little time describing how this bible is being written, which I do find fascinating.  Most of the information about Saint John’s Bible, I get from either their website, or employee’s at the museum. 

 

Abortionist Caught On Tape

This is a must read article that I came accross.  Please take the time to read this.

 

Students for Life of America Exposes Partial-Birth Abortionist Declaring Aborted Infants Born Alive “Just Sloppy Medicine” at Conference Held at the National Education Association

**Update: Click here to see the letter sent to the NEA by over 100 pro-life teachers!

Arlington,VA – Students for Life of America (SFLA) today released video exposing footage of abortionist Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, KS openly discussing children who “slip out” accidentally during an abortion and are “born alive” or with a “heartbeat” and condemned such medical mistakes during the Feminist Majority Foundation’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference, held at the National Education Association (NEA.) Dr. Tiller, who currently faces 19 criminal charges for illegal late-term abortions in the state of Kansas, stated “If the baby is born alive, that is sloppy medicine” after addressing the crowd of about 100 feminists during a plenary session titled “Standing with our Sisters” on March 9, 2008.

 

Dying to Self or Living for Self

Mark 13:36-37

36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'”

NIV

When is Jesus going to be coming?  That is the question.  It even says in verse 32 of that same chapter, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”  Jesus does not even know!  Which begs the question, why doesn’t Jesus know?  There is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, all three are separate in there own way, yet all three are one.  Why would Jesus not know what the Father knows?  Even though that is a question that I cannot answer at this time, one thing is for sure, Jesus is coming back someday for His bride.  Peter, John the Baptist, and many others went around saying to those around them to repent, because the end is near.  IF they were saying that almost 2000 years ago, how much closer to the end times are we now? 

 

A Prayer for the Ephesians

This mornings sermon was great.  It was from Ephesians 3:14-21.

EPHESIANS 3:14-21 (New International Version)

A Prayer for the Ephesians

 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

This is a great prayer of Paul’s.  Paul doesn’t just pray something little, but prays big.  He prays that the saints would “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,”  verse 18. 

If you would like to hear the sermon, or other Previous sermon;s on the book of Ephesians, please to the Valley Bible Church website under staying involved.

 

Hypocrites

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cummin.  But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness.  You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.  You blind guides!  You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.       Mat. 23:23-24

These guys are very legalistic.  They always make sure they give their tenth of spices, and in full view of everyone.  They want to make sure everyone sees them doing it, and probably how much they are giving for that matter.  But yet, they ignore the matters that are of great importance to God, justice, mercy and faithfulness.  They have no problem doing the little stuff and what is easy for them, but when it comes to the harder stuff, they ignore it.  They have a huge arrogant pride about themselves.  What is most important to them is getting praised by men, not praising God.  They will quickly condemn anyone who does not tithe, for example, but when it comes to a matter of justice or mercy, which is the office that they are holding, they pick and chose when and what they do.  They don’t take the scriptures and make decision based on what God would want done, but what benefits them the most. 

 

Pride

The greatest among you will be your servant.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.                    Mat. 22:11-12

Pride is such a huge obstacle for all people.  I know in my own life it is one of the most difficult challenges that I face on a daily basis.  I never realized how selfish I was until I got married.  I always thought of myself as a pretty good guy who likes to help when I can.  But after I got married, my wife and I had soe difficult times, and the reason for that was my pride always kept getting in the way.  My Pastor refers to wives as the second holy spirit.  We should be open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives when we sin.  However, sometimes, including myself, I be come selfish and am blinded to the sin I am doing because of my pride.  That is where my wife comes in, because she will at times notice my sin and is more than willing to point it out.  In a good way though!  I am grateful for that too.  Because through that, will my personal relationship with Jesus Christ continue to grow deeper.