VeggieTales Legend Releases All New DVD Series

From Chicago-based Jellyfish Labs, Vischer and team open the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, to new generations: how the Bible formed, its major themes and leading figures, even terms such as Vulgate, Septuagint, Canon, and Apocrypha.

“I picture the kid in the back of Sunday school class–with the questions teachers dread. I know that honest answers now help solidify faith long-term,” Vischer said. Select theologians comb every script to accurately present the Bible on ground common to the broadest number of believers. “We work hard to show respect all around,” Vischer said.

VeggieTales has sold more than 50 million DVDs and produced two theatrical films around Bible stories. WITB plugs in the entire Bible. This comes in a groundswell of new concern for Bible literacy and because today’s kids learn visually.

Bestselling author Randy Alcorn emailed Vischer: “[My grandson and I] watched together and again the next day and the next, bonus features and all, until we had to leave. Matthew is now a devoted fan of Buck Denver and the other characters.”

Alcorn also liked, “the depth of biblical background and commentary on God’s great drama of redemption.”

Episodes one, two, and three?

1. In the Beginning — Kids learn God’s big story and how Genesis’s first 11 chapters set up the whole Bible–and life.

2. Let My People Go! — Kids meet Abraham and learn how God used him to start a great nation called Israel.

3. Wanderin’ in the Desert–goes into Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, joining Genesis and Exodus in the Law Books and setting up trials and victories of God’s people.
“We must learn the language of our audience,” said C.S. Lewis, who connected children to God. “For this generation, visual is fundamental to learning,” Cambridge scientist Alister McGrath said. “By the time kids see the final DVD,” Phil Vischer said, “they’ll know the entire Bible.”

www.WhatintheBible.com

Have you watched any of them yet?  Let us know what you think!

Thy Will Be Done?

This evening during our bedtime routine my seven year old and I made an agreement to teach my two year old The Lord’s Prayer. We decided to begin immediately.  As we began to recite each line and await our student’s response I began to reflect on each line…Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

I paused for a moment as I began to consider the gravity of such a declaration.  I had to ask myself if I really wanted God’s will to be done. If I were to examine my behavior and actions would they reflect the submission of my will to that of the Father’s?  The honest answer would be that I, like many, have been inconsistent.  It has been a matter of convenience and all too often I have ignored what I know to be God’s will because it might put me in an uncomfortable position or cause me to rely on something besides my own understanding.  However, the desire to be found pleasing in His sight is far greater and offers a more gracious and valuable reward.  So, what exactly does God’s will entail?

The will can be defined as desire; decision-making capacity; by choice, without reluctance.  Often, we pray one of three ways.  First, we pray for God to lead or guide us in a particular matter or situation and never inquire as to what His will is for us. Second, we ask God to reveal, or make His will known to us and we merely attempt to include God into our will.  Or finally, we ask to be taught to do God’s will.

When we pray for guidance we are not trusting the Lord.  The steps of a good man are ordered, not guided, by the Lord.  On the occasions that we desire knowledge of God’s will it is useless for us to ask for any such revelation when we have no intention of being completely obedient.  However, when we seek to be taught how to do God’s will we become tremendously useful to the kingdom.  The psalmist David requested on numerous occasions to be taught to do the master’s will.  (Psalm 51:12; 143:10) As such, he was described as a man after God’s own heart.  Even when he sinned his desire to reconcile his broken relationship was so great that he readily submitted his will.

God teaches us in three ways. First, by his word. Secondly, he illuminates our minds by the Spirit. Thirdly, he imprints it in our hearts and maketh us obedient to the same; for the servant who knoweth the will of his master, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes: Luke 12:47.—Archibald Symson.—Treasury of David, The

Teach me to do thy will. We are to pray that God would teach us to know, and then teach us to do, his will. Knowledge without obedience is lame, obedience without knowledge is blind; and we must never hope for acceptance if we offer the blind and the lame to God.—Vincent Alsop (-1703), in “The Morning Exercises.”

—Treasury of David, The

Jesus said to Pilate: “Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were given thee from above.” In everything that came on Him, He saw God’s will: it was all the cup the Father gave Him. When believers learn to see God’s will in everything that comes to us painful or pleasing, great or small, then the prayer, Thy will be done, becomes our unceasing expression of submission as well as praise!

My prayer is that as I make the petition, Thy will be done, that God continually transforms my will to His.  The object of God’s will is holiness.  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord…Hebrews 12:14.

5 Lessons from the Garden about Fruit Bearing

The Fruit of the Spirit

by Bob Lotich

Who doesn’t want to be more loving, joyful, at peace, patient, kind, full of goodness, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled? Each of those are the fruit that the Bible says we should be bearing (John 15:16). I know I would love to see each one of those more in my own life – wouldn’t you? So, what do we need to do to bear more fruit?

1. Fruit needs water in order to reach it’s fullest potential

You can probably ask your five-year old how to take care of a plant and they will tell you that it needs water to survive. And if you have ever kept a garden, you have surely realized that if only water it once a week during the summer months your harvest is going to be much smaller. On the other hand, if your plants are recieving frequent and consistent waterings, the plants are going to be stronger and the fruit is going to be better.

Psalm 1:3 (NIV) - He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

2. Good soil is very important

The soil contains a lot of the nutrients that cause the growth of the plants. There are tremendous differences between good soil and bad soil. This was one of the reasons I said that good potting soil was one of my 10 things worth spending more on. We need to be spiritually receptive to allow the seeds of God’s word to grow and develop the way they should.

Matthew 13:23 (NIV) - The one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

3. Death brings life

John 12:24 (NIV) – I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

We must die to ourselves and our own desires and submit to God’s plan. In doing so, like the above verse states, we will bear much fruit.

4. Pruning produces more fruit

I am by no means an expert gardener, but I have found this one to be true. It doesn’t make sense while you are doing it, but the results prove its effectiveness. God is an expert gardener and He knows which areas of our lives can be pruned to make us more effective. It does hurt, but the end result is beautiful.

John 15:2 (NIV) – He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

5. A branch can’t bear fruit separated from the plant

That is a no-brainer right? Well, I don’t know about you, but I have caught myself trying to do that in my own life. I will find myself trying to accomplish things in my own strength rather than “abiding in Him.” All the fruit that we will bear in our lives will be a result of us being connected to our source: God. Just like a severed branch can bear no fruit, neither can we bear any fruit if we are not abiding in Him.

John 15:5 (NIV) – I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Source:  http://www.christianpf.com/page/2/

Free Bible Software:Bible Explorer

I love convenience.  I like things that are aesthetically pleasing.  Ease of use is also extremely important to me.  However, I was not able to enjoy any of these things when it came to delving into bible study until today.  I downloaded Bible Explorer and I love it.  It is much more than a Bible or concordance on your desktop.  It is a phenomenal research tool.  Bible Explorer allows me to  have multiple translations of the Word, resources and reference tools at my fingertips.  The interface is very intuitive.  It is an ideal tool for any student of the Word of God, no matter what their skill level.  Free video tutorials are available if needed.

Bible Explorer allowed me to easily switch between books and the cross referencing tools elimante the need for multiple books all over the place.  I can see that it will be a great time-saver for me (I have two small children).  The software can be downloaded for free and there are over 2600 books available for download and many of them are free.  There is unlimited potential for what one could accomplish with this software.  Check it out and let me know what you think.