If you own one of the Logos Base Packages then you have a key to read PBB (Personal Book Builder) Books that people have compiled. Here is the best way to update you library (sans money).

The folks over at www.stilltruth.com have a huge number of books and you can download them one by one or they have a nifty pbb_updater utility that can be used to automatically download any or all of these free resources. Click the link below:

http://www.stilltruth.com/2008/easiest-way-download-pbb-resources#attachments

Now download the file attachment PBB_Updater_Setup.msi and save it in your “C:\Program Files\Libronix\Resources” folder run the pbb_updater_setup.msi and install the program. I installed it on a Hp Laptop running Vista Home Premium and these are the settings I used. [Next - I Agree - Everyone - Next - (In Vista - Allow) - Close].

Right click on the ”updated mysettings.xml” link and choose “save target as” then in the location box choose “c:\program files\stilltruth.com\Pbb Updater” Click Save and it will ask you that this file already exists do you want to replace it? Click yes. 

(On this laptop I had to save the file in my documents folder and then copy and using Windows Explorer find the folder c:\program files\stilltruth.com\Pbb Updater” and click paste and then it asked if I wanted to replace it and I said yes and then it asked for administrator rights and I said yes then it replaced it.)

Now I click to run the actual program (In Vista - Allow) I selected every box  (1) Application, (2) StillTruth.Com and (3) Walther Library 965.637 MB Total Download as of today (02/16/08) and now it is downloading all kinds of cool PBB for my library.

If I can help in any way contact me at jeff@jeffbrown.com and also I have included the mysettings.xml file from my computer here: MySettings.XML file for Personal Book Updater 

Souther Seminary released a statement yesterday (click here for it) announcing that Dr. Mohler will undergoe surgery and therefore will not accept the nomination of President of the Southern Baptist Convention this year. Let us hold Dr. Mohler and his family up in our prayers as they go through this time.

Have you ever tried to tag all your bible references for a document that you want to in include in your Libronix Digital Library? I have and doing it manually takes tons of time

However the folks over at www.spiritandtruth.org have created a bible address tagging program that works in a dos environment. Here is the simple steps to running it and getting the output you desire.

Step 1: Download the zip file from their website, the direct link as of the date of this post is:

http://www.spiritandtruth.org/download/tools/bibletag.py.zip

However the page could change and the page I downloaded it from is:

http://www.spiritandtruth.org/download/tools/index.htm

Step Two: Create a folder to put your files in. Once you get the zip file - unzip it to a folder you can find. I created a folder called “C:\BibleTag” once you get the files unzipped there is no installing anything! Don’t be intimidated where it talks about a python install - you don’t have to do anything but unzip the files and you are ready. To make a Libronix Personal Book Project you will want to open up “flags.txt” and delete all lines in this file and place the following two lines in it and save it:

-lbxpbb
-yes
 

Step Three: Copy your html file into the folder “c:\bibletag”

Step Four: In windows explorer drag and drop your html file right on top of Bibletag.exe

Step Five: You now have a file called “whateveryourhtmlfilename_bibletag.htm” and it is ready for your personal book builder project.

I would start out with a simple word document with maybe two or three lines in it and a couple of bible addresses. Save it as “Web filtered” (HTML) and then drop it on top of the bibletag.exe and watch it go to work. It only takes a few seconds with the largest of documents.

Email me at jeff@jeffbrown.com if there I can be of any assistance. 

Pure and Blameless for the day of Christ
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

 ”so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (Philippians 1:10, ESV)

 

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Last week we seen that the prayer Paul prays with “joy” (v 4, 9) is a prayer that our love will abound more and more - but this love is not some gushy feeling it is “love with knowledge and all discernment.” In other words, Paul prays that they will not receive any corrupted doctrine under the pretense of love. (1)

How can they “approve what is excellent” without “love that is guided by knowledge and all discernment.” The answer is they can’t. Love, knowledge and discernment is required for every believer in Christ. The world wants you to have no discernment or knowledge they want you to have love without “strings” and this is not Christian love - instead it is some kind of hippie love.

The Greek word for approve here is Dokimazo - which means (1) as making an examination, put to the test, examine, prove (by testing) (Luke 14.19); as testing or proving the will of God prove (Rom 12.2); as testing oneself by self-examination test, examine (2 Cor 13.5); as being aware of the progress of history test (the times) (Luke 12.56); (2) as accepting the result of an examination of a person regard as approved, consider qualified, approve (1 Cor 16.3); as accepting the result of examination of a thing think of as valuable or worthwhile (Rom 1.28). (2)

“So that you may approve what is excellent” - This is a man who “puts to the test” the things that are excellent. Because he has the Spirit of God living in him, he not only has the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, godly and ungodly, but also actually chooses the things that are of God. He distinguishes and then he chooses, he has knowledge and discernment as his love abounds more and more and he does this with a view to being “pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” 

To “be pure and blameless”  gives us the image of precious metal from which the dross has been removed, unmixed and without alloy. Only fire produces these kind of results and therefore and as we have seen before, the Lord allows trials and tests [Greek word peirasmois - God’s examination of man (4)]  to come into His childrens lives (putting them into the fire) for the purpose of purifying their faith:  

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4, ESV)

We are to count all of our trials with joy and we should not be surprised when they come as though some strange thing was happening to us.

” Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12, ESV)

As a believer in Christ we are either growing in grace and truth or we are under the discipline of the Lord. 

“In other words be made pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” The picture is that of arriving at one’s destination uninjured by any obstacles in the road, not worthy of blame, blameless (the word is also used in Acts 24:16 and 1 Cor. 10:32). (3)

“So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” (Acts 24:16, ESV)

“Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,” (1 Corinthians 10:32, ESV)

 The prayer, then, is that the Philippians, their faculties having been trained to prefer the good to the evil, and the essential to the trivial (cf. Heb. 5:14), may be pure and blameless with a view to the day of Christ. (3)

“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:14, ESV)

For the expression “the day of Christ” refer to the sermon on verse 6. Their whole life must be a preparation for that great day, for it is then that the true character of every man’s life will be revealed (1 Cor. 3:10–15), and everyone will be judged according to his work (Dan. 7:10; Mal. 3:16; Matt. 25:31–46; Luke 12:3; I Cor. 4:5; Rev. 20:12). (3)

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, ESV) 

“A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:10, ESV)
 
” Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” (Malachi 3:16, ESV)
 
” “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”” (Matthew 25:31-46, ESV)
 
“Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luke 12:3, ESV)

“Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5, ESV)
 
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” (Revelation 20:12, ESV)  

All Sermons in the Series “Life of Joy in Christ - A Study of Philippians”

Download Sermon Notes

—————————————————————————————————— 

1. Chrysostom*: “He prays that they will not receive any corrupted doctrine under the pretense of love.” Homily on Philippians 3.1.8-11. ?17? [Edwards, M. J.: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. Downers Grove, Ill. : InterVarsity Press, 1999 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture NT 8), S. 221]

*John Chrysostom (344/354-407; fl. 386-407). Bishop of Constantinople who was noted for his orthodoxy, his eloquence and his attacks on Christian laxity in high places. [ACCS Introduction and Bibliographic Information. Downers Grove, Ill. : InterVarsity Press, 2005 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)]

2. Friberg, Timothy ; Friberg, Barbara ; Miller, Neva F.: Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2000 (Baker’s Greek New Testament Library 4), S. 119

3. Hendriksen, William ;   Kistemaker, Simon J.: New Testament Commentary : Exposition of Philippians. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1953-2001 (New Testament Commentary 5), S. 60

4. Friberg, Timothy ; Friberg, Barbara ; Miller, Neva F.: Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 2000 (Baker’s Greek New Testament Library 4), S. 305

The Post Office has announced another price increase coming this May and it has made me rethink ways to save postage for the myself and the Church. I remember reading a blog post from Dan Pritchett who is director of marketing for Logos Bible Software (which is the software I use). Check it out, it has worked for them and it could work for you. Click the link below to read the post in full.

http://blog.logos.com/archives/2007/05/beating_postage_increase.html

Click here for the Complete Article that appeared in Business Week 

Sunday we continued our study in 1 John as we examined verse 3 from chapter 2.

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we
keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3, ESV)

 

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We seen that there is a difference between head knowledge and experiential knowledge. There is a difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. 1 John tells us that “we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.”

The Gnostics of the time were declaring a “knowledge” about God that they claimed could be attained by “inner wisdom and elightenment.” John however is declaring a knowledge that changes the man, rather than knowledge that makes the man puffed up with pride thinking he has gained something. John tells of this knowledge and the assurance that we know Him because we long to obey Him.

“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)

It is the whole object of this letter - to declare the doctrine of assurance to the believer.  It never ceases to amaze me how many people are opposed to the doctrine of assurance of the believer. We can see three pillars in 1 John:

“And we are writing these things so that our [your] joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:4, ESV)

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13, ESV)

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19, ESV)

These are built upon joy and assurance, or if you will assurance that comes from joy. However this assurance is not some blind “I hope so.” It can be tested and we can see if we pass or fail. Thus today the verse “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” The “if” statement here is the kicker and the question is “Do I long to be obedient to His commandments?” or do I ignore His commandments and go on with my life as I please.

Some people today call themelves Christians when they have never experienced the joy of a true conversion. They believe they can just pray a prayer and then live thier life as they think is best. The world says it does not matter what you do just believe and you are the real deal. But John tells us you cannot separate belief from conduct and so does our brother James:  

 ”So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17, ESV)

The world is holding to the lie that you can believe one thing and do another. This is impossible because you do what you believe. So when the apostle John brings us the truth that the Christian can be assured of his salvation in that God has brought about fundamental changes in his life and his conduct matches his confession we can rejoice and know that:

“he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

So the question is “Do you know Him?” You ask “How do I know if I know Him?” John answers “And by this we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments.”

All Sermons in the Series “Life in Christ - A Study of 1 John”

Sermon Notes

In Flock we are studying What is a Healthy Church by Mark Dever and the 9 Marks Ministry. This weeks lesson was on Biblical Understanding of Evangelism. What a refreshing chapter to read and hear what we have already experienced in church life in general and evangelism particularly. If you have not read What is a Healthy Church? or its big brother 9 Marks of a Healthy Church I would highly recommend them to any church or ministry seeking to be throughly biblical in thier doctrine and practice.

All Flock Classes on “What is a Healthy Church”

Flock Video:
mms://broadcast.liferecovery.tv:81/allmedia/021008SV.wmv

Flock Audio Only:
mms://broadcast.liferecovery.tv:81/allmedia/021008SA.wma

Flock Notes:
http://media.prbc.us/pdf/021008S.pdf

MP3:
http://media.prbc.us/mp3/021008S.mp3

Camp Logos II is almost here and I can’t wait. I don’t believe it has ever come to Oklahoma and I am so glad it is. It is scheduled for Feb 21-22 at Henderson Hills Baptist Church (www.hhbc.com) and if you have been to Camp Logos I then I don’t need to tell you why you should come!

If you are wondering what Camp Logos II is, it is an advanced class on how to use the software that I use everyday as a Christian/Pastor/Teacher. What an awesome time to learn how to use the Libronix Digital Library System even more!

Morris Proctor is the man when it comes to Logos training and you can find him here at www.mpseminars.com. 

CLII website is https://www.mpseminars.com/index.cfm/PageID/518/index.html and  if you haven’t registered hurry up because there is only two weeks left!

Blessings
Jeff