Good morning, BibleMates! (still working on a name…)
This week is an exciting week.
Why, you surely ask?
Tomorrow, I will be heading half-way across the country to Boulder, CO for a hackathon hosted by Gloo — a company that helps churches better connect with the community.
In fact, there’s not a bad chance your church might be using their services.
I was personally invited out to participate in the event where a select number of people will be participating in developing tools using AI to be used within the Kingdom.
There will be a handful of well-known groups there — including YouVersion.
Do you recognize this app?
YouVersion
Yep.
It means the competition will be fierce.
Teams of multiple experienced software developers, product developers, and people who've been in this space/industry for YEARS.
And then there’s me…
A young guy who decided to take a risk and taught himself how to build something in 4 months while working at a finance internship.
I’ll be going in there with BibleMate.
And close to 1,000 of you said “This looks interesting, I’ll try it” since I launched close to 2 months ago.
A handful of you have plus/premium plans, a handful of you have provided invaluable feedback, and many of you have found valuable use cases to further help your Bible study.
But, this is just the beginning.
I know some of you have said you’ve been praying for me, I thoroughly appreciate that. 😄
Thank you for coming on early.
If you desire to continue to see people’s lives be affected through BibleMate, consider sharing it with a friend, offer your feedback to us, or transform your Bible study & knowledge of the Word through a paid plan.
Anyways… Let’s see what Nils’s Nuggets has in store.
What you should be doing on a regular basis
Bible Trivia
What is the longest word in the Bible?
Answer at the end of the newsletter
AI-Generated
Here’s an AI-generated cartoon of Charles Spurgeon 😀
What/Who should I do next week?
(Reply with a Bible Story, Character, Theme)
The Dead Sea Scrolls 💀: In 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. These ancient manuscripts contain fragments of biblical texts, providing valuable insights into the accuracy and preservation of the Scriptures. The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in confirming the reliability of the Old Testament cannot be overstated.
Also, the Dead Sea is 34% salt, nearly 10x the salt of your average ocean. Still, not quite as salty as my eggs in the morning.
Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."
Glory to Rome!: Emperor Constantine of Rome, also known as Constantine the Great, played a significant role in the history of Christianity by legalizing and promoting the faith through the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. His influence on the development of Christianity, particularly in relation to the Council of Nicaea, shaped the course of the faith for centuries to come.
As they say, "With great power comes great theological debate.”
It’s also where “Constantinople” came from.
The Resurrection: The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most well-attested events in history. Numerous eyewitness accounts, along with the transformation of the disciples and the explosive growth of the early Church, lend credibility to the reality of Christ's resurrection.
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing (complaining)”
It's easy to find ourselves complaining and arguing when faced with tasks or circumstances that we may not enjoy or prefer.
Whether it's a simple chore, a challenging assignment, or even dealing with difficult people, we may be tempted to grumble and complain.
“Why do I have to deal with this person?”
“Why am I forced to deal with this?”
“Why do I always have to be the one doing this?”
When we examine the context of this verse, we find that the Apostle Paul, in writing to the Philippian church, was addressing the need for unity and humility among believers.
He encouraged them to have the same mind and love for one another as Christ demonstrated. Therefore, doing all things without grumbling or disputing is not only about personal behavior but also about fostering a spirit of unity and love within the body of Christ.
But this verse from Philippians reminds us of a higher standard.
This instruction encompasses not only our actions but also our attitudes and words. It calls us to a higher level of obedience and contentment in all situations.
As Christians, we are called to be a light in the world and to reflect the character of Christ in all aspects of our lives.
This includes how we approach tasks and challenges, even when they are difficult or undesirable. Instead of grumbling or disputing, we should strive to maintain a spirit of gratitude, patience, and humility.
When we choose to act this way, we demonstrate a trust in God's sovereignty and goodness.
We acknowledge that He is in control of our circumstances, and we can find contentment in His plan for our lives.
In doing so, we set ourselves apart from the complaining and argumentative attitudes that are prevalent in the world, and we become witnesses of Christ's transformative power.
So, shouldn’t we strive to embrace a joyful and grateful attitude as we go about our daily tasks and interact with others?
As hard as that is.
Answer:
Mahershalalhashbaz. (Isaiah 8:1)
Bet you didn’t know that one…
This was the name of Isaiah’s son.
The name means: “Speed to the spoil, hurry to the plunder.”
His name spoke of the coming attack on Syria, Israel, and Judah by Assyria!