Category: Books

More thoughts on electronic books

The following is taken from the BibleWorks website:

Some Thoughts About Electronic Libraries

We continue to encourage our users to think carefully before building large electronic libraries, for two reasons:

1. There is no guarantee computers will, in as few as ten years, be able to read today’s electronic media. For example, read “At Libraries, Taking the (Really) Long View” from Inside Higher Ed, July 23, 2008 and “The Digital Ice Age” from Popular Mechanics, December 2006.

2. Even more significantly, almost all electronic libraries are in proprietary formats: there is no standard. Proprietary formats, and the software that reads them, come and go (remember DOS?). A recent article in Christian Computing, “Is It Time for a Second STEP?“, noted the unlikelihood of a standard format emerging. When an electronic library’s proprietary format is abandoned, one’s investment in the library is lost.

Books, on the other hand, are independent of computers. If you use certain reference works on a daily basis, it may make sense to purchase electronic editions, and, for this reason, we are providing (and will continue to provide) a limited collection of locked electronic resources for those who want them. But in our opinion it makes sense to buy print editions first, then electronic editions if you find you really need them.

Do you own an ebook reader?

I’ve been wondering whether I should get a kindle for a while.

I love books. I love touching them, I love flickering through them. When I was growing up, I would spend hours in my grandparents attic, looking at the books that were stored there, hundreds of old, dusty books.

I think a house without books is a very sad place. When I go into a house, one of the first thing I notice is the books (if you invite me, make sure there are a few good books laying around). I like reading also.

I remember going into the flat of a member of the Lausanne Reformed Baptist church. There were books everywhere. every wall was covered in books, there were some on the floors and on most surfaces. I think the bathroom was the only place without any books. It was wonderful.

But books tend to take a lot of space, and I can’t get around getting rid of them. They are also very heavy when you move house. So, the question is: should I get an ebook reader (probably kindle)?

Do you own one? If yes, what do you think?

How is Judges relevant to us?

The following quote are the closing paragraphs of Daniel I. Block’s [amazon_link id=”B004T0AB3S” target=”_blank” locale=”UK” container=”” container_class=”” ]commentary on Judges (New American Commentary, B&H publishing[/amazon_link]). I use it for a series of Bible studies, alongside [amazon_link id=”1845501381″ target=”_blank” locale=”UK” container=”” container_class=”” ]Ralph Davis’ commentary.[/amazon_link] Daniel I Block’s commentary is  brilliant, full of contemporary applications and theological insight. It is written in an American context, but I think it applies to both British and French context.

Human heroes in the Book of Judges are few and far between. Continue reading “How is Judges relevant to us?”

With Jesus, there is no “both-and” but only “either-or”

Did I say that I love that book: [amazon_link id=”0802458408″ target=”_blank” locale=”UK” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Good News We almost Forgot[/amazon_link]. You should read it, really. Here is another quote from the book. I wish I could put the whole chapter:

Protestants don’t pray to saints, but we sure work hard to do what is right. Deep down, and sometimes we don’t even have to dig that deep, many of us feel confident before God because we haven’t royally messed up our lives, at least not lately. We don’t get drunk or do drugs. We show up on time for work. We keep our yard clean and get involved in church. I’d feel pretty good with a record like that. I do feel pretty good sometimes! And that’s my problem. I put trust in Kevin. The fact that when I sin I feel like I should earn my repentance before I come back to God tells me that I live too much of my life feeling good with God because I feel like I am good enough for God. I don’t need Pelagianism or semi-Pelagianism or liberalism or the power of positive thinking to make me full of myself. I was born full of myself, and every days needs to be emptied and filled with Christ.

There is nowhere else we ought to look for our salvation than in Christ. You cannot trust Christ truly unless you trust Christ alone. No matter how much you boast of Christ or talk of your love for Christ or passion for Christ, if you add anything to Christ, your boasting and love and passion are all in vain. There is no “both-and” with Jesus, only “either-or.” Either Jesus is the only Savior, the perfect Savior, and your only comfort in life and in death, or Jesus is for you no Savior at all.

Kevin DeYoung, The good news we almost forgot.