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Beloved Former US President Jimmy Carter Edits New NRSV Simple Faith Bible…

Hello World,

For many reasons, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is one of my favorite presidents: his unabashed faith in the Lord, his Georgia heritage, his long-lasting marriage, his commitment to community service…I could go on…That’s why I’m excited to tell you that the Nobel Peace Prize winner is the editor of the new NRSV Simple Faith Bible: Following Jesus into a Life of Peace, Compassion, and Wholeness (Zondervan, 2020). As a Bible Gateway Blogger Grid, I received a free copy of this new Bible. The NRSV Simple Faith Bible is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.

According to the publisher, Carter’s relentless desire for peace, compassion, and wholeness permeate the notes of this Bible. His decades-long Sunday School teaching ministry, public service, and humanitarian engagement form the basis of each Bible book’s introductions, contemplative essays, reflective quotes, and honest prayers, calling readers to a warmhearted, justice-filled life of faith.

[Read the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible translation on Bible Gateway]

“I cannot imagine a better time to present this Bible,” said Melinda Bouma, vice president and publisher of Zondervan Bibles. “In a world of uncertainty and fear, when justice cries out, President Carter’s engagement with the Word will reveal the beauty found in these pages. Many will be inspired, equipped, and encouraged through his reflections and prayers. His faith is a model for us all.”

Set in Zondervan’s exclusive NRSV Comfort Print® typeface, this New Revised Standard Version Bible offers a smooth reading experience that complements the foremost Bible translation vetted by Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and Jewish scholars. Renowned for its beautiful balance of scholarship and readability, the NRSV faithfully serves the church in personal spiritual formation, in the liturgy, and in the academy.

Below is an essay on Matthew 3:1–2 from the Simple Faith Bible.

Pause for a moment and consider what John meant by the words kingdom of heaven. The Pharisees and Sadducees distinguished God’s kingdom as something far in the distance or something with elements of punishment for sins. So here John the Baptist uses kingdom of heaven as a phrase designed to alert the people. He wanted them to see that they needed to repent in the present because the kingdom of heaven was already in their midst.

We live in the midst of the kingdom of heaven now, just as John did in the time of Christ. The kingdom of heaven is a continuing history of human beings and our relationship and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Everything now and in days past and in years ahead is under the sovereignty of God. Human beings are designed to live in God’s kingdom. And we can be part of the kingdom of heaven if we separate ourselves from the morals and customs and demands of the secular world and align ourselves with God through faith in Jesus.

Features of the NRSV Simple Faith Bible:

  • The text of the New Revised Standard Version (66-book Protestant canon), vetted by an ecumenical pool of Christian academics and renowned for its beautiful balance of scholarship and readability
  • Foreword by Jonathan Reckford, International CEO of Habitat for Humanity
  • Over 600 application-oriented notes, articles, reflections, and prayers gleaned from Nobel Peace Prize winner and former US President Jimmy Carter’s extensive teaching ministry and public life of service
  • Exclusive Zondervan NRSV Comfort Print typeface
  • 9.5-point print size

And here is a video about the Simple Faith Bible.

I’m reading through the Simple Faith Bible now, and I am being educated, encouraged and empowered by the word of God first and foremost AND the testimony of one of His great servants in this beautiful Bible…

To buy your copy, click HERE…

Any thoughts?

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Florida Pastor & Self-Described Prophet Shoots & Kills Wife Two Days Before Wedding Anniversary!

Hello World,

As I’ve always known as a pastor’s daughter, pastors are just people. Granted, pastors typically have larger platforms than most people but nevertheless they are people just the same. That being said, this pastor seems to have allegedly allowed the devil to overtake him (as we all have at one time or another unfortunately), and tragic consequences happened as a result…The pastor and self-described prophet allegedly shot and killed his wife at her job!!! See the story from The Christian Post below…

A Florida church is “devastated” after their pastor, who’s also a self-styled prophet with thousands of followers, was charged with fatally shooting his wife outside her job at the Navy Federal Credit Union just two days before their fifth wedding anniversary Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Orlando Police Department told the Orlando Sentinel that Sylvester Ofori, 35, who leads the Floodgates of Heaven International Ministries and has more than 60,000 followers on social media, attacked his wife, Barbara Tommey, 27, just before 9 a.m. near the front door of Navy Federal Credit Union on the 4600 block of Gardens Park Boulevard.

“We are all devastated. I have no words. I’m just devastated,” a representative of the church told The Christian Post on Thursday morning.

The representative said while their church has not been meeting for in-person services during the coronavirus pandemic, she “didn’t see any signs there was trouble” in their pastor’s marriage.

Read the rest HERE.

While this is an extreme example of the devil’s work, allegedly, let this be a lesson to all of us us that when we allow the devil to overtake us, we cannot control the outcome…

Any thoughts?

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‘I Just Wanna Live’ 13-Year-Old Singer Keedron Bryant Releases EP!

Hello World,

It’s been a little while since I’ve blogged and even during a pandemic, life continues to go on. There are many things that I could have written about and may still write about such as the devastating loss of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman but I had to take a break as we all must do from time to time. But I’m back…slowly easing myself in… so give me grace, y’all…

When I first heard this young man sing, I knew it would be only a matter of time before this happened…See this story from the New York Post…

Like many young students, 13-year-old Keedron Bryant is now navigating virtual learning as he goes back to school.

But this eighth-grader from Jacksonville, Fla., is also a viral sensation who’s dropping his debut EP, “I Just Wanna Live,” on Friday.

Bryant landed a record deal after he posted a smartphone-shot video of himself performing his song “I Just Wanna Live” a cappella. Posted on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May, the clip became a rally cry for the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I never thought it was gonna go viral,” said Bryant, who was a contestant on NBC’s “Little Big Shots” last season. “But it was really sad that I had to sing those type of words. There were a lot of emotions going on in my mind at the time I was singing it . . . I asked God to give me power and strength and anointing to deliver the message right.”

Read the rest HERE.

Check out the official music video for “I Just Wanna Live!”

And here is a listing of the songs on the EP:


And finally below is the teenager sharing about how to get his new EP!

Congratulations to him! May he always use his talent in service of the Lord!

Any thoughts?