by Maison Tiradoegas | Apr 13, 2014 | Gospel of Luke
According to a recent Time Magazine article, “Millennials Losing Faith in the Bible,” millennials are driving the increase of people who are skeptical of the Bible, nearly doubling since 2011. These skeptics think the Bible is “just another book of teaching written by men that contains stories and advice.” Two thirds of this group is between the ages of 18 and 29.
We all know someone who is in this age group, and probably dealing with doubt in the Truth of the Word of God.
A 2012 study says that 76% of young people are “visual” learners. Press Bible, a new bible app, is designed to reach these people.
<a href=”https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2041605050/press-bible-video-and-photo-bible-app?ref=home_location”>I recently released a Kickstarter campaign.</a> Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website that helps artists, entrepreneurs, inventors, etc. raise money for special projects.
HERE’S THE CATCH: We only have 20 days left to raise $25,000 or Press Bible won’t receive <i>any </i>of the money that has been pledged!
When you pledge, your money will NOT be taken out of your account immediately.
The donation will only be taken if the full amount of $25K is raised by May 3rd.
Pledging will also earn you different rewards that relate to Press Bible’s project.
Any amount helps.
If we all join together, each giving what we can, this can really happen.
1. <a href=”https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2041605050/press-bible-video-and-photo-bible-app?ref=home_location”>Click the link to donate.</a>
2. Please share this post.
3. Pray that the money will come through.
<h2>Bible App</h2>
by Maison Tiradoegas | Mar 26, 2014 | Thoughts about the Bible
“I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.” Luke 6:47-48
There is a problem going on in America and many places all over the world today that was also going on 2000 years ago: Lukewarm Christianity. While studying, learning, and going through the Gospel of Luke for Press Bible’s next book, I have seen more than ever Jesus’ passion for His followers to truly follow Him. For it to be more than talk, more than a religion box that we check; more than a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night. Speaking through John in Revelation 3:15-19, Jesus even says that He would rather us be cold than lukewarm. In other words, He would rather us not live for Him and say we don’t, than proclaim to be a Christian and our lives not reflect it.
How do we obey His commands? How do we live a life reflecting the character of God? How do we dig deep and stand on solid rock? How can floodwaters rise, tragedies happen, temptations come our way, and we stand firm?
We have to be well built. What does it mean to be well built?
Being well built doesn’t mean we never mess up, Paul addresses this internal struggle in all of us in Romans 7:21-25. So it doesn’t mean we never sin, but it doesn’t excuse us from actively striving towards Christ. Being well built means we must discipline ourselves to run our race well 1st Corinthians 9:24-26. In light of Luke 6:47-48, Jesus likens this idea of being well built to, “[Someone who is] listening to my teaching and then [who] follows it.”
So we must follow His commands. Following His commands is not something we do to just be good, but something that happens when we act out our geniune love towards our God and others.
Have you tried to tell someone that they need to follow God’s commands and hear, “Were are not bound by the law, not by our works by His Grace, Ephesians 2:7-10. We shouldn’t use the amazing gift of grace to excuse the standard that Jesus has set. Also, James 1:20-25 instructs how must live as well.
I have noticed the inconsistencies in my life results when I take His Grace for granted—“Cheap Grace.” Living in a constant state of “Cheap Grace” is how I define “Lukewarm Christianity.”
So how can we get past this “Lukewarm Christianity” problem?
Once we get past behavior modification and see our actions as an act of love towards our Savior and others, then our choices will begin to change. I know in my life when I’m near to God, when I spend time in His Word, when I pray to Him daily, when I pursue Him with all that I am, when I talk with other believers, and when I give my time to others, obeying His commands come more naturally. It comes out of the overflow of my life, which then helps me follow Jesus’ teachings, resulting in the ability to, “stand firm when the floodwaters rise and break against the house,” ultimately resulting to being “hot” spiritually. Sorry for the long run-on sentence!
So I pray that we might continue to live a life built on a solid foundation, a life attracting people to Jesus. That we transition out our natural bent to be complacent and lukewarm. I pray that if your foundation is about to collapse that you would start building—begin praying, reading His Word, or asking a friend for help. It’s not easy to remain steadfast in our faith, but by His “Costly Grace” there are new mercies every morning and we have God who is redeeming, unfailing and He, is the master builder.
by Maison Tiradoegas | Jan 17, 2014 | Just Thinking
There’s a phrase my best friend’s dad used to always say to us when were younger, and I can still hear his voice in my head to this day. “Zeh Eurleeee Burrd getzzz de wuurm,” he would instruct. My friends and I were eleven, so we just laughed at his accent and never gave his advice a second thought. Recently, Forbes wrote an article that reminded me of this ancient Chinese proverb—don’t really know if it’s Chinese but my eleven-year-old-self classified it as such.
Forbes: 5-things-super-successful-people-do-before-8-am
I think my friend’s dad was on to something.
So many times we’re too cool, or too smart, or too independent to listen to others. We ride off people older than us as if their life was history that couldn’t possibly relate to the “now.” History repeats itself. The same problems, sin and struggles we face now were faced 50 years ago. And just maybe those people have learned a thing or two along their journey.
So the question I have today is simply this: What piece of advice do you remember receiving that you’ve laughed off? These “wax-on-wax-off” nuggets of truth are worth applying to our lives.
This week, God has been reminding me of some older friends that have shared wisdom with me and here’s what God has revealed:
Appreciate Antiquity, and then build upon it.
I’m not talking about the classic writers of antiquity but I use “antiquity” to say, “something older than you.” Old folk, ideas, and stories can springboard our modern-day problems. This doesn’t conflict with innovation, but rather encourages us to look down and appreciate the rich history we’re standing on before we write it off as irrelevant. Appreciate the history of an organization, a city, or position. Then, build something new upon it. New ideas are just revisions of the old.
For example, many of the ideas for Press Bible came from generations past. The ministry that has deeply inspired Press Bible is the late Dr. J Vernon McGee’s Through the Bible Radio Program. His 5-year study through the Bible covers every book, verse, and sub thought of the Bible, and it inspired me to work towards an extensive video commentary of the Bible. Today, Through the Bible encourages millions all over the world to learn the Word of God.
Through the Bible Radio
So may we be humble today, appreciating the people and generations before us and thank them for the years of unsolicited advice.
“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.”
Leviticus 19:32
by Maison Tiradoegas | Jan 7, 2014 | Gospel of Luke
Welcome to Press Bible’s new Blog! I hope everyone is having a great 2014 so far.
I’ll be honest, writing a blog is challenging for me, because the blogosphere is already a crowded space, but I guess so is the Bible app market. I believe that God will bring some people to read this and hopefully they will be inspired. This blog won’t just be about product updates, asking for re-tweets, or begging for followers, but will be a platform to communicate what Press Bible stands for.
Press Bible is something really special because of the journey God’s brought me through. I’m 23, and I started working on this when I was 21. The road has been tiresome, especially for someone that felt entitled to immediate success, but it has been the best thing I have ever experienced.
So what makes a long journey worth it?
Have you ever seen the future?
Not in a creepy, “I know when the worlds going end” type of way, but that you somehow understand how the world is going to work in 5 years kind of way.
Well that’s what the idea of Press Bible was like for me.
It’s the way people will engage with the Bible. It’s not about technology; it’s about the way humans will consume information.
Press Bible is a God-given idea that helps people dive deeper in the Bible, and maybe even compels someone to pick it up for the first time. Knowing these possibilities makes any long workweek worth it.
Has God given you a 5-year-in-the-making idea—an idea that may take years to develop? Maybe it’s not an idea for a product but maybe a specific people group that you feel passionate for. Maybe it’s a master’s degree, finishing school, learning a new skill, or starting some kind of organization.
Whatever it is, God has allowed & equipped us to carry this out. May you embrace the long road and cling to the fact that you will be a part of impacting a human life. Finally, may you cling to the Idea Originator, who is our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.”
Psalm 119:89-90 (ESV)
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