RL Allan ESVR1R

Last week when I came home...déjà vu... a parcel on the floor...

That was exactly how my Allan Longprimer arrived 2+ years ago... on the floor :)  The dear postman, seeing nobody home, just dumped the parcel instead of writing me a "pls come to collect at post office" ticket. Actually, I prefer getting "dumped". LOL!

* ESVR1 Crimson at bottom.

This is a limited edition (well, at least for now) of RL Allan's ESV Reader bible in Crimson color. Though I have loved red bibles for a long time, and have collected some really nice gems over the years, yet this Crimson bible is extra special...

Since my red bibles are all KJV & NKJV, I praise God for this ESV edition. (Allan has another red ESV - Personal Reference edition which I skipped.) But that's not the reason why this Crimson ESV is special...

This ESVR1R is special cuz this bible is for my beloved wife :)

I don't know about you but I am guilty of buying stuff... and then I didn't really quite like it... so I passed it to *ahem* my wife??? Or worst, using reverse psychology - I bought stuff pretending to be for her, but was hoping she wouldn't like it... and I sorta had to receive it back reluctantly??? U know what I am saying?

So I pre-ordered this for my wife. REALLY!

One major reason why I selected ESVR1 is cuz of the REASON for its existence - note taking. Personally I love to mark up my bibles (except the vintage ones). I love to underline, draw circles, draw arrows...etc etc. And I know my wife loves marking up her bibles too... which she couldn't really do with her ESV3. So this ESVR1R is a perfect gift.

ESVR1R is also generously filled with 32 lined writing pages bound at the back of the bible.

And with an Allan bible, you get so much more. Just in case this is your first introduction to Allan bibles, here is a short list of WHY u should save your $$$ for an Allan that will last you for years to come:

The bible opens FLAT... from page 1. This has a tremendous practical advantage. It adds so much to the daily reading experience.

Another critical advantage to all Allan bibles - sewn text blocks. If your bibles pages are constantly "falling out"in chunks... thats cuz they are GLUED. Urrr... come to think of it, a bible that is "falling out" has a higher "piety-look" index... so unless thats what you want, always get a sewn bible.

* ESVR1R at bottom.

Most Allan bibles are leather lined inside. You don't find too many of that anymore... if at all. Not unless those of the by-gone eras, like this Cambridge bible from the 70s!

Notice the "overlapping" of the cover leather for the ESVR1R at the bottom of the stack? Kinda makes the other 3 bibles on top "naked" & "exposed", right? Allan calls this feature - Semi/Full Yapp. It protects those gorgeous red-under-gold edge lining from being scratched too easily.

Then there is the superior leather binding - probably the FINEST in the world. If you are like me who used to get so frustrated with the quality of bonded leather bibles, or even genuine leather bibles that tend to flake & disintegrate over a short time, you will really appreciate these Allan bibles. I don't have enough adjectives or technical knowledge to explain much here. But pls do check this Bible Design Blog out for your own edification :)

Praise the LORD for these wonderful bibles.

Bearing Fruits

Last Sunday my pastor preached a sermon on John 15:1-8, and I was particularly intrigued by - bear much fruit - in verse 8 since God is glorified by it.

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

(John 15:8 NKJV)

But exactly what kind of fruit are we talking about here? How does this fruit look like in real life?

Using my Accordance bible software, with only the downloaded version as the DVD is still en-route, I decided to do a bit of word search on "fruit"... particularly in the New Testament.



What I found is there are 60 hits in 52 verses for "fruit" in the NKJV (NT only).



I can even visualise the spread of "fruit" with the help of a graph :)

Eventually with the full installation (can't wait for the DVD to arrive) I can do more in-dept word study - from Greek to dictionaries to commentaries... and so much more.

But a quick glance at the 52 verses, already I could pick out a few relevant verses related to John 15:8. Here are some examples of the GOOD FRUIT the Apostles admonish us to bear:

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

(Romans 6:22 NKJV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

(Galatians 5:22 NKJV)

“(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),”

(Ephesians 5:9 NKJV)

“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

(Hebrews 12:11 NKJV)

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”

(Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)

This is FUN!