My Favorite Bible Study Tools: 5 Simple Things to Help You Dig into the Text
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As Summer begins to come to a close and the new rhythms and routines of Fall come near, I am realizing that I have done a terrible job with personal Bible study over the last few months. So, as I prepare to get myself back in gear and (re)start some good habits, I want to share with you my favorite Bible study tools! They are nothing terribly groundbreaking, but they do a great job of helping you really dig into your Bible.
Here they are…
#1 A simple notebook
What kind doesn’t really matter. It could be a plain composition notebook, a journal, a sketchbook, or whatever. It just needs to provide a place to write down notes, prayers, verses and quotes, doodles, and whatever else you can think of jotting down.
#2 Colored pencils
I like using colored pencils over pens to write in my Bible or notebook because they are not quite as permanent. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the color bleeding through to the other side of your page. I just recently bought this Sargent set for my son as a step up from Crayola. They are really nice and I think I’m going to have to swipe them for my Bible study. 🙂
#3 Commentaries, word studies, Bible atlas, concordance, etc
While we do have quite a few commentaries and the like, I’m going to be honest, they don’t leave the shelf all too often. That is because my absolute favorite resource for studying the Bible is found in a super convenient place – online!
I love biblehub.com for pretty much anything you could need for studying the Bible. Commentaries, word studies, maps, concordance, different translations, devotionals – they have it all!
If you are looking to take your Bible study up a notch, I highly recommend giving this website a try.
#4 The Bible
Of course! Can’t have a Bible study without one of these important little books. 😉 For the longest time I used an NIV Bible until it was finally falling apart like crazy and I bought a new one. I had seen how popular Bible journaling was and I loved the journaling Bibles. So, I decided to buy an ESV Journaling Bible. I love it!
I’m definitely not one of those super amazing artistic Bible journalers, but I love having extra space for making little doodles or writing notes.
#5 A Bible Study Guide
Now, I definitely don’t think a devotional or Bible study guide is at all necessary to have a great personal Bible study. However, it can be helpful to have a plan and a little help as you dig into the text. Right now my personal favorite Bible study devotional is the “Journal and Doodle Through the Bible” series by Kari Denker. If you are looking for something new and fun that will also dig you deep into the text – look no further. Go grab her free Ephesians study right now! (I also reviewed Kari’s studies right here.)
Well, those are some of my favorite tools for studying the Bible. Are you getting ready to start a new study this fall? What are some of your favorite tools?
Gosh, these are all very well and good for the ‘mature’ Bible studier, but to someone who sitting down for the first time may I also add a few things? Please start with prayer. Put everything aside but your Bible and begin by talking with God about how much you want to know Him and ask Him to reveal things that are personal just for you. What you want to be learning from the Holy spirit and your Bible are new truths for you to begin to put into practice – so you can fully experience God and grow to know Him, and worship Him. The second thing I would suggest is staying away from paraphrased Bibles. Stay away from study Bibles, application Bibles, and commentary until you have studied alone with God for one week over a certain chapter – just you and a version of God’s true word. Despite what some may say I have found the NIV version best for new believers to understand through the Holy Spirit. I stay away from ‘bibles’ like The Message because God says HIS word is living and active, HIS word will never come back void. As I read the Bible I highlight in yellow any truth about God, in orange any truth about evil or the flesh, and pink anything God is asking me ( believers ) to DO, to put into practice. I also like to highlight in blue the great questions God and Jesus ask us. And then when I have studied in this way for a paragraph or two I will ask questions to myself. I call those ‘application questions’ because I want to take those questions to prayer and ask Jesus to help me with what I just learned and put it into practice. I received Christ at 42 years old and I am now 62. This has been the most profound way of Bible study in my 20 years of pouring over every Word. The more I experience God in this way, the more I share and do.