subject: Enrich Your Devotions With Bible Study Resources [print this page] Students of the Bible, with the desire to fully understand God's Word, know the value of their daily devotions. Planning ahead for this special time requires having the necessary tools available to delve deeper into the meaning of Scripture. This is where a variety of Bible study resources becomes all-important. Your Bible study toolbox might include a concordance (such as Strong's) or a good Bible dictionary. For the more technologically inclined, computer programs like Quick Verse can also be extremely useful.
Why would one use any additional materials, can't we let the Bible interpret itself? This is certainly a valid point and accurate foundation for biblical understanding. For those of us without extensive knowledge of the original languages, historical context and encyclopedic recall of applicable cross references, the above-mentioned tools are a must for gleaning the full counsel of God's word. First, let us explore the benefit of using Strong's concordance.
Hebrew and Greek are such beautiful, rich languages. Unfortunately, our current English tends to lose some of the broadness of meaning available to the original scribes. An excellent example of this comes when comparing our simpler understanding of the word love with the more varied usage in the ancient Greek and Hebrew. A quick cross-reference reveals a significant difference in meaning from scripture passage to scripture passage. God's love for us is of the agape or all encompassing variety and we tend to love our neighbors with a phileo or brotherly kind of love. Doesn't that give a much more vibrant picture of the text?
A good Bible dictionary, along with your concordance, can reveal deeper meanings of the words in your Bible. What you think a passage is saying becomes much more clear after looking up the key words of a particular verse. You may also find that our modern usage of certain words is very different from that of writers many centuries ago. Words held greater meaning to men of old, particularly when composing sacred texts. Start by taking the time to research the words of familiar passages. This will only enlarge your full grasp of the topic.
Digital resources such as QuickVerse are easy and convenient ways to maximize our study times. With a few clicks of the mouse, multiple Bible versions are accessible and easily searchable. Your pastor mentioned a phrase from a verse which you know is in the New Testament, but you can't remember exactly where? Type the phrase in the search box, hit enter, and you immediately have your answer! There is no simpler way to find what you need in seconds.
Finally, all these resources, along with your commitment to regular Bible study, are only valuable if you achieve the initial goal: understanding. But beyond the level of simple understanding is believing what you have read. Belief then leads us to our ultimate goal: application. God reveals Himself to us through His written word. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. In doing so, we become the salt and light we are called to be, drawing others to the truths of the Bible.
