Is The Bible Just Another Book?

Recently I won an amazing give away from my friend Jessica's blog "Our Family For His Glory".   The give away was done at the end of a Summer long Bible study I did with her going through the book of Ephesians.  It was her desire to give away some things that would be a blessing to the recipient and would encourage and help you in your walk with The Lord. Everything in the give away was amazing but my favorite thing of all was a new Study Bible.

And I got to thinking about my Bible;  this new one and the older ones that I have.  Some of them are plain while others are just so pretty to look at like the new one I just received.  There is just something about a new Bible. The smell that I can't describe other than to say "new Bible" smell, the way the pages stick together, the shiny page ends whether silver or gold. We are so blessed to live in a country where we can own as many bibles as our hearts desire and checkbook can afford. Bibles can be bought for as cheap as $1.00 at your local Dollar Tree all the way up to pretty much any amount you are willing to spend.

But the Bible, any Bible from the cheapest to the most expensive, from the most beautiful to the most plain is just a book. Yes, you heard me right.  It is just a book like any other.  It has a front and back cover, it has pages with words on them in between these covers just like your favorite novel or magazine. It's just a book and left sitting on your shelf or coffee table it holds no special meaning or value at all. It's just a book mass produced in factories like any other regular book.


Psalm 119:11, one of my favorite verses says I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you.

When does the Bible, Gods written word to us become something special? When we read it, when we meditate on it, when we memorize it and when we hide it in our heart. Then it becomes alive and active according to Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

We need to have Gods word hidden in our hearts so that we are always ready with an answer when asked the question of why we have this hope inside us.  I Peter 3:15  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

You can't have the promises of the Bible operating in your life if you never spend time reading and getting to know what those promises are.

Your children will only want to know this Jesus you speak of when they see you reading your Bible and getting to know the God of the Bible.  You will be a great witness when others can see the promises of God at work in your life.  Jesus said that every tree is known by it's fruit, if you do not spend time in the Word each day your fruit isn't going to be very good. 

Don't allow your Bible to be just another book.  Pick it up, dust it off and dig in!  Not sure how?  Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

Pray. 

Determine a time in your day that would be best for you. Personally I like early.  It's nice to start your day with God.  Now I will admit early doesn't always happen but it is my favorite time of the day. 

Decide where you want to read.  Find a cozy spot (not too cozy, you don't want to fall asleep) but a nice spot to sit with your coffee or favorite drink of choice.

Start small. Remember something is better than nothing. Read one verse a day.  Feeling like you want to do more than just one verse?   Read a chapter in the book of Proverbs each day.

Feeling really adventurous?  Pull out a notebook and take notes or journal.

Once you get your routine started for reading your Bible each day - add in a Bible study.  There are many free online Bible studies out there. 

Bible Study Notebook

Today I am finishing up my series on Bible Study Organization. 

I use a one subject notebook (which stays in my Bible Study Basket) for my daily Bible study. This is nothing special, just a simple notebook where I record my daily scripture reading and thoughts.  

Note:  I only use this when I am actively involved in an actual "Bible Study".   I do not use this on a daily basis when I am simply reading my Bible.  

I use the S.O.A.P. method for my Bible study.  I learned about this from the Good Morning Girls Bible Study Group that I am a part of.  I am currently leading my third online Bible study through Good Morning Girls.  

   

It really is an easy method to use that in my opinion helps you to get a great deal out of your Bible reading.  Here is a sample of one of my pages from the first Bible study I did using S.O.A.P.

I know that all of these posts make it seem like I have a ton of stuff that I tote around my house from place to place but honestly I don't.  I have my one big binder and then my basket which holds everything else. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about how I keep my Bible study, devotion and prayer time organized.

Now just find a nice quiet place to sit with your coffee and enjoy the blessing of having a neat and organized Bible Study.

Do you have any ideas to share of how you organize yours?

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Read my posts on Bible Study/Prayer Organization here:

Bible Study Binder / Prayer Journal

Bible Verse Memorization

Bible Study Organization

Prayer Card Notebook

Bible Verse Memorization

Today I wanted to take a moment to share with you the current method we are using to help us memorize bible verses.

I use 3x5 index cards to write the verses on but this new system keeps them better organized and also helps us memorize more because it uses a lot of repetition.

We now use the Charlotte Mason System for sorting and storing all of those index cards. If you click on the link above it will show you exactly what I am talking about. This link has a video on "how to", free printables, a verses list and written instructions on the system.

I place the note cards with Bible verses in various places that we see often throughout the house.  This one is hanging on the bulletin board in my kitchen.  I also have them hanging on bathroom mirrors.  As we go through out our days, the Word of God is right there in front of us to read over, quote and practice. 

You could adapt this system any way that you like or there are many other great methods out there to help you with your scripture memorization. 

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Using Note Cards is just one of the many ways The Purposeful Mom shares about in her new eBook that is about to be released.

Please Join me tomorrow (February 14, 2013 at 12:00 am - eastern time) for a "Give Away" of my friend and fellow bloggers eBook.  Jenn from The Purposeful Mom is releasing her new ebook on Scripture Memorization and I am doing a "Give Away" on my blog. 

Bible Study Binder and Prayer Journal

Yesterday I did a post about how I now organize my Bible Study essentials - You can read that post by clicking here.  Today, I am showing you my Bible Study/Prayer Binder. I have been using this method for about 7 years now.  I started with a regular one inch 3 ring binder but quickly outgrew that.

Now I use a Mead 3 ring binder sort of trapper keeper that is much larger.  It keeps all of my papers very neat, well organized and easily accessible.  This binder is also portable just like my Bible Study Basket.

This is a look on the inside at some of my various tabs.  I have a total of 5 large tabs titled prayer, husband/wife, parenting, inspirational quotes and holidays.  These large dividers are labeled for different areas of prayer or study and I add to these as needed.  When I print things from different blogs, Bible studies or receive different papers from church that I want to hold on to this is where I file them.  

I also have several smaller tabs (as seen below) behind my larger prayer tab.  I have one for "family issues" which are things that directly affect my immediate family as a whole then I have a divider for each member of my immediate family.  I also have a divider titled "family" and one for "friends" which is where I list prayers or journal about individuals that fall into those categories.  This is where I write things I am praying for concerning a particular person in that group.  

                                     

I love this system because instead of having many pieces of paper laying around the house they all have a home, which makes me happy - "a place for everything". 

Do you have any kind of Bible study binder that you use?

Join me next week as I show you my system for Bible Verse Memorization and my Bible Study Notebook!

Bible Study Organization

Today I want to share with you how I organize all of my Bible study tools.  I re-purposed a basket I already had on hand so no expense was involved.

What makes this nice is that when I am studying my Bible all of my essentials are right at hand and it is portable.  I have my Bible, my notebook, pens and highlighters, post it notes, scripture memorization card holder, prayer card notebook and current books I am reading all together in the same place.  I like the fact that it is portable because in warmer weather I do my Bible study on either my front porch or back deck and this allows me to pick it up and go to a new location with ease.

As you can probably see from this picture I have two Bibles in my basket.  One is my NKJV and the other is my new NIV Life Application Study Bible that I bought myself with my Christmas money and I LOVE it (thanks Lysa Terkeurst for the recommendation).  We do have other versions of the Bible that I refer to as well.

  

Soon I will be posting my personal Bible Study Binder and Prayer Journal. 

What about you?  Do you have some special way that you organize your Bible study essentials?  Do you have a particular place and / or time you do your Bible study?  I would love to hear from you.  

Spend Time With God

                 
This past week for our family has been super full and super busy.  Besides all of the normal running and things that need tended to on a daily and weekly basis my oldest sons soccer games and practice have us running seriously all the time and my youngest son's hasn't even started yet.  YIKES!!! 

I know that as the next few weeks move forward it is going to continue to be somewhat crazy around here which makes this stay at home mom really have to be on her toes to get all the laundry done, house cleaned, food prepared, help with homework, etc... and I really have to believe God to help me make the most of my time that I have.  Ephesians 5:16  says making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 

I also have to remember not to fall into the trap that Satan would like me to by forgetting to spend my personal time with God.  We can get so busy that we forget all about reading our bible or praying and that my friends is not good.  I am speaking from experience here, our days and weeks will run more smoothly if we just stop, sit down with a good cup of coffee and our bible and make some time to read God's Word and Pray.

We need to remember to put first things first.  Turn your day over to Him and He will help you accomplish all that you need to get done and will bless it in the process.

I have been reading and meditating on Matthew 6:25-34 lately, why don't you join with me this week and read along?

                          


Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.