Bible study and reading will bring you more peace, joy, and blessing to your life. But as any god-fearing Christian will tell you, it takes the right tools to get the most of your time when immersed in God’s word. Three of the most important tools for you are a concordance, Bible dictionary, and cross-referencing system. Yes, you can read the Bible without these tools and get a powerful measure of God’s grace, wisdom, and knowledge. But why stop there when there’s so much more blessing waiting for you.
1 Corinthians 3:2 -- "I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able"
By digging deeper into God’s word, you can sustain yourself with spiritual meat. Here’s a little more detail on how these tools can help you get more from your time reading and studying the Word …
Concordance:
A concordance gives you all Bible verses and passages where a particular word is found in both the Old and New Testaments. Researching faith? Your concordance will reference every place that word is mentioned. How about love, forgiveness, or obedience? A concordance will give you a fast, comprehensive, and more profound look into the topics you’re exploring. Most Bibles include a condensed concordance, but once you experience the insights a full concordance can give you, it’s hard to study the Bible without one. You probably can’t go wrong with The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible. This exclusive edition puts generations of biblical research at your fingertips.
A concordance gives you all Bible verses and passages where a particular word is found in both the Old and New Testaments. Researching faith? Your concordance will reference every place that word is mentioned. How about love, forgiveness, or obedience? A concordance will give you a fast, comprehensive, and more profound look into the topics you’re exploring. Most Bibles include a condensed concordance, but once you experience the insights a full concordance can give you, it’s hard to study the Bible without one. You probably can’t go wrong with The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible. This exclusive edition puts generations of biblical research at your fingertips.
Bible Dictionary:
Bible dictionaries list all the major words in the Bible, such as people’s names, places, concepts, animals, plants, and terms. You’ll can discover the original meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. Plus, you’ll get important, fascinating background information. Since Bible dictionaries are often based on specific translations, check to make sure that the Bible dictionary that you’re thinking of purchasing is compatible with your Bible. A good choice might be Smith’s Bible Dictionary or Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.
Bible dictionaries list all the major words in the Bible, such as people’s names, places, concepts, animals, plants, and terms. You’ll can discover the original meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. Plus, you’ll get important, fascinating background information. Since Bible dictionaries are often based on specific translations, check to make sure that the Bible dictionary that you’re thinking of purchasing is compatible with your Bible. A good choice might be Smith’s Bible Dictionary or Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.
Cross-Reference System:
A good cross-reference system shows you other Bible passages that contain similar ideas, thoughts, concepts, and words related to those parts of the Bible that you’re studying. Find multiple cross-references to related passages in the Old and New Testaments. Gain a richer understanding by following a theme. Two examples which many have found helpful include Nelson’s Cross-Reference Guide To The Bible and The Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge.
A good cross-reference system shows you other Bible passages that contain similar ideas, thoughts, concepts, and words related to those parts of the Bible that you’re studying. Find multiple cross-references to related passages in the Old and New Testaments. Gain a richer understanding by following a theme. Two examples which many have found helpful include Nelson’s Cross-Reference Guide To The Bible and The Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge.
The Right Tool For The Job
Jesus, our Lord and savior, was a master carpenter who surely had the right tools for every job. If YOUR job is growing in your walk with God, think about adding a tool or two. It could help you more quickly and easily mature in faith, knowledge, and wisdom.
