Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105 NIV
We could all stand to spend more time with Jesus. Not out of obligation, but because we truly do need Him y’all. Studying His Word, the Bible, deepens our relationship with Jesus and gives us guidance for our everyday lives. The enemy loves to do everything he can to keep us from the feet of Jesus. He uses distraction, intimidation, and confusion to keep us away. The good news is that God has provided us with every resource we will ever need. He has given us the greatest gifts in the Holy Spirit and His Word.
My prayer is that this short list of Bible study tools will help you study God’s Word with confidence.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase by clicking on the link, I may be compensated – at no additional cost to you.
1. Bible
We all need a physical Bible. There’s something about being able to feel and turn the pages of the living Word. Both of the Bibles below are great! One is the New International Version (NIV) and the other is the New Living Translation (NLT). I use both Bibles because I can cross-reference them. I may not understand a verse in one translation but understand it another. Similarly, I may glean a deeper understanding by reading one passage in both translations.
The Life Application Bible is great for both new and mature believers because it has verse by verse explanations in the bottom margin. This is the Bible that changed my perspective on God’s Word and enabled me to deepen my relationship with God. God’s Word really came alive to me in the season when I delved into my Life Application Bible.
The next Bible I will recommend is the Inspire Journaling Bible. This Bible is my everyday study Bible because the pages are still clean and in tact for the most part. I love the fact that it has plenty of space for me to write in the margins. If you are artistic, then this Bible will be great for you because you can also color within the pages.
2. Bible Dictionary and Concordance
Sometimes reading the Bible can be confusing. The characters’ names are difficult to pronounce and the terminology may be difficult to understand in context. That’s ok, don’t feel bad about it. There are Bible Dictionaries and Concordances that are there to help us gain clarity.
When I am studying the Word and I find myself lost or wanting to have a deeper understanding of a particular word, I use my New Combined Bible Dictionary and Concordance. It’s really old and unfortunately it is not in stock many places. I also linked Strong’s Concordance because I heard it is really good.
3. Journals
Journals are wonderful tools to get our thoughts down on paper. When I really started drawing closer to God, I often found myself writing down my prayers and things I was learning from God and His Word. At times, it felt like I didn’t pray if I didn’t have my prayer written in my journal lol! I am so grateful that I kept a record of prayer because I was also able to go back and record when and how God answered.
I encourage you to find a journal you love and give journaling a try!
You also may want to make use of the post-it notes you have laying around the house. I use these to write down thoughts or scripture that the Holy Spirit highlights to me and I post them all around my space. Mirrors, doors, and walls lol! They are quick reminders of truth.
4. Writing Tools
I am not a cute Bible journaler, but I do write in my Bibles. In fact, if you picked up any of my Bibles you would see plenty of writing from underlines to full out commentary. As the Holy Spirit, reveals things to me in the text, I love to have pens and pencils available to physically highlight things in my Bible. For some reason, doing this helps me remember scripture and find it when I’m looking for something specific. So writing tools are essential!
I love these pens, pencils, and highlighters in particular because they do not bleed through the pages of my Bibles. They also work well for journaling my prayers. Give them a try!
5. Devotionals
God’s Word is our first and primary source. However, if you’re like me, sometimes you need a little direction or insight as you study His Word. Devotionals are great resources. Sites like this one have great free resources, but I also want to recommend a couple of books that have helped me over the years.
Free Devotionals from This Blog
- Don’t Panic, Just Pray: Navigating Transitions Well
- Magnify the Lord with Me! – Gratitude Journaling
- Are You Willing to Risk It All to Follow God?
Devotional Books
I am an avid reader and I love to have physical books for reference. I use Praying the Names of God for topical study. This book delves into the many names of God and helps its readers learn how to use God’s names in prayer. Each name has a week’s worth of devotionals, scripture, and prayer prompts. It’s a great read!
I haven’t read Fervent by Priscilla Shirer in years but it is a great tool for those who want to learn to be more persistent in prayer. Priscilla is a great communicator. She explains the subject-matter so that everyone can understand and apply the principles. If you don’t have this devotional yet, you may want to give it a try.
Honorable Mentions
Dr. Tony Evans is my spiritual grandfather in my head lol! I love him and his family. Over the years, his teaching has truly blessed me and strengthened my theology. He is the first African American to author a study Bible and one-volume commentary in the history of the United States. For those who love Christian Standard Bibles (CSB), this is the Bible for you!
If you are like me, your Bible may be falling apart or on the way there. That’s ok! A Bible cover may be just what you need. I received a Bible cover for my Life Application Bible and it has allowed me to keep all the pages of my Bible and protect the remaining pages. I also love my Bible cover because it allows me to carry my journal and pens when I am studying away from home.
If you found this post helpful or insightful, please don’t forget to hit the Like button and share this post.
Hugs,
Ayanna