Staying in the Word can be especially difficult when you feel stuck. Even if we have a tried and true daily Bible reading plan, we can feel like we're in a rut at times. Maybe we’re facing greater stress in our lives, the loss of a loved one or a heftier daily schedule. This feeling may last for a week or a day, but it can become quite frustrating. Check out these ideas for staying in the Word even when you feel stuck.
Staying consistent in one’s devotional life can be a challenge for anyone. At times, we all struggle to remain focused and steadfast in a daily time of prayer and Bible study. Here are five quick tips to help you overcome distractions in prayer and Bible study. 1. Set a consistent and specific time and place. … Continue reading Five Tips to Overcome Distractions in Prayer and Bible Study
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV) As we embark on this week’s Verse Study Series post, let’s find out what Romans 10:17 really means based on its context in the Bible. Let’s first look at the words “faith” and the phrase “the word of Christ.” The … Continue reading Faith Comes by Hearing… What Does Romans 10:17 Really Mean? (Verse Study Series)
Today I want to share one of the most important tips for studying the Bible: reading and studying the Word in its proper context. We must seek God diligently and rightly. Studying His Word in context helps us to know His truth and walk out it as He meant for us to. Most of all, … Continue reading Why We Must Read the Bible in Proper Context (Bible Study Tips)
My husband and I recently listened to a sermon in a series on the book of Matthew. I appreciated the preacher’s verse-by-verse teaching from the book. This enabled me to take organized notes as I listened. For this week’s Bible study tip, I thought I’d talk about this kind of organized study: verse-by-verse note-taking. Verse-by-verse … Continue reading Bible Study Tips: Verse-by-Verse Note Taking
Delight. Each of us experiences delight when the dreams and desires of our hearts are realized. Though these desires vary depending on the person, the desires of our hearts are precious to us nonetheless. We want to see our dreams realized. In Psalm 37:4, David writes, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the … Continue reading Delighting in God Transforms Our Dreams and Desires (Verse Study Series)
When we spend time with God, sometimes it seems so easy to get distracted. Other times, we feel like we just don’t know where to start. That’s where this next Bible study tip will help—if you apply it of course! 🙂 This week’s Bible study tip is about why we should choose a Bible reading … Continue reading Bible Study Tips: Why You Need a Scripture Reading Plan
In our walk with God, we will experience conviction from God when we sin as He lovingly leads us. However, we may also experience condemnation, which—for believers—does not come from God. Conviction and condemnation are sometimes difficult to differentiate. When we mistake condemnation for conviction, it can cause discouragement, shame and guilt to hinder our … Continue reading Is This Conviction or Is It Condemnation?
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”Philippians 4:13 (ESV) Philippians 4:13 is a beloved verse for many believers. We see this Scripture on T-shirts and faith-related decor. We see it on framed art, bookmarks and Bible covers. However, though this verse may be well known and often quoted, it is often pulled … Continue reading Secret Strength: The True Meaning of Philippians 4:13 (Verse Study Series)
Have you ever heard of the app Evernote? Evernote is an app for capturing notes and ideas in print, voice and pictures, while keeping them organized and searchable. Evernote is an app that can supercharge your Bible study time! I've used Evernote for several years--ever since purchasing my own laptop in my college days. Back … Continue reading Using Evernote to Supercharge Your Bible Study Time (Bible Study Tips)
Prophetic Masquerade: Learn to Use the Word of God to Unmask the Wolves Among the Sheep is a book written by Kevin Kleint. This resourceful book uses God's Word to help us discern between true and false teachers/prophets and their messages. I have written about this topic before, highlighting a key element mentioned in the … Continue reading Prophetic Masquerade: Using God’s Word to Discern True and False Teaching (Book Review)
This is the first post in the Verse Study Series. Today we’re going to look at Ephesians 4:1-3. The letter to the Ephesians is a favorite of many believers. Written in approximately 60 A.D., Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus while imprisoned for the Gospel in Rome. His aim was to strengthen them and … Continue reading What Does It Mean to Walk Worthy of the Lord? (Verse Study Series)
I recently decided to start two series on the IPFJ blog. Every other week you’ll find an article with either Bible Study Tips or a Verse Study. I hope to provide some tips to help you in studying God’s Word, and also look at verses in context with the aim to dismiss any wrong ways … Continue reading Busy Day? Keep Your Quiet Time Simple (Bible Study Tips)
Like me, have you ever struggled with putting feeling over faith, over simply choosing to trust God and obey? Do you ever find yourself forgetting the truth of God’s Word in those moments, especially when times are hard or God seems absent? It isn’t easy, balancing our feelings along with our faith. God certainly made … Continue reading Faith Not Feelings: Letting God’s Word Define Us
What does it mean—really really mean—to bw born again? To some this question might seem elementary, but I think it is worth review because it has eternal significance. How do we define what it means to be born again? Even for those of us who claim to be born again, we must understand this clearly. And not … Continue reading What Does It *Really* Mean to Be Born Again?
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