Top Ten Online Bible Study Tools

May 23, 2011 by Katie Orr 15 Comments

We are blessed tremendously by the loads of online tools we have at our fingertips! Here are the top ten sites I use to help me study the Bible.

The ESV Online Bible This is my favorite version of scripture to study from. Love that this site also has an audio version!
DesiringGod.org This is a treasure chest. Seriously. Decades of sermons, articles and even free books. There are over 50 books by John Piper and other authors that are free to download. This is my go-to place when I am studying something and want to hear good teaching on it. If you are wondering about how to interpret a particular passage, you can look up the passage by reference and find tons of resources.
BlueLetterBible.org I really like this site. You can look up a verse and see the original greek for each verse. No, I don’t know greek! This site makes it easy to find the original greek word (just click the “C” box to the left of the verse.) There is much to be opened up to us, as we read the original meaning of the word choices by the authors of scripture. This site also has charts, diagrams and maps that are helpful towards understanding the original context of the text. Highly recommend this site!
Theopedia.com This is like Wikipedia, but all about the Bible, theology and the history of Christianity. From the site: “Theopedia is a growing online encyclopedia of biblical Christianity. Theopedia uses wiki technology, which is essentially a community-driven, information-management system.”
Bible.cc An online parallel Bible. Great for when you want to see one verse in a bunch of different translations, quickly.
BibleGateway.com I like this for a quick lookup of a verse, or a key word. Just about any version you would be looking for is here. It also has a topical index and a few commentaries
Crosswalk.com This is very similar to biblegateway.com, but you may find you prefer the layout of one over another.
BibleStudyTools.com This is “sister site” of crosswalk.com. It has commentaries, Bible encyclopedia and dictionary, parallel Bible…loads of stuff here!
PreceptAustin.org A new-to-me site, but I like what I see so far. Especially helpful if you are looking for commentary on a specific verse.
What online sites do you use to help you study scripture? Leave a comment and share them with us!

Linking up with Amanda!

Philippians :: Week 1 :: Paul’s Heart

May 20, 2011 by Katie Orr 23 Comments

i usually focus on quantity: how much can i read each day. now i’m focusing on quality: how much Truth and insight can i glean from just a few verses. -Aly at The Mommy Diaries

I love this! This is our hope, that you will learn how to dwell on each verse, each word; looking and digging to find the great treasures in scripture. This study will be different than most of the other studies that you have been a part of. We certainly want to learn from Philippians, but we also want each of you to learn better how to study the Bible on your own. Instead of us simply regurgitating what we’ve learned from Philippians, we want you to find the life-changing truths from Philippians for yourself! The study guide is geared towards that end.

If you are just finding out about the study, you can read more about it here and here. Anyone is welcome to jump in any time! If you haven’t downloaded the study guide, go ahead and head over to Inspired to Action and print it out.

If you were able to follow the study guide plan this week, you should have read this passage at least eight times throughout the week. I like to think of it as putting on different glasses as you read, each time looking for something different. You may not find any “answers” to each question throughout the week, and that is fine. We are training ourselves to look for certain key elements that most passages of scripture will have.

Here are some of the truths I found in my study of Philippians 1:1-11:

What I learned about Paul

Servant. He refers to Timothy and himself as “servants of Christ Jesus.” 1:1 The greek word Paul used here is doulos: “devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.” This certainly is echoed throughout the book of Philippians, how Paul considered himself a servant of Christ who follows the example of the ultimate servant, Jesus.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant… Philippians 2:4-7a

Thankful. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine” 1:3-4
Prayerful. “always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…And it is my prayer that…” 1:4, 9
Joyful. “…making my prayer with joy…“1:4 Philippians is known for the book of joy for a reason. Over and over again Paul speaks of his own joy for God’s people and His purposes. Paul later encourages the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! (*clap* *clap*) 4:4
Confident in God. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring in to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” 1:6 Yet another theme we will see in Philippians- Paul’s confidence in the Lord and His purposes.
Affectionate. “For God is my witness how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” 1:8
Imprisoned. “…in my imprisonment” 1:7 Paul wrote Philippians, from house arrest in Rome. (See Acts 28:14-31)

What I learned about God

Source of grace. “Grace to you…from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” 1:3
Source of peace. “peace from God our Father” This is a theme that we will see more of in Philippians! “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 4:7 See also 4:9.
God is our Father. 1:3
Jesus is our Lord. 1:3
Whom we give thanks. 1:3
Began a good work in us. 1:6
Will complete this good work. 1:6
He knows our yearnings. “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all…” 1:8 God knew Paul’s yearning for the Philippians. He knows our hearts as well. This is the first time I have noticed this truth!
Jesus is the source of righteousness. “the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.”

What did you learn?

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the truths to be found in Philippians 1:1-11 What insights did you see? Any promises? What did you learn about your identity in Christ? What is the Lord leading you to do as a result of what you have learned?

How did you like the study guide? Do you have any questions about the passage or study guide? Did you write a post about your study this week? Leave it in the comments!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Philippians Bible Study

May 16, 2011 by Katie Orr 25 Comments

We are excited to announce our next study here at Do Not Depart…Philippians!

Each week, for the next 13 weeks, we will be studying a new passage from the book of Philippians. The most exciting thing about this is you can study on your own, alongside of us! We have put together a study guide to help you spend daily time in this book.

If you are looking for something to study this summer, we would LOVE for you to join us. This is in conjunction with Inspired to Action’s Maximize Your Mornings summer session, yet anyone is welcome to join in the Bible study.

The Plan

There are five days of simple study questions for each week’s passage. Begin each day with a short prayer, asking God to open your heart to His Word, then use the day’s questions to help you read and study the passage. Have your journal open, ready to jot down what you discover through your time of study.

Day 1: READ

Read the passage. Keep a pen and your journal handy. Write down any questions or observations you may have about the passage. Then reread the passage.

Day 2: TRUTHS

Today, with your journal and pen ready, we are going to look for specific TRUTHS in the passage. We will read the passage three times, each time answering one of the following questions:

What does this passage teach about God?
What does this passage teach about Paul?
What can I learn about my identity in Christ?

As you find truths, list them in your journal. Consider making a master list of all you learn about God, Paul, and yourself throughout the book of Philippians.

Day 3: PROMISES

Read this week’s passage and this time look for PROMISES.

As you find a promise write it out in your journal, figure out if it is a conditional or unconditional promise. A conditional promise usually contains “if…then.”
List out the conditions and what will result if those conditions are met.

Day 4: COMMANDS

Read this week’s passage. As you read, note any COMMANDS in your journal. Read the passage again, this time looking for any implied commands. We can learn much from the experiences and failures of people in the Bible. As the Word commends or disapproves of certain characteristics, we can use this as a model towards Christ-likeness.

Day 5: APPLY

Today we are going to make the passage personal through application. Journal through these questions:

How does my view of God line up with this passage’s teaching about God?
What is the Lord leading me to DO as a result of this passage?

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to do the work in your heart so that you may walk in obedience to this passage.

UPDATE: Be sure to download the study guide, which includes the schedule and the study questions on cards you can print out to keep in your Bible! You can find the study guide over at Inspired to Action.

The Schedule

Week 1: Philippians 1:1-11 Paul’s heart for God’s people
Week 2: Philippians 1:12-18 God’s purpose in Paul’s imprisonment
Week 3: Philippians 1:19-26 Paul’s desires: God’s people and God’s presence
Week 4: Philippians 1:27-30 God’s gospel-purpose for us
Week 5: Philippians 2:1-11 Paul’s charge to unity through following the example of Christ
Week 6: Philippians 2:12-18 Paul’s charge to Word-centered obedience
Week 7: Philippians 2:19-30 Servants of the gospel (examples to follow)
Week 8: Philippians 3:1-11 The surpassing worth of Christ, our righteousness
Week 9: Philippians 3:12-21 Paul’s example: Press on toward the call of Christ
Week 10: Philippians 4:1-9 Paul’s plea: Pursue the peace of God
Week 11: Philippians 4:10-23 Paul’s contentment in God’s provision

The Result

You may not find “answers” to each of these questions each week. The point is to begin training yourself to look for truths, promises, commands and application points when you read the Bible. After walking through the book of Philippians this way, you might just be ready for another book all on your own! You will certainly encounter Jesus in a deeper way, and that is what this is all about.

If you plan to study with us, we would love to know! Just leave us a comment. We are looking forward to taking this journey with you! We will be posting each ~~Thursday~~ Friday with some insights on each passage, so be sure to stay tuned!

Hiding His Word :: Vlog Link-up

May 16, 2011 by Katie Orr 2 Comments

Have you memorized any scripture lately? It’s time to link-up those vlogs! Whether it be one verse, an entire book, or anything in between. Whatever you are working on, we want to hear it!

Reciting what you are learning, for others to see, is a great way to ingrain what you are learning. It is also a great encouragement to others!

Just grab a webcam, post your video (use the vlog button, if you like), and link up below!

Wake Up Sleepyhead

May 9, 2011 by Katie Orr Leave a Comment

Over 700 women have signed up for the Maximize Your Mornings summer challenge! If you have been around Do Not Depart for a while, you know that Kat’s Inspired To Action blog is one of my favorites and joining in this challenge has been a great source of encouragement to me in my efforts of getting up early to spend time with the Lord.

Won’t you join us?

If you are interested, there is still time to sign up and join in the challenge. You will be assigned a group of women in your same time zone and you can check in and connect with your group either through Twitter or Facebook. Registration for the summer session ends Wednesday, May 11th, so act fast! If you would like to be in my Twitter #HelloMornings group, just register with #mym1 at the beginning of your name!

Click here to learn more about the Maximize Your Mornings Challenge.

We have some exciting news, here at Do Not Depart, that will go along with this challenge. We are incredibly excited about it and should be announcing it shortly, so stay tuned!