Bible study suggestions

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Dec 27, 2021
34
15
8
#21
You cannot go wrong investing in Nave's Topical Bible (King James Version). Nave has brought together all Scriptures pertaining to a specific topic under one heading or sub-heading. And he has covered the entire Bible. This will enable you to see all the verses and passages about any particular subject. You can purchase it from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Naves-Topical-Bible-comprehensive-Associated/dp/091700602X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Q0FXFX1YVP4G&keywords=nave's+topical+bible+kjv&qid=1640980737&sprefix=nave's,aps,110&sr=8-1

"Nave's Topical Bible, " the best known of all topical bibles, has been a valuable Bible-study reference and a best-seller for more than 75 years. It is a comprehensive digest of over 20,000 topics and subtopics with more than 100,000 associated Scripture references. The most significant references for each topic actually include the full text of the verse cited saving the need to separately look up each verse.

Because "Nave's "groups verses by "idea" (or "topic"), it offers a better overview of relevant Scriptures than a concordance, which only lists or indexes verses according to specific words. This edition also includes the helpful Scripture index (left out of some other editions), which makes it possible for the reader studying a particular biblical text to locate every topic and grouping of Scripture in "Nave's "whenever a particular verse is included. That way, it is possible for the reader to study either all the verses related to a particular topic "or" all the topics related to a particular verse it works both ways.

For the pastor or teacher interested in saving hours of time but not willing to give their second best, and for anyone wanting to be challenged by what God has to say about a given subject, "Nave's Topical Bible" is the passport that will allow immediate and successful entry to the many points of interest."
Thank you so much, this does seem very helpful and effective!
 
Dec 27, 2021
34
15
8
#22
After you get familiar with the Foundation of Faith ------Then I would study how God's kingdom Works this will help you gain insight into some understanding of the Scriptures -------

God's Kingdom works on the Farming System -----you sow seeds and you reap what you sow -----The Parable of the Sower describes how the Kingdom works and how when we are not Grounded and Rooted in faith our harvest can be affected ------Jesus says if you don't understand this Parable then how can you understand any parable ---this is the most important Parable to get so you can have understanding of the others -----

Mark 4 NIV
The Parable of the Sower
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
Thank you again for your time and wisdom.
 
Dec 27, 2021
34
15
8
#23
He is Tom Bradford and his commentary on scripture is free on the net at torahclass.com. It takes reams of paper to print them, you can buy them.

After you learn what Christ has done for you and listen to what Christ wants from you so you may receive this gift from Him, It is good to search for all the information you can find about the God who created you. The first five books of scripture gives you that, but it is very difficult for us to grasp because the men who wrote the God inspired words lived such a different life than we live today. So the words they used were often understood in a different way than we understand those same words today. For example--salt. To them it was kept in a pouch they carried on their belt and any contract was legal when the salt from the two parties were mixed. You couldn't separate the salt, or take back the contract. Tom explains all scripture using the new testament, ancient history, and a vast knowledge of all scripture to compare verses so it all becomes clear.
Wow, knowing that really does make things clearer, thank you again.
 
Dec 27, 2021
34
15
8
#24
Someone once said "People read the bible one of two ways...either to confirm what they believe, or to conform what they believe"

If you read to confirm, the bible will only become a canvas upon which you project Self.
If you read (and pray) to conform what you believe, then God will start showing you areas where your current beliefs need to be adjusted or replaced...even if you got those ideas straight from a church.

Love in Jesus (and fruitful seeking of God),
Kelby
Thank you so much, simple and elegantly put. I think you might have opened up a whole new view and many more questions for me to ask myself and the Lord. thank you so much and God bless
 
Dec 27, 2021
34
15
8
#25
The New Testament explains a lot of the Old Testament concerning the Future Messiah, Christ. For anyone just beginning to read the Bible, I would suggest reading the New Testament first, and when you get into the Old Testament, many answers are already answered for why the Law was in place, why the Temple of God was created first in tent form and later with stone, what the 10 commandments meant on a deeper level, what the Tree of Life in the Garden, Noah's Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, the Burning Bush scene, and so many more examples of Christ before He was known as Jesus, the 4th man in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Cloud by Day and Fire by Night, the Angel of the Lord, Elohim, I AM, YHWH, Yahweh and so forth.
Thank you very much
 

studentoftheword

Well-known member
Nov 12, 2021
1,721
596
113
#26
I will use the website you referred and other tools like the bible of course but do you have any ideas about where to start to dive in to learn and to see where my faith really is?
The right faith comes from being in God's Word and Trusting it ------Faith is a substance --it is a reality ----it produces -----God created this world and all in it including us by Speaking Faith Filled words -------God's Faith Creates --it brings the unseen into this seen realm ------Faith is your title Deed to being stable and secure in the times of trouble -----

To mature in your Faith you need to be in the Word everyday and Trust that the Word is alive and Active as it says it is ------Jesus is the Word -----Jesus is alive and Active ----your Faith has to be in the Word who is Jesus -----

For instance ----take this Scripture -----from Matthew 6 NIV ----do you REALLY FULLY BELIEVE THIS -----DO YOU FULLY TRUST THAT GOD WILL SUPPLY these things ======

Many say well I believe this scripture is the Truth but they DON"T TRUST that God will Provide them with all that is said here -----

IT is very difficult to Trust a God you can't see to supply your needs -----True Faith WILL TRUST that God will do as HE says in His WORD _--as the Word Is Alive and Active -------When you can Fully Believe and FULLY Trust in this scripture and NOT WORRY about these things then you have conquered what TRUE FAITH really is -------

Do Not Worry
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[e]?

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


Another Example is ----When you can Fully Believe and Fully Trust in God's promises to actually do as it says then you are Maturing in your Faith ----When you see God saying --I WILL ---this is always a Promise ----
-----
Philippians 4:19 AMP B
19 And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I say
Then you need to put your Faith into action and do as the scripture says STOP WORRYING about your life and let God Work in your life -----True Producing Faith always requires an POSITIVE RESPONSE ------


There are 3 Faiths ----2 are non producing -----they will not stand the storms of life ------only God's Faith will move your mountains out of your way ------human Faith is non producing ---Demon Faith is non producing ----God's Faith produces what the word says ------

David and Goliath is a good scripture to read -----David trusted God fully to beat the giant ----Goliath represents the bad situations and storms and trials that come our way ---and David represents one who has God's Faith which makes you stable and confident---your TITLE DEED in your victory against all that will try and come against you --

This is very hard to accomplish and takes much courage and stamina for one to get to this stage ------it also requires much PRACTICE in the small situations that come to us and once we see a victory in the small situations we will have confidence to advance to bigger bad situations and trials that comes our way -------


Read here ---interesting to know --also gives the scripture to back it up
https://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/ja/ja_10.htm

THE EPISTLE OF JAMES"

Three Kinds Of Faith (2:14-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. Faith is certainly an essential element in the Christian life:
a. Without faith, it is impossible to please God - He 11:6
b. The Christian is saved by faith - Ep 2:8
c. The Christian is to walk (live) by faith - 2Co 5:7
d. Whatever we do apart from faith is described as sin - Ro 14:23

2. It is important to realize, however, that there are different kinds
of faith, but only one that is truly "saving faith"

3. In James 2:14-26, we find James discussing the different kinds of
faith, with an emphasis upon that faith which works to the saving of
the soul

[Beginning with verses 14-17, we notice the first kind of faith. We
might call this kind of faith...]

I. DEAD FAITH (14-17)

A. THIS KIND OF FAITH...
1. Substitutes words for deeds (consider James' example)
a. People with this kind of faith:
1) Know the correct vocabulary for prayer and sound doctrine
2) Can even quote the right verses from the Bible
b. But their "walk" does not measure up to their "talk"!
2. Is only an INTELLECTUAL faith
a. In one's mind, he or she knows the doctrine of salvation
b. But they have never really submitted themselves to God and
trusted in Jesus for salvation
c. They know the right "words", but they do not back up their
words with their "works"!

B. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
1. NO! Three times in this passage, James emphasizes that "faith
without works is dead" - Jm 2:17,20,26
2. Any declaration of faith that does not result in a changed life
and good works is a false declaration: A DEAD FAITH!
3. Dead faith is counterfeit faith and lulls the person into a
false confidence of eternal life

C. DO WE HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH?
1. We do, if our WALK does not measure up to our TALK!
2. We do, if our WORKS do not measure up to our WORDS!

[We need to beware of mere intellectual faith. As Warren Wiersbe said,

"No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than
he came into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same."

(compare this to 1Jn 5:12)

The next kind of faith is found discussed in verses 18-19...]

II. DEMONIC FAITH (18,19)

A. PERHAPS TO SHOCK ANY COMPLACENT READERS, JAMES REMINDS US THAT
EVEN "DEMONS" HAVE A KIND OF FAITH!

1. They believe in God (no atheists or agnostics here!)
2. They even believe in the deity of Christ - cf. Mk 3:11-12
3. They also believe in the existence of a place of condemnation
- cf. Lk 8:31
4. And they believe Jesus will be the Judge! - Mt 8:28-29

B. WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO "DEMONS" HAVE?
1. We saw that the man with "dead faith" was "touched only in his
intellect"
2. The demons are "touched also in their emotions" (note that they
"believe and tremble")
3. This is one step above a "dead faith" - it involves both
INTELLECT and EMOTIONS

C. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
1. NO! A person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred
in his heart and still be lost forever!
2. True saving faith involves something more, something that can
be seen and recognized: a changed life! (cf. Jm 2:18)
3. Being a Christian involves trusting Christ and living for
Christ!
a. You first RECEIVE the life...
b. Then you REVEAL the life!

D. DO WE HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH?
1. We do, if we just BELIEVE the right things and FEEL the right
things
2. We do, if our service to God does not go beyond...
a. Intellectually adhering to the right doctrines
b. Emotional experiences while attending services

[Thus, James has introduced us to two kinds of faith that can NEVER
save: DEAD faith (involving the intellect alone), and DEMONIC faith
(involving the intellect and the emotions, but stopping there).

He closes this section by describing in verses 20-26 the only kind of
faith that can save...]

III. DYNAMIC FAITH (20-26)

A. WHAT KIND OF FAITH IS THIS?
1. We know from other passages that such faith is based upon the
Word of God - cf. Ro 10:17
2. Dynamic faith involves the WHOLE MAN
a. DEAD faith touches only the intellect
b. DEMONIC faith involves both the mind and the emotions
c. DYNAMIC faith involves the intellect, the emotions, AND the
WILL!
1) The MIND understands the truth
2) The HEART desires and rejoices in the truth
3) The WILL acts upon the truth
3. True, saving faith, then, LEADS TO ACTION
a. It is not intellectual contemplation
b. It is not emotionalism
c. It is that which leads to obedience in doing good works



Hope this helps :)
 
Mar 23, 2016
7,021
1,673
113
#27
how do I test my own faith and build it more no matter where it is?
Our faith is tested all the time, so there is no need for us to test our own faith.

In any given situation, we either turn our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ and live in accordance with what we know from Scripture (rely on God and God's Word), or we turn to our own devices, thoughts, ideas (rely on self).

As we learn to live our lives according to God's Word, our faith is strengthened by God as He works in our hearts when we trust Him to see us through the situations that arise in our lives.


Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.


 
O

Omegatime

Guest
#29
Thank you very much. Can I come back to you with questions regarding this when I have them?
Yes, when you need advice or get stumped, message me in private. Quite a journey