Do you know how to study the Bible by topic?
Have you ever thought I’d love to learn more about xyz? Or, maybe you’ve questioned what the Bible says about topics impacting your life. If so, where do you turn?
Here’s Help for How to Study the Bible by Topic
As a new Christian, I had an insatiable appetite for God, but I didn’t know how to grow my faith. (That’s God job, isn’t it really? But we can surround ourselves with tools that help.) My pastor encouraged me to read the Bible–to know it well for myself. Why not go to God and His Word?
But the Bible’s big!
How was I supposed to find answers to the life topics I faced when I didn’t even know where to look?
I felt lost. Frustrated. Unsure. But then I found a Bible Concordance. A concordance is found in the back pages of some, but not all, Bibles. With a little use, it quickly entered into my inner circle of favorite study tools.
How Do We Study the Bible?
Different people study God’s Word in different ways. (Isn’t that a beautiful thing? More evidence of our Creator’s depth and awesomeness.) I used the concordance in the back of my Bible to help understand various topics. I’d scour the listings and look up every verse it offered pertaining to specific topics and words.
I also used a variety of Bible versions and dictionaries. Thank God for these as they helped me to understand Scripture better–especially when I focused on one word.
What is a Bible Word?
A Bible Word–what is it? And how do we tack a study to that? A Bible word study focuses on one word found in the Bible.
Through this type of study, we find verses containing our focus word (in my case, it often pertained to life situations or trials I faced at the time), and then we study those scriptures to better understand topics–worry or gossip for example. This quickly became my favorite way to study. Perhaps it is or will be yours, too.
Believe Bible Study
Recently, I used these tools and a few others to create a Bible study. It’s called Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study. But there’s a story behind the creation.
In late 2018, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to one word: “believe”. It rattled around in my thoughts for some time. Honestly, I didn’t know what to do with it. So I prayed.
As I considered things, I began questioning my belief–in a good, grow-stronger-in-faith way. Under what circumstances did I believe God? Did I trust Him only when life was good? What about the bad times? And how about those pauses in between?
Did I believe when I heard Him roar as well as in moments–or weeks–of silence?
What did I believe God for: more courage? A prodigal son? Healing? Deliverance? Wisdom? I began to ask these questions and others. And it all started with one word spinning around in the higher altitude of my brain: believe.
What to Believe?
I’m still on that journey with “believe”. It’s been a good one so far. In fact, I’ve created two helpful study tools–one’s a word study, of course–for those who desire to challenge what they believe, too.
Bible Word Study Tools
Downloadable Study
Created to Believe: a Bible Word Study is a 33-page study that investigates the word “believe”–what it means, how it’s used in the Bible, and its application in our lives. Consider it a gem for those who like word studies and lean toward the inductive style. Broken into six sections, it’s useable for daily or weekly study–perfect for those with limited time available, too.
This study involves you and me, diving into the waters of understanding with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and God’s delectable Word.
Video Study
But before Created to Believe was born, there was Believe: a Bible Study. Several of my subscribers and I met regularly on video conference for this study. That wonderful time is now over, but this free video series remains available for use today.
Believe investigates four Scripture passages containing the word “believe”. It’s not a word study like Created to Believe or a prerequisite for it. Call it a bonus study. 🙂
Why Believe?
Regardless of whether you study with these tools or others, consider this: why believe? And how does that belief intersect God, the Bible and your life?
How do you study the Bible by topic, how do you dive deeper into the meaning of the word “believe”? Investigate it today and see where the Lord takes you. He’s faithful to lead us well.
About Kristi
Kristi Woods is a writer and speaker but mostly a Jesus girl. She writes weekly and offers faith-building tools for a deeper walk with God at www.KristiWoods.net. Kristi, her handsome, retired-from-the-Navy husband, and their three children survived a nomadic, military lifestyle and have set roots in Oklahoma–where she keeps a close watch for tornadoes and good chocolate. Connect with Kristi or find out more about her latest Bible study, Created to Believe, at KristiWoods.net.
PS – Join me as Carmen Horne and I discuss how she Finds Calm in the Chaos of Life as life left her Out of Words on GraceAndTruthRadio.World online or by the app on your device at 3:30 PM Central Time.