The Journaling Bible I Keep Reaching For
Crossway’s reputation for beautifully crafted Bibles is well-known by many. With various choices available, all are likely to find one to fit their preferences and needs, whether for reading, note-taking, or Bible study. The natural cowhide leather Single Column Journaling Bible in Large Print is no exception. As someone who appreciates both journaling Bibles and…
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The Story Ripples of the Bible
In The Story Ripples of the Bible, Elisabeta Karp helps us see how the testimonies of Scripture are the start of a ripple effect in moving us toward Jesus our Messiah and God’s plan of redemption. As the book’s description says, Scripture’s narrative “works like a ripple effect” setting off “a current of events and…
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Struggling and Feeling Stuck in Our Relationship with God
I recently finished a short book about struggling and feeling stagnant in our relationship with God. The book, Stuck? Recapturing Your Joy in Christ, was not what I expected–in a good way. Often books like this appeal to our emotions and do not truly deliver in equipping us with what is truly needed when we…
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A Bible Journaler’s Dream: Crossway’s Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible Options
Crossway graciously provided me with the New Testament edition of their elegantly designed ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible. This Bible is an absolute dream to utilize for both devotional Bible journaling and serious Bible study note-takers. Read on to find out why I recommend it highly. I received the solid blue cover option of the Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible, which…
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Bible Study Tool: 1, 2, & 3 John for You
I’m excited to review this Bible resource for all of you. I’ve seen the God’s Word for You series for a while and I’m amazed by how helpful and accessible it is! Read on for my review. Read, Feed, Lead The cover of this commentary on 1-3 John by Sam Allberry invites us in no…
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Staying in the Word When You Feel Stuck
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…
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A Beautiful Psalm: Psalm 91’s Promises for Believers (Verse Study Series)
Psalm 91 is a beautiful psalm that is beloved by many for the promises it contains for believers in Christ. For this week’s Verse Study Series, let’s look at this cherished psalm. If you need a refresher on Psalm 91, I encourage you to read it before beginning with the article. We’ll only quote a…
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Five Tips to Overcome Distractions in Prayer and Bible Study
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.…
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Faith Comes by Hearing… What Does Romans 10:17 Really Mean? (Verse Study Series)
“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…
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Why We Must Read the Bible in Proper Context (Bible Study Tips)
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,…
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The True Meaning of Ezekiel 37’s Valley of Dry Bones (Verse Study Series)
Ezekiel 37 is a well-known chapter from the Old Testament. Unfortunately, it is also a passage taken out of context by many Christians. For this week’s Verse Study Series, we’ll look at Ezekiel 37:1-6. I couldn’t isolate only one verse from the passage, so we’ll be looking at verses 1-14 to discover the full meaning…
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Bible Study Tips: Verse-by-Verse Note Taking
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…
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Delighting in God Transforms Our Dreams and Desires (Verse Study Series)
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…
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Bible Study Tips: Why You Need a Scripture Reading Plan
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…
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Is This Conviction or Is It Condemnation?
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…
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Secret Strength: The True Meaning of Philippians 4:13 (Verse Study Series)
“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…
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Using Evernote to Supercharge Your Bible Study Time (Bible Study Tips)
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…
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What Does It Mean to Walk Worthy of the Lord? (Verse Study Series)
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…
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Busy Day? Keep Your Quiet Time Simple (Bible Study Tips)
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…
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Beware of Distractions: Simple Devotion to Christ
Last Updated: August 3, 2020 In these last few months, as a pandemic ravages the people in every nation, we must beware of distractions that harm our relationship with God, keeping us from the simplicity of devotion to Christ. Many things abound in this world to steal our attention away from what truly matters. Fears…
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Seven Free Christian Apps for Your Walk with God
Christian apps can help our spiritual life. Though it may seem like a stretch, this can be an incentive to spend more time with God, as well as praying or reading the Bible instead of browsing Facebook or the Internet. Installing apps related to our Christian faith is a good idea for those of us…
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The Organized Quiet Time: Preparing Ahead for Bible Study
How we prepare for time with Jesus can affect the quality of that time. It’s important to be organized ahead of our quiet time, otherwise we will more easily be distracted. I know that implementing the tips below has helped me immensely with how easily I can be distracted. Our pre-Bible study preparation matters, both…
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Renewing Your Mind in God’s Word
Have you ever wondered how we are supposed to renew our minds in God’s Word, as the Bible says to? Read on to find out how to do your part in this process. First, we must know that the journey of renewing our minds is a process. It doesn’t occur in a moment or two.…
Keep reading…Dealing with Distractions When Spending Time with God
Our fascination with Christ’s heart can increase daily. As we ponder His sacrifice of love, we will grow in love for Him. As we reflect on the beauty of His character, worldly cravings will fade. In studying His Word, we will grow in passion for Him. This is surely easier said than done of course.…
Keep reading…Taking God at His Word
God has been teaching me how to ‘take Him at His Word’ no matter how I’m feeling. I am learning to remind myself that even when I’m feeling one way or another, it doesn’t mean that these emotions line up with reality. I recently finished a book that a friend gave to me as a…
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