Today we are in day 4 of our “Well-Watered Women” series on how to study the Bible!  In today’s post, we will look at different resources that we can use to dive deep into Scripture and gain wisdom. There are many incredible tools to enhance our study of Scripture and we hope they encourage you and equip you. 

“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Read A Mentor

There is no book that will ever replace the Bible. No other words satisfy our hearts like the “inspired” word of God. However, God has used many wise men and women to study and teach the Word clearly and with a gospel-centered mission that we can learn from. We can glean truth and wisdom from the studies of pastors, teachers, and scholars. There are many commentaries and references available for free online that will enhance your study of Scripture. As students of the Word, we want to first come to God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us, and then use trustworthy, reliable sources to gain a fuller understanding of Scripture. You can be “mentored” by those you have never met just by picking up a book, study, or commentary and reading.

Dr. Jay Strack said this incredible statement –

“You will be the same person ten years from now except for the books you read, the places you go, the people you meet, and the Scripture you memorize.”

 What we put into our hearts changes us. Therefore, we want to choose books, commentaries, and studies to read and participate in that will point us to the cross of Jesus Christ. We should never place the words of man over the holy, life-changing word of God. Rather, we should pick other books to read that will enhance our knowledge of the Word and encourage us daily to live in obedience to God’s calling. Books should make you hunger for God’s Word even more. That is my desire in the list that is below.

Dig Deep

In studying Scripture, there is unending treasure to be discovered. We must first dig with our hands, our hearts, our minds, and our ears. One incredible gift of the body of Christ is that we can encourage each other through what we learn from the Scriptures. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us in this way – “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As the body of believers, we are to “hold fast the confession of hope,” “stir up one another to love and good works,” and “not neglect meeting together…but encourage one another.” These three commands can be done through biblical community and fellowship, and even through learning from each other in our studies and hungering after Scripture.

There have been countless believers who have lived before us (or are currently living) who have dug deep into Scripture and discovered gems that they share with us. Below are lists of commentaries, Bible teachers, and pastors who preach the gospel faithfully and have resources available for us to use in our own studies:

Bible Study Resources

• How To Study Your Bible – Grace To You Ministries
• Three Tips For Better Bible Reading – Desiring God
• Secret Church: How To Study The Bible – Radical (This series of videos is well worth the time spent watching, learning, and writing! David Platt explains Bible basics as well as how we are to come to the Word of God.)
  • If you are more of a reader, here is the link to the written copy of this teaching.
  • Chronological Bible Study – Iva May has written incredible studies and resources that go along with the chronological Bible. The way she breaks down Scripture and relates it to the gospel is eye-opening and challenging. You will never be the same after reading through the entire Bible!
  • Precept Ministries – Kay Arthur’s inductive Bible study method is one that I regularly use. Her studies go in-depth and are eye-opening. Just by doing one study you can learn the inductive Bible study method and use it in your own studies.
  • Women Of The Word by Jen Wilkin

Greek/Hebrew Resources & Online Commentaries

If you are new to reading commentaries, below are a list of ones that I recommend. Also, this article is helpful in teaching why these study aids are helpful and why we should also be discerning about what we read.

• StudyLight.Org – I use this almost everyday when I study the Bible. In the search box, type in the verse you are studying and then click on the Greek or Hebrew option. You can then click on each word in the verse and it will bring up a separate window with the the original language, its meaning, and Strong’s Concordance number.
  • Often, after I find the original Greek or Hebrew word, I will look up the Strong’s number associated with the word using BlueLetterBible.Org to go even deeper and find other references where this word is used.
  • BibleHub.Com – This is a great resources that has different Bible translations, a few commentaries, related verses, and an option for Greek and Hebrew all in one place.
  • BlueLetterBible.Org – I mentioned this site previously, but it is a wonderful tool with online commentaries, Greek/Hebrew guides, as well as teachings and sermons related to each verse.
  • PreceptAustin.Org – This is one of my favorite online tools I use to find breakdowns of verses and portions of the Bible. It takes a little while to find your way around, but it has been so fruitful in my studies! If you are having a hard time searching, try using Google to search for a specific verse and then add “preceptaustin” next to it to find the link. Let’s say you want to study 1 Peter 3:1-4. You can type in the Google search bar – “1 Peter 3:1-4 preceptaustin” and it will come up with the correct link.

Online Women’s Resources

• Set Apart Girl – I discovered Leslie Ludy’s ministry, Set Apart Girl, in high school and have followed it every since. Every other month they put out an online magazine that is filled with truth, challenge, and grace.
• She Reads Truth – This ministry does a beautiful job of sharing Scripture every single day! You can get a lot of online studies and posts for free and have them delivered to your inbox each day. You can also purchase studies to do as well.
• Hello Mornings – I recently found this ministry and have loved the encouragement from this community. If you are a young mom, I recommend being a part of this Bible study community.
• Living Proof Ministries – Beth Moore has an online community of women who study and memorize Scripture together that is beautiful!
• Proverbs 31 Ministries – The teachers and writers at Proverbs 31 Ministries are gospel-centered and speak grace and truth daily!
• Revive Our Hearts – Nancy Leigh DeMoss has been a “mentor” to me for many years now. Her radio podcasts are encouraging and perfect to listen to on a drive, exercising, or cooking dinner.

iPhone Apps

• She Reads Truth has an app that is a great tool for daily Bible study, reading plans, and even encouraging iPhone backgrounds.
• Blue Letter Bible has also made an app available for studying Scripture using your phone.

Commentators

There are many incredible Bible commentators that have studied Scripture intently and share the gospel through their studies. Below is a list of a few that I regularly use. I would love to hear of more gospel-centered Bible teachers you also use!

• John Piper
• Martin-Lloyd Jones
• John Wesley
• Matthew Henry
• John MacArthur
• Oswald Chambers
• Charles Spurgeon
• Billy Graham
• J Vernon McGee
• Alexander Maclaren

A few of my husband’s favorite resources that he uses daily:

• ESV Study Bible
• Desiring God
• Radical
• Grace To You
• Discovery Bible Study

A few of my favorite resources I use daily:

• My Utmost For His Highest
• Streams In The Desert
• Elisabeth Elliot Talks – I love listening to Elisabeth Elliot’s teachings and have grown so much in my love for the Word by listening to her! Many people don’t know that these talks are recorded and can be found here. They are full of truth!
• StudyLight.Org
• BlueLetterBible
• Logos
• Psalms – Spurgeon Commentary
• Give Me Jesus Journal
• PreceptAustin

A few of Whitney’s (the LLB shop manager) favorite resources:

• Give Me Jesus Journal
• John MacArthur Study Bible
• John MacArthur Commentaries
• Blue Letter Bible App

We would love to hear what resources you use daily for Bible study! What are some studies that have been fruitful in your life? Who are some teachers and preachers that point you to the gospel of Jesus Christ?

(photos by Katherine McBroom)

in Christ,

Gretchen