The difference between just reading the Bible - and reading it and looking up reference verses are like night and day to me. What was before just 'text' - becomes alive as you find yourself going through the Bible, from old testament to new and all over. It's incredible. When I journal this kind of study, I underline the initial verse/or particular word that is referenced, and then write the reference verses underneath it.
With each reference verse, it's like you're peeling back another layer of that particular word or piece of Scripture and you start to realize the depth of the statement that God is revealing in His word. Sometimes it says the same thing over and over- but it just shows that it is important to God if he repeats it so much.
I'm just journalling this online because it takes much longer to write out in my journal. If you're going to read this, I would suggest that you grab your bible and look up the verses yourself. There is a familiarity of exploring your own Bible that means a heck of a lot more than just reading what someone else has written. As you take notes you may find God is speaking to you for a particular word.
I honestly don't know what He will reveal to you. But I really feel that if you're like me and you struggle with procrastinating in reading your Bible and you feel like often you read and just 'don't get' much out of the text, then I would definately recommend doing a study like this. One I started recently was Ephesians 4 and it's great cuz you can literally do like one verse and get so much depth to it from the reference verses.
Just my 2 cents :) Take it or leave it :)
Proverbs 3 - Reference Study
V1 - "My son, do not forget my teaching"
>Prov 1:8 - Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching
[so 'my' teaching is referring to parents]
V1 - "but let your heart keep my commandments"
>Deut 8:1- The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers.
>Deut 30:16 - If you obey the commandments of the the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statuets and his rules, then you shall live and multiply and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
>Deut 30:20 - loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
[Deut basically spells out what the commandments actually are - in gist - to love God, to live as He would, and keep his rules - He promises from this that He will give us life and that whatever it is in our life that He wants for us to possess - maybe a job, a property, a leadership position, a position of serving in him in the community - that he will provide that. so simple.]
V2 - "for length of days and years of life"
>verse 16 - long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour
>Prov 4:10 - Hear my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
>Prov 9:11- For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life
>Prov 10:27- The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
>Ps 91:16 - With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.
[so basically, it isn't saying you will live forever if you listen to God - but that He will give you real life and many more years than if you ignored God. For me, it's like the times that I have ignored God and done my own thing, it's like I've missed out on so much, and so to give my heart fully to God - by accepting what he says and truly listening I will experience longer life.]
......that's all for now, will pick this up tomorrow :)
With each reference verse, it's like you're peeling back another layer of that particular word or piece of Scripture and you start to realize the depth of the statement that God is revealing in His word. Sometimes it says the same thing over and over- but it just shows that it is important to God if he repeats it so much.
I'm just journalling this online because it takes much longer to write out in my journal. If you're going to read this, I would suggest that you grab your bible and look up the verses yourself. There is a familiarity of exploring your own Bible that means a heck of a lot more than just reading what someone else has written. As you take notes you may find God is speaking to you for a particular word.
I honestly don't know what He will reveal to you. But I really feel that if you're like me and you struggle with procrastinating in reading your Bible and you feel like often you read and just 'don't get' much out of the text, then I would definately recommend doing a study like this. One I started recently was Ephesians 4 and it's great cuz you can literally do like one verse and get so much depth to it from the reference verses.
Just my 2 cents :) Take it or leave it :)
Proverbs 3 - Reference Study
V1 - "My son, do not forget my teaching"
>Prov 1:8 - Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching
[so 'my' teaching is referring to parents]
V1 - "but let your heart keep my commandments"
>Deut 8:1- The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers.
>Deut 30:16 - If you obey the commandments of the the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statuets and his rules, then you shall live and multiply and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
>Deut 30:20 - loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
[Deut basically spells out what the commandments actually are - in gist - to love God, to live as He would, and keep his rules - He promises from this that He will give us life and that whatever it is in our life that He wants for us to possess - maybe a job, a property, a leadership position, a position of serving in him in the community - that he will provide that. so simple.]
V2 - "for length of days and years of life"
>verse 16 - long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour
>Prov 4:10 - Hear my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
>Prov 9:11- For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life
>Prov 10:27- The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
>Ps 91:16 - With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.
[so basically, it isn't saying you will live forever if you listen to God - but that He will give you real life and many more years than if you ignored God. For me, it's like the times that I have ignored God and done my own thing, it's like I've missed out on so much, and so to give my heart fully to God - by accepting what he says and truly listening I will experience longer life.]
......that's all for now, will pick this up tomorrow :)
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