I have been studying the Bible for almost as long as I have been able to read. And shortly after the Lord saved me at the age of 10, I was given a computer. It wasn’t much by today’s standards but I remember that Windows 3.1 machine like it was yesterday. Man, I thought I was cool. Back in those days we didn’t have the internet, only some programs on floppy disks. I’ll not bore you with a look back on the different programs I have used, or a complete trip through memory lane, but it’s been a fun journey.
I’ve gone back and forth with different programs through the years, but these days I have mostly use Logos Bible Software from Faithlife. They offer a free basic starter package, but then there are different packages and options which go up in price from there. Like anything else, how much you spend (or want to spend) really comes down to what you want to get out of it.
For me, it has revolutionized the way I study and the time spent in the study. I am the pastor of a Baptist church, and also work a desk job and raise a family. Now I can spend fewer hours in sermon prep and more time in other very important areas of life, such as:
Personal Bible study/reading.
Family time.
Other aspects of the ministry.
Rest.
Here’s one screenshot from my workspace from the desktop app just to give you an idea:
I have set up layouts for each book of the Bible and when I click on that particular book/layout, it opens my preferred Bible (KJV) as well as all my favorite commentaries and books for that particular book. Each commentary and book has its own tab, and they are synched so I can quickly jump from book to book. When I am done I can just close it out and come back later to where I was.
That right there cuts down a lot of time, no more trying to find a particular book on the shelf. No more looking through the pages. No more putting them all up after I am done. Technology can be a blessing and this is one way that God has blessed us in this modern age. I highly recommend incorporating Bible Software such as Logos Bible Software into your studies.
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