Free Bible Study Softwares

I have been doing my devotions through the online Our Daily Bread since 26 Oct 05. It served me very well as it is convenient for me to blog my thoughts and do cross referencing. Thank God for this ministry.

However, the occasional inability to access Our Daily Bread or no Internet connection during my long holidays (therefore have to miss my devotions), caused me to think of alternatives to doing my devotion offline. Of course you may say I can just read my bible. True, but I like to take notes of my reading and do cross referencing while I read. So doing it on my PC is still a better way for me.

Through my Internet search, I found a very useful bible study and devotional software, Bible Explorer. Not only it is a free download, where I can do my bible study and devotion offline, but it also has many wonderful features I like, e.g.

• commentaries, complete
  
• cross references, automated when clicked
  
• automatic bible links, when you type the scripture references
  
• notepad, for taking notes
• devotional passages, morning and evening
  
• calender, for automated personal bible reading schedule,
• Christian forum, discussions
  
• prayer requests and testimonies
• many more

Other useful free bible study software downloads I found are the e-sword and the Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible. With these, I need not depend on the Internet connection to do my bible studies or devotions anymore. Thank God for these wonderful softwares! :)

I have been using the above tools and found them to be very good. I highly recommend you to use them, especially the Bible Explorer, if you like to be disciplined in studying the word of God systematically at your desired scheduled pace.

I may publish my bible study notes and devotional thoughts one day when the time is right.

Cheers!

Tongues Control

Proverbs 15:1-4

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere,
keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

My thoughts for today...

Controlling our speech isn’t easy, because the real problem is not our words but our hearts. Behind the insults, we are likely to find in ourselves an insecurity, fear, or guilt that tempts us to protect ourselves at the expense of another."
—Mart De Haan

Right, we speak what we think or feel in our hearts. When we are hurt we tend to speak hurtful words in return, words which we may regret after we cooled down. But very often, words that had been said can't be recoiled.

Tonight's devotion reminds us to "gentle" with our reply, to speak wisely and to heal with our words instead of destroy. I may be guilty of speaking too fast when I felt hurt though I have no intention to hurt in return. I tend to share how I feel or the actions I would take too fast. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut unless what I say is going to bring "healing"like a tree of life.

The antidote for our untamed tongues is love. "Love is patient, love is kind." (1 Corinthians 13:4). When we love we will be kind with what we say.


Dear Lord,
Forgive me for times when I spoke too quickly or acted too rashly when I was hurt. I pray for forgiveness and healing for myself and those whom I might have hurt. May Your love restores us and make us whole again. Let me love just like You do.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

A Deep Dependence

2 Corinthians 3:1-11

4Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

My thoughts for today...

It is difficult to be a Christian sometimes as the world we live in has its own systems that are contradictory to the system of God. There may be a pressure to compromise to be accepted by others. Yet God wants Christians be different, to be set apart, to be sanctified. We can do this on our own, we need God to help us to live a lives that are different, yet more productive.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that my competency comes from you. Thank You for giving me strength to be different, yet able to perform well in my work. Keep me holy and pure in You Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Not Boredom But Freedom

2 John 1

5And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love

My thoughts for today...

God's command is the we love one another. Yet very often we may forget and need so many reminders in the bible. When we love, we are obedient to God's command.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to love the way You love. Not in my limited version of love, but Your unconditional love... a love that is willing to sacrifice, to let go even if it hurts me so.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Work

Genesis 2:7-15

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

My thoughts for today...

Work is intended by God for men. Men are to take care of what God has given them and not be idle. In the Bible, we are also told not to be lazy but to do all things as unto God. When we stop working our body will suffer sooner or later.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving me good health that I can do work and live my life meaningfully. Help me to do everything as unto You whether others see me working or not.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Do Not Be Ashamed

2 Timothy 1:1-10

Encouragement to Be Faithful

8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

My thoughts for today...

I was amazed when I saw the picture of a banner which says "Glory To God" under the heading "Fully Sold" for a condo project (see image above). It's a bold and rightful thing for its developer (Lippo Land Corp) to do - to give glory to God.

Yes, we must not be ashamed to testify of God's goodness in our lives after having received His grace. May more Christians be willing to share the gospel of Christ.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for the many blessings You have given to me, and for keeping me strong in times of troubles. Without You I can do nothing and won't be around long time ago. Thank You for loving me.
In Jesus' name I praise You. Amen.

Mystery

Ephesians 1:3-12

Spiritual Blessings in Christ
9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

My thoughts for today...

What is God's will for me and the purpose of His creation? Why did God allow us to experience the joy and pain of relationship with each other on earth only to abolish it in heaven? I don't understand....

In today's passage, it says that His will is a "mystery", i.e. we may not know or understand now till the time of "fulfillment". Till then, this mystery will unfold. I long to know the answers to my questions.

Dear God Almighty,
I pray that my faith and hope in You will endure till the day I see You face to face, to know all the answers to my questions, and the things You have allowed to happen in my life, the joy and sorrows of life. Keep me strong in Christ.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

School Of Hard Knocks

Psalm 119:65-72

66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.

68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.

71 It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.

72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

My thoughts for today...

Very often, we have to learn things the hard way although we should have save the pains if we were to learn them from others' mistakes or from the word of God. I too have been stubborn and God has to teach me through the school of hard knock. I hope I have fully learned my lessons and don't have to relearn them again and again.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for being patient with me, teaching me Your way that is higher than mine. Though there are many things which I don't understand, I trust that Your thoughts are higher than mine and Your will is always better. Thank You for the pain that growing brings, and through them I am learning to surrender everything to You. Keep me going, Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Song For You When I Am Away