What do you think about adding a verse finder to your web site?
Question:
Thanks again, man, for being a million candle power flashlight to us sinners. I wish I knew the Bible in and out like you do and am interested in knowing how you came to know the Bible so well. What would you suggest as a good way to learn Scripture, memorize it, and comprehend it?
I wanted to ask you if maybe you could come up with something like a "verse finder" on your site. I mean something where someone could type in a few keywords and a book and have verses pop up until they found the one they are looking for. I know that with my lack of memorization of Bible verses thus far, I get frustrated when I know of half a verse in my head, but I don't know the rest of it or the book it's from. Or, I know the book, but I don't know what number the verse is. I know I will get better with this over time, but I just thought that if you and God find this relevant to your site, I thought that something like this would be a really neat addition.
Thanks again.
Answer:
Thank you for the suggestion. I will think about it though don't hold your breath, as it would be a major undertaking. Meanwhile, I don't have a suggestion: Take a look at PowerBible. It is a very inexpensive program with a simple, elegant interface. It will do just what you want, type in a few keywords from a passage and it will instantly give you a list of all verses with those words. What it can't do is find synonyms or close matches like many search engines. And while it has 22 translations available, it can only search one translation at a time. However, it remains my favorite Bible program and runs constantly on my computer.
In regards to learning the Bible, I hope you realize that I likely have several years on you in studying. It's been 34 years since I preached my first lesson. But the best way to learn your Bible is to use it. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14). Talk to people about the Bible, study with them, answer their questions. You will run into questions that you never thought of or topics that had not interested you before, and when you do you simply admit it and tell them you'll get back to them on it. Then you run home and start learning. Nothing is a better motivator for learning than knowing that someone would like for you to find an answer for them.
This web site started in part because I ran into a slow period in Bible studies in my area. I figured that if I could answer a few questions it would keep me sharp and fresh for personal studies.
Also, consider studying with preachers and elders. I learned a lot about preaching and the Bible from several men: Evard Hamilton, Dale Smelser, Dan Binkley, Steve Brewer, Larry Bailey, Leon Boyd, and Floyd Chappelear are a few who readily come to mind.
