10 Best Bible Study Tools Articles of 2020

1. 15 Amazing Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter

From the article:

God is Omnipotent – He Is All Powerful

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” – Psalm 33:6

“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil, does he not take note?” – Job 11:7-11

Omnipotent means to have unlimited power (omni = all; potent = powerful). God is able and powerful to do anything he wills without any effort on his part.

It’s important to note the “anything he wills” part of that statement, because God cannot do anything that is contradictory or contrary to his nature. Hebrews 6:18 puts it like this: “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.”

Read more here.

2. "I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You" Meaning of God's Promise for Your Life

From the article:

God commands our confident trust in Him. In a world that encourages us to believe in ourselves and to achieve all we deserve, it’s paramount to understand who and Whose we are. Society sets a bar to earn and accumulate. Accomplishments and accessories are lauded above humility and God-ordained purpose. …

“And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gave you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you” (Romans 8:10-11).

When we profess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are sealed. From that point on, the Holy Spirit lives in us. This is what “Christ in me” means. He lives in us. The Holy Spirit is translating, revealing and reminding us as our hearts are sanctified to become more like His until the day we arrive home in heaven. Our enemy can mess with us, but our souls are off limits because we are His. There is nothing we can or need to do to earn it. His love is enough.

In our brokenness, He uses our messes to spread the Gospel message across the face of the earth until every ear has heard. To have God with us, always, means we can be strong and courageous, because the source of our strength lives in us. We just have to remember He’s there always.

Read more here.

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3. What Exactly Is Fasting All About?

From the article:

There is a regular fast which consists of abstaining from all food and drink except for water (Matthew 4:2–3; Luke 4:2). Apart from supernatural enablement, the body can function only three days without water.

A partial fast is when one abstains from some particular kind of food as in the case of Daniel while in Babylon (Daniel 10:3; cf. 1:8, 12).

As noted above, a liquid fast means that you abstain only from solid foods. Again, most who choose this path are sustained by fruit juices and the like.

A complete or absolute fast that entails no food or liquid of any kind (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9) should only be for a very short period of time. For anything longer than three to five days, seek medical advice.

There is also what can only be called a supernatural fast, as in the case of Moses (Deuteronomy 9:9), who abstained from both food and water for forty days (enabled to do so only by a miraculous enabling from God).

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4. Is Divorce Really a Sin?

From the article:

The question that many wonder is: is divorce a sin? Obviously divorce is not something that pleases God, but is it actually a sin? This is a complicated and controversial issue, but one that cannot be ignored. Let’s dive in.

So, is divorce a sin? The short answer is … it depends. Divorce can be sinful, yet it is not always so. According to both Jesus and Paul, there are a few factors that can allow a divorce to be justified and therefore not sinful. However, if such factors are not present, then the divorce would be considered sinful.

So what makes something sinful?

In the New Testament, the Greek word that we translate into English as sin is hamartia. This word can be translated as anything that is contrary to the will of God. Obviously, God does not desire for a divorce to occur because God instituted marriage to be a covenant between man and woman. Covenants are not intended to be broken.

Therefore, God’s will is for every marriage to thrive and last until death parts the spouses.

Read more here.

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5. Do Dogs Go to Heaven?

From the article:

When you picture heaven, what is it that you see? Do you think of streets of gold and of beholding Jesus face to face? Do you think of seeing loved ones that have passed on? Or maybe the promises of Revelation 21:4 come to mind, “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”

…

The creation of all animals happened on days five and six of creation. Sea animals and birds were created on day five and God said they were good. Land animals were created on day six, the same day that humans were created. Maybe this was symbolic of the special relationship people would have with the animals that walk the same ground they do? We can’t be sure, but it’s possible.

Ultimately, God created animals to be ruled over by humans. Animals are a gift and responsibility for men to steward, they aren’t equals to men in the eyes of God.

Read more here.

6. Is Cursing Really That Big of a Sin?

From the article:

Cursing Ruins Your Witness of Jesus and Dishonors God

In James 3:10 (NKJV), it is expressed that having the same mouth to bless and curse is dishonorable to the Lord. When you are a follower of Christ, you are representing the Lord, not only in what you do but in what you say, think, and feel. If you are praising God one moment but cursing up a storm in the next moment, your witness as being one in mind with God is exposed as weak.

This also comes into the mindset of honoring God through your words. Using God or Jesus Christ in a derogatory way can also be the equivalent of the worst curse words you can think of. It is even stated in the Ten Commandments that God gives to Moses, as shared in the book of Exodus, that God will not tolerate the use of His name in vain: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exod. 20:7).

God wants only what is pure and noble to come out of our mouths. When our mouths are spewing out expletives, it dishonors God and who He is to us.

Read more here.

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7. What Does the Bible Say about the End Times?

From the article:

Much as I might poke fun at the technical terms used to describe this complex subject, I believe that what we believe about the end of the world matters. But the prophetic books of the Bible are among the most difficult to understand, and the possible interpretations of them are quite different in their view of Jesus’ second coming, the beginning of heaven, and everything in-between.

So a little illumination is in order.

What viewpoints do Christians around the world—and the theologians we esteem—hold about the end of days?

What distinguishes each view? And where can we go to find out more?

Here, then, is a summary, in alphabetical order, of the main eschatological views of Christianity, written as impartially as I can manage. I’ve focused on four: amillennialism, dispensational premillennialism, historical premillennialism, and postmillennialism.

May increased understanding of the end of days help us place our hope in God’s power and intentions for all of eternity.

Read more here.

8. Did Jesus Drink Wine, and Should We?

From the article:

Scripture commands Christians to avoid drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18) and its effects (Proverbs 23:29-35). Christians are not to have their bodies mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19).

In New Testament times, water was not very clear or maintained in the same way as it is today. Without modern sanitation, people in Jesus’s times would have had water filled with bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of contaminants. The same is true today in many developing countries. People in Jesus’ time drank wine or grape juice because it was less likely to be contaminated.

In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul instructed Timothy to stop drinking water only and instead drink wine, for his health. In Paul’s day, wine was fermented, meaning it contained alcohol. It’s incorrect to suggest that this was merely grape juice, but equally wrong to suggest it was the same thing as wine is today.

Scripture does not forbid the people of God from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. Alcohol is not itself tainted by sin. Drunkenness and enslavement to alcohol are sinful, which is why Christians must refrain from drinking alcohol in excess (1 Corinthians 6:2; Ephesians 5:18).

…

Christians who want to keep a biblically balanced view of drinking should either drink in moderation, never to drunkenness, or abstain entirely.

Read more here.

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9. What Does the Bible Say about Suicide?

From the article:

The Word of God has promises of hope and healing for those who are struggling with suicidal tendencies. It reminds us of the source of the things which are creating depression within us, which is evil. The believer can read daily reminders of God’s call to strive in faith, and hope in Him.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

This verse reminds the believer that depression, despair, and self-loathing is as much of a consequence of sin entering the world as any other evil. When it begins to take over the heart, it is important to remember that is the result of living in a fallen world. The thief - the devil - seeks to steal joy, kill hope, and destroy the believer. In Christ, we have the hope of a better future, that He will care for the faithful in this life, and eternal joy forever in Heaven.

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

There is a fight in everyone’s life, including against feelings of sorrow and helplessness. In this verse, Paul encourages his friend Timothy to keep pressing for a better life, and for God’s glory. It is easy to enter into despair. Trials surround us, and some people even have physical issues that can lead to depression. God will fight for those who love Him. Life is full of battles that humans in their frailty cannot win on their own, but with God’s strength, the fight can be won.

Read more here.

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10. 6 Beautiful Truths about the Crucifixion

From the article:

Even though we see the event playing out in the gospels, it was predicted long before that. In the Old Testament, the Bible gives us shadows and types as well as specific prophecies pointing to the eventual death of Jesus. A type or shadow is something or some event in the Old Testament that reflects or points to something in the New Testament.

One event closely related to the crucifixion was when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Here are some similarities:

Isaac was a son of the promise conceived miraculously by Abraham and Sarah who were well past their child-bearing years. Even in her younger years Sarah was unable to have children.

Jesus was a son of the promise and was conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit through a virgin named Mary.

Isaac was going to be sacrificed on a mountain and carried the wood up the mountain that he would be sacrificed on.

Jesus was sacrificed on the mount called Golgotha and he carried the cross that he would ultimately be crucified on.

…

Isaac was a willing participant and at no point did he resist what his father was about to do.

Jesus willingly laid down his life. He submitted to the will of the Father.

All throughout the Old Testament from Genesis moving forward and through numerous types and shadows we see the Bible pointing us to this savior who would rescue us from our sin condition. One of the great passages of scripture that point to the events that we see laid out in the gospels is Isaiah 53.

Read more here.

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