“What a precious treasure is the Word of God! It is like a deep mine filled with gold, silver, and precious gems, and we must take time to ‘dig’ for these treasures. A mere surface reading of Scripture will not put spiritual treasure in our hearts. Mining treasure is hard work, but it is joyful work when we ‘mine’ the Bible, as the Spirit guides us into truth.” – Warren W. Wiersbe
I’ll be honest with you, I know NOTHING about mining… especially for treasures like precious gems. Unless that is, if you count me digging into my laundry pile of clean clothes for that one matching sock in the rush of the morning – then I totally get you. Ha. That one sock in the nick of time… a true gem!
“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.” ~ Psalm 119:111
Searching through Scripture, taking time to dig deeper and earnestly find that “gem” of truth takes hard work and dedication.
So let’s be honest, shall we? We don’t always feel like reading God’s Word, let alone digging into it. Yet God remains faithful to us and continues to reveal little “nuggets of manna” – just like He did for the Israelites thousands of years ago – as we choose to read His Word, giving us just what we are needing for the day.
Small “gems” of truth one at a time – morning after morning – yield a treasure chest of wisdom collected over a lifetime of digging.
The digging is worth the effort.
Friends, it’s time we get our hard hats on and shovels in hand. It’s time to start digging!
We need to choose depth over quantity.
Don’t skim Scripture. Dig into it.
Dig into Scripture verse by verse and word by word. Being committed and dedicated is key, and having that group of friends to help you do it?
Priceless.
God’s Word is alive and He speaks to us through it.
“’Living and active.’ The words of the Bible have life! Nouns with pulse rates. Muscular adjectives. Verbs darting back and forth across the page. God works through these words. The Bible is to God what a surgical glove is to the surgeon. He reaches through them to touch deep within you.”- Max Lucado
Make this your lifetime commitment:
“To the very end….”
Those are the words of someone who is determined and willing to put in the hard work to complete the task.
I saw that determination recently…
A few months ago my husband participated in his first half Iron Man in Utah. Preparing for the race took months of hard work and dedication. Hours were spent running, cycling, and swimming to train his mind and body for race day. Dirk would get up early in the morning to fit in a workout before he headed off to work. Many evenings he’d come home only to change his clothes and head out for a night run with some of his friends. As the race approached, so did the intensity of the training. He is blessed with a great group of guy friends here in our town who train together and encourage each other as they prepare.
I firmly believe the key to their success is the fact that they are not doing it alone.
We were made to live life in community. Whether we train for races or dig into Scripture, it’s always better to do it with friends.
I’ll never forget the day of the race. It was a REALLY hot one – almost one hundred degrees on the black pavement as the men and women cycled and ran past me. These men and women were ALL incredible in my book! Just training for this race and then showing up… super impressive.
And this particular Utah race? It was said to be the hardest in the nation.
Which is why these guys signed up for it. They love the challenge.
And that’s exactly why you saw me on the sidelines… cheering everyone on!
So let’s be honest: this race was extremely hard and many wanted to quit.
I saw them.
I heard them.
As men and women ran by, I tried to encourage them by cheering for them. “Gooooo Jason!!! Way to go, buddy!!! You’re doing GREAT!” “Awesome job, Kristi!!! You are going sooo fast!!”
Some of the people would smile. Some would even have the energy to go in for a high five as they passed by. But a few others? They were struggling in the race and the finish line was just too far away.
They were spending their energy looking around and getting discouraged.
“That woman just passed me.”
“That mountain is just too steep.”
“Why am I here in the first place?”
You could almost see it on their faces – the doubts and discouragement penetrating their minds and hearts. I would see them as they approached me and my heart would break. So I would yell out to them, “Way to go, Steven!!! I’m so proud of you!! You are doing GREAT!”
Occasionally an angry response would come back. “I am not doing great. I stink at this. I hate this.” YET they kept going.
Crazy how two people can see the same event entirely differently. While he was discouraged and saw himself as a failure compared to the other athletes, I saw him as a champion. I was so impressed with him because even in the pain and discouragement he KEPT GOING!!!
He was committed to the race “… to the very end,” and that’s just what he did! He crossed that finish line!
“My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.” ~ Psalm 119:112
Sweet friends, being in God’s Word isn’t always going to be pretty. Digging for truth isn’t always easy. We don’t always find a “diamond” every day in our devotions. But stay in the race! Find friends to run with you and encourage you along the way…. “to the very end!”
Let’s dig in and run hard because God wrote a book and HE is worth the read!
Let’s Talk:
What are some ways you dig into Scripture? Is it by reading additional commentaries? Reading the verses in different translations? Looking up the Greek or Hebrew words and their meanings? Feel free to share in our comment section! I can’t wait to hear your ideas and suggestions!
Love God Greatly!
This blog is a diamond for me today. It is so applicable and profound, thank you for your time and effort in helping us dig in. I can feel your love for the Lord, I can feel Him speaking through you. God Bless you and your family.
Kim, Thank you for taking time to comment. So glad that you were blessed today!
Amy A, LGG Encourager
I love to read in different translations..the King James being the standard…
Ohhh what a blessing that is to hear, Kim. Just honored that God chooses to use me…thank you so much for reading and sharing with us today! You blessed my heart!
Oh, this hit home today. Had a really rough night and don’t feel like I slept a wink. It was HARD work rolling out of bed to go “mining” this morning, but I told God, “I’m here, and You know I need You today!” And these verses have reminded and encouraged me that His word is the only eternal thing I hold in my hands. An amazing and joy-giving thought to this tired soul this morning. Determined to let it be the joy of my heart today!
Your note that God’s Word is “the only eternal thing . . . in [our] hands” was exactly the gem I needed this morning. Even though it’s exactly where I need to turn, I have been struggling to get into God’s Word during some recent life challenges. Thank you for sharing and allowing your words to be an inspiration and timely reminder of the Truth.
My Peace in the puzzle.com
I’m sorry that you didn’t sleep well last night but I am so thankful that you still chose to get up and get in God’s Word. I know that you will have a much better day and maybe even feel refreshed after reading it. I hope you have a great day and a wonderful night of sleep tonight. (Jennifer, LGG Encourager)
Hello! I read the bible in different translations. Then go online and also read what other people have written about it. I use biblehub.com, biblegateway.com, PC study bible. I recently got interested in finding the Hebrew and Greek words. From January I started using the chronological bible and it brought God’s word in an entirely different way to me.
Ebos,
Great resources! I am huge fan of David Guzik’s commentary on BlueLetterBible.com, but I also have used Bible Hub.
Blessings,
Lyli , LGG Encourager
Sounds like you know how to put your hard hat on and dig into God’s Word, Ebos!!! So LOVE hearing your suggestions!!! Way-to-go, sweet friend! 🙂
I love using Precept Inductive Bible study. This method takes you deep into God’s Word alone and you read it many many times and dig for jewels. You also get to color which is fun as well as you mark key words and repeated phrases. As you read you are asking who, what, when, where, why and how questions of the text. After many times reading then you are free to do word studies and read commentaries. You can go to http://www.precept.org for more information. It will change the way you study scripture for the better. Trust me .
I’m fairly new at Precept Inductive study but I agree. It is an excellent method to use for digging deeper.
Thank you so much! I am looking for something to help me dig for those jewels God has written and wants me to dig for!
Angela – You hit home on a couple of points – digging into God’s word as well as “don’t look around and get discouraged while running the race.” I am going through some challenges at work with a new young boss and a new young co-worker. I am getting discouraged but your words spoke right to my heart. I need to run MY race, the path God has for me. I shouldn’t compare myself to others; I have qualities they don’t have. I am committed to God’s race to the very end.!
Candy,
I love that you will “run the race well and finish it” you are so right about having skills that they may not have and because the boss and coworker are new they may have a lot of questions that you may be able to answer better than anyone else. I am reminded of Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
I hope you have a very blessed day. (Jennifer, LGG Encourager)
Ohhh Candy,
I know it’s so hard to compare….I get caught in that trap sometimes too! But you are right, comparing ourselves to others robs us of joy and we forget how to be thankful for the amazingly unique way that God made us! Run your race, sweet friend…..stay focused on Jesus…..I’m cheering you on all the way!!! So very proud of you!!!
One of the ways that I dig in and find nuggets is through the different translations we can read side by side on a Bible app. I love that! Also, by reading the footnotes in the Bible helps a lot. Just today I read in Halley’s Bible Handbook about Psalm 119, and got excited about those comments. Your blogs are such a huge encouragement, and I look forward to them each week! God continue to bless you!
Paula,
Halley’s Bible Handbook is a great resource! I would encourage anyone who is new to Bible study that wants to buy a book that will help them in their quiet time to start out by investing in a good study Bible. I really love my Life Application study Bible, and they have a Personal Size one now that is really affordable. There are also so many great resources available free online now, too. I love sites like BlueLetterBible.com and BibleHub.com.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager
Thank you so much for this today. I love this blog because of all the encouragement that is given! I look up words to find their original meanings and just started using a commentary . We are running a race and Hebrews 12:1 says to ”…. and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” I needed this reminder! Even when I don’t feel like ‘digging’ into His Word, It never comes back void. I have everything I will need to meet the days tasks!! I am in this until the very end!! The Bible is a book you can’t put down…you keep on reading until the end; even though I know how this Book ends, It still pulls me in and keeps me hooked!!
Deanna,
You are so right! The Bible is living and breathing. You can read the same passage on a different day, and it will meet you right where you are. Thank you for dedicating yourself to the study of God’s Word through this study!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
I usually look at a couple of translations, and then might look at a commentary, as well. I’ve also used Precepts and as crazy as those colored pencils sounded to me at first, it really did help to see how many times a particular word was used in a chapter. There are so many ways to study! I’m so thankful for His Word, and this group. We added 3 new members to our little group in the past week, and in the past month, one who was not a Christ follower before! Praise God!
Kelly,
Bible journaling is a wonderful way to get entrenched in the Word. We are so thankful that your group is so dedicated to being godly examples to the unsaved and to discipling new believers. What a wonderful testimony your group will have. Keep us posted!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
The blog spoke to my heart today, as it always does. I thank and praise God for this ministry. But the comments of how others dig into the Word really encouraged me. I’ve never concidered myself much of a “digger”, but after reading how others dig, I found that I do many of the same things. I’m really bad and connecting the dots, I just trace the line the Lord lays out for me. It’s so encouraging and helpful to learn from others and see that we aren’t so different. We are all following the road map he’s given us digging in where we need to and finding hidden treasures along the way. God I love you!
Tori,
God is so amazing, because He meets us right where we are and guides us each at our own pace through His Word. We are so glad God led you to this ministry. We can’t wait to hear your testimony from this study and the future studies as well.
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
When I S.O.A.P. the scripture, read it 3 times but I 3 different translations. First in NLT, then Amplified, and then the Message. Then I pray and read the 2 commentaries I usually have open on the Bible app on my iPad.
I look for words and ideas that fit what is going on in my life, especially what I’m praying about in the lives others to use they to pray into their lives.
Just the other day my quirky mind tied ideas together, one studied and one prayed about and resulted in my going to my computer to write a devotional for my church website.
Psalm 119:106 jumped out to me about promising again and again. So like us humans to not keep our promise and have to do it over and over again. I think of that as a diamond of the rarest kind!
Dawn,
Your daily study of the Word is extremely comprehensive and thorough. I’m sure the Word just leaps off your Bible. Congrats on surrendering your heart and your talent to the Lord to be used to write your devotional. We pray that many lives are changed by your message. Thank you for joining us here for this wonderful study!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
I love the whole community concept. We need other people in our circle that will help us put things in perspective, give encouragement, hold to see the light or truth of whatever and visa versa. I try to pray and ask the holy spirit to give me revelation I need from bike reading. I sometimes read aloud. I often have dictionary, concordance to break down word or concepts. I do at tines,look at other translation. I may stick with a scripture for awhile until it “comes to life”
Angelicia,
Community is the way it’s meant to be. We were created for community and connection to walk together in the faith. We are so glad you’ve joined our LGG community, and prayerfully you are encouraging and uplifting all those around you with the things you’ve learned from this study. Blessings to you!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
Thanks so much for this post! I have no Christian friends where I live and this site makes me feel like I do! I have been going through some really tough things lately and wanting to just give up. This post has encouraged me so much! Thanks and God bless you all!
Jamie,
So glad that you were encouraged! I know that getting into the Word in community through LGG has been a source of strength for me during a very difficult season at our house. A verse that has really encouraged me to “keep on” is Psalms 32:7 where it says about God: “You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Praying for you today. God’s got you!
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager.
Ohhh Jaime!!
We are sooooo glad that you are here! Thank you so much for joining us!!! I know following the Lord can be lonely sometimes when you don’t have community around you. Praying for God to place some other Christians in your life where you live. Don’t forget that we also have LGG groups that you can join to help you have at least more online community with new Christian friends! Our groups will open up again before our new study in early September. 🙂
This morning I didn’t know what to say to the Lord.
I woke up and said GM but didn’t know what to pray. I left home without praying.
On the bus to work my heart was crying so the Holy Spirit led me to psalm8.
Oh what a beautiful psalm, I read and prayed it over and over again. God truly blessed me today. The words of the psalm were so precious my heart just swelled with love for the amazing God that we have
Olivia,
I love when God reaches our hearts even when there are no words. “What is man that You are mindful of Him?” That question from Psalm 8 still baffles me. I’m so thankful that the Lord spoke to you this morning and reminded you of how much He loves you. Also thankful that you were able to be an encouragement to us here at LGG through your post. Blessings to you!
Terria (LGG Encourager)
Today’s SOAP scriptures were just perfect for this day….my birthday. It was like a birthday card from Heaven! I always sent my parents two red roses on my birthday just to say thank you for giving me life. But they are gone now and I missed that this morning. But I was reminded of my heritage through my parents teaching me “His statutes” and truly through the years, His Words became the ‘joy of my heart’. My prayer EVERY day is, “Lord, find me faithful in keeping Your Word to my very end”. Thank you, Father, for my heavenly birthday card, and thank you, Sweet Sisters, for penning these words. Blessings!
Joan,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY…from all of us here at LGG to you! May your upcoming year be full of new discoveries of God’s love and His goodness. Thank you for joining us to study God’s Word each day!
Terria (LGG Encourager)
I must confess that I’ve been lazy in reading God’s word! Yes, I do my daily reading for this study, but that’s really it. In the past, I would read cross-references and other people’s notes and interpretation of the verses. Yes, God is so good and faithful, He still spoke to me through the few verses I would read a day. But, as I’ve been participating in the LGG FEAST group, so many of these women really dive into the daily verses. They take it apart, dissect it, fervently “dig into” it as for hidden treasure. As I read their SOAPs each day, I am simply amazed at the gems God blesses them with through their reading!!! It has encouraged me to “dig into” the word, as well! So I’ve been using biblehub and reading others’ notes on the bible app. It’s been such a blessing!
Mistie,
We are so thankful that you have the FEAST community to grow and mature with! Veronica, Amy, and Stephany work so hard and do a spectacular job of ensuring that all of the women are connected and rooted in God’s Word. Stick with it and watch the amazing things God will do through you! Thank you for your encouraging words!
Terria (LGG Encourager)
Ohhh the FEAST group is AMAZING!!!! So glad you are joining them, Mistie!!! Veronica, Amy and Stephany really do a beautiful job leading! So thankful for them and for you!:)
It is an incredible blog that encouraged me today!!
To dig the scriptures I use different translations and color to clarify if it is a commandment, promise, Holy Spirit and so on.
Juliana,
Thank you for your encouraging comment today! We are so glad you were blessed by Angela’s post!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
This was perfectly on time! I almost gave up on doing my Bible study tonight before reading this. It’s been a rough, long day and all I wanna do is go to bed. BUT I will go do a little mining instead. Bless you all!
Ohhh great job, Tiffany for persevering and “digging” even when you are so tired!!!
Tiffany I am so glad that you chose to dig into God’s word even when you were tired. I think this week in our study has been such a great reminder of why it is important to dig into God’s Word. He is our hiding place and our shield. Great job sister! (Jennifer, LGG Encourager)
My group recently went through a study on “How to Study the Bible” and a few of the recommended resources were the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (an extensive concordance that teaches you to use the Bible to interpret the Bible), Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, and Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of OT and NT Words. All of these resources have been incredible and I highly recommend them.
I also really recommend not just studying the Bible, but also reading it. Reading it to know what’s in it. I really like Prof. Grant Horner’s Bible Reading method because it has me reading through a variety of locations in the Bible at once which gives me a better understanding of what’s in there and I find that I understand in greater depth that the Bible does, in fact, interpret itself.
Good word, Angela. Thank you. 🙂
I have struggled with how to did deeper into God’s Word for years. Many days, feeling as if I was just going through the motions, comparing myself to others, etc. But through this study of the Psalms, and especially the comments from many, I have been so encouraged. I too have many of the same Bible study habits, such as: reading different translations, reading scripture text several times, but today I took the suggestions of using the commentaries and other sources and I was truly wowed by God. This study has made me so much more aware of what a treasure God’s Holy Word is. I am so thankful for the privilege it is to be able to spend time reading God’s Word daily. I will definitely be mining for more special gems every morning. Thank-you so much for sharing how to make God’s Word come alive. This study has been exactly what I needed for such a time as this. God has used you tremendously.