You can make your own Bible a personal chain-reference encyclopedia of Bible subjects. It is easy to do, and you can have fun doing it. If you do it with some of your friends or neighbors it might even be more interesting. You will need a Bible that has enough margin space for writing in at least 4 small letters, and if your friends have different translations it will be informative to compare as you study together.

        First you choose your subject, such as # 1. God's Great Peace Plan; Code: GP; color: red; first text: Gen.1:27-28.  (A list of 52 subjects with their codes and texts is provided.  You may copy this list onto the flyleaf of your Bible or cut it out and paste it on.) If you choose # 1. God's Great Peace Plan, then the first text you find to mark is Gen.1:27-28. With a black fine point pen, circle just the numbers 27 and 28; print the code GP in the margin near the top of these verses, then in the space below, or if there is space after the verse you may use that, print the next text listed on your Bible marking lesson sheet.        

           Before turning to that 2nd reference you may wish to color-code your text with red pencil or pen. This is not necessary but it will help you locate and separate subjects. (I use the Eagle or Berol Verithin flexible lead pencil because it does not fade or bleed through. They have special colored pens made for the thin india paper of your Bible which are sold in Book and Bible stores. Many people use these to underline the text. I use the pencil very lightly and I always put a 4 X 6 inch card behind the page being marked to give a good backing. I don't shade the whole text but I shade around the text. Be creative and shade or color it any way you wish.)  

            After you have located the second text, circle the verse number, and print in the margin GP then print the third text from your lesson sheet in the margin, color code this the same as before and continue on through all the texts. When you come to the last text of the lesson you mark it the same but instead of printing the next text in the margin you print END and that means the end of that lesson.    

           Some Bible teachers have used the tiny cross, ( )   crown, () and law ( ) or open Bible (&) symbols as indicated in the lessons. This is a reminder of the eternal moral principles that are basic elements of every study. The law or bible represents faith; the crown represents hope; and the cross represents the great sacrificial love of God for the salvation of mankind. There is at least one salvation text marked with a cross in every study. 

1. It makes your own Bible a personal topical chain-reference encyclopedia.

2. It has 104 different subjects.

3. Each subject has a lesson question outline to guide in individual or group studies.

4. With a few important exceptions, it does not use the same text more than once.

5. Every lesson has the Faith, hope and love theme with code symbols for the key verses.

6. It suggests a color-coded system to make it easier and quicker to find verses.

7. It offers visual aid suggestions and other ideas for public presentations.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBLE STUDY

"I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man." - Abraham Lincoln

"I always have said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands." - Thomas Jefferson

"The first and almost the only Book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. I speak as a man of the world...and I say to you, 'Search the Scriptures."' - John Quincy Adams

"The study of the Bible demands our most diligent effort and persevering thought. As the miner digs for the golden treasure in the earth, so earnestly, persistently, must we seek for the treasure of God's word." - Ellen G. White

"There is no other book so various as the Bible, nor one so full of concentrated wisdom. Whether it be of law, business, morals or that vision which leads the imagination in the creation of constructive enterprises for the happiness of mankind, he who seeks for guidance...may look inside its covers and find illumination." - Herbert Hoover

Addressing the American Bible Society at Springfield, Lincoln said: "It seems to me that nothing short of infinite wisdom could by any possibility have devised and given to man this excellent and perfect moral code. It is suited to men in all conditions of life, and inculcates all the duties they owe to their Creator, to themselves, and to their fellow men."

            Are you able to give a Bible answer to anyone who asks about your faith? 1 Peter 3:15 (LB) declares, "Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way." History will be repeated and true Christians will be brought before councils to answer for their faith. Truth will be challenged and severely criticized.

            Therefore, are you able to name the things that you believe? Are you ready to give a text to prove what you believe? Are you able to give texts to explain why you believe? For example: What do YOU know about Creation?---Can you recall a text where the Bible declares that Jesus created the worlds?---What text (other than Eccl.9:5) tells about the condition of man in death?---What text (besides Ex.20) would you use to show the importance of the Ten Commandments?---- What text in the Bible (in addition to Jn.14:1-3) speaks of the Second Coming of Christ?

            The above questions were used in a questionnaire survey of Academy and College students by a certain parochial school system. The results were so bad that their Department of Education decided to correct this weakness in their Bible teaching. They asked a pastor to develop a Bible Marking and a verse-subject memorizing plan. He did this and had great success. His plan consisted of 30 subjects with only six texts and propositions to memorize for each subject. The strong point in his program was not the chain reference marking, but it was his own dynamic personality and his method of teaching the students. I saw him drill seven to nine year old children, and in just twenty minutes they had memorized six texts and their six propositions.

            He made a game out of it. He selected six students and they lined up in front of the class. Then he followed a simple procedure using much repetition. He would say, "Mary, your name is Genesis 1:1, and when I call your name I want you to repeat this proposition: - 'In the beginning God created'. Are you ready, Genesis 1:1? Can you say, 'In the beginning God created'?" Then after she said it he would pass to the next student. - "Billy, your name is John 1:1-3, and when I call your name I want you to repeat this proposition: 'All things were made by Jesus'. Can you say, 'All things were made by Jesus'? - He proceeded on in a similar manner with each child, and then he would ask, What do you know about Creation?" and point to each child who would respond, "I know - In the beginning God created; - I know - All things were made by Jesus!" He would go through all six propositions and then ask for any student who could repeat them all. Children from the class were anxious to stand as soon as they felt they could do it. It was amazing how well they did this. If primary children can do this, so can you. Repetition and practice is the secret of success.

            In the past there have been many Bible marking and study plans.  I especially liked one called, "MY BIBLE SAYS" but all the programs were excellent in helping people to study their Bibles. It is my hope that this new Bible Marking plan will help revive Bible study, and that all who use it will be able to give an answer for their faith.

DO YOU REMEMBER? --- "Railroad Crossing! Look out for the Cars!" Can you spell that without any "r"s? [answer = yes,  "t - h - a - t."] --- Another old-fashioned item: The crossed boards warning signs they used to have at all railroad crossings?  Do you remember the words of warning? ___ _ They were: STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN!  It proved to be a life and death message for many years. Let me suggest that God has put up his cross warning, the biggest warning sign that would catch our attention if anything could. It says "Stop!" and it also says, "Look!" and "Listen!"

STOP! IThere stands the Cross!    The one being executed upon it is an innocent man dying in your stead. He suffers the anguish and agony of final death on the most cruel instrument of torture ever devised. He willingly dies in your place. What LOVE! Jesus loves you so much! God the Father also loves you for He suffers the same mysterious agony of separation as His beloved Son in this terrible crucifixion scene. Your mistakes and sins have condemned you along with the entire human race to death, but the Father and the Son both love you so much that they agree to pay for your life. Here is love unlimited! Here is God's plan for your eternal life and peace! STOP! Stop and think! Was such a sacrifice necessary to pay for your sin?

            Notice: Every study will have some scripture thought related to this theme. It is only this great love theme that can and will convert hearts. Watch for the small sign of the cross  to remind you of God's love, the greatest of all gifts to mankind.U

LOOK! Although God's plan for 'man's peace was interrupted by sin, the Holy Scriptures show how God's original plan will be restored. They tell of the way already provided so that any man can be reinstated on the high road of holiness, happiness and eternal life. They picture everlasting life without sin, suffering, death or any curse! Look! The beautiful picture is given of the bear, the wolf, and the calf all dwelling peacefully together. Look! The lion and the lamb frolic together and a little child plays with them all. Look! Jesus is King and His kingdom is a Kingdom of eternal peace. It will be the more abundant life for everyone: - planting gardens, building houses, and traveling to the capital city. It will be a joyful life of activity: seeing, hearing, feeling, eating, playing, learning, traveling, growing and enjoying it all for ever and ever. What a blessed HOPE!

            Notice: The element of hope is in each study and the small crown   in the margin is to remind you of this. All titles, names, and attributes of Jesus assure us of a crown of life. It is through his name and power that we can have hope. Look up! Take Courage because the Victory is ours. Be glad and rejoice for we are saved by hope, and the crown is a fitting symbol of hope.

LlSTEN! OGod's word echoes the sound of the rushing train of angels coming with Jesus to take his faithful children to their heavenly mansions. Are You ready? Listen carefully so that you might know what to do. Listen thoughtfully to each verse in order to understand God's plan for your life. Listen with the ears of appreciation; accepting and obeying the instruction God gives you. That is FAITH! "Faith" is the key word. It is what you need. God has endowed every man with a measure of faith, but each person must use it, or lose it. He must let his faith grow, or it will die. How do you exercise it so that it will grow? Study prayerfully God's word. Be willing to follow all of God's practical suggestions and you will develop a strong, living faith.

            Notice: Every study has golden threads of faith woven into it. It has some practical lesson or command for us today and the law-tablet   or open Bible &  symbol will mark those important verses. Obedience to God's laws brings happiness and peace. Real faith means to trust and obey!

            When you see the cross, STOP and think: "This is love!" Love should be in every doctrine and a cross can be marked in every Bible lesson. There are crowns, the symbol of hope, which you should LOOK for. There is also at least one law tablet or open bible symbol of Faith, which you should search for and LISTEN for further instructions. The reason for using these symbols is to remind ourselves that a theoretical knowledge of the scripture is not enough to save us, and that we must have a living experience. We must have a connection with the Savior. By faith, hope, and love we can have this personal experience of fellowship, happiness and peace.

I have added a star Y  symbol to some of the lessons. It marks a story of a Bible hero or star who put faith into action. I call it zeal. It is not just so much talk. It is walking the walk!  There are many such stories that will encourage us to persevere in the path of duty.

The Faith, Hope, and Love theme in my

Bible marking studies is very important. It has been a spiritual blessing to me. I enjoy drawing and doodling around and have made up logo drawings to illustrate different ideas.  Here is one logo as an example of what I have tried to do. To see more of my art work.  Click on paintings.