Habakkuk 2:2b ISV Write out the revelation, engraving it clearly on the tablets, so that a courier may run with it.

1. "Your high tech treasure house – the electronic journal"
2. "God's word, the insights and wisdom you had learned should be easily retrievable."
3. Additional tips
4. What MySword Journals can do for you

"Your high tech treasure house – the electronic journal"

Prov 2:1-5 NET My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you, by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding, indeed, if you call out for discernment – raise your voice for understanding – if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand how to fear the LORD, and you will discover knowledge about God.

A. Imagine physical treasures. These are the things that you will probably do:

1. You will build a secure treasure house for them so that the enemy cannot steal them.
2. You will employ security guards, high tech surveillance and security system.
3. You will organize, catalog and compartmentalize them so that it will be easy for you to retrieve or locate them when they are needed.
   • You will install a system that will allow you to search the catalog easily, show you photographs, description, and the location in your treasure house.
4. You will share your museum to your friends.

B. In the same way, the precious treasures you find in God's word should be stored up or treasured properly:

1. Your journal is the secure treasure house. The enemy can only steal your treasures if you forget them so journalizing them is properly storing and guarding them.
2. You will also guard your journal – put it in a secure place and back it up (that is the advantage of an electronic journal).
3. You will also organize your journal, catalog the entries by giving each a title and an ID, and compartmentalize the entries by assigning categories or tags so that it will be easy for you to retrieve or locate any insight when needed.
   • The electronic journal has the greatest advantage as it allows you to have an easily searchable collection of documents (insights) using full-text search; automatic ID assignment; easy document retrieval; cross referencing with other entries; photo and drawing/diagram support; and link integration with the Bible, commentaries, dictionaries and other books. On top of that is portability – I can bring my journal anywhere if a copy is in my smart phone.
   • All these are made possible with MySword!
4. You will also share your insights and discoveries to your friends.

C. If you treasure the insights God has given you this way, treating them as very precious, then God will give you more because you are being a good steward.

"God's word, the insights and wisdom you had learned should be easily retrievable."

Prov 4:20-21

KJV Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

NET Do not let them depart from your sight,guard them within your heart

If something is always in front of you, you will not lose sight of it unless you close your eyes. Now if you place many things in front of you, the situation changes a bit.

If you have many little things you can spread them in such a way as none is obscured by another. But finding an item is hard if they are not organized. If they are all organized into sections, and a section is organized into subsections and so on, you can easily retrieve a certain item.

If you have several big things, it is hard to arrange them in such a way as not to obscure some items. Organization is still very important but this time it is like a supermarket that you have to walk to the desired aisle to get your item.

So how do we not lose sight of God's word, the insights and wisdom we had learned? Make it easily retrievable just like organized things. In previous insights, I had already talked about journalizing, meditating, memorizing, applying, etc.

The following are additional tips:

1. Paper-based Bible and journal

• A Bible with concordance is a great help for looking up a verse using a keyword that you remember.
• A table of contents will be helpful for your journal.
• If you are brave enough, create also an index of keywords.
• For the table of contents and index, use the date of insight, anyway your journal is already chronologically arranged.

2. Electronic Bible

• PDA, PDA cellphone or Smartphone is better than Desktop PC based because you can bring it anywhere. Last 2007, Windows Mobile-based with Pocket e-Sword is best. You can easily go to a certain verse of a certain Bible version. There is also a search capability but a bit slow if you are searching the entire Bible or even the Old Testament. However, there are several dictionaries you can use for a topical search. Fast-forward to 2011, MySword is now a better alternative for Android devices.
• The next best tool is a tablet PC. It is faster than the PDA and you still have the convenience of using the stylus or a keyboard (assuming convertible) or your fingers. With this you can also use mind-mapping software. Thankfully, we now have a proliferation of Android tablets.
• Using electronic Bible is, of course, better than a paper one. Try MySword!

3. Electronic Journal

• The key here is speed in searching and mobility as well so that your insights are easily accessible, retrievable.
• For PDAs, it would be nice to have picture support so you can place diagrams that will easily convey or illustrate things. Hey, this is now supported by MySword v.2.0.
• The tablet PC is again the best, the e-productivity winner. You can easily write your insights either using the stylus or keyboard or fingers. You can even prepare mindmaps. You have a full PC at your disposal. You are even not limited anymore in options.

4. iPod, audio players, cellphones

• You can also listen to audio Bibles, though I still prefer reading because of the control of pace.
• You can even convert your journal into audio.
• You can record key phrases or sentences from your insights and repeat them so that they will be stored in your heart.
• Of course, the low tech version is an index card, unless you can put the text or audio in your cellphone.

5. Internet-based journals, diaries, blogs

• If you do not own high-tech gadgets but you have easy access to the internet always, private on-line journal, diary or blog site can be useful also.
• However, the access or retrieval time will be longer because you still have to locate a computer connected to the internet. And such may not be readily available in your bedroom unless you have a desktop computer there (booting is another problem though).
• But the advantage is write anywhere, so you can use this to journalize your activities and some additional insights. Later on, you can export them and convert to a portable one.

What MySword Journals can do for you

When you first run MySword v.2.0, there are 6 default journals that will be automatically created for you. You can access them by going to the Journal/Book View. Here are those journals:

1. MyBibleJournal
   • Write your own topical notes and insights. The MySword v.1.X Personal Notes is actually a Verse Notes type, i.e., the notes are attached to a particular Bible verse. With MyBibleJournal, you can write topical notes that can span many verses.
2. MySermonNotes
   • Jot down church outline sermon notes.
   • MySermonNotes is a helpful and useful feature that allows you to use Android smartphones or tablets to write notes during sermons, classes and Bible studies. It's paperless and has the following features: input notes anywhere, anytime. You never need to look for paper or pen again.
   • You'll have convenient access to your past sermon notes. You will never need to search for misplaced past paper notes again.
   • Includes verse selector to help you choose any of the 66 books of the Bible for your notes input, eliminating the need to manually type them.
3. MyDiary
   • MyDiary is a good feature which is an excellent way to keep a personal journal of day to day thoughts, goals, feelings, memories, dreams, ideas and important events in your life. It is an electronic personal diary journal for diary writing and keeping. The diary software helps keep your personal diary organized and retrievable. Photos can be inserted and articles in other journals, Bible references, commentaries, and dictionary entries may be linked as well. It is designed to be a companion that helps you to capture every memorable moment of your daily life. It is exceptionally easy to use which you can start using immediately. Diary keeping becomes easy, exciting and fun!
4. MyScripturePromises
   • As you read the The Word daily, make a list of links for yourself of your favorite Scripture promises in healing, financial breakthrough, protection, wisdom, success, love, forgiveness, courage, guidance, salvation, righteousness and many more promises of God.
   • By confessing them out aloud in faith, miracles of God's blessing, power and grace will be experienced.
   • "In general, choose a particular list of verses that applies to a specific present need and start reading them through. Ask the Lord to make them alive to you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Turn those verses which are "quickened" into prayers of faith, praise and thanks. Pray them frequently to the Lord. Soon they will be "memorized" in the heart and will be the channel for the power of God to work" (- Ken B.)
5. WhatsInYourMind
   • A blog about spirituality, transformation, ideas and thought. When you open your mind anything is possible. Now look at the world from a different point of view. Write or record any God given ideas, wisdom, plans, instructions and thoughts you have.
6. MyNotes
   • Write an outline notes on seminars, lectures, meetings, trainings and other activities. If you want your cellphone and tablet PC to be your notebook and notepad (reminder notes) you can create your own MyNotes entries.