Everything we own or come across has some sort of instruction manual. Usually bulky, encyclopedia sized behemoths, but there are a few picture-book style pleasantries (pictured). I never read the instruction manual to anything that I buy. I probably miss out on a few features here and there, but I know that these features are either a) unnecessary or, b) seldom ever used. Of course, there is the rare epiphany of, "Oh! I didn't know this could do that! Sweet!!" and I feel foolish for not at least skimming through the instruction manual.

I know I'm not alone here; suggesting to read the instruction manual while setting up a new device at a friend's house always gets a chuckle. However, there is one instruction manual we should all read. This instruction manual has no pictures. No cutesy cartoons of stumpy clueless smurf-looking dudes carrying around huge pop-tarts. No count of how many nuts and bolts you're going to need. Nope, it's not written like a traditional instruction manual, but it most certainly is the most important one you'll ever read. And the most enjoyable.

Of course, I'm talking about the Bible. I love finding verses for anything that happens in my, or my friend's lives. The Bible is not just a history book written about events past, it is a dynamic, living guide to our daily lives. If you ever read any instruction manual in your entire life, make it the Bible. It's incredible how some verses can relate so exactly to so many different situations in our lives. And there is most definitely a verse for everything and anything that happens.

One way technology can help us apply the teachings of the Bible to our lives, is to help us quickly find relevant verses. Topical Bibles have been around for a while, but this relatively new website brings the speed and efficiency of computer search in the Bible right to your browser. The Topical Bible found at OpenBible.info/topics is a great resource for finding out what the Bible says about leavened bread, patience, even basketball? Okay, that last one is a bit of stretch, but it's cool that some verses do come up!

The best part? This is a Web 2.0 style site and that means there are people behind the data, keeping it alive and fresh. You search for a topic and then vote on the relevancy of the verses returned. This is so much more powerful than any printed topical Bible and the more that people use it, the more cool features you'll find in your life!

OpenBible.info/topics