Month: May 2020

Do You Struggle to Read the Bible? (Part 3)

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So you’ve established a good discipline of reading the bible, but what about taking your reading a little further?

4. Studying

To study the bible is to take your reading and dig a little deeper to further your understanding. So where do you even start?

First of all, getting yourself a good study bible is super helpful. These typically contain footnotes, references and simple commentaries that will definitely point you in the right direction. There’s a lot to choose from, but totally worth exploring online to see which one is suitable for you.

I’ve used both the NIV Study Bible and the ESV Study Bible – both are fab.

With that checked off the list, there’s a few options out there for what to study. Remember – this part is not a read through, it’s choosing something to look at in a deeper way.

You might what to look at the following:

Character Study

The Bible is filled with the stories of ordinary people who God used to shape His world. An overview of them leaves no life experience left out – it really does cover a lot of ground.

Maybe you have some stories you love, or people you identify with because of what they journeyed. Reading round their entire story will help paint a better picture.

So take David for example – you’ll read about him mainly in Samuel, Kings and little in Chronicles. David also penned a good portion of the Psalms. So studying those books will help shape and start a good study of David.

There are so many great people to look at: Abraham & Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, Esther, Ruth, the Apostle Paul, Peter….. the list could go on. Just pick one and enjoy seeing how God transformed their life and used them in a remarkable way.

If He can do it with them, He can do it with you.

Themes

Perhaps looking at a certain topic seems a good option for you. Maybe looking at peace, or hope, love, forgiveness, dreaming etc …. whatever is going on in your life right now whatever you need you can find in the Bible.

To start studying a theme – go to the back of your bible and look up your particular word/phrase and see what verses it points you to.

Context

Looking into the cultural and historical context of the Bible brings a richness into studying it. Discovering what the world was like, what was going on in history, was was normal practice in that culture can help us understand how the first readers read its pages and understood it.

Even knowing the literary style helps form a deeper understanding.

For example – take the book of Ephesians. It’s a letter to the church in Ephesus, a church that Paul had help plant with Timothy. Do you know what Ephesus was like? Do you know how many Christians lived there? What was the spiritual practices in that place?

Without telling you – this is worth checking out, you’ll discover some epic things doing a background check on these things. In a study bible – the introduction to each book is a good place to start this process.

Word Study

Looking into the original language and its meaning is a great thing to do. For the Old Testament: Hebrew and the New Testament: Greek. There are just not enough English words available to fit what the original text actually says and means – hence why we have so many English translations of the bible.

This will become your favourite thing to do trust me.

So here are 2 sites that are worth checking out: Bible Hub and Blue Letter Bible

Both will let you check out parallel translations. The interlinear feature allows you to see the original translation and gives you access to the Strong’s Concordance which explains that word in detail.

Get your favourite verse – jump on these sites and see just how rich this practice is.

Commentaries and notes from biblical scholars are also featured on these sites and will help guide the whole process.

Enjoy it – it is totally worth your time.

5. Meditating

Memorising and studying scripture involves your head.

Meditation involves your heart.

Memorising and studying scripture involves your head, but meditation involves your heart.

Meditating on scripture literally means to read it and then think about it over and over and over again.

It’s engaging in a much deeper way. Thinking about how it applies to you and what it means. It involves taking time to think and slow down.

It’s not about gathering more information, but chewing on information you already have.

Coupling this practice with prayer allows a conversation to form between you and God as you invite the Holy Sprit to help you understand.

Something in this practice moves information from our head to our heart and in this space – we no longer just know stuff, but through the Holy Spirit we begin to experience and encounter the truth.

This is the greatest mystery of all and what makes the Bible a book like no other.

The words in the Bible have the power to transform your life, but only if you read it.

The Words in this book will transform your life but only if you read it and engage with it.

Do You Struggle to Read the Bible? (Part 2)

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For Part 1 – Click HERE

2. Reading

From the get go, reading the Bible is a bit different from reading any other book. It goes beyond reading a story or simply gathering information. You should read the Bible actively, listening to, reflecting and engaging with God as you do so. That’s not usually how we read – stopping and wondering what the author wants to do in us – that’s different to any other book and that’s what makes it an interesting book.

Choose a Translation That You Can Read Easily

The YouVersion Bible App is a great free bible app that lets you choose from multiple translation. Definitely worth checking out.

You are reading with a purpose to hear God.

The Amount You Read Doesn’t Matter

You are not reading the Bible to simply get through it, but to get the Bible through you.

Your are not reading the Bible to simply get through it, but to get the Bible through you.

Read it slowly, prayerfully. Pray through what you’re reading and ask God to help you understand and of course apply it into your life.

Balanced Reading

The whole canon of Scripture consists of 66 books that presents a full narrative that tells the story of God. Some books are harder than others to understand – but honestly, they matter. Having a favourite go to book is a good thing, but to get the big picture we need to have balanced reading of the entire Bible or we miss out on the breadth and depth of it.

There is a beauty to be discovered in the way the books weave into and inform the others.

YouVersion has so many whole bible plans.

You might find going cover to cover hard work and give up somewhere in the middle of the Old Testament. You could try the M’Cheyne Plan, it’s a good daily balance of the Old and New Testament.

(And don’t forget the audio option from Part 1)

3. Memory Work

Instantly you’ll be thinking Sunday School, the leaders as the front creatively teaching verses and a sweet or prize when you recited it correctly.

Memorising scripture is a great way of slowing down your intake and helps you focus on what you’re reading.

Helps You Recall When You Need it Most

If you’ve ever had to remember a verse or passage chances are you can still recall it.

Memorising scripture is a great way of engaging with the Bible. Have you tried it?

Jesus said that one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit was to help you remember the things that he said (John 14:26) If you’ve never read what Jesus said, how is He going to help you remember?

The format below for memorising scripture is taken from Chapter 5 in Lead Like Jesus

If you are doing the Back to Basis mini-series with us in church, we set the challenge this week of learning Ephesians 3:14-21.

Give it a go! I’d love to hear how you get on, or if you have other key passages you think are worth committing to memory leave a comment and inspire someone else.

For Part 3 Click Here