Studying the bible is something I hold very close to heart and feel it is essential to growing and being encouraged as a Christian.
This is the Life Journal I use that I got from:< a href="http://www.enewhope.org/firststeps/journaling/">New Hope Christian Fellowship Oahu church that started the Life Journal/SOAP</a>
It is both personal, as in taking time each day, to study the bible or as public as participating through the church, bible group, or however, in studying the bible and can take many shape and forms, but the importance, is that no matter what, as a follower of Christ, we take the time to study His Word, so we can understand, so we can grow and we can be strengthen.
Before I continue, I wanted to share that there is a difference between reading the bible and studying the bible.
What do I mean by that?
- Reading the Bible-involves, taking the time to explore His word, meditating, praying over, searching and learning what each 66 book of the bible, means.
From, jesuswalk.com’s article,”How to Improve Your Personal Time“, the author of the article shares the following:
First, recognize that Bible reading and Bible study are both important, but different. In order to grow, you need to read the Bible every day as part of your time with God — your devotions or Quiet Time. During this daily time with God I recommend prayer, wide Bible reading, praise, thanksgiving, confession, and meditation — these are ways to reach out to God with your spirit. Bible reading is one way of letting God refresh your spirit and speak to your mind. If you really want to learn the Bible, I recommend that you read broadly rather than narrowly. A one-verse devotional may be quick, but it won’t really help you understand the Bible.
So as you can see, when you are really taking the time to read His Words, it’s not quick. It’s really taking the time to just digest what has been read, understanding the context of what is read and what is behind what is read.
- Bible Study-Bible study, generally is more topical; Maybe it’s about a specific issue or biblical character.
Ultimately at the heart of bible reading is this:
It’s possible to be so engrossed in Bible study that you forget the most important purpose of Bible study. It’s not Bible knowledge for its own sake nor being able to quote verses and recite orthodox doctrine. Ultimately, the purpose of Bible study is to learn exactly what the Bible teaches so that you can apply its teachings to your life.-From, jesuswalk.com’s article,”How to Improve Your Personal Time“
As for me, I have been using several tools for the past three years:
- A life journal-Here’s all my life journal entries, so far
- A good bible that is both comfortable but also literal; This is why I don’t like the “Message” bible, due to the fact it’s more of a “Cliff Notes” version
- Highlighting markers and I have a color code to break down more, the verses
It’s prayers and hopes that you will make reading His Word, a daily part of your life; As Grace Points share in “Why Study the Bible“:
* Studying the bible helps us know the truth: As students of the bible, we must not trust the authority of man, but search the scriptures to see what God says. We must study the bible with diligence and prayer.
Even the Bereans, after hearing from Paul, went to the Scriptures and search to see if what he said, measured up against God’s word and searched His word daily, rather than just rely on what any one just said. It’s not about popular teachers or writers, or our friends or family have to say, but what our Father, first and foremost and always has to say!
Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
2Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
