How to Study the Bible

Ever wondered how to go about studying or reading the Bible? Maybe wondering where to even start? Here’s a few quick suggestions.

1) Start by reading through a book of the Bible at a time. Not necessarily from the beginning, although Genesis is a great book, but somewhere that appeals to you. If you like history, try 1 Samuel or Judges. If you enjoy quick moving action, try Mark. If you need something short to get that sense of completion, try James or 1 John. Reading through an entire book of the Bible at a time give you the whole picture of the story and can help keep things from becoming too confusing.

2) Decide on an amount that you’re going to read at a time. Either a chapter a day, or a paragraph a day or something. I like going through a chapter a day when I’m doing a basic overview. When I’m really wanting to dig in deep I’ll go 1 verse at a time.

3) When you read, mark words or phrases that stand out to you. Once you finish, go back and pick out a couple of the main ones that really stuck out to you. Think about the definitions of the words, write out questions about the verses apply to your life, or rewrite the verse in your own words. Find a method that works well for you to help you focus on the verse or phrase and the meaning behind it.

4) Make a conscious decision on how to apply what you’ve learned. Write out the actions you need to take to start practicing what you’ve just learned. Remember that just learning and knowing about the truth in God’s word, but not applying it will not change your life. Taking it to heart and applying it to your daily life is where the impact happens.

These are just some suggestions to help you get started. Whichever method you choose, the important thing is to do the study! Read, learn from, and enjoy God’s living Word; it will change Your life!