Cambridge SDA Church

PRACTICAL WAYS OF BIBLE STUDY

PRACTICAL WAYS OF BIBLE STUDY

by Pastor Lem Niere

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” Psalm 119:105.


Bible study (and/or) Bible reading is important for our Christian growth and development. Here are practical suggestions to make your Bible reading effective and fulfilling.

  1. Read the Bible with prayer. Engaging the Bible regularly is a spiritual exercise, and you need spiritual power and discernment to do it well. Ask God for a receptive and disciplined heart, and that He speak to you through the Word. Since you treat the Bible as His word for you, nurturing a spiritual atmosphere through prayer is a must.
  2. Read the Bible expectantly and with joy. Being joyful and thankful is a positive attitude in approaching Scripture. Allow the music of God’s Word to give you joy in its contemplation.
  3. Meditate on what you read. To meditate is to mentally “chew” what we are reading, to think about what the passage means as well as its implications for belief and practice. Reading the Bible in a rush will never benefit you long term, if what you want is to know what God has to share for your wellbeing.
  4. Read for transformation. The Bible is not meant only to inform but to transform us in accordance with God’s truth. Seeking God’s Word for “proofs” to bolster an agenda or to prove one’s particular position will not be helpful as a Christian.
  5. Read with perseverance. Commit yourself to being consistent for the next 10 to 12 weeks, which is about how long it takes to form a long-term habit. Habitual reading of the Bible will make you hunger for more of God’s precious truth. The Bible is a gold mine and it takes perseverance in getting those gems. 
  6. Be realistic about the goals you set, and have a good plan. George H. Guthrie, a Bible scholar, said, “If you take just 20 to 30 minutes per day, you can read through the whole Bible in a year. In just 10 to 15 minutes per day, you can read through the whole Bible in two years. The key is not volume but consistency and a clear plan.”
  7. Read in light of the overarching story of the Bible. Reading the Bible is much more meaningful if you read it in light of its overarching story. As you read, notice great interwoven themes such as how creation in Genesis 1-2 relates to creation themes in Psalm 8, Isaiah 66:17-25, John 1, Romans 8:19-22, and Revelation 21. Note where each book of the Bible fits in the overall development of God’s story.

 

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for your Word. I pray that you will give me the discipline to study it carefully. Guide me by your Spirit and lead me to the truth. Amen.