3 SIMPLE WAYS TO STUDY YOUR BIBLE WITH BETTER RESULTS.

Hello friend!

We’re so excited to have you join us on the first edition of a series that will bless you mightily- How to study the Bible. I trust that you’re ready to be blessed? Then, let’s get the ball rolling!

In ancient times, the Bible was not made available to everyone who wanted to know more about God. Scriptures were recorded in scrolls and all who cared to know more about it had to go to the temple to hear the scripture being read out loud.

Definitely, God wasn’t satisfied with that. God worked seriously behind the scenes to make sure that Bible you hold or access today got to you!

Yes! You are that special to him. No matter the billions of people who have access to God’s treasury, God is not satisfied till you get yours too. Awesome, right? That’s how you have the Bible in your hands today- God’s personalized love letter and life manual to you.

Even more, as you study your Bible, God is keenly concerned about you getting the most out of it. That’s why this post is coming your way today. Hurray!

In case you’re a new believer wondering how to go about studying your Bible, this wonderful series is for you! This series, How to study the Bible, will teach you or remind you of time-tested Bible study techniques that will improve your Bible study. You can actually try out these methods and watch what amazing things you will find in God’s word.

Let’s dive in!

READING IS NOT ALWAYS STUDYING!

Some may say, “Well, I read my Bible every day, this post cannot possibly apply to me.” Guess what? Reading is not always studying.

“You can read the Bible without studying it, but you cannot study the Bible and not read it.”

ANONYMOUS

You can read the Bible without actually studying it. When you read the Bible, you have only scratched the surface of the treasures you could be getting when you study.

A study is a specialized and more in-depth research that will help you comprehend and apply the truths of God’s word. (Click here to read on “A complete course on Biblical interpretation”). When you engage in a Bible study and you build your life on the truth you find from God’s word, your life will definitely shine brighter than the Sun.

Studying doesn’t have to be so complex but it requires devotion and consistency. It takes a plan and strategy. Study is not haphazard; it is stepwise and progressive. Study requires methods and know-how tactics.

If you have been reading your Bible without any strategy or methodology, stay put, this post is for you! You just pick up your Bible and open to any random chapter in the Bible and say “Hey, that’s where God wants me to study today.” That may be true but much more, God wants your study to be consistent, progressive and strategic also.

If you need to shake things up in your Bible study life, stay on course, we’ve got just the right tips for you!

BIBLE STUDY IS NOT A PASTORAL THING!

I think this is where most believers get it wrong. When they see specialized courses on the Bible or a group of believers studying the Bible so consistently and devotedly. They feel “I don’t need that, I’m not going to be a Pastor.”

Studying the Bible has nothing to do with being a Clergy or not! The Bible is not some theological school Manual, it’s a life manual. God put his word together to help you get your way through life not just to set you up with a collar later on.

For instance, imagine a person who is about to ride on a boat on a stormy sea. The person is presented with a life jacket before entering the boat but he thinks “I’m not a swimmer, I don’t need that.” Funny right? That’s what a lot of believers do.

If you don’t find time and space to conduct your own personalized study and you live off your Pastors study life alone, you may not have enough to survive in the stormy winds of life. There will be days when your Pastor won’t even be around and you will need God’s word to confront a particular situation. If you have not been a good student of God’s word, your strength may fail you in those days.

We don’t study God’s word to have something to talk or preach about, we study to have something to live on.  We don’t study God’s word to feel good in Church, we study God’s word to live the life God wants for us on earth every day. In fact, we start by reading God’s word but in the end, God’s word ends up reading us!

“We start by reading God’s word but in the end, God’s word ends up reading us!”

UNVEILING THE SCRIPTURES.

ITS STUDY TIME!

Now you know how important God’s word is to life and living, it’s time to really get yourself into some study that will help you grow in your walk with God. Here are 3 proven methods you should engage in your study of the Bible. If you have not been practising them before, start putting them to work and you will love the results you see. Here we go:

1. Utilize a Bible study plan.

As mentioned earlier, every study has to be systematic and strategic.  Many believers make the mistake of picking up their Bibles and just reading any chapter at any time. We don’t read other books that way, do we? So how come we read the Bible this way and think we will get the best results?

If you will get the best out of studying the Bible, you need a study plan. A study plan does not complicate your study, rather it makes your study more organized and engaging. You can design a custom-made study plan that will fit into your schedule and pace. You can also get several Bible study plans online also (You can check out the You Version Bible app or Bible Study tools for great study plans that will suit you). Once you find one that works for you, stick to it!

A study plan doesn’t have to be complicated, it could be simple as “I want to have a study on the new testament for the next three months.” Once you have a goal like this in mind, it will guide you to know what to pace to move with the books and chapters involved in your study”

2. Have a specialized Bible study notebook.

Okay, let me take you through a short exercise.

I will count from 1 to 10, within that time you are to mention one unforgettable revelation you got from reading or studying your Bible in the year 2020. Please do this as sincerely as possible. Are you ready? Set? *Drumrolls*…… Let’s go!

1…2…3…4…5…6…7….8…9…10

So, how did it go? Were you able to mention one in ten seconds or none came? Whichever way it went, thanks for participating in the exercise. Give yourself a big hug on my behalf!

The exercise was just to remind you of a simple truth. The human brain could be very volatile. It’s not enough to just study the Bible and discover truths for daily living; you must get a study notebook so that you will never lose these truths as time passes.

When we go through turbulent daily activities, there is a tendency for a good percentage of people to actually forget salient truths they learnt in the past. These truths fly away except someone reminds them or they wrote it down themselves.

You can save yourself the pain of trying hard to remember a great truth you found in God’s word some years ago by just writing it down in a notebook dedicated to your Bible study alone. Do not use a sheet of paper, or just pick up any notebook you can find when you want to study. Get a separate notebook, date your Bible studies, keep your jotting organized and clearly written- in a way you will understand easily anytime you pick it up again.

Make sure you keep your Bible study notebooks carefully and take them along with you when moving to another apartment or city. You will be surprised at how useful those truths will be for you when you reference them in years to come.

Remember, hidden in God’s word are inexhaustible treasures that will beautify your life. If you truly consider God’s word to you as a treasure, you will do your best to make sure your treasure is safely kept so you never lose it.  Don’t lose your treasures, get a Bible study notebook!

3. Have a Bible study partner/group.

This is a time-tested strategy that always works. The Bible affirmed in Ecclesiastes 4:9 that two are better than one. If you find it difficult to understand the Bible, or you find it difficult to keep up with your Bible study plan, you really should consider forming a study group with a number of people who are like-minded.

If you can form a study group and be committed to studying the Bible with your study partner or group, you will find tremendous growth in your walk with God. You don’t have to be shy about telling someone to join your study group. If you can’t form a group yet, surely you can find at least a person who will be your study partner.

 You can host your study partner or group in your apartment or any other venue that suits you.  To make things even more interesting, you can offer your study partner/group incentives that will make them happy to come around to learn God’s word. You can offer them refreshments or a picnic at intervals to celebrate your growth in God’s word.

 If you can’t meet your study group or partner physically, utilize social media to form a group and meet online. Whether online or Offline, just make sure your study group is effective and active. Anyone you will ask into your study group should be willing to join and ready to cooperate with you to study God’s word. 

You stand to gain a lot of benefits in forming a Bible study group. If you can successfully maintain a study group/partner they will grow from being study partners to become family and close friends most times. Go ahead and form one today.

 You can also join our community of Bible-loving believers on the Unveiling the Scriptures telegram group HERE. Who knows? Your study partner could be waiting for you there.

 I believed this post has blessed you, comment below, we’ll be glad to hear from you. Do you also encounter any problems in your Bible Study and you need help on it? Feel free to share them in the comments below also.

 Remain Blessed!