Studying Your Bible
If you are like me when I received my first Bible back in 1966 you may have thought, “Okay, now what do I do with this gift?” “How do I go about studying this Holy Book?” Now some 58 years later, it occurred to me, while I was preparing my own Bible Study Lesson to teach, I did not know when I learned how to study my Bible or had someone come along beside me to help teach me the wonderful, truths, stories, promises, prophesies and lessons that were contained between the covers.
What about you? It occurred to me when a new believer or even a non-believer receives a Bible it ought to come with a mentor, friend, a little “how to study your new Bible” pamphlet or something.
Today there are thousands of these small booklets available from any book retailer and religious organization and church. So, this is available to just about everyone. I will entrust you to find one that speaks to you.
I will also encourage you to find a church to attend who speaks and teaches God word from the Bible vs what is being talked about in popular global culture. This isn’t what God had in mind. I would also encourage you to find a local Women’s or Men’s or Coed Bible Study Group you can attend, learn, pray with and study on a weekly basis. This is a key component in learning, understanding, and living out the message of God’s Love Letter to us – The Bible.
I have been teaching a Women’s Bible Study for over 10 years and with each new study, I let those who are in our group some of the items and tips I find very helpful and if they so choose to do so, use them in their own studying and read of God’s Love Letter to us – The Bible.
Here’s my list:
- Gold Ink Ball Point pen – I use this to put a gold cloud around each of the promises in my Bible. There are over 8,000 PROMISES in the Bible!
- Non-bleeding highlighter – I began highlighting every verse in my Bible that I have studied and read. It is not completed highlighted, and I have much more to learn, but it does show me that I am reading God’s word.
- Page Numbers – Putting the page number in my Bible Study Lesson Book of where that scripture is in my Bible. You will have specific scripture to look up in your weekly lessons. So, I will remember exactly what page that scripture is in my Bible I write down the page number.
- Application – As you read and study your Bible and your weekly study lessons, I always ask myself, “How does this apply to my life, or How can I apply this in my daily life?” This is vital otherwise you are not incorporating what you are taught to live and walk as Jesus did in his humanity while on the earth.
- Context – So often while doing a Bible study, we are given a scripture to look up that is supposed to “pertain” to the topic/study we are doing. That is all well and good, however, we must remember to read the context of what we are reading. We are not to “lift” scripture to prove a teaching or point. You can do this by reading the heading over a group of scripture, the “Introduction” to each book the scripture is in, which is located at the beginning of each book of the Bible.
- Study Helps – What are study helps anyway? These are items to own which are books, vs internet searches. These include:
- A Bible [in a version you can easily understand],
- A Bible Dictionary,
- A Concordance [ this is used to look up Greek, Aramaic or Hebrew words used in your Bible],
- Bible Atlas,
- A set of Bible Commentaries [there are two types of commentaries – 1 is book specific and whole Bible volumes. I would suggest you use ones which are tried and true.
- You may also want to have a lovely Journal where you write your prayers, answered prayers, praises and notes from your studies.
- An A – Z Guide to Bible Signs & Symbols
- Where to Find It in the Bible book
- The Manners and Customs of Bible Times
- Any and all of the “Rose Publishing” small pamphlets are available. These cover all sorts of topics in a laminated foldout format.
Plus a nice comfortable chair, with light and a quiet place to be with God.
All of the above-mentioned items are readily available at online bookstores. If you are fortunate enough to have a Christian Book Store near you, I prefer to look at these items in person, touch them, read some and make my decision then. You may ask: “Do I need to purchase all of these all at once?” Of course not. This would be a great expense. Talk with other Christians who have been in Bible Study for a long time and ask to share their “Bible Helps.” This new friendship will be of great benefit to you and your deepening faith. I didn’t purchase my library of Bible Helps all at once. I purchased items as I needed them.
If you need help with any of the above-mentioned items, reach out. I am here to help! I have led a woman’s bible study for more than 10 years and I have seen and heard it all.
May God bless all your endeavors and study. Thank Him for your blessing showered upon you every day.
janice@janicebastanicoaching.com
8914 Collina Ct.
Granite Bay, CA 95746
908-229-3797
www.janicebastanicoaching.com
www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/janicebastani
