If you are a beginner or feel intimidated, confused, or overwhelmed when it comes to studying the Bible, then I want to show you 6 steps that can help you in reading God’s Word.
God’s Word—the Bible—is your instruction manual for life. It contains wisdom, encouragement, and comfort. There is always an answer to any particular problem or situation nestled in the words of the Bible. But if you are new to reading Scripture, you may not know where to start or how to understand what you are reading. That is why these 6 simple steps can help you study the Bible with more confidence.
6 STEPS TO TAKE WHEN STUDYING THE BIBLE
First, pray before you begin.
You want to make sure that you pray for God to give you clarity while reading His Word. You also need to pray for God to show you where to start reading in the Bible. The Holy Spirit will guide you in the direction you should go. With the Holy Spirit guiding you, this allows God to show you what you need to learn from His Word.
Second, find the verse that stands out to you.
While reading, find a verse that jumps off the page at you. A verse that speaks to you or stands out above all the rest. Once you have that verse, you will need to read the surrounding verses to help you understand the context of that verse.
Many people like to start reading the book of John. There is no right or wrong answer to picking out which book to start reading. That is why I suggested praying about it, because the Holy Spirit will guide you to the place that is best for you to read.
I also like to read the verse in different translations to help me better understand it. I use the Bible App, which has all kinds of Bible translations like New Living Translation, Easy Reading Translation, and Amplified Translation.
Third, ask the who, what, where, and why.
You will want to get the who, what, where, and why from the verse. Let me give you an example:
Who wrote the verse?
What is the verse talking about?
Where is the verse taking place?
Why was this verse written?
To answer these questions, you can look at the front of each book of the Bible. Certain Bibles will give a description telling you where and who wrote the book. I use Charles Stanley’s Life Principles Bible. It gives a detailed summary at the beginning of each book and footnotes at the bottom of the page to help you better understand what the book is about.
Side note *In 2022 I opened up an Etsy Store that contains helpful tools for studying the bible. Specifically, Verse Mapping Worksheets. These sheets ask you questions so that you can dig deeper into the meaning of the verse and find out what God is trying to say to you through the verse. It is very helpful when you are studying the bible. Click the button to go to my shop listing:
Fourth, look for a promise, command, or principle.
A promise is God pledging that something will or will not be done, given, or come to pass. An example would be this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
A command is an authoritative order from God. It is God telling you how you should live your life. An example would be the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:3–17)
A principle is a statement that says if you do this thing, this will result from it. An example would be this: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” (Psalm 37:4)
Fifth, apply the verse to your life.
You will want to see how you can implement the verse in your life. Such as if the verse suggests you need to be more thankful, maybe you can start a gratitude journal. Or if it suggests that you need to spend more time with God, you can take a break from social media.
This is where Bible study becomes personal. God does not just want you to read His Word. He wants His Word to change the way you live.
Sixth, pray over what you read.
Last, you will need to pray over what you just read—asking God to do for you what you could never do on your own.
Philippians 4:13 says, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT YOU JUST LEARNED
Now you can take notes in a journaling bible or just a plain journal. I use just a plain notebook to store all my thoughts and feelings about the topic I am reading about. But there are journaling bibles out there that have a margin at the side of the page where you can draw pictures or take notes. Amazon has a nice selection of journaling Bibles to choose from.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to understand Your Word. Give me wisdom, clarity, and a desire to spend time with You daily. Teach me through the Holy Spirit and help me apply what I read to my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
CONCLUSION
Studying the Bible can have a huge impact on your life. It is a journey that you take with God. When you study the word, you are spending time with God. And that is all he really wants from you. While you are spending time with God he is working in your heart and your mind and molding you into the likeness of Christ. The more you spend time with him the more you will hear him and the more you will see him at work in your life.
If you are just getting started, do not overcomplicate it. Start small, stay consistent, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you read. God will honor your desire to know Him more through His Word.
COMMENT in the comments below: “What book of the Bible are you starting with?”
LOOKING FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT
Click the link to continue your reading: The Best Bible Translations to Read for Beginners – Todays Godly Wisdom
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