In my many, many years of opening my Bible and simply reading it for what it is, I realized that there had to be more. That's when I plopped myself in front of my computer and decided to investigate. My Google search probably looked something like:
How to study the Bible
How to study the Gospels
What does "such and such verse mean"?
And a whole plethora of searches that...quite frankly...at the time did not yield the results that I was looking for.
Fast forward to post-college me. More and more, I found myself hungering for something more than the "milk" of the Word. Not to say I didn't enjoy my devotionals, but I knew that it was time to dig a little deeper. So, back to Google I went. This time, all sorts of social media grabbed my attention. A lot had happened in the Christian/Bible study world since the last time I'd typed "How to study the Bible" into the search engine. Because of the bloggers and vloggers that blessed my heart, I FINALLY found a few things that would brighten up my morning quiet time.
Hopefully, the same can be said about the following tips that I am about to share with you.
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Tip # 1:
Back when you were in high school or college, did your teacher ever use videos and powerpoints to help you understand the class material? Most of the time, I would have to say that it definitely helped me. I'm a very visual learner, so it helps to have something in front of me.
The same can be said of Bible studies. When I feel particularly lost and I don't feel like grabbing a chunky commentary off of my shelf (literally they're sitting next to me on the floor half of the time because I don't know how to put things where they belong like an adult), I will go to YouTube and find a Bible study or sermon that discusses what I'm studying that day.
Here's a tip within a tip: be very careful about who you listen to on social media. There are a lot of false teachers and doctrines that can lead you astray. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and discernment.
Tip # 2:
Make it comfortable! I cannot stress how important it is for you to be able to enjoy the Word of God as comfortably as you can. For me, it looks like a 7am read-through of my "Read the Bible in a Year" plan while I'm still snuggled in bed. Other times, it looks like a Thursday evening at 9:30 sitting at the computer with hot chocolate and a sermon.
God never meant for His kingdom's work to be a struggle or grueling, dirty chores. Often, He calls us to be still in the quiet, early morning hours with our big fluffy pillows, a blanket, and in my case, a bazillion stuffed animals strewn across the bed.
Ideas on making your quiet time comfy:
Grab a favorite blanket
Make some coffee/hot chocolate/beverage of choice
Make a snack
Turn on some worship music
Use essential oils
Tip # 3:
One of my favorite ways to amp up my Bible studies is to approach it with different methods. Depending on what I'm reading, I may opt for a verse map, an outline, or an overview.
If you want to learn more about how to verse map, check out Verse Mapping 101
Another excellent resource that can be useful is a commentary. A commentary discusses interpretation and sometimes application for the passages we are studying. Confused on what other resources you should be using? Check out this blog post on External Resources.
Tip # 4:
Any good Bible studier (yea I know that's not a word) knows that a favorite pen, pencil, or highlighter will make any quiet time a huge success. Using a color code and making notes in your Bible margin will help you grow in your knowledge and understanding of Scripture. Pinterest has tons of color code ideas!
To see what sort of notes I like take in my Bible, see this post!
THIS PORTION IS AN UNPAID AD FOR A BUDDY!
My friend has an online faith-based small business called FaithFilled Creations. You can find her on Facebook! Below is a picture of two of MY favorite pens that I use in my Bible on a regular basis.
Do you have any Bible study tips or resources? Feel free to share!!!
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