I think we’ve all been there. We sit down at our desk, crack open that fancy new Bible, and…crickets. We’re lost on where to start; where do we begin? Both new believers and seasoned saints will benefit from this post. I’ll show you a few places where you can start and still be able to learn something fresh and new.
Pick a favorite story. If you grew up in church, you more than likely have a favorite story you learned in Sunday School. Most of us learned accounts such as David and Goliath, Noah’s Ark, and even the birth of Jesus. But even if you don’t have a favorite story or if you didn’t grow up with the Bible, there’s a simple solution.
Do a simple Google search on popular Bible stories and I’m sure a plethora will come up. These stories are full of spiritual value, and you’ll never be bored.
Start from the beginning. The book of Genesis looks daunting, but it’s really not. Right from the start, God reveals His character and His intentions for humanity. It’s the story of how humanity was separated from a loving God, but it’s also the beginning of an awesome story of redemption.
It’s also a great opportunity to practice doing biographical sketches of the patriarchs. The lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are a few places to start. I’d also recommend looking into studying the twelve tribes of Israel and their importance in biblical prophecy.
Look for instruction. One of the purposes of the Bible is to give instruction. Every day, we are faced with challenges and practical situations in which we can apply what God says, but we can’t apply something we don’t know. It’s important that we study the instructions laid out for us, especially in the New Testament. If we are to really be a part of the Church, we are to follow its teachings.
The book of James is one particular example. It touches on subjects such as the connection between faith and works, the power of the tongue, and how to handle a fellow believer who has fallen out of line.
Romans is another place where we can find practical solutions. Paul, while sitting in prison in the middle of Rome, writes to the believers there and encourages them to start applying what they’ve learned. Similar to the two letters he wrote to the Corinthians, he instructs them on how to run the church and worship services and a variety of other subjects such as hypocrisy and hospitality.
When you really want to get specific, such as ordaining leaders in the church, 1 and 2 Timothy are your best bet.
Focus on the teachings of Jesus. What better way to study the Bible than to read the words spoken by Jesus Himself. His words will forever be timeless and we can always pull something new out of them. Obviously the first place to look would be in the four gospels. Since the gospels are full of instances where Jesus is speaking, a few places to start would be:
The 7 “I Am” Statements (gospel of John)
The Beatitudes (gospel of Matthew)
Matthew 6-7 (various discourses)
If you’re pressed on time, check out a daily Psalm and Proverb. The Psalms and Proverbs are nearly as practical as Romans and James, but they’re more for general general wisdom and worship. David and Solomon were the authors of the majority of these books, and they’ve got more than enough worship to go around.
The Psalms gives us a glimpse into how the Jews worshiped. This book was originally the “hymnbook” that they would have used in their services. Each Psalm is easy enough to study in depth daily.
The book of Proverbs is a series of wisdom literature compiled by King Solomon. He passed down his anointed knowledge to generations to come, and we could certainly use it today. I’d recommend pairing Proverbs and James if you want to do an in-depth study on the power of the tongue or on hypocrisy. Proverbs is also fairly easy to find the application on a surface level.
Bible reading does not have to be intimidating. It’s a really big book with a really big message, but you just have to know where to start and run with it. I hope these tips help you out, and let me know if you have any other suggestions!
If you’re still stuck, perhaps start out with devotional material. I wrote a 30-day devotional that should help you get started, and it is linked in the Shop With Me tab at the top of this page.
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