Bible Reading

Bible study is essential if you want to grow in faith. Many people find the scriptures 'hard to swallow' but this does not have to be the case. There are many translations that can help you better understand God's Word, helping you to gain insight and comprehension. The Bible is an Eastern book but our Western perspective can cloud our understanding resulting in our missing many of the treasures. Here are some steps to help you grow in your relationship with God and to get to know Him better.

Buy a Bible

The first step to Bible study is to buy a Bible. A good Bible is a treasure that you will keep forever.
There are many translations of the Bible but perhaps the best and most popular is the New King James Version which does not have all the 'thees and thous'. The most modern translation is the Message Bible and the Bible that has the most expansive translation is the Amplified Bible.
Some bibles have cross references which help you to expand your studies and dig even deeper into God's Word.
The Living Bible says in Proverbs 4:20 -

"Listen, son of mine, to what I say. Listen carefully. Keep these thoughts ever in mind; let them penetrate deep within your heart, for they will mean real life for you and radiant health."

Whereas the Message translation says it this way -
"Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they’re bursting with health."

Of course you can always find an online Bible App if you prefer not to purchase a bible.

www.blueletterbible.org
www.biblehub.com

Highlighting pens

Use your Bible as a text book and treat the Scriptures not just as verses, but as a voice. It's God's voice speaking to you! Highlighting verses that really 'speak' to you help you remember them and to refer back to them time and time again. Colour coding scriptures is also helpful. Red for salvation scriptures, Blue for healing scriptures, Pink for encouraging scriptures and so on. Be creative - just as your Creator intended you to be!

Get a notebook

A notebook will be invaluable as you study God's Word, jotting down ideas, thoughts and revelations that you receive from God during your prayer and study time. If you don't write things down, sometimes these valuable thoughts can be 'lost'.

Verse Mapping

Why study the Bible? For the very reason that Proverbs 4:20 says! If you do, it will experience the kind of life that affects your spirit soul and body! God's Word is a living thing with power to change your life for the better. That's a bold statement, but one that comes from God Himself.
If we pondered and studied God's Word instead of pondering and spending time on social media/television etc, then our whole being has the potential to become infused with that life giving source.

Here are some steps to get you started .

1. Choose a verse of scripture and read the verse carefully

2. Consider reading the same verse but in a different translation, you can go online (eg. www.biblegateway.com) and look up as many translations as you like.

3.Write the verse in your notepad or on a sheet of paper.

4. Circle or highlight words that stand out to you.

5. Look them up in a dictionary to get a fuller meaning. Some online resources help you translate to the original Hebrew or Greek meaning.

6. Be still and let God speak to you about His Words

7. What do you think He is showing you?

8.Ask Him to help you understand it.

9. Ask Him why this might apply to you.

10. Thank Him for showing you other scriptures that might confirm what you have just read and studied.

Ponder

Pondering God's Word is really a form of meditation. When you write down a verse of scripture somewhere that you will see it often throughout the day (a post it note is useful), you are reminded of His Word. Memorising the scripture is also beneficial because it gets right inside you, into your heart. Joshua 1:8 says that meditating on God's Word brings success!

Bible reading in Church

Most church services take a portion of scripture from the Bible and expand on it during the service. The sermon may be built around the readings. Try to remember (or make notes) the message you hear in Church and think about it during the week ahead. How does this impact your week and what does it teach you?