“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
Where do you begin?
The bible is no ordinary book and there is no specific place, verse or chapter where you have to start. The important thing is that you start. The words written in this book have the power to change your life. So no matter where you are in your walk with God, determine to begin studying His word daily. God has promised that if you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13)
8 Key Points:
- Approach the Bible with an open mind and the willingness to hear God Speak. – (Matthew 11:25)
- God will reveal Himself to you, as you search the word. You will seek Him and find Him when you search for Him with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
- God Promises that the Holy Spirit will lead you into the truth. As you study, continually pray for the Holy Spirit to lead. (John 16:13)
- Read the Bible as a whole, researching and reading as many bible passages on a given subject. Try not to build a bible doctrine on a single verse. (Isaiah 28:9,10)
- Accept that the Bible is God’s spoken word revealed to holy men through the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21) The Bible did not come by the will of men, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
- Be willing to surrender your own ideas to the truth of God’s word. God’s way leads to life. (John 14:12)
- Refuse to listen to anything that will lead you from God’s truth. (Proverbs 19:27)
- Seek Jesus In every topic you chose to study. The Bible leads us closer to Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. Ask yourself, How can this topic lead me closer to Jesus? (John 14:6)
In Bible Study always remember to:
1.Learn about God.
- What does this passage teach me about God’s love?
- What does this passage teach me about God’s power?
- What does this passage teach me about God’s plan?
- Simply, what does this passage teach me about God?
2. Experience the Word.
- “Feel” it. As you read, ask yourself, “What did that feel like?”
- “See” it. As you read it visualize it.
- “Taste” it. As you read, imagine the taste involved.
- “Smell” it. As you read, smell the odors in the story.
- “Hear” it. As you read, imagine the sounds involved.
- Ask yourself Who, What, Where, When and Why?
3. Apply the word to your personal life.
- Always pray that God will show you how He wants you to personally respond.
- Ask God to show you what you are to do with what you read.
4. Keep a Journal.
- Write down what you learned from your time with God.
- If you feel inspired, write a bible study, article or sermon based on what you’ve learned.
- Record the changes that you need to make in your life.
- Record the things you are thankful for.
5. Memorize
- Choose a verse per day or week.
- Write a verse on a card and take it with you throughout the day.
6. Share it
- Look for opportunities to share a verse or inspiring thought with someone during the day.
- Verbalizing the verse or thought will help you remember it.
Using the S.O.A.P Method
S – SCRIPTURE
The ‘s’ stands for scripture. Read it without any prompting or help towards the meaning then physically write out the scripture.
O – OBSERVATION
Now that you have it on paper. What stands out to you? You can use the “who, what, when, where, why, and how?” in this section to understand. What are the keywords? Who is talking and whom are they talking to? etc
A – APPLICATION
What is the passage saying to you? What does it mean to you? How are you going to apply it to your own life in a practical way?
P – PRAYER
Pray about what you have learnt and ask God to help you use it. You can use the scripture that you’ve just read to pray God’s word back to Him.
Hope this has been helpful for you. If you are looking for a place to start in your bible study have a look at the bible studies that we have here on the website. If you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me and we can discuss further.
You can download a PDF copy of the notes above for your personal use below.
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