How To Read Your Bible

I’ve known several adults that do not read well and use a children’s Bible in their reading time.

I also know people who are auditory learners. When I read, I read out loud because I need to hear it as well. That’s why I’ve listened to the Daily Audio Bible every morning for the last 13 years.

It’s an app that you can get in the ITunes store. Brain Hardin reads a portion of the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms (which you go through twice in a year), and Proverbs. He then give a short devotional for the day about what we read together.

After you read it, meditate on it. That doesn’t mean to empty your mind but to think about it, to chew on it throughout the day.

You may even want to memorize verses. Write them on a note card and carrying them with you. Put them to music.

Some people say that they can’t memorize Scripture but know every word to Hamilton. You can do it.

Where do you start? In the book of John. John was Jesus best friend and he wrote a book to help you get to know Him. If you read one chapter a day, you will be finished by Valentine’s day.

Or you could start in Titus and read the entire book every day for 30 day straight.

3. Study - What does it me?

You can understand this book!

While you are reading, write down any questions that you might have. I LOVE questions!

There was a student in our ministry that would come with her Bible covered in sticky notes with questions on the them.

There are no dumb questions, except to question the genius of Barry Manilow!

Use Bible dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, and websites.

Two that I use every week are “Precept Austin” and “Blue Letter Bible.”

D.L. Moody once said, “So few grow because so few study.”

Take one book, or one topic and do a deep dive. Read it, study it in depths and then ask God how do I apply it?

4. Use - How do I apply it?

The Bible isn’t just meant to be read and studied but God wants us to apply it to our lives.

The Bible has full authority in our lives. As Americans, we don’t like to have people tell us what to do but when we surrender our lives to Christ, we make it clear that we are willing to obey His Words and His ways.

Nate writes: “In applying the Word of God, you are grasping the truth of God and bringing it to bear on your own life. Application consists of opening your soul so that God’s light can shine into every corner , exposing darkness and revealing the areas that need tending to.”

Here are four things that we can do in response to His Word;

repent - As we read the Bible, he ought to ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin so we can confess them to God.

Believe - “we are not able to put the truths of Scripture into practice in our own lives unless and until we put our faith solely in God through Jesus Christ.

Grow - reading the Bible is the way we grow in our faith. Without it, we stay immature and don’t become more like Jesus.

Love - As we study the Bible, our love for God for others is meant to increase and abound.

There are endless points of application. The Bible speaks areas such as marriage, family, sexuality, politics, government, finance, missions, law, and many others.