Preparing for Personal Bible Study
Last week, we looked at Psalm 1, and considered that living our lives in the Word, and by the Word is God’s natural way for us to grow and bear fruit, much like a tree that is planted by streams of water. Instead of getting our counsel from the wicked, and living our lives like sinners, and speaking like scoffers. Life in the word changes us.
This week, we’re going to talk about setting yourself up for success when you study the Bible. This week, I want to hopefully inspire you to Bible study, and then also give very practical help to get started on the right foot.
Some Starting Points
Make time, and remember what you’re doing.
Making time to be in the Word is spiritual warfare.
There are forces that are at work that absolutely do NOT want you reading God’s Word- your flesh and the adversary both want to avoid serious time in the Word.
It is no coincidence that finding time to read Scripture is so hard.
It can be very subtle in other ways! “In fact, the Devil is delighted when we spend our time and energy defending the Bible, as long as we do not get around to actually reading the Bible.” – RC Sproul
Questions to Run Through
Is my heart ready to hear what God says, no matter what it is?
“Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! “Ps. 119:2Is there something I’m trying to make Scripture say? What is it, and why?
Where’s my heart inclined right now?
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain.” – Ps. 119:36
Have I prayed for the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to understand God’s Word?
Am I trusting in his Spirit?
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Ps. 119:18
Is there a meaning in this text? Yes!
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Proverbs 30:5
But who determines the meaning? “Every word of God…”
What it means to me doesn’t matter. That’s disrespectful in personal conversation, isn’t it? How much more when it comes to God?
Get in the right mindset for the type of Bible Study you’re doing. There’s not just one type. We’ve got two categories here: the type of literature you’re reading, and the type of reading you’re going to do.
Types of Literature
Poetry, narrative, didactic, letters, prophecy, and history.
Why do we need to know this? Because there are different questions we’ll ask, and we’ll read them differently.
Types of Reading
Boating: reading large sections of Scripture, and noting down big themes, what place this section of Scripture has in the bigger story of the whole Bible, who the audience is, places for deeper study, and how different sections connect together.
By reading larger sections, you can get a better sense for these things, and it will make the other types of Bible study much easier, and keep you from error.
How could knowing the bigger picture of the Bible keep you from error when studying smaller sections.
Snorkeling: Instead of big sections like a book, this would be a smaller section but we’re still just looking at a big picture. (ie- Romans 1-3, or 4-5, or 9-11).
Scuba diving: going in depth on a small piece of Scripture.
So when you’re boating, you may be noting down places you’re going to come back and snorkel in, or verses you’re going to have scuba dive on. But all three types of reading have their purpose and their value.
It’s extremely helpful to boat, and simply list out questions you’ll come back to later. Each question is a potential Bible study.
Write it down!
“The basic difference between Bible reading and Bible study is simply a pen and paper.” -Don Whitney
I’d add, knowing the right questions to ask as well.
Don’t be afraid of questions. The Bible can handle your hardest questions! You may not know how to find them yet, but you shouldn’t be afraid of them. Write them down and start working on them in a way that honors God.
A little encouragement to not stop when you have a bad day:
“I have sometimes seen more in a line of the Bible than I could well tell how to stand under, and yet at another time the whole Bible hath been to me as dry as a stick.” —John Bunyan