Bible Study doesn’t have to be complex

 

Have you ever had a desire to study more of the Bible but struggled with the wrong thinking that you needed a theological degree or academic prowess in order to do so?

Can I let you in on a little secret? Studying the Bible doesn’t need to be complex!

In starting out, all you need is a time and place to meet with God, your Bible, a notebook and a pen (and highlighters if that’s your thing). And that’s it!

Notice I didn’t say, commentaries. Concordances. Study books. Bible dictionaries. Theological discussion podcasts, articles and notes?

While these are very helpful, and as you grow in your walk and your desire to learn more of God’s Word, you will find these beneficial, but you don’t need them to begin digging deeper into the Bible.

You just need a teachable spirit, a willing heart, a desire to learn and a humbleness to be taught from the Bible what God has to say to you.

As I’ve said before, the purpose of Bible study is to learn more about God and to grow in our spiritual walk.

God’s word is for Teaching. Reproving. Correcting. Instructing.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

When we learn more about God through the study of his Word, we will learn more about ourselves. And when we learn more about ourselves, through the lens of the Bible, we can allow it to change us and mold us into Christ’s image. Becoming more like him through his purifying work.

The Bible is a book about God. It’s not all about us. Don’t get me wrong, there is so much that it teaches us about how to live our lives, but we can only learn that if we understand who God is.

When we study the Bible and look at a passage, we need to ask ourselves, “what does this passage teach me about God?” before we ask it to teach us anything about ourselves.

We become what we behold. We are to imitate Christ. We can’t do that if we don’t know him. And we can’t know him unless we learn about him. And we can’t learn about him if we are not in the Word of God, studying it, meditating on it, memorizing it, applying it and letting God reveal himself to us through it.  

So, how do we study God’s Word in simplicity and understanding? I recently did gave a Ladies Bible Study entitled Bible Study 101. In this lesson, I outlined many ideas that have helped me.

And so, I’d like to share with you just a few of the practical tips that have helped me in my time of study. Lord willing, I can share more in a future post.  

The first and most important step is prayer.

Prayer is essential for Bible study. Prayer helps us to approach the Word of God with a humble and teachable spirit. We acknowledge our need for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to help us interpret and apply. We take time to intercede for others and make request for ourselves. I like to pray before I get out of bed each morning. When the alarm goes off, I lay there and pray for a few minutes. I ask God to order and bless my day and I pray for other things on my heart.

Second – Once you’ve decided on a passage or a chapter or a verse, read over the passage, slowly. Take it all in. Look at the context. You may have to read the chapter or verses before the passage to see the big picture.

If you are a more auditory learner, then read the passage aloud or follow along in your Bible while listening with an audio Bible. (Bible apps are great for this)

Third - Once you’ve read, get out your pen and notebook, and take some notes. Note taking has been proven to improve retention.

Answer the questions Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

The family lineage. The events. The locations. The time of writing. The motivation for the characters.

Look at key words or themes or key verses. Write these down or highlight them.

Maybe write out a verse that stood out to you.

Think about what you can learn from the passage, what you learnt about God’s character and whether there is a personal application in it specifically for you at your season of life.

Fourth - Take time to pray again and ask the Lord to keep his Word in your heart throughout the day, allowing you to meditate on his truth.

And lastly, something I think is super important, is to share it.  

Share what you learn with others. I think this is key. Share what you’re learning to help others and to help you to retain it. It has been proven that when you share something you have learnt, you will retain that information for longer than if you simply kept it to yourself.

When you teach it, or share it, you have to reorganize it in your mind to make it clear to understand, and that helps you remember it and reinforces the thought and applications. Sharing what you’re learning not only benefits others, but it will help you keep it in your heart.

If you’ve ever wondered why my blog is titled Learn. Live. Love. Share. It’s because of my aim. My goal. I want to learn from the Word of God. I want to apply it and live it. I want to love it so much that I can’t keep it quiet, and I want to share it!

And it is my desire, to encourage you to dig into the Word of God and grow in your spiritual walk so that you too will be willing to share with others the truths, the blessings, the precious promises you find in the Bible.

The study of God’s Word needs to be intentional, thoughtful and disciplined.

If I can get practical here, we need to be intentional about our study. We need to choose a place to meet with God and we need to make the choice to do it as often as we can.

Can I just say here that if all you can manage on a particular day is listening to a passage or reading a short passage with no note taking or in-depth study, then that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up over it. What’s important is your heart, your attitude towards God’s Word and your desire and sincerity.

God’s Word is alive and has power even when we don’t have time to go deep. Just ask God to give you some time during the week to study deeper and then use the opportunity he gives you when it arises. Be on high alert, looking for it.

Be intentional.

But also, be thoughtful. Ask questions as you study. Be curious about what you read. Don’t be content to just read and check a box. Think about what you’re reading. Think about why it was put in Scripture. Think about what application it may have for you. Think about why certain words or phrases were used.

Be thoughtful.

And don’t forget to be disciplined. Don’t wait to read and study until you feel like it. Be disciplined and faithful. Often, we come to the Word of God, wanting to check it off our list of to-dos for the day, only to find that God speaks to us and meets with us, even when we had a wrong motive.

There are many things in life we have to discipline ourselves to do, and unfortunately, we sometimes come to God’s Word out of duty instead of out of love. But God will bless and as you study and read, you will find that your desire grows and you begin to enjoy your quiet time alone with him so much that you can’t go a day without meeting with God, because your love for him and his Word grows.

Be disciplined.

As you study more, you may find that in your desire to go deeper, you need to get your hands on some resources that will help you better understand the Word of God.

We have been blessed to be able to access so many ‘helps’ in our study of God’s Word. Commentaries, Strongs concordance, Bible Dictionaries, Apps, Devotionals. But just be aware that they are written by humans, and they will have theological biases and different perspectives. They will most likely disagree. Be careful and be discerning as to what resources you use. Ask a trusted older brother or sister in the Lord to help you in your choice.

And can I give you a word of encouragement? We are all in different seasons of life and just because your quiet time doesn’t look like someone else’s, it doesn’t mean you are failing. The purpose of Bible study is to know God better. God will continue to show up to meet you, whenever and wherever that is.

Ask yourself, “what is sustainable for me in this season?” then build on it as time goes by. Be flexible and be willing to constantly tweak your time with the Lord to suit where you are in life at this particular season.

Find a way to prioritise time with God in a way that fits into your life. Seasons change and quiet times along with them.

Don’t give up on your study time if it looks different than you expect.

God promises to reward those that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Bible study will take time and it will take hard work. It will take thought. It will take focus. Don’t assume that it will be easy and don’t assume that it will come naturally.

But do believe that it will be worth it.

Bible study is essential for your spiritual growth. Bible study requires consistent reading, prayer and understanding. It involves observation, interpretation and application.

You will discover more about God and how you can better serve him and others. Bible study will help you distinguish truth from error, overcome trials, deepen your relationship with God, and become a better witness for him.

Start simple.

Get out your Bible. Grab a pen. Grab a notebook and pray that God will give you a teachable spirit and a heart that desires him and his truth more than anything.

You will find him if you seek him.

Jeremiah 29:13 KJV - And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

You will only be transformed by the Word of God by the amount of time you spend in it. If you never study it, you can’t be transformed by it.

Soak yourself in God’s Word and let him do a purifying work in your heart and soul and mind, cleaning you from the inside out, making you more like Christ.

Read it. Study it. Love it. Live it. Share it.