One of the best ways for a Believer to get to know God, begin to understand his nature, understand his perspective, and understand his tremendous power is to read and study his awesome Word. The words of the Bible are alive. Every time I study the Bible, I learn something new. No matter how many times I've read or studied a verse or chapter, somehow God reveals something new to me each time I read it. The Bible says that it is living and active:
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
The Bible is a collection of stories, poetry, instruction, wisdom, faith, and future events. It is the story of sin, love, redemption, grace, mercy, and restoration. It is the story of God revealing himself to humankind and his great love for us.
While the Bible is ancient, God still speaks to us through it when we ask him to teach and guide us. Sometimes, God's instruction for me is different from God's teaching for you when we are reading the same verse. It's not that one of us is wrong; it is that God is speaking to both of us in unique ways. What's more, you can read the same verse 20 years later, and God will talk to you differently again.
Reading the Bible
Reading the Bible and studying the Bible is not the same thing. If you are a new or relatively new Christian, being familiar with the characters and the Bible's stories is essential. Reading the Bible will help you to do this.
If you are a new Christian, I would recommend that you read the Bible in this order:
- John - New Testament
- Galatians - New Testament
- Romans - New Testament
- Acts - New Testament
- Genesis - Old Testament
- Exodus - Old Testament
- Joshua - Old Testament
- Philippians - New Testament
- 1 & 2 Samuel - Old Testament
- 1 & 2 Kings - Old Testament
- Ephesians - New Testament
This list will give you a good overview of the Bible. Let the Holy Spirit guide you from there.
The Different Ways To Study The Bible
There are many different ways to study the Bible. Let's look at some of them:
Sunday School - Most churches have Bible classes on Sunday mornings. These classes are usually designed to appeal to different situations such as young adults, adults, married adults, senior adults, men's groups, etc. I have attended some great Sunday school classes where I learned a great deal.
One of the caveats to Sunday school classes is that the topic will have a defined beginning and a defined ending. When an exciting Bible study ends, you will have to start the process again of finding a good Sunday school class. In some of the larger churches, this is very easy to do. It might be a problem in the smaller churches.
Bible Study Groups - Many churches and private individuals have a Bible study during the week in their church, at their home, or perhaps in a restaurant. Some of these groups are more social than study. I've attended some outstanding ones and some awful ones. You have to participate in different ones until you find one that fits you.
One advantage of joining this type of group is that it is a long-term commitment for everyone. This creates a bond and fellowship between the members that last for a lifetime.
There is a caveat to this method, as well. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find these types of groups. As mentioned previously, many are primarily social events. Another problem is that most of them are superficial in their study, not getting into any real depth. Superficial is fine when you are a new Christian; however, you will want to move from milk to solid food as you grow in Christ.
Bible Study Books - There are some excellent books out there that study the Bible. I have some myself (see my books). Unfortunately, the vast majority of the Bible study books out there are shallow with no real meat. They tend to be inspirational. Inspirational is acceptable; however, it is not Bible study. Stay away from the Hollywood-style books where "some amazing person is going to tell you about God."
Online Bible Studies - Online Bible studies are becoming very popular with many Believers. I think they are useful to new Believers. I question their value to mature Christians. Again, these Bible studies tend to be shallow, not going deep into the Word.
Christian Radio - There are Bible studies or Bible-study-like programs on some Christian radio stations. I find these to be very helpful when I am working or in my car. My favorite Christian radio network is The Truth Network which is also available online.
Bible Teachers - There are many good Bible teachers today that you can find on YouTube, websites, Christian radio, or other venues. Here are some of them:
- Dr. Charles Stanley - In Touch Ministries
- Dr. David Jeremiah – Turning Point
- Mark Driscoll - Real Faith
- Voddie Baucham - Voddie Baucham Ministries
- Chad Harvey – Cross Assembly
- Chip Ingram - Living on the Edge
- Alan Wright – Alan Wright Ministries
- Lon Solomon – Lon Solomon Ministries
- Mike Fabarez - Focal Point Ministries
- J. D. Greear - Summit Life
- Costi Hinn - Shepherd's House Bible Church
Bible teachers are teaching the Bible through sermons. A sermon can only go so deep into the scriptures because they serve a broad audience at different stages of development in their walk with God. However, a good Bible teacher can instill within your spirit the hunger to know more. When the sermon is over, you feel compelled to seek out more information.
The Best Way To Study The Bible
I think the best way to study the Bible is to "study the Bible!" Jesus gave us a fantastic resource, the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13-15 NIV
If the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, then the Holy Spirit will be our best resource for studying the Bible. Why not simply read and study the Bible under the influence of prayer and the Holy Spirit? I would encourage you to let this be the primary way that you study the Bible.
Preparations
When you decide to allow the Holy Spirit to be your Bible study teacher, I recommend that you make some preparations. None of these are mandatory but helpful:
Study Area/Office - Establish a place to study the Bible. It does not have to be elaborate. It should be a quiet place.
Notebook - Keep a notebook in your study space. Get in the habit of using the notebook to write down your thoughts, questions, and revelations from your study.
Desktop or Laptop Computer - Many online reference resources for studying the Bible are useless on a phone or notebook.
Bible Commentary - There are many Bible commentaries online; however, I suggest you have a physical commentary to underline and make notes. I would recommend one of these:
Bible Study Websites - Here are the Bible study websites available that will up your game.
- biblehub.com - topical, Greek and Hebrew study tools, translations, concordances, commentaries, dictionaries, sermons, and devotionals.
- biblegateway.com - the whole Bible online. Many different translations, including the Message Bible.
- bibestudytools.com - lots of tools and resources for studying the Bible and finding answers to questions.
Putting It All Together
The whole method of this type of study would look like this:
Start with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind and to guide you in your Bible study. Almost immediately, he will suggest a book of the Bible to read or a topic to explore. Start reading and exploring. Keep your notebook close by. Make sure to use the notebook to jot down your thoughts or questions. While reading, the Holy Spirit may point out a word or a perspective. Go to biblehub.com and search for that word or thought in their concordance. Explore it. It won't take long for you to have formed the basis for a new Bible study, perhaps several.
When the Holy Spirit has set you in a direction, you will be amazed. In the coming weeks, he will provide you with sermons, books, friends, and other resources to fuel the fire that he has created within you.
The focus of the Bible study can be anything and it can take you into any direction. You can go as deep or as light into the investigation as you would like. In terms of time, Bible studies can last for a half-hour, some for days, weeks, months, and even years. Bible studies have a tendency not to conclude - they open up more remarkable portals and information. This is the living and active nature of the Bible.
See Also:
