There are many ways of studying the Bible. One is to read it through slowly, verse by verse, meditating on what is being said. This tends to miss the overall message of the book as a whole. The opposite is the marathon Bible reader who gallops through all 66 books at least once a year. Sadly, there is little spiritual food gained. Another obstacle that often dead-ends people in their desire to absorb Scripture is their use of some archaic translation of the Bible. Our mind cannot flow easily with the words and thought forms. When I want to just sit and read Scripture, I recommend with God’s Word Version or The New King James Version, both excellent up-to-date and highly readable translations. When I want to seriously study, I use the New American Standard Version. We do not meet with God for ten minutes or even an hour a day. He lives in us, and we live in Him! He is our life. We do not cross the road or enter a building to meet with Him, for we are never separated one from another. The time set aside to read His Word and meditate is quality time with the God we live, move, and even sleep in. It is time when every demanding thought is set aside to see life through His eyes in His written Word. One of the first and continuing steps in meditative reading is the use of our imagination. Our imagination is not only God-given, but an activity only enjoyed by the one creature made in the image of God. With this faculty, we can project ourselves anywhere in time or geography. The following is a brief outline to help you as you come to examine and experience the Scripture:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wishes to speak to you in
- Remind yourself that you are dedicated to hear exactly what God is
- Become thoroughly acquainted with the Scripture, reading it over in
- As you read and re-read, write down any questions that arise from
- Turn to your reference books. If you plan to share God’s Word with
- Apply what you discover. Ask yourself how you can live out this new