This week someone in our faith community asked me, “How do I read the Bible more effectively.” When I got the question, I thought, “she may not be the only one that struggles with seasons of dry Bible reading.” So, maybe my response should be to the entire Our Best Story community. So here it is! I hope it helps your Bible reading become more fruitful and fulfilling. And I hope you become more hungry to consume the Bible and share it with others in the places where you live, work, and play.
Question: I’m wondering if you could give some guidance on reading my Bible. I used to follow a read-through-the-Bible in a year plan but sometimes it felt like I was just doing that to check off the list. I’m hungry to read and learn but sometimes don’t know how/where to begin.
OBS Community Member
This is a great question. I hope this helps!
It’s Not What Do I Read, but How?
I will share a lot of thoughts below, but the thing that first popped into my head is – sometimes it’s not about WHAT you read as much as HOW you read it. Deep reflection is the key and including the Holy Spirit illuminates the truth and application of the scripture. Read a passage, reflect, look for specific words or phrases to pop out. The Holy Spirit will guide you in your reading and application.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
The tool I recommend for reflection when your Bible reading is getting stale is called SOAPS. It’s on the website.
Read a larger passage, ask for the Holy Spirit to point a verse or phrase out to you and complete this process.
In addition to SOAPS, I do a variety of things to stay fresh.
How Do I Read the Bible – Reflection and Meditation
Some days I don’t have any particular goal for reading. On those days, I’ll literally stop and ask the Holy Spirit through prayer if there is anything specific He would want me to read. I have some guidance. That’s when it is easy, but it doesn’t happen too frequently.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Jesus (in John 16:13)
In that case, I will read where I discern He is leading me. Then I just reflect on that one passage. Let me be clear, this happens through intuition. I do not hear a literal voice. Sometimes it may even be a specific chapter/verse that I discern. If I pray and don’t hear anything, I’ll either read a Psalm or Proverb or something out of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.) Don’t sweat it if you don’t hear from Him! He is very careful and intentional about how he speaks to our Spirit so that when we hear it, we know that it is Him speaking.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Jesus (in John 10:27-28)
How do I read the Bible – Book Studies
Some seasons I walk linearly through a book of the Bible. Right now I am focused on the book of Acts. These seasons are for deeper dive study. As I am in the book of Acts (get the journal here,) I am asking God questions like…
- How do I live out my life in the 21st century in the way that the early Apostles did at the birth of the church?
- In this story, what do I find that is relevant to life in 21st century America?
- What does it look like to be a radical follower of Jesus here and now?
- What does it mean to be the next generation of these followers who birthed the New Testament Church?
- Should people today have the same reaction to us that they had to the first disciples? (awe, wonder, amazement, etc…)
Things like that. Then I journal what I find related to those questions.
How Do I Read the Bible – Journaling and Note-taking
As I am reading through these passages or books, I take notes about things that pop out using these REALLY cool Bible journals.
Each one has one book of the Bible and blank pages on each page to reflect or take notes. I love them b/c they are cheap, so when I get done with a read-through or two, I can just buy another one and reboot the process. The fact that they are just one single book of the Bible keeps me focused on the text. They come a book at a time or you can order an sets of the OT, NT, or the entire Bible.
How Do I Read the Bible – Topical Study
Sometimes I will do a topical study and focus on something specific like Love, the Holy Spirit, Patience, Joy, etc…
Then I will use Bible tools online to deep dive on a specific topic. The Roll Royce of Bible Software study is http://logos.com. It has a ton of study tools. The basic version is free and then there are a thousands of reference books you can buy as add-ons. But the basic version has pretty much all you need to deep dive. Also, Logos offers one free book per month to add to your collection. I have been collecting both free and paid Logos books for years and have a collection of several hundred to utilize.
Another favorite app is http://blueletterbible.com. It is also very beefy with lots of tools and references and it is ALL free. It’s a great study source.
How Do I Read the Bible – Keep it Fresh
The key to effective Bible study is to keep it fresh and don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t be systematic to the point that you are just checking the box. If one system, style, or method gets stale, try another one for a while. The biggest thing is to have a conversation with the Holy Spirit as you read. Jesus said he’d be our guide in the things of truth.
Bible reading is one of the key components of spiritual growth. As we mentioned, the Word of God is active and living! It feeds us and sustains us. It gives us hope and helps us understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.
Conclusion
When things get stale and boring, don’t give up! Utilize one of these tools. Read scripture in a setting where you see God naturally – nature, among crowds, in your favorite places, etc. The setting makes a difference!
As we keep our Bible reading fresh we will bear the fruits of the Spirit in new ways. We will see a difference in how we behave and respond to the voice of God. We will see others around us benefit from our investment in spiritual growth.
The rewards of fresh and vibrant Bible study are endless!
