Hpw To Read The Bible

How To Read the Bible

The Bible is a living book written by a loving God to His children. In it He provides basic principles, guidance and inspiration on how to live. And because human nature hasn't changed since the Bible was written/ it has a message for us today! More than a message/ however/ the Bible is the Word of God. Just as the body needs a regular feeding time to maintain its energy level/ so the spiritual man must regularly be fed God's Word.

HOW TO BEGIN

1. Set a regular reading time: Most people find that the morning is the best time to read the Word devotionally. By getting up a few minutes earlier you can begin your day fortified with God's promises and the instruction of His Word.

If, however, you are a night person, it might be advisable to read the Bible after dinner or before retiring. Whatever the time of day, if you don't set a time, your good intentions will never be realized and you will only occasionally read your Bible.

How much time should you devote to reading the Bible each day? If you are a good starter and a poor finisher, at least five minutes is recommended. It is better to be consistent at five minutes a day than nothing. But frankly, if you mean business with God and really want to develop a working knowledge of the Word, you had better plan on a minimum of 15 minutes daily.

When you think about it, that isn't too much. Most people spend at least that long reading the newspaper or watching newscasts on TV.

2. Read with a pencil at hand: The biggest danger to devotional Bible reading is in letting your eyes run across the words and assuming you have read the material. The best way to dial your brain into a vital attitude is to pick up a pencil and be ready to receive a message from God. That very act makes you more alert and expectant so that God will communicate something to you which you need to know.

3. Read the Bible expectantly: The best way to read the Word of God devotionally is to prayerfully ask Him for some message for to-day. Many times He will give you a thought that answers the hunger of your heart. Some-times He will give you a blessing you will need later in the day. In either case it proves helpful to write it down. Special care, however/ should be taken to make sure the thought is true. A verse should not be lifted out of its setting to provide a special message today when this is contrary to the sense of the whole passage.

A DEVOTIONAL DIARY

The best way I have found for getting the greatest blessing out of devotional reading is the practice of keeping a devotional diary.

An ordinary sheet of paper or a spiral note-book will suffice. Allowing a page per day/ put the day of the week and the date on top with space for the text to be read. Include the following in your diary:

1. God's message to you today: To under-stand what God is saying, you must first understand the passage. Ask yourself: Who is the author or speaker? To whom is the passage written? What are the main ideas? What seems to be the key verse? If you have time, a brief outline of the material is helpful. A good study Bible will help you grasp the meaning of the passage.

Now that you have a better grasp of the section, you are open for God to speak to you personally. Naturally this will be influenced largely by the passage you are reading and your own particular need at the time.

2. A promise from God: The Bible is filled with promises from God to His children. There are two things to consider in claiming promises: make sure they are universal and that they apply to you. Also, are there any conditions to be met? Never claim a promise from God unless you intend to meet the conditions.

3. A command to keep: The Bible is filled with commands for God's people to obey. These commands are for our good: the keeping of them both lengthens and enriches our lives. As you come upon them in your reading, select the most important for your life at that moment and enter it into your diary.

4. A timeless example: The Bible is the greatest manual on human behavior ever written. It contains thousands of timeless principles for daily living which guide the believer and help him to know God's will.

5. Your application: As a practical way of implementing what you have found in that day's reading, pick out one area of need and list how the Scripture applies to this need.

For example, suppose your command for the day is "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church ..." (Ephesians 5:25). Pick some area where you know you have been selfish with your partner and briefly write how you plan to be more loving. By asking God's help you will find that not only will your spiritual life improve, but the relationship with your wife will be enhanced. This kind of simple but practical application will transform your life to the kind of growing, consistent Christian walk every child of God needs.

METHODS OF BIBLE READING

1. Read it by books: The books of the Bible were written to individuals or groups of people. For that reason they should be read in their entirety, reading one or more chapters per day. This way you keep in mind the overall message of the book and are less likely to take a passage out of context.

It is wise to familiarize yourself with the purpose and theme of the book before you begin. A good study Bible or Bible handbook, available at your local Christian bookstore, will be helpful.

2. Read a book at one sitting: One of the best ways to get to know a book thoroughly is to read the entire book at one sitting. Or if it is a long book, read it in two or three sittings. This way the overall message will be clear.

3. Read it by need: Let your spiritual needs determine what you read. For instance, if you lack assurance of salvation, read I John every day for 30 days. So far I have yet to find one Christian plagued by feelings of insecurity after reading I John daily for one month.

4. Read it entirely: Every Christian should read the Bible all the way through. A new Christian should begin with the New Testament. Many Christian publishers offer daily reading schedules which will take you through the Bible in one or more years. Also there are daily devotional guides which offer valuable insights.

CONSISTENCY

Many Christians have failed to grow through inconsistency in their daily devotional lives. It is absolutely essential to get into the Word daily to keep fresh and filled with the Spirit. When we make this time a top priority, we will experience the rich blessings which God has in store for us.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever" (Isaiah 40:8)

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