3 bible study basics to hold on to

​At one time, I had no idea how to study the Bible. There are so many Bible study methods, so many different translations, and varying mindsets on how much time to spend in the Word. Ultimately, the decision is up to you and the Holy Spirit guiding you, but here are the three fundamentals that I personally stick to.
 
#1 - Read God’s Word consistently.
Consistency looks different for everyone. “Quiet time” first thing in the morning might not be possible for the overnight worker. The idea of having any quiet time at all might invoke laughter in the toddler mom. The woman who works 30 hours per week might be able to dig into the Word for longer periods of time than the woman who works 50-80 hours per week. All is okay! You can take time to think about your daily life and how you can prioritize your relationship with God, which involves more than just reading the Bible. We tend to see problems in our life grow worse when our relationship with God is struggling and we aren’t doing anything to strengthen it. 

Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God never moves His presence away from us, we move away from Him. 
 
#2 - Pray before you study.
My mom loves to read anything non-fiction. As a teen, that genre was not always my cup of tea but she knew it was important for me to read the biographies of people worth looking up to. These amazing stories of people overcoming trials and making an impact inspired me. I dreamed of meeting the people these books were about, although I never did. Think about any biographies you have read. Can you imagine reading that biography right next to the person it’s about? That’s crazy, right?

That’s what happens when you read the Bible. Not every book is directly about Jesus, but the entire Bible points towards the coming of Christ or his ministry on earth. Know that when you are reading God’s Word, He is actively present during your study. Even more so, John tells us that Jesus is the Word! (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1) So, I challenge you to pray first so you can study the Bible with the perspective that you are reading with  God, not just about  God.
 
#3 - Apply, apply, apply.
Apply what you study! It’s so easy to go through the motions or get caught up writing down how you are going to apply what you’ve learned that you forget to actually do it. Ask yourself daily, “How did I apply God’s word?” and it will start to become a habit. How do you know if it’s sinking in? Look for fruit of the spirit in your speech and actions (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23) Bonus points - journal your progress or get an accountability partner!
 
Open your Bible and read it. You won’t have any regrets!
 
*A note: ministries like The Gideons International and individual churches have made it possible for many people to have access to a free Bible. Unfortunately, there are still an abundance of people around the world that do not have access to a free Bible or a Bible in their native language. If you are blessed with access to a Bible and the ability to read, then I encourage you to take on the perspective that reading scripture is a privilege we should appreciate. If you need a Bible, please reach out in the “contact me” section so I can help explore local resources with you!
 
“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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