5 Easy Steps to Bible Study
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
It sounds too easy I get it.
Five steps sounds crazy, too simple when you have spent so much time wrestling over how to even open your Bible and figure out where to start.
I hear you. I see you. I’ve been there too. In that place where you wonder if you will ever be able to understand what you are reading, or getting to the place where you are like those people on Instagram who seem to have this Bible study thing figured out.
2 Timothy gives us the call to rightly handle God’s Word, some versions use the word “divide.” This means that we are to study the Word that we can correctly teach and explain it. Now, don’t let that freak you out, especially if you weren’t a straight A student in school who had a deep love for studying. I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say, studying isn’t my thing. Well, that was until I began to read God’s Word.
The more I read in my Bible the more I want of God.
So, I am here to help and get you started studying your Bible. I have five steps that will help you open the Word and develop the habit of studying your Bible.
- Pray – We cannot open the Word of God without being taught by the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit equips us to understand what we are reading, and gives us direction to apply it. We need the Holy Spirit to teach us. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7)
- Get a Bible you can read – We are not bound by version, if you cannot read it or pronounce the words there is a good chance you need a new Bible. Find a Bible that has readability and accuracy. I prefer the English Standard Version and Christian Standard.
- Keep it simple – We think we need all the fancy things, that maybe in a way it will help us study better. The truth however, is the fancy things won’t make us a better student of the Word. Sometimes the “things” become a distraction from our actual goal. Grab a study guide or notebook and write what God is teaching you and thoughts or questions you have from the reading.
- Ask Questions – It is ok to ask questions. Write them down in your notebook, pray about them, ask a trusted friend or Pastor to help you with your questions. Checking the study notes of your Bible could be a good place to answer your questions, join a Bible study group that can help you along the way as you study God’s Word.
- Write the Word – Write out Scripture in a notebook, on index cards, or post it notes. Put them around your house, on your desk, in places where you will see them every single day. Get God’s Word into your heart and mind. The more we know the Word, God will reveal His truth to us.
As simple as it may seem, Bible study wasn’t meant to be complicated or to leave us frustrated. Keep your Bible study time simple and focused on the Father who will teach you when you surrender your heart and mind to Him.
Need some extra tools in your toolbox? Do you want to learn more about the basics of Bible study? Grab a copy of Consumed Life – this workbook is packed with Bible study method guides, tips, tools, and more to help you get the most out of your Bible study time.
