Grant Abbott Supporter Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

Personally, I alternate my approach to reading the bible to keep it from becoming boring, as follows: 1) I use a daily devotion app called Alpha BIOY to read through the bible in one year which includes a commentary from Nicky Gumble (has phone app & audio version), 2) I read through a book of the bible for fun and adventure just to enjoy the stories and characters, and 3) I created a devotional study guide to search the scriptures myself, one chapter at a time, which I find most fulfilling.

My study guide has 5 sections and includes a series of questions I seek to answer from the text.

1. Pray
What did God have in mind when he wrote this?
1. What does God want me to do about it?
3) How does God want me to share this with others

2. Read
Read the text very slowly several times.
Concentrate and observe what is happening.
Watch for a key word or phrase that stands out.

3. Search
Who is the speaker and intended audience?
What is the theme of the message?
Where do the events take place?
When do the events take place?
Why does the author write this message?
How does the author get his point across?
Study a key word from the passage.
Memorize a key verse from the passage.

4. Reflect
Is there a sin to confess?
Is there a promise to claim?
Is there an attitude to change?
Is there a command to obey?
Is there an example to follow?
Is there a prayer to pray?
Is there an error to avoid?
Is there a truth to believe?
Is there something to praise God for?
Is there something to thank God for?

5. Journal
1) Insights
2) Questions
3) Applications (personal, practical, possible, measurable)
4) Prayers

I created the study guide as an excel file with space after each question and journal section to record my answers. Hope these ideas are helpful to make the bible exciting to read and study.

September 25 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Steps that I have found helpful:

Always keeping in mind that the words of the Bible were entirely inspired and communicated by God Himself, with regard to the priority that I assign to Bible reading.

Reading in shorter passages of a length that the reader considers appropriate or manageable based on available time and attention span (especially pertaining to passages that do not contain a narrative of events).

However, at the same time, maintaining a regular, committed (preferably daily) schedule for such readings, which could be in acordance with available schedules for them that can be found online, and that are designed to cover the entire Bible in a given period of time.

Reading as part of a study group.

Making full use of available hard-copy and online commentaries and concordances that cover the entire Bible, and that explain or provide background on any given verse or passage, as well as cross-referencing prophecies in either the Old Testament or New Testament with their subsequent fulfillment (either in the Bible, or in post-Biblical times to the present day).

September 26 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

One year my wife, Phyl, and I read through the One-Year Bible (NIV) together and shared insights. It was a wonderful experience! Her Dad did this, too. Also, my 2 girls and I would read through Kenneth Taylor’s bible story book for children all year, and I’d write questions for them to answer each day. (I started reading to them, and then when they could read for themselves, they did). This has led them years later to daily studying the Bible. What a joy for a parent to experience this!

Right now I am making use of an online resource called “VerseLocker.com” to help me memorize Scripture. It is run by Scripture Memory Fellowship and is just called scripturememory.com. To me this is most exciting! Also, I have used ebible’s read through the bible program, and use it now to ask and answer Bible questions. I listen to online preaching, virtually from my church, and other pastors. I regularly make use of classic.net.bible.org, biblehub.com, and biblegateway.com for their “read the verse in all English translations.” For example, you type in any SINGLE verse such as Psalm 34:4 in all English translations.

Finally, we must consider who it is that we have an audience with. We have an audience with God Himself because of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, reconciling us to the Father by taking our sin upon Himself. He now intercedes on our behalf before the Father (Hebrews 7:24-25; Romans 8:34). When we turn away from our sin and turn to follow Jesus, we stand before God, coming into His presence as if we had never sinned (Galatians 2:16-21).

When we think upon this astounding and wonderful reality of redemption given to us by His grace, how can we feel bored when reading the Bible?

September 27 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report