Bible Question: I've been in the word for many years. I started reading through the Bible each year about 7 years ago...But I feel like I'm going through the motions. I need more. I'm considering reading one chapter a day so I can spend more time in specific study and hearing what God has to say to me. Any suggentions? |
Bible Answer: Hi. I know how you feel. But, you have been given good advice. I especially like the one about learning from the Spirit. Here are four other things to think about. Part 1. You might also try keeping a Bible-study Journal. There are many types. Think of your own. What interests you? Use that one! The type of journal I like is by the ten major Bible doctrines (God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Angels, Satan, Mankind, Salvation (the new life), the Church, the Bible, and Last Things). When you read a paragraph in your study Bible, determine what the main point is. Then decide which doctrine it applies to. Often there are two or three. Write the passage under the doctrine. Then use the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge to read all of other passages cited. Then pray about what you have read and write your comments under the Bible doctrines too. Try to decide how the Bible passages are related to each other and structure your outline of passages and comment in that order. For example, when recording verses and comments about God, one of the first items would be the Names of God, then God’s Characteristics, then His Works, then mankind’s relation to God. Or you might see another order. Use yours. In summary, the journal-outline method allows you to compare Bible passages and thoughts that you might not otherwise place side-by-side. Part 2. Hey, and if you think the above suggestion is ridiculously complex (my wife’s view), you might get a Bible Atlas and find Internet links to pictures of the Holy Lands and the next time you read in the Bible, follow along on the Atlas. In your mind, picture the actual places and imagine what must also have been appearing in the scene, what did the people look like? How did they make a living? What did the buildings look like? Place the Bible characters in the setting. Do you picture them standing or sitting? In other words, use an atlas and Internet links to pictures of the Holy Lands to create your own mental Bible video of what you are reading. But, before you try this at home, take this test: Question: When I imagine Paul sitting in his tent-making booth in the agora in Ephesus and I see him making a tent for a man who will be traveling to Jerusalem to sell the tent to pilgrims: 1. I know it must be a revelation from the Holy Spirit and I will write it in my Bible as part of my 2003 new edition. 2. I know that it may be totally false and in any event does change the Bible or constitute a new revelation. Answer: If you picked number 1, please stop reading this note and forget you ever started reading it. If you picked number 2, you’re OK, and know the proper place for pure speculation. Part 3. Or, how about this, take a Bible map (the ones in the back of your study Bible will do) and measure the distances/directions from Jerusalem to other favorite places mentioned in the Bible. Then, get a map of your state and county. Then use your own town as "Jerusalem" and mark on your state and county maps the corresponding places from your measurements on the Bible maps. Then the next time you go to "Jericho" or "Bethlehem" you will be learning more about how Biblical places are located in relation to each other. Fun for whole madcap Bible-studying family. (Note: If you actually live in Jerusalem, this method may not seem particularly interesting.) Think about each Bible verse associated with the place you are going to each day. Part 4. And lastly, you might try the following, write your own overviews of the entire Bible chronologically (about a 1200 words). There are examples in the Bible (Acts 7). In yours, you might write one version using the sovereignty of God as the theme or “plot.” Or use the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Or use key people to carry the “plot” (this would be the easiest). Or use Christ as the theme to tell all of what the Bible is about. Or use some idea or concept, like love, faith, hope, wisdom, endurance, or courage as the main theme. Summary. By using different approaches, a different study method, or a way to put the Bible accounts into a specific time and place, or by writing your own summaries of what interesting, you might be able to: Come up with a much better answer to your question on your own! These were just ideas just to get you started. Peace and joy to your heart. John |