Saturday, October 7, 2023

As you think about the important relationships in your life, what do you generally do to keep them close? If you’re like me, you plan regular times to connect and communicate with that person frequently. It's probably safe to say, you are closer with someone you communicate with on a daily basis than someone you see or talk to once every few weeks or months.  

It’s the same way with God. As a good and loving father, he wants to keep us, his children, close and communicate with us regularly. A primary way he does this is through his Word. God uses Scripture to transform us through his truth, and the truth will set us free (John 8:32). The purpose of reading/listening to Scripture is not to simply accumulate information or facts, but to gain experiential knowledge of God and grow closer to him.

However, if you are new to reading the Bible, you might not know where to start or what to do. The good news is there is no one right or wrong way and the techniques offered below aren’t even the only ways, but they are a great place to start. Depending on your season in life, one method might work better than another. Each has their benefit, so choose one, try it for a month, and see how it goes.

S.O.A.P. Method
This is a great way to start if you are new to reading Scripture. Choose a book of the Bible and then read a chapter, or even just a section of a chapter if time is short. One of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) or the Psalms are excellent spots to begin at.

Read the chapter slowly, and when you are done, write down notes using the acronym below as a guide:

S – stands for Scripture. Write down the verse or verses that stood out to you.

O – stands for observation. What did you notice about these verses? What do you think God is trying to tell you through them? Jot these thoughts down.

A – stands for application. Make notes of how you will apply this in your life.

P – stands for prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and live it out.

A Book of the Bible
With this method, you read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting. Yes, really! By reading big chunks of Scripture at once, you can get a feel for the bigger picture and capture themes that the author wants to convey. While it can seem daunting, starting with a shorter book can make this technique manageable even for a beginner. Most of the letters (epistles) in the New Testament are only a few pages. Jude is only 1 page! Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, or James are also great places to start. Pick one you haven’t read. It will probably only take you 10-15 minutes at most each day to read or listen to it.

The key with this method is to really soak it in. Just as actors read and reread an entire script to get a feel for the story as they are learning their lines, with this method you will read (or listen to) the same book of the Bible each day for 5 days. Have a pen and paper ready to jot down what stands out to you; what did you learn? Copy down a line of scripture, a theme or something else you noticed. Does it relate to something else you’ve learned in scripture? Does it answer a question or bring up new ones? Imagine yourself there and what it would have felt like, sounded like, and been like.

Meditative Reading
This method is almost the inverse of the method above. Instead of reading an entire book, you will read small sections slowly. You will pick your way through, reading 5-10 verses at most (you can read fewer), but really chew on and digest the words. Copying these verses into a notebook is a really powerful technique, inviting you to interact with the Word of God in a physical way. When you write it down, your brain engages with the information differently and helps you to remember it better.

Word Studies
Word studies are a fun, fresh way to study the Bible if you normally just read straight through. They do take a bit of patience, but there is no need to rush through it.

To start with you need to find a word. Generally, word studies begin because you either come across a word in your readings, or maybe God impresses something on your heart. Perhaps you’re a frazzled parent and you keep thinking about needing “patience”. This is a great opportunity to see what God’s has to say about it in Scripture.

First, you need to know what the word means. Even if you think you know what it means, look it up in a dictionary, as sometimes there are multiple definitions to consider. Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives excellent comprehensive definitions.

Next, find out what it means in Greek or Hebrew. This is done by using a concordance. While there are hard copy concordances, this site makes it really easy.

The last step is to find all the occurrences in the Bible. The concordance link you used above makes it easy; it will tell you how many times and in which verses this word pops up throughout the Bible. This will allow you to get a feel for how it is used throughout Scripture. Even though this tool utilizes a different Bible translation than what we use here at CedarCreek, you can go to Bible Gateway and see how the verse is translated in various versions, offering additional insight.

This last method is a process, and you might hang out on a single word for a week or more, exploring the verses and engaging with God’s word. This isn’t meant to be a sprint. Go slow; take notes. Savor and enjoy this time. Spend time pondering what God is trying to teach you. What do you learn about him through this word?

Whatever method you choose, here are a few helpful hints to get the most out of your time with Jesus:

• Set aside a specific time and location. Even just 10 or 15 minutes each day is beneficial. A little bit goes a long way, and God wants to spend time with you.
• Have a Bible (hardcopy, digital, or audio), pen, and paper for notes
• Take some deep breaths, set aside worries and concerns as you come before God. Consider taking 1-2 minutes to make a worry list – write out everything that keeps coming to mind, pray a simple "God, I give this all to you as I spend time with you," and then read.
• Pray – invite God into your time, asking him to speak to you through his Word and teach you what he wants you to know that day. Here is a sample of what to pray:

Lord, thank you for this time with you and for your Word. I desire to know you better and love you more. Lord, help me see what it is you want me to learn today. Open my eyes, my heart, and my mind. Help me understand and gain wisdom as I grow closer to you, so that I may reflect you in my life more and more. In Jesus’ name, amen.

• Enjoy your time with Jesus using a method above, or another favorite Bible study method.