As Christ-followers, we know it’s important to read and study God’s Word on a daily basis. Do you struggle to make daily Bible reading a consistent habit in your life? Perhaps you are not sure where to begin. Don’t worry about trying to stick to a yearly reading plan if you don’t yet have the daily habit in place. Begin in any book of the Bible that interests you and read five minutes a day. You could also listen to the Bible using one of the many Bible apps available. You’ll soon find that five minutes has increased to ten and so on.
Here are some Bible reading and study tips to help you as you make reading the Bible daily a habit in your life. These tips apply to any book or passage of the Bible. Download the PDF to keep a copy in your Bible. The Discipleship Ministry at Warren is here to help as well! If you’ve got questions or are looking for resources, feel free to contact us!
Bible Reading & Study Tips
#1 Read Prayerfully
Always begin your Bible reading or study in prayer asking for the Holy Spirit to guide your reading, understanding and application of the passage.
#2 Read Repeatedly
Repeatedly reading a passage of Scripture is key to understanding and applying the Bible.
#3 Read and Mark the Text
Print out the Bible passage, double-spaced, and use to mark up the text and make notes as you read.
#4 Read in Context
Although the Bible is one story of God’s redemption of mankind. The individual books are written by a variety of authors and in a variety of styles or genres. The genre sets the expectation for how we approach the text. So, keep genre in mind when reading. It’s also important to read the passage or verse in the larger context of the passages before and after, the chapter, the book, the Testament, and the Bible as a whole.
Questions to Ask When Reading Any Bible Passage
As you read the Bible passage, seek the answer the following questions from the passage and surrounding text:
- Who is involved in the passage?
- What is happening? Where is this taking place?
- Is there a problem or concern being addressed?
- Do you see any repeated words or phrases? How do they help you understand the main point of the passage?
- What questions does the text raise? Can you uncover any of the answers to these questions from the text? (Unanswered questions are okay. Pray through them and be patient with the text and yourself as you study)
- What do you learn about God, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit from this passage?
- What do you learn about redemption from this passage? What aspects of the redemption story are seen in this passage?
Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Susan Cady
Discipleship Ministry Leader
Contact us if you have questions or are looking for resources, scady@warren.church, 706.922.7041.