I really love to learn more about God in His Word. The Bible
is undoubtedly the best book ever! It was written by 40 different authors but
is still so cohesive. What a remarkable way to display the consistency of the Lord!
Stories of warriors like David and dreamers like Joseph are pretty
straightforward and simple to understand. There are, admittedly, a few books
that can seem pretty intimidating to read. However, I’d like to encourage you
to become an avid reader of the Word of God. There are so many spiritual
treasures to discover that can greatly enhance the intimacy of your walk and
understanding of Christ. It's very easy to get into the habit of reading devotionals, listening to sermons and getting the Word second-hand so I understand how that can happen. Don't get lazy though. Dust off the Bible on dresser and open it up! As I continue to study the Bible, I’ve picked up a few
habits for making studying a little more fun and memorable. I will share a few
of mine.
1.
The
S.O.A.P. Method- I’m not sure where the S.O.A.P method originated. I know
it’s a popular bible study method. I first learned about it when I was part of
a women’s small group. S.O.A.P. is an acronym, which stands from Scripture, Observation, Application, and
Prayer. At the beginning of the study, we would pick one chapter and
take turns reading it aloud. We would then take time out to individually
observe the verse that stood out the most to us. We would then figure out a way
to apply the lesson of the verse or chapter to our lives. Then we would end
with prayer. It’s a pretty awesome way to study and apply the Word of God to
your life in a very practical way.
2.
Color
Coding- I write in a gratitude journal with vibrant colored markers. I also
use those same markers to highlight the verses that stand out to me along the
way while I’m reading. I also keep an ink pen handy to write notes on the
pages. Unfortunately, the markers do bleed through the pages a little bit but
they don’t make a big mess.
3.
Index
Cards- My sister put me on to this trick of using index cards and sticking
them in the Bible at the place where something stood out to her. She’ll also
write the verse on the card and any notes she may have. Even though she said
that her cards don’t fall out of her Bible, I prefer to keep them in one place
outside of my Bible. I guess I’m a teensy bit OCD. You can punch a hole in the
cards and keep them on a ring so they’re easily portable but also in one place
together.
4.
Early to
Rise- As a child, I always remember hearing the quote; “Early to bed, early
to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!” I find that when I wake up really early in the morning to
study my Word, my mind is a lot clearer and my heart is more receptive to what
God is saying. I also feel like there is such a beautiful intimacy because it
feels like God and I are the only two awake and we get to spend private time
together.
5.
Where do
I stand in the text? - One of
my pastors did an exercise where we read the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Afterward, we put ourselves in the shoes of one of the characters in the story
and imagined how it must have felt to be in their shoes. You’d be surprised how
relatable Bible stories can be once you put yourself in the text. If you were
Eve, you’d like to think you’d do things differently than she did, but
truthfully knowing yourself, would you have been any different? This exercise
gives you those types of questions to stretch your studying muscles pertaining
to the Word of God.
6.
Look it
up- If I’ve gotten to a point in the scriptures that I don’t understand,
I’ll use my trusty phone to Google what I can’t understand or I’ll read other
translations. I know that a lot of Christians laugh at The Message translation
but it really helps me when I am stuck on a certain passage! J
Let me know if you’ve adopted any of these exercises before.
If you plan on trying some of these, let me know how they work for you! If you
have any great study tips that have worked for you, please feel free to share!
Leave a comment below!
God bless you!
-dani
