PRACTICAL GUIDELINES ON HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE 2

Joshua 1 verse 8: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’

You are welcome back to our discussion on how to study God’s word. Yes there are proven and systematic ways of going about Bible study and this is what we have been considering. Today by his grace, we will take another step forward on how to study your Bible. So if you are ready here we go!

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE:

3. Compare and Contrast what you are studying with other places and scriptures in the Bible. Do a comparative analysis of the word of God. There is no scripture that is standing alone or aloof but they are related and connected to each other. The New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old Testament while the Old Testament is the prediction of the New Testament. 

To do this effectively you require:

• A Reference Bible (i.e. Bible with references usually other verses connected to that scripture) You can use either of these scriptures as an example; Gal2v2.
• A Bible Concordance. A Concordance is an index of all main words in a book with their immediate contexts. Basically it is a listing of other words in the Bible 

For example: The Strong Exhaustive Hebrew/Greek Dictionary 

• Other Bible Translations 
• Bible Commentaries i.e. Adam Clarke’s, Jamieson, Faussets and Brown, Vincent Word studies, Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge etc.
• Encyclopedias (Maps of places in Bible land). These are just some of the materials that can enrich your Bible study experience. I pray that has you apply these resources your Bible study life will go to another level.

4. Ask yourself some very important questions as you study.  Ask the right kind of questions because the kind of questions that you ask will determine the kind of answers or response you will get. Lk11v1. Engage the ministry of the Holy Spirit (remember he is your Comforter i.e. Helper, Teacher, Advocate, Assistant) in your Bible study. So what kind of questions should you ask?

• What is this verse or scripture really talking about i.e. what is the theme or message e.g. Assuming you were studying the following chapter (Ps119) or passage (1Cor13v1-8) of the Bible.
• Who is he talking to? Who is the message for? I.e. is it for me, others or in the past, presence or future etc.
• What does it reveal about God the father, Son or the Holy Spirit?
• What are its implications for me? Is there a command, promise or warning?
• Is there an example to follow or an error to avoid?
• What lessons and insights have I gained from my study? Write it down and let them govern your life.

There are no limits to the questions you can ask the Holy Spirit in relation to your study. The above questions are just some of the examples you will ask. So it’s time to start asking questions. Yes, my dear brother and sisters, asking the right kind of questions will help in opening up and also enriching your Bible study experience. So what are you waiting for?

Other Scriptural References: 1Cor2v15; Eph5v2; Matt20v28; Jn16v12-13: 14v26; Matt7v7-8.

Prayer for Today: I decree that my Bible study life is changing for the better in Jesus name, amen.

CONFESSION: Lord, I believe in the truths that you have opened my eyes unto today and I embrace these truths by faith. As I take steps in implementing these words, my Bible study experience is changing from one level of glory to another. Hallelujah be to Jesus!