Bible Study Tips

It's that time of the year when everyone is setting New Year's resolutions for 2015.  If you're like me, you hope to dive a bit deeper into the Bible in the next 365 days.  This isn't an easy goal to accomplish, so I've compiled a list of ten Bible study tips (in no particular order) that I have found helpful.  If you have any tips you would like to share, please leave them in the comments.

1. Keep a Journal
This might not sound like a great idea, but trust me.  Keeping a journal of my time with God has changed the way I see and do devotions.  Writing things down on paper helps you to better remember what you learn.  It also serves as a great reminder of the ways God has worked in your life in the past.  Write as much or as little as you want, but put down enough words to remember what you meant if you ever look back at that journal entry.

2. Check Your Motives
Reading the Bible just to get through it is never a great idea.  It causes you to miss a lot of information and prevents you from really being open to the word of God working in your life.  I'm not saying that you can't set goals.  Just be sure that you want more than a gold star for completion.  Also, don't make yourself the most important person in the equation.  It's not about you.  Read because you want to know God more or simply want to spend time with Him.

3. Clear Your Mind
Before you even open your Bible, it is good to make sure that your mind is not occupied by irrelevant ideas.  Keep an extra piece of paper in your journal to write down these pestering thoughts.  That way, if you have something you need to remember, you can do so without it affecting your time with God.

4. Silence Your Phone
There is nothing worse than being interrupted by a text message or phone call when you're having a great time learning from God.  The best way to take care of this is to shut your phone off or put it in airplane mode.  Eliminating this distraction goes a long way in making sure that God has your full attention. 

5. Start With Prayer
It's always a good idea to begin by inviting God to be with you while you study the Bible.  Of course, He is always present, but it is important to remember that we need Him to help us interpret passages correctly.  I like to ask Him to reveal anything to me that He wishes.  God may decide to reveal things to you that others wouldn't notice or that may speak directly into your life.  Prayer also helps to redirect your focus on God.  Sometimes, it is necessary to ask Him to eliminate distractions so that you can fully commit yourself to the task ahead of you.

6. Print it Out
If you're anything like me, you don't like to make too many marks in your Bible.  Aside from underlining and writing a word here and there, I try not to clutter the pages of my Bible with my own words.  However, the best way to dissect a passage of scripture is to mark it up.  Printing the passage allows you to do just that.  It also gives you much more room to write notes, make arrows, and connect ideas in the margins.  If you're feeling overly adventurous, you might even double space it to give yourself more room to work. 

7. Read Slowly
Quickly blowing over the information in your Bible is not going to benefit you in any way.  It is important to take your time so that you don't miss anything.  Again, completion is not the goal.

8. Read Every Word
I know that sounds stupid, but make sure you read the words on the page, not the words you want to see.  Every word was intentionally placed there, so try to understand why.  Be curious.  Ask yourself questions about the words, and try to find the answer.  Take note of lists and words that imply a greater meaning.  Don't be afraid to break out the dictionary or look up another translation of the passage.

9. Go Outside
There is something special about reading God's word while being surrounded by His creation.  For me, it helps to clear my mind and open up new possibilities.  Sometimes, God chooses to use your surroundings to reveal things to you, especially when you're in nature.  There are few times that I have felt closer to God than when I have opened my Bible, sat under a tree, and allowed God to speak.

10. Sacrifice
Spending more time studying God's word is going to mean that you will have to sacrifice something.  Be willing to set aside your own desires and put Him first.  Sacrifice is a crucial part of love.  God sacrificed His son for us.  The least we can do is give up some of our time each day.  The amount of time does not matter.  The important thing is that we put God first and invite Him into our day.

Happy New Year!
Hopefully 2015 will be filled with many exciting adventures and will bring you closer to God than ever before.