Lesson Two
How Can We Read the Bible Effectively?
Examine self. Is this me?
Read Psalm 1:1-2; 119:97, 103, 147, 161-163, 167
Therefore, I must first taste the honey of the word and LOVE it.
1 Peter 1:3-12
After reading this passage from Peter’s letter, consider that some do not taste the honey of the word because they do not recognize that it is the key to our salvation. They do not realize how precious a gift we have been given.
How Do We Develop a Love for God’s Word?
There must be one God!
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-5. What does the phrase above mean?
If there is only one God, what is everything else?
2. How do we shape our life so that there is only one God and we love Him?
Exercise our will (Revelation 2:4).
Make Him the first love by revolving our life around Him. We put Him first in our thoughts and give Him priority in our words, actions, and the decisions we make. Therefore, our time, talent, money, etc. is all given with Him as our number one priority.
His word must saturate our mind daily (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
What happens when our mind is saturated with God’s word?
What happens if there is no connection with the word in our hearts?
What are the positives of teaching them to our children?
How often did we need to talk about the word of God?
What effect does verse 8 have on us?
How is verse 9 different than verse 8?
Practical Suggestions
Have A Plan.
Read through the New Testament in less than 2 months (15 minutes a day). Do not stop when confused. Read through it at a steady consistent pace day to day in order to see the BIG PICTURE.
Then read Genesis through Esther in less than 3 months to get a historical understanding.
2. The 4 R’s
Read
Read aloud. Not always, but it helps engage your emotions such as sympathy, understanding, compassion, etc. to see and hear the text.
Read carefully. Use observation skills. Enjoy. Not a race!
Read repeatedly. Consistency and repetition is crucial for learning. Consider it is not about how many times I go through the text, but how many times the text goes through me.
Reflect
Purposefully to make sure you are getting the Holy Spirit’s message. Remember their one source and therefore one meaning. We need to understand the word correctly.
Visualize everything that is taking place. See the movie in your mind.
Be patient. Deeper connections and understanding takes time.
This is a great time for prayer.
Record
Use a pencil to catch your reflections.
Keep a diary.
Record questions.
Write down how you need to respond to the text. It is one thing to read and hear the text, but putting it into action is crucial. Read James 2:21-25.
Respond
Translate it into action.
Confess by opening your mouth before God.
Obey by challenging yourself to move and grow.
Write down how you can teach it to someone else.
Next Lesson:
We will learn the art and skill of observation.