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"And they realized they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
I tend to study verse by verse, and admittedly, most of the study tips fit that style the best. Over the next few weeks, we'll look at some other systems of studying, starting with character profiles.
Last on our menu of Biblical writing is prayer and praise. However, rather than take these together in one giant post, let's look at them separately.
Prayers recorded in Scripture aren't much different from those we pray ourselves. Look for God's name and then the requests usually follow with the verbs leading the way.
Sometimes that order is reversed, with the request coming first.
Some other prayer markers to watch for are the words "may" and "let".
Which Biblical prayers mean the most to you?
Welcome back to the blog and a new study tip. I think I have things in hand well enough to get back on schedule. Thank you for your patience!
Next time you begin a new study of a book of the Bible, sit down and read the book through in one sitting. (Okay, Genesis, Psalms, Jeremiah and some of the others may take more than one.) Don’t make any notes- just read it like you would any other pleasure book. Take the pressure off yourself to retain, or to analyze it. Just read it. This does two things for you. First, it makes Bible study less of a chore and more like enjoying time with your Father while you read this wonderful journal He left for you. Second, it gives you context for deeper study.
This quick, overview read is like a view from a helicopter. When you fly over an area, you get an idea of the topography, the roads or waterways, and the landmarks. In a quick read, you get the tone of the book – Job ‘sounds’ different than Jeremiah. You also get the big themes and ideas. If you read the Kings, you see there were good kings and bad kings. In Leviticus, there’s a lot about offerings and feasts. In Luke, the Son of Man is on a mission. In Philippians, there is joy.
I admit, this is a tough one for me. I like the details, and I find myself easily pulled into a word by word examination. However, the overview is critical for a deeper understanding of Scripture, especially how the parts relate to the whole. It may help to read in a different translation than you typically use, especially for the narrative books like the Old Testament histories or Acts or even the Gospels.
Next week, we’ll try a ‘drive-by’ reading to follow the ‘fly-over’.
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Study Tip Tuesday, on Wednesday. I apologize for the delay.
Last week, we discussed the whos of a given passage. After answering all the ‘who’ questions in a passage, the next step is to move on to the ‘what’ questions. Especially when I’m teaching my kids, I make a point of asking what the verses say. Being able to answer the ‘what’ questions tells me whether or not they understood what they read. This past Sunday we studied Paul’s defense before King Agrippa. In Acts 26:4-5 what does Paul say about himself? (He was a strict Jew from his youth.) In verses 12-18 what happened? (Paul saw a vision of Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus and received a commission to preach.) What is the passage about? (Paul’s defense and story of his conversion)
You may be thinking ‘what’ point is there in asking these really simple questions? It forces you to slow down and examine the test and not just assume you know what it says.
You don’t have to stay with the easy questions. What ‘crime’ is Paul charged with? What are the main points of Paul’s defense? What changes did the gospel make in Paul’s life and purpose according to his own testimony? What changes has it made in yours?
Next week- I don’t know