Pick up a quick tip to get more out of your Bible study

I've taught for over twenty years and I can help you go deeper when you open up the Word.

Study Tip: Starting From Scratch

Recently, we (Jon and I) had the privilege of giving a quick "Bible overview" to someone new to Scripture. Here are the suggestions we gave to get this person started studying on his own.

1. Read a translation you can understand. The KJV (which I raised on, and I'm still most familiar with) was discouraging him from even trying to read for himself. He tested out several of translations until he found one he could stick with. (We'll get him into a Greek New Testament one of these days.)

2. Don't try to get it all the first time around. There is a lot to absorb in Scripture. People, places, events, promises and truth. We suggested an Old Testament survey: Genesis, Exodus 1-20, 32 and 1 & 2 Samuel.

This hits the major Old Testament figures- Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David- as well as the key events- creation, the Flood, the Fall, the call of Abraham, the Exodus and David's rise from shepherd to king.

The New Testament is easier to digest, and we recommended a straight read, even including Revelation. (It's not as hard to understand as its reputation would indicates.)

Next time through the Old Testament, consider adding Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth, Esther and Daniel.

3. Ask questions. Don't be shy about it. Discipling, instructing, encouraging our fellow believers is one of the church's primary tasks. Take advantage of it.

What tips would you offer a new student of Scripture?

Study Tip: Schedule It

By Paula Wiseman

I have a particular time set aside to write my blog posts (in the morning after running, showering and studying). If something comes up that interferes with that (like bloodwork at 7:15), I have a hard time fitting it in. (And I realize at 4:30, I never wrote the post.)

Bible study is the same way. I have a time set aside to study. But it's not the same time every day.
Monday through Friday it's 6:30-ish (-Ish because my run doesn't always take the same amount of time, and occasionally I take a day off.)
Saturday, it's morning-ish. I sleep in a little on Saturday.
On Sunday, it's afternoon-ish (after church, lunch and a nap J )
Not planned down to the minute, but a regular, predictable, habitual study time.

Scheduling your study-
Ensures it will get done
Cements it as a priority
Builds a habit with incredible benefits

The schedule has to fit you
Studying at night would never work for me. Too many distractions. I'm tired. Our evenings don't follow a routine. But it may just your thing.
Long stretches don't work for me either. About twenty or thirty minutes is my maximum. However, some folks prefer a once a week marathon session.
It's always flexible. Move your study time until you find a good time slot.

When is your scheduled study time?

Study Tip: Meditating on Scripture

By Paula Wiseman

Watching the sunset (Occasionally, thanks to the wonders of technology, Study Tip Tuesday happens on Wednesday.)

Meditating on Scripture…

Quick- what mental picture do you have?
Floor mats and yoga pants?
Televangelists with bad haircuts?
Unattainable super-spirituality?

Hang around Christians for a while and that phrase is bound to pop up, usually in the context of something you should be doing. But what IS it exactly, and how can it help with Bible study?

Meditating on Scripture is just reflection or contemplation. Plain, old thinking about it. On purpose. Nothing hard, weird or complicated about it. We do it all the time with other things. "I've been thinking about the kitchen remodel. What if we put the refrigerator on this wall and …" Or maybe, "I was driving to work this morning and trying to figure out how we can see everybody at Christmas since you only have four vacation days left …"

See, "thinking about", and "trying to figure out" we understand. Throw out the word "meditate" and add "Scripture" though, and suddenly it's beyond us. Maybe these few suggestions can get you started "meditating on Scripture".

Write down a verse that recently got your attention. Use one from a sermon, a study or from your reading. Newly discovered or old favorite, doesn't matter.
Pick a day and a time you generally have some alone time- maybe your lunch break, or the drive to or from work, or waiting for practice to be over.
Minimize distractions. Turn off the television or radio
Read through your verse. Ask yourself questions like – What's it say? What does it mean? How does it work? Am I doing that? Do I need to change? What picture does it bring to mind? Does it remind me of anybody or a situation I've faced or even a scene in a movie?
Wandering thoughts happen. Don't panic- it doesn't make you a failure at meditation. Just don't let them get out of hand. Reread your verse to refocus if needed.

Keep at it and see what insights you gain. I'd love to hear about them!

"… I meditate on all Your works …" Psalm 143:5

Study Tip: Praise and Worship

By Paula Wiseman

raised hands We've reached the last post in our look at different types of writing in the Bible. Praise and worship of Jehovah God is one of the central themes of Scripture. Although it comes in several varieties, it's some of the easiest language to identify.

Look for direct address and second person pronouns for God (the "you" ones).
"Lord, You have been our dwelling in all generations." Psalm 90:1

Look for the word "praise" and then notice the reason or occasion.
"I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14

Look for descriptions of His attributes and/or what He does (especially those things that are like no one else).
"He is unique and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does." Job 23:13

Some verses may fit more than one variety.
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

If you're a list maker, keeping track of all the reasons to praise God- who He is, and what He does- is a great faith builder. Just tuck that sheet in the back of your Bible and add to it over time.

What is your favorite praise/worship verse?

Study Tip: Prayers in Scripture

By Paula Wiseman

Man praying 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.

"Our Father in heaven … give us this day our daily bread, … forgive us … do not lead us into temptation …" Matthew 6:9-13
"O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay." Daniel 9:19
"Now Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." Acts 4:29

Sometimes that order is reversed, with the request coming first.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for You are my praise." Jeremiah 17:14
"Remember me, O my God, for good." Nehemiah 13:30
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties." Psalm 139:23

Some other prayer markers to watch for are the words "may" and "let".

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Which Biblical prayers mean the most to you?

Study Tip: Warnings

By Paula Wiseman

Caution tape Quick review- On our Bible menu so far we've sampled:
Promises – God's "I will" statements
Facts – A framework that grounds God's word in time and place
Commands – Instructions containing active verbs
Guidance – Principles and examples without a direct command to follow

Today we'll take a look at Warnings.
These are the cautions and consequences. Often, these are easily identified with words such as "beware", "take heed", "watch" and the easiest one to spot– "don't".

Warnings appear early in Scripture with God issuing one almost as soon as He created man in Genesis 2. "Of every tree of the garden, you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die." See the caution and consequence pattern?

At the base of Mount Sinai, God warns the people not to ascend the mountain or even touch it, under penalty of death. (Ex. 19:12-13) Caution, consequence and the "take heed" marker.

The early chapters of Proverbs are full of a father's warnings to his son, including the cautions about immoral women. "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways … Her house is the way to hell." (7:24,27)

The prophets made their living warning God's people, and you'll find plenty of examples as you read them. One example is from Jeremiah 18. After the object lesson of the potter forming a clay vessel, then reforming it, God issues a warning. "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good." Here the pattern is reversed- consequences then the caution.

Jesus also issued warnings like this one in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven."

He carries His warnings through to the end, delivering them to the churches in Revelation. Nearly every church receives a warning to change or repent and the consequences that will follow otherwise.

What warnings have you seen as you studied? Did they follow the marker-caution-consequence pattern?