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: Compare translations

I admit I’m really old school when it comes to Bible study. I only switched from the KJV to the NKJV because of my MacArthur study Bible (which I love and highly recommend, by the way). I’m not against modern translations, I just like to stick with the familiar. In the last couple of years, I’ve been comparing modern translations to my NKJV as I study and I’ve gotten some great insights. I use Bible study software to open all the other translations and they automatically synchronize to the same verse. That way I don’t have a desk full of open books.

For example, this morning I read a great verse of encouragement given to King Asa in 2 Chronicles 15:7 “But you be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

In the NAS, the part about weak hands reads “…do not lose courage”. That’s more straightforward. In the New Century Version, it’s even simpler. “Don’t give up.”

In God’s Word translation, the verb tenses are highlighted. “But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.”

Finally, in the Contemporary English Version, it reads “So you must be brave. Don’t give up. God will honor you for obeying Him.”

Side note: The thoughts of GOD honoring ME for anything… that’s too much to grasp. I’m gonna have to think about that one for a bit…

So put all those together, and we see that Asa’s task is not an easy one. In fact, it was ridding his country of idol worship. From ‘be strong’ and ‘brave’ we know he was going to face some stiff opposition from man and from Satan. We know it wasn’t going to be accomplished overnight, but that he’d have to stick to it, maybe for his whole reign. But we also know that his work and dedication wasn’t going unnoticed. God Himself promised to honor and reward that work. Wow!

Try pulling a modern translation or two alongside when you study, and see if it doesn’t deepen your understanding.

Study Tip: Now What?

By Paula

In the last few tips, we’ve examined Scripture to see what it reveals about God, and what it tells us about ourselves. What do we do with all that information? If it doesn’t affect our daily lives and make us more Christ-like, then it’s no better than knowing our state capitals.

By way of review, last week we considered Hebrews 4:12-13

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

And we came away with some observations about ourselves.

1. I am made up of the physical and spiritual.

2. I have hidden motives

3. I am not able to hide myself or my motives from God.

4. I must give account to God.

Here’s the part I call the ‘Now What?’ How does this information change my life when I leave my desk? How will it make me more Christ-like?

Knowing that I will give an account encourages me to life according to His standards, to be transparent and diligent in His service. Understanding that I will deceive myself about my motives (I have hidden ones that God sees through), I need to constantly ask God to show me where I’m fooling myself. One of the most significant things I’ve learned is that I cannot trust my perceptions and I need God to sort those things out for me.

Study Tip: Revealing Ourselves

By Paula

Last week’s study tip encouraged us to consider what a verse or passage teaches us about God. This week, we’ll look at the flip side and look at what Scripture teaches us about ourselves. I’ve heard it said that God’s word is a mirror that reveals our true selves. In Hebrews 4:12, it says that God’s word is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

Let’s just use those verses in Hebrews 4:12-13 for our examples.

Here are some of the things we can learn-

1. We are made up of the physical and spiritual.

2. We have hidden motives

3. No one is able to hide himself or his motives from God.

4. We must give account to God.

Take it a step further and make it personal rather than general-

1. I am made up of the physical and spiritual.

2. I have hidden motives

3. I am not able to hide myself or my motives from God.

4. I must give account to God.

Next week we’ll consider what we do in light of those things.

Study tip: Seek God

By Paula

The ultimate purpose of Bible study is to deepen our relationship with the God who reveals Himself in its pages. He promises us ‘you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’ (Jeremiah 29:13) It will increase our wonder and our worship of our God ‘who called you out of darkness into His glorious light’. (1 Peter 2:9)

So with each passage, each you study, ask yourself what it reveals about God or His ways. In the two quick examples I cited, we find out that God encourages us to seek Him and promises to honor every sincere search. He wants us to know Him. Ponder that for a moment or two. God… wants me to know Him… challenges me to… How could I refuse an invitation like that? How could I slack off on Bible study when God is effectively asking me to sit down with Him?

That phrase from 2 Peter gives us the gospel. God called us. He didn’t move us Himself. He called and we had to respond, but when we did, everything changed as much as it could possibly change. From darkness into light, and not just any light, His glorious light! God wants us to join Him in that light, so He calls us. How could you not love a God like that?

One more example- This one is a little more obscure. I was reading in 2 Kings this morning and hit this verse in chapter 17. “And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.” The context is that Assyria has taken the northern kingdom into captivity and repopulated the land with people from all over their empire. These folks brought their religion with them, and when they practiced it in the Promised Land, lions came and attacked them. What does that tell you about God? Mess up church and you’ll get eaten? Maybe. I think the Old Testament consistently reveals God’s character. In this odd verse, we see that He takes assaults on His holiness very seriously. The people failed to revere Him alone, and He brought swift judgment. Thankfully for us, His grace often delays that judgment, but He has that right.

Of course, it’s always a good idea to makes notes about all these observations in your notebook.

Study Tip: Break It Down

By Paula

One of my favorite things about teaching is getting to share something that might be familiar to me, but completely fresh to my listeners. It makes me stop and consider what I’m teaching, and come up with a way to interpret all the ‘jargon’. Next time you study one of your favorite verses or passages, break it down word for word. Ask yourself what the significance is of each word choice the writer used. What idea does that word convey? What difference does that word make in the rest of the passage?

Here’s an example. Yesterday, I got to break down the gospel for the kids at church camp. We used 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 as a framework.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Since we weren’t studying Paul or Corinth, I skipped the first part and concentrated on the gospel as Paul defined it.

Christ: Paul doesn’t call Him Jesus here. He wants to draw attention to His title – the chosen Son of God, born for this purpose
Died: Even though He was God, Christ allowed Himself to die a physical death
For: The reason it happened
Our: Christ’s death is sufficient for the sins of every individual person
Sins: Everything we say, do or think OR fail to say, do or think that is contrary to God’s perfection
According to the Scriptures: It is recorded, not made up and God’s reputation is staked on its absolute truth.
Buried: The fact that Jesus was buried is proof that everyone there was thoroughly convinced He was dead.
Raised the third day: Resurrection is awesome enough, but it means His death was acceptable to God as payment for sins and whoever accepts that payment to cover his or her own sins gets to raise from the dead as well, just as God promised.

Dear God, may we never get so familiar with Your word that it loses its meaning and impact in our lives. Like Your compassions and mercies, Your word never fails. It is fresh and new every morning.

Study Tip: Keep a notebook

By Paula

This tip may be a little obvious, but I’ll mention it anyway. Use a notebook. I don’t remember everything – and less all the time – so my notebook is essential to my studying. I’ve kept a study notebook at least since I was in college. Sometimes I enjoy going back to see how my insights have grown over these “few” years since my college days. (20 is a few, right?)

What should you write in your notebook? It’s your notebook. Write whatever you want. Here are a few ideas.
I make it a point to write the passage and the date. Then I go verse by verse and write my own questions, or comments.

Here’s an excerpt from my notebook: January 22, 1995 Galatians 5:1-26
v.1 This is not freedom to sin but freedom from sin and its eternal penalty
v.2 To say circumcision is necessary for salvation denies the faith that God requires…

I also keep a running list on my computer of some topics I’m chasing. One is ‘fear of the Lord’. Anytime I come to a verse dealing with that topic I make a note. Today I hit Psalm 31:19
Oh, how great is Your goodness,/ Which You have laid up for those who fear You,/ Which You have prepared for those who trust in You/ In the presence of the sons of men!
So in my notebook I added:
Fear and trust are equated. To fear God is to trust Him completely. To begin to trust our own judgment is to begin to put ourselves in God’s place. We can only trust one. The result and reward is God’s goodness- goodness so great He can’t give it to us all at once, but it must be laid up in store. His goodness is not in secret, but will be publicly given as a further testimony of His goodness.

Sometimes I just copy down verses that hit me-
The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass,/ And as I have purposed, so it shall stand: … For the Lord of hosts has purposed,/ And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?”
(Isaiah 14: 24, 27)

Finally, I write down questions I have for God that I need help with- These are from November 2007.
Question: How can you know that you are doing what God wants (called/willed) without reinforcement? Failure always causes me to question my course of action. However the failure may not be my fault, may be something God is doing in someone else…
Question: How can I know when I should maintain the course THRU the failure and when should I take that as a hint to abandon that direction? In other words, how do I know the difference between a closed door, and a challenge?

The notebook can be anything you want as long as it helps you stay in God’s word, because His word works! (BTW- If you know the answers to those questions… I’m listening!)