The following are three different approaches for selecting a portion to read and learn scripture.
Select a theme. I’ve written over a dozen topical Bible verses on topics ranging from disappointment to rage to loneliness to joy to miracles to grace. You can find them if you look at them in the Bible study part of the blog. Another excellent source for these subject lists is my Printables Vault, which has every Bible study printable I’ve ever released, including all of the topical lists and A Grateful Heart. (They are all included in the vault fee.) The key to studying thematically, regardless of where you receive your list of scriptures, is to choose one verse per day, beginning at the top. Then, look up the verse and read the passages before and after it to understand what the entire text is saying. What is God’s message to you in these words? Write down the poem or passages that signify anything to you in your diary, on paper, with a lovely pen. Pray over them, requesting that God open your eyes to His message. Note the date in the margin and use one of the Bible study methods listed here to investigate the verse or paragraph.
Select a book. I adore the book of Philippians as much as the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). They are simple to read, especially beginners, and pack a significant punch. Almost every verse in each is significant and unique to the author. All five are found in the New Testament, which is the section of the Bible about Jesus, and the Gospels are the books that tell the story of his life from birth to death and beyond. The New Testament is considerably easier to read than the Old Testament (for the most part), and I have always preferred it (except for Genesis, my favorite book). Begin with the New Testament and choose a book to read. If you’re using a study Bible, there will be resources at the beginning of each chapter to help you understand who wrote the chapter, when it was written, and why. Then you can go on to reading the verses one at a time.
Begin at the beginning. I once bought a chronological study Bible to read chronologically from beginning to end. (Because the Bible is not written in chronological sequence, this involves some upheaval.) I got about a third of the way through, then petered out in my daily commitment (about as far as I got with the Bible in 90 Days), but I recently picked it up and restarted. In some ways, starting at the beginning is advantageous since it allows you to begin with a bang: Genesis is one of the most intriguing and action-packed books in the entire Bible. But then you get into the laws of Moses and all the sacrifices and whatnot of Leviticus, which may be difficult to get through. If you decide to begin at the beginning and find your mind wandering and devotion waning as you work your way through the regulations, processes, and sacrifices, feel free to switch it up and read something else. Remember, there aren’t any rules, do you? This is my least favorite method of studying the Bible, simply because the chapters near the beginning are so difficult for me.
And now that you’ve chosen a piece to study, there are numerous approaches to studying the material. Here’s a post that explains 13 various Bible study strategies.
Bible study is simple and fulfilling, but it can be perplexing, daunting, and intimidating for beginners. I hope the approaches and recommendations presented above will help you better understand what to do and how to study the Bible. You’ve got this!
