Bible Study

I believe that the level of my personal involvement in the study of God’s Word is directly linked to the depth of my personal growth in God and I believe the same is true for you.
God has given us His Word as an incredible resource and tool with the purpose of discovering His character and His plan for our life.

Here are a few tactics and resources that have helped me which I hope will also encourage you as you follow through on your desire to know God better.

1. Prepare for your time with God
Pray and ask God to meet with you. He wants you to know Him better so this is a prayer you can be sure He will answer. Set aside a daily time and place to meet with God and prioritize that each day. Get all your resources together so you are not wasting time hunting for anything you misplaced the day before. This can include your Bible, a notebook, a pen and any additional resources that will help you dig deeper into God’s Word. I have listed some of my favorites at the end of this blog.

2. Read a passage or a chapter in the Bible
Do not feel the pressure to start with huge passages or numerous chapters each day. Ease into larger chunks by starting small and by being consistent. You can start by reading a chapter a day in the book of Proverbs or in the book of John. The important part is being in His Word consistently and allowing His Truth to inform your view of God, His people and His world.

3. Listen to what God is specifically saying about His character
What God reveals about His character is the most important part of His Word. It is meant to shape how we see everything around us including our relationships, our work and our resources. God’s Word is meant to be read as one story of redemption with Him as the key figure.

4. Record what God is saying to you and pray about it
Write in a journal or in a note on your phone what God is saying to you. Listening is the key to this habit, because so much can get lost in the distractions that are a part of all our days, so give extra effort to listen well then write it down. C.S. Lewis said, "I think we can be quite certain that writing helps to untangle our thoughts." It is well worth spending some extra time to be clear on what we are hearing from God before we move to applying what we are learning.
 
5. Tell someone what you are learning
Ask God to make you more aware of the opportunities that He will give you each day to be more like Him through interactions with others as you attempt to be salt and light to a watching world. Be ready for these opportunities and be confident that God has given you everything you need to do what He is calling you to do for Him (2 Peter 1:3).
God wants to work in our heart so that we will rely on Him more fully. Listening to Him speak through His Word is key to that process. I am praying for you in this journey, and I am here to help you any way that I can.

I am fully convinced that God has me doing exactly what he wants me to do. If I was not forced to be in His Word to lead my family and to lead some of the ministries in our church, I would be a lazy Christian who only opened God’s Word sporadically. Will you accept the challenge by setting a time and place to consistently meet with God in order to know Him better so you can serve those in your sphere of influence? You and those around you will greatly benefit from this decision and you will not regret it.

Resources:
https://www.blueletterbible.org
A great website with many study tools and helps for walking through Scripture.

https://www.thebiblerecap.com
A great place to start reading the Bible each day because it provides extra resources and studies to deepen your love for and your understanding of our God.