The practice of Bible study is one that requires consistency, devotion, and time. Apart from regular prayer, Bible study is the most important spiritual activity for the individual Christian. The Word of God is a lamp unto dark paths, a comfort in affliction, an ever-present help in times of need, always useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, for worship, for thanksgiving, and for praise. But ultimately, as the Word of God is Christ (John 1:1-3, 14), the measure of how intimate our relationship with God is is in how intimate we relate to the Scripture.
The Scriptures are not just useful moral teachings on ethics and lifestyle, nor are the Scriptures historical biography, although they are full of all of this. Primarily, the Scriptures are God's identity, His revelation to mankind through written language. Therefore, our relationship with the Holy Lord Almighty is dependent upon our interaction with His Word, the Holy Bible.
However, as any one who has picked up a Bible and thumbed through its pages can attest, it is a big book. For many the prospect of book so large and diverse and challenging is not only daunting, it is next to impossible. Fortunately, all things are possible through God. The point here is not to give an advanced teaching on hermeneutics (a five-dollar word meaning the interpretive methodology). Instead, I just want to briefly give some advice for effective Bible study. The hope is to make the task of reading Scripture less intimidating and perhaps more accessible for the non-readers. So, I want to put forth four easy steps that can help make the Scriptures began to jump off the page.
Prayer. Bible study, because it is first about a relationship with God should be started and ensconced in prayer. Pray before, during, and after.
Read. The key to this obvious step in Bible study is three-fold: (1) pick a short passage, (2) determine what kind of literature it is [narrative, teaching, history, letter, etc.], and (3) read it again. While reading large chunks of Scripture, say an entire book, is an excellent method of study, reading slowly and deliberately forces you to really wrestle with the text, and in so doing communicate with God.
Think. This is one of the most overlooked stepped of effective Bible study, but one of the most vital. Once you've prayed and read the text, it is essential that you spend some time really thinking about what it is you've read. The point is not that you know exactly what the passage is saying, although the goal is to interpret the text correctly. Instead, the point is to start to let Christ, His Word, dwell in our minds. This occurs by thinking about His Word. Additionally, thinking about His Word will excite us and incite us into reading more, thus the hunger for His righteousness will be engaged.
Memorize. Apart from praying unceasingly, memorization of Scripture is the most important step in Bible study. Why? Because in order to memorize something one must repeat it several times (see step 2). Also, memorization requires that we use multiple senses for it to stick forcing us to engage with the text with our minds (see step 3). And lastly, and most profoundly, when we memorize we equip ourselves with the tools and weapons in a personal way, meaning that when life happens and we or someone around us really needs the Word at that moment, we will not need a physical Bible for we will already be a living Bible, a testament to Christ. How sweet is that?!
To be sure, the point of this dialogue has not been exhaustion but exhortation. If we, as Christians, desire to know God more let us take heed the call to pray, read, think about, and memorize the Holy Scriptures. And praise be to God who has provided us our daily bread which is the Word, who is Christ Jesus.
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