5 Simple Bible Reading Strategies - Clover Sites



|Simple Bible Reading Strategies |

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|Here are five simple Bible reading strategies for developing and maintaining a consistent and meaningful time alone in God’s Word. |

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|Strategy No. 1: Read the Scriptures to Deepen Your Relationship with God |

|"It came as a surprise to me that one of the problems I faced in the ministry was that when I opened the Scriptures I found it extremely difficult to |

|forget the need to determine the background, outline the passage, divide it into an appropriate package for delivery, and think of ways to get this |

|particular truth across to others." - Curtis Thomas, Practical Wisdom for Pastors: Words of Encouragement and Counsel for a Lifetime of Ministry |

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|Reading the Scriptures is our primary vehicle for knowing and serving God. In an authentic, passionate relationship with God, His Word fills our hearts |

|and our homes (Deut 6:6-9). |

|Do you struggle with a reading plan that takes you through the Bible in a year? God wants to meet you in His Word throughout your life. Good News! There |

|is no biblical requirement to complete the entire Bible in a year. In fact, every seven years the nation of Israel was supposed to gather for a public |

|reading of the first five books of the Old Testament (Deut 31:10-11). When was the last time you came across a 7-year Bible reading plan? |

|Bible reading plans come in all shapes and sizes. You will find Bible reading plans in bookstores, on the Internet, and in many Bible software packages. |

|There are 1, 2, and 3-year plans. To allow for missed days, some plans are based on 5 readings per week (instead of 7). While some reading plans guide the|

|reader straight through the Bible, other plans encourage a daily mix of Old and New Testament readings. |

|Do you really want to read through the Bible in one year? You will need to allow about 80 hours. Be prepared to commit 10-15 minutes per day. |

|You can also read through the Bible in one year by simply reading 3 chapters per day and 5 chapters on Sunday. A more aggressive approach is to read 3 |

|chapters in the Old and New Testaments each day. You will read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament four times each year. |

|However, a Bible reading plan is valuable only when combined with a thirsty heart—a heart that longs to know God (Psalm 42:1-2). |

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|Strategy No. 2: Read the Scriptures Until It “Burns” |

|"I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach the Bible with the idea that it is not only a book which was once spoken, but |

|a book which is now speaking." - A.W. Tozer, Pursuit of God, p. 82. |

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|God still speaks to us today through His Word. When He does speak, the words of the Bible come alive and glow with a brilliant relevance to our lives. He |

|uses the Scriptures to place truth in our minds, inject truth into our decisions, and impress truth on our hearts. He comforts us and corrects us. Our |

|hearts are captured and stirred by His Word. |

|In a post-resurrection appearance of the risen Christ, Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize Him at first. After |

|he disappeared and they realized Who had been teaching them, they exclaimed, “Weren’t our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road|

|and explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32) |

|Read the Scriptures with an expectation that God is going to speak to you. Listen for His voice. Depend on the Holy Spirit to open your ears. Read the |

|Scriptures until His voice sets your heart “ablaze.” Do not be satisfied with checking off the day’s reading assignment—long to encounter Him in His Word.|

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|Strategy No. 3: Read the Scriptures Every Day |

|"Those who are willing to immerse themselves daily in God’s Word will find that he reveals enough to keep them busy for the day at hand!" - Henry and |

|Richard Blackaby, Hearing God's Voice, p.110. |

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|Read the Bible daily. Although the amount of Scripture read may vary from person to person, the believers who read it daily are better prepared |

|spiritually for the journey ahead. The kings of Israel were expected to copy the first five books of the Law (the Torah) and to read it “all the days” of |

|their lives (Deuteronomy 17:18-20, Joshua 8:34-35). Each day the king was to take up his handmade copy of the Law and read it. |

|Read the Scripture in the morning. Even if you intend to read more later in the day, do not start your day without the intake of God’s Word. For your |

|regular reading time, choose a time and place that is right for you. If you cannot stay awake, let me suggest you choose a different time of day for your |

|reading! |

|Sit upright in a well-lit, private location. Choose a plain text Bible with a readable type. In order to concentrate on the text, consider using a Bible|

|that does not have annotations or study aids—they can be distracting and keep you from the actual text. Using different translations each year can help |

|you “see” passages in a new way. |

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|Strategy No. 4: Study the Scriptures Every Week |

|There is a freshness and a vitality about every sermon which is born of study; without study, however, our eyes become glazed, our breath stale and our |

|touch clumsy. - John Stott, Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today, p. 180. |

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|John Stott stresses the importance of personal Bible study. Your best Bible study is going to be birthed out of your daily reading. As God calls your |

|attention to particular issues or passages, He is often teaching you something that will be of benefit to others. In your Bible study time, go deeper into|

|the questions raised during your reading. Bible study helps and commentaries will help unfold the meaning of Biblical concepts or difficult passages. |

|However, daily Bible reading and Bible study are not the same activity. In fact, you should avoid mixing the two. As you read the Bible, keep a journal |

|handy and jot down issues, questions, ideas and topics for further study as they arise. Then set aside time each week for in-depth study. |

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|Strategy No. 5: Remember What is Written |

|"Nothing perhaps more strongly indicates the tone of a believer’s spirituality, than the light in which the Scriptures are regarded by him." - Octavius |

|Winslow (writing in 1841), Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul |

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|When we are passionate about a topic, we learn all we can. With great ease, we are able to recite dates, statistics, and facts concerning our passion. |

|Why? Because we remember what we love! |

|The writer of Psalm 119 described God’s Word as sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103). You will not be able to sustain a meaningful reading habit apart from |

|a real passion for God Himself. Remembering what He says to you each day will help keep your passion for Bible reading white-hot. Mark down the truth in |

|your Bible or journal, and it will help you mark it down in your soul. |

|As you read God’s Word, write down the truths that God brings to mind. Make brief notes in a journal or in the margins of your Bible. Underline and |

|memorize the verses with special meaning. Talk about what you are reading with your spouse or friend—share what the Lord is showing you. Be alert to ways |

|the Lord will use your reading to help others. God will often use your reading to help someone else during the week! |

|He will also use His Word to fend off the attacks of the enemy. As Jesus recalled what was “written” when He was being tempted in the wilderness (Matthew |

|4), so He will bring His Word to your mind in the face of temptation and challenges to your faith. |

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