{"id":35459,"date":"2015-01-12T12:51:20","date_gmt":"2015-01-12T20:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/?p=35459"},"modified":"2022-01-10T15:15:15","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T23:15:15","slug":"study-the-bible-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/study-the-bible-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Study the Bible This Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s a new year. You’ve probably started your reading plan and are off to a great start studying the Bible this year. \u00a0My early attempts at Bible study were sporadic and didn’t go that smoothly.\u00a0I soon learned that I needed a more formalized approach to my Bible study. Here are a few tips & resources that I’ve found that will help\u00a0you keep your Bible study on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PREPARE YOURSELF THROUGH PRAYER<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll our study is futile without the work of God overcoming our blindness and hardheartedness.\u201d
\u2013 John Piper<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

There is no substitute for prayer when reading and studying the Bible. Prayer takes the attention off of what we can do and puts the attention instead on what God can do in and through us. Bible study is a spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1<\/a>) in which we present our best to God. We have to remember that this is not just a book we\u2019re reading.\u00a0 We need prepare our hearts and minds for Bible study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ THE SCRIPTURE FOR YOURSELF<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Read and re-read the passage you\u2019re studying.\u00a0Get familiar with the flow of the passage. If there are terms that you don\u2019t know, look them up in a\u00a0simple dictionary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask yourself these questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. Observe<\/strong> \u2013 What does the text say?<\/li>
  2. Interpret<\/strong> \u2013 What does the text mean?<\/li>
  3. Apply<\/strong> \u2013 How does it apply to me today?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Asking these questions will keep you focused on the study at hand. These questions are also helpful when preparing, guiding, and leading discussions for small group and Sunday school Bible studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    READ & RESEARCH<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    1. Bible Study Notes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    There are multiple Bibles that have notes written by scholars and trusted authors that will assist you in better understanding the Bible. I recommend choosing one that corresponds to your\u00a0preferred translation<\/a>\u00a0(KJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Mix & Match Study Notes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    2. Bible Concordances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Concordances are great tools that give you a list of verses that contain that root word in the Bible. However, be careful that you do not JUST use a concordance in your preparation.\u00a0Concordances are a great place to BEGIN, but are never the END of your Bible Study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With that \u201cdon\u2019t try this at home\u201d disclaimer, I do suggest using a digital Bible with Strong\u2019s numbers<\/a> integrated into the text for your Bible study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recommendations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n