The new year is
here! Every January, many of us make
resolutions to read the Bible more consistently. This year, we wanted to help you carry
through with that resolution. Today’s
post comes from the Summit Church. They
have given us a few tips for how to get the most out of your Bible reading. We pray that you will each follow the Lord as
He continues to guide your steps this year!
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| Photo from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1339714 |
Setting the Stage:
o Set a time to
meet with God each day.
o Get alone in a
quiet place to read and pray.
o Focus on
relationship and interaction with God.
o Make sure you
have a journal and a pen, along with your Bible.
Spending the Time:
o Begin by praying.
Ask God to make you receptive to his Word. Pray for wisdom and understanding.
o Read the passage
for the day. Read it slowly, noting any particular verses that stand out to you
o Look back over
the chapter and consider the following:
o Is there
something specific that you believe God is saying to you in this passage?
o What is the
general theme or central truth in this passage?
o Write the central
truth or re-write the key verse in your own words
o What do I learn
about God from this passage?
o What can I learn
about myself?
o How does this
passage help you have greater understanding of the gospel?
o Consider how you
can pray out of this passage
o What do learn
about the character of God, his purposes, and his deeds from this passage? Use
those to adore and praise God.
o Does this passage
expose sin that you need to confess?
o What promises do
you see that you can hold back up to God in prayer? What purposes of God can
you ask him to fulfill? What truths can you, by faith, claim as your own?
o Make a plan for
action. What steps do you need to take to put into action whatever God has
spoken to you out of this passage?
Sharing the Impact:
o Commit to this
with a few others. Twice a week (Tuesday and Friday), email each other. Share
something significant from the Scripture you read and a single prayer request.
This will not only help you to be accountable for the reading, you will also
strengthen and encourage other.
o Consider making a
weekly "date" with your husband or wife to share what God is teaching
you. Share your favorite verse and why it is meaningful to you. Let this be a
springboard for deeper conversations.
o Plan a weekly
family time where parents and kids can share favorite verses. If your children
are too young to do the reading, you can simply share from the reading each
week and have a time of prayer. This is an awesome time for you model with your
kids a daily commitment to God’s Word.
o Choose a verse to
memorize each week. This can be an individual or family practice. Write the verse
out on several index cards and place them strategically around the house, in
the car, or at work. Repeat the verse several times a day. As a family, say the
verse together at mealtime.
For some great options for Bible reading plans for this year, check out this incredible list compiled by Collierville First Baptist Church: click here.
What about you? How do you
make sure that you get the most out of your Bible reading? What plan do you prefer to use? Let us know if you
have any tips in the comments!
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