Bible Study
My favorite hobby is reading and studying the Bible. There are many ways to go about studying the Bible and on the left side bar are links to some of the different methods I use.
Below are a few hints for getting the most out of Bible study and how to keep it interesting:
1) always begin with prayer and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit; Psalm 119:18 -- "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
2) Vary the method of study:
a) pick a topic and search the Bible for all the places the subject is discussed. I like using the searches and cross references available at http://biblegateway.com/
b) chose a book of the Bible and read it straight through (works especially well on the shorter books), then use a commentary to study individual verses (see RESOURCES for some online commentaries)
c) do a word study using a Hebrew or Greek lexicon, the http://blueletterbible.org/ website has a good lexicon -- just go to the text and click on the "c" in the little blue box to the left of the verse
d) choose just one verse or connected group of verses and read it in many different versions, http://biblegateway.com/ is again a convenient way to accomplish this
e) attend a group Bible study, it's amazing how other people's views can enhance our understanding of Bible topics, even if you don't always agree, it's helpful to see how someone else interprets a particular passage
f) make a list of favorite verses and begin memorizing them and even try memorizing whole chapters, the book of Psalms is an excellent source for chapters that are easy to memorize and filled with encouraging promises
g) follow a published Bible Study guide (see RESOURCES for a list of the recommendations)
3) Vary the version used:
a) though one should stick to actual translations of the Bible such as NKJV, NASB, and NIV when studying and proving doctrines, paraphrases of the Bible such as The Message or Clear Word can be helpful for devotional type study.
b) audio Bibles are an excellent way to "read" the Bible while traveling -- do we really need to hear the news everytime we're in the car or have continuous music? It's good to know what's going on in the world and keep up-to-date on current events and music can be relaxing, however, to add variety and balance try listening to the Bible occasionally.
c) watch the "Visual Bible"
4) Vary the time and place of study:
a) I have found it necessary to set aside a particular time and place each day to spend in prayer and Bible study otherwise it does not become a routine or a priority and then too frequently ends up getting skipped altogether. However, for additional study times I like try different times and places to read the Bible. I take my Bible with me and when I have a spare moment I can read a little. How much more beneficial it is to read the Bible while sitting in a waiting room than it is to read the latest Hollywood gossip in People Magazine or similar publications.
b) try reading in bed or at the dinner table just before a meal, even if it's just a few verses to meditate on before either going to sleep or going about our daily activities
