Hi everyone, Marissa here. I’m pleased to introduce Miranda from Miranda Rejoice. Today, she’s going to share some tips for starting a new Bible study. If you’re like me, you might have a desire to read the Bible more frequently but don’t know where to start. Miranda has you covered!
Any time can be a good time to start a Bible study but the new year always seems to be the time when most people decide they should start one. Reading the Bible is great in and of itself but there are practical tips for a better Bible study experience. I would like to share with you my top 6 Bible study tips for the beginner.
1. Pick the Right Plan
There are so many Bible reading plans out there, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. My advice is to look for Bible reading plans on Pinterest. Pinterest has tons of free Bible reading plans that you can use all throughout the year.
If you have a Kindle tablet, you can also find free devotionals and bible reading plans on it. Some of my favorite Bible reading plans I have found for free on my Kindle are “A Cup of Comfort Women of the Bible” devotional, “Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation”, and “Hopeless: 30 Uplifting Devotionals for the Chronically Ill Who Struggle with Depression and Despair”. Be on the lookout because Kindle offers tons of free devotionals in January.
2. Download the YouVersion App – One of My Most Favorite Bible Study Tips for the Beginner
YouVersion is an app that provides different versions of the Bible right on your cell phone or tablet. The YouVersion Bible app is great because it not only does it have the Bible on it, itprovides daily scriptures to read. It also has various Bible reading plans on it. One thing I like about this app is that you can earn badges for doing things like reading daily and finishing a reading plan. The badges seem to be motivation for me to continue reading even when I may not feel like it.
3. Pick a Partner
The Bible says that two are better than one because when one falls, the other person can pick them up (see Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Pick a partner to do Bible Study with. Choose your partner wisely. Be sure to choose someone who will read with you, who is willing to share ideas/inspiration with you, and who will keep pushing you to keep going even when you don’t feel like studying the Word. Accountability is going to be key to getting deeper in the word.
4. Journal or Take Notes
One of the best things you can do during Bible study is to journal or take notes. One of my friends tells me she enjoys writing down what she is studying and then watching videos or reading other material that compliments what she is studying at that moment. I like to write down what I am studying so that if God tells me something specific on a particular topic or for a season of my life, I will not lose sight of or forget about it.
5. Decide to Start
As I mentioned earlier, many people decide to start a Bible study at the beginning of the year but later their motivation wanes and they let it fall by the wayside. Any time is the perfect time to start studying the Bible. Don’t keep putting off studying the Word because you don’t have the right plan, the best apps, or the best planner. Start reading the word and everything else will fall into place.
6. Pray and ask God to Help You – One of the Most Important Bible Study Tips
A good friend once told me that “we shouldn’t read the Bible the same way we read other books”. You know, my friend is right. The Word of God is “alive and active”. It is “quick and powerful” and it is “sharper than any two edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). When we sit down to read the word of God, we need to make sure that we invite God into this time of reading and studying. Is there something that you are studying that you do not understand? The Bible says that if anyone lacks wisdom, he should “ask God who gives generously to all” (James 1:5). Cover your Bible Study in prayer and allow God to bring to light his Word.
Conclusion
Here are 6 Bible study tips for the beginner. Do you have some tips that did not make the list? Be sure to share them in the comments below. If you need a Bible Study to begin, be sure to check out this study on identity and discovering who we are and what we were made for. As this new year begins, I pray that you will come to understand just how wide and long, wide and deep the love that God has for you is. It’s never too late to get to know him more.
Author Bio
Miranda Rejoice New is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Christian blogger. She enjoys using her blog https://mirandarejoice.com to share ideas for Christian Living, tips on managing life with a chronic illness, and tips for surviving mental illness. If you enjoy reading her work, you can join her on various social media platforms.
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Created Breath 