Diving into God’s Word
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We continue our month of starting a new year by being intentional about our relationship with God. The first three posts referred to connecting, building foundations, and hearing. This week we take a look at digging deeper and what that may look like for each of us.
Some of us… ME… are such Bible and book nerds that we enjoy a good Christian application/theological book and the Bible. Then there are those who simply choose to dive into the Bible for in-depth studies. Neither one is better than the other. They are just individual preferences.
The question most people have is are Christian application books actually helpful in going deeper and understanding what it is to be intentional in our relationship with God? In an attempt to answer this from my point of view, we can talk about the different ways to study the Bible and how books and supplements.
Methods of Bible Study
There are many methods to help you engage in Bible study. Again… it is a personal preference.
Let’s get started talking about them….
Inductive Bible Study
This method has been used by millions of people. Kay Arthur has written a book study on this method. Harvest House has published a Bible focused on this method of Bible Study. There is also a set of Micron pens that are colored specifically for use with the Inductive Bible Study Method.
This method follows the process of observation, interpretation, and application. Each aspect of this process has a specific purpose in helping you dig deeper and gain an understanding of what you are reading.
Let’s break it down…
OBSERVATION – through observation you begin with gathering the information about the passage or book that you are going to be reading/studying. Who wrote it? Why did they write it? Where was it written? What was its purpose? These questions are answered as you read through the passage and make notes on what you are observing in this passage.
INTERPRETATION – the next step of this method is where you ask what does this mean and what is trying to be communicated? This is where you fine-tune your notes from the observation aspect to see what you are hearing as God uses His word to communicate with you.
APPLICATION – this step of the method is built on the first two and it’s where you ask how does this affect me and my life? However, it’s not so much a third step as it is the action of applying this to your everyday life.
Topical Studies
This is just simply choosing a topic and studying that topic through the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. This helps you connect the testaments and gain an understanding of how God’s Word is one continuous story. When you take the context of the scriptures of a topic there is so much to be learned.
SOAP Bible Study Method
This method is comparable to the Inductive Bible Study method. Using the acronym S.O.A.P. this method helps in understanding the process. You can apply this to any length of passage you are choosing to study.
S – Scripture. This is where you choose the passage that you want to study. As you read you write down the key verses.
O – Observation. This follows the same process as in the Inductive method. This includes writing down the key observations that you notice as you read.
A – Application. Again, this is similar to the same step in the Inductive method. The reason you want to read and study God’s Word is so that what is learned can be applied to everyday living.
P – Prayer. This step is where you take time to pray after Bible study and not just before. This is where you can ask God to give you the wisdom and knowledge to apply what you have learned as you seek to follow His will.
Book-by-Book Method
This method is very similar to the topical method except that you would choose a book rather than a topic. You can choose any book in the Bible and study in any order that you wish. Some have used this method to study one chapter at a time in each book of the Bible.
Verse Mapping Study Method
This is a creative way to study the scripture one verse at a time. There is no wrong or right way to work through this method. You can use various shapes and colors to break down the verse and understand how to apply it to your life.
Bible Journaling Study Method
Much like verse mapping, this method involves creative journaling to study God’s Word. Some use writing and others use paints, markers, pens, or other media to create graphics that reflect specific scriptures.
What about Christian application books
Along with the Bible, you may be interested in reading a book about a certain topic or life application. Using Christian books to assist in understanding God’s word is fine as long as you keep in mind the author is not the final word of God’s instructions. There should be careful consideration about what is read and how it is applied to living a Godly life. First and foremost you want to be sure that the precepts and teachings align with the Word of God. These types of books are good for enhancing your understanding of what it is to walk in God’s will. These are meant to complement the Bible and not replace what God says is true.
Some of the books that would be helpful are those that are topical or theological. Commentaries and expository guides (books that guide you through the books of the Bible one verse at a time) are ideal for reinforcing what you are studying.
With so many great reference and life application books to choose from, you can build a great library of resources to use as you dig deeper into God’s word. In order to know the Father….. you have to KNOW the Father.
Here are a few links to great resources and self-help books to give you an idea of what you might want to add to your library.
Happy studying my Friend!!!!!!
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (38 books)
Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible (Rose Bible Charts & Time Lines)
The New Manners & Customs of Bible Times
Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow
Forgiving What You Can’t Forget by Lysa TerKeurst
Authentically, Uniquely You: Living Free from Comparison and the Need to Please by Joyce Meyer
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