Studying the Bible to dive deeper into Scripture involves a thoughtful, intentional approach that combines prayer, context, tools, and reflection. Here’s a guide on how to study and understand the Bible. I hope you find this helpful like I did.
My Thoughts on Learning Scripture
When I was baptized at the age of 31, I really didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Nonetheless, I didn’t grow up in church so when I became married and our kids were little, Bill and I started going to church. I joined the choir and Bill became an usher. There really wasn’t any guidance on how to study the Bible. Over the years, we have moved several times and the same thing happened in each church we attended. I’ve noticed that there are Bible study classes but no one is diving deep and showing us how to understand what we are reading.
Comparatively, I mean, I would bring my Bible to church and follow along with our pastor for that week’s sermon but when I got home, I would pick it up here and there throughout the week. It’s like I was “saved and stuck”. I learned that from a teaching I was listening to from Andrew Wommack. It just hit home with me and I realized I needed and had the desire to learn more and dive deeper into the Bible. No one was going to do it for me.
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How to Get Started
Pray for Guidance
Start with prayer, asking for wisdom and insight. James 1:5 encourages seeking God’s wisdom, so invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text and reveal its meaning.
Choose a Translation
Select a Bible translation that balances readability and accuracy. For deeper study, consider a word-for-word translation like NASB or the KJV for the best accuracy. I put up all my other editions on the bookshelf. There are a lot of different versions of the Bible and some of them have misconstrued words. After doing some research, I found that these two are the best that really are as close to the original writings.
You can decide which translation is best for you with this book that I bought.
Read in Context
This one is huge for me! Understand the historical, cultural, and literary context. One thing that a lot of pastor’s do is just read a few verses during their sermon instead of reading the ones before and after. I’m not complaining or putting anyone down. I’m just giving my insight on what I’ve seen over the years. This is really one of the reasons that I don’t understand the verses. Have you noticed no one questions us when we do recite a verse and it’s taken out of context? People and pastor’s aren’t diving deep. That’s how the Bible can be taken out of context. Ask the following questions:
- Who wrote it, and to whom?
- I’m starting to ask When and where was it written?
- Why was it written (purpose)? Use resources like Bible dictionaries (e.g., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary) or commentaries (e.g., Precinct Austin, Blue Letter Bible, etc.) for background.
MY FAVORITE BIBLES
There are so many Bible versions out there nowadays, so how do you know which one to read from? After buying this Bible Translation book, I found a few that I feel comfortable in knowing that the wording is close to original content.
King James Version – My version was a family members that I’ve had for years. The covers pretty worn but that means more to me knowing that it was used.
NASB (New American Standard Bible) – After doing some research I decided to put my ESV and NIV on my bookshelves and go with this pretty brown one (dated back to 1995 version) and this pretty green Bible (dated in 2020).
Use a Study Method
A few years ago I found The James Method. This one thing is what changed my life about reading the Bible. Using verse mapping has been a game changer for me. I actually enjoy researching and diving into the word and understand it now. You simply break down a passage word by word, using a concordance to explore original Hebrew/Greek meanings.
What is The James Method
From founder and creator, Lauren:
It was then that I read James 4:8, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. This verse was the one that God used to wake me up. It was this verse that made me realize I was not doing my part. I was being LAZY yet expecting God to over deliver. I know it’s cliché to say, but this was my ‘a-ha moment’. This was the moment when I decided I was done being lukewarm. Essentially, I was done depending on a once or twice a week church service to feed me spiritually. Right then and there, I committed to drawing near to God daily. I committed to waking up every morning before the sun rose to spend time with my Creator. I was going to give it a year and I called it my ‘James Method’ project, based on James 4:8.
The James Method is simply the act of choosing to draw near to God and holding tight to the promise that He will draw near to you. I committed to this method. Regardless of how I ‘felt’, I drew near. Regardless of my circumstances, I drew near. Lauren also states, regardless of the doubts I had in my heart that God would hold up His end, I drew near. I got up before the sun rose, I studied His Word, I approach Him in prayer, and I began to do this weird thing called verse mapping.
Long Story Short
Lauren’s life COMPLETELY changed by drawing near daily. The desires the Lord started putting on my heart propelled me in a whole new and exciting direction. God has given me a passion and a burden to share this method with others, to encourage others to draw near to Him daily and to teach and offer this unique verse mapping method as a tool to help them on their journey. I know I have been called to share…to share my story, to share what has helped me, and to share the tools and products I’ve created.
My greatest joy now comes from encouraging and helping others to draw near to God, maybe even inspiring their own James Method project.
Why Bible Verse Mapping
Have you ever felt like you’re just reading the Bible but not truly understanding it? With the James Method Verse Map Journal, you’ll unlock deeper meaning in Scripture-so you can finally see God’s Word with fresh eyes, clarity, and personal revelation.
WHAT MAKES THIS JOURNAL DIFFERENT?
Most Bible study tools tell you what Scripture means. This journal teaches you how to discover it yourself-so you can connect with God’s Word like never before.
With Verse Mapping, You Will:
- Break down key words to unlock hidden meaning.
- Explore historical and cultural context for deeper insight.
- Find and cross-reference related passages to connect the bigger picture.
- Reflect and apply God’s truth to your life in meaningful ways.
- End each session with personal prayer-deepening your relationship with God.
Goals to Simplify Your Life
See how I strive to live every year by setting simple achievable goals.
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See my full disclosure here.
Tools Used
Bible Bag (This holds my journal, Bible and pencil pouch with extra pockets for other things)
I hope you feel inspired now to get “unstuck” like I was. I truly love researching and diving deeper into my scriptures now.
⏳ Đặt thời gian và theo dõi dễ dàng với bấm giờ đếm ngược — nhập giờ/phút/giây, start/pause/reset, chuông báo hết giờ, toàn màn hình, lưu cài đặt; chạy mượt trên điện thoại & PC ⚡🔔