Ever had the frustration of doing your devotions and not getting anything out of them or walking away from your Bible reading and forgetting what you read along with your dreams from the night before? Me too.
You can fix your Bible reading now. Enjoy learning your Bible, engage in the story, and shape your life by writing down five simple things as you read.
A book I picked up in college, How To Study the Bible For Yourself by Tim LaHaye, revolutionized my personal Bible reading. The book itself was helpful overall; however, the following five-point exercise is what transformed my Bible reading.
All you will need is your Bible, a pen, and a pad of paper. Begin by writing down points 1-5 along with the heading that is in bold. Leave enough space between for writing.
The posture of reading with a pen and paper in hand will give you a spirit of study, and expectancy. When you write out your answer it will be the equivalent of saying it out loud seven times
- Message: What is the section covering over all? To whom is it written? What did it mean to them?
- Commands: What action does God command from us in the text?
- Promises: What promises did God make in the text. To whom did he make the promise? How does it apply to me?
- Principles: Were there any actions by a character in the text that brought forth a Biblical principle, whether good or bad?
- Application: What am I going to do today about what I just read? “Lord, help me to…”
Remember that this is for your spiritual growth; your not writing for anyone else. There are no critics or grades. It’s just you and the Lord! Pray and ask for the Lord’s help before you begin; then engage, enjoy and experience God’s Word!