How to effectively study the Bible
Greetings to you, dear friends! Praise God for this wonderful day that God has given us! Thank God for one more opportunity to be filled with His living Word!
We continue talking about the Word of God as God’s treasure that is meant to be discovered by us. We established that the reading and study of the Bible can be done in different ways. You can read the Bible starting from Genesis to Revelation. Also it is possible to read the Old and New Testaments at the same time. It is possible to read the Bible by topics etc. But every time when I read the Bible I must answer some questions for myself:
- What new thing did I discover?
- Which of God’s commandments did I find in these verses? God’s Word is His commandments that I should follow. There are many commandments in the Bible and I really have to make sure that I follow them. It says in the Bible that I should do the Word, not just listen to it. If I want to do the Word, I have to know it. So, when I read the Bible, I should keep my heart open to the things He wants me to do.
- What positive Biblical example should I follow (examples of people, events etc.)?
- Which mistakes the people in the Bible made should I avoid? I have to be careful with this issue.
- What promises has God left for me in these verses? When I know God’s promises, I know His will. When I know His will, I have boldness to draw near to God. When I have boldness to draw near to God, I can be more effective in prayer. It is possible to find numerous promises in the Old and New Testament. They are meant for me, for my children, my family etc. When I pray I can take these promises and proclaim them for my life and for the lives of the other people around me. It is God’s will. And when we seek for these promises, then they will become for us the reality and true riches.
- What new thing did I learn about God from these verses?
Let’s talk about how we can be more effective in our Bible studies to exceed simple reading. There are many different ways to study the Word.
- a) The study of Bible characters.
I choose a Bible character and investigate everything the Bible says about him. It is very interesting. For example, I can choose David and study his life as the Bible describes it. Or I can study the rule of different kings of Israel, or the life of Samson, Joseph, and Peter etc. The study of biblical characters is very beneficial. Life experiences of these people, their victories, their reactions, their faith and trust in God, their mistakes – all of it is very profitable for us. When we study their lives we are able when and why God blessed them.
When I studied the lives of David and Joseph, I saw the words: «And God was with him». This phrase ignited by curiosity and I really wanted to see why God was with them. I started to study their lives to find the answers. It turned to be extremely profitable for me. I realized that if I find this key thing, then God will be with me as well as He was with them, because God is not respecter of persons. If there was something special in the lives of these people that God wasn’t pleased about, I can learn the lessons and not repeat their mistakes.
When I first started preaching, I mostly spoke about different Bible characters. And these sermons always were well-liked. Afterwards many people began studying the lives of the men and women in the Bible, since I never was able to tell everything about them.
- b) Topical study of the Bible.
There are many themes discussed in the Bible — faith, repentance, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, healing, humility etc. By studying these themes, I am able to learn God’s opinion on these issues. As I said, when I did not understand the meaning of covenant, I began following this concept throughout the Bible. And I discovered many wonderful things I did not see or know before.
- c) The study of miracles and supernatural manifestations found in the Bible.
Through them I get to know God and His power and receive inspiration. When I face a problem if my life, I can trust God and expect His intervention and help, because I have seen in the Bible that my God is mighty and powerful and works miracles. I meditate upon God’s miracles and it gives me confidence who God really is in our lives:
«Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord»(Colossians, 3:16).
Tomorrow we will finish talking about how to effectively study the Bible.
God bless you!
Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
