4 Ways To Get More Out of Reading the Bible (and even Listening To The News!)

God loves you and wants to spend time with you. 

This is a sentence of great hope and simplicity. 

Today so many people are arguing over tough passages of scripture and noting what God thinks with only taking bits and pieces of the entire Bible to bend it towards their own view and that just makes for poor conversations. 

God loves you. 

Let’s begin with this and just ponder it for the moment by taking it one word at a time.  God. Loves. You. 

Nothing harsh. No character assassination, simply, God loves you.

I am strategic in how I take in the local, national and world news.

I work at getting in a well-rounded report and listen to at least four news sources weekly.   I want the information that the news gives while being mindful of their slant of reporting. 

That is how I take in scripture from the Holy Bible as well. Let me explain.  

First, I pray that God will guide my reading and understanding.

I am quite capable of reading the words, but I want to be able to connect with God and understand Him.  So, I simply ask for understanding.  He answers!  Simple.

Second, I don’t pick a single verse and base everything on it. 

I read a “chunk” of the scripture passages before and after it.  I want the whole picture in detail.  I ask, what is the author of this writing meaning to say to the community of people he is writing to. 

It is important to not read scripture through the lens of my current modern-day glasses tinted with living in the USA or being a woman who is a leader.  

Thirdly, I ask the scripture passage and God questions about what I am reading. 

• Is there a lesson here for me to learn?
• Is there a sin here for me to confess?
• Is there an action for me to be doing?
• What do I do with this passage Lord?
• What do I learn about the character of God and how he loves us in these passages?

Just simple questions and I journal the answers.

Fourth and finally, I journal and think about what I have just read then come back to it in a day or two. 

As a thinking person, I want to connect well with the words and learn more about God and how he shows his love for us so, I come back to the passage with fresh eyes. Amazing what I see on that second glance a couple of days later.  I simply connect with what was written and what the Lord is saying to me.

Question for you:

Have you ever prayed before you read the Bible asking for guidance?

Have you ever come back to a passage of the Bible a couple of days later to re-read it and deepen your understanding of what was written? 

If so, did you learn more?  If not, can you make it a challenge to do so? 

Answer these questions for yourself and I’d love to hear what comes up for you if you’d be willing to share.