Highlight Conversations: Bible Study, pt. 3
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I have a lot to share this December, but I first want to begin by ending the conversation I began on Bible study. If you haven’t checked out the first two parts of this series, please do. I understand some folks who receive this in their inbox or who see this directly on the site may already have an established method of studying scripture. That’s wonderful! This is primarily geared to those who have struggled to find Bible reading enjoyable or those who don’t know where to start when they open the Good Book. If you know someone who may find what I’ve shared helpful, please pass this along or allow what I’ve written to guide you in your own conversations with others.
After hosting the Bible Study Facebook live in August (viewable on Youtube or Facebook), someone contacted me and asked the question below.
How do I study the Bible? I have different translations, but I’m not sure where to start.
This led to a great two hour-long conversation. Today, my goal is to be more brief than I was during that phone call, because I already know if I say too much y’all will stop reading. 😆
Here are the highlights!
- Lena’s Three R’s—Read, Reflect, and Respond
- I’m sure someone else in life has said something similar or has a similar concept, but this is literally how I process my time with God. After you read a passage, reflect on what you gathered from it, and then ask the Lord how to respond to what He’s shown you.
- Comprehension: It’s okay to spend one hour on a single chapter or even an hour on a single scripture. If you find yourself getting lost as you’re reading, ask yourself what you’re not understanding. Do you need a different translation for easier readability? Would your study time be a bit smoother with a Study Bible? The goal is not to walk away feeling confused. If you are confused, come back to it and keep digging. Get understanding! Proverbs 4:7
- Google is your friend—Use search engines: We live in an age of technology y’all! There are so many times when I’ve jumped on Google to look up a word. This may sound super basic, but it’s so helpful. Let’s say you’re looking to build your faith in God, then try Googling “faith scriptures.” You also can use a concordance, dictionaries, and commentaries. Check out part 2 for my other recommendations.
- Determine the type of study: You could choose a topic (ex: faith), a person, a place, a book of the Bible, reading chronologically, front to back, New Testament to Old Testament or vice versa. Honestly, there is not a wrong way, but there is a way that could be most effective for you. That’s important to identify. I personally like to unpack all the details in stories so I blend everything I just shared. If you’ve ever had a conversation with me, then you may know I will tell you a story that goes all over the place and somehow I’ll bring it back to my original point. That’s so fun for me 🤗, but it’s also what I’ve found to be effective and engaging as I study scripture. Find what works for you!
- Consistency: Spend time with God daily and go beyond the surface. Let me frame this point with a question. If your time spent in the Word replaced all the natural foods you consume daily, would you live or starve to death? Matthew 4:4, John 4:14
I'll highlight an example to pull this all together.👇🏾
Let’s say “faith” is your topic since I mentioned that earlier. If you use either a concordance in the back of your Bible or Google, you’re sure to find something on faith derived from Hebrews 11. As you read it, maybe you start to reflect on the promises God gave to Noah, Abraham or Joseph. Let’s say you specifically zoom into Abraham. If you were in his shoes, how do you think you would respond to faith challenges? What lessons can you apply to your life by examining his journey? If you have a Bible that gives you reference scriptures or other comments in the margins, what else can you learn from what you’ve read? Take a moment to think about this example and how you can use similar questions to fit your study needs.
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This topic is so near to my heart because it’s a reflection of many conversations I’ve had through the years, and often with people who have known the Lord for years. With that said, please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can serve you in some capacity as you journey in growing with God or if you just want to let me know you read this today, info@carlenaprophet.com. The next post will be shorter and stylistically different from this Highlight Conversation.
Also, thank you to those who joined me in November for the Songs of Thanksgiving Lighthouse gathering! I love finding ways to intertwine my love for music, ministry and people. It was an honor and I’m so encouraged.
Love you guys so much!!!
Officially,
Lena 💛
p.s. If we visualize that God literally FILLS US with so much LIFE when we consume the Word, it would completely change us! The same God who fulfilled and is STILL fulfilling the promise He gave to Abraham (Galations 3:8) is the same God who will respond to your faith.
