Whispers of Christ

Dear Sister, 

I’m so glad you continue to come to bible study. It’s a blessing and it reminds me what it’s like to have that first love feeling. Sometimes when you have walked with Christ for so long, you start taking things for granted and forget to enjoy the little things. May He open my eyes and continue to show me his glory in the small everyday items. 

Last night, you asked us about ESV and study bibles. I forget that even small things like this are new for you! I’m so glad you asked, it prompted this letter/post and is a great opener for learning more about how to study the Bible. It’s a post I’ve long thought about writing but wasn’t sure if it was necessary or how to start. Inaction by overwhelm is my worst enemy in these situations. But I’m going to do my best. 

I guess in many ways, writing about this for you reminds me of the conversation I just finished with our group leader about raising children. She mentioned that she tries to bring awareness to her kids by telling them, when appropriate, that certain things are not safe in this world. The example she used was walking by a tarot reading and telling them that it was not a safe thing to engage in. She then told me that she tries her best to address things when she sees them but she will inevitably miss something. I told her that at that point we have to rely on God to use someone else to cover that which we miss, like you mentioned yesterday about talking with your cousins when they are doing the wrong thing or how I guide my nieces and nephews toward Christ when and where possible. My prayer is that I can help and guide you like bumpers on a bowling alley and what I can’t do, God brings someone else into your life to help with. 

So with that being said, please put on your logical and analytical hat and let’s get rolling. When you are studying the Bible there are a variety of methods you can use. It is truly dependent on what works best for you and what you are trying to learn. I’m going to share what I do and some tools that I have used and know are safe for you to start learning to feed yourself and move from milk to meat (1 Peter 2:2). 

First it’s imperative that you set aside time each day, including Sundays, to meet with God. The more time, the better, and while some people find that evenings are better, I’ve learned that mornings are fantastic. My mom used to say that she needed to get up and start her day with God or it started on the wrong foot and I’ve found that to be true as well. I typically set aside about 30-45 minutes, which seems like a lot but it’s not. Once you get your mojo going, stopping is harder. Here are the steps I use to study along with some worthwhile notes to remember.  

1. Prayer for understanding and discernment. 

First things first, always ask God to guide you. It’s His word and he will speak but we should ask him to give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand. Without his guidance it’s just head-knowledge and I want this to be heart-knowledge. 

2. Read the Passage. 

It won’t matter where you start reading, but you should bear in mind that you want to be careful pulling random verses out of the air. The phrase they use in Bible colleges is “Context Is Key” – meaning make sure you are reading it with the context of the verses around it, the social context, who was writing it, and cultural background. I’ll give you some resources to help you find some of these clues in a moment, but for now, let’s say a good base rule is to always read the verses around it as well, even if you are only focusing on that particular one. 

3. Take Notes. 

Whether this is in your Bible or in a notebook, make sure you are taking notes. What stands out to you, or what do you not understand? I’ve found that if I paraphrase things from each verse (3-5 key words), I will get more understanding than if I just read it. Writing things down also helps solidify it in your memory so it’s worth writing the verse or passage that you are studying to make sure it’s taking root. 

4. Re-read the Passage.

Read the passage again when you are finished taking notes. I mean really read it, read it aloud or stand and act it out – whatever works best for you. Ask God as you read it to show you things you missed or to clarify things you don’t understand. He will. 

5. Ponder & Application

Once you have read and studied it, think about the take-aways from the passage. I like to draw a little box on the paper and label it “Take Aways” like I’m taking left overs home from a meal. I know it sounds silly, but it’s cute and fun to fill up my container. Think about how this applies to your life and where you are at right now. How have you seen this to be true in your own life, what are ways it could apply to your life in the future, or how can you apply this to your life right now? What action steps can you take? If you are studying a specific word (like strongholds), maybe think about what other words are associated with that one too (captives, slaves, slavery, freedom, refuge, etc.). 

6. Prayer

Finally finish by asking God to help you live this out. Again, we can do nothing apart from him. Repent if he’s given you an understanding of the sin you have committed and thank him for his grace, accept his forgiveness and forgive yourself. Ask him to plant this deep in your heart and commit it to your memory. 

Remember that the goal is always to be better today than we were yesterday and only through HIM can that happen. If you find that you need or want more resources than just your Bible, here are some good options to get you started. 

• A Study Bible (personal favorites are ESV, NASB, or AMP & Zondervan is a safe brand)
• http://www.Biblegateway.com
• http://www.Logos.com
• http://www.Bible.com (the online version of YouVersion Bible App)
• Strong’s Concise Concordance and Vines Concise Dictionary
• Zondervan Illustrated Background Commentary
• The Bible Knowledge Commentary

I know that learning to feed yourself can feel overwhelming, so I’ll finish by saying the best way for you to learn is to continue to ask questions in our group or ask someone you can trust. Never feel ashamed of asking nor let anyone look down on you for being young (1 Timothy 4:12), you are full of the child-like wonder and it’s a beautiful thing! May God fan that flame in your heart for I believe you are going to do great things in his name.

With all my love, 

Hannah