Whether you’re someone who has never studied the bible, or someone who has had an active devotional life for as long as you can remember, these ideas will hopefully be able to breathe new life into your studies.

Methods of Bible Study

Psalms Study – works with any book, not just Psalm. Can be done alone, or in a group with a
designated reader

• Pray that God will give you what you need from His word, and ask Him to draw your attention to something in the text that He wants you to hear
• Choose a chapter out of the psalms, and read through it one time casually looking for a word or phrase that stands out to you. Don’t worry about what it means, just keep an eye out for a word or phrase
• Read the chapter through a second time, watching for your word or phrase and then think about what it means, or what idea it draws to mind.
• Finally read through a third time and ask yourself why God would make this particular word or phrase jump out at you. What’s going on in your life that you need to see and understand these words?

Read through Gospels – preferably you can start in Mark or John, but any of the 4 is fine

• Ask yourself, how do they portray Jesus?
• You can use Psalms study method here too, just to add another dynamic

Imagery studying – look for stories or letters that include stories and events

• Imagine how it feels to be there, immerse yourself
• What do you hear, see, smell? Try you best to experience what the people in the stories might have

Character Study – needs to be a narrative or story from either Old or New Testament

• Ask yourself, who would you probably be in the story, if you were there?
• See the event from all characters points of view, and try to compare yourself to them

Problem Studies – Identify your current emotional situation first

• Feeling angry? – Ephesians
• Afraid? – 1 John
• Lust? – Matthew 5-7
• Disappointment? – Phillippians

Use Spiritual Disciplines as you study

• Practice thankfulness
• Solitude
• Servanthood
• “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” ~ John Ortberg

Read through OT with Patriarch and Prophets, or Prophets and Kings

Read through New Testament with Desire of Ages, and Acts of the Apostles

Read a proverb each day, or a psalm each day

3-prong approach – Each day read 1 chapter from each, and notice how sometimes what you read in each one parallels something in the others

• Old Testament
• Psalm/Proverb
• New Testament Chapter

Application Study – As you’re reading through a particular book, or even the gospels look for any problems that crop or, or any answers that may be given

• Problem in Bible, apply to problem today
• Answer in Bible, apply answer to today

Jacob Study – refuse to let go! Don’t stop reading until something grabs you

Journaling – prayers, writing out the text, recording of notes or thoughts as you read through specific passages

– God speaks in these times where our hearts and minds are in quiet reflection, so be sure to listen for His voice!