Steps to Effective Bible Study (Part 2)
By Rick Warren
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4 NIV).
God wants us to apply his Word and let it change our lives, but it starts with studying God’s Word. How do you do it? Yesterday I gave you two general principles for Bible study that apply to any Bible study method.
1. Ask the right questions.
2. Write down your observations.
Today, I’ll share three more.
3. Apply God’s Word. You move from the “what” to the “so what” and do what the Bible says. The ultimate goal of all Bible study is application. In other words, how will this Scripture change my life? We never settle for understanding alone. We want to apply the biblical principles to our daily living.
All of our Bible study efforts really don’t have any value if, in the final analysis, we don’t become more like Christ.
In fact, you only believe the part of the Bible you apply. Do you believe in sharing Christ with others? Do you believe in tithing? Do you do those activities? If you don’t do them, then you don’t really believe what the Bible teaches about them. The problem that most of us have with the Bible isn’t what we don’t understand; it’s applying what we do understand!
4. Study the Bible systematically. Don’t just study the Bible haphazardly. You can study it systematically by studying it verse-by-verse, book-by-book, topic-by-topic, or theme-by-theme. The opposite of that is the old dip-and-skip method, where you just open up the Bible and put a finger down where you want to study. That won’t produce the kind of results God wants in your life.
5. Read the Bible over and over again. This simple tool will change your life. It’s amazing how much you can get out of a passage if you study the same passage over and over again and then come back to the same passage a few months later. The more you read a passage, the more you’ll get out of it.
There’s no better time than today to start studying the Bible for yourself. No matter how you choose to study, apply these five principles, and you’ll get more out of whatever you study.
Play today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- In what specific areas of your life do you believe God wants you to apply his Word today?
- Do you have an accountability partner? If not, do you think having one would help you study the Bible more diligently?
- Do you have a systematic approach or haphazard approach to what you study in the Bible? What will you do to be more intentional in what you are studying?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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Reignite and stregthen your passion for God's Word! The 40 Days in the Word Study Kit is a 6-session study from Rick Warren that will show you how to LOVE the Word, LEARN the Word, and LIVE the Word.
We were meant to not just be “hearers” of the Word, but also “doers” of God’s Word. Take a step and experience the Bible like never before.
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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