3 Keys To Getting More From Your Bible

Have you ever done the “flop your Bible down, see where it opens—and look for some incredible verse to jump out at you” Bible reading plan?

Uh… yeah, me neither.

Whether you’re out of practice, going through a dry spell, or haven’t yet figured out how to get something out of your Bible, this is for you.

The Bible is full of life, adventure, fascinating stories, and most importantly: God’s heart for you.

In fact, the Bible has one central message…

God loves you.

Maybe you’ve been missing out on what God is wanting you to hear, see, discover, learn, and take away from His Word.

Here are 3 Keys To Getting More From Your Bible:

1. Make It Fun.

Set the atmosphere. I like music playing in the background (not too loud or crazy or wordy—I don’t want the music to distract me; I want it to help set the mood). Sometimes I light a candle. A big cup of coffee is always part of my routine.

Get a Bible you can understand. I use the NLT (New Living Translation).

I also have a journal I use for taking notes when I’m studying my Bible. And I have lots of colorful pens on hand—for note taking and underlining/highlighting.

In the summer, I really enjoy reading the Bible outdoors in the morning.

Do what you’ve got to do in order to make it fun!

2. Stick To A Plan.

By plan, I don’t mean the “flop your Bible down, see where it opens—and look for some incredible verse to jump out at you” Bible reading plan.

You need an actual Bible reading plan to follow. Doing this gets you through sections of Scripture you might be missing if you just read randomly. Having a plan gives you the sense of accomplishment and getting somewhere.

Our church has a Bible reading plan online with hyperlinks to BibleGateway. It can also be accessed and read from our church’s iPhone App.

Get a plan and stick to it!

3. Search For Gold.

Think of reading your Bible as a treasure hunt—or a “Where’s Waldo?” hunt. Make it your goal to discover ONE thing (a takeaway, an insight, something you can apply to your life today) each time you read.

Psalm 119.162 says, “I rejoice at your Word as one who finds great treasure.”

When you discover the gold, make a treasure map (underline, highlight, write some notes in your journal—make it easy to get back to that verse again).

The cool thing about discovering Bible gold is that you can share it with others and its value goes up, not down, in your life. No other treasure is like that!

QUESTION: What helps you get more from your Bible? I’d love to hear what’s working for you…

Enjoy this post? You’ll want to read this one too: “Leave A Stain”