SeekGod.ca Discussion Forum

Good morning!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. I am really stuck as far as studying the Bible. I have read it through using a daily reading chart and have taken notes during services etc. I really want to STUDY the Bible and learn from it. I have tried several Bible study aids (books, lessons, etc) but I feel that I haven't really gotten a lot from them. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me. Are there any Bible studies out there that may help me? I do not go to a church at this time and don't know of any groups around my area that hold Bible studies so I am trying to do this at home. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I want to get more out of the Scriptures than merely reading it and saying "I've read the Bible through several times". Hope someone can help me out. Have a great day!

God Bless,

Mark

(07-08-2009 08:39 AM)Mark Wrote: [ -> ]Good morning!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. I am really stuck as far as studying the Bible. I have read it through using a daily reading chart and have taken notes during services etc. I really want to STUDY the Bible and learn from it. I have tried several Bible study aids (books, lessons, etc) but I feel that I haven't really gotten a lot from them. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for me. Are there any Bible studies out there that may help me? I do not go to a church at this time and don't know of any groups around my area that hold Bible studies so I am trying to do this at home. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I want to get more out of the Scriptures than merely reading it and saying "I've read the Bible through several times". Hope someone can help me out. Have a great day!

God Bless,

Mark

I have never really seen the Bible as something "to get through". I don't think I have ever just read it through. That seems to be a bit clinical to me. I like to savor the Word, even if it's only a few verses. May be we just have different ideas on that

In my opinion, most Bible studies are denominationally biased. Instead of a solid Scriptural view, doctrines and traditions are added to the text.

I find that forums such as these, that have solid well grounded people in the Word and do not add to the Word, are a far better place to really "hunker down" and get to know the Scriptures from an "outside" source.

If you look at the threads, a wealth of information is there with a continual stream of comments aimed at understanding God's Word without bias. In other words, we look to see what the Bible has to say and then form our understanding from it. We do not take preconceived ideas and then try to find a verse to prove it. We encourage discussion and aim to take God's Word and apply it as well.

I think it's important to be aware of the doctrines and teachings of man, which we have an abundance of here, and then see how the Scripture actually deals with these things at face value. It's not difficult. God has given us His Spirit for wisdom and understanding.

Personally, I love just reading the Word. It is such a treasure. It is a gift to me every time I open up the Bible. It is a Living Word, the very Word of God to our hearts, minds and souls

Thanks Sheepwrecked,

I now agree with the "reading through" the Bible. That is what we did in my former church. Each year, a daily Bible reading chart was handed out and we were encouraged to follow it. personally, like I said, it didn't really help me learn. All I could say after was that I had read the Bible in a year, but didn't learn much from it.
As far as learning, the problem I seem to be having is if I just read a verse or chapter, I am not feeling that I am "getting into" the Word. Maybe it's my approach. I am the kind of person who likes to be taught I guess. If a person were new to the Scriptures, they wouldn't know what they are reading unless there were somone or something to help them understand. I agree about the way man has put his own thoughts and ideas into so many resources for helping people understand God's Word. I would like to be able to find a resource where if I wanted to begin reading Matthew, I could have a guid to help me understand about the background of the writing. I guess I will just have to pray about it. Thanks for the input. Take care!

God Bless,

Mark

(07-08-2009 01:42 PM)Mark Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks Sheepwrecked,

I now agree with the "reading through" the Bible. That is what we did in my former church. Each year, a daily Bible reading chart was handed out and we were encouraged to follow it. personally, like I said, it didn't really help me learn. All I could say after was that I had read the Bible in a year, but didn't learn much from it.
As far as learning, the problem I seem to be having is if I just read a verse or chapter, I am not feeling that I am "getting into" the Word. Maybe it's my approach. I am the kind of person who likes to be taught I guess. If a person were new to the Scriptures, they wouldn't know what they are reading unless there were somone or something to help them understand. I agree about the way man has put his own thoughts and ideas into so many resources for helping people understand God's Word. I would like to be able to find a resource where if I wanted to begin reading Matthew, I could have a guid to help me understand about the background of the writing. I guess I will just have to pray about it. Thanks for the input. Take care!

God Bless,

Mark

Hi Mark,

One of the things you can do is say a word or question study. For example, if you look at my article Carrying my cross---it was based on an actual study to find out what that meant. http://www.seekgod.ca/carrying.htm

If you look at the Encouragement section, you will see many of the articles were actually studies trying to answer specific questions.
Also in the Research > section> sound doctrine> http://www.seekgod.ca/topicdoctrine.htm

Most of those were again studies to find out what the Bible says. Actually most of my research takes that approach as well--proving what it said or taught to the scriptures or not.

A useful tool is a cross reference. It's handy in software like esword--and can serve as a beginning of the study because it is never total of what connects with a concept or name.

I did a study on the name _Rock of Our Salvation, Rock of Salvation---you would amazed how often that is used in the Scriptures and how.

These are just ideas. Understand, you dont need to know all the history or culture etc to understand the Scriptures. That's a mistake to think it necessary. If it was necessary then only an elitist group would hold that information as some is not as readily available to the average person.

Your Bible is a stand alone witness. If you had nothing else at your disposal it would give you all you need to live for Christ and grow in grace and knowledge of Him.

Don't be discouraged. He will teach you.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

(07-08-2009 01:42 PM)Mark Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks Sheepwrecked,

I now agree with the "reading through" the Bible. That is what we did in my former church. Each year, a daily Bible reading chart was handed out and we were encouraged to follow it. personally, like I said, it didn't really help me learn. All I could say after was that I had read the Bible in a year, but didn't learn much from it.
As far as learning, the problem I seem to be having is if I just read a verse or chapter, I am not feeling that I am "getting into" the Word. Maybe it's my approach. I am the kind of person who likes to be taught I guess. If a person were new to the Scriptures, they wouldn't know what they are reading unless there were somone or something to help them understand. I agree about the way man has put his own thoughts and ideas into so many resources for helping people understand God's Word. I would like to be able to find a resource where if I wanted to begin reading Matthew, I could have a guid to help me understand about the background of the writing. I guess I will just have to pray about it. Thanks for the input. Take care!

God Bless,

Mark

Mark,

We all like to be taught and God knows this. Its who teaches us that concerns Him. God is ready and willing to teach us by His Spirit.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

It's not a bad thing to seek counsel on a subject. Like Sheep Wrecked say, forums like this are good, talking to other brothers and sisters in the flesh that love God's Word, is also good. Iron sharpeneth iron, right?

1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

I don't know what Bible you are reading, but I prefer the KJV. It is very conducive to memorizing as it has a cadence and a rhythm to it. For me it also has natural 'memory markers' so when I think of a word, then other verses come to my mind with that same word in it. I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit works easier with the KJV or not, just that it works well for me.

But nothing works as good as just reading it all the time. I was fortunate in my early Christian life. I just read it voraciously. I was on a Navy ship and had plenty of time out at sea. I took it with me everywhere I went and read it every chance I got. Good lifelong practice. I never really did a "reading thru the bible" program.

Also, I ran into some "Navigators" when I was a young Christian and they tried to get me into a Bible memorization program. I always resisted them. It just did not seem natural to me. I have memorized all the scriptures I know from just reading the Bible. I never really leaned towards regimentation of Bible reading or memorization. Regimentation bores me but I know people that are really happy with regimentation.