Before I even get into this post, I feel like I need to make two quick disclosures-jumping ahead to any misconceptions. First, I am not, in any way, a bible scholar- I don’t want the title of this blog post to mislead you. I simply am sharing my experience and thoughts on how to run after God’s Word, digest it, study it, etc. Secondly, each season of life has looked differently in my study of God’s Word, so although it may look one way now, it hasn’t always.
Ok, ready? This blog post has been on my heart to share for a long, long time. Although you could argue that the current state of our country and almost a full year of quarantine restrictions (plus fear, anger, division, and discord…) could lead to the prompting of this post, but really neither have anything to do with it. I’ve learned how much I was missing out on not having the bible as a regular part of my life, and I don’t want anyone else to miss out on it either. We need to be reminded (because we humans forget and forget and forget over an over) God’s promises, God’s faithfulness, and God’s discretion of what He deems as Good for us.
Without getting into my full testimony in this post, I will share with you that although I grew up in the church and even attended eight years of Catholic schooling, I did not understand the opportunity or access I had to the bible. In school, we used the bible only during religion class…and not each day. We relied on our religion textbook. The bibles, covered in a shiny gold material, sat on the shelves of a bookcase in each classroom. We reverently passed them out when needed, used them to read whatever scripture we were looking at that day, and then off they went back on the shelves. For me, I was an avid volunteer/frequently chosen-even-without-say reader in our weekly all-school mass or monthly Children’s mass with the parish. Of course, in situations like that I read and proclaimed (!) the Word by reading aloud from the Old or New Testaments during mass to my school and parish congregation… but all interactions with the bible were in pieces…and parts, really. The bible was only opened and read to me at home once as a child at age 4. I distinctly remember it, because I had done something wrong, so the Ten Commandments were read to me (along with a spanking given, whelp). I wasn’t taught in school or at home how to study scripture or what a relationship with Christ looked like. I was taught religion. Praise God that He aligned people in my path to teach me how much I was missing in my walk as a Christian!
It wasn’t until I was in high school, that I learned about the access I had to the bible…that it wasn’t so above-my-head or out-of-my-league that even I could enjoy it…that it wasn’t reserved just for priests and pastors to read and learn from it.
It was created, beautifully put together, for all of us!
When I first started making reading the bible a habit/part of my life, I used My First 30 Quiet times. Honestly, I had never even heard of having “QT” with Jesus until the summer of 2000 when I attended Young Life camp. It was here where I learned to have a personal relationship with Him. And when you have a relationship with someone, guess what? You spend time with them. You want to know about them, learn from them, and talk to them, right? For me, this really meant changing the formal prayers I was brought up on and really talking to Him. And reading what his Word says about Him and for my life. This book is easy to follow for someone new to enjoying scripture personally or for a new Christian.
Since then, I have used many, many different devotionals. Most have been wonderful, but only a few have actually pushed me to actually dive-in to my own bible, and not just rely on the two-minute read of a devotional as a little pick-me-up…get what I’m saying? While at once I relied on devotionals to get me IN the Word, completing a bible in a year schedule/plan has been really helpful. I (probably like you) can get really intimidated by scripture-especially understanding the genealogy, history, and Jesus’ parables? What if I just miss the point? But the thing that has helped these insecurities (and distractions) has been making reading the bible part of my daily routine. And guess what? No time spent in God’s Word is wasted! Everything is profitable. Also understanding that the Bible isn’t to know myself better or what the plan is for MY life, but to know GOD better has been a big turning point.
I will say a big change in my enjoyment of reading scripture has been the version of the bible I was using. It is SO DARN EASY to get intimated with the jargon, the ancient language, and the people and places that I still cannot pronounce. There are also many arguments about which versions are the closest actual translations and most accurate to the original…well, want my two cents? If the version of the bible you’re reading is too difficult for you to understand, try another one. *I say all of this with CAUTION though. There are many, many versions of the Bible. Why would you want to emerge yourself in a knock-off? The reason I say this is because some versions omit whole verses and even chapters!* Obviously, this would have a massive impact on God’s intended message. Growing up Catholic, we used the Catholic bible. My in-laws and hubby like the King James Version. For me, I always use the NIV (New International Version) or the ESV (English Standard Version). The KJV however is said to be the most accurate translation, so please keep that in mind. Dr. Kent Hoven actually has a lot of information on this topic if you want to dig around here with this video.
As Jen Wilkin puts it, reading and studying scripture should be sought after like a savings account instead of a debit account-where we’re not just withdrawing everyday trying to get your daily bread for the day from whatever was read, but rather storing it up inside for days to come…because not everything you read is going to give you that “feel good feeling” you’re hoping for…it might not be until years from now, after you’ve read that particular passage over and over again, that you suddenly have an understanding of it.
Here are some books, podcasts, and tools I’ve used to help deepen my time with the Lord by being in His Word:
Using a study bible has been really helpful to better understand the culture at the time, the geography of events, the lineage, and language-oh, and pictures really help visual people like me. This is so useful to understanding the Bible as a WHOLE story (and not in pieces, read without context!) I really like this one.
One book that I been reading in parts, has been Jen Wilkin’s Women of the Word. This one is not a devotional but rather a really sound tool for navigating the bible. If you need something that guides you/teaches you how/gives you a plan of action, this one is it. Her wisdom is so inspiring, and I cannot wait to fully put into practice what I have already learned from her. I would definitely start here in you’re trying to find your rhythm with studying the bible.
As for devotionals, podcasts, and tools for kids:
I actually purchased Paul David Tripp’s New Morning Mercies for my husband a few years ago. Just this past year, I opened it up, and I’ve loved it. It is one of the few devotionals I have used that have pushed me to get into my own bible each day. I feel like my navigation of the bible is better from reading this as well as my understanding of how things fit together (trust me, I have so so so much more to learn, but I love that twenty years later of getting in the Word by my own desire still is growing me).
Now, back to hubby- what he loved more for that season of life for him was Tony Dungy’s The One Year Uncommon Life devotional. Hubby has always been an athlete and he could really relate to Tony Dungy’s words.
Another good devotional has been Jennie Allen’s Made for This. This devotional is geared to help you discover your purpose and God’s desire for your life…pushing off fears and really looking at what God has given you already to fulfill his plans for you. (I also really love Jennie Allen and strongly encourage anyone to follow her on social media and listen to her preaching…oh, and read her books. They’re also excellent.)
If you’re looking for something on your phone or personal device, I have completed some great reading plans through SheReadsTruth. I use their app and most bible study plans are free, and some are only $1.99. They do a great job of taking you through related scripture in both the Old and New Testaments, giving a summary/relating it real life, and allowing you to get into a flow of study and scripture memorization throughout each plan. They also offer HeReadsTruth and KidsReadTruth, so everyone can get into the Word.
Speaking of kids, a big goal of mine for this year has been to start memorizing scripture with my daughter (age 4 for reference). We have loved using KidsReadTruth scripture cards. We usually do one per week, but it took us longer to get started, so I would say the first card we did (letter A) took us closer to two weeks to nail down. It was this scripture (below) in particular that really hit me: God commands us to teach our children scripture and to write it on their hearts. We don’t know what our children will face- we can guess and look around and see what mess they’ll encounter in this world, but it is up to us to EQUIP them with Truth. (Equipping myself has been a big goal, so I can meet this challenge and teach my kids scripture, hence why I have been even more motivated to dig dig dig into God’s Word!)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deut. 6: 5-9
As for Podcasts, Elisabeth Elliot, Heidi St. John, Jennie Allen, Jen Wilkin, and Allie Beth Stuckey have been my go-tos lately. Allie Beth Stuckey is a political commentator, but she is so sound in her theology and knowledge and somehow manages to articulate it all to the world so very well-what a gift!
Tim Keller was actually the first sermon series I would listen to about 7? 9? years ago before podcasts were really a thing, and I enjoy him. He has been criticized for his stance on social justice issues which is why reading the bible for yourself is even more important-don’t rely solely on what someone is preaching-dig in yourself!
Final thoughts: While all of these things combined (independent reading, use of devotionals, listening to podcasts, etc.) are wonderful, please don’t skip over a big piece to the puzzle which is finding a healthy church to belong to. Gathering with fellow believers, serving, and learning each week from a biblically sound preacher are ALL necessary to further your knowledge, faith, and relationship with the Lord.
Hopefully, some of this can help you if you’ve been struggling to actually dive into the Word…maybe you’ve had the Holy Spirit nudging you, and maybe he lead you to this post for some encouragement? I don’t know, but what I do know is God’s Word is true. And as I said earlier in this post, I don’t want you to miss out on any of it!
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8: 31-32.
What has worked for you? I would love to know and share within this community tools and books that have been super beneficial for establishing a discipline of bible reading!
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