More Scripture Study Help

Besides the wonderful web site I told you about last entry, there are a couple more things I’ve learned about scripture study that have helped me a great deal. The first is to read with a question in mind or something you want to learn. For example: read to know (1) how to have faith; or (2) what Jesus’ personality is like; or (3) what sanctification is; or (4) how to fully repent; or (5) what faith is; or (6) how the Spirit works in people’s lives.

This list could go on forever, but you get the idea. To just sit down and say, “O.K. now I’m going to do what I’m supposed to do and read” doesn’t gain you much except peace and calm. But when you read like a detective, looking for clues and messages about one specific topic, things begin to jump out at you—things you never would have noticed otherwise. Then as you keep notes and put those things together, you find they build on each other and fit together like a puzzle until you realize you have gained a whole new perspective on the topic.

But the best part is instead of just gaining peace and calm, you gain knowledge and wisdom and a great enthusiasm for study. You can’t wait for the next day’s study because you know you are going to find more “clues” that are going to add to your knowledge. You find that the difficult thing is not making yourself study, but stopping when it is time.

After awhile, you don’t find any more clues and so you change the question and begin again and the same excitement comes into your study. After going through many questions, you may even decide to go back to one you’ve already done and the miracle is that you learn even more. In this way, “line upon line” you grow and it isn’t a chore, or a burden, or at all boring. Instead it is absolutely exciting.