How To Read The Bible | www.personalisedbible.com July 12 2022

How does God speak? How do we read the bible so that we hear from God? How do I start reading the Bible? 

Maybe you see how people quote verses from the bible and share how God spoke to them via verses and your experience is quite different. Don't be discouraged. Like all relationships, consistency and continued interest and engagement are the key to growth and maturity.

We give you 5 quick tips on how to read your bible. 

The bible IS the Word of God and we hope these quick tips help you glean from it! And of course, don't forget the power of personalized bible verses - Every Your Personalized Bible has over 5000 verses where your name is inserted to personalize your bible reading experience! 

Here are some quick tips:

How Often Do I Read The Bible? 

Set a regular daily bible reading time 

It's hard to build a habit without intentionality. Whether it's for just 5 minutes or longer, setting a bible reading time helps you get into the habit. 

Where Should I Start In The Bible?

Start from the book of John. 

Many new believers start from the first book of the bible Genesis and then feel confused as to why they don't see the name Jesus. Starting from the New Testament instead will help you learn about the life of Christ and after you finished the New Testament, you can go to the Old Testament and read that too. As you do so, you can also view the events in the Old Testament with the lens of what Christ has done. Jesus is the fulfilment of the promises and prophecies in the Old Testament. We recommend you start from the book of John just 'cause it is written in a most readable way but you can also just start from the first gospel - Matthew. 

How Do I Understand What I Am Reading? 

Don't rush to read as much as you can every time.

It's okay to mediate on single scriptures or one story for a while and be still to know God. 

Pray before you start

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Word.

Reading the bible is a spiritual exercise. A quiet prayer at the start to help yourself be conscious of God is a great way to start.  

Use the principle - S.O.A.P

Keeping a journal can be very helpful.

S.O.A.P is a common bible journalling guideline to help - S - Scripture. O- Observation. A - Application. P - Prayer. Some questions you can ask to help with Observation includes - Why did this happen? How did people react? What happened before and after this passage? You can also read the same verse in different translations. For Application, ask yourself how does what you just read apply to you in whatever you are facing right now. Always end with prayer. 

Get A Bible Translation You Understand 

There are many translations available.

While there's nothing quite like the King James Version, there's now many translations in modern English like the World English Bible, New International Version and more. Make sure you get your bible in a version that you understand. 

Include Worship 

Worship is our response when we encounter God.

Some people find putting on worship as part of their devotion time with God really help them "switch mode" to turn their attention from their tasks or worries to focus on God. You can start with worship or end with worship. Whether it's singing a song aloud or just putting on a worship song, as you turn your attention to God in adoration and remind yourself of how He is bigger than our circumstances, we encounter the Word of God. Many worship songs also have lyrics based on bible verses and singing them and consciously applying their truth to you will help you remember the Word of God and build your life upon it. 

Think of the bible as God's love letter to us. It tells us of the story of what has happened before our time, how God pursued mankind and how Jesus has redeemed us. It also gives us the road map to how to live our lives. 

Psalm 119:105 Thy Word Is a Lamp Unto My Feet and Light Unto My Path.

Reading the Word daily also creates a well inside of us that you can draw from during unexpected times or trials. 

We understand that there are many distractions that get in the way of our bible reading and we believe Your Personalized Bible will be a great tool for you. Imagine how that verse would read like if your name replaces the "My". We all need reminders of how the Bible is not just a book but it is God's promises to us. 

Invest in your own bible with over 5000 personalized bible verses today.