First Google ever!
These days if we don’t know how to do anything the quickest and simplest way to find out how, is to google it. However when it comes to our spirituality it is extremely hard to find answers. However, we have the oldest and still most effective google out there…..the bible. The problem is we don’t always know how to read our bibles so here are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Pray first before opening God’s word. Ask for guidance and to be able to accept what is written and to be able to apply His will to your life.
- Never, never read the Bible trying to proof your belief on any subject. It is only human nature to take ideas out of context. But trying to force the bible to fit your opinion is not going to be helpful either.
- When you are reading and come across something that does not make sense, reread the paragraph or chapter again. If you still do not understand, write down the problem area and continue onward. You may discover the answers later in your reading.
- Do not read large amounts of the Bible in one setting. Take breaks often. Or stay with about 4-6 chapters a day.
- Start with the New Testament, people who start with the Old Testament almost never read the Bible all the way through (Let’s face it we all know Genesis 1 verse 1, but we almost never get past the begat).
- The translation of the Bible you use is a very personal choice it is best to use a ‘literal’ translation like the NIV, KJV, ASV, YLT (Good for referencing), NKJV, KJIII, MLV.
- Get a cheap bible, it just makes it easier to write on it, highlight it, make notes, if later you want to retire it for better, do so.
- Be careful when buying a ‘study bible.’ They are full of people’s opinions and may not always be an accurate representation of what is meant or said in the bible.
Here is also a cool way to read the Bible to let it build on itself:
- Read “Mark.” (It is written in chronological order.)
- Read “Matthew.” (It goes into better detail of some events and adds more about Jesus.)
- Read “John.” (It contains a lot of the life of Jesus not read before, especially his last two weeks before his crucifixion. John also focuses more on the love story of God.)
- Read “Luke” then “Acts.” (Both written by Apostle Paul’s traveling companion Luke. Acts is a continuation of Luke. It describes the early church and contains the examples of New Testament conversions.)
- Read “Galatians.” (It deals with the reasons why we do not follow the Old Testament Laws in a more simplified way than does Romans or Hebrews.)
- Then read the rest of the New Testament starting at Romans and going to Revelation.
