Spring teaching has wrapped up for me and as of now, I will be spending an extended period of time away from home. The next thing on my agenda will be planning for the August workshop which will be done remotely. So just like many of you, over the summer months I realize the importance of discipline to stay in the Bible. My purpose in today’s post is to encourage readers to continue in their Bible study when prewritten studies have come to a close. Oftentimes Bibles lay on the shelf while waiting for the fall studies to begin. If you’ve never studied a book of the Bible on your own before, I recommend you begin with the book of Mark. I’ve written a series How Can I Get More Out of My Bible Study? Here’s an excerpt from a post on Bible study method:
“Remember to use Scripture to interpret Scripture (in other words, use more clear passages to help you with less clear passages). Because the Bible is not a collection of independent texts, but one complex work, we often need to refer to other parts of the work for clarification of what is being said at one particular point. Cross reference can prove helpful. Paul writes in Philippians 1:9-11, And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.“
“On another note, because the people of Scripture were real, we should be careful not to minimize the humanity of the persons of the Bible. If we aren’t careful, we can easily romanticize these characters. In addition, we should not minimize their suffering and joy. While recognizing the reality of the lives of the people of Scripture, and experiencing the effective work of God’s Word in our own lives, it is imperative to remember: The Bible is true regardless of your experience. Never interpret the Bible in the light of your personal experience.“
This link is to the first post in the series: GO HERE. You can search through categories for the entirety of this series. In addition to the information you will find in these posts, I am highlighting the newest page on my site with free printable tools. It can be found HERE. I trust you will find both the blog series and the tools helpful. If so, please share with friends so they might also benefit in their times of Bible study.
I will let you know that I’m making a genuine effort to stay in touch through the weekly newsletter and the Facebook page (Debbie Swindell-An Everyday Theologian). If you have not already signed up for the newsletter, you can find that subscription on the site. Note that it is different than the blog subscription. And if you are on Facebook, be sure you like and follow the page. Let’s stay connected!
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