Bible Study Helps

I know most of you are super spiritual and that you never ever struggle to do your daily Bible reading or to pray. But for the few like me who sometimes need a little help, I thought I’d offer a few guidelines that help me. 🙂

1. Choose a time and make a habit: Easy to say, easy to plan, yet often hard to follow through with. But, having a daily quiet time is a discipline that has to be established. You don’t think twice about getting dressed in the morning, likewise, if we discipline ourselves to have a quiet time, we will not think twice about not doing this either.
2. Have a plan: You don’t sit down and allow your Bible to fall open only to read from that set of verses for the day. (seriously you don’t, it might work occasionally but is certainly not the best way to go) No, have a reading plan. There are so many out there, you can search Bible reading plans and a host of different sites will come up. Choose one that will work for you and stick to it. And don’t get discouraged if you miss a day. Don’t try to catch up, just pick up where you left off. I love the chronological Bible reading plan, because reading straight through the Bible is hard for me. But there are many options, choose one.
3. Get your accessories ready: Have a journal, pen, and whatever else you might need.  I journal what I read, it helps me to stay focused and then I write down the truths being taught. Another good accessory to have is some note cards to write down Bible Memory verses, and some cards to write letters of encouragement to those the Lord may bring to mind.
4. Have a prayer plan: For me closing my eyes and quietly praying only leads me to go to sleep. I can’t stay focused. So instead, I write out my prayers in my journal. If I don’t have a journal, I pray out loud. Again, this helps me to stay focused and keep my mind from wandering off to what I might eat for lunch or my to do a list for the day.
5. Establish a prayer routine: In seminary we were taught to make a prayer-book, we got a little notebook, added tabs for the days of the week and left pages between each day. Then wrote out the people and things we would seek to pray for on certain days. This was quite helpful, because realistically we are not going to be able to pray for everybody and everything each day.
6. Remember that God, the creator of the Universe. The one who needs nothing, who knows all things desires to have a relationship with you. He set you apart from birth, He knows your name, knows your desires, cares for every detail of your life. He will transform you, speak to you, and encourage you as you take the time to read His Word and to pray.

Now I know what your thinking… you’re looking at this list and saying, if I only had time to do this, that would be great. But the truth is you have time. We both do. We make time for what is important. Instead of checking social media, check in to God’s Word. Instead of sleeping a few more minutes, get up earlier. Instead of going to bed early, stay up a little later. The method, the ways, the time spent are all important, but not as important as just taking the time you have and spending it with the Lord.

The Lord God Almighty is His name and He beckons you to come away with Him and allow Him to truly give you rest!

My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. Song of Solomon 2:10