How to Study Your Bible

How to Study Your Bible

When reading my Bible, I seem to hear an inner voice coming from the text. Studies show that more than 80% of the general population have this same sense of an inner voice speaking to them when they are reading. So, who or what is dictating the text into your mind?  Is it just you … or is there a deeper meaning to this phenomenon?

This is a subjective human experience so we can only speculate about its meaning. A simple response is to take it for granted… but what if there is more? What if this common experience is a sample of what can grow into a much more profound voice of reason, love, and hope for us all?

For example, were my wife to speak in a noisy crowd, I would immediately recognize her voice. It is familiar to me. Having many years and much experience, her voice stands out that defies everything that tries to drown it out.

Likewise, the more familiar you are with the voice that comes from the Bible the easier it is to discern that same voice in the midst of the many distractions of life. Like a family member, the voice that comes from the Bible is relational. The more you are in relationship with the source of that voice, the more you will readily recognize it.

Studying the Bible is a personal encounter with the voice of the living God to the extent of the value you place on it. The measure of what you receive depends on both the measure of your expectations and your character. The depth of your character is determined by how surrendered you are to God, and how much value you place your relationship with Him.

If you read your Bible as a record of ancient history, that’s what you will receive. If you look for practical advice about how to live, you will find that in abundance. But if you appreciate that your Bible is a faithful record of God’s dealings with mankind and is an expression of God’s thought, character, and His plan for the redemption of mankind, then your experience will be far more profound. Moreover, as to that voice that we hear … with time it becomes stronger and clearer.

The Bible was given to us not just for information, but for transformation. It is a portal or vehicle of God’s voice to the world in the present moment. An unbeliever will receive little from it, but a committed Jesus-follower will receive an ever-growing flow of wisdom and understanding. There is more wisdom in the Bible than anyone can glean in a lifetime.

Approach your Bible with an open heart, a teachable spirit, and a desire to hear from Him. You will receive all that you are seeking… and much more.

Here is a simple truth: “If you don’t ask, then the answer is No.” Ask with an honest heart and you will receive. Expect that familiar voice to speak to you, the voice of a friend who you’ve come to know well.

Here is another simple truth: “If you take one step toward Him, He will take 10 steps toward you.”

1. Prepare Your Heart and Tools

• Choose a Faithful Translation — Select a Bible that is as close to a literal translation as possible (e.g., NASB, ESV, NKJV). Choose one that “speaks” to you and that you can read comfortably.
• Find Your Quiet Space — Establish a consistent location where you can be free from distractions. This “study sanctuary” helps you to focus and hear clearly.
• Pray Before You Begin — Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you. Bible study is not a one-way reading—it is a real-time, two-way conversation between you and God.

2. Reading with Purpose

• Break Down the Passage — Work with one clear passage at a time. Break it into basic phrases that reveal the flow of thought and lead to the central point.
• Read Slowly — There is no schedule you must keep. Let your pace match your ability to absorb the meaning.
• Copy by Hand — Write out the passage and any insights you sense from the Lord. Handwriting slows your mind and deepens comprehension.
• Refer Back to the Original Texts — Learn how to use the tools available to you to refer to the Biblical Hebrew (and Aramaic) as well as Koine Greek. They will deepen your understanding.

3. Listening for God’s Voice

• Look for the Main Point — Seek the central truth the author is communicating in each set of phrases. This is how it was meant to be read and understood 2000 years ago.
• Be Grateful — Approach your study with gratitude that the Creator of the universe chooses to speak with you.
• Be Patient with Your Seasons — Some days you may study for hours; other times you may need a break. Your hunger for the Word will guide your rhythm.

4. Memorization and Mastery

• Commit Scripture to Memory — Ignore excuses—we all have the same ability to memorize. Focus on complete passages, chapters, or even entire books. The personal reward is overwhelming.
• Recite Aloud — Practice speaking Scripture from memory while standing or walking. Deliver it with the heart and intent of the original author.
• Specialize in a Few Books — Aim to know several books of the Bible deeply rather than all of them superficially.
• Write Scripture in your Own Words — When you are sufficiently grounded in a passage, write out your own, personal translation. Then compare it with the original passage to ensure that you have the same spirit, understanding, and delivery as intended.  Once done, that scripture will come from within you, not from outside of you. This is a profound and lasting step.

5. Staying Spiritually Grounded

• Avoid Early Dependence on Commentaries — Let the Holy Spirit speak first. Commentaries are valuable but they can color your expectations in advance. Read them after you have wrestled with the text yourself.
• Read with a Telescope, not a Microscope — Keep the big picture in mind. Avoid pulling verses out of context. Chapter and verse numbers, references, and footnotes are absent from the original manuscripts.
• Daily Reading — Many have found it useful to make a daily routine of reading their Bible in the morning, before the distractions of the day begin to dominate your life.
• Stay Teachable — Flee rigid dogmatism. God is perfect—we are learning. Be open to receiving new insights as He reveals them. We are students of the infinite.

I have a good friend in Wisconsin who describes when his young son, Hudson, asked; “Who is the most powerful person in the universe?”  Being a good father, he responded to this teaching moment, “I don’t know. Who do you think it is?”

Young Hudson promptly declared, “God! He can do anything!”

While that is the beginning of a good story, the main principle here is this: Can God do anything? The answer is “Yes, of course” but the larger question is deeper, “What is it that God does not do?” That is a bigger question! We all have an expansive view of what God can do, but a larger view of Him comes when you consider what He chooses not to do.

Some years ago, I began to keep a list of “What God Does Not Do” and it grew. What started as a simple idea (a handful of items) became a large idea as I considered the limits which God has assumed upon Himself. Here is my personal list:

1. He does not ask you a question in order to get information, but He might do so to test your heart posture.
2. He does not negotiate.
3. He does not shoot his wounded.
4. He does not tell you what could have happened.
5. He does not argue.
6. He does not take second place in anything.
7. He does not do evil.
8. He does not leave us alone.
9. He is not required to explain himself.
10. He does not break a promise.
11. He does not allow His children to sin without the stain of conviction.
12. He does not throw His people under the bus.
13. He is completely without guile.
14. He does not manipulate.
15. He does not defend himself. He does not need to.
16. He does not apologize.
17. He does not ask you for your sympathy.
18. He does not ask you for permission to intervene in your life, although He has given you the free will to refuse Him. Obedience is always in our best interest.
19. He does not force a change your disposition. That is up to you.
20. He does not open doors that you have closed. (free will)
21. He does not close doors that you have opened. (free will)
22. He does not seek your opinion. However, He may listen to it.
23. He does not leave you without a plan for your life.
24. He does not turn away from those who seek Him.
25. He does not compromise.
26. He does not change His views concerning sin.
27. He never forgets a friend.
28. He does not allow sin into His presence.
29. He does not make mistakes.
30. He does not respond to criticism.

As you study your Bible, you may choose to add or remove some of these items. What is important is that you have a grasp of the character of the One with whom you are speaking. This list may help guide your way.

Bible study is not a performance or even a requirement—it is a foundation for a personal relationship with your Heavenly Father and character development for you. Approach it with humility and patience, knowing that each time you open the Word of God, the Author is present and is speaking with you … in person. The rewards of serious Bible study are profoundly great, giving a clearer vision of who God is, who you are, and how to walk in relationship with Him. Once you learn to clearly hear His voice, you will never forget it, and your life will be forever changed. Like a close friend, your ear will always recognize that familiar voice in times of joy and in times of need.

The affairs of God are anchored in the Bible. Know it well, internalize it, and love it. It is His personal letter to you.

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