Knowing the voice of God and hearing his direction is something each of us want. As his children we are hardwired for His presence. Our soul thirsts for Him, but we cannot always hear his whispers because of the static we have allowed in our lives. Studying the bible more often is one of the best ways to know the character and promises of God. Having a variety of bible study techniques can help you dissect the scriptures and find peace in the pages of God’s Living word.
Reading the bible daily has been a practice that I always put on my New Year resolution list. I know I am supposed to study God’s word. I desire to study God’s word. However, my execution of this goal always sits somewhere around 65%. I have felt shame when I start a bible reading plan and then fall off. I feel it particularly when I know how amazing it feels when I am studying God’s word consistently.
This year, I knew I had to try something different. I could not simply read the word, because then I would miss the application. I had to find some effective bible study techniques that I could easily make a part of the rhythm of my day! I have been able to incorporate each of the methods listed below into my daily routine and am excited by God’s faithfulness in meeting me in His Word!
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read our entire affiliate disclosure here.
Why should we read the bible daily?
The bible is the living word of God. It is God’s written gift to us full of love letters and history. It’s a guide and instruction manual for this human experience. It holds the answer to every question we could think up. It is powerful and transcendent. Always relevant and true.
We should read the Word of God daily because he commands it, and it is the easiest way to get tuned into God’s voice.
Are there benefits of studying the word of God?
There are many benefits to studying the word of God. Aside from the fact that you will grow in this spiritual discipline, the important benefits of reading the bible and studying the word effectively include:
- Learning more about God
- Understanding yourself from the viewpoint of your creator
- Increased hope in the future
- Freedom from bondage
- Your questions are answered
- Your faith will grow as you see God working in your life
What do you need to start using these Bible study techniques?
To begin your habit of reading the word of God daily, you do not need anything but yourself and a copy of the bible. There are some items that will make these bible study techniques more effective.
What type of bible should I read?
First you will want to determine the type of bible you will want.
- Study Bibles are great for going deep into various topics and exploring them. They will often include maps, charts, character descriptions, and the history of each book of the Bible.
- Reference Bibles are more streamlined. Typically, they contain the whole Word of God but they don’t include extras like charts, book histories, and more.
- Devotional Bibles usually feature helpful stories and anecdotes beside various passages. These can help you to understand what you are reading and make God’s Word applicable to your daily life.
If you are new to bible reading a reference bible may be your best choice. However, if you are looking for more deep study a devotional or study bible will work well for you.
What translation of the bible should I read?
Once you know the type of Bible you want, you can dive into choosing the translation that works for you. There are two ways that Bible translators work – they either try to convey the meaning by translating the original text word-for-word or they try to capture the essence of the message. In the second case, they may omit or add words to make the original message clear to modern-day readers.
A few of the word-for-word translations include:
- English Standard Version (ESV)
- New King James Version (NKJV)
- The Message
- New American Standard Bible (NASB)
If you are looking for versions that capture the essence of the message, look for these options…
- New Living Translation (NLT)
- Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
- Good News Translation (GNT)
- New International Version (NIV)
I recommend having at least two different translations of the bible. If you have the bible app on your phone that will also suffice. I, however, believe there is nothing like feeling the bible in your hand and physically highlighting it. I love being able to return to the notes I made in the bible years ago and see how god has moved in my life since. I like the New Living Translation and the NKJV as my go to translations. The NIV and Amplified also give me a more rounded perspective. One version which is growing on me as they work on completing it is the Passion translation!
Other items that are great to have include a concordance, pens, a journal and I have to have the Blue Letter Bible App! It allows me to do an interlinear study of the text which is helpful when I do scripture mapping.
What are some Simple Bible study techniques?
Effective bible study requires implementing a multitude of techniques to help you understand God’s word. The following methods can be easily incorporated into your faith journal to make bible reading and study a part of your daily routine.
Verse Mapping – One fun technique to easily add more bible study time into your day it to do verse mapping. It is particularly fun for those of us who may not be creatively inclined. A simple guide to verse map is as follows:
- Write out the verse you are studying
- Read it in other translations, at least 2 and write those down
- Highlight or circle any words that stick out and look them up in the Blue Letter Bible or other biblical Hebrew or Greek translation app
- Answer who, what, when and why questions for the verse.
- Pray and then journal what God is teaching you about his character in your reading.
Soap Method– Similar to Verse mapping (I like to blend a mix of the two during my study time) the soap method is a way of breaking down the scriptures into easy to digest bites. SOAP is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Objective, Application and Pray.
Scripture Writing – The act of simply writing the scriptures can be transformative and really impress the words of the text on your heart.
Scripture Memorization – In addition to memorization, having a deck of scripture cards reciting scriptures in order to commit them to memory is a discipline that requires patients, but can be done throughout the day.
Topical Bible Study – This method of bible study involves studying all of the scriptures pertaining to a specific topic.
Daily Bible Study is key to peace
If you read and study the bible daily using these bible study techniques you will see significant transformation of your life. You will see the fruits of the spirit grow in your daily walk. You will also find more balance, joy and peace! Be sure to check out one or all of these bible study techniques with one of our topical bible studies!