Bible study reveals God’s glory…

In the previous post in this series on developing Spiritual Graces, I shared the first two tips for “buying a camera” — that is, choosing a Bible to study. Admittedly, buying a camera is not THE most exciting part of photography:-)!

To learn photography, we’ve got to pick up our cameras and actually take some pictures. The camera lens reveals beauties of the world that I wouldn’t have seen without it. In the same way,

• to discover the glories of God (Ps. 119),
• to remember the wondrous deeds he has done in Christ (Ps. 96:2),
• to learn what it means to live in the grace Story he has written,

we need to look through the lens of the Bible.

3 practical ways to develop a rhythm of Bible study:

3. Create a ritual.

Ritual, while some think it means “dull and dry,” is actually a story word.

The Bible suggests that ritual is essential to living out our calling. God’s people gathered regularly to remember and re-tell God’s Story of grace, because when they did, they lived in the freedom and hope the gospel brings. (When they didn’t, they forgot how powerful he was and did ridiculous things like running away in the day of battle. (Ps. 78:9))

Here are some ideas for creating a Bible-reading ritual:

• Set up a sanctuary. Years ago, my place was a laundry room with a small desk, a Bible, a journal, and church bulletins with prayers and songs. Others have created space in a comfy chair, anywhere outdoors, an area of a cubicle, and a storage closet (yes, I know a mom who claimed that spot and occasionally disappeared there during frenetic days:-).
• Make it a place of delight. Remember that this is a time of reading, seeing, hearing, the Story of who our delightful God is and how he delights in you. What delights do you want to bring to or leave in your space? A steaming cup of coffee, a cold glass of iced tea, photos of friends, a special journal?
• Make an appointment. Enter it in your reminders or on your calendar as a recurring event. Look at your day and decide when the best times are: before bed, early in the morning, on a long commute, during afternoon naps (children’s that is:-)!

4. Make a plan/use a plan.

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Remember that the Holy Spirit will work in you through your reading, so be encouraged and choose something. Here are some really helpful ideas:

• Go through a portion of Scripture:the gospels, the Psalms, the first five books of the Old Testament. You will begin to see how the story of God’s grace develops.
• Use a designed plan:There are so many good ones out there, and with smartphones and other technology, it can be easier than ever! Here are two I like:
• The YouVersion: I don’t love the name, but I like having the plan on my phone:-).
• ESV Reading Plans: Lots of different options to reveal how the redemption story can be found throughout Scripture.

5. Study in community.

Extraverts may like this one better than introverts:  Christianity was never meant to be a solo religion, and the Bible was never meant to be read completely in isolation! Here are a few ideas for community study:

• at lunch: lunchtime study group to discuss what you read that day.
• meeting regularly with a friend to study a particular book.
• attending a local Bible study or even one online.

When we read the Bible in community, we help one another remember gospel truths and challenge one another to live in them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Free Bible Study Planner Pages

Since I know a lot of folks are into planners these days, and since writing out some of your Bible study notes can be an excellent way to develop a good Bible study habit, this month I designed some planner pages for you, along with the top 6 ideas for developing habits. Subscribe now to get yours!

One last thing about Bible reading: prayer:

Some of you may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned prayer, since Bible reading and prayer go hand in hand. I totally agree, so please stay tuned to read more about what many think is the second hardest spiritual grace: prayer.

A prayer about Bible study:

Lord, you created order out of chaos. We need you to create order in our lives so we can stick to a plan to engage your Word on a regular basis. Give us workable plans, good community, and a place of delight, so that we might begin this joyful ritual of spending time with you in your Scripture. In the name of Jesus, the living Word, we pray. Amen.

Photo credit: Photo by madeleine ragsdale on Unsplash.

Last week, I began a series on how spiritual disciplines become spiritual graces.Today, we look at Bible reading, the beginning place of spiritual graces.

What’s so hard about reading the Bible?

The Bible itself promises us that we will be transformed by reading, meditating, praying, and discussing it (Deuteronomy 8:3; Hebrews 4:12). Yet, Bible reading is probably the spiritual grace Christians struggle with the most. Why?

Two main reasons we struggle are…

• our worldly selves are more comfortable with the quick-fix, self-promotional stories culture tells. Guess what? The evil one wants to keep it that way!
• Or, we really really do want to start reading our Bibles more, but we just don’t know how to go about it. Let me tell you a little story to illustrate.

A story to illustrate…

Every fall, I used to decide to improve my photography skills. I have a nice camera, but it often sits quietly, sadly on my shelf. It has lost its capacity to make dangerous discoveries of God’s exotic world, simply because I don’t touch it.

Usually, I would say, “Okay, I’m really going to do it this time.” I would get out my books about photography, maybe even take part of an online course. Before I knew it, my mind was on overload with all the things to know about apertures, shutter speeds, and ISO’s. By the time I went to take a photograph, I was so paralyzed, I could hardly hold the camera.

Then one year, I did something different. I asked my husband, who is a semi-pro photographer (as in, it’s not his day job, but it could be), to give me some assignments. He watched and taught me as I put on the correct lens and placed the camera on the tripod. Once I was ready, questions answered, he led me to the yard and told me to take pictures of one flower from different perspectives. Later, we discussed it, and I came to understand more about photography.

The point is…

Bible reading doesn’t have to overwhelm you!

I hope these suggestions will get you started, not bog you down with too much information. Today’s post will focus on (ha, get it!) choosing a camera and knowing a little bit about it. Next week, we’ll go out to take some pictures.

1. Learn what the Bible is.

 [People] know that God has provided His Word as heavenly food for daily consumption, but morning by morning, as folks wake up to find God’s Word sitting on the chair-side table covered with dust, they wonder: What is it? and What do we do with it?” Jimmy Davis, The Cruciform Life

The Bible is the one true love story.

It tells us who God is and how he’s made the world, including us. It tells us about how Adam and Eve sinned, trying to take life into their own hands and do things their way, doubting that God was really good. And it tells us how God loved his creation so much that he sent his holy Son as a divine human to die so that we could live in loving relationship with him and one another again. Every historical account, chronicle, law, poem, and prophecy in the Bible points us to God’s work of redemption and grace.

2. Use a good study Bible.

I know. Lots of people tell us not to read commentaries. I agree that it’s important to read the Bible straight-up, but at times, good notes can help us push past the confusion to learning and living The Story in real life.
Here are several of my favorites:

• The Gospel Transformation Bible: shows how everything points to the story of redemption.
• ESV Study Bible: excellent notes from Biblical scholars who can explain the texts.
• Conversations: The Message Bible: Eugene Peterson inserts commentary that shows the real, raw, practical everyday reality and application of biblical texts, with a major emphasis on story.

3. Read in different translations:

You have more opportunities than ever to do this in the age of the internet:

Four good translations for various purposes:

• ESV: a translation that sticks very closely to the original languages while keeping it readable for 21st century readers.
• NIV84: The original New International Version also correlates closely with original languages and is perhaps slightly easier to read than the ESV.
• NLT: This translation is a “dynamic equivalent” — it conveys the tone and sense of the original communicators in a highly readable style.
• The Message: is not a strict translation but is more poetic and like reading a well-written story.

Three places to find these translations:

• biblia.com
• The Bible App(Love this for on the go:-)!
• Biblegateway

Ready to practice your Bible reading?

Click on any of the above links, and read John 1:1-5. After reading it, write one short sentence or even a few words about what you read there. You could do that in the comments, somewhere on your phone. Or even on Twitter:-)!

A Prayer about Bible Reading

Lord, we thank you for sharing your majesty, holiness, kindness, and unfailing love with us through your Word. We are awed that as we read, you help us know you better! And that’s not all, as we engage your Scripture, you actually work in us by your Spirit to grow us more and more into the likeness of your Son! Please help us begin good habits of exploring your lovely gift with great joy and deeper understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.