Dear Nancy,
I sure do hope you don’t mind me answering your comment in this public way – but it was such a great question, and I don’t have any other way to reply. Your comment both touches my heart, and makes me excited for you – because, from experience, I know that if “getting into God’s Word” is what you really want, you’re positioning yourself to be incredibly blessed by Him!
Before I get too far ahead of myself, here is Nancy’s comment / question:
“I have followed your blog for a while – you are such a blessing to me. I want to get to know God better. People tell me to “get in the word”. Please help me, where do I start, is there a book, bible study I could use? Happy belated Mother’s Day to you. Nancy in North Carolina”
We’ve all either been where Nancy finds herself, or are right there with her, or will wonder the same things one of these days when the Holy Spirit draws us to go deeper into God’s Word.
Of course I don’t have all the answers, but I’m glad to share what I’ve found to be true. So to you, dear Nancy, and to everyone who reads this post, I pray that the Lord will use these feeble words to pour some wisdom over your searching heart(s) – which, btw, is very beautiful to Him. 🙂
Two different “thoughts” on how to “get into God’s Word”:
1. Getting into God’s Word through a Bible Study book
I love Bible Studies of every kind. I have shelves full of them, and a stack I want to complete this summer. But there is one study book that I think covers every basic piece of infor
mation on getting into God’s Word. It’s called Living God’s Word by Waylon B. Moore. (I don’t think he’s kin to Beth.) ((The highlighted link takes you to the book on Lifeway’s Online Bookstore in case you want to order the book for yourself.))
Living God’s Word is divided into 6 weeks, with daily lessons for each day. The lessons aren’t hard and are very practical. I learned things from that study that I use every day in my daily quiet times. It was one of those “life impacting” book studies for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how to “get into the Word.”
2. Getting into God’s Word – using only God’s Word
Although I just recommended a Bible study book, I don’t think that is the only way to study the Bible. If you and I are Christians, with the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts, we have the Teacher, Himself, living within us. John 14:26 promises, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Friends, if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, the same Holy Spirit that lives in Beth Moore lives in YOU! The same Holy Spirit that lives in Joyce Myers lives in YOU. The same Holy Spirit that lives in Billy Graham, or in any incredible Bible teacher is the same Holy Spirit that lives in YOU – and He will teach you just like He teaches them!
Of all the many methods of studying God’s Word, here is one very simple way He has shown me that can get one started. You just need an open heart, a Bible (I would recommend starting with a Bible that is easy to understand – like the NIV or Holman Christan Standard, or even my favorite, The Amplified Version), some paper, a pen, and the Holy Spirit.
Start by praying Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I might behold wonderful things in Your law.” James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” Begin your Bible study time with asking God for wisdom, understanding, and the ability to see the incredible things in His Word. He will be faithful to show you!
Then read His Word. A great place to begin is the book of John, or Philippians, or Proverbs, or James, or whatever book the Lord leads you to – since you’re asking for His wisdom.
Read until some kind of response is provoked within you. It might be two or three verses, a whole chapter, or just one phrase of a Bible verse. It’s important to keep what you’re reading in context – in other words, don’t just pull one random verse out of a chapter and focus on that. Start at the beginning of the book of the Bible you are studying through, and truths will eventually fit together. The moment something stands out to you, stop reading.
Write that truth down in your own words. Optional: If you have the time and a Bible concordance, you may want to use it to learn the meanings of the major words in that passage. You may also want to look up other scriptures that contain those same words and write them down on the same page.
Answer this question: What is the Holy Spirit revealing to you about your life, your thoughts, your actions, or reactions? Do you need to know something? Thank Jesus? Confess something? Change something? Stop something? Start something? Whatever it is, write that down also.
Ask the Lord for help to obey what He has shown you to do in response to this truth from God’s Word.
Then, obey it. When you obey what you know from God’s Word, He will begin to reveal new and deeper things to you through your time in His Word. You will be amazed at the growth in knowledge and intimacy with Jesus that you will enjoy.
If you write these things down each time you study, eventually you will have a journal of your journey with God through His Holy Word. A blessing and a testimony to His faithfulness through His Living and Breathing Scripture.
O.K. This was long – but I’m praying for all who read this, and am asking the Lord to convict all of us about being in His Word on a consistent basis. No matter what method we use to study it, His Word is life and breath to His children!
Nancy, I pray that this gives you a place to start, and that the Lord overwhelms you with His presence as you get into His Word!
Friends, how do YOU get into God’s Word? Please leave a comment and tell us what works for you. 😉
Great thoughts. Very clear and helpful to anyone who has this question. And speaking of the question, maybe it’s time believers came up with a clearer descriptive term for this. What do you think?
Jennifer here’s another person that you have touched with this beautiful post.I just feel like my life is in such shambles that God has just forgot me.Bible study is something I truly need.I need to stay in touch with you and please pray for me.I am not a big reader that’s one of my problems.Next I just don’t take the time to read or write in my journal anymore.I feel like I am at the end of the tunnel with no way out.I have to continue to read this post today over and over and over.I have got to get my train back on the right track.
Love ya girl.I’ll be back throughout this day..
WOW! Jennifer!
Thanks so much for sharing your LOVE for GOD with us. I too, struggle and want to have a better relationship with GOD…I have trouble sometimes getting into GOD’s word and when I do, I always find myself looking for ways to get closer to HIM in your blog. Sometimes it’s good just to get your prospective…and sometimes we just get too busy with life….thanks so much for the suggestions! I too, will put them to use.
GOD BLESS! and thanks for being such a blessing to your readers as well (ME)…. 😉
Hi,
Thank you for your very sweet comment on my blog. This is such a wonderful post. Great ideas for getting into God’s word. I’m going to check out that book.
I enjoy being in a small groupat my church. It keeps me accountable. Too, just studying scripture from our Sunday sermons and going deeper into that particular book helps me.
Thank you for sharing…I just love your blog and the title!
Ginger 🙂
Great post, Jennifer! Loaded with really good info! : )
Dear Nancy in NC~ Will you please e-mail me? Jennifer.L.Walker@juno.com
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful input! Love to you all… Jennifer
Jennifer,
I went to the site to order the book – good price, 9.95, but total was 17.95. I am 62, retired and living on a fixed income. Couldn’t afford it today. I will order it when I get my SS check. Thanks again.
Nancy in North Carolina
Oh my goodness, you all have been such a blessing. Jennifer, thank SO much for the insight. I’m so excited to start today. I am going to order the book you mentioned. Please, all of you, pray for me as I start this journey to getting to know OUR LORD better.
Love in Christ,
Nancy in NC
Well said Jennifer!
I also pray Psalm 25:4-5 before I read and meditate on the Word (Bible). I ask God to show me His ways and teach me His path as I read His word. I’m a “writing” person so I make notes in my Bible and my journal books and I date them.
Praying for wisdom and revelation from the Holy Spirit is so critical as we partake of the Word. What a beautiful FEAST laid before ALL who will desire and partake.
Love you much.
Wonderful posting! You shared with Nancy everything she needs to grow in Christ through His Word! BTW love your blog! 🙂
Blessings, Diane ~ Sunflowers Songs
I recently discovered your blog and what a blessing it was to read your post this morning. I needed to be encouraged to dig deeper into the word of God. Blessings, Christine
Hi Sweet Friend! Nancy has come to the exact right place for these words of wisdom. God is so good to have brought her to you.
I am headed out the door right this minute to bring some more blonde to this head of mine (and how I am needing to say goodbye to my roots)… but look for my “book” via email soon! 🙂 You by the way are BOMBTASTIC! haha. 🙂
Great reminders. Have a blessed day! Jackie
I love the way you laid it out very simply…i would also add that for some folks reading seems to be not a great way to learn, but thankfully most of these studies and even the bible are available on CD or to download onto IPODS…
Jennifer,
I love this post. In fact I’m going to
print it out.
This is something that I had been dealing
with. I picked up Rick Warren’s bible study book.
It has helped me to see the diffence in quiet time and real bible study time. I was not putting
enough time in my bible study. It was more
quiet time for me. There is alot of info.
in this book. I also recently purchased “The
Greatest Words Ever Spoken”. This is a good
book to have.
Thank you for this post.
Have a great day. God bless you.
Tammy
Great question and great post.
I love to sit down and open my Bible and like you read. I think one of the most critical things you said (and I believe it was all very important and well laid out) was to read in context. So many times people take a verse and claim it, which is good – I’ve done it with verses like Deut. 31:8 – but it’s always best to get the context in which it is written. I think a classic example of this is Jer. 29:11 when God tells the prophet, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Many will quote this verse and use it as a feel good verse thinking “only good things will happen to you” type of verse.
In fact God does promise to give us a future and a hope when we turn to Him, no matter what is happening in our life.
Jeremiah was giving a message to the people of Israel who had wandered as a nation from the Lord(there were exceptions like Daniel and his buddies), and God used that 70 year captivity and the land of Babylon as an instrument of correction to bring the nation back to the Lord.
That is the context of this verse.
When we read the Word cover to cover (and don’t get discouraged if it takes more than a year – KEEP READING and the Holy Spirit WILL amaze you and transform you) we will see the big picture, the Bible as a whole and how God’s plan for the ages fits together. Along the journey, like you said, as we pray and open our hearts, God will show us what we need to know.
Well, that was long winded too, but it has taken me years to realize this and I am still learning…
P.S. I am having a special guest author on my blog tomorrow with her book “Face of Faith”. I know you and your readers will be so blessed, so please stop on by if you can.
I needed to hear this today!I am kinda down.Please keep me in your prayers.I go to the doctor next week!Have a great day! Blessings, Faye
Being in a bible study keeps me accountable!
I try to be in one all the time and then I have to keep in God’s Word.
sandy toe