Get the Most Out of Your Bible Reading
By Zack DeBerry
As we enter the last week of our Read Your Bible Series here at Journey Church, I think it is helpful to continue to talk through some practical steps to Reading the Bible consistently and getting something practical out of it as you do. In just 5 chapters we have touched on so many different elements of the Christian life and really honed in on the heart of all the Gospel. The Bible from cover to cover is about Jesus. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is about proclaiming the person and work of Jesus Christ. So, the question is how do we unpack that truth as we read the Bible in our daily life?
I thought the best way to answer that question would be to just give you some tools that you can use as you read the Bible in your daily walk. Most of these are not new or groundbreaking, but just things that have helped me to dig a little deeper as I read.
1. A Bible – This one is obvious, but I would recommend getting something you can enjoy reading. There are vast amounts of “versions” of the Bible these days, but my preferences are the New Living translation (NLT), Holman Christian Standard (HCSB), and The Message (MSG). I also use the Bible App on my iPad rather than a bound version.
2. A Plan – This is another thing that is necessary in my opinion. A plan doesn’t have to be
restrictive, but it is helpful to give you some direction. You wouldn’t start a trip to a new destination without consulting a map of some sort. Reading the Bible is the same and having a reading plan is like having a map to get you where you want to go. I use many of the free plans within the Bible app personally, but you can use whatever is out there whether it’s a Read the Bible in a Year or something topical. There are so many great reading plans available and it is very helpful as you endeavor to get the most from your reading.
3. Some Other Tools – This is a personal preference for you, but the other thing I use and would recommend using is some other tools. I tend to get the most from commentaries and podcasts, so that is where I go the most. I have several Bible teachers I follow with podcasts and will often listen to what they have to say about scripture as I am reading. I also use an app called Logos. Logos is an app with a lot of commentaries and books that are available to help you dig deeper into your reading.
Those are my 3 main things I use as I venture to get the most out of my reading. The main thing is commit to a process. Everyone’ process may be different, but just commit to finding something that works for you. For me it’s in the morning time with some coffee. It is how I try to start everyday with the knowledge that there is something that I may face that day and the only way I can get through it is to lean into the words that I read in the Bible. I pray that this series has challenged you to continue to read the Bible and to dig deeper everyday as we all seek to discover God’s truths and live them consistently in our life. I hope that as we close this series you would find a process that helps you read and discover all that God has for you in His words found in the Bible.