How Do You Read The Bible?
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I read the Bible according to what I am studying. In other words after 35 years of knowing the Lord I have read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation 4 or 5 times. So now I take a book of the Bible and study it verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph, chapter by chapter. I read in it context and depending on the context is how I read it, if it is prophecy I read it accordingly, if historic I read it historically. But I will admit that since I have understood God's sovereignty in our salvation it has opened up the way that the Bible is revealed to me, it has opened my understanding to the Word of God.
I do not read it according to what I believe, but I believe what I read. In other words I do not read it with rose colored glasses, but read it with an open heart and unblinded eyes.
I believe the biggist tragedy to the body of Christ and the teaching of God's Word are those that stand in the pulpit and preach/teach topically from the Bible. They look for a verse that seems to back up what they are teaching, when more often than not they are using the Scriptures out of context. The Bible is meant to be taught verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph and chapter by chapter, because that is the way it was written. Why would the Lord want His book to be taught in a way that He did not write it? He does not. no one takes a book and reads it from the middle, then back two chapters, then forward five chapters and back to chapter one, then to chapter 9, then chapter 15, then to chapter 7, that makes no sense and does not give any type of understanding as to how the Lord wrote the Bible.
This type of teaching is how so many different type of denominations and cults have started, by taking Scripture out of context. Would you read a letter from a loved one by starting in the middle, then going to the 3/4 mark and read a paragraph or chapter then go back to the beginning and scramble it around to read it fully? No you would not. yet people take the Lord's love letter to us and read it and teach/preach it that way. I cannot for the life of me believe that the Lord of the universe wants us to read it or teach/preach it that way.
When I first was called to the Lord I was involved with an outfit that did this, I was asked to preach the pastor told me to come up with an idea then look for a verse or verses that backed up my idea. I tried it once and it just did not work for me. So the next time I was asked I looked for a group of verses that told a story about the Lord or what He was going to do and I found Joel 3:9-16, I was not very learned so I allegorized it and made it an evangelitic sermon, making the valley of decision about standing in the balance for a decision for Christ, that is not what it is about. After that I begin to teach books of the Bible verse by verse when I would go to the jail, juvenile camp and the prison I would teach books of the Bible verse by verse all the way through the book. At first the inmates did not understand it because they were used to someone preaching at them with some yelling, then some of them began to understand that they were learning the Bible and it was causing them to grow in their knowledge of God's Word and they enjoyed it.
It also helped me to grow in the word as well, then I started going to a Church that taught the Bible this way and I begin to grow even more. Began to work at the ministry that was for inmates that were trying to get back into society after the Lord called them in prison and we taught this way as well and I was able to see men change and become citizen, I also had my heart broke becuase some men were just playing game, but what a great blessing that the Lord bestowed on my life seeing men's lives changed and some women as well.
Learning the Bible in it's context is a great thing and is a way of growing in the knowledge of the Lord.
I do not read it according to what I believe, but I believe what I read. In other words I do not read it with rose colored glasses, but read it with an open heart and unblinded eyes.
I believe the biggist tragedy to the body of Christ and the teaching of God's Word are those that stand in the pulpit and preach/teach topically from the Bible. They look for a verse that seems to back up what they are teaching, when more often than not they are using the Scriptures out of context. The Bible is meant to be taught verse by verse, paragraph by paragraph and chapter by chapter, because that is the way it was written. Why would the Lord want His book to be taught in a way that He did not write it? He does not. no one takes a book and reads it from the middle, then back two chapters, then forward five chapters and back to chapter one, then to chapter 9, then chapter 15, then to chapter 7, that makes no sense and does not give any type of understanding as to how the Lord wrote the Bible.
This type of teaching is how so many different type of denominations and cults have started, by taking Scripture out of context. Would you read a letter from a loved one by starting in the middle, then going to the 3/4 mark and read a paragraph or chapter then go back to the beginning and scramble it around to read it fully? No you would not. yet people take the Lord's love letter to us and read it and teach/preach it that way. I cannot for the life of me believe that the Lord of the universe wants us to read it or teach/preach it that way.
When I first was called to the Lord I was involved with an outfit that did this, I was asked to preach the pastor told me to come up with an idea then look for a verse or verses that backed up my idea. I tried it once and it just did not work for me. So the next time I was asked I looked for a group of verses that told a story about the Lord or what He was going to do and I found Joel 3:9-16, I was not very learned so I allegorized it and made it an evangelitic sermon, making the valley of decision about standing in the balance for a decision for Christ, that is not what it is about. After that I begin to teach books of the Bible verse by verse when I would go to the jail, juvenile camp and the prison I would teach books of the Bible verse by verse all the way through the book. At first the inmates did not understand it because they were used to someone preaching at them with some yelling, then some of them began to understand that they were learning the Bible and it was causing them to grow in their knowledge of God's Word and they enjoyed it.
It also helped me to grow in the word as well, then I started going to a Church that taught the Bible this way and I begin to grow even more. Began to work at the ministry that was for inmates that were trying to get back into society after the Lord called them in prison and we taught this way as well and I was able to see men change and become citizen, I also had my heart broke becuase some men were just playing game, but what a great blessing that the Lord bestowed on my life seeing men's lives changed and some women as well.
Learning the Bible in it's context is a great thing and is a way of growing in the knowledge of the Lord.
I have read the Bible +50 times, and I do believe in the Holy Spirit! Now that we have that out of the way!
I read 3 chapters of the OT and 3 of the NT and 1 Psalm per day. I start in Genesis and Matthew. However, if you read three chapters of the NT, it actually gets you through the NT three times in a year. After so many times, I thought I need to read the NT and it has helped.
The first 20 or so times were hard. Taking both NT and OT survey, Biblical backgrounds really helped. I understand the time, culture, background, location, and history. Not perfectly, but enough that all the questions about things don’t slow me down. But, you have to work at it.
The Bible says ALL Scripture is inspired. So when you leave parts out, you miss part of the whole inspiration and the BIG picture of the Bible.
I had a pastor who said God will speak to you on a reading plan, exactly if you jump around or open and point. Except you will have read the whole Bible and everything will be in context. I have read chronological, and also the OT a few times in same order as the Hebrew Bible. I tended to only want to read the epistles, instructions how we are to live. That made the gospels seem boring. But, the Holy Spirit convicted me about this, and now I get much more out of all the NT.
So, every single verse of every book is important. If you read it that way, God will show you things!
I also read when studying to prepare a Bible study or sermon, and to refute some of the nonsense in here. That is a different part of the day! And not always related to what I am reading in my read through. Although sometimes it dove tails, and that is neat.
I am also reading the Greek NT through and I just started the NT in German. (I started in John, because I know it is easier!) So, when I finish the NT in German, I will read the OT. Hopefully I will have the vocabulary. I need to read the Bible in French again, it is on my to-do list. Oh, and my English reading laps the Greek, sometimes I read the same chapter in the Greek as in English.
I just got my new NET full notes Bible, looking forward to reading it! I am just finishing the OT, so I will start after that. Oh, I pray God will show me things from where I am reading. I got interested in false prophets, when I heard the vlog on 2 John. So, I am writing down all the references to false prophets, going to do a long study on it. See, the BDF has inspired me!
Finally, I do keep track of what I read. So, I have a check mark for the Engish Bible, the Greek, and now a space for German. Then, if I miss a day or two, I can figure out why. Consistency is the goal. God will bless you!
I read 3 chapters of the OT and 3 of the NT and 1 Psalm per day. I start in Genesis and Matthew. However, if you read three chapters of the NT, it actually gets you through the NT three times in a year. After so many times, I thought I need to read the NT and it has helped.
The first 20 or so times were hard. Taking both NT and OT survey, Biblical backgrounds really helped. I understand the time, culture, background, location, and history. Not perfectly, but enough that all the questions about things don’t slow me down. But, you have to work at it.
The Bible says ALL Scripture is inspired. So when you leave parts out, you miss part of the whole inspiration and the BIG picture of the Bible.
I had a pastor who said God will speak to you on a reading plan, exactly if you jump around or open and point. Except you will have read the whole Bible and everything will be in context. I have read chronological, and also the OT a few times in same order as the Hebrew Bible. I tended to only want to read the epistles, instructions how we are to live. That made the gospels seem boring. But, the Holy Spirit convicted me about this, and now I get much more out of all the NT.
So, every single verse of every book is important. If you read it that way, God will show you things!
I also read when studying to prepare a Bible study or sermon, and to refute some of the nonsense in here. That is a different part of the day! And not always related to what I am reading in my read through. Although sometimes it dove tails, and that is neat.
I am also reading the Greek NT through and I just started the NT in German. (I started in John, because I know it is easier!) So, when I finish the NT in German, I will read the OT. Hopefully I will have the vocabulary. I need to read the Bible in French again, it is on my to-do list. Oh, and my English reading laps the Greek, sometimes I read the same chapter in the Greek as in English.
I just got my new NET full notes Bible, looking forward to reading it! I am just finishing the OT, so I will start after that. Oh, I pray God will show me things from where I am reading. I got interested in false prophets, when I heard the vlog on 2 John. So, I am writing down all the references to false prophets, going to do a long study on it. See, the BDF has inspired me!
Finally, I do keep track of what I read. So, I have a check mark for the Engish Bible, the Greek, and now a space for German. Then, if I miss a day or two, I can figure out why. Consistency is the goal. God will bless you!
D
Another thing is, I lose interest after a few seconds. 
I'd like to be able to focus on reading it for at least 20 minutes or so. But my mind is always on a dozen other things at once.
I'd like to be able to focus on reading it for at least 20 minutes or so. But my mind is always on a dozen other things at once.
How about reading the Bible like it's a novel? And each book is a chapter. Not so much to commit to reading a full book in one sitting, but at least you've stopped thinking in minutes. It refocuses the mind.
And truthfully, it is very much like a regular reading book. (More like Michener, who used to write an epic about a place, so started his novels with the earth forming in that place, but ended it with all the people living in that place in the present. Very epicy, in that lots of people came, lived their lives and died, but all the while he'd show their children's lives too, so by the time the parent died, sometimes the kids were grandparents themselves, and you knew them as well as their parents.) And it's a full story from beginning to end, except for the obvious not-part-of-the-story books, like Proverbs, Psalms, and the Law.
And think of it just like reading a novel. If the begats bore you skim over them. (Truthfully, I usually check them out just to see who I knew already, or if they had any famous descendants. lol)
But do pay attention to the Law and the making of the tabernacle, because you already know both things are also talking about Christ, so think in terms of how does that relate to Jesus?
It sounds like you got used to thinking of it as a just-take-a-moment-out-of-my-life thing. I've done that too. But once you start thinking in terms of reading it as a book, it becomes something entirely different. Suddenly you see Abraham as just-a-man, and then see him have the same heartaches of parenting that we do today. And you will relate to Esau and Jacob as the constantly-fighting, bullheaded brothers. And you'll run into guys you really never took the time to get to know, like Homer and Joel. Might even come to admire Lydia when you meet her.
Too often we think we have to get some deep meaning out of it, so anything less is sacrilegious. It's really not. All in all, by the time you get to the climax, you're going to think, "It's about time! I've been waiting for this good part for so long."
So how about just reading it like it's a book?
It is, isn't it?
Join our bible study group Blue we just finished Romans, and now starting with Galatians.
I've read from Gen to Rev some years ago but that was just so I could tell my church about it. I hated Numbers and Leviticus and the genealogies then.
Now that I know the significance of some of these, I actually enjoy reading any part of the bible. Like how in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, there are four women mentioned (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathesheba) - each of whom has wonderful stories of redemption, salvation (also Ruth is a gentile and ain't that cool, just further shows Jesus shows no partiality). How the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke are presented in different ways (starting from Abraham and Adam, respectively) and why?
I mean, these are just some of the things that makes me want to read the bible more - if I read to find Jesus in it. If it's for any other reason, boredom will quickly take over.
There's a wonderful passage in the bible, about reading the bible.
Luke 24:13-15 - long story short Cleopas and someone else were walking to Emmaus, sad about Jesus' death when Jesus showed up. (Read this for yourself, it's great) Then, look at this:
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:27
Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets (Torah and the old testament) - in all the Scriptures, there are pictures of Jesus. If we get to see Jesus in any part of the scripture, we will be filled. THEN, we will read the bible not because we have to but because we thirst for it.
we just finished Romans, and now starting with Galatians.I've read from Gen to Rev some years ago but that was just so I could tell my church about it.
I hated Numbers and Leviticus and the genealogies then.Now that I know the significance of some of these, I actually enjoy reading any part of the bible. Like how in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, there are four women mentioned (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathesheba) - each of whom has wonderful stories of redemption, salvation (also Ruth is a gentile and ain't that cool, just further shows Jesus shows no partiality). How the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke are presented in different ways (starting from Abraham and Adam, respectively) and why?
I mean, these are just some of the things that makes me want to read the bible more - if I read to find Jesus in it. If it's for any other reason, boredom will quickly take over.
There's a wonderful passage in the bible, about reading the bible.
Luke 24:13-15 - long story short Cleopas and someone else were walking to Emmaus, sad about Jesus' death when Jesus showed up. (Read this for yourself, it's great) Then, look at this:
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:27
Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets (Torah and the old testament) - in all the Scriptures, there are pictures of Jesus. If we get to see Jesus in any part of the scripture, we will be filled. THEN, we will read the bible not because we have to but because we thirst for it.
G
Join our bible study group Blue we just finished Romans, and now starting with Galatians.
I've read from Gen to Rev some years ago but that was just so I could tell my church about it. I hated Numbers and Leviticus and the genealogies then.
Now that I know the significance of some of these, I actually enjoy reading any part of the bible. Like how in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, there are four women mentioned (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathesheba) - each of whom has wonderful stories of redemption, salvation (also Ruth is a gentile and ain't that cool, just further shows Jesus shows no partiality). How the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke are presented in different ways (starting from Abraham and Adam, respectively) and why?
I mean, these are just some of the things that makes me want to read the bible more - if I read to find Jesus in it. If it's for any other reason, boredom will quickly take over.
There's a wonderful passage in the bible, about reading the bible.
Luke 24:13-15 - long story short Cleopas and someone else were walking to Emmaus, sad about Jesus' death when Jesus showed up. (Read this for yourself, it's great) Then, look at this:
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:27
Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets (Torah and the old testament) - in all the Scriptures, there are pictures of Jesus. If we get to see Jesus in any part of the scripture, we will be filled. THEN, we will read the bible not because we have to but because we thirst for it.
we just finished Romans, and now starting with Galatians.I've read from Gen to Rev some years ago but that was just so I could tell my church about it.
I hated Numbers and Leviticus and the genealogies then.Now that I know the significance of some of these, I actually enjoy reading any part of the bible. Like how in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew, there are four women mentioned (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathesheba) - each of whom has wonderful stories of redemption, salvation (also Ruth is a gentile and ain't that cool, just further shows Jesus shows no partiality). How the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke are presented in different ways (starting from Abraham and Adam, respectively) and why?
I mean, these are just some of the things that makes me want to read the bible more - if I read to find Jesus in it. If it's for any other reason, boredom will quickly take over.
There's a wonderful passage in the bible, about reading the bible.
Luke 24:13-15 - long story short Cleopas and someone else were walking to Emmaus, sad about Jesus' death when Jesus showed up. (Read this for yourself, it's great) Then, look at this:
"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:27
Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets (Torah and the old testament) - in all the Scriptures, there are pictures of Jesus. If we get to see Jesus in any part of the scripture, we will be filled. THEN, we will read the bible not because we have to but because we thirst for it.
listen to abi and join us! we would really love you to be there with us 
I used to read alot of books. Especially at night, a few pages or so. Depending on how tired I was, or how interesting the book was. LOL.. Problem is, I always read the ending first. Maybe if I got a chronological bible, it might be more interesting for me to read. MY KJV is hard to understand with all the "thees" and "thous" and whatever..