This morning I was reminded that studying God's word is critical for my life and my relationship with Christ. This should be a no brainer - right! Too often we as believers pick up a book to read that is about God or about how to study God's word. I believe we ought to read books. I believe we can use books or Bible study books to grow in our faith. But far more than that, we have to, we must, read God's word for ourselves.
How do you study God's word? Let me encourage you to begin with a purpose - a purpose of striving to know God more and for your faith to expand. You can follow a reading plan such as http://www.ewordtoday.com/ - you can choose which version of the Bible to read from and how you want to read, for example from beginning to end, chronological, or historical to name a few. You can start by reading a book of the Bible - if you are a new believer I would suggest beginning with John. Each day when you begin to read, pray and ask God to open your eyes to see something new and fresh from His word. Ask Him to give you a clear understanding of what He wants you to learn from that day's reading. Be willing to move slowly through the passage you are reading, look at the cross-references listed for the verses you are reading, and write down what you are learning.
A simple reminder - God wants us to know Him more. He wants us to grow in a relationship with Him. We can accomplish God's desires by being in His word; studying, praying, and learning. We can read other peoples writings, but first, it is critical that we read God's writings to us!
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