The new year is here. It’s a time for setting goals and seeking out new ways to grow our relationship with Christ. This week, I had the privileged of sharing a bit of Bible study wisdom on my friend Gene’s site. Here’s what I added to the conversation:
The best Bible study advice I know is to keep pressing forward. Remind yourself that doing something is always better than doing nothing. When you come to a difficult book–like Leviticus–and don’t understand everything you read, keep going. When you get busy and miss a day, don’t get discouraged–and most certainly don’t give up. If you stick with it–day after day–at the end of the year, you will be amazed at how much you have grown!
The best Bible study advice I know is to keep pressing forward. But this is only the beginning of the wisdom that was offered. I would encourage you to read the full post here: How to Read the Bible and Stick to Your Reading Plan.
Bible Study Wisdom for Daily Growth
If you’re looking for Bible study wisdom to help you plan your devotional times this year, then you’ve come to the right place. Below, you will find a compilation of articles that will help you get your quiet times with God off to an incredible start:
1. DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO READ THE BIBLE IN 2016?
If you have never read the Bible, from start to finish, then this post is for you. Donna provides motivation, and a daily plan, to support you in getting through the entire Bible in a year. She points out that God grows us through people, circumstances, and Spiritual disciplines. And daily Bible reading is a powerful discipline that will add much to your spiritual growth!
2. Why I Don’t Read My Bible Through Every Year
If you have a Bible reading plan and have been great at sticking with it, but your devotional times have become a chore, then this post is for you. Tanya’s post is an excellent reminder that Bible reading is all about relationships and not simply checking off a box on our spiritual “to-do” list. This post will help you find freedom and joy in connecting with God this year!
3. Do Something That Majority of Christians Don’t Do
In this article, my friend Jeremy describes his two-year Bible reading adventure. He provides tips on fashioning a Bible reading plan that balances meditation on Scripture with the importance of understanding God’s big-picture.
4. The Bible – All I Need Every Day
In this post, Mel Caldicott provides inspiration for getting into God’s word daily. This can be especially challenging for those of us with young kids at home. Yet Mel insists that this can and must be done–and I wholeheartedly agree!
5. Our Hope To Walk Through 2016
I found this article by Helen to be especially inspirational. Helen’s Bible reading wisdom reminds me that Christ truly is our hope and that because of this, we need to come before Him daily. I love watching how she integrates art into her devotion times too.
6. Bible Painting–Have You Tried it?
This link is a recent addition to this article. After coming across Janis Cox’s inspiring Bible art, I felt compelled to update this post. Bible painting is a unique way of incorporating art into worship, reflection, and Scriptural meditation. It’s perfect for those looking for a hands-on, interactive approach to study. I can picture two of my daughters really enjoying this a few years from now.
The Bible Study Conversation
I named this site Coffee Shop Conversations because I believe that life is an ongoing conversation. As you can see, there is no one right way to read God’s word. It’s inspiring to see how others are approaching their relationship with God in 2016. Although there are many different styles, the pieces of Bible study wisdom that everyone agrees on are that:
- Daily time with God is vital.
- Understanding the big picture of God’s story matters.
- Ultimately, Bible study is not about checking an item off our to-do list but about deepening our relationship with our creator.
How are you connecting with God this year? Are you reading through the Bible in a year, slowing down and with Scripture meditation, integrating art into your spiritual growth, or do you have Bible study wisdom that hasn’t been listed yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Beautiful Post Jed. Thanks for the links. And I totally agree with you, ”spending time with God is way more than ticking off our list..
Nice reading from you.
I invite you to linkup with us at EncourageMe Monday Linkup (http://www.graciousinsight.org/what-does-intentional-living-mean/)
Have a great week
Hey Grace,
Thanks for stopping by and joining in the conversation. Great site and link-up too. I’ve got you added to my weekly list, and look forward to staying connected this year.
Thanks for this post Jed. It was great reading other people heart on this subject. It is so important for people to spend time reading there Bibles and even reading the whole Bible. Every year I am blown away by how many people have never read the whole book. But when they do, seeing how much they have grown in their faith and matured in their knowledge of God.
Here is a post that I wrote a few months back on 3 keys to regular Bible reading. I have regularly practiced this and share this wisdom with our students often. Thanks again Jed!
http://www.jeremybrummel.com/the-3-keys-to-regular-bible-reading/
Amen! Currently, two of my girls are on a mission to read their Bibles, from start to finish. This is a project that they have started on their own. I think it’s going to be a challenge when they reach some of the more difficult, OT books, but they are pretty determined–And I’m very proud of the fact that they are trying. You’re right, knowing God’s full story, really does make a difference.
Jed, thank you so much for including my blog post on your link list today. I pray God will enourace those who read them. I really need the wisdom everyday with kids at home. Surely the post from Mel blessed me!
I agree with you especially that point Bible Study is not one of those check-list on our to-do list. Meeting God through reading His word is a live style. Part of our every day life. I am learning to be faithful in that area.
Again, thank you so much for sharing today! Blessings to you and family!
Helen,
Your very welcome. I really enjoyed seeing how you integrate art, into your Bible study. I love how the Bible you use, leaves wide margins to encourage notes and art. I may have to pick up one of these for my daughters. I could see my two older girls, really enjoying doing their quiet-time this way.
Jed, there are couple Journaling Bible if you like to check them out for your bigger girls. I would recommend the ESV Bible Journaling and Inspire NLT Bible – Creative Journaling. There is NIV journaling Bible also. These are those you can find on Amazon. In February ESV will release 2 new kind of Journaling Bible and these you can pre-order on their website.
There is also a Bible Creative/Art Journaler forum online if they wanna learn more, you can find the link on my side bar thay has the logo: His Kingdom Come. It is a safe forum just for this.
I hope this info can help you in searching the best one for your daughters. If there is anything I can help let me know 🙂
Blessings!
There is such blessing in spending time in God’s word and I think too many Christians either neglect it or never learn how to tap into it. I love the helpful ideas you shared here. Thanks so much for sharing my own post. And I enjoyed Helen’s as well! I’ve just started using a journaling Bible and I’m enjoying it so much!
Hey Tanya,
Your very welcome, and thank you! I really enjoyed the reminder that it’s perfectly OK to slow down, and reflect too. I think that over the years, our relationship with God changes, as it matures–at least I know this as been true for me. Some years, reading through the Bible in it’s entirety is incredibly helpful. During other seasons, making time for meditation and reflection is what I need. I really enjoyed diving into a multitude of different perspectives, while thinking about what my own devotional focus would be this year 🙂
We have daily Bible time together as a family in the morning. We are blessed that my husband was able to work a later shift at work, so that we all get in the Word together before he goes to work. Thanks for sharing these excellent points with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week 🙂
That’s awesome that you guys are doing a daily Bible study together. Jenny and I are trying to get back into this habit. Thanks for hosting at Social Butterfly. I’m excited about continuing to team up with you guys this year 🙂
This is exactly what I am looking for this year. Pumped you shared it on our Tuesday Talk link up this week. So pumped, I’m featuring it on next week’s Tuesday Talk. It fits right in with my theme. I enjoyed reading the challenge of #3. Something I’ve been trying to motivate myself to do. See you on Tuesday.
Hey Michelle,
Thanks for choosing this as one of your featured posts. What an honor!
Jed
These are great links. I am reading through the Bibke in two years. The pace is better for me as I do other studies but I have enjoyed just reading, stopping, thinking, praying, picturing the characters, the scene, God’s presence and lesson to me. I have never felt as close to the characters of Genesis than this time.
Blessings,
Janis