How To Understand The Bible

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to that which is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:7-8)

Recently, I had dinner with a Christian businessman who's a leader in his church. Somehow, the Bible popped into the conversation. I asked him if his Bible reading was very meaningful. He said, I've got to confess that I don't read my Bible regularly. When I do, most of the time, it's a dull routine of going through the motions... and sometimes I just don't understand it."

What about you? Do you enjoy reading the Bible? Or is it a mechanical, lifeless task, with only sporadic moments of refreshment?

Is serious Bible study just for the clergy and super-saints? Or can Bible reading be meaningful and enjoyable for every Christian? What's the Bible say about this problem?

The Psalmist said:

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:111)

Christ, Himself, said:

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11)

Obviously, reading the Bible is supposed to be a positive experience for every Christian.

The Bible claims to be a supernatural, God-inspired book:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

The Bible states that only those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can understand its spiritual truths.

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c]The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14)

The Apostle Paul says:

When you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

The Bible is God's personal love letter to Christians. Perhaps you've heard the story about the high school English teacher who was vociferously antagonistic against the Christian faith. One day in class, he started a tirade against Christians, saying,

How can anyone make sense out of the Bible? It is so full of myths and contradictions—I find it impossible to understand.

Immediately, one of his Christian students' hands shot up:

Sir, the Bible is God's personal love letter to Christians. That's what you get for reading someone else's mail!

Let me ask you a blunt question. Have you ever made the deliberate decision to make a break with your past and come to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins? Have you ever consciously surrendered the control of your life to Christ and invited Him to be the Resident Manager of your life? If you've not done this, then all you will benefit from reading the Scriptures is an acquaintance with the Savior. You'll never be able to experience the thrill of communicating personally with Him through His Word.

A host of folks say,

But I am a Christian. And yet, I still struggle to make the Bible come alive. How do I understand its teachings and handle what appear to be either contradictions or outright inaccuracies?

If you identify with others who flounder at making sense of the Bible, here are several suggested guidelines for you to follow. They may sound simple, but they work. If you follow these steps consistently for the next week or so, the Bible will start to come alive for you.

1. A Receptive Attitude

STEP NUMBER ONE - Put yourself in a receptive attitude.

This means being free from all known sin in your life. If you're harboring resentment, indulging in a secret sin, or clinging to a selfish ambition, your spiritual understanding will be hazy.

Being receptive also means being willing to obey what God says to you in the Bible. The Bible is the primary means by which God communicates with His people. All other books can be admired for their contents, but the Bible is unique in that it demands a response from the reader: obedience or rebellion.

Preparing yourself to read the Bible not only requires being free from sin and a willingness to obey, but it also involves realizing that it's the Holy Spirit who will speak to you through the pages of the Scripture. He's your Teacher. That's why Jesus said:

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. (John 14:26)

Before you open your Bible, get yourself into a receptive mood by saying a short prayer like:

Dear Lord, I confess all my sins to You. I'm willing to do what You tell me. Please speak to me through Your Word.

2. A Daily Time of Reading

STEP NUMBER TWO - Set aside a daily time to be alone with God as you read His Word.

This is a discipline. If you're busy like most people, you'll never find time. You'll have to make time. This means forming a new habit. Just like brushing your teeth daily. Try setting aside ten minutes a day to read your Bible.

Let's face it—every human being has a selfish streak inside us that rebels against discipline. We Christians also believe in Satan—a living, unholy spirit who will do anything he can to destroy our relationship with Christ.

Combining our natural lack of self-discipline and Satan's powerful negative influences, we're in for a real struggle to read our Bibles daily. All sorts of excuses will pop into our minds:

I watched TV too late last night, and I'm too tired this morning. I need the sleep. I stayed up way too late at the party, and I'm too tired tonight, so I'll read two chapters tomorrow.

A thousand and one reasons will always be there. And I've used most of them myself.

Shortly after I'd committed my life to Christ, as a sophomore in college, a close friend wrote these words in my Bible:

This Book will either keep you from Satan, or Satan will keep you from this Book.

Oh, how very true I've found those words to be! It's easy to become so spread thin that we can't find time to be alone with Christ and His Word.

Sometimes I hit times when I just don't feel like reading the Bible. I'm sure most of you experience periods when you simply don't feel like reading, praying, or even thinking about God.

However, the Bible is not like medicine: it is not to be used only in emergencies or when deep needs arise. It's daily food to nourish our daily needs, often personal needs, of which many times we are not even aware.

There are also times in life when you and I go through what some writers call Dark nights of the soul, when circumstances seem bleak and the future black.

But God knows how you feel. The Bible says,

A friend loves at all times. (Proverbs 17:17)

Jesus Christ is your closest friend. Friends share their feelings. That's why the psalmist wrote:

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. (Psalm 119:28)

Set aside a specific time for your daily appointment in God's Word. Regardless of how you feel.

3. Read Your Bible

STEP NUMBER THREE – Read your Bible!

Most people I know use one of four methods of reading the Bible.

One Bible Study method is the H and P method. I call it the Hope and Pray method. I hope and pray this will speak to me! I believe that all of us have used this method of Bible reading at some point.

You know how it goes: You're rushed for time and you shoot off a fast prayer. You hold the Bible in front of you, shut your eyes, open it, point your finger at a verse, and read it, hoping and praying it will be relevant to you.

Perhaps you've heard the story about one Christian who used this H and P method: He was in a hurry, so he closed his eyes, opened his Bible, pointed his finger, and then read the verse his finger pointed to:

And Judas went out and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5)

Oops, "I guess I'd better try again," So he shut his eyes and aimed his finger. Then he read:

Go and do likewise. (Luke 10:37)

Not satisfied, he decided to give it one last try. He opened his Bible, pointed his finger, and read the verse:

What you are about to do, do quickly! (John 13:27)

Let's face it. The H&P method of reading the Bible will be about as helpful to you in the long haul as playing one of the slot machines in Vegas. The payoffs will be few and far between.

A second Bible study method many people use in reading the Bible is the Academic Crutch method. People grab commentaries and a broad assortment of Christian books on topics of their interest, hoping these will provide adequate spiritual nourishment. These are helpful, but they are a poor substitute for the Bible itself.

A third Bible study method is what I call the Lazy Learner method. People who use this method depend on the preacher to study for them. They're content to sit Sunday after Sunday, listening to the preacher. These individuals often move from one Bible study group to another, seeking an authoritative person to teach them. But in reality, they themselves never dig into God's Word.

The fourth and probably most helpful method of Bible reading is what I call the Inductive Method. This means you go to the Bible, read a section, and then draw conclusions that relate to your life. This method works like a good detective searching for clues, observing all the evidence, and then drawing conclusions.

Let's look at how you can apply this method.

• First, observe what's going on in the text. Ask what the facts are? What's the mood? Ask questions like: What, When, Where, Who, Why, and How?
• Second, interpret what the author meant when he wrote it. What were the needs of his hearers? What was his intent?
• Third, apply what you've read to your own life. Ask yourself: What does this tell me about God? What should I do?

As you read, take your time. How much you read isn't as important as the meaning you get from it. Even if you only read a few verses a day, spend time thinking and meditating on them.

When you hit a verse that jumps out at you, stop, think about it. Underline it. Jot notes down beside it. I find it difficult to read my Bible without a pen in hand. I can't trust my memory. Days, weeks, or months later, I like to revisit what has been meaningful to me. I strongly recommend that you underline or highlight key words and phrases.

4. Memorize Key Verses

STEP NUMBER FOUR – Memorize verses that jump out at you.

You might think, That's kid stuff. That's for Sunday School. No, it's not! The human mind is like a computer. What you and I program into our minds radically affects our behavior. Catch what the writer of Proverbs notes,

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7-KJV)

Positive thoughts in, positive thoughts out. Repeated self-destructive thinking or Some people come from terribly scarred backgrounds and have self-defeating perceptions of themselves. Their thoughts have been preconditioned by verbal put-downs, bullying by texts, or other types of emotional abuse by others.

Many harbor bitter feelings toward others or about the circumstances they've been through. Others are gripped by worries and fears. Their thought patterns need to be reconstructed. New computer cards are necessary. That's what the Bible can be for troubled persons.

As you read, and a verse springs out at you, underline it. Then, write it out on a card. Memorize it. Listen to what Scripture says,

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to that which is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:7-8)

Think about a verse that stands out for you.. Carry the card in your wallet. Take it with you in the car. Use it as a computer and feed it into your mind.

The Hebrew word for Meditate has several meanings. One meaning is to digest like a cow. Having several stomachs, cows chew their cud slowly, regurgitate it, then chew it again and again. It's a slow, deliberate process rather than bolting down their food. To meditate, you must first memorize, digest, and think about the text.

V. Visualize Bible Verses Changing Your Life

FIFTH STEP – Visualize key Bible verses affecting your life.

This involves actually picturing these verses taking place in your life. In order for the Bible promises to become a reality, most of the time, you will have to revise certain goals or alter a few habits. This means forming a mental picture of how the verses will change your life as they come true.

Part of visualizing these verses affecting you involves another form of meditation:

You shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to that which is written in it. (Joshua 1:8)

In Hebrew, the word meditate not only means to digest as a cow, but it also means to mutter, to speak softly, muttering under your breath. This also means quoting the verse back to God as your personal prayer to Him.

Betty had a great fear of flying. She had to accompany her husband on frequent business trips. She dreaded each flight. One day, she came across a verse in the New Testament:

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind. (2Timothy 1:-KJV)

She wrote the verse down on a card, carried it with her, and memorized it during her free moments. She began to visualize God's love and care surrounding her. She imagined what she would feel like with a new assurance that God would take care of her children if she died. It relaxed her. She visualized herself upheld by God's care and unafraid of anything. Then, each time she had to board a plane, she would quote this verse back to God as her personal prayer:

God, I realize You've not given me a spirit of anxiety, dread, and fear, but rather of power over my fear of flying, and crashing and dying, leaving my kids as orphans and tormented by what could happen to them. Thank You that You will care for them regardless of what might happen to me.

Today, Betty has conquered her fear of flying and delights in joining her husband on business trips. Why? Because she,

Did not let the book of the law depart from her mouth, but meditated therein day and night. (Joshua 1:7,8)

VI. Obey What You Read

SIXTH STEP –Obey what God tells to you to do in the pages of the Bible.

Observe to do all that is written in it. (Joshua 1:8)

The key is obedience. There are significant benefits to seriously reading, meditating on, and obeying God's Word. Please remind yourself often that God loves you dearly and wants His best for you. He wants His Bible to become your delight, and that as a result of your daily reading, you will come to know and love Him more deeply.

Hopefully, you can say with the Psalmist,

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:111)

Takeaway: Read part of Chapter 3 of John's Gospel and share with someone this week what it means to you.

On the Journey with you,

Jim Stout

drjimstout@gmail.com www.drjimstout.com www.facebook.com/jimtstout