Bible reading

'Turn up the Volume' - Personal Bible Reading

‘How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path’ (Psalm 119:103, 105)

The loudest noises tend to get our attention. Everything else gets drowned out. We have all sorts of noises competing for our attention. The voices of colleagues, friends, culture and media, telling us how we should live, what opinions we should have, influencing our beliefs and priorities. The loudest voices are often the ones we listen to the most.

At St Andrew’s, we want to encourage one another to listen to God’s voice as he speaks to us in the Bible. We want to ‘turn up the volume’ in our personal bible reading. Regular bible reading is the best way we can get to know God better, and to know how to live lives that please him. Here are some tips, resources, and testimonies to help you.

Tips

When reading any passage ask these questions:

  1. What is the context of this passage (what’s happening before and afterwards)?
  2. What does this passage tell me about God and/or Jesus?
  3. What does this passage tell me about people (or about me)?
  4. Does this passage give me any commands to obey or promises to hold on to?
  5. How can I respond to this passage today?
  6. What can I give thanks for, or pray for from this passage?

Resources

Whilst there are plenty of good bible reading resources around, it’s best to use resources that get you looking at the bible, rather than an author’s reflections. Here are some that we recommend:

  1. ‘For the Love of God’, by Don Carson. Available at the church bookstore, or free online at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/loveofgod/ It can be also be emailed to you daily for free.
  2. ‘Explore’ by the Good Book Company. These are bible study notes available as an App. It’s a free App, but you download monthly issues for a small cost.

Testimonies

Here’s what some people at St Andrew’s find helpful.

  • "I use a Bible App on my smart phone. It's great because I can still catch up even if I miss my normal quiet time slot. There are so many choices of study and I can even set an alarm to remind myself. I have a close friend whom I am accountable to and vice versa. We share on What's App what we've learnt from our daily bible reading and pray for each other - over the phone."

  • "I spend a big chunk of time usually on a Friday to read the Bible and study it. Then in my daily bible reading, I spend time memorizing and mediating verses. I find God reveals himself to me through his Word and when I hide his words in my heart and head, I can find wisdom when I need it."

  • "I use a bible reading plan because it keeps me on track and I love listening to the Bible too and I use a Bible App on my phone for that."

  • "I use an online quiet time diary - it has accountability features, commentaries, simple questions for meditation and I can even share my prayer points on the network."