Carol McClain

How to Study the Bible

^{By: Carol McClain          carol_mcclain}

^“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of

God” Romans 10:17.  

In everything, the Bible supplies us direction.

Hardly a post goes by on this blog where I don’t refer to Scripture. I know from experience, my hope and my peace come from the word of God. However, the question you may ask is how do I discover the Scripture I need to hear from God? I’ve opened my study Bible and read. I’ve played Bible roulette, opened the book and stabbed my finger. And woe unto me when it falls on something like “So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall” 1 Sam. 25:22.

Don’t expect the answer to materialize from thin air. The Bereans were considered wise because they searched the Scriptures (Act 17:11).

How to search Scripture:

1. Type the Scripture topic into your search engine. This is the easiest way to find a list of Scriptures containing the issues you are interested in. Don’t simply type friendship or forgiveness or love. Make sure you search for Biblical precepts.
2. Check out what you find in your study Bible. Never take the Scripture you discover at your own interpretation. Pick up your study Bible. Read the verse in context. If it answers your questions, wonderful. If it pertains to something else, move on to another Scripture.
3. Use a topical Bible. My all-time favorite Bible is my Thompson’s Chain Reference. Here, I look up the verse I believe will help me. It refers me to a topical list in the back of the book. From here, I can find all verses related to the one I’ve looked at. I love my study Bibles, but I’ll never get rid of the chain-reference. It’s a literal God-send.
4. Use Nave’s or another topical Bible. Nave’s is now in the public domain and easily accessible online. Look up your topic. https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/naves-topical-bible/
5. Don’t give up. My current favorite Scripture, the one I meditate on and keep posted on my desk is Song of Solomon 4:7. I discovered it instantly in a Scripture search. Finding what I need is rarely that easy. My all-time favorite is Jude 24-25. I discovered this one after hours of searching and praying. What we work for, we cherish.

In all Scripture study, read and meditate on it in context. We can force the Word of God to say anything we want if we manipulate it out of its Biblical framework.

God is faithful. Seek, and you will find.