Many of us want to study the Scriptures more, but what does that entail? This devotion looks at how we can go about increase our time in God’s Word.
Nuggets
- We need to prepare ourselves to read the Scriptures.
- We need to let worship shape our attitude to read the Scriptures.
- We need to expect we will be given a personal message from God as we frequently read His Word.
- We need to diligently study the God’s Word so that we can understand.
Devotions in the The Scriptures category
This devotion is a continuation of the last devotion, where we looked at why to read the Scriptures. Now, we are looking at how.
How Do We Apply This?
“Search and read the scroll of the Lord: Not one of them will be missing, none will be lacking its mate, because he has ordered it by my mouth, and he will gather them by his Spirit” (Isa. 34: 16 CSB)
Many times, we just dive in reading God’s word. We don’t prepare our hearts in any way. Watson gave us a list of how to do that.
Organize our thoughts first
We need to think about what we know about the passage of Scripture that we will be reading. That should help us pull up the knowledge blocks so that we can more easily evaluate information from the current read and retain it better.
Clear our minds of worldly pulls
Our lives are so hectic that it is difficult sometimes to sit down and focus. We all know we need to eliminate distractions. Maybe we can put on some tunes to help filter out background noise. If our eyes keep going elsewhere, we can use our fingers to help corral them.
There are other things we need to take into consideration and can do when reading Scriptures.
Worship first
We have to approach the Scriptures after we worship. Yes, “… Joshua read aloud all the words of the law…” (Josh. 8: 34 CSB). But first, he “built an altar …” to worship God (Josh. 8: 30 CSB).
We do this by beginning with a prayer. It is so easy to just pick up the book and read.
Shape your attitude
Attitude plays a major part in our devotional time. We should read the Scriptures
- Reverently
- Diligently
- Humbly
- Submissively
- Dependently
Read frequently
We will get more out of our devotion time if it is not hit and miss. This is especially true if the devotions over several days are about one topic. We leave less time to forget about what we read.
I don’t know all that I should know. You don’t know all that I should know. No one is exempt from studying the Scriptures.
Take it seriously
When I was younger, I really didn’t take a devotional time seriously. It looked like reading Bible stories that I had already read in Sunday School.
We have to read Scriptures for the right reasons. We have to read it looking to grow our relationship with God and to change our character.
Read it expectantly
We have to expect to get something out of our reading. It goes back to attitude again, like we talked about in the last devotion.
We won’t get anything out of reading Scriptures if we think there is nothing to get.
Read it personally
If you can’t tell, I like to look at old sermons and see what I can learn from them. (Remember, with these devotions, God talks to me before He talks to you.) Boardman cautioned us to see what is God telling us (not what he told someone else to tell us).
Read carefully
It think at times (four fingers pointing back) we do our daily devotion time to check it off the to-do list. The problem with that is it can make us skin and read quickly.
We’ve got to make sure we allow ourselves enough time to read the passage thoroughly. Then we have to read it for understanding.
Hunt
A lot of times, we hope what we read is self-contained. What I mean by that is all the Bible verses are written out instead of just noted. All the examples are thoroughly described.
For example, in the last devotion, I made a quick mention of not trying to understand what God is trying to tell us if we are reading with the there-is-no-way-a-donkey-talked attitude. Someone who hasn’t grown up in church but is searching may not get the reference to Balaam and his donkey that talked.
So, I put the link to the previous devotion where we talked about that. But that mean clicking elsewhere and reading all or part of another devotion.
I know. It depends on how much time we schedule for our devotional time. (We do schedule, don’t we? We don’t leave it up to just fitting it in, right?)
But we have to understand what we are reading, or we don’t grow like God wants us to. Sometimes we have to dig deeper to find the meaning.
Boardman also gave excellent suggestions. We have to understand the Israelites to understand the Scriptures. Where did they live? How did they live? What are the principles of their poetry and prophesy?
I can say, “yes, yes” to that. Last summer Pastor Delbert has a Sunday night series. It was part geography, part history. It really opened my eyes to meanings of several Bible passages.
Compare
When we read one passage of Scripture, we have to think about what other passages say. Do they say the same thing? Do they seemingly contradict? Comparatively — what do other Scriptures say?
Watch others
Follow the examples shown in Scriptures — especially the example of Jesus. What can we learn from Moses? Daniel? David? Jonah? Paul? Stephen?
Look for its application
It is so easy to read a passage and just read it. We need to read it looking for how we can apply it.
Newberry reminds us that all Scriptures are applicable to our lives. Some passages we may read and go, “Huh?” We have to make sure we remember God isn’t always talking literally. He is wanting to build our character.
Maybe it would be easier to apply it if we hooked it on to past knowledge and experiences first. If we think about what we already know, what this is teaching us, and the differences between the two, maybe we will get a clearer picture of what changes we need to make.
- Look for its directions. Look for the do’s and don’t — especially the implied ones. Romans 2: 11 says, “For there is no favoritism with God.” The implied command is we are to treat everyone equally, as God does.
- Seek to understand. I know I said it already. I will probably say it a couple of more times so we get it lodged in our brains. We cannot just read to read. This isn’t a novel. It is a textbook. How did you study in school when you read your textbooks? Did you take notes (use a journal now)? Did you have other books for reference (use a Bible dictionary or commentaries)?
- Make inquiries. Google is good, although we always have to evaluate what we read online. If we don’t understand something, we need to get with our Pastor Chad-types.
Then we have to figure out ways we can put into practice what we read. How does God want us to act on what we have read?
Keep track
Keep a list of Scriptures that talk to us. It not only gives us a list we can access when things aren’t going so well, but it can also show us how God is growing us.
Read it orderly
There are different ways we can read the Scriptures. We can start at Genesis and read to Revelation. Some might get bogged down in Leviticus or Numbers, though.
We can read an Old Testament book and then a New Testament book. That might help some since the New Testament tends to be an easier read.
One thing I am trying to do is read the Bible chronologically. It starts out in Job and goes through.
Bottom Line, Though
In The Reading of the Law, we are given ways to grow our relationships with God.
- “daily reading of the Bible
- “attendance on the public ordinances of God’s house
- “Christian conversation
- “giving heed to the voices of conscience and the Divine Spirit.”
I know, I know. You all were looking for some new way to kick start devotion time.
I get it. Zig Zeigler said something like, “You can’t expect different results by doing the same thing.” We are looking for improved devotional time.
But we look for some gimmick to help us, some resource by someone we see as a with-it disciple.
It really doesn’t start there.
It starts in our hearts. It starts with our dedication. It starts with our relationships with God.
I know I said a long time ago that I get a lot of mileage out of this graphic.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
That is what it all boils down to for disciples. We have to hear His Word, read it, study it, meditate on it, and memorize it. All through that, we need to be in prayer, asking God to provide the meaning.
That isn’t going to change. Props aren’t going to change our desire or our commitment to do that — not really.
The only thing that is going to get us to where we need to be in reading the Scriptures is our firm desire to want to change to be the disciple God wants us to be.
Father God. We want to learn of You. We want to be the children and disciples You want us to be. Help us to change our attitudes and priorities. Help us to focus on Your Scriptures and understand them. Help us to hear You telling us what we need to know. Amen.
What do you think?
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