There are three different levels when it comes to reading the Bible, I think, and each has it’s place in our lives. So if Fox News is right, and 2020 is the “Year of the Bible,” then how do we gain the most from it? I think that comes primarily from good study habits.

I think that there are three main ways that we should ingest the Bible into our lives, and all three have excellent benefits for us. Some people may break it down a little differently than I do, but I think this is a good, basic overview.

The first way is a simple reading of the Bible. I believe that every verse of Scripture has value for my life, and it’s worthwhile to expose myself to every bit of God’s Word on a regular basis. For many, that can come though a tool like an annual Bible Reading Plan. I use something that helps me read every passage more than once a year, which utilizes ten different sections of the Bible. It’s a bit more ambitious, but I have found it really useful.

The second way to use God’s Word is to study it, not just read it. That’s what this article is about, so more on that in a moment.

The third aspect is Bible memorization. Simply taking God’s Word and committing it to memory so that it can become a part of your mind and your thinking habits. Bible memorization is a discipline that I think we neglect more than we should, and have tried to incorporate it into my daily life for several years now, most recently tackling Psalm 119.

We may accomplish the first, perhaps employ the third occasionally, and completely overlook the second. The result of neglecting Bible study has created a culture of biblical illiteracy, and most of us know far less about God’s Word than we should. But I think that’s reversible, and all it takes are a few key study disciplines incorporated into our lives.

God’s Word is our spiritual lifeline, and it should be the consuming passion of our lives. It contains the message of salvation, through the death, burial and resurrection of God’s own Son. And it is only through the study of God’s Word that we can learn to obey God’s written Word and follow God’s living Word, Jesus.

So how do we do that? How do we gain traction in this spiritual discipline? I can think of six habits to build into our lives that can help.

Study the Bible Daily

Our bodies need food daily. We need sleep daily. We need water daily. All of this is necessary for our physical health to be good. Yeah, we may miss a meal from time to time, but that’s not the norm, it’s the exception. Most of us—certainly those of us who don’t live in third world conditions—have the opportunity to eat and drink daily for our physical health.

The same needs are there for our spiritual health as well. We must feed regularly on the Word of God in order to provide spiritual nourishment for our lives (Matthew 4:4). To neglect this is to become indifferent to God and to open our lives up to temptation and the sin that so easily follows.

A steady, daily diet of God’s Word is an essential element of a believer’s life.

Study the Bible Systematically

I know of people who study the Bible randomly, but this is not an approach with much value when it comes to Bible study. Random selections of passages leads to a lack of depth and a lack of perspective that we need in order to see the Bible as a whole. A better approach is to study a whole book of the Bible before moving on to another. Or study a topic across several books, and then choose another. You can always change things up by switching from the New Testament to the Old when it’s time to start a new book or topic.

A random approach almost certainly ensures that we neglect portions of God’s Word. Yet 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that it is all useful for our lives. A system helps us stay on track.

Study the Bible Comprehensively

This goes hand in hand with a systematic approach to Bible study, helping you to utilize all parts of Scripture as you grow. It is all valuable, and we shouldn’t ignore passages or even whole books because they are more difficult to understand. As we just saw in 2 Timothy 3, all Scripture is beneficial to our lives.

A lady once told me that she never reads the “more obscure” portions of the Bible. She told me, “Those are parts that only pastors and theologians should study.” Nothing could be further from the truth. All of God’s Word is accessible, and it all should be studied. Some parts will be easier than others, of course, but a comprehensive view of the whole Bible narrative is necessary for our spiritual growth.

Study the Bible Devotionally

We should be looking for God in every passage of Scripture. And we should be looking for him because of our love for him. There is a deep connection between God’s written Word, and his Son, the living Word (John 1:1, 14). So to read Scripture, God’s Word, is to know Jesus better.

The Bible is not like any other texts. It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), it has the power to transform our lives (Romans 12:1-2). Because of this, we need to read it with a love for the Author of it. By reading his Word, we get to know the heart of God better. And to know him better is to love him more and more.

As believers, we need to allow the Word of God to get inside of us. Perhaps this is best accomplished through memorization of Scripture, but it certainly occurs as we study God’s Word as well.

Study the Bible Prayerfully

If we want to communicate with God, then reading his Word is only half of the conversation. Speaking back is the other half. And a prayerful approach to Scripture is key to understanding it more fully. As we approach the Bible, it is helpful to ask God to open our eyes and hearts to understand it better, to ingest it more deeply, and to grow from it more solidly (Ephesians 1:17-18). Without prayer, we miss the full impact of what God’s Word can do in our lives.

Study the Bible Openly

As you study God’s Word, keep an open mind to what he may be trying to reveal to you, what he may want to teach you. I find it helpful to keep a journal handy to jot down any insights he gives me. I have learned that I can’t trust my memory all the time to remember what he’s pointing out to me, but if I write it down, I can come back to it again and again.

This is helpful in two ways. First, I can watch for the things he reveals to me today, to see how he might want to teach me about these truths. And second, a journal provides a record. I can go back a year from now and read these entries and see how I have grown in my spiritual life. That’s a great boost to my faith, to see how God has been at work within me.

You may find other habits to be helpful as you study the Bible. This is not an exhaustive list; it’s just a starting point. The key to remember is that Bible study is not just a task to check off of our to-do list, but a spiritual discipline that will help conform us to the image of Christ (Colossians 2:6-7, Romans 8:29).

Question: How do you study the Bible? Are there some other habits that you have found to be helpful? You can leave a comment by clicking here.