How To Get In The Word & Stay There

Reading the Bible is something many people wish to make a habit out of. However, not many people know where to start. We wanted to give some tips on how to stop putting off your time with God and to start putting on the Word of the Lord.

1. Motivation V.S Discipline

We may ask “How do we stay motivated to read our Bible?” The honest answer: We don’t. Motivation comes and goes. It’s great to have, but it won’t stay forever. Having effective self-discipline is what truly creates consistency with the Bible. Continue reading to find ways to set boundaries for yourself and make time for the Lord!

2. Set Time Aside

Establishing a certain time in your day in which you dedicate time to read the Bible is a good way to incorporate it into your day. We all have busy schedules, but it’s very important to make time for God’s word. After a long day, you can relax with a 30-minute Bible study. Or maybe you could start your day filling your mind with wisdom and words from our Lord, setting your day to be a good one. Rather than saying, “I’ll read tomorrow” and continuously postponing, make it a habit.

3. Where To Start

The Bible consists of 66 different books that cover a variety of genres and eras. If you have never read the Bible before, it can be difficult to pick where to start. It is often recommended, for those who are not familiar with Jesus’ character and what He did on earth, to read the Gospel first. The Gospel is a collection of books – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – that recall those times and can be found in the New Testament. The Daily Bread started in Genesis and has been moving forward from there. It is all up to you!

4. Study Methods

Using study methods to effectively read the Bible is extremely helpful. This can avoid reading without purpose or reading and not having a clue what anything meant. A study method we recommend is SOAP:

S- Scripture: Pick out the verse that most stood out to you.

O- Observation: What is this verse telling you? What is the overall message?

A-Application: How can you implement this verse in your daily life?

P- Prayer: Turn this verse into a prayer, asking God to help you apply this verse to your daily life.

There are many other methods you can use to study the Bible, or you could even create your own! Use anything that will help you understand what you’re reading and connect with the word.

5. Prayer

We know prayer is essential in every aspect of life. That includes reading the Bible. When you pray before reading, you should ask the Lord to clear your mind and to help you comprehend the Word. Ask Him to speak to you through the verses. You will be able to focus better and may even discover new revelations you might have not noticed before!

6. Using Apps

There are many reasons you may not be able to access a Bible. Maybe it’s for financial reasons, or you’re on vacation, or you have a busy schedule where you can’t access your Bible. But fortunately, there is a solution to all of this! There are dozens of apps where you can access the word with the click of a button. On lunch break at work? You can read the Bible on your phone! Away from home and don’t have your physical Bible with you? Download an app that lets you read it in any translation you prefer. And best of all- it’s free! Most of them let you highlight, make annotations, and even gives you insight on things like the verse of the day or prayers for you.

7. Comprehension Is Crucial

It can be hard to understand the context behind specific scenarios and what we should take literally or figuratively. Using a commentary app/website can help you look into the background and better understand the chapter you are reading. The Enduring Word is an excellent example of a Bible commentary provider. You can also find animated Bible story videos on YouTube that can give you a proper visual of the story you are reading about. There are many resources that genuinely want to help you. Use them!

8. Find the Translation for You

One of the biggest struggles of reading the Bible is understanding what it’s saying. It has dozens of translations, the most common being the King James Version. For many, this translation can be difficult to read and comprehend. This can result in reading without purpose, without understanding, or can even take away your motivation to read. Try finding the translation that you can best understand. Using the Bible app for this can be very helpful, as you can select tons of translations and test them out. One that we like using that is relatively easy to understand is NIV (New International Version).