General guidelines

General Guidelines for Reading the Bible

+ First of all, it is important to pray before reading the Bible, asking God to show you things He wants you to know through the passage.

+ Ideally, it is best to read in a quiet place where you can concentrate without distractions.

+ Think about what you have read and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Some useful questions to ask yourself are:

- What does this passage tell me about God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit? What can I learn about His character?

- Is there a command to obey?

- Is there a promise to believe?

- Is there a good example to follow or a bad example to avoid?

- s there a warning about a wrong attitude or sin which applies to me?

- What do I learn about how to live my life?

- How could this passage apply in my own circumstances?

- Is there something I need to act upon?

+ Act upon what you discover. Pray that God will help you in this.

+ Don’t be afraid to write in your Bible. You can make notes in the margin or fly leaves, and you can underline words, phrases or passages which make an impression on you. It can be useful to write the date against passages which “speak” to you in a significant way. Sometimes people use coloured pencils to highlight parts of the text, with a colour code to signify different themes e.g. red for the work of the Holy Spirit, blue for examples of faith etc.

+ Learn any verses you find especially helpful, particularly verses which are relevant and help you in your particular struggles and difficulties. It can also be useful to copy out certain appropriate verses and stick them up on your wall, notice board, car dash-board or above your desk - anywhere where you will easily notice them and be able to read them.