Topic > Spiritual Growth > Bible Study Methods >
No Appetite
When I was battling a bad cold recently, I lost my appetite. I could go through an entire day without eating much food. Water would suffice. But I knew I couldn’t survive long on water alone. I needed to regain my appetite because my body needed nourishment.
Master The Skill Of Biblical Interpretation
Years ago in the New York Times, there was an advertisement for Mortimer Adler’s “How to Read a Book.” It pictured a teenager reading his first love letter. The blurb was, “How to read a love letter.”
The copy said this:
“This young man has just received his first love letter. He may have read it three or four times, but he is just beginning. To read it as accurately as he would like, would require several dictionaries and a good deal of close work with a few experts of etymology and philology.
“However, he will do all right without them.
“He will ponder over the exact shade of meaning in every word, every comma. She has headed the letter Dear John. What, he asks himself, is the exact significance of those words? Did she refrain from saying Dearest because she was bashful? Would My dear have sounded too formal?
A Voice in the Wilderness
A solitary life . . . compelled by conviction . . . a voice crying in the wilderness . . . an ancient prophet . . . speaking on behalf of God. Who speaks for God today? How can we know whether we are hearing the voice of God or the voice of man?
An exciting tool for digging into Scripture on a daily basis
Americans revere the Bible, but by and large, they don’t read it. That statement summarizing their survey findings by George Gallup is a disturbing one isn’t it.
Find out about an effective resource for developing meaningful quiet times with God
We know that consistent time in God’s Word is important, but how do we begin the process of regular Bible study? Let's talk about a Bible study tool that is near and dear to their heart.
Well Prepared
The idea of always being prepared makes me think of the man who lived next door to us when I was growing up. When Mr. Nienhuis came home, he never failed to back his car into the garage. That seemed unusual to me until my mother explained that Nels was a volunteer fireman. If he got a call, he had to be ready to race to the fire station. He backed in so he could leave quickly when he had to report for duty.
Two-Way Communication
Have you ever been stuck in a conversation with someone who talks only about himself? To be polite, you strike up a dialogue by asking questions. The other person proceeds to talk endlessly about himself, and he never once asks you anything. It is all about that person—and nothing about you.
Discover a new Bible engagement resource called the Community Bible Experience
Friday, August 3, 2012
Want the Bible to become a meaningful part of your daily life but don’t know where to start?
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Did you know that Scripture was originally intended to be read in groups, and not in isolation?
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Want to get the most out of your daily Bible reading?
A single Bible verse can inspire us, but if taken out of context, we can really miss its purpose! Paul Caminiti, Vice President of Bible Engagement at Biblica, offers helpful suggestions for reading the Bible in view of its historical context.
Why people aren’t engaging in Scripture, and how to make your church different!
Monday, July 30, 2012
How to get the most out of reading God’s Word
Friday, June 22, 2012, Part 1
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
IDEA: One reason we misinterpret or misapply a passage is that we often don’t consider the literary genre in which it is written.
PURPOSE: To help listeners be aware that different kinds of biblical literature have to be interpreted in different ways.
Discover how to get a deeper understanding of God’s Word
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
“Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of Hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children; because zeal for your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate speak against me, and I am the song of the drunkards” (Psalm 69:6-12).
IDEA: Misinterpreted or misapplied passages have different degrees of consequences.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize the importance of interpreting and applying biblical passages accurately.
Hidden Away
By the time I was born, my great- grandfather, Abram Z. Hess, had already lost his sight. He was known for the beautiful wooden objects he had carved on a lathe—and also as someone who could quote many verses of Scripture. He and his friend Eli would often share Scripture verses back and forth. A bit of a competitive spirit resulted in their admission that Eli could cite more references while my grandfather could recite more verses.
