There are different ways to draw closer to God and below I will be listing a few tips on just How to do that very thing.
Studying His Word Daily is essential part of our lives. How can we make it through without Him? We are so desperate for Him, needing guidance, reassurance, strength, and love and so much more.
I recommend journaling when studying God’s Word. Journaling helps us reflect on what we’re reading – not simply to understand what we’ve read but to engage with the text. Biblical journaling is basically an open, honest conversation with God. We can wrestle with our doubts and fears, seek God’s counsel, and uncover attitudes and action that need to change. There’s no right or wrong way to journal as it’s personal to you.
There are different ways of journaling that people love to use for exaple: The Bible Study Methods.
Bible Study Methods:
Pray before every Bible Study
The Word Method:
● W…Write
Write your daily verse in your journal
● O…Observe
Observe the keys to the passage
~ Who wrote it?
~ Who was it written for?
~ Why was it written?
● R…Relevant
How is this verse relevant and how does it apply to your life today?
● D…Declare
Pray and Declare the Scripture passage over your life, your family, your home, and your relationships.
Waiting on God doesn’t mean we are doing nothing. It’s about trusting God to do His thing.
The Wait Method:
● W…Watch God work His way
● A…Ask God about His purposes
● I…Invite God to work in your heart
● T…Trust God to fullfill His plans
The Reap Method:
● R…Read
Read and reread the passage eith an open heart, asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
● E…Examine
Spend time reflecting and write down your thoughts
● A…Apply
Meditate on what God is saying to you and how it affects your life.
● P…Pray
Pray through the passage and your application, asking God to change your heart and to change your life based on the time you’ve spent in God’s Word.
The Apple Method:
● A…Attributes of God
● P…Promises of God
● P…Principles for life
● L…Lessons learned
● E…Exaple to follow
The Acts Method:
● A…Ask
Ask what God wants you to understand about this passage
● C…Chapter
Read the chapter carefully and prayerfully
● T…Think
Think about how the chapter applies to your life.
● S…Scripture
Write one scripture that stood out to you in your reading.
The Soap Method:
● S…Scripture
As you read write the verse that stood out most to you
● O…Observe
What truth can you learn? Warning? Principles? Commands? What is the overall message of the verse?
● A…Application
How does this verse apply to my life today? How can you live differently in light of the truth?
● P…Prayer
Turn these thoughts into prayer. Ask the Lord to show you how to meditate and apply this scripture to your life.
As you can see from the above there are different methods out there. Hopefully some or one of those will be helpful to anyone just starting out with journaling and wanting to draw closer to God.
Having a quite place to study so you can be alone with the Father is important. Maybe you wake up an hour early each day or stay up an extra hour each day if your days are busy. It is very important to make time to spend each day with God. Have a Bible caddy that holds your Bible, your journal, books and pins, highlighters, sticky pads etc. Keep index cards and post-it notes handy. I have index card on a key ring and write scripture on them and carry with me to work each day. As much as I love technology, there is simply nothing that can replace paper and pen. I have to have paper and pens handy at all times. So that way when you get ready to have your quite time with the Lord you have everything already gathered together and you can sit down and begin your day with the Lord.
I have shared in the past that I love waking an extra hour and enjoying my quite time with the Lord. I love to start my day on the right note and there is no better way then starting it with God. It sets the day in motion on a positive note and my day is better because of it.
Another way is through music I love listening to the old time hymns that I grew up listening to that my parents and grandparents listened to. I am not against today’s music but there is just something about those old time convection songs.
You have for example: Amazing Grace, Blessed Assurance, Count Your Blessing, Have Thine Own Way, Just As I am, Standing On the Promises, Victory In Jesus etc. I enjoy putting gospel music on softly in the background as I study sometimes with vocals and sometimes I just want instrumental background especially if deep concentration or deep study that requires digging deeper to get a better understanding.
I understand that studying God’s word can be confusing and hold to understand what is written. A great study Bible can help with that. I use the King James Cross Reference Study Bible.
For the art lovers out there, there is Jouranling Bibles for you. For you to express your creativeness and have room to do so in your Bible.
If you need more help there are Bible commentaries, the Bible Hub and Bible Study tools on the web are great resources of information when diving deeper into scripture.
I wrote lie and say I never got a headache from diving deeply into scripture. It’s because I wanted to get a deep understanding of His Word and the only way to do so it to go deeper. I also, spent hours studying and maybe should have broken it down to one part but I got swept away that I just kept going.
Some parts of scripture are easier to read and understand then others. Which is okay, don’t worry about trying to understand every single word or passages you read. Don’t get discouraged. Take a break if you need to, pray and come back and reread the scripture again. Asking God for understanding, finding different tools to help you, having friends, church family, and Pastor to help you when wanting a better understanding.
I have been blest with my Sunday School teachers that I had for the past 5 years. They helped me to grow in ways I never knew I could before. I am a grown adult and even I needed help and when I came to the church I currently attend and found them they were just what the Lord wanted for me and had waiting for me. I wouldn’t have this blog without the help of my Sunday School teacher who suggested it and came up with the name for my blog. Hopefully you have someone who can encourage you and lead and guide you as you draw closer to the Lord.
I love YouVersion Bible app. There is not only daily scripture but so many devotionals out there to use daily. You can Highlight verses or passages and if you can’t read the Bible then you can listen as someone reads it to you. Which is great for driving to and from work and you want to read your Bible or devotional and didn’t have the time you can use the app and someone can read it to you; as well as videos to follow too.
Bible study isn’t a race from Genesis to Revelation. It is about learning God’s Word, being a student of God’s Word, and getting to know God through His Word.
For those that enjoy Podcasts there are Christian artists using them so maybe finding one you like and can listen to each day while driving, at work, or during lunch break.
I will leave you with this last method a Heart’s Prayer Guide. I came across this from Pinterest ages ago.
Hearts Prayer Guide
● H…Heart
~ Pray that Hearts will be soften to receive a word from God.
(Ezekiel 36:26; Luke 8:5-15)
● E…Eyes and Ears
~ Pray that our spiritual Eyes and Ears will be open to receive and apply the truth that God speaks.
(Acts 26:18; Matthew 13:15
● A…Attitude
~ Pray that our Attitudes will be adjusted to see sin as God sees sin.
( Luke 15:7; James 2:10)
● R…Released
~ Pray for lives to be Released from strongholds, footholds, and snares from the enemy.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:25-26)
● T…Transformed
~ Pray for lives to be Transformed to live as true disciples of Christ.
(John 8:31-32; John 2:3-6)
● S…Stand
~ Pray that we will Stand united; as one body as the body of Christ
(1 Corinthians 1:10; Colossians 3:13-14; John 17:23)
May this post be a blessing and help for to those in need.
God bless you and your loved ones.
Kirsten's Christian Corner 