IBOGIRLLIVING

This is my I'M SORRY face ya'll!! I wasn't here last week on Thursday or Saturday and my only excuse is that I simply wasn't in the headspace for some reason. But I've finally gotten myself together and now we're back to our regular scheduled programming.

 So I know I'm not the only one who sometimes has a hard time understanding the Bible and it's not just that we are reading the King James version. I've learnt that the Bible is more than just a book with stories of God, how He used men and women to accomplish great things or about the coming of Christ, the Bible is a scroll that requires unlocking by the Holy Spirit. It is only when we invite the Spirit of God into our study of the Bible that light and understanding comes.

Having said that and since I started reading the Bible intent on receiving the Knowledge it provides, there are still moments when access into Biblical mysteries is hard which I know can be the case for many of us so below I have shared 3 tips that help me study the Bible so it makes sense when I read it. I hope it will help you in your study time as well.

1. Do not treat the Bible merely like a novel or book to be read simply for information or entertainment. It is for the purpose of gaining insight, knowledge and understanding about who God is, how He chooses to do what He does and how He wants me to live life today. So asking myself the relevant questions after I read a verse or passage aids in my understanding of what the Holy Spirit could be trying to teach me about God or my relationship with Him.

2. The lessons in the Scripture are more than meet the eye. In other words, I recognize that certain words and parables very often carry a different meaning than the way in which they are used. For example, the word 'Darkness' often means 'Ignorance', 'Light' means 'Revelation or Knowledge' and they carry deeper significance when used in verses or chapters of the Bible. The same is to be said for all the parables Jesus told in the new testament such as the parable of the lost coin, parable of the lost sheep, parable of the vineyard workers, the ten bridesmaids, the three servants etc. You can find these and other parables in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

3. Parables and stories should always be read with eyes that look inward. What this means is that though I may be reading a story about David or Saul as an example or reading the parable of the Evil Farmers, these are meant to provoke self evaluation and self assessment as it pertains to my walk and relationship with God.

These tips have been a great practical guide for how I read the Bible so it makes sense. I have the New Living Translation (NLT) version of the Bible so this also makes things less confusing for me. Other versions that use words that are easy to understand are the NIV, Amplified and ESV versions but any and all Bible versions are obviously great. It is recommended though that you at least have 2 different versions of the Bible to see how certain words may be used differently and how it can convey a whole new meaning for you when you read them in context of a whole chapter or verse.

I hope this helps somebody who may have been struggling to understand the Bible. Remember that only the Holy Spirit can bring understanding to your mind and conviction to your heart  as you study so be sure to always invite Him into your quiet times with God.

XOXO

Ibogirlliving