I just need a smidge of Bible-reading help!

A concordance of topics is handy. I used to flick through the Bible but now I flip to the concordance and look up what I need depending on the situation I'm in.

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I'll put the kettle on.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I mostly agree with the posters before me. Especially about the parts with prayer! It's very important, since it's the Holy Spirit that explains us Scripture. I also like keeping a notebook with me when I read the Bible so I can write down questions and comments so I can find out about the questions and develop the thoughts later on.

This might seem like a stupid idea but I once heard - from a very good teacher - that when they became a christian they started with a children's Bible (a more advanced one though but still... ) because they just didn't understand a regular translation. When they got the basic story line behind it it was much easier for them to continue with some more detail. A paraphrase kind of Bible might be OK as well. But someone also made a good point already: it's OK not to understand sometimes. The Bible is frustrating in a way that it's so hard in the beginning, but then the blessing is that you always see something in a new light when you read it again. That is also a reason to continually read it over and over again.

I would also recommend you that you find someone you trust so that you can ask them. I know that if you're a new christian it might be hard to just go to a church and get to know people but in the end it is important for a christian to have a connection to a local community of believers. I hope you'll find a good church soon; it'll help you tremendously.

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Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you. - Isaiah 46:4

I think God has given you some very good advice;
I will share with you my testimony of how God led me and how He still leads me in this regard:
I thinks its also most important to pray first; I always ask God to open my heart unto understanding and recieving the life and light of His Word: Just let the Spirit tell you what to say to God;

I am also led to set aside different ways of approaching my reading:
I would awake and refresh myself in a psalm, then i would read during the day if im out; when i have time: Just keeping a small bible with me; opening it when i have time when not at home:

but during my normal day: I would read as i am lead; for a while;
sometimes i will do different word searches:
And use this time to write down the passages that pertain to the word or emotion im searching;
And at night i would take out another study session to read from 5-10 chapters a night started from genises:

SO i have different study times; in which i approach the word differently; so that I train my flesh to not get tired: I would stimulate myself and pray for the desire to keep that joy and eagerness to meet my times of reading:
Praying for the power to keep up with my studies; because we do it all through faith:


When I do the study that starts from genesis: I give a time to that a day; and i read 5-10 chapters: BUT I study and mark my bible:
I use five markers; and after i did this; I new how to find anything in that bible:

I would use a Pink; an orange; a yellow; a blue and a green marker:
I would mark my whole bible this way:
If you are reading the new testiment: Then you can start doing this also:
And you keep notes:
What God leads me to do is I use the pink marker to highlight passages of Scripture I feel led to share with people; things I see that I understand and I can share in a way that others can understand:
These pink markers were my studies to share; sermons if you will:
I would write down the Scripture; put a pink mark on the card; so that i know this is for preparing a study:

For instance:
Lets say i started at Romans 1:
And this caught my attention:
Romans 1
5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c] faith for his name’s sake.

I new that I could share this with people and show them that faith gives us obedience:
So I would write faith and obedience on the card: Highlight that in pink; and when ever i came across more passages that lined up faith and obedience; i would also write them on that same card:

So the pink marker is to highlight things i understand and can share:

I used the Orange marker for things i understood; but couldnt quite express; I would mark them in orange so that i new to look more into that passage in regards to learning how to express what i feel about that passage:

I would use the green marker: If i felt i understood; but didnt know how to approach understanding more:

and I would use the blue marker if i didnt understand something at all:
with the blue and green parker i just put dots next to the passage:
dont want the bible too messy; for i used it for 10 years:

And my favorite yellow marker was to highlight all the things that just brought joy to my heart: All of the things i could quicky share with someone; that could express the joy of knowing Jesus:
And i would write dont the yellow markers on cards; and i used these for my memory verses:
It found that it allowed me to store treasures in my heart that encouraged me:
David said i hid thy word in my heart:


So we have these markers:
PINK
To highlight things that you feel able to share with others; WE Study to share what we learn: I pray for that ability after i read:
Praying before and after; and reading in different sessions:
Sometimes maybe to brease through psalms;
sometimes to read as i am lead; just letting God take me somewhere:
sometimes to start from the begining; and do about 10 chapter or five; which is an hour or two:
so we take out different times in the day to read; and then we pray and worship between; so we continue to feed ourselves; and keep ourselves strong to continue reading: Training our flesh to enjoy what we do in Christ; praying for the power to do so:

So again;
We have PINK
which is to mark things i can put in sermons or teachings:
WE HAVE ORANGE
TO mark things I understand; but not enough to put it in a teaching; so i now to study this more:
Giving me more study times during the day:
WE HAVE GREEN
Making a dot next to a passage may need a little help with:
and a BLUE marker:
To put a dot next to things i dont understand at all:
And a YELLOW
To make the things that just encourage me; and it will be a lot of these; but their yellow; and it doesnt cause confusion when reading:
the pink is see through also:
And the orange:
But the green and blue; i used dots; Bless you:
Ask anyquestions you may have; you can message me; or ask us all; bless you

Things I feel that are important to my growth in Scripture:

The way i live: Its most important and most special to read Scriptures and to study; while living Gods Holy Will;
Thats how i learn; love is learning: Living in the Spirit allows the Spirit to LEAD: Thats faith; and thats most important; Believing God for what you want; knowing what He is eager to give you:

Another things is praying; communing with the Father and His Word; going into the Word expecting to recieve: Letting God show us that He can teach us by continueing in His Word: and if something confuses; i keep reading; and later on God will show us the right way:
but some people see confusion; and they stop; and they never allow the Scripture to prove ITSELF by ITSELF: Its a faith walk:

Another important thing for me is how I was lead to read with different approaches:
I would create things to do:
I remember that i was led to take out an hour just to commentate a book to myself: then another hour to read psalms; a few more hours just to read how i am led; just praying and opening the Bible as i am lead:
I was led to take out more time just to have a study session that I read through the bible and marked my studies;
Then that allowed me to take out more time when i responding to the marking:
So i had all of these things to do in Scripture; ITS SO GREAT: Bless you

And in between time we pray; we worship; I wrote poetry to God; I listened to His music; and even prayed while singing the song to God in my heart:
Just doing things that allow us to give our whole day to God: We work ofcourse; or go to school; but we still stay mindful and in constant comunion with God: So we get to know the Word by the Word:
Jesus is the Word:
and we understand the bible when we stay close to Him: Ive seen in it my life: AND
I BELIEVE IT: SMILE

What a sweet and blessed spirit!

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You bring to mind the man Nehemiah.

Blessings: All of us together made for a blessed thread: God bless the person that made this post: May Gods favor shine on you:

The NT is a good place to start, and you can ask questions here on CF. There are also good study Bibles, or (for a deeper insight) good commentaries about books of the Bible, like these, or good books about themes, like this one on prayer.

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace on this forum. Where there is hatred, grant that I may sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, unity; where there is doubt, faith; where there is error, Your truth and not my personal opinion; where there is despair, hope; where there is sadness, joy; where there is darkness, light. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled by people here as to console them; to be understood by them, as to understand them; to be loved by them, as to love them: For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Hi LinaB,

I only very recently began reading the Bible also and at first I was going to read it cover to cover and then, when that didn't work out, I planned on reading the NT first and that didn't really work out for me either cause it didn't really give me any perspective.

I ended up downloading this REALLY great Bible app onto my Blackberry which has been SO helpful. It has about 15 different versions of the Bible (in full) and also has a huge variety of daily Bible Devotionals & Readings based around a whole stack load of topics and such.

I found them really useful and it has given me a whole new perspective on the Bible and God's Word. It's actually amazing how much I have learned.

The name of the app is YouVersion if you wanted to give it a go. There's also a website.

Hello LinaB....
Ive been a believer of God and Jesus since the 70s....though I paid not attention and found myself wander for years in the wilderness....though God being who and what He is brought me back to Him only a couple years ago......and Ive diligently been applying myself to Him and walking with Him daily. Ive found that at times its a struggle fighting the spiritual battles that are manifest....though He always seems to know when I am at my limit and delivers me.
As for reading....when reading I always pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give me the strength and understanding to read the passages I need to apply in my life read Proverb 3:5-9 and it may give you a boost. I try to walk into the woods daily and spend an hour or so alone with God and listening for His voice....it can be very amazing how very close our Lord is to us and most times we are not even aware.....I hope that Ive given you some insight into what you seek...though Im certain that God thru Christ Jesus and His Holy Spirit will give much more than I could even think to offer if you but ask! Feel free to write anytime ......I love the fellowship of other Brothers and Sisters always.....many blessings and Much
Love in His name........

Rascus