There are thousands of ways people study the bible and many versions of what people read. I generally prefer the NIV version over King James. For me, picking up the Bible is a random act. I close my eyes and let my fingers go to a page and section that I feel I am being guided towards. I usually read the whole section and see how this might apply to my life.
I have tried to do guided and structured bible studies, but I find it hard to stay on track and then I get left behind other people. While they might serve as motivators to keep you on course, I feel like studying on my own has been more beneficial because I am never left behind and the verses I am guided to always seem to have a place in my life. Perhaps there are self-study courses that allow you to have a hiccup without throwing your whole schedule off? If you know of any, feel free to comment about them below.
I also enjoy following along the verses the pastor uses for his sermons. I especially like how he uses different versions to show how the same verse is translated. It helps to have someone knowledgeable about it to guide you through interpretation.
When I was younger, I had a student bible with room for notes and contemporary translations. I especially liked it because it really spoke to me as a youth and allowed me to keep track of what I had studied. Now I generally don’t take notes in my bible because it does not have space for that and I do not want to tarnish the words. If you know of a good study bible, please feel free to share that too!
The point of all of this is, no matter how you read your bible, the simple act of picking it up and reading will help inspire, change and guide your life. It is like an instruction manual for life.
I love your words here, “The point of all of this is, no matter how you read your bible, the simple act of picking it up and reading will help inspire, change and guide your life. It is like an instruction manual for life.” I read the KJV most of the time, but also enjoy the NIV too. Thank you for sharing, being open, and transparent!
Thank you for commenting and you’re welcome Stephanie. I am not trying to alienate anyone by sharing my beliefs, but I also refuse to hide the importance God plays in my life either. That’s why I now have Spiritual Sunday on my blog so even if someone doesn’t agree with all of my beliefs, they can just skip the day and still take in great advice and more from the other days. 🙂