There can be no better habit to establish than that of daily Bible reading. Fortunately, with just a few changes to your existing lifestyle you can easily fit this daily reading into your schedule. Remember, even a small amount of reading accomplished daily will really add up over time (and pay huge dividends).

I think any Christian would agree, studying the Bible is one of the most important things a human being can do. Prayer is our way to talking to God and the Word of God is the Lord’s way of talking to us. We need this two way communication in order to live our lives to the fullest and reach eternal life.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

So, we know Bible study is important, but in today’s busy world we often have limited time to get things (like Bible study) accomplished. In addition, our minds have been corrupted by the modern “productivity” culture and its demand that we work for hours and hours every day. Many of the productivity guru’s today recommend that we should work as many hours a day as we possibly can. This, they say, is being “productive” and will lead to maximal gains in whatever endeavor we are pursuing.

I think that this is a foolish way to look at a challenging goal. For example, most walking apps recommend that you start out with 10,000 steps a day, which, in my opinion is way overboard. It would be much better to start with 3,000 steps a day, then slowly work your way to 5,000 steps over the course of a few weeks. Within a few months you could be at 10,000 steps a day, your ultimate goal.

In regard to Bible study, I believe that starting small is key. I think that if you are looking to start reading the Bible daily you should start with one chapter deeply read (for maximum understanding). Take it slow and really absorb the content. It is better to read one chapter well than five chapters quickly (and without comprehension). An interesting fact:

• If you read one chapter of the New Testament a day it will take you nine months to complete it.
• If you read one chapter a day right from the beginning of the Bible (Genesis) it will take you 3 years and 3 months to complete it.
• Typical chapters take 5-10 minutes to read.

After you establish a solid habit you can then add another chapter (giving you a total of two). However, don’t start the two chapter a day regimen until you have gone a month or two consistently accomplishing your one chapter a day goal. At this point I would recommend one chapter of the New Testament and one of the Old Testament. Then, when you finish the New Testament (and are still working through the longer Old Testament) you can just restart the New Testament.

Reading the Bible gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Regardless of what happens during your day (for good or ill), if you do your daily reading you will know that your Bible study goal was accomplished. As time passes you will begin to cherish your daily opportunity to let God speak to you. Happy reading!

The post How to Start Studying the Bible appeared first on Jay Scott.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

As Christians we know that we need to read the Bible, yet for most of us this seems a daunting task. Many of us can’t seem to find the time in the day to perform this essential study (yet all of us would agree that Bible study is infinitely important).

That leads us to an age-old question – why is there such a profound human tendency for procrastination? Is there any way that we can overcome this tendency? I think there is, but I also think that it takes an effective strategy of scheduling and habit building for most people (including me) to accomplish this feat.

Our reasons for procrastination are almost limitless and while some of them are actually pretty legitimate, others are not. Our lives today are busier than ever before. Social Media, T.V., text messages, email, family issues, our jobs, babysitting, cooking, sports, after school activities; all of these tend to rob us of free time and encourage procrastination.

In the past I have been very prone to procrastination and in many ways I still am. Fortunately, I recently found a method that has helped me bypass procrastination (at least a lot more often) and better accomplish the tasks that I seem to always put off.

The strategy that I’ve been using over the past year to get things completed more effectively is called “time-blocking”. I learned this technique from a book called Deep Work by productivity author Cal Newport. Basically, you take your day and block out specific times to do certain activities. If you don’t block out (and thus set aside) the time for a given activity, you are very likely to skip doing that activity.

If your plan is to “read the Bible sometime today”, you will likely fail in that task – and even if you do succeed you will likely be unable to keep up the habit. Time blocking encourages you to block out the exact time on your schedule for a given activity (like Bible study). That means literally blocking out the time on a schedule and adhering to that schedule no matter what (barring an emergency).

Be sure to choose a time that is typically free on your daily schedule. It also helps to have a ritual that you place before your study to let your mind know its time for the activity. Maybe your ritual could be taking a walk, or getting a cup of coffee before you sit down with your Bible. Whatever your ritual is, your mind will begin to associate this “trigger” with the fact that it is time for Bible study, and that will help reinforce your habit.

How much time should you block out for study? I would recommend starting small, about fifteen minutes if you don’t currently read the Bible daily. Plan to read one chapter slowly and sit and ponder over each verse. Personally, I’m not a big fan of reading the Bible quickly (I’ve done it) because the Bible is a complex document that requires deep thought.

Over time you can build up the length of your study sessions, but I believe it is best to initially start with baby steps. By starting small you can begin to build up “little wins” that will engrain the habit of Bible study into your life. One thing is for certain, if you set aside time daily to study God’s Word your life on earth (and in eternity) will be enriched beyond measure.

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