Studying and meditating upon the Word is a crucial part of one’s walk with the Lord. It’s not enough to simply read your Bible and then slip back into your day unchanged. The Word is meant to shape you, confront you, and transform the way you live.
We need to study the Word, meditate upon it night and day, and most importantly, apply it in our daily lives. This is where true growth begins, this is where we truly grow closer to the Lord and learn His will for our lives.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. –Psalms 119:105 (KJV)
A big mistake believers can make is solely trusting their pastor’s interpretation of scripture and not setting aside time to get alone with the Word. When we study the Word for ourselves, we begin to see what is true and what the Holy Spirit is telling us in the Word.
We shouldn’t only open our Bibles on Sundays or during weekly Bible study; it must be a daily practice. It is when we truly make time for the Lord daily that we grow in our relationship with Him, things we used to struggle with break off us, and we feel truly alive and not drained and depleted from everyday life and the cares of this world.
Key Areas of Study
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When we study, these are some main points of emphasis:
- Study the Hebrew/Greek roots of words. Examine what particular words mean in a verse to get the proper context of what is being said. If you don’t examine the roots, you can walk away with an incomplete or wrong understanding.
A great study tool for this is the Blue Letter Bible, which has both a desktop site and a mobile app for both Android and iOS. If you want a sturdy print reference, you can’t go wrong with Strong’s Concordance.
- Study the meanings of names, places, and unfamiliar words: Knowing what a person’s name or a place means can give you a greater understanding of the history and context of a passage.
For this, Bible dictionaries are a wonderful resource. If you want a small one to carry with you, I recommend the Ultimate Bible Dictionary. If you want a very comprehensive one for your bookshelf, I highly recommend the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
- Study the context and history behind the passage. A lot of things will not make too much sense to a modern reader unless we understand the history and context of what was occurring. Studying the context and history is also a great way to see connections pointing to Jesus, especially throughout the Old Testament.
Study Bibles or commentaries are a great tool for this. One such study Bible that has truly helped me is Thomas Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible. When it comes to commentaries, I enjoy Matthew Henry’s Commentary. It is available for free online in the Blue Letter Bible or you can purchase the hardcover commentary set.
For a full list of helpful resources to enrich your study time, check out my Helpful Resources page.
Helpful Study Methods
Below are a couple helpful Bible study methods that have been instrumental in my studies. The first of which is a set of seven questions and objectives that the Lord revealed to my mentor in Christ.
- Visualize – The environment, the setting.
- Empathize – Put yourself in their shoes.
- Compare + Contrast – What did they do vs. What I would have done? (This helps you discover your strengths and weaknesses.)
- What was the enemy or opposition’s response?
- How does this apply to me in my life? What lesson is there to learn?
- What was God’s response? What was the end result?
- Is there more for me to understand? What did I miss? Lord, show me.
Another study method is the SOAP method. This is a good simple, short method for studying verses and can be instrumental for meditating upon scripture throughout the day. SOAP is an acronym for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.
S – Scripture. Select a passage, read it slowly, and then write it out in your study notebook.
O – Observation. What do you observe through reading the scripture? What stands out to you?
A – Application. Reflect on how you can apply this scripture in your life. Ask the Lord how it applies to your life and identify actionable steps for change.
P – Prayer. Write out a prayer in response to what you read, often asking the Lord for His guidance to help you walk out the steps you previously identified.
Seeking the Lord Above All
Lastly, I must encourage you to seek the Lord in prayer each day before you begin your daily reading and study. It is crucial that we ask the Lord to open our eyes and give us understanding on what we read.
I have a particular prayer I pray, which starts out with praising the Lord for the day and His Word. We should always open prayer with praise and thanksgiving before we give our requests to Him. After praise and thanksgiving, ask Him to reveal the hidden, deeper meaning of scripture.
This is what I pray after I give Him praise and thanksgiving:
“Father, I ask for wisdom so that I may walk in Your will and in the paths of goodness and righteousness, that I may help others in their time of need, especially my fellow brothers and sisters. I thank You for Your wonderful Word that I am about to eat, for Your Words are sweeter than honey.
I ask that you reveal the hidden, deeper meaning of all scripture, both the natural meaning and the spiritual meaning. Help me to see the world through the lens of scripture and give me discernment throughout my day. I ask for the wisdom of knowing how to apply the scriptures in my life and the lives of others around me. I ask that every barrier and the veil of Moses be removed from me.
I ask that You seal up Your Word in my heart, and I pray that the enemy cannot steal it away and that it won’t be choked by the cares of this world. I pray that Your Word will spring forth from my belly like living waters, according to scripture and Your promises.
In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Until next time, shalom to my brothers and sisters in Christ. 🙏
Saved by His Grace 
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