How do you read and study the Bible? Also, how do you find answers to what a person is facing?
It sounds like (if I understand your questions correctly) you are desiring to develop a better working knowledge of God’s Word. For many people, especially new Christians, the Bible is a puzzling volume of disconnected stories, commandments, genealogies, and historical details. The more you read it, however, the more you find that it’s a marvelous, unified love story. The Bible tells us God’s plan to redeem lost sinners through the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ. So I would say the first thing to do to get better acquainted with the Bible is always to read it in light of this “big picture.” As you read, ask yourself two questions:
- What does this passage tell me about God and His love for me in Christ?
- And what does this passage tell me about myself and other human beings that shows our need of Jesus Christ?
The second thing I would say to do is spend some time just scanning through a book of the Bible to get a sense of the flow, the main idea. Read a summary of the book in a Bible handbook or study Bible. Find out who wrote the book, who are the main characters, and what was the original purpose of the book. Don’t get bogged down in details until you feel fairly comfortable with the context.
If you’re just starting out, I would suggest you pick for your study one of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. One of Paul’s shorter letters like Philippians makes a good study. Romans is a great book to master, since it teaches so many doctrines of the Christian faith. The book of Genesis gives you a lot of historical information that you will find important to know.
Once you have a feel for the context of a book, study it in short, manageable pieces. Pray God will speak to you from His Word. Have a notebook and a pen handy to jot down questions you have and insights you receive. Look up the cross-references found in the margin or center column (if your Bible doesn’t provide these, buy a new Bible that does!). Gradually, you’ll move from being a Bible reader to a Bible student. That’s when the Word of God really comes alive.
A final word of caution: Avoid reading the Bible only to get answers to questions and problems. The Word of God is not a self-help book or encyclopedia of facts. It is God’s revelation of Himself. It is His way of letting us know Him and have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The shadow of the cross falls across every page of God’s Word.