So you know the Bible is important. You recognize that you should probably be reading it more. In a fairly recent Barna study, they determined that about two-thirds of Americans recognize the importance of the Bible in some way, and the majority of Americans are curious about what it says.

35% of Americans have picked their Bible up sometime in the last week. We all know that number should be higher, but there’s another number I’m concerned about. Of those who have read their Bible at some point within the last week, 53% of them think about how it applies to their daily life. Which is great. But it’s the other 47% of Bible readers that worry me, and it’s those people I want to help. Why? Because just under half of the people who have read their Bible in the last week are concerned with how it applies.

Maybe you fit that description. Don’t think this is an article intended to shame you, instead I want to encourage you. I think a big reason that many don’t think about how it applies is because they’ve never been taught how it applies. We can change that.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” What does that mean for us? It means Scripture applies. We just have to learn how to do it.

For some, this kind of thing comes naturally. For others, it comes as part of the discipleship process. I think a great example of this is found in Acts chapter 8, where Philip encounters the Ethiopian eunuch. The man is reading a passage in Isaiah and has no idea what it’s talking about, so he confesses as much: “How can I [understand], unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:31)

Discipleship

So that’s step one, in my opinion. Find someone who knows a thing or two who can pour into you and help you understand the Scriptures. As we grow in our sanctification (being made more like Christ), we begin to understand more difficult things. The Holy Spirit reveals hidden and secret things to us as we embark on our spiritual journey, and sometimes that comes from those farther along in the journey than us (1 Corinthians 2).

It can be scary to ask someone to mentor or disciple you, but the fruit of that boldness is absolutely priceless. Can I say that I’m great at asking? Not at all. I’m terrible at it. So this is me holding myself publicly accountable. I need to be more diligent about finding ways to be personally discipled.

The Power of Words

Another great way to learn how to apply the Scriptures is through journaling. Something about finding a way to put things into words helps us wrap our minds around a thought or idea and really cement it. It can be difficult to start though. When you stare at that blank page and wonder what in the world to put there, it can do the opposite of help you apply the text—it can cause you to freeze up.

So we’re going to put together a resource for you that will be available in the next few months. We’re going to look at all kinds of different ways to journal for your personal Bible study.

There are all kinds of tools and techniques out there. We’ll dive into and explore some of the popular ones like S.O.A.P., Ransom, 7 Arrows, Inductive Bible Study, and more, as well as principles and practices that will help you wrap your mind around the Scripture and how it applies.

Today I want to outline a few things I look for when I begin to meditate on my Bible study. For the most part, I journal in long-form writing. That is, my journal looks a lot more like an essay than an outline. But I always try to answer 5 important questions:

1. What does it say about God?

2. What does it say about me?

3. What does it say about the Gospel?

4. What should I do about it?

5. How should I pray about it?

What does it say about God?

The Bible is a looking glass into the character and person of the Creator, the one and only God. It’s how we can see His face, so to speak. Diving into the riches of Scripture tells us about our Father in heaven, and we should listen. Here I try to ask an answer questions like, “What did this reveal about God to the people of the time?”, “What did the author intend for his audience to know?”, and “How does this picture of God fit with the overall narrative of Scripture?”

Imagine each verse, chapter, and passage of Scripture like a small puzzle piece in a giant picture of God. Each piece reveals more and more information and insight into who He is, while at the same time, filling in the whole picture in a unique and special way.

What does it say about me?

This one can sometimes be hard. But it is really important to consider when meditating on how to apply a particular passage to my life—what does this say about me that I can learn? It’s also good to answer in terms of what it says about the human condition, or humanity in general. Sometimes this is the hardest question to answer, but it takes the mind to a deep place when considering our role in Scripture.

What does it say about the Gospel?

The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is a redemptive narrative like no other. From the very beginning with the original sin in Genesis 3, God put a plan in motion to redeem His people to Himself. Through many covenants, people, and prophecies, that redemption manifested in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. All of Scripture, in some way, points to the fact that a loving God poured out the evidence of His love in His Son, Jesus, God in the flesh, and purchased our redemption through the pain of the cross. Dig into the Word and see how every narrative and every piece of this puzzle spells out God’s love for us.

What should I do about it?

This is a practical question that helps put the rubber to the road. The most important part of application is figuring out what we should do with what we’ve learned. Is there a sin to confess? Is there a change I need to make in my life and habits? Is there a prayer I need to pray? Ask yourself questions like this when considering the application of Scripture—and hold yourself accountable to seeing the application through.

How should I pray about it?

This often goes hand in hand with the previous question, but it’s important enough to warrant its own place. Write out a prayer that helps cement your next steps before the Lord. After all, it’s by His power that sanctification is made possible. Pray for clarity. Pray for boldness. Pray for His strength to make you sufficient for the task at hand (2 Corinthians 3:4-6).

When you have a direction and a purpose in mind for your personal Bible study, learning to apply it becomes significantly easier. Not that the act of applying it is easy by any means—we will struggle with that until Jesus comes back. But the seemingly insurmountable task of applying these difficult words to our daily life becomes so much more approachable.

If you’re interesting in going a little deeper we have a free printable outline just like the one above for you to try with your own personal Bible study. Each printable packet will have a page for you to dream a about your spiritual journey—think about where you are and where you want to be. Pray through any spiritual themes you feel like the Lord wants you to focus on, whether it’s prayer, Scripture, worship, or otherwise. You can also note any significant events or milestones going on for you—I find it helpful to record these because our environment and circumstances almost always play a role in what the Lord is teaching us.

So, where to next? Open your Bible, friend, and taste and see that the Lord is good!

Study and Apply the Word

The Word in Habit Journal is based on a simple, inductive approach to studying the Word of God.

What's in the journal?

• 3 months worth of daily, guided personal Bible study

• Praise and Prayer pages to keep you on track

• Coil bound so it lays flat or can be held at any angle, in any situation