Helpful tools: Understanding the bible

When I was much younger, I found it hard to read the bible. All of the hard to pronounce names of people and places made it a struggle to keep my attention and stay awake. I

never could understand why in many parts of the bible when someone was being mentioned it had to go through their whole family tree just to get to the story about them. It use to frustrate me so much. I always felt right after reading a chapter it was a waste because I couldn't remember or understand anything I had just read.

Now after looking over my life many lessons and testimonies . I found myself taking much more interest in the bible. In fact I pretty much retired the whole "google it" phrase and now pray to find the answers in my quiet time of reading the bible.

Don't get me wrong, if I still need to do just a little research online to find connections to certain things. I do still google but i'm just no longer apart of the trend of disrespectfully telling others to google it like I was back in the day. Back when I was running with the "higher conciousness, know it all crew". Yeah we have all witness someone from that clan. I was one, felt google taught me everything I needed to know. I trusted in google, never thinking or believing any research/articles on googles could possibly be fake. If the article said anything like "scientist tested, doctor says, statistics shows, or archaelogist found" it was a chance I believed it and shared it without checking it's credibility. Not thinking how easy the enemy can use people to create false news and doctrine to distract us and to cause confusion so we begin to question the word and turn away.

'I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. '

Romans 16:17-18

Yes I trusted more in google than God. I had every excuse in the world why I would not read the bible. I didn't have time, it's too long, I can't understand it, God knows my heart I don't have to read it, and so on. But yet I can finish a sistah souljah or similar type of book in less than 3 days. I could binge watch a whole Netflix series, I could sit and google research a whole bunch of nonsense and for the love of a man I went and read the whole #Quran but I couldn't read the bible.

After thinking about all the things of the world I made time for but had every excuse to make time for God I knew right then it was nothing but satan and I owed it to God to give my everything to get into his word because it was something God had waiting for me. It was something satan was trying everything to keep me away from. So it had to be good, had to be that change I needed, that peace I had been missing, the real riches I had been desiring, the saving and TRUTH. So I dug in!

Where should I start? In the beginning

To some this may seem like common sense but because to those that may have been raised in the church, we are use to just jumping scriptures and was never really told to read from the beginning. Some bibles is only the new testament. Which would probably give a new believer the idea that the old no longer matter, but you can't connect the new without knowing and understanding the old testament. Prophacies, laws, and many stories from the old connects you to understanding the new testament.

So how do I study? Well by fully commiting I came in wanting to read the full bible in one year from beginning to end. So I had my physical bible, I had some bible dictionaries, I downloaded YouVersion bible app, I also downloaded The Cepher app just to also be able to learn some of the original hebrew words, names and meaning. I would keep these apps open on my computer and easy to find on my phone, with my physical bible near, Highlights and notepads near. So with my first goal of reading the complete bible I found this really helpful plan on youversion called "Bible in one year" This plan comes with a daily section of reading and before the reading is a devotion. The devotion was a break down / overview of what you will be reading for the day along with some real life example connections to the host of the plan. I found the devotion really helped me to prepare for understanding the story/chapter I was about to read which made it much easier to pay attention and enjoy it.

After reading I would go back into it and take some notes and highlight some of the things that stood out most to me. In #YouVersion you can also highlight and take notes in the app which is helpful if you're not near your physical bible and tools. After this sometimes I may go to youtube to see if its any short visuals/movies of the chapter I read. Sometimes seeing things makes it stick longer and understood better. So doing this daily and setting a reminder on your phone to remember to dedicate 30 min/ 1 hour/ 2 hours or whatever you can to God in his word and prayer daily. Pray for understanding before starting your reading.

I would also do maybe 2 additional 5 day plans in the app. Although those plans can be focused on different areas of the bible it will still help with the progress of my Bible in one year goal as well as just fully understanding the bible and why the bible is the truth and the real source to beleive and trust in.

People study in many ways. This way has been the most successful for me. I now understand why the family tree was so important to God and why it was needed to be broken down many times in the bible. When reading from youversion I would select the audio so the audio can play while I read along from my bible. That way I can hear the correct way the names and places were pronounced so whenever I had to read I can read with more confidence now knowing how to pronounce what was once too difficult and frustrating to me.

It's so many helpful tools to get you through the bible and once you dig in, it will become a good addiction. The stories of the bible is a mix of beautiful, some funny, some gets crazy but the end meaning its all needed in connection to our lives. No book of the world can compare.

#bible #kjv #gospel #GoodNews