Lesson #2 How to read and Understand the Bible
The Bible is its own best teacher. The Bible however is not arranged like a normal book or encyclopedia. You can’t go to the Old Testament and read all about God and go to the New Testament and read all about Jesus, etc. Remember when reading the Bible the chapter and verses are put there by people to remember passages more efficiently. It is best to read by paragraph. It is also good to read the bible “in context’ or reading the whole story instead of singled out one verse and making a lifestyle or doctrine from it.

Some ground rules need to be set up first:Pray first before opening God’s word. Ask for guidance and to be receive what is written and to be able to apply God’s will to your life.Never, never read the Bible trying to prove your belief on any subject. It is only human nature to take ideas out of context.

When you are reading and come across something that does not make sense, reread the paragraph or chapter again. If you still don’t understand, write down the problem area and continue onward. You may discover the answers later in your reading.

It is better not to read large parts of the Bible in one setting. Take breaks often. Meditate on what you have read, or a particular verse that God has made alive for you. 30 minutes to 1 hour a day is a good start.

Start with the New Testament, people who start with the Old Testament almost never read the Bible all the way through. Adding a chapter of proverbs a day (there are 31) is good also to repeat each month. After reading The New Testament, you can go back and look into the history of the Old Testament and the prophecies that predicted in advance what happened in the new. The New
Testament will help us in our current relationship with our Holy Spirit, that was missing in the Old Testament. You should be able to finish the New in 3 months.

Forget everything you have ever heard about Jesus, God and the Bible before you start reading the Bible. The bible, or “The Word” will contain everything you need to confirm what the Spirit of God speaks to you about, or hear from someone else. It is best to know the bible for yourself and follow along with any minister that is teaching.

God will use any version you may have as long as you intentions are about seeking Him and His ways. The best is the one that speaks to you, or a good study bible that gives you background on the people places and times of the area you are reading. When time comes, you may want to study Greek and Aramaic bibles for more detained study, some that also appear on this website . Over time, It will teach you the most important things for this life and the one to come.