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In 2015, I hosted a podcast called Health Matters where I interviewed leading health experts. Believing that Bible study and prayer are to the spirit what eating healthy and exercise are to the body, I asked each expert their “quick tip” for the four disciplines of Bible study, exercise, eating healthy, and prayer.
I share excerpts from interviews with top health experts on Bible study.
1. Read slowly
“Read familiar passages slowly and carefully; you never know when the Holy Spirit will give you new insight.” ~Steph Beth Nickel
2. Make it balanced
“I like to read in my New Testament and I’ll start a book and I’ll just systematically read a chapter or two a day. And then I’ll go to the Old Testament and read a chapter or two in whatever book I’m in there. And I like to get into the Proverbs a little bit and the Psalms a little bit and have that balance. But whatever you do, do it every day. If you haven’t read your Word, guess what it doesn’t take any time at all to flip over to the Proverbs and read a few proverbs. Do it consistently. Day in and day out. And make it balanced.” ~Rusty Nokes
3. Do it daily
“For Bible study, the quick tip is to do it daily. To be in the Word daily. With technology, we have apps that give us access to it all the time. We can have a Bible on our phone and we can get devotions emailed right to us. So we have that access to do that daily. To be in the Word daily and studying God’s Word daily is my tip on Bible study.” ~Rachel Almstedt
4. Pick specific verses
“My quick tip is to find two or three Bible passages that counter whatever issues you’re facing. Such as anger or insecurity or maybe you’re discontent. Find those two or three passages and write them down and keep them with you so you can speak truth over those things that are holding you back from fully living your life for Jesus.” ~Jennifer Waddle
5. Read verse by verse
“If anger or temper is your problem, look up every verse in the Bible that talks about it, memorize them, and learn what to do with them. Have them prepared. Maybe even make a list of them and have them ready to look at them. Bible study is more than reading your Bible. You have to spend time. Other people write Bible studies but you can write your own. It’s a verse by verse slow reading and looking up what the words mean and then applying it to your life.” ~Brenda Wood
6. Show up
“Regarding Bible study I think it’s so true if you just have a routine of showing up, opening that Word and placing yourself before the Lord. He wants to bring things to our mind at certain times of the day but if you don’t show up for class you’re not really going to have been exposed to his lesson. And so when it comes time to be tested at different points you’re going to be in a more deficient spot because you weren’t there for the lecture. Some days we just have those days where it’s just on and on, we barely have enough time to just breath, but just showing up even if it’s just 5 minutes can really put yourself in a great spot for the Lord to use that.” ~CJ Hitz
7. Choose a time
“For Bible study, every day, morning, noon or night, just choose a time. Be comfortable, get into a room, close the door, turn off the TV and study and read that Word. If you do it every day it’s just like daily nuggets. It helps nourish the mind, body, and spirit.” ~Renee Wiggins
8. Combine with another activity
“My tip for Bible study is to combine it with another activity. Find out what activity you’d like to combine your Bible study with. And that can be anything. It doesn’t have to be a very specific 15–20 minutes carved out of your day time always. It can go along with different things that you are doing from the standpoint of being efficient. So if you can combine it with another activity that you’re already going to be doing or interested in doing you can kill two birds with one stone.” ~John Hayden
9. Read the Gospels
“If you are a new Christian, I highly suggest that you start with the life of Jesus. Learning about Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, learning how He lived, learning how He taught His disciples. Just learning from that example if you are a beginner. If you are intermediate, I would go on to say that you need to study because we have a richness of 66 books in the Bible.” ~Sabrina Memminger
10. Read it anytime
“Here’s one thing that I’ve heard a lot of people teach and say, and that is you must do your Bible reading first thing in the morning. And I’d like to give the woman who are listening some freedom out there. Because sometimes that doesn’t always work out. And a lot of times condemnation can come to us when we think, well I didn’t get it done in the morning it’s not going to count for anything if I haven’t done it first thing. I believe that God honours the Word anytime that we make time to sit down and invest in what He has to say to us. And that investment can be made morning, noon, or night. He will always bless any time that you spend with Him.” ~Laurie Graves
11. Get a Bible app
“I think it’s really important that we read our Bible every single day. You know the Bible even says that we’re supposed to look into it day, evening, everyday. At least morning, noon and night. The best advice I have is to have a Bible app. I have a Bible app on my phone, therefore every single morning when I wake up or every single night before I go to bed or if I have time throughout the day I can read some verses and I can meditate on it. And that’s quick, it’s easy. Most of us always have our phones with us so we don’t have excuses, oh I left my Bible there or whatever. It’s always with us and it’s always accessible. If you just do a small amount every single day I think it’s very encouraging.” ~Summer Breskow
12. Meditate on one verse
“My favourite scripture has always been Hebrews 11:1 about faith being the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Just because faith is so important in every day living. Either pick that scripture that you kind of meditate on, it’s kind of your mantra or every day, every week make some time for studying the Word so that it keeps you anchored, it keeps you positive.” ~Nicole Swiner
13. Do it first thing
“Do it first thing even before you workout. I do it within the first 15 minutes of waking up. I have my scriptures set aside. I have my guide. I don’t turn anything on. I don’t turn my computer on, my TV. I don’t even wash my face first. I do my Bible study first and it sets the tone for the rest of my day.” ~Liz Faison
14. Search out topics
“Well for Bible study, what I like to do is to search out specific topics around health or around an area that I might be struggling with. Notice if it’s a self-esteem challenge that you’re having. Is it an anger issue that you’re having with your health that is causing you to eat? Is it even laziness? If it’s laziness call it that. Take some time and search the scriptures and study what God’s word says about those particular areas and causing you to be overwhelmed. Even search out the word overwhelmed. What does the Bible say about that? And then use that to minister to you as you go on about your day.” ~Cathy Morenzie
15. Use a devotional
“One of the things that I do for Bible study is I will use a devotional. I will search for topics that align with what I’m feeling or what I’m experiencing at the time. And I’ll search out scriptures that align with that devotional. Each devotional writer generally gives you a base scripture or a foundational scripture but when you begin to study and search you stumble across other scriptures that align with that as well.” ~Angel Barrino
16. Make a plan
“We think that Bible study and prayer are going to come naturally because we should want to do those things. And yet like exercise, whether we want to and whether we know it’s beneficial or not, if we’re not going to set aside time and if we don’t make a plan it’s probably not going to happen. So that’s my advice, make a plan and stick with it.” ~Kimberly Rae
17. Keep it simple
“Keep it simple. We can overcomplicate everything including our Bible study. And really this about you and God and your Bible together. There’s a million different Bible studies out there that we can use or participate in. They’re excellent. But don’t think you have to have one study in order to get close with God and to get into His word. Keep it simple. It doesn’t have to be a long time frame. It can even be five minutes in the morning before the kids wake up. Any time is good time in your Bible.” ~Casey Sollock
18. Make it personal
“Personal relevance in Bible study is so key because when you’re in a time with God He’s giving you guidance for that day. He’s giving you guidance for your life. Sometimes it’s sitting quiet with Him. It’s a lot of listening involved. So enjoy that time with God as a way of developing relationship with Him.” ~Linda Williams
19. Come to know the Father
“Anytime you approach the Word of God make the desire of your heart to truly encounter the Author. You’re not studying the Bible to know more. Knowledge puffs up but love edifies. So when I come to study the Bible, to study the Word of God I’m coming to know the Father, I’m coming to know God. And I’m seeking an encounter. Whether that’s a new insight, or whatever it is, I’m coming to know Him more. I’m not coming to the Bible to get a good sermon or to teach someone something (even though those are good things), my main passion is to come to the Bible to encounter my Creator.” ~Adam Luckey
20. Join a group
“I’m a big group joiner. I like all things group. I like to share with other people. So what I would do would be to call your parish, your church, and talk to the person who handles religious education and ask, “Do you have any groups running right now? Could we start a group?” Just find somewhere that you can connect. Find another group that you could join or create a new group. Connect with your church and ask what they would have for you.” ~Julie Endl