[buzzoff1031]

Forgive me if this topic is discussed elsewhere, but I generally access this site from my phone, which makes it difficult to do searches. Anyway, I want to know how to get started reading and studying the Bible. I'm 28 and, as yet, have not read through the Bible, nor have I read it with any consistincy. I WANT to read the word. I want to study. I just don't know where to even start. Some say keep a notebook. Some say mark your Bibles. What do I mark? Of what do I take notes? How much do I read a day. Where in the Bible do I start? How much should I study. Sorry if these questions seem dumb, but, despite having grown up in a kjv church, I feel lost!

[chette777]

Can I ask this question of you Buzz. please don't be offended I just want to see your heart

Why do you want to read and study the Bible?

Here is a link to another thread from George that gives some info on study.
http://av1611.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320

[George]

Originally Posted by buzzoff1031

Forgive me if this topic is discussed elsewhere, but I generally access this site from my phone, which makes it difficult to do searches. Anyway, I want to know how to get started reading and studying the Bible. I'm 28 and, as yet, have not read through the Bible, nor have I read it with any consistincy. I WANT to read the word. I want to study. I just don't know where to even start. Some say keep a notebook. Some say mark your Bibles. What do I mark? Of what do I take notes? How much do I read a day. Where in the Bible do I start? How much should I study. Sorry if these questions seem dumb, but, despite having grown up in a kjv church, I feel lost!

buzzoff1031,

There are no hard fast "rules" as to where you should start to read the Bible. I recommend starting at Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes; and then after reading through Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes several times, I would recommend starting with the Gospel of John in the New Testament, and then read through the Apostle Paul's "Epistles" (Letters) Romans - Philemon.

You should have a Concordance (to look up the English words only - never mind the Hebrew & the Greek "definitions") an electronic Concordance (SwordSearcher) is far faster and more convenient than a book.

Read slowly and take your time. I recommend that you DON'T mark your Bible, especially when you are just starting out. You will end up with marks, cross references, and notes that you may regret later on. Instead get some letter size yellow note pads and write down any questions, comments, or cross references that you think are appropriate and check them out with the Concordance.

I have some "guidelines" on how to study the Bible at this link: http://av1611.com/forums/showpost.ph...7&postcount=10

I also have a little longer study on "How To Study The Bible" on my web site http://www.thywordistruthkjv.com/.

At some point you will have to find a Bible believing church where you can not only receive instruction, but where you can worship God together with born again brethren, and where you can fellowship together with them. A Christian without a Bible believing church is like a "fish out of water"; God instituted the church to preach the Gospel; instruct the brethren; and to meet the needs of His children (born again saints).

From reading your "Threads" & "Posts" you sound like a very confused young man with a lot of serious problems. Those of us on this Forum can only do so much for you (we aren't a church). You need some personal counseling (Biblical "counseling" - NOT psychological "counseling") from a genuine Bible believing man (or men) who can meet with you "face to face" and try to help you iron out your problems and answer some of your many questions.

You need to establish some "stability" in your life, and you need to get "rooted" in the word of God - instead of being "carried about with every wind of doctrine". [Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;]

No one can live your life for you, and it's impossible for us to know how to advise you, when we know so little about you and your situation. But this one thing I do know - you have got to determine in your heart to seek out God and His Holy word, and if you are not sincere, I can guarantee you that God is not going to give you very much discernment or understanding of His Holy word.

To be honest with you - I am "puzzled" by your Threads & Posts. I have noticed on several occasions (by your comments) you seem to know more about the Bible - or should I say "bibles" (Old Scofield, the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, the Evidence Bible, The Student Bible, and Strong's & Vines, etc.) than you are leading us to believe. In the Thread on "Lordship Salvation" In your Post #10 - you demonstrate "more familiarity" with the Gospel of John than you should have, if you haven't read the Bible very much.

I suspect that you are being deceptive, and may not be who or what you portray yourself to be. If you are "playing" with us and "leading us on", I would advise you to think twice about what you are doing. And if you are not "leading us on", you need help - more help than we can give. In either case, after 7 "Threads" & 42 "Posts", it's obvious to me that unless you determine in your heart to seek the Lord and turn away from the chaos and confusion in your life, there is very little I can do for you other than pray.

Proverbs 26:18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

[Luke]

I recently bought the book "The Next Step" by Jack Chick. I wish I had bought it when I first got saved.

It has a bible reading plan in it.

I have been following along quite faithfully

5 Chapters a day

One history (Genesis - Ezra)
One poetic (Job - Ecclesiastes)
One Prophetic (Isaiah - Malachi)
One Biography (Matthew - Acts)
One Pauline Epistle (Romans - Philemon)
One General (Hebrews - Revelation) - I added this one in myself so I would read more NT stuff

I also highlight verses that stand out with color coded pencils

Red/Orange for a verse about salvation or blood
Blue for a verse about prayer
Green for a growth verse
Brown for a doctrinal

[buzzoff1031]

Brother George, I fully appreciate your honesty. But I assure you the questions I ask are genuine. The only knowledge I do have of the Bible is from growing up in the right kind of church. I grew in a kjv Bible believing and preaching church. I left the church as soon as I could and met my wife while in school, but in an unbelieving state. I spent a great deal of effort trying to get away from God and church, so she now wonders why I'm trying so hard to get back, and basically fights me every step of the way. I know I need more help and counseling than I can get on this forum, but I want a start. I need to start reading the word and ground myself in it, so I can stop wavering once and for all. I need to do this for myself, but I want to do it for my wife, so she can see that God, and faith in Christ, really does change lives. Again, thank you Brother George for your honesty, you and all the others have been a great help. I'd love to post on other topics, but I neve know what to say. thanks again!

[chette777]

Buzz you answered my question in post #5.

What I am about to say I say in love.

I don't think you were ever saved as you grew up in this KJV church. you may have knowledge but it must also be something of the heart not just the mind. you must come to a point of brokenness over all you are and have done up until this point. Your having a hard time with the Bible because you don't have the Holy Ghost indwelling you which happens at the moment someone really truly believes.

1) recognize you are a sinner in need of salvation 2) trust Jesus' work of the cross to save you and that only, 3) turn your life over to him. you may need to really go to Christ and seek him earnestly with not just your mind but your heart as well.

Pray for your wife to do the same.

It is not about making Jesus your Lord it is about you truly believing from your heart all the He has done for you.

once you have truly believed on Christ then the Holy Ghost will begin to teach you when you read the Bible and even how to study it.

Now, if I am wrong in what I have said. there is no harm done in saying it.

[buzzoff1031]

It's very possible you are right. I believe in my mind that I'm a sinner. I believe in my mind that Jesus's death on the cross is the only reason I would be spared the torment of hell, because He had to say the price of my sins, which 47 death. I believe these things! But how do I if past mere belief? Must I rely on God for everything including my faith? Must I realize that I can't even have faith without Him? must I simply begin reading the Bible and going to a Bible believing church and rely on God for the rest? I just don't know what to do. I relate to two phrases out of the Bible that I don't know where they are. One: What must I do to be saved? Two: Lord I believe. Help Thou my unbelief.

[ChaplainPaul]

Originally Posted by buzzoff1031

It's very possible you are right. I believe in my mind that I'm a sinner. I believe in my mind that Jesus's death on the cross is the only reason I would be spared the torment of hell, because He had to say the price of my sins, which 47 death. I believe these things! But how do I if past mere belief? Must I rely on God for everything including my faith? Must I realize that I can't even have faith without Him? must I simply begin reading the Bible and going to a Bible believing church and rely on God for the rest? I just don't know what to do. I relate to two phrases out of the Bible that I don't know where they are. One: What must I do to be saved? Two: Lord I believe. Help Thou my unbelief.

Buzz, you sound a lot like a minister. Are you in Bible college or seminary? When the people in Acts 2 cried out, "What shall we do?" it was because they were pricked in their heart by Peter's preaching. Please forgive me if I'm wrong, but I perceive I'm not reading the post of a man pricked in his heart.

Luke 18:13 has this prayer, "God, be merciful to me a sinner." Ask the Lord to help you get to this point. Review the 10 Commandments and know that if you even break one in your lifetime God sees you as a transgressor of the Law, a sinner, and you can never undo that. For that sin you earn death. Your only hope is for someone who is not guilty to come and take your place. This is why it was important that the Lord Jesus Christ never sin. Not in word, thought or deed, and not even once. He took our place. Because he satisfied the judgement against us, we can go free.

[peopleoftheway]

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

My Friend you cant buy it, you cant work for it you simply have to accept it.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Every single person on Gods earth is a sinner, we all sin, even when we get saved we still sin, sin is in our nature, but when you realise in your heart that sin is destroying you and will finally finish you off in eternal damnation, unless you simply come before the Lord Jesus Christ and admit to him in your heart that you cannot deal with your sin on your own, and take it all to the foot of that blessed cross, the filthy rags that are your life, leave them at his feet and ask him for forgiveness and ask him to save you and if you mean it with all your heart you will be saved.

Dont look for a sign or a feeling, don't let anyone tell you you didn't do it right, just believe what it says in the word of God

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Its a Gift, its Free and you seem to be looking for it in all the wrong places, just take it all to the cross my friend, lay it down at his feet and accept his free Gift by believing in your heart he is on that cross for YOUR sins.

God Bless and I pray you accept it if you haven't already and your life through Gods spirit is forever changed.

[tonybones2112]

Originally Posted by buzzoff1031

Forgive me if this topic is discussed elsewhere, but I generally access this site from my phone, which makes it difficult to do searches. Anyway, I want to know how to get started reading and studying the Bible. I'm 28 and, as yet, have not read through the Bible, nor have I read it with any consistincy. I WANT to read the word. I want to study. I just don't know where to even start. Some say keep a notebook. Some say mark your Bibles. What do I mark? Of what do I take notes? How much do I read a day. Where in the Bible do I start? How much should I study. Sorry if these questions seem dumb, but, despite having grown up in a kjv church, I feel lost!

Buzz, I've read this whole thread and I have not seen one piece of bad advice given to you by the others. The difference in this forum as opposed to others is these people here are all caring and compassionate people. This is not a boxing ring as many forums are, and the only one I care to hang out in and interact with people in.

You are not "lost", in my opinion, but are confused. What advice do I give you? You need to start reading the book of Romans and read on through Philemon and then start back at Romans again, Buzz. I make it no secret I am a dispensationalist nor do I keep my views a secret. You need to know who you are in Christ, you will not find this in Leviticus or Hebrews, but in Romans through Philemon.

You need to understand all the Bible is for you, but not all of it is written to you.

You need to understand what God did yesterday(Genesis-Acts 28), what He is doing today(Romans-Philemon), what He will be doing in Ages To Come(Hebrews-Revelation).

If you start in the OT you will hit the begat who begat who begat who begat and you will tire and stop there, and next thing you'll be shaloming and el shadai'ing left and right and trying to keep the Law. The Law was to lead the Jews to Christ and His revelation through Paul to you today in Romans through Philemon will tell you His will for Buzz today.

You cannot fulfill the "Great Commission", it is not to you, your "commission" begins with your next door neighbor and your community, to be a minister of the reconciliation and an ambassador for Christ.

You need to know the difference between a Jew and a Gentile and the third race, the church of the Living God. You need to know the difference between Israel and the Body of Christ, the mystery of Jew and Gentile now together and equal in one Body that was only revealed to Paul. You will only find this in Romans through Philemon because Peter, James, and John did not receive this revelation until Paul got it from Christ Himself. They then continued in the kingdom of heaven gospel because that was their Commission, while Paul preached the gospel for today, the grace of God through Christ crucified to Jew and Gentile apart from the works of the Law.

Find out God's will for today, and you'll only find it in Romans through Philemon, then you can know what He did yesterday and what He will do in the future. Be thoroughly furnished unto good works, be prepared to endure hardness as a good soldier for Christ, preach Christ crucified because that is what He is doing today, the ministry of the reconciliation to wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.

Find out what His will is for you today.

Grace and peace to you Buzz.

Tony