Bible study problems

[porklion1967]

Hopefully this is the right place to post this
I have had problems as I read the word my mind wonders and I cant concetrate. It happens when I read anyting really.I ask the holy sprit to guide me before I read. I know the lord uses his word to speak us. I don't want to miss anything. I am thing about buying the bible on tape and listen while I read. Has any one else gone tru this

 

[Sapphire]

I do that sometimes also - mind wandering. Listening to the Bible on tape while you read is good, but why don't you try to just read aloud first? It may be all you need to do. You are also taking God's Word in thru 2 senses - hearing as well as visual.

 

[porklion1967]

I have tried reading out loud doesnt work but it helps

 

[uknowme]

yeah i went through that myself....
and im still going through it...but i think what helped me
a bit was....
i listen to shristian music when i read the bible...and so....and then i can
concentrate.....
but otherwise i keep praying that i will make it someday without being somewhere else with my thoughts!!!
god bless
kara

 

[Chad]

This happens to me also. Try doing this if it may help....

1. Pray first before reading. Ask for GOD to clear your mind and give you a refreshed spirit, clear thinking

2. Listen to a bit of Christian music with your eyes closed (assuming you won't fall asleep)

3. Read out loud. Make sure everything else is turned off (radio, tv, etc)

4. If needed be to keep ypu up and aware, have some caffeine.

I hope that helps. I took what others said and summed it up for you.

 

[scrappy]

porklion,

when i read and when i pray i too can become distracted and disturbed by the day i have had, or the day to come.

when praying, i can also become distracted

the advice given by chad is good advice, to start with prayer is essential, not only when reading the Bible and praying but in everything we do

caffeine can help as can orange juice or milk, survived many a late night as a student on orange juice or milk

Christian music helps set the mind before the prayer, a wise person ( st augustine i think ) once said when we sing we pray twice, so go ahead and sing your heart out for the Lord

silence is most certainly the best way i have found of studying His living words, silence to the world so the Lord can whisper His love to me

i then like to spend time meditating on the message contained

then i like to pray on His word, and i was taught a long time ago now to write these prayers, for the writing focuses ourselves, it means we concentrate our whole being on the thoughts and feelings we have and it allows the Lord to speak to us throught the writings we make; you will discover your handwriting, but not always your words on are the paper when you re read - and this i find to be awesome

so my advice, like those before me is :

sing
pray
read
reflect
meditate
read again
pray

Acts 6:4
and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

God bless

scrappy

 

[Craig]

I find it really difficult to take in what im reading also! one thing that i found when i first really got into the word is that in one session of reading i would try and read as much as i could so then i could read the whole bible asap. but that would mean nothing if i didnt get anything out of it. One thing that is good to remember its not how much you read it is how much you get out of what you read. what i started doing which worked effectively (mind you its still difficult getting something out of what you read) is if i read something and i didnt understand i would keep reading it until i understood it or got something out of it. also pray that god will speak to you through his word, and show you new things out of what you are reading. I also find the NIV version VERY handy because at the bottom of each page it gives descriptions of each verse in a more simple form and i have found that SO effective and i have learnt so much from that!!

 

[porklion1967]

meditate is someting I hear all the time but I am not sure what it means. When I think about medataion I thinks of the breating ans such like on tv.

 

[Craig]

when you meditate on the word it means that you are going over and over it again, focusing on particular passge in the bible, and when you meditate on the word it needs to been in a place where there are no distractions and no chance of disturbance and its a time for you to just seek god and his word

 

[porklion1967]

so like a chapter and read it over and over again

 

[Craig]

so like a chapter and read it over and over again

yeh i remember once I cant remember which book now but it was a while ago about 5 chapters the book was and i felt god wanted me to keep reading it so i read it 8 times before i got something out of it, although i dont remember whatit was now but i know at the time it really helped me out big time!!

 

[ICHTHUS]

Hopefully this is the right place to post this
I have had problems as I read the word my mind wonders and I cant concetrate. It happens when I read anyting really.I ask the holy sprit to guide me before I read. I know the lord uses his word to speak us. I don't want to miss anything. I am thing about buying the bible on tape and listen while I read. Has any one else gone tru this

yeah hi. i went thru tt too. still do in a way i been tryign to get into it but it aint easy i tel ya... but iw ill get there with God's help. so yeah

Love Simon!!!

 

[Aimz]

well, ill just say i used 2 have a problem like this.. then my mum got me a daily devotional thingy,an yea 4 sure it started out ebing hard 2 read it... but now, i wake up... an i do my daily devotional wif da Lord... its an awesome way 2 start the day wif a readin from the Word...

just my 2 cents..

 

[Craig]

yeh its awesome to spend time with god first thing in the morning because i find that you feel gods prescence stronger and usually have a better day!!

 

[janlovesjesus]

It says to mediate on God's word in psalms 1 to me mediate is to look at it, I see and determine how the scripture can be used in my life and ask the Holy spirit help me to understand what it means. I also had problems with concetrating on Gods word. I ask the Holy spirit to help me to understand it and to give me knowledge and wisdom and revelation Eph 1:17-19 and Eph 3:14-21. I also go to biblegateway. com and listen and read the word at the same time. I also study the bible looking at different sources . I dont know if this helps but I hope and pray it does janlovesjesus